Two 6-cyl engines: Acura vs BMW

[eliminator]

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Originally posted by Rickey:
BMW, just another point of disposal(maintenance costs) for that six figure income. This somehow buys "snob appeal" and little else.

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I bought my '00 328ci a couple years old for less than the price of a new economy car. Additionally, service is inexpensive and EASY. This car is by far the easiest to work on of any car i've ever owned, bar none.

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Originally posted by Rickey:
Not a single rattle in my new (6K miles now) Impala.

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I would hope not, it's a brand new car. BTW, my '88 325is has 240k miles and NOT ONE RATTLE.

Please check in with us again when you've racked up an additional 230k on your Imp.

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Originally posted by Rickey:
It says 26.7 MPG right now on the average MPG calculator. I have seen 34 MPG or better average on highway trips.

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Good for you.

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Originally posted by Rickey:
Does BMW still attempt to use this cylinder lining material? I believe that Porsche was the only manufacturer to get this right.

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BMW had problems with this for ONE YEAR (1995) in North America, in the v-8s only, and then not on every car. Nikasil was never a problem anywhere else in the world, because USA was the only place with high-sulfer fuel. But in response to the problem, BMW not only replaced ALL the affected engines under warranty, they switched to either AluSil or iron liners.

Yes, Porsche and other manufacturers have used Nikasil without problems. Why? As you may know, Nikasil is very expensive. BMW used a technique that significantly lowered the cost, but one of the side effects was incompatibility with high-sulfer fuels.

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Originally posted by Rickey:I think that its cam in block VVT is a rather elegant and efficent use of technology. Why must some continue to ignore the obvious superiority of GM's designs?

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I do agree that most of their "solutions" are very cost effective. Superior? Far from it.

[ September 07, 2006, 12:25 AM: Message edited by: eliminator ]

 

[Audity]

Carock, good to hear you're a track guy.

Careful with those spins, though - someone once told me the only difference between a spin and a crash is whether it gets noisy near the end. I found out he was right...

 

[XS650]

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Originally posted by CBDFrontier06:
What would be so wrong about Honda following suit with Nissan and converting their excellent engines over to timing chains?

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A salesman told me the 4 cylinder in new Accords does use a chain. I think he was correct.

After 23 years experiance with cam drive belts on many vehicles I would prefer a chain but can't get very excited about it.

 

[Volvohead]

There are pros and cons both ways with belts vs. chains.

Chains are not without their problems. They stretch and throw off timing and can be harder on lubricants, and can limit max RPMs on some smaller displacement engines. But they are much more durable than belts and don't require replacement. A well-engineered chain is not that noisier than a belt.

As an engine guy, I prefer chains. But belts have their strengths, too. The only time you need fear freewheel damage is with an interference valvetrain, and that is not the belt's fault.

 

[wcbcruzer]

I would take an inline engine over a V engine anyday. Especially when you're comparing two well-known car makers. History has shown. Not saying I wouldn't buy a V engine, but I just like inlines more. Same reason I would take a V engine over a rotary engine.

 

[mdv]

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Originally posted by CBDFrontier06:

After witnessing my neighbor's 2000 TL with 120K on it, I'm completely convinced Honda makes a world class engine. With hood open, that engine idled silently, with not even a shake or rattle. If you didn't see the accessory belt whirling around, you'd never know it was running. To me, that's a testament to quality and good engineering. Why hobble such a great engine with a timing belt? This is where Honda's logic escapes me.

Nissan's VQ 3.5 has been an award winning engine for over a decade. No belt in sight. What's Honda's holdup? BMW and Nissan are obviously onto something.

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Ironically, the timing belt use is one of the reasons why the Honda motor is so quiet. BMW and Nissan tend to be a bit more mechanical. A good thing as far as I'm concerned. Had Nissan's VQ30DE in a 5 speed Maxima that was amazing. I do prefer BMW's old baby six for pure aural enjoyment though, especially on the track.