Is the N63 reliable?
We rate the N63 65 of 100 for reliability: moderate. The rating is one of the inputs to every Guide Score below, and it is argued for on the method page with the others.
Why that rating
The lit mark is the N63; each grey mark is another engine on the engines page.
The score is for the TU2 and TU3 versions in the cars we cover, improved over the original N63 and the TU1 of 2013 to 2019, whose oil consumption led to a class action settlement.
Even so: oil consumption, hot-vee heat stress on gaskets and cooling, coolant that can corrode injectors (BMW covers the injectors of 2019 to 2021 M550i, M850i and 750Li cars for 15 years or 150,000 miles; the X5, X6 and X7 M50i are not on that list), and higher upkeep than any six here.
Shorter oil intervals strongly advised.
The M550i and M850i versions are covered in depth in Is the N63 reliable?
Cars in this guide with the N63
| Car | Years with this engine | Reliability | Guide Score |
|---|---|---|---|
| M550i G30 facelift | 2021 to 2023 | 67 to 68 | 59 (2023) |
| M550i G30 | 2018 to 2020 | 64 to 66 | 57 (2020) |
| M850i G15 | 2019 to 2022 | 66 to 67 | 57 (2022) |
| M850i G15 facelift | 2023 to 2026 | 68 to 70 | 57 (2026) |
| M850i G14 facelift | 2023 to 2026 | 68 to 70 | 54 (2026) |
| M850i G14 | 2019 to 2022 | 66 to 67 | 53 (2022) |
| X5 M50i and M60i G05 | 2020 to 2023 | 60 to 62 | 51 (2026) |
| X7 M50i and M60i G07 | 2020 to 2022 | 60 to 61 | 50 (2026) |
| X6 M50i and M60i G06 | 2020 to 2023 | 60 to 62 | 50 (2026) |
Reliability is each car's score out of 100 for the years it had this engine: the engine rating plus that car's own known problems, service costs and age. The Guide Score is for the car's best year to buy.
Known problems on the N63
| Problem | Named in the guides for | Typical bill |
|---|---|---|
| Oil consumption | M850i G15, M850i G15 facelift, M550i G30 facelift, M550i G30, M850i G14, M850i G14 facelift, X6 M50i and M60i G06, X5 M50i and M60i G05, X7 M50i and M60i G07 | $1,500 to $4,000 |
| Coolant and turbo oil line leaks in the hot vee | X6 M50i and M60i G06, X5 M50i and M60i G05, X7 M50i and M60i G07 | $1,500 |
| Fuel injectors corroded by coolant | M850i G15, M550i G30 facelift, M550i G30, M850i G14 | not priced |
Bills are the guides' estimates, not quotes; each car's guide says which model years a problem hits and how to check for it. The bars share one scale, up to the costliest bill here.
Other engines
Every engine we rate, from the most reliable down, is on the engines page.