2015 BMW 535d vs 2015 Infiniti Q50
Two luxury sedans, compared on what actually matters when you're buying used:
what breaks, when it breaks, and what it costs you.
2015 BMW
535d
6/10
738 lb-ft of torque and 45+ mpg on the highway, wrapped in a car that will eventually make you fluent in swirl flaps, EGR coolers, and injector seals.
VS
2015 Infiniti
Q50
6/10
The Q50 is what happens when brilliant chassis engineers and a cost-cut transmission team never talked to each other.
Dead heat: both score 6/10. The tiebreaker is which specific car you find.
By the numbers
Green is the better number — higher on every score, lower on failures, complaints and recalls.
| BMW 535d |
Infiniti Q50 |
| Known failure points | 6 | 5 |
| NHTSA complaints | 6 | 125 |
| Safety recalls | 3 | 3 |
| Service bulletins | 0 | 12 |
| Reliability | 55 | 52 |
| Cheap to own | 35 | 48 |
| Fun factor | 78 | 82 |
| Holds value | 40 | 40 |
| Enthusiast cred | 58 | 58 |
The most expensive thing that goes wrong
2015 BMW 535d
High-pressure fuel pump wear leading to metal contamination in fuel system
$1,500–$4,000100k–160k mi
2015 Infiniti Q50
7-speed automatic valve body / TCM failure causing limp mode, harsh shifts, P0720/P0500 codes
$1,800–$3,50030k–70k mi
If you buy one, buy this one
✅ 2015 BMW 535d
A 2015 535d xDrive with M Sport package, full BMW dealer service history including all three diesel recalls completed, and documented injector/EGR work if it's past 100k miles — this is the sweet spot of torque, comfort, and (relative) reliability confidence.
✅ 2015 Infiniti Q50
A 2015 Q50S with the 3.7L VQ37VHR (pre-VR30 twin-turbo years) and RWD — skip AWD to avoid driveshaft issues, and the naturally aspirated 3.7 sidesteps the earliest turbo teething problems while still being the sportiest non-turbo trim.
Narrowed it down? Get the full report
This comparison is model-level.
Milo's report goes car-level — the one you're actually looking at:
- A line-by-line negotiation script
- The pre-purchase inspection checklist
- VIN-specific open recalls
- What it's really worth right now
- Your next 15,000 miles, forecast
- Hidden features & money-savers
Run my free report →
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Scores and findings blend documented NHTSA recalls and complaints with
patterns synthesized from owner communities. Always inspect the specific vehicle and
verify open recalls by VIN before buying.