N62 vs M50/M52

Side-by-side reliability comparison

Higher reliability score
M50/M52 BEST 95/100
+57 points over N62
0 / 100
AVOID N62 BMW
0 / 100
BEST M50/M52 BMW

Specifications

N62
M50/M52
Brand
BMW
BMW
Verdict
AVOID
BEST
Reliability
38
95
Years
2001--2010
1990--2000
Displacement
4799 cc
2494 cc
Layout
V8
I6
Type
Petrol Na
Petrol Na
Power
325--367 hp
150--170 hp
Known Issues
2
3
Total Risk Cost
€4,000--€14,000
€330--€850

Character

N62

"Valve stem seal failure (30%+ by 160k km). Coolant transfer pipe leak = 40+ hours labour. Timing chain guide brittleness. Over-engineered with too many failure points. Beautiful power, terrible ownership."

M50/M52

"Smooth, linear, bulletproof. Classic BMW feel. Simple maintenance. Cheap parts."

Issues Comparison

N62 2

◆ CRITICAL
Coolant transfer pipe seal leak €2,000--€8,000 60,000 km--120,000 km
◆ CRITICAL
Valve stem seal failure €2,000--€6,000 100,000 km--180,000 km

M50/M52 3

● MODERATE
Cooling system plastics (tank, housing, impeller) €150--€350 100,000 km--180,000 km
○ MINOR
VANOS oil seal wear (M52 only) €80--€200 120,000 km--200,000 km
○ MINOR
Valve cover / oil pan gasket leaks €100--€300 150,000 km--∞

Models

N62 5

5 Series E60 2003--2005 7 Series E65 2001--2005 X5 E53 2003--2006 5 Series E60 2005--2010 X5 E53 2004--2006

M50/M52 12

3 Series E36 1990--1994 3 Series E36 1990--1995 3 Series E36 1994--1999 5 Series E39 1996--2000 3 Series E46 1998--2001 5 Series E39 1996--2000 3 Series E36 1995--1999 3 Series E46 1998--2000 5 Series E39 1996--2000 Z3 E36/7 1997--2000 3 Series E36 1995--1999 3 Series E46 1998--2000
Full N62 Report Full M50/M52 Report