RELIABLE AUTO ENGINES THAT SIMPLY REFUSE TO DIE

Two things can be true simultaneously. For example, “Engines that refuse to die,” we admit, is a little dramatic, but it's also true. If you have ever had a car that you just did the bare minimum maintenance on, and it still ran like it was right off the showroom floor, then you might know what we're talking about.

Not all engines are perfect. There are certain engines that are notorious for being apocalyptic in issues, like the Hyundai Theta 2. Other's, like the Buick 3800 series, are known to last well into and after the apocalypse has happened.

If you've ever wondered to yourself, “what car would last for potentially an entire lifetime, that I could baby into the next,” then this list is for you. We're going to cover modern and classic engines that have stood the test of time in terms of durability, reliability and the like.

Chrysler Slant-6: 108,200 Miles

Specifications

Quite possibly one of the longest running engines on the list in terms of production years, the Chrysler slant six engine was in production from 1959 until 2000. It was featured in a suite of Chrysler products, from the Dodge Dart to the Chrysler Newport. It is a 3.7-liter straight six-cylinder engine that makes roughly 145 horsepower and 215 pound-feet of torque. It's notably referred to as the “slant-six” because of its angled cylinder heads. We found one with 108,200 miles on it on cars.com, kicking off our list for engines that refuse to die.

BMW M50: 159,222 Miles

Specifications

BMW is known for two things when it comes to engines: if it's good, they'll put it in a majority of their vehicles, and they love an inline six-cylinder engine. The BMW M50 was produced in 1990 and was featured in everything from the Z3 to the 3 Series, and even the 5 Series .

It's a naturally aspirated 2.5-liter inline 6-cylinder engine that featured a new technology for the time, like valvetronic, which predates variable valve timing, improving efficiency and overall output. The smaller 2.5-liter version can output 168 horsepower and 164 pound-feet of torque, and we found one with about 160,000 miles on it.

BMW M30: 161,500 Miles

Specifications

Another long-standing BMW straight six in the mix, the BMW M30-is known to be one of the most legendary six cylinders to ever come out of Munich, Germany. It was in production from 1968 to 1995 and featured a single overhead camshaft. We're going to be covering the smaller 2.5-liter, but there was a 3.5-liter, higher performing version, as well.

The 2.5-liter version outputs 141 horsepower and 140 pound-feet of torque. It was used in several BMWs, including the 3, 5, 6 and 7 Series throughout its life cycle. Although the engine itself might not have been entirely lightweight, it did feature aluminum heads.

VW EA888 R4: 186,524 Miles

Specifications

Like a lot of the engines on our list, the VW E888 has a few different variants on its engine cover. We are going to cover the R4. The R4 has two variants in either the 1.8 or 2.0-liter (higher performance version) turbocharged inline four-cylinder engine. It creates an impressive amount of power, with up to 227 horsepower and 221 pound-feet of torque. We found a Volkswagen Golf featuring the E888 R4 engine that had close to 190,000 miles on it.

Toyota 2JZ-GTE: 193,475 Miles

Specifications

The inimitable Toyota 2JZ-GTE (say that three times fast) is the pride and joy of not only Toyota, but also Toyota Supra enthusiasts. Not only is this an extremely capable track monster of an engine, it's also a long-lasting one. We found one on cars.com with close to 200,000 miles on it, and probably more to go.

It comes in one variant. A 3.0-liter twin-turbocharged inline 6-cylinder engine that boasts 280 horsepower and 333 pound-feet of torque. What's really interesting about this engine is that some people have been able to squeeze 1,000 horsepower out of it.

Toyota 22RE: 194,925 Miles

Specifications

BMW is not the only manufacturer that's able to make decades-long variants of the same engine. Toyota's 22RE was in production from the early 1970s until the 1990s. It was featured in all different kinds of vehicles, from the Toyota Celica and even the Toyota 4Runner.

It is a naturally aspirated inline four-cylinder engine that outputs a much smaller 114 horsepower and 141 pound-feet of torque. Toyota's are also expected, at this point, to be more reliable than most and out live any and all other engines out there.

GM LS3: 196,150 Miles

Specifications

Another high performance engine added to the list, the General Motors LS3 V8 engine, has currently achieved close to 200,000 miles thanks to a Corvette we found on Cars.com. The LS line of engines comes from a long lineage of high performance, successful, and even sometimes capable, do-it-all powertrains.

They are such successful powertrains, in fact, that they are even sold as crate engines. The LS3 has been featured in everything from Chevrolet Camaro SS', Chevrolet Corvette's and even Cadillac CTS V's. The LS3, in this case, can produce up to 426 horsepower and 420 pound-feet of torque.

Mercedes-Benz OM617: 218,000 Miles

Specifications

The third to most durable engine that refuses to die on our list is the Mercedes-Benz OM617. This diesel engine was in production from the 1970s until the 1990s. It was featured in the S, E and G Class vehicles and really helped solidify Mercedes-Benz as a leader, not only in engine design, but also diesel engine design. We found one with over 200,000 miles. What it lacks in power, it makes up for in MPG. This engine only outputs 79 horsepower and 127 pound-feet of torque.

Buick 3800 Series II: 233,851 Miles

Specifications

Even though it is second on the list, it is number one in terms of popularity among auto enthusiasts for reliability and durability. It is also probably one of the laziest V6s on this list, with an O.K. amount of horsepower but a surprising amount of torque. This 3.8-liter (i.e. the 3800 moniker) outputs 165 horsepower and 210 pound-feet of torque.

This specific iteration of the 3800 was in production for about ten years, from 1995 to 2005. It was so popular, in fact, that Buick ended up making a supercharged version of it that they put in the Buick Regal GS and even some Chevrolet products.

Honda K20: 299,999 Miles

Specifications

Number one on the list of reliable engines that refuse to die is the Honda K20. Like almost every engine on this list, the K20 is known for having several different variants. They were originally referred to as the “K” engine themselves, but the K20 is the smaller, but still potent, version of all three “K” engines.

It is a 2.0-liter naturally aspirated inline four-cylinder engine that produces up to 200 horsepower and 166 pound-feet of torque. There are other higher performance variants with a turbocharger, but this one takes the cake for most mileage, at close to 300,000+ miles.

2024-09-10T06:10:07Z dg43tfdfdgfd