I have owned my LCI 320i Coupe SE for almost 3 years now with 8k per year mainly local driving. Yes the 318i and the 320i are the same N43 engine.


I guess its also down to luck for reliability but i can update my experience.

Battery cable connector to fuse box fault, easy to mistake dead battery. Complete power loss to car. I had this repaired by a forum member but last year I received a letter from BMW for a free repair under recall.

1 fuel injector started leaking. The car shakes at cold start for 10min. Easy DIY repair if you can use basic tools. New injector cost me £160. Same time replaced all 4 plugs and serviced the car.
If you plan to own the car few years chances are you will face this problem at some point. If you can use tools dont be scared to take on this job DIY.

2 tires replaced cheap from ebay. My SE tires are 225/45/17 square setup and brand new premium tires cost about £75 a corner. But be advised the Msport you considering is staggered setup that has 225/40/18 front and 255/35/18 rear. My mate replaced his rear tires and cost him £300 for a pair of rear OEM run flats.

Both seatbelts handover keeps slipping. My belt has creased and it slips at the last point. I have removed the fuse until i have spare cash to replace the seat belts. There are some trick about iron with starch spray. Tried it and now luck so new belts needed but its not urgent.
But if i was 18 years of age i would i have got this repaired and impress the lady passenger

Both headlamp washers are tired and don't retract fully. I have removed the fuse for now. I will repair this summer. Be advised faulty headlight washer is MOT failure but not all inspectors have a clue and pass.

There has been reports of the plastic chain guide break and block oil passages. Some people replace the part before it snaps otherwise big bills if it breaks.
I have not experienced that yet.

If you can use tools and do your own service/repairs to certain level the car is not expensive to maintain. The most expensive repair on my car was £160. I would not be put of by injectors issues. If you replace 1 the chances are you wont need to replace the same injector in your ownership.


But if you cant use tools and run to garage every occasion i would suggest buy a new Ford Focus instead.


Hopefully other N43 owners can share their experience.

 

When these cars are working well with no issues they're a pleasure to drive, however don't be fooled into assuming low mileage will equate to low/no problems. It is all down to the individual car and a bit of luck.

I got my 318i (2009 LCI) as an AUC car with 29k on the clock and it's currently sat at 86k with the same dealer full service history throughout ownership and have had BMW warranty/extended warranty the whole time (£100 excess per event) which is just as well considering (all mileages approx as can't remember exactly):

Coil pack enhancement - 34k (free)
Timing chain guide snapped - 56k (warranty)
Oil pump balance shafts u/s requiring new oil pump - 59k (warranty)
Various sensors inc NOX - (warranty)
Brake vacuum enhancement - 70k (free)
Couple of wires snapped in the umbilical for the boot lid which left boot unable to open (no folding back seats either) - £120
Timing chain guide snapped again :mad - 76k (warranty)
Noisy differential replaced - 76k (warranty at same time as 2nd timing chain guide repair)
Front exhaust section (section includes catalytic converter but nothing was wrong with it) because of split flexi joint 82k (warranty)


All up with parts and labour that lots in the region of £8000 at the dealer as some of the big ticket items roughly cost (but could get receipts for exact amounts):
Chain guide, chain, tensioner, oil + labour £1800 (twice so £3600)
Oil pump, oil + labour £800
Differential £1600 + labour
Front exhaust section £1300

On the flip side although a lot of work has been done mainly courtesy of warranty and it's been a pain in the ass at the time the car is a pleasure to drive, but i'll be looking to replace once it hits 100k and the warranty starts to become more expensive (currently £49 per month) or not covering to the same degree as now. In the time I've owned the car - 6 Yr 3 month - I've paid in the region of £3500 warranty in total but more than had my money's worth and had I not had it been an additional £4500 minimum out of pocket.

Don't let this put you off buying though.

 

Hi Taransingh,

They are fabulous cars no doubt about that, all I can say and I have had 11 different ones and never had an issue (lucky I guess) as I never knew the issues and never had a warranty and thrashed them a bit. Look for one with full BMWSH ensure you see the history either in the book or on the i drive once sure buy a BMW warranty but BE SURE as there is no checks until you claim and if it is not fully covered they will not pay.

Good Luck and go get one.

Jeffers.

Cheers.

 

Thanks for the advice guys, the timing chain issue is what really scares me, especially in the case if jwilalex where it's had to be replaced twice at a cost of £1800 each. I've looked into a BMW Warranty and for about £50 a month I could get that to cover myself, however it's not easy to find a car with FBMWSH. And I think it's fair to say that even with a warranty BMW would find any excuse possible not to cover a timing chain, they even say in the terms and conditions that it must be replaced in accordance with the service schedule, however from what I've read online, the timing chain is not even listed in the service schedule. Seems like a bit of a grey area.
Although the car has been my absolute dream for ages I'm now swaying towards not buying one. I'll be off to uni this September and it just seems silly to be paying so much for insurance and extended warranty on a car I will hardly drive. It's a real shame after saving so much and putting in extra hours at work, but to buy a car with inherent issues is a really bad financial idea. I would love to buy one and hope it would be as reliable as sayekm's car but I just can't chance it.

I really do appreciate your advice though

 

If you are off to uni then I wouldn’t bother buying another car at all, stick with the plucky polo for what it’s worth. You’ll have enough to pay for without bothering with car ownership. By the time you finish and are in full time work the E92 will be cheap as chips and you could pick up one with a 6 cylinder engine.

If you really want to scratch the BMW itch for a few months without losing much money then maybe get an E46 coupe. There’s a few nice 318ci’s out there that look nice and go well. Spend as little as possible and then move it on when you start studying.

 

^ +1

I’d use your time at uni to save a bit more for the BMW fund (if that’s even achievable given the student lifestyle :hihi) but by doing so you’d leave afterwards with a greater cash pot, increased age so slightly cheaper insurance and the ability to get a newer BM - minus an N43 engine lol.

I think this would be the sensible approach that would still fill your dream but in a much better scenario than currently considering. I moved from Ford to BMW with my last car and I don’t see myself jumping brand on the next one either; they really are nice to drive (and own).

 

Had my 2007 3.0 TDI over 2 years not had one problem I think most people will say stay away from the 4-cylinder models for reliability specially the older ones if your insurance allows...

 

I was wondering at what point someone was going to post anti-4 cylinder comments :confused


Pretty sure the 6 cylinder have their own problems but that will divert away from the OP main question.

 

Stick with the Polo, the older VW's (and any older German car really) have less to go wrong, engines are generally bulletproof.

My 2010 320i at 70k has been a pain. Owned for 18 months. Trying to solve a misfire is time consuming if taking the step by step approach of replacing plugs, then swopping coil packs around, then new coilpacks, then new fuel injectors - because every time you do this it involves removing the scuttle panel, engine covers, various cable trays, sensors etc. just to get to the top of the engine.
If only it were like an old car where you could open the bonnet and put your hand straight on a spark plug!

Two new fuel injectors (error codes don't always pinpoint the faulty injector)
Corroded rear reluctor rings that wear the ABS sensors away.
Noisy cold engine due to the timing chain tensioner going faulty.
18" alloy cracking on the inside lip.

It's almost an enthusiasts car - I wouldn't want to own one if I couldn't fix it myself and was reliant on garages that had little knowledge of this engine. But - it's great to drive, and I won't be beaten by it - I'm keeping it until the wheels fall off!

 

I bought my E91 318i with 165,000 miles on the clock. FSH and plenty of receipts for a clutch, exhaust and a number of tyres. Seems OK. I've done over a thousand miles so far, and the only problem I have is me. Emission light was coming on when I stalled it, and occasionally when I go round a roundabout in too high a gear. Too used to my diesels which would pull smoothly from 1000rpm.

 

So I've just been to a local dealership to take a 318i M sport coupe facelift for a test drive. Absolutely fantastic car! Really enjoyed the way it drives and it feels like a proper BMW when taking it around corners, so much fun. I spoke to the salesman about the timing chain issue and he said that on the later models 09+ BMW had fixed the issue, and the main reason why the timing chain fails is because people don't change the engine oil frequently enough in their cars. Not sure how much truth there is to this or if it's typical salesman sh*t?

 

It's mostlybullshit. The bit about oil changes is correct but unless you've owned the car from new you'll have no idea how often it's been done.

I had a 2010 LCI - 100k but FBMWSH. Engine failure (pump, chain or crank - never bothered to find out which). In the engine place I went to, there were 2 others - an 11 plate with 44k on needing a rebuild and an 08 plate with 85k which was being scrapped as uneconomical to fix...

Unless it's a BMW dealer, the warranty wouldn't touch the sides on an engine rebuild on a car this age / value.

 

Hi Guys,

As per Dave 1973 above I cant agree more the salesman is spinning you a line the cars never improved until the 2011 / 2012 facelift model. As I said previously if it has full BMW service get a BMW warranty they will pay out on everything no quibbles, provided it has full BMW service or serviced with BMW OE parts verified by receipts.

Another option go onto BMW website and search for an approved BMW they will chuck in a 12 month full warranty albeit you will have paid for it in the price,they will have something in your price range then just extend the warranty every year provided it has the service history continued.

Wallah.

Cheers Jeffers.

 

I've owned my 2007 318i for 3 years. Bought the car with 47k on the clock and now on 102k issues so far:

1) ABS issue with the reluctor rings - The rings on the half shafts rust making them expand and hits the ABS sensor. This causes the ABS/FlatType/Traction light to come on whilst driving and cuts the power to the engine because it thinks skidding. Each rear half shaft is about £250 plus labour. You can get the rings replaced by a specialist or the cheapest temporary fix is to stick a washer to prop up the ABS sensor so it no longer hits it. You can see if you have this issue by taking out the ABS sensor and see if there are an scratches on the end of the sensor.

2) All four calipers eventually replaced.

That's all so far, keeping an eye on the water pump as that seems to be a very common fault and not cheap to replace.

If you do get a BMW i recommend getting the CARLY APP on your phone so can scan for fault codes and keep on top of things. At the moment i have the NOX sensor which is another common fault but I don't think this affects the running of the car but possibly just your emissions.

Overall the car is a pleasure to drive, its smooth and quiet to drive. Due to the amount of miles i drive, i have downgraded to 16" and non-runflats and its makes a noticeable difference in comfort. This also means i can get premium Goodyear tyres @ £60 per corner.

 

I've had a 2009 318i lci for 2 and a half years, bought with 40,000 on the clock. Its now on 86,000. I've had to replace every brake calliper as they all seized around the same time (about 60k miles).
When I bought it I was alarmed by the 20k service interval so Ive stuck to every 8k. Despite this I've had the dreaded n43 common issues.
Rough running, cutting out at junctions and EML coming on cold mornings, then the low oil pressure light coming on during long journeys. I had the coil packs replaced by bmw under a recall but had to pay to replace the timing chain.
The thermostat and nox sensor now need replacing, the nox is common and costs around £300.
I love the car but I'm disappointed with the amount of issues it's afflicted by, my old E46 was much more reliable.
As others have said, buy a fault code reader. I'd also have a good read of the service history.

 

Be wary of replacing the NOx sensor on the back of a NOx related fault code. Many have spent £300 on the new sensor and still have the same issues, same error codes. There is also a NOx catalyst in the exhaust, if that is knackered the NOx sensor is useless.
Another option is a NOx emulator, if you want the engine to run as intended with it's super lean running mode.

 

I have a 318i msport LCI model 2011 and so far it has run like a dream and feels like it has only done a few k but it has done 93k miles. It is a very smooth drive and has a nice engine note as well if not as nice as the 6 cylinders. I’m averaging about 35mpg as well which isn’t too bad. Part costs are a lot more reasonable than I expected as well, so far so good ?. I would say go for it if you can afford it.

 

Engine reliability depends on the way you use or abuse it and the way you take care of it(service and maintenance) and sometimes a bit of luck, like if a part goes faulty that was manufactured wrong.

I have a 1995 e36 3181 with 410 000km (not miles) on the clock and is the 4th owner. The engine was never opened up by a mechanic but it does start to smoke a little bit now. So even buying a high milage car can still give you excellent service in the long wrong. I also have a Isuzu pickup with 425 000km on the clock and also never been opened.

See the attached list to see my repair and maintenance cost

 

Every car will have its problems, and from my experience it doesn't matter how much history or miles the car covered. I've owned a 130k 320i m sport saloon, bought without any history and it served me well for a year without a single issue (sold it due to an upgrade). Whereas a colleague at work had a 320i m sport coupe from 2011 with a bible full of BMW service and regular work carried out, yet the other day it decided to go out with a big bang - something to do with the engine leaking and valves (?).

Asking for reliability advice on forums will get you nowhere. Unfortunately it's one of those cases.

 

Sorry to reply to the old post, but hope you got a decision and if you went for it, you are enjoying the car!

Some notes on the E90 2.0 petrol. I have a 2010 318i which I’ve had from new (started out as a company car, after the lease I brought it and continue to use it). I’m perhaps a little OCD with my cars (I service at least twice as frequently as the book says, don’t let them near auto car washes, and every creak/rattle/ding gets look at right away). General points about these cars;

0-10,000 miles. 1 issue, about 2 weeks into ownership, misfire. Guessed at either Coil pack (likely), plug, cable or injector. Coil pack. Easy enough repair (forum members will tell you), BMW service - rubbish. A week to look at the car, 2 weeks if I wanted it fixed (in a 2 week old car, not great service). Company wouldn’t let me do it myself, sent an AA chap out, fixed in 2 hours of making the call.

10,000-20,000 miles. Rattle on timing chain, tensioner replaced under warranty. Very occasional misfire, BMW Sytner found no fault. Slight vibration on clutch, told this is normal. Small scuff on bumper repaired by sytner. Month after repair, paint started falling off. This was apparently not due to bad repair, but because I washed the car. When Sytner failed to successfully show me a section in the book where bmw state not to wash cars, car taken to a ‘proper’ body shop and repaired correctly. No further issues

20,000-40,000 miles. After threatening to show Sytner the fault regarding misfire, they miraculously found it. They also agreed clutch vibration was not normal. Coil packs and plugs all replaced, new clutch fitted. Switch gear in cabin replaced as it was ‘perling’. Interior vents replaced that sytner broke off, as well as damage to the door card repaired where they took a chunk out of it.

40,000-80,000 no issues, just normal servicing

80,000-100,000 miles - no issues But larger service bills as other maintenance tasks come up, such as coolant refresh etc.

100,000-120,000 miles - injector failure. Replaced, carried out full service too as petrol had got into the oil, fouled a spark plug (replaced all for good measure), recall on the fuse box and blower.

120,000 - now. Footwell module failure, expensive at £500, apparently bmw know of an issue and have extended warranty in the American market to cover these up to 150,000 or 10 years. No exception in uk market for some reason. Current issue (as of Friday), suspect vacuum pump issue. There was a recall years ago,and Rybrook bmw looked at this about a week before first signs of an issue happened to check it had been done (coincidence?). Going to my independent garage on Wednesday to get looked at. Shocks replaced.

Since the 100,000 mile mark, a last straw with main dealers it has been looked at by an independent garage, old school guy - still uses OEM (or better in request, things like oils, wipers, brakes consumables) who has never cause an issue to the car.

Reliability- yes, slightly higher miles seem to be the best case (I had niggles up to about 40,000 miles) then after 100,000. I’d say not quite as reliable as a similar age and mileage Focus that I know, but seems to have aged much better than some Audi’s I’ve seen.

I’m expecting to sell at some point soon (hoping to get back into my old Jaguar), before she goes she will have a once over so things might come up not listed here - however my advice on buying a 3 series - keep on top of maintenance, higher miles not necessarily something to be scared of, but put the money saved aside for any repairs. Main dealer service history, don’t really value it much (Id argue it’s perhaps of a lesser quality than an independent workshop??), usual checks are all tyres the same type and wear, is the under bonnet tidy but look just sprayed with back to black (careful maintenance is apparent here), and importantly does the car feel nice to drive. The smaller engines are not that punchy, but they should rev smooth, feel tight, and any small cabin vibrations mainly limited to bits bolted to the running gear (gear shift in a manual). Like I say having seen the car age, I’ve got an idea what it was like when it left the factory to compare against. But good cars, if not with their frustrating quirks (lack of manual dipstick, run flat tyres, and pretty plastic panels covering everything under the bonnet being the main ones!)