Yorkie Z said:
You'd think since this engine has been in production for 5 years by the time the op's car got one that these problems would of been sorted. From what he's saying the service history is tip top.
I'm an M owner myself and my car gets an oil change every 2000 miles. From what I've seen and read it feels like the engine is a ticking time bomb, and that does take away from the enjoyment a little.
I took my 3.0Z on 3 track days, I'm unsure if I should track the M.???
Mine had an engine under warranty at 23,000 miles. It was a September 2006 car, so an 'early' engine I assume. The new engine was in 2009, so the end of the engine run and maybe any remaining problems had been sorted?
However, mine never sounded like any of these videos. Mine was a 'simple' misfire and recurring EML.
Never got a clear answer from the dealer about the cause, despite them insisting BMW wanted it back to investigate. A year later I was told it had just been 'binned'. At one point it was a dodgy coil, then a bent valve, then a missing shim, then VANOS failure, etc. In the end BMW said to replace it as they were racking up a huge investigation/diagnostics bill (which they tried to get me to contribute to).
I don't know how the previous owner cared for it, but the service history for a young car with 9000 miles on it was minimal.
Since then, mine has covered 125,000 miles, done 2-3 trackdays and 2-3 Ring trips a year for the last 5 years. One of the reasons I don't stay in a hotel right next door to the 'Ring is that I want the 10 miles or so to warm the car up normally before heading out on the track, plus I'm rarely using the full rev range on track as there's no need to - regularly changing at 7000-7250rpm will likely reduce wear, but if I need the extra 500rpm or so when I'm overtaking, I'm never scared of using it.
Other than the MAF I got replaced after it started cutting out during acceleration on the National Meet last year (or the year before), it's not had anything else wrong with the engine (until the EML came on after my accident).
It get over serviced to an extent (i.e. 7000 mile oil service, annual inspection 2, brake fluid twice a year, etc.), and I've got no worries about its reliability.
Could it go POP tomorrow? Possibly, but I had that worry with my modified VR6, and e34 M5, but you don't hear of either of those engines being called a ticking time bomb!
Have any of the posts I've seen over the last year or so scared me, or put me off driving it hard? No!
Have any of the posts made me consider cancelling my May and September 'Ring trips this year (assuming my car is fully working after the accident)? No!
Liverpool
If I wanted one, reliability wouldn't be a reason to put me off.