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Originally Posted by Taxidriver
I have not looked into the "toughness" of modern turbo engines, so what will be the long-term reliability of the N20? Last time i looked into turbo engines was back in the early 1990s with the Supra and Nissan 300ZX. Is synthetic oil required? Are there problems with carbon build up the valves in engines that are pushed hard? What ever happened to turbo timers? (it automatically lets the engine idle for 1 minute after you turn off to the off position to let the oil cool).
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It's really to early to tell. BMW has a history of overbuilding all of their engines so I don't see how the N20 would be any different.
Synthetic oil is never required, but preferred. Most of the time synthetic oils are more resistant to break down, have higher heat resistance, and provide better lubrication.
Since the N20 is Direct Injection, valve cleanings will be highly recommended. The carbon build up will occur regardless of driving style. It's just the nature of DI.
Turbo timers aren't really needed. The purpose is to cool off your oil if temps are high. Unless you are boosting into your driveway or your cars temps are elevated above normal, it is not something to worry about. With the N54, if temps are above a certain threshold, the water pump continues to run to cool the turbos off. I'm sure that cooling strategy will be passed to the N20. This is not a replacement to letting your car properly cool off.
With all that said, I'm excited for the N20. I think the aftermarket will be huge to the amount of x28i cars sold. I also think it will respond well to modification, and be pretty easy to work on. I hope to get one in the next year or two.