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I think the concept of reliability to some extent is based on expectations. Obviously a car that is in the shop once a month is unreliable regardless of how you spin it. But I think a lot of regular folks buy regular BMWs expecting them age in exactly the same manner as the CamCord they just traded in. They pay more to get a better driving experience and at least the same level of reliability. And that same level of reliability is expected when owners loosely follow only the oil change recommendations.
In an ideal world buying a more expensive car buys you car with CamCord reliability but that drives a whole lot better, with higher quality materials. But that doesn't seem to be the case. At least on the internet, the reputation of the initial I6 turbo engines was quite suspect. I don't think I'd buy a turbo BMW, with the only possible exception being an M car. The other issue is that because servicing these cars is so much (compared to a CamCord), people have a pretty long memory with repairs.
I can sort of see their point to some degree. I'm not sure I'd put up with frequent repairs/maintenance on a regular BMW, but at the same time, I think there is a certain additional and personal value to M branded cars where I am ok spending more keeping the car in good shape for the driving experience. Then again, I would have no problem rolling the dice on a 128 or E9x 328, as I feel that it's a pretty bulletproof drivetrain.
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