116i N45B16 / N43B16
Sold with 2 different engines in this chassis, N45B16 2004–2007, N43B16 2007–2011. Both are on this page; they differ in exactly the ways that cost money.
Overview
The 116i is the N45B16 petrol version of the BMW 1 Series hatchback (E87), sold 2004–2007 with 115 PS and manual or automatic. Manageable at level 2. No expensive failure mode of its own. The only real risk is worn timing-chain guides, which you can hear. 15 failure modes are recorded against its engine, gearbox, chassis and shared components. Prices on this page are illustrative placeholders rather than a sourced market sample. See the methodology for how the bands are derived.
BMW 1 Series hatchback (E87) · photo 2010 BMW 120i (E87) 5-door hatchback 01 by OSX · Public domain · Wikimedia Commons
Ranked by probability × repair cost. 15 recorded in total.
Risk level −11 · Likely spend vs price −26 · all issues →
Ranked by probability × repair cost. 17 recorded in total.
Risk level −22 · Likely spend vs price −26 · all issues →
Which engine
116i N45B16 2004–2007
The base 116i four: port-injected, no Valvetronic and none of the direct-injection drama that followed it. Simple and cheap; the only real question is the timing-chain guides, which is a listen-at-cold-start check.
Risk 2, Manageable. No expensive failure mode of its own. The only real risk is worn timing-chain guides, which you can hear.
Pre-facelift or facelift, this engine spans both
The same badge either side of the changeover. Bands are split at the facelift year from the generation record.
| Phase | Years | Low | Average | High | Good buy | What differs |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| pre Pre-facelift | 2004–2006 | €2,200 | €3,200 | €4,600 | €2,700 | The specification the car launched with. |
| LCI Facelift (LCI) | 2007 | €2,400 | €3,500 | €5,000 | €2,950 | Four-cylinder petrols switched from port-injection N45/N46 to direct-injection N43; Electric power steering replaced hydraulic on four-cylinder cars; Revised lights, bumpers and interior |
Known issues, ranked by expected cost
Faults recorded against this engine, its components and its chassis, ranked by likelihood × repair cost. Costs are indicative ranges with a stated labour basis.
Ranked by probability × repair cost, not by how loudly a failure is discussed. Inherited from the engine, gearbox, chassis and shared components, each written once. All 15 issues in full →
Pre-purchase inspection
The same issue records, reordered into the sequence you can actually check them in: cold start, static, drive, paperwork.
1Cold startYou get one. If the engine is warm when you arrive, come back another day.
2Static checksEngine off, ideally on a lift.
3On the driveInclude low-speed manoeuvring, not just an open road.
4PaperworkOn these cars the folder is most of the value.
Mileage and servicing
What the odometer does and doesn't tell you here, plus the service items whose neglect causes the expensive failures above.
High mileage is fine if the cold start is silent. And these were fleet and learner cars, so a full book with big numbers is normal.
| Service item | Interval | Cost |
|---|---|---|
| Engine oil Chain-guide wear follows oil condition | 10,000–12,000 km | €90–140 |
| Timing chain The only failure that can write the car off | listen at every cold start | free |
What to pay
What this engine sells for, against the median of every engine in the chassis. All figures are illustrative placeholders. See the basis chips.
Enter an asking price to get a verdict against this variant's band: cheap, fair, good buy or overpriced.
United States vs Europe
1 EUR = 1.08 USD ·US figures are the EU band converted at a stated rate. No US market differential is modelled: we hold no sourced US asking prices, and inventing one would be worse than saying so. What the comparison does show for real is availability. Most of this range was never sold in the US.
- ModelBMW 1 Series 116i
- ChassisE87
- EngineN45B16
- Years2004–2007
- MarketCentral EU
- Windowrolling 12 months to 2026-07
Good buy isn't the same as cheapest. The good-buy figure assumes the known failure items are either done with receipts or verifiably not yet due. Full breakdown by facelift phase →
Buyer notes
Our judgement, kept separate from the records it's built on.
Everything above this line comes from the issue and specification records. This paragraph is our judgement on top of them. See how we reach it.
Full specification
Manufacturer figures for this engine and body, as recorded in the variant and engine data.
| Engine code | N45B16 |
| Configuration | I4, naturally aspirated · 1599 cc |
| Fuel / injection | petrol · port |
| Model years | 2004–2007 |
| Facelift phase | Sold either side of the 2007 facelift, 2004–2006 pre, 2007 LCI |
| Power / torque | 115 PS · 150 Nm |
| Transmissions | 6-speed manual · 6-speed automatic (ZF) |
| Gearbox families | Getrag six-speed manual · ZF 6HP19 / 6HP21 six-speed automatic |
| Drivetrain | RWD |
| Economy (real-world) | 7.5–9 l/100 km mixed |
| Markets | EU |
116i N43B16 2007–2011
The 1.6 direct-injection 116i from the 2007 facelift. Economical when healthy, and the same story as the larger N43: the piezo injectors and NOx sensors are what turn a cheap car into an expensive one.
Risk 3, Demands diligence. The piezo injectors and NOx sensors are the failure modes, and a set of injectors costs a large fraction of the car.
Known issues, ranked by expected cost
Faults recorded against this engine, its components and its chassis, ranked by likelihood × repair cost. Costs are indicative ranges with a stated labour basis.
Ranked by probability × repair cost, not by how loudly a failure is discussed. Inherited from the engine, gearbox, chassis and shared components, each written once. All 17 issues in full →
Pre-purchase inspection
The same issue records, reordered into the sequence you can actually check them in: cold start, static, drive, paperwork.
1Static checksEngine off, ideally on a lift.
2On the driveInclude low-speed manoeuvring, not just an open road.
3PaperworkOn these cars the folder is most of the value.
4OBD scanMandatory. A seller who refuses a scan has answered the question.
Mileage and servicing
What the odometer does and doesn't tell you here, plus the service items whose neglect causes the expensive failures above.
Odometer matters less than a scan for injector and NOx codes. A well-documented high-miler beats an unknown low-miler.
| Service item | Interval | Cost |
|---|---|---|
| Engine oil Keeps the injection system clean | 12,000–15,000 km | €90–150 |
| Injector coding history Tells you which cars have already been done | on purchase | free |
What to pay
What this engine sells for, against the median of every engine in the chassis. All figures are illustrative placeholders. See the basis chips.
Enter an asking price to get a verdict against this variant's band: cheap, fair, good buy or overpriced.
United States vs Europe
1 EUR = 1.08 USD ·US figures are the EU band converted at a stated rate. No US market differential is modelled: we hold no sourced US asking prices, and inventing one would be worse than saying so. What the comparison does show for real is availability. Most of this range was never sold in the US.
- ModelBMW 1 Series 116i
- ChassisE87
- EngineN43B16
- Years2007–2011
- MarketCentral EU
- Windowrolling 12 months to 2026-07
Good buy isn't the same as cheapest. The good-buy figure assumes the known failure items are either done with receipts or verifiably not yet due. Full breakdown by facelift phase →
Buyer notes
Our judgement, kept separate from the records it's built on.
Everything above this line comes from the issue and specification records. This paragraph is our judgement on top of them. See how we reach it.
Full specification
Manufacturer figures for this engine and body, as recorded in the variant and engine data.
| Engine code | N43B16 |
| Configuration | I4, naturally aspirated, lean-burn · 1599 cc |
| Fuel / injection | petrol · direct |
| Model years | 2007–2011 |
| Facelift phase | Facelift (LCI) only, from 2007 |
| Power / torque | 122 PS · 160 Nm |
| Transmissions | 6-speed manual · 6-speed automatic (ZF) |
| Gearbox families | Getrag six-speed manual · ZF 6HP19 / 6HP21 six-speed automatic |
| Drivetrain | RWD |
| Economy (real-world) | 6.5–8 l/100 km mixed |
| Markets | EU |