My 545i has been great so far. knock on wood!
Every engine needs proper maintenance.

 

550 doing good with 105k.
only major thing i changed was water pump due to misdiagnosing belt tensioner noise. glad i did it anyways and flushed coolant while i was at it. and resealed vacuum pump cover.

 

Mine is awsome!

 

Sorry you are having so many issues with your 545... But regarding the FORD, I drive a 2003 Ford Ranger FX-4 (company vehicle) to and from work most days. This truck has over 240,000 miles on it and runs smooth and strong. HOWEVER I will admit this truck has had MANY maintenance issues this past year totaling well over $1,000... Things like: 2 Thermostat housings, new transmission pan gasket, new rear brake cylinders on both sides, new drive belt, throttle body cleaned etc... As well as new tires and usual items like that.

I guess my point is, you could be looking at $$$ for maintenance/repairs no matter what you drive. Just try to take the best care of a vehicle you can and hopefully you can postpone or avoid some issues. I know my truck has had a lot of repairs, but it also has a lot of miles and drives great. These are pros and cons of owning older vehicles

 

My 545i has been relatively reliable. True, I have had to fix the common oil leaks (oil pressure switch, vacuum pump, and alt bracket). Other than misc minor issues, it has been good. Only thing that really frustrates me is the random fault messages that clear up upon restart and don't happen consistently. My friends 530 does the same thing. Ugh.

 

(off topic sry) What types of fault messages are you getting?

 

Mine was a POS!!! I didnt have all of the oil leaks I've read about however, I did have every coolant leak imaginable, not to mention the valve seals and then my electrical gremlins as well as valvetronic issues. Still loved the car tho lol

 

LOL I can totally feel your frustration. I bought my 545 in Feb 2012. I have replaced the following:

Water Pump (bearing was making noise)
Both Timing Cover Gaskets
Both Valve Cover Gaskets
Mass Air Flow Sensor
Alternator Bracket gasket
and a couple of misc parts I cant remember the names of

I really enjoy the car when it isn't giving me an issue LOL. I just hit 91k. I wish I would have kept my Altima sometimes. I had 155k on it and never had these issues.

 

I see these issues are hit or miss.... I think mine was a Oktoberfest car.

 

All the ailments you reported are wear and tear items on any motor. My water pump went at 80k, alternator bracket gasket around the same time. Alternator deflector bearing a little while ago. I DIY'd all these with the help of some great members here. Learned a great deal about my car and the engine not to mention all the $$$ saved.

The thread about 545 (N62) engine being a test mule for 550 (N62N) engine is NOT true. Yes they did work out some bugs on the N62N but still uses the same coolant tube, same alternator & alternator bracket/gasket design and aside from the bigger bore pistons and new cams, 90% of the engine parts are interchangeable. How do I know? Well cuz I also own an E65 with the N62N engine. All I can say is, you have to "care" for these cars. Pay attention to noises, fluid change intervals. Don't be afraid to pop the hood once in a while to check for leaks and stuff. If you treat it right, it will give you endless miles of driving pleasure. I love both my steeds.