BMW F10/11 N53

[gizlaroc]

Looking on how many left, it is a pain as loads of variations of 530i tourings as they list them, I reckon there were roughly 18 Touring registered, most of which were SEs.

[RanchoGrande]

The f11 528i is not too dissimilar in performance...must be more of them out there?

[venskip]

Necro posting I know - but I have an N53 MANUAL 528i F11 - today I just had F10 M5 "winter" wheels fitted and some idle Googling led me here...!

[bmwmike]

venskip said:

Necro posting I know - but I have an N53 MANUAL 528i F11 - today I just had F10 M5 "winter" wheels fitted and some idle Googling led me here...!

Very nice. How's it treated you in terms of injectors etc?

[Robert-y26sn]

Hey guys, just found this post. So, I have a F11 2010 530i - the 3 litre inline 6. SE model with comfort spec.
Black with black leather and panoramic roof.

Had it about 6 months and driven it all over and south of France and back in the summer. So far it's proven to be truly joyous to drive. I don't think there are many in the UK...seem to be mostly diesels...anyway, hi!

[bedonde]

Stumbled across this post after googling the F11 528i. I’ve got a 2011 F11 528i which would appear to be a 3.0 litre with the ‘N52N’ engine. It’s a JDM car which I bought at auction in Japan and should arrive on these shores by February. Slightly confused as to whether it’ll have the N52 or not and what difference that makes. Putting the VIN into realoem.com suggests it is an N52 but it also lists it as a 530i when it is definitely a 528i, but I guess the badging convention is different for the Japanese market. Spec appears ok with M-Sport kit, pan roof, adaptive headlights and steering etc. and being a Jap market car, it is low mileage. There don’t seem to be many comparable cars in the UK having checked Autotrader so they must be rare over here…

[danb79]

bedonde said:

Stumbled across this post after googling the F11 528i. I’ve got a 2011 F11 528i which would appear to be a 3.0 litre with the ‘N52N’ engine. It’s a JDM car which I bought at auction in Japan and should arrive on these shores by February. Slightly confused as to whether it’ll have the N52 or not and what difference that makes. Putting the VIN into realoem.com suggests it is an N52 but it also lists it as a 530i when it is definitely a 528i, but I guess the badging convention is different for the Japanese market. Spec appears ok with M-Sport kit, pan roof, adaptive headlights and steering etc. and being a Jap market car, it is low mileage. There don’t seem to be many comparable cars in the UK having checked Autotrader so they must be rare over here…

I've only seen 2 for sale before, both via Seymour Pope. Looked superb cars. Both we SE but with M Sport suspension and wheels and a good spec inside too.

IIRC they're the N52 in the 528i. The 530i got the N53

[bedonde]

danb79 said:

I've only seen 2 for sale before, both via Seymour Pope. Looked superb cars. Both we SE but with M Sport suspension and wheels and a good spec inside too.

IIRC they're the N52 in the 528i. The 530i got the N53

Thanks. I also saw a historic ad with Seymour Pope for a Carbon Black 528i which is very similar to mine. Looked immaculate - as I’m hoping mine will be, with 40k on the clock. Is the N52 a better bet than N53? I keep reading that N53 may be more complex and therefore more possible issues but could be internet folklore.

Edited by bedonde on Saturday 4th January 17:09

[danb79]

bedonde said:

danb79 said:

I've only seen 2 for sale before, both via Seymour Pope. Looked superb cars. Both we SE but with M Sport suspension and wheels and a good spec inside too.

IIRC they're the N52 in the 528i. The 530i got the N53

Thanks. I also saw a historic ad with Seymour Pope for a Carbon Black 528i which is very similar to mine. Looked immaculate - as I’m hoping mine will be, with 40k on the clock. Is the N52 a better bet than N53? I keep reading that N53 may be more complex and therefore more possible issues but could be internet folklore.

Edited by bedonde on Saturday 4th January 17:09

Yes

I have the N52 in my 130i; there are a lot of N52 / N53 owners on here with a lot more knowledge

The N53 suffers with injector issues IIRC (same with the N54)

The N52 seems to be a very strong engine; however, with experience of Jap impiort BMWs as well, I'd advise you look to get the rocker, spark plugs, oil filter housing & oil filter cooler gaskets swapped out as they will start to leak due to age and engine heat etc.

Mileage might be low; but rubber perishes

[bedonde]

danb79 said:

Yes

I have the N52 in my 130i; there are a lot of N52 / N53 owners on here with a lot more knowledge

The N53 suffers with injector issues IIRC (same with the N54)

The N52 seems to be a very strong engine; however, with experience of Jap impiort BMWs as well, I'd advise you look to get the rocker, spark plugs, oil filter housing & oil filter cooler gaskets swapped out as they will start to leak due to age and engine heat etc.

Mileage might be low; but rubber perishes

Thanks, useful to know. Not surprising re Jap imports. Five years back I imported a C55 and had a few issues relating to vacuum hoses etc and things that had perished - that was a low mileage car too.

Edited by bedonde on Saturday 4th January 20:01

[danb79]

bedonde said:

danb79 said:

Yes

I have the N52 in my 130i; there are a lot of N52 / N53 owners on here with a lot more knowledge

The N53 suffers with injector issues IIRC (same with the N54)

The N52 seems to be a very strong engine; however, with experience of Jap import BMWs as well, I'd advise you look to get the rocker, spark plugs, oil filter housing & oil filter cooler gaskets swapped out as they will start to leak due to age and engine heat etc.

Mileage might be low; but rubber perishes

Thanks, useful to know. Not surprising re Jap imports. Five years back I imported a C55 and had a few issues relating to vacuum hoses etc and things that had perished - that was a low mileage car too.

Edited by bedonde on Saturday 4th January 20:01

Yup; my E39 540i Sport saloon was a 2002, 53k miles and the engine leaked like a seive - it was the rocker gaskets and sump gasket leaking, turned to plastic! Soon had them swapped out though

My 2002 530i Sport Touring was much the same; but the M54 is a much easier engine to work on compared to the M62

[Mr Tidy]

danb79 said:

bedonde said:

Stumbled across this post after googling the F11 528i. I’ve got a 2011 F11 528i which would appear to be a 3.0 litre with the ‘N52N’ engine. It’s a JDM car which I bought at auction in Japan and should arrive on these shores by February. Slightly confused as to whether it’ll have the N52 or not and what difference that makes. Putting the VIN into realoem.com suggests it is an N52 but it also lists it as a 530i when it is definitely a 528i, but I guess the badging convention is different for the Japanese market. Spec appears ok with M-Sport kit, pan roof, adaptive headlights and steering etc. and being a Jap market car, it is low mileage. There don’t seem to be many comparable cars in the UK having checked Autotrader so they must be rare over here…

I've only seen 2 for sale before, both via Seymour Pope. Looked superb cars. Both we SE but with M Sport suspension and wheels and a good spec inside too.

IIRC they're the N52 in the 528i. The 530i got the N53

I thought the last model to get the N52 was the 125i, but looking on Wiki it seems the 528i and 530i both got the N53 in Europe, but the 528i had the N52 outside of Europe so that would include a Japanese import.

I was really impressed with the N52 in both my Z4s, so when I wanted a 3 Series I only looked for ones with the N52 and I'm on my second now. I got put off the N53 after reading about injector and fuel pump issues.

[danb79]

Mr Tidy said:

danb79 said:

bedonde said:

Stumbled across this post after googling the F11 528i. I’ve got a 2011 F11 528i which would appear to be a 3.0 litre with the ‘N52N’ engine. It’s a JDM car which I bought at auction in Japan and should arrive on these shores by February. Slightly confused as to whether it’ll have the N52 or not and what difference that makes. Putting the VIN into realoem.com suggests it is an N52 but it also lists it as a 530i when it is definitely a 528i, but I guess the badging convention is different for the Japanese market. Spec appears ok with M-Sport kit, pan roof, adaptive headlights and steering etc. and being a Jap market car, it is low mileage. There don’t seem to be many comparable cars in the UK having checked Autotrader so they must be rare over here…

I've only seen 2 for sale before, both via Seymour Pope. Looked superb cars. Both we SE but with M Sport suspension and wheels and a good spec inside too.

IIRC they're the N52 in the 528i. The 530i got the N53

I thought the last model to get the N52 was the 125i, but looking on Wiki it seems the 528i and 530i both got the N53 in Europe, but the 528i had the N52 outside of Europe so that would include a Japanese import.

I was really impressed with the N52 in both my Z4s, so when I wanted a 3 Series I only looked for ones with the N52 and I'm on my second now. I got put off the N53 after reading about injector and fuel pump issues.

Built in Dingolfing but for the Japanese market..

It could still be the N53

To the OP - do you have an engine bay shot?

[bedonde]

danb79 said:

Built in Dingolfing but for the Japanese market..

It could still be the N53

To the OP - do you have an engine bay shot?

This is an engine bay shot of my car, which is yet to get on a boat, N52 or N53?

[danb79]

bedonde said:

danb79 said:

Built in Dingolfing but for the Japanese market..

It could still be the N53

To the OP - do you have an engine bay shot?

This is an engine bay shot of my car, which is yet to get on a boat, N52 or N53?

Have you got the full VIN number; if so, decode that on Mdecoder (use a browser with no ad blockers etc)

That'll tell you what you have fitted

[bedonde]

Yep, this is what came back on the decoder site. N52T it is then. I’m hoping it isn’t the ‘0 hp’ version though.

[danb79]

bedonde said:

Yep, this is what came back on the decoder site. N52T it is then. I’m hoping it isn’t the ‘0 hp’ version though.

Looks like you'll have a lot of pushing to do

Yours is the N52, 241BHP IIRC

Perfect engine for your F11; a proper waft bus