High mileage N47 without problems (120D, 320D, 520D etc)

High mileage N47 without problems (120D, 320D, 520D etc)

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Discussion

iSore

4,011 posts

143 months

Sunday 6th October 2013
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Lowtimer said:
Yes, I think that's pretty much where I am on this.

I've always done premature oil changes as I don't think anything over 10,000 miles interval is sensible, so I'm planning to push on for at least another two or three years, say 160,000 miles, and see what the car feels like then. I do stay on top of it mechanically so at its current 100,000 miles it drives beautifully and the interior is still fresh, so really all it needs at the moment is a new windscreen: the current one is fairly hazy with tiny abrasions.
The highest mileage I've seen is 170'000 on a late 2007 520d E60 minicab. It sounds as sweet as a nut. But, it's not got stop start (Which can only be detrimental to the poor chain) and it has oil changes every 7000 miles. IMO, stop-start and 18'000 mile oil change intervals re factors in the chain issue.

There are however issues with the engine. BMW have revised the guides several times and the N47 is not as reliable mechanically as the old M47 was. However, the N47 is far less prone to turbo, injector and high pressure pump issues. If you have a common rail doesel, it will go pop expensively at some point.

Lowtimer

Original Poster:

4,286 posts

167 months

Monday 7th October 2013
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Good point about the stop-start. I've always disabled that on starting the engine, partly out of mechanical sympathy and partly because I find it intensely annoying.

typer0612

624 posts

169 months

Monday 7th October 2013
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Lowtimer said:
No, that's the previous engine. Yours is the one where the swirl flaps are supposed to be the guaranteed blow-up wink
I'm shaking at the thought of driving it again...

kookie1701

1 posts

122 months

Sunday 19th January 2014
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Hello to all of you. I have been reading tenths of forums during the last weeks. I am about to buy (cannot be changed, already payed a huge deposit that is non-refundable) a used 2009 E-61 520D, with 77K miles, here in Germany, with the notorious N47 engine. All these forums have made me feel sorry for my selection. Until I read this specific Topic started by Lowtimer. I, however, did not have the chance to actually ask any N47 owners. All my info comes from forums. And they sure are quite pessimistic. I thought that most (well, to be honest I believe all) diesel engines, no matter what the manufacturer, have a "life expectancy" of way more than 200 or 300K miles, assuming normal services. I am yet to find out whether there are actually 150 or 200K mile-examples with no TC issues, as Lowtimer was asking on the beginning. There should be. It is quite difficult to say that "all N47 engines" will, at some point, have these issues. My lack of proper german language knowledge, does not let me understand similar german forums addressing this subject. They should also have an opinion on this one.

Bottom line: yes, after all these discussions, I will pay close attention to my engine. I am afraid, however, that I am already too biased towards a problem that, in my case, may never exist. I am pretty sure that even a brake malfunction might sound like a camshaft-whatever issue to my ears.
I am no engine expert and I don't know what this problem is supposed to sound like. I, also, do not believe in going towards the pre-emptive approach of making engine changes now, in order to avoid future problems. Yes, 2K euros are much better than 6K, as stated in other forums. But....
That said, I will take my chances and hope everything goes fine. Still, i would be happy to know that a lot of N47 owners are happy with their cars and have attained high hassle-free mileage.

Mustard

6,992 posts

244 months

Sunday 19th January 2014
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Partners Ex work colleagues car

2009 59 plate 520d SE Business Edition. auto

Went over 20k between oil changes (well over due on occasions) and never put a foot wrong after 152k last I heard (bought with 7k on it), just routine servicing, tyres and brakes (only one set in total!)

gareth h

3,503 posts

229 months

Monday 20th January 2014
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57 plate 123d, dpf delete, mapped to 270 hp, 83k miles sweet as a nut, I can't imagine the failure rate is more than 5%, planning on running it to at least 150k, hopefully I'm not one of the "one in twenty! "

Mr Tidy

22,065 posts

126 months

Monday 20th January 2014
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Brilliant thread - I recently became aware of these issues and have spent days on Autotrader looking at petrol straight sixes, which is what I would have bought in the first place if I had let my heart beat my head!
My 57 plate 123d was bought pre-registered with 17 miles and has now passed 76,000 with main dealer servicing only when required by the on board computer.
To paraphrase Clint Eastwood "do I feel lucky" or should I get out quick?
It would be really helpful to get a feel for percentage failure rates; I will definitely turn off the stop-start now just in case!
It is a real shame because in every other respect the car suits my needs so well.
I had a hooligan moment at some traffic lights yesterday and a 3 litre diesel coupe made by another German brand aspiring to be considered "premium" could not keep up! A bit juvenile I know but that is why I didn't buy a 118d despite the cheap road tax!

themanwithnoname

1,634 posts

212 months

Monday 20th January 2014
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I have a swirl flap engine at 144.8k miles, no problems here. I tend to do oil changes at 8-9000 mile intervals.

blackberry

17 posts

183 months

Thursday 2nd October 2014
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Unfortunately, my Bmw N47 engine failed yesterday, The CAM belt is broken!!

I would appreciate any advice on where to find replacement 2l diesol engine. I have a 2007 2l touring M Sport that was in perfect condition for the year!

I've even considered selling it as it is as a mechanic may find it more economic to repair and resell?

Would appreciate any comments

iSore

4,011 posts

143 months

Thursday 2nd October 2014
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Lowtimer said:
Yet I am only actually aware of about 45 documented cases
When I worked in BMW parts (not long ago), I had around three or four enquiries for an engine every week.

I wouldn't touch one.

Locknut

653 posts

136 months

Thursday 2nd October 2014
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blackberry said:
Unfortunately, my Bmw N47 engine failed yesterday, The CAM belt is broken!!
Are you sure about that? The N47 does not have a cam belt. You either have a broken chain or a different engine.


Mustard

6,992 posts

244 months

Friday 3rd October 2014
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Locknut said:
blackberry said:
Unfortunately, my Bmw N47 engine failed yesterday, The CAM belt is broken!!
Are you sure about that? The N47 does not have a cam belt. You either have a broken chain or a different engine.
You'll struggle to find any BMW made after about 1993 with a belt!

poiuytre111

2 posts

113 months

Thursday 9th October 2014
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Just registered to add to this thread.
I have a lot of sympathy with the original poster -

I bought a M60 Nikasil v8 530i a long time ago and spent years waiting for the apparently inevitable problems (google it). In the end I sold at 198k miles with the engine as good as it had always been which is pretty good.

I then bought a 9/2002 e46 320d 150hp diesel compact which was apparently going to expire due to swirl flaps. When it died it was my own fault for driving through deep water. I killed an engine that was essentially no different at 250k miles to when I had bought it at 120k. It even still had the same slight turbo whine from a cold start.

I now have a 9/2007 3 door 120d with about 125k and I can't discern any timing chain noises - certainly no change from when I bought it 35k miles ago.

I am sure all three problems are real and not what we should expect from BMW but I hope that, even so, they only affect a minority of well cared for cars.

Lowtimer

Original Poster:

4,286 posts

167 months

Thursday 9th October 2014
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As the OP, and in case anyone's out there waiting for my N47 to go bang, I'm going to have to disappoint you. Having had the opportunity in the spring to buy a fairly rare E39 530i Touring with manual transmission, I scooped that up, had some fairly heavy mechanichal refurb work done on it, and then once it the 530i was running as I wanted it, I flogged the E91 320d dag-dag. It was running very well when I parted with it. Can't remember the exact mileage but I guess it was about 110k, so I have more than 100K of personal mileage out of it.

2109peterb

4 posts

110 months

Wednesday 21st January 2015
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I have a 318D Sport Plus estate company car which I am thinking of buying - done 113k miles on a March 11 plate. Going forward I should only be doing about 15k a year. The lease company are offering it for approx £9k - is this a good deal and should I do it ? I love it but as with many am concerned about reliability re the timing chain, DPF - the dealer said the DPF is routinely serviced/replaced at 140k butI hadn't heard this before - has any one else come across this. The only failure I have had with the car are the headlight telescopic arms sticking !! What should I do ?

Mr Tidy

22,065 posts

126 months

Thursday 22nd January 2015
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2109peterb, hard to say but that seems a lot of money for a car with that mileage.
Following my previous post I bailed out of my 123d at 81,000 miles with chain intact when I saw the light and realised BMW always used to mean straight 6 naturally-aspirated petrol engines.
So I now have 2, a Z4 coupe and a 325Ti E46!
Probably depends on your personal needs, but with fuel prices where they are now and your expected mileage of 15k p.a. you could get a lower mileage petrol one for less if you can live with an earlier plate.
Never understood 318d/320d Sport sort of models - FFS if you want a Sport get a 330/335, or 325 at least!

Lowtimer

Original Poster:

4,286 posts

167 months

Thursday 22nd January 2015
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If you really want to carry on driving a 318D Sport then the big advantage of that one is you know exactly where it's been, and what's happened to it and how it's been looked after since new.

Once I've committed to a car I definitely like to get a lot of use out of them, but personally after I've done about 100K in a car I'm ready for a change.

But for you, you obviously really like that particular car, so I'd say it's probably a reasonable deal, better than buying a different example of the same type purely because of the known history, which takes a lot of the usual used-car risk out of things.

2109peterb

4 posts

110 months

Thursday 22nd January 2015
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thanks - I have had from new - had it approx 3 months and went into the back of someone - this shouln't have an impact on the reliability going forward should it ? It has been fully serviced etc. For peace of mind, I have researched warranties and they seem to be around the £300 mark for reasonable cover ie if the chain did go !

2109peterb

4 posts

110 months

Thursday 22nd January 2015
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How much do you think is a reasonable offer for it if I go back with a counter offer ? It is the sport plus with the extended lights pack, pro nav and frnt heated seats - in manual. All services will have been done and the wheels are practically full tread. All scratches/marks will have been removed prior to buying.

Lowtimer

Original Poster:

4,286 posts

167 months

Friday 23rd January 2015
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My experience with big corporate fleet disposals is that they are not really interested in counter-offers: they dispose of lots of cars all the time and have an extremely good idea of what they will be able to get for a car, and will have quoted you accordingly. In fact they may already have a trade buyer for it on the basis of them saving the refurb or prep costs that they would do before moving it on to you. So you can try chipping them down but I wouldn't expect much, and they might just tell you to cough up or lump it. Offer to take the car as it stands, that might save you a few hundred at least.