[E90-AMD]

How robust is the N47? As in how many miles could it take with proper servicing? 150K, 200K? (I'm aware of the chain issue)

Any previous high mileage experience?

[mattp1986]

Originally Posted by E90-AMD

How robust is the N47? As in how many miles could it take with proper servicing? 150K, 200K? (I'm aware of the chain issue)

Any previous high mileage experience?

A friend of mine has a 123d with 190k miles on the clock and he has had no problems whatsoever. I've heard they can suffer with timing chain issues but provided they are serviced regular i think they are fine.
As always on the Internet you only hear the bad stories, bit like self diagnosis on the Internet you'll always end up thinking you've got cancer or something lol

[bishbosh]

150k? I hope more than that as mines on 156k miles at the moment. Crank and chain was replaced at 108k miles and dpf at 145k.

Runs as sweet as a nut!

[E90-AMD]

Originally Posted by mattp1986

A friend of mine has a 123d with 190k miles on the clock and he has had no problems whatsoever. I've heard they can suffer with timing chain issues but provided they are serviced regular i think they are fine.
As always on the Internet you only hear the bad stories, bit like self diagnosis on the Internet you'll always end up thinking you've got cancer or something lol

Wasn't expecting numbers like that! I hear low numbers from the word of mouth. At such mileage, can you still "Explore the engine's potential power" or do you have to be gentle with it? I know that your 335 is high too, so are they any different?

[E90-AMD]

Originally Posted by bishbosh

150k? I hope more than that as mines on 156k miles at the moment. Crank and chain was replaced at 108k miles and dpf at 145k.

Runs as sweet as a nut!

Was the chain and crank job £££ or ££££? As in was it worth keeping the car?

[Aragorn30d]

Modern engines quite simply last. With proper servicing theres no reason to imagine it wont do 250-300k. Ofcourse you might have to replace various parts such as injectors or turbo etc, but the core engine itself is generally pretty robust.

The issue is that what tends to happen, is once the car gets well over 150k, folk think its knackered, dont service it properly, and run it on a shoe string becuase they think its nearly dead anyway. Thus many cars that are approaching 200k ARE knackered, but not because of any inherent issues, simply because they've been owned by idiots who havent looked after them.

[un1eash]

Friends old 320d had 190k miles on it when it was written off by an uninsured driver, it drove fine but did feel a little loose compared to mine with half that milage.

[mattp1986]

Originally Posted by E90-AMD

Wasn't expecting numbers like that! I hear low numbers from the word of mouth. At such mileage, can you still "Explore the engine's potential power" or do you have to be gentle with it? I know that your 335 is high too, so are they any different?

Well I haven't been gentle with the 335 yet lol. It pulls like a train and shows no sign of slowing down. Its remapped to 395 bhp and 595 lbs ft. Think they are pretty bulletproof to be honest. As I've said before its the things around them that tend to go wrong at higher mileages, Turbo's, EGR Coolers etc. If you can find one that's had all that work done there's no reason they wont get to 250-300k miles quite comfortably. My friend doesn't exactly baby his 123d around either its driven hard mostly and he's never had a problem. Its a great car not quite as brutal as the 335 but it will keep a lot of the modern "hot hatches" quite honest I think lol

[bishbosh]

Originally Posted by E90-AMD

Was the chain and crank job £££ or ££££? As in was it worth keeping the car?

t was done under warranty. Been running a bluefin map for years. Got it dyno'd earlier this year, putting out 209bhp and 351 lb/ft of torque

[Soul_Glo]

I brought a used 120d earlier this year with 110k miles on it. It had no issues at all. We needed something bigger so parted with it at 120k miles. My point is the car drove and felt like new. Always buy based on condition and not just mileage. There are a few taxi drivers on the PH forums with their N47's well above 250k miles and none have required major work. I think the key is oil changes. Forget the CBS, an engine with a timing chain needs good clean oil twice in that interval. Besides the sprocket issues was addressed from the models 2011 onward IIRC.

[E90-AMD]

Thanks for the replies. Auto 318d is a really good engine. It never fails to surprise me with the power even though it's the underpowered 2.0. Just wish the 320 didn't cost £5000 to insure (it's not a typo!)

[E90-AMD]

I've hit 64,000 miles and had a full service done.

Do I need to change any belts or pulleys, etc...?

Advice much appreciated

[bishbosh]

Nothing I can think of, I go on what the CBS says, apart from oil changes where I always change the oil more often than the 'recommended' interval.

Enjoy the car

Last Friday my water temp sensor failed and put the car into limp home mode. Engine kept saying it was overheating. It was recovered to a garage and fixed later that day. Mechanic said the engine sounded fine and it's now done 158,000 miles.

[E90-AMD]

Originally Posted by bishbosh

Nothing I can think of, I go on what the CBS says, apart from oil changes where I always change the oil more often than the 'recommended' interval.

Enjoy the car

Last Friday my water temp sensor failed and put the car into limp home mode. Engine kept saying it was overheating. It was recovered to a garage and fixed later that day. Mechanic said the engine sounded fine and it's now done 158,000 miles.

Thanks for the advice & oh believe I'm enjoying it!

[Russbmw]

Originally Posted by Aragorn30d

Modern engines quite simply last. With proper servicing theres no reason to imagine it wont do 250-300k. Ofcourse you might have to replace various parts such as injectors or turbo etc, but the core engine itself is generally pretty robust.

The issue is that what tends to happen, is once the car gets well over 150k, folk think its knackered, dont service it properly, and run it on a shoe string becuase they think its nearly dead anyway. Thus many cars that are approaching 200k ARE knackered, but not because of any inherent issues, simply because they've been owned by idiots who havent looked after them.

This.

[E90-AMD]

Originally Posted by Russbmw

This.

Cheers pal, the car hasn't had any belts changed ever so I was wondering if any are due now at such mileage.

BMW diesels are incredibly good and I'm very satisfied with this car

[LazyHound]

Just came across this thread, currently running a 2012 E91 318d, bought it March last year from family member (was a company car). It was too good to pass up, and car that I've known from since she acquired it.

It had 55,000 on it, now has 80,000 miles, I have every confidence in the N47 engine.

It replaced a 2008 118d N47 with 189,000 miles on it, again had no issues with that engine, other than new clutch and battery around 130k.

The secret is changing the oil and fluids (oil every 8,000 miles MAX), simple as that.

Hoping to rack up loads on the E91 - it feels like it can go for miles and miles, very well built and being the de-tuned 20d - is little less stressed.

These long service intervals are barbaric for engine/timing chain longevity.

[Itsabdi]

My chain broke when it was on 102k.
Lucky it didnt cause too much damage to the valves etc. It snapped whilst idle. Absolutely gutted. It was my ignorance in the prev owner and trusted him in his words.

Never ever buy a car with lack of services.

The rest of the car was mint.
Now i manage to get it fully rebuilt i absolutely love it again. Cant wait to tune it.

[LazyHound]

Originally Posted by Itsabdi

My chain broke when it was on 102k.
Lucky it didnt cause too much damage to the valves etc. It snapped whilst idle. Absolutely gutted. It was my ignorance in the prev owner and trusted him in his words.

Never ever buy a car with lack of services.

The rest of the car was mint.
Now i manage to get it fully rebuilt i absolutely love it again. Cant wait to tune it.

Lucky you were only idling then... I don't think I would get one with over 70k unless I knew interim services had been done, (no many people do that unfortunately) change oil at least every 10k and you shouldn't have too much too worry about it.

But it is only a machine and they do break unfortunately.

My mechanic mate had one 2013 120d in other week, the oil filter was that sludged up, the oil came out in the shape of the oil filter!!! The woman said the car didn't tell her to change oil!!!

[Itsabdi]

Originally Posted by LazyHound

Lucky you were only idling then... I don't think I would get one with over 70k unless I knew interim services had been done, (no many people do that unfortunately) change oil at least every 10k and you shouldn't have too much too worry about it.

But it is only a machine and they do break unfortunately.

My mechanic mate had one 2013 120d in other week, the oil filter was that sludged up, the oil came out in the shape of the oil filter!!! The woman said the car didn't tell her to change oil!!!

True. I bought mine of an senior chap. Didn think it would be trashed or cheap out on maintenance. And what convinced me was the condition overall which was very good. Bought the car at a steal at the time. Didnt cost me an arm or a leg to sort it out.

Like yous said lucky i didnt do 80mph on the motorway when it happened.

[hp88]

Mines sitting at 136K at the moment, bought it around 63K and had it mapped at 72K by Simon @ Emaps. Like the others I have also carried out interim services every 10K on the E92 and on my old E46 320cd which is still running at 200k+. No real issues with the N47, the only big expenses I have had could have occurred on any E9x car.

[UltimateDream]

Almost 200k here, runs like new and pulls like a train!

I do service it every 9k rather than 18k to keep the timing chain in good nick