The ’90s were a radical time for automakers and car enthusiasts. New technology and advancements in assembly materials made going faster, easier, and safer than ever before. Automakers began...
Owning a car that gets around 30mpg on the highway is pretty standard these days. Just about every sedan and CUV can hit that, not to mention some sports cars. Global emissions have forced manufacturers to hit those numbers, and there have been a lot of benefits. Better than any other, it allows...
BMW’s high-performance nature means that every one of their engines is built with strict tolerances. In the more mechanical days, engine builders carefully measured their clearances to get them right and knew the correct tolerances via a book. Nowadays, BMW publishes engine clearances and...
It’s no secret that we in the US have missed out on more than a few great models over the years. Emissions and crash safety regulations have played spoiler to many, leaving us no choice but to sit and wait for the 25-year import rule to roll around. Now, for an entire generation who grew up on...
Possibly the most critical factor in car ownership is its reliability. Everyone pays for a vehicle once, but those who don’t do their research or choose with their heart can subject themselves to a lifetime of financial and emotional pain. Now, whatever constitutes something as “worth it” is...
The BMW M52TU, M54, and M56 engines are all related by their aluminum engine blocks. Until then, all prior M-series straight-six engines had used iron cases, making them strong but very heavy. The switch to an aluminum block with iron liners shed weight over the front axle, subsequently improving...
Starting a family is as expensive as ever; food costs are bananas, hospital stays can bankrupt you, and now there’s college tuition to save for. On top of everything else, you may need to swap out that sleek sports car for something with the all-important third row for hauling a family. Although...
The BMW E46 was a marvel when it debuted nearly a quarter century ago. Since then, it has remained relatively lightweight, with a powerful and exotic engine, sublime handling characteristics, and genuine character that laughs at the stereotype that German-made machines lack soul. However, its...
BMW has always done a good job with its oil scavenging system while retaining the wet sump setup on BMW M cars, and the S55 is no different. While the S55 engine shares a lot of its basic engine block architecture with the non-M N55 engine, it uses an entirely different oiling system which does a...
Engineers have been looking for ways to improve the internal combustion engine since its creation. Various reasons have spawned updates and evolutions, but these days, the general driver is efficiency. Greenhouse emissions are bad, and carbon-neutral modes of transportation don’t exist yet, so...
Get help answering any questions you have
Contact Us