S50/S54 vs M57

Side-by-side reliability comparison

Higher reliability score
M57 BUY 84/100
+6 points over S50/S54
0 / 100
BUY S50/S54 BMW
0 / 100
BUY M57 BMW

Specifications

S50/S54
M57
Brand
BMW
BMW
Verdict
BUY
BUY
Reliability
78
84
Years
1992--2006
1998--2012
Displacement
3246 cc
2993 cc
Layout
I6
I6
Type
Petrol Na
Diesel
Power
286--343 hp
184--286 hp
Known Issues
2
0
Total Risk Cost
€2,500--€7,500
€0--€0

Character

S50/S54

"E36 M3 (S50) and E46 M3 (S54). High-revving NA legends. S50B32 is bulletproof. S54 has rod bearing and VANOS concerns but iconic. Preventive rod bearing replacement recommended on S54."

M57

"Legendary diesel six. Powered E46 330d to E90 335d. Smooth, torquey, reliable. Swirl flaps and turbo actuator at high mileage."

Issues Comparison

S50/S54 2

◆ CRITICAL
Rod bearing wear (S54) €2,000--€6,000 80,000 km--150,000 km
▲ HIGH
VANOS bolt failure (S54 recall) €500--€1,500 60,000 km--120,000 km

M57 0

No documented issues.

Models

S50/S54 3

M3 E36 1992--1996 M3 E36 1996--1999 M3 E46 2000--2006

M57 17

5 Series E39 2000--2003 5 Series E60 2003--2007 X5 E53 2001--2003 3 Series E46 1999--2003 5 Series E39 1998--2000 X5 E53 2003--2006 5 Series E39 2000--2003 7 Series E65 2002--2008 5 Series E60 2003--2007 3 Series E46 2003--2005 3 Series E90 2005--2008 3 Series E90 2006--2010 X5 E70 2007--2010 5 Series E60 2007--2010 5 Series E60 2007--2010 3 Series E90 2006--2008 5 Series E60 2004--2010
Full S50/S54 Report Full M57 Report