Is the S50 reliable?
We rate the S50 80 of 100 for reliability: strong. 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 S50; each grey mark is another engine on the engines page.
The 1995 E36 M3's 3.0 six is a simpler US-only engine, built from BMW's regular iron-block six rather than Europe's M engine. Durable at its core; the bills are age items: the plastic-heavy cooling system, the single VANOS unit, and oil leaks from the valve cover and oil filter housing gaskets.
Cars in this guide with the S50
| Car | Years with this engine | Reliability | Guide Score |
|---|---|---|---|
| M3 E36 | 1995 | 73 | 79 (1999) |
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.
Other engines
Every engine we rate, from the most reliable down, is on the engines page.