N47, is it as bad as the internet would have you believe?

[DevonLad]

There's horror stories about anything you wish to buy but the N47 seems to come in for an awful lot of criticism is it warranted? I'm not so sure. I will start this with a bit of back round info, I own a 2015 E89 Z4 20i M sport with a few mods, it's off the road every winter and so has just about 30k on the clock. Each winter when it goes into hibernation I buy something to get me through the winter months, so Oct 2022 I bought a Toyora Celica vvti140, great condition and a pleasure to drive apart from the fuel economy 25ish to the gallon. Anyway £40+ per week to do less than150 miles was becoming tedious so the hunt was on for something more economical. Criteria, not much really as it would be sold on come the summer so it came down to economy only, searched for a car on FB marketplace Friday night and came across this.



118d 3 owners from new. present owner for 6 years, bodywork 9 out of 10. interior 10 out of 10 and mechanically 10+. Maintained regardless. FSH 75% main dealer, oil changed every 4k to 6k miles.

Now I'm as aware as the next man about the internet horror stories the web throws up regarding the timing chain issues of the N47 but this car is silent, 139k on the clock, no chain noise or any other noises for that matter so I bit the bullet and bought it.

So far so good, it has been faultless, great on fuel and I've got to say I can't fault it.
£2250 got me into this car and I have to say I think it's a bargain.

Let me know your thoughts.

[Mr Tidy]

I don't think it's as big an issue as it seems.

OK there are some horror stories about N47 cam-chain issues but given how many BMW must have sold in 1, 3 and 5 Series there must be far more that have had no problems.

I had my 123d up to 81K and it was fine and it passed an MOT last August on 126K so it is probably still OK.

I sold it in 2014 when it started to be an issue and before BMW began their "Quality Enhancement" programme, but I no longer needed a diesel anyway so I bought a Z4 Coupe!

[curvature]

I had a 318d that I bought with less than 50k miles and sold it at just over 100k.

No issues and just regular servicing at a main dealer.

[Court_S]

Mr Tidy said:

I don't think it's as big an issue as it seems.

OK there are some horror stories about N47 cam-chain issues but given how many BMW must have sold in 1, 3 and 5 Series there must be far more that have had no problems.

I had my 123d up to 81K and it was fine and it passed an MOT last August on 126K so it is probably still OK.

I sold it in 2014 when it started to be an issue and before BMW began their "Quality Enhancement" programme, but I no longer needed a diesel anyway so I bought a Z4 Coupe!

This - they sold so many of these engines. They can't all be bad - the daft oil change intervals probably don't help but the car in the OP has bought looks to have had plenty of oil changes.

[d_a_n1979]

DevonLad said:

There's horror stories about anything you wish to buy but the N47 seems to come in for an awful lot of criticism is it warranted? I'm not so sure. I will start this with a bit of back round info, I own a 2015 E89 Z4 20i M sport with a few mods, it's off the road every winter and so has just about 30k on the clock. Each winter when it goes into hibernation I buy something to get me through the winter months, so Oct 2022 I bought a Toyora Celica vvti140, great condition and a pleasure to drive apart from the fuel economy 25ish to the gallon. Anyway £40+ per week to do less than150 miles was becoming tedious so the hunt was on for something more economical. Criteria, not much really as it would be sold on come the summer so it came down to economy only, searched for a car on FB marketplace Friday night and came across this.



118d 3 owners from new. present owner for 6 years, bodywork 9 out of 10. interior 10 out of 10 and mechanically 10+. Maintained regardless. FSH 75% main dealer, oil changed every 4k to 6k miles.

Now I'm as aware as the next man about the internet horror stories the web throws up regarding the timing chain issues of the N47 but this car is silent, 139k on the clock, no chain noise or any other noises for that matter so I bit the bullet and bought it.

So far so good, it has been faultless, great on fuel and I've got to say I can't fault it.
£2250 got me into this car and I have to say I think it's a bargain.

Let me know your thoughts.

As already said; don't believe all the BS you read on FB and similar

There are many examples out there with very high miles; it's all about how they've been looked after & maintained!

My pals 320D is on close to 180k miles; oil gets changed every 6 months without fail as it's his workhorse

His Dads 330d is on over 220k miles (N57); again zero issues (bar the clutch failing and taking out the box etc); again, another workhorse!

[hilly10]

I have had four cars with this engine and as said change the oil at least every 12 months. I did hear one story that makes sense on a probable cause, it was dirty oil that tended to block the chain guard oil feeder holes

[bern]

We have a Mini Countrythem with the N47 in. 100k miles and it has a slight rattle on cold start. It's a very distinctive sound so should be easily identifiable.

I don't think the stupid 18k mile service intervals have done them any good. Regular changes and they seem to be much better.

Of bigger concern for me would be the fact it's a complete boat anchor of engine. At least in the Mini. CooperD manual so the 1.6l 113bhp with a manual gearbox. Woefully underpowered, almost laughably unrefined (admittedly not bad when crusing), and not even that economical. I'd have gone petrol but they don't appear to much better on the reliability front.

I'm not a fan as you may have gathered!

[7 5 7]

Interesting analysis if you have time to watch, sums it up nicely.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TAnGC8q1S4Q&t=...

[smashy]

......as long as it doesnt go on the motorway with no power to get yourself out of trouble lucky for me I was on the inside lane and no smart motorways at the time.

As the head technical guy at a BMW Dealership said to me in 2014 "Its only now that I would put my hard earned money into an N47 engine just as they are changing it to the B47"

Guess if it happened to you ,you feel different. If it didnt its all BS

2007-9 years were the really bad years they were recalled maybe yours was sorted out.In 2011 another upgrade as well. Think the amazing oil changes your car has had head will be a massive plus in your favour.

Edited by smashy on Monday 13th March 23:20

[e21Keith]

I can't report on first hand experience because I've never had one, but what I have done is looked at the number of vehicles with this engine advertised as "spares or repairs" due to timing chain issues. I then decided not to buy one.

[I-am-the-reverend]

Look at all the old engines that survived appalling abuse - the old M47, the Merc OM646, GM/Fiat 1.9JTD.....even a Perkins Prima. They wore out and expired of natural causes but rarely failed as often or as catastrophically as an N47.

Having a mate who's been at Sytners since 2008 helps with the supply of horror stories. It's all very well saying 'they're alright if they've had new oil every 6000 miles' etc etc, but how many of them have? The N47 also suffers from crank issues as well as the high pressure diesel pump which wipes out the injectors as well. Oh, and the brake vacuum pump that some genius at BMW bolted to the back of the oil pump.....in the sump.

These are problems older generation diesels didn't have.

It's not an engine I'd want personally unless it was in a £1500 throwaway banger.

OP's car looks like a bargain though. If you get 2 or 3 years from it without spending much, you've had a deal.