E81, compare every engine
All 8 variants in this chassis on one screen. Identical body, identical electronics, identical suspension. Everything below is a consequence of which engine is in the bay.
Full comparison
| Variant | Years | Power | Torque | Fuel | Transmissions | Economy | Risk | Issues | Worst single repair | Band | Good buy | Verdict |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 116d N47 | 2009–2011 | 116 PS | 260 Nm | diesel | 6-sp manual, 6-sp automatic (ZF) | 4.5–5.5 | R4 | 19 | €2,500 | €2,900–€6,000 | €3,600 | Caution |
| 116i N43B16 | 2007–2011 | 122 PS | 160 Nm | petrol | 6-sp manual, 6-sp automatic (ZF) | 6.5–8 | R3 | 17 | €2,500 | €2,500–€5,250 | €3,100 | Buy with conditions |
| 118i N43 | 2007–2011 | 143 PS | 190 Nm | petrol | 6-sp manual, 6-sp automatic (ZF) | 6.5–8 | R3 | 18 | €2,500 | €2,800–€5,800 | €3,450 | Buy with conditions |
| 118d N47 | 2007–2012 | 143 PS | 300 Nm | diesel | 6-sp manual, 6-sp automatic (ZF) | 4.5–5.5 | R4 | 19 | €2,500 | €3,300–€7,000 | €4,100 | Caution |
| 120i N43 | 2007–2011 | 170 PS | 210 Nm | petrol | 6-sp manual, 6-sp automatic (ZF) | 6.5–8.5 | R3 | 18 | €2,500 | €3,100–€6,400 | €3,800 | Buy with conditions |
| 120d N47 | 2007–2012 | 177 PS | 350 Nm | diesel | 6-sp manual, 6-sp automatic (ZF) | 4.7–6 | R4 | 19 | €2,500 | €3,700–€7,950 | €4,600 | Caution |
| 123d N47S | 2007–2012 | 204 PS | 400 Nm | diesel | 6-sp manual, 6-sp automatic (ZF) | 5–6.5 | R4 | 19 | €2,500 | €4,650–€10,200 | €5,750 | Caution |
| 130i N52 | 2007–2011 | 265 PS | 315 Nm | petrol | 6-sp manual, 6-sp automatic (ZF) | 9–11 | R2 | 19 | €2,500 | €5,350–€12,600 | €6,800 | Strong buy |
Issue overlap by engine. The row that decides it
| Issue | Cost | N47 | N43B16 | N43 | N47S | N52 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Rear timing chain failurewalk away | €1,500–€2,500 | ● | · | · | · | · |
| Rear timing chain stretch and failure (123d)walk away | €1,500–€2,500 | · | · | · | ● | · |
| DPF clogging and forced regeneration | €250–€1,800 | ● | · | · | ● | · |
| Timing chain tensioner rattle | €300–€1,400 | · | · | ● | · | · |
| Variable-vane turbo actuator sticking | €400–€1,200 | ● | · | · | ● | · |
| EGR cooler leak | €400–€1,000 | ● | · | · | ● | · |
| Swirl flap wear and ingestion | €400–€900 | ● | · | · | ● | · |
| Cold-start lifter tick and VANOS rattle | €150–€900 | · | · | · | · | ● |
| Electric water pump and thermostat failure | €500–€800 | · | · | · | · | ● |
| Carbon buildup on intake valves | €400–€700 | · | ● | ● | · | · |
| NOx sensor failure | €300–€600 | · | ● | ● | · | · |
| Oil filter housing gasket leak | €300–€600 | · | · | · | · | ● |
| Piezo injector failure (lean-burn petrol) | €350–€500 | · | ● | ● | · | · |
| Valve cover gasket leak | €250–€500 | · | · | · | · | ● |
| Eccentric shaft sensor leak | €250–€450 | · | · | · | · | ● |
Only engine-differentiating issues are listed. 14 further issues apply to every engine in this chassis. Cooling, electrics, suspension and the gearbox, and are on the chassis page.
Cross-chassis comparison
To compare against a different chassis: an E92 335i against an E90 330d, say, use the general comparison tool, which takes up to four variants from anywhere in the database and encodes them in the URL so the comparison can be shared.