[CTinline-six]

N52 will be more reliable simply because it is less complicated.


Many other brands will be more reliable than BMW because they are less complicated.

BMWs should be bought because they are fun to drive, NOT because of reliability. I wouldn't say a BMW is any less reliable than a Honda if maintained, but they do have some severe issues that are design flaws that can get very expensive if not taken care of.

An example would be the belt tensioner/oil filter housing gasket thread. If the belt tensioner breaks or you have oil leaks on a Honda, it makes for an annoying trip to the parts store or a mess on the driveway. If the belt tensioner fails or you have oil leaking on the belt from the OFHG on a BMW E90, it can destroy the engine. The newer/more complex the cars are it seems to get worse. OFHG and belt tensioners failing wouldn't destroy the engine on an E46 unless the driver continued driving with a failed belt and it overheated.

Take care of these flaws by fixing the gasket and replacing the tensioner and it is not really an issue, fail to do so and it can cost you the engine.