BMW 320d E46 turbo problems

DiarmaidGNR

I'm looking at 320d's at the moment and I am reading about a lot of turbo issues.
I am aiming at buying a 136bhp 320d around 2001, -this seems to be the best one. (no swirl flaps - I think)
Are all the turbo problems occurring because of no one changing the crank case breather and not enough oil changes? - just bad maintenance.
Are there any other problems with this car?
Or is it just a **** car?

Should I just avoid it? Any BMW people on here that can inform me about it?

ligertigon

BM trouble you's in my opinion are over complicated to the bias of dealers.(I recently had to solder a battery to an e36 318 key fob????)

If I were you, I'd buy a vag TDI and get it remapped. With the change, I'd leave the car in the short term car park in Dublin airport and book a package holiday abroad for two weeks.

Bmw = buying label

Despite the fact I have one

bazz26

OP, the 136bhp version doesn't suffer from the same turbo failure as the later 150bhp version. The thing is most of the 136bhp are hitting ten years old now so it is getting more difficult to find a good one.

Captain Slow IRL

The earlier model (136bhp) is definitely hardier than the newer 150bhp's - swirl flaps were not in the earlier ones. My wife has one with 125k on the clock and it's performed faultlessly for the last 30k she's owned it. It's not as quick as the newer engine but will deliver 50mpg if you drive it carefully.

You might get a little whine out of the turbo, but as long as it's not smoking excessively and boosting, it's nothing to worry about. If you're going for one, get one with a good service history and make sure the oil seperator (or breather) is replaced with every air filter replacement - these are essential for a healthy turbo.

Other areas to look out for are the brakes - front calipers can seize (look for bright red corrosion around the discs, similiar colour to a red brick house), and rear brakes pipes can corrode - can be expensive to replace.

VAG cars, imo, are overrated - too soft on the road and they're not without their troubles (window regs, air mass meters, front suspension components, etc.)

DiarmaidGNR

Captain Slow IRL wrote: »

The earlier model (136bhp) is definitely hardier than the newer 150bhp's - swirl flaps were not in the earlier ones. My wife has one with 125k on the clock and it's performed faultlessly for the last 30k she's owned it. It's not as quick as the newer engine but will deliver 50mpg if you drive it carefully.

You might get a little whine out of the turbo, but as long as it's not smoking excessively and boosting, it's nothing to worry about. If you're going for one, get one with a good service history and make sure the oil seperator (or breather) is replaced with every air filter replacement - these are essential for a healthy turbo.

Other areas to look out for are the brakes - front calipers can seize (look for bright red corrosion around the discs, similiar colour to a red brick house), and rear brakes pipes can corrode - can be expensive to replace.

VAG cars, imo, are overrated - too soft on the road and they're not without their troubles (window regs, air mass meters, front suspension components, etc.)

I agree, - VAG's are over-rated and over-priced - pretty much the same as BMWs, but with BMW you get rear wheel drive, and you get to drive a BMW!!

One little niggley think about the 320d is that barely any have electric windows in the back, - just one of those little things.

What do you think of these few? -

http://cars.donedeal.ie/for-sale/cars/1271636

http://cars.donedeal.ie/for-sale/cars/1267567

http://cars.donedeal.ie/for-sale/cars/1145990

RobAMerc

Lads this is the motoring forum and if you cannot tell the difference between driving a Passat TDI and a 3 series BMW or care about the difference you have no business posting here imo.

There is more to BMW's than the badge as there is more to cars than reliability.

I really, really wish the boards people could see that !

DiarmaidGNR

RobAMerc wrote: »

Lads this is the motoring forum and if you cannot tell the difference between driving a Passat TDI and a 3 series BMW or care about the difference you have no business posting here imo.

There is more to BMW's than the badge as there is more to cars than reliability.

I really, really wish the boards people could see that !

When I said they were the same I meant as in price-wise, and value for money. I'd never touch a passat, - I suffer from sea-sickness.

As for your reliability remark, -obviously you've never had to push a car in rush hour traffic at traffic lights -On your own!!! Or blown a turbo in the middle of nowhere and had to sit on your arse at the side of the road with nothing to do but think about haw many thousand it was going to cost to fix. - We're not all rich.

RobAMerc

DiarmaidGNR wrote: »

When I said they were the same I meant as in price-wise, and value for money. I'd never touch a passat, - I suffer from sea-sickness.

As for your reliability remark, -obviously you've never had to push a car in rush hour traffic at traffic lights -On your own!!! Or blown a turbo in the middle of nowhere and had to sit on your arse at the side of the road with nothing to do but think about haw many thousand it was going to cost to fix. - We're not all rich.

My point was that the guy advising you to stay away from a BMW and go for a VAG TD engine just because it may be more reliable cannot exactly called them self a driving enthusiast now can they ?

I know how it feels to sit on the side of a road, up a mountain, in a filling station, and on my drive to name but a few with a broken down car thanks, but for the most part I enjoyed driving the cars when they did go because I bought cars I knew would excite me.
I'm not rich either btw.

DiarmaidGNR

RobAMerc wrote: »

My point was that the guy advising you to stay away from a BMW and go for a VAG TD engine just because it may be more reliable cannot exactly called them self a driving enthusiast now can they ?

I know how it feels to sit on the side of a road, up a mountain, in a filling station, and on my drive to name but a few with a broken down car thanks, but for the most part I enjoyed driving the cars when they did go because I bought cars I knew would excite me.
I'm not rich either btw.

I agree. I hope a find a good one though that doesn't leave me too out of pocket!!

ligertigon

RobAMerc wrote: »

My point was that the guy advising you to stay away from a BMW and go for a VAG TD engine just because it may be more reliable cannot exactly called them self a driving enthusiast now can they ?

I know how it feels to sit on the side of a road, up a mountain, in a filling station, and on my drive to name but a few with a broken down car thanks, but for the most part I enjoyed driving the cars when they did go because I bought cars I knew would excite me.
I'm not rich either btw.

Driving an e46 320d with 136bhp is hardly a driving enthusiasts car, nor is a similar vag, unless its modded.

But I think this is going off topic, as the op asked about reliability,
I only mentioned vag as a similar option, you would easily pick up a 110/130bhp skoda/seat/vw/audi for less than half the asking price of a 320d of the same era.

But the op seems set on a beemer so I agree, go for the 136bhp one rather than the swirl flap eating later model. Maybe price a replacement turbo before hand just in case too.

what about a 330d and make it a commercial? Saw one in donedeal for €2700

DiarmaidGNR

ligertigon wrote: »

Driving an e46 320d with 136bhp is hardly a driving enthusiasts car, nor is a similar vag, unless its modded.

But I think this is going off topic, as the op asked about reliability,
I only mentioned vag as a similar option, you would easily pick up a 110/130bhp skoda/seat/vw/audi for less than half the asking price of a 320d of the same era.

But the op seems set on a beemer so I agree, go for the 136bhp one rather than the swirl flap eating later model. Maybe price a replacement turbo before hand just in case too.

what about a 330d and make it a commercial? Saw one in donedeal for €2700

At least it's rear wheel drive!
For a refurb I think it's around €650.
Do you have a link for the 330?

ligertigon

http://cars.donedeal.ie/for-sale/cars/1238401

rear wheel drive with a girly button:p

DiarmaidGNR

ligertigon wrote: »

http://cars.donedeal.ie/for-sale/cars/1238401

rear wheel drive with a girly button:p

LOL!!!!

How would I get it registered as a commercial? - It would kind of depend on what humour the valuer was in wouldn't it? - Due to the back doors and poor load bay.

ligertigon

DiarmaidGNR wrote: »

LOL!!!!

How would I get it registered as a commercial? - It would kind of depend on what humour the valuer was in wouldn't it? - Due to the back doors and poor load bay.

Go to a vrt office, humour doesn't come into it, they have guidelines.

rear seats and seat belts would need to be removed, and a floor fitted instead. Limo tint and away you go.

I assume it can be done, only reason anyone would do it is because of the road tax.

I think there are tons of posts on here about going commercial.