Quote Originally Posted by DinanM3atl
Time bomb?

I am screwed. I only have about 400 miles left till my car blows up!



The miles are getting up there on the S50/52. I don't see any major problems with 120K or even 150K and up.

How are they "more" reliable. Considering besides the item you listed they are essentially the same exact motor. Hell an S50/S52 is a bored and stroked M50... I wouldn't put the m52 in some class above the S52. The same failure points exist in terms of engine reliability.

Don't want to start some huge debate but a 120K e36 M3 Sedan is perfectly reliable. No less than a 120K 328 sedan.
Most likely an M3 engine was run harder than a 328i, expecially if compared to an automatic M52...the question is which one had the most service, oil changes, etc.

You know the sidewalls are much thinner on the S50/52 so in the long run it would make makes sense that the M52 is the more reliable of the two, especially with a forced induction application. The M52 is also considerably cheaper (cheaper than a GS-R engine, lol!) and with $300 for used M3 cams then however much for the valve train it's practically halfway to being an S50/52 M3 engine anyways while retaining the meaty block. I'd rather have an S54 over a S50/52