118i N46 / N43
Sold with 2 different engines in this chassis, N46 2004–2007, N43 2007–2011. Both are on this page; they differ in exactly the ways that cost money.
Overview
The 118i is the N46 petrol version of the BMW 1 Series hatchback (E87), sold 2004–2007 with 129 PS and manual or automatic. Manageable at level 2. Shares the rear timing-chain-guide wear of the other N46 cars; no fuel-system risk. 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. 18 recorded in total.
Risk level −22 · Likely spend vs price −26 · all issues →
Which engine
| Engine | Years | Facelift | Power | Torque | Risk | Issues | Good buy | In one line |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| N46 | 2004–2007 | both | 129 PS | 180 Nm | R2 | 15 | €2,900 | The low-stress pre-facelift petrol: port injection, modest power, one audible failure mode. |
| N43 | 2007–2011 | LCI | 143 PS | 190 Nm | R3 | 18 | €3,900 | The volume facelift petrol. Quick enough and frugal, until the lean-burn fuel system bills you. |
118i N46B20 2004–2007
Port-injected four with Valvetronic. No fuel-system drama, but the rear-mounted timing chain and its plastic guides are the reason people sell them.
Risk 2, Manageable. Shares the rear timing-chain-guide wear of the other N46 cars; no fuel-system risk.
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 | €2,400 | €3,400 | €4,800 | €2,900 | The specification the car launched with. |
| LCI Facelift (LCI) | 2007 | €2,600 | €3,700 | €5,250 | €3,150 | 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.
Listen more than you read the odometer. A quiet high-miler is a better car than a rattly low-miler.
| Service item | Interval | Cost |
|---|---|---|
| Engine oil Chain and injector health track oil condition | 10,000–15,000 km | €90–150 |
| Automatic fluid + pan The ZF 'lifetime' fill is the gearbox's lifetime, not yours | 80,000–100,000 km | €400–600 |
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 118i
- ChassisE87
- EngineN46
- 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 | N46B20 |
| Configuration | I4, naturally aspirated · 1995 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 | 129 PS · 180 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 |
118i N43B20 2007–2011
Lean-burn direct-injection four. Economical when healthy and expensive when not. The injectors and NOx sensors are the whole story.
Risk 3, Demands diligence. Piezo injectors and NOx sensors are the recurring cost, on a car whose value doesn't cover many of them.
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 18 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.
5OBD 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.
Scan for injector and NOx faults rather than trusting the mileage. Injector index history is the number that matters.
| Service item | Interval | Cost |
|---|---|---|
| Engine oil Injection-system longevity follows oil quality | 12,000–15,000 km | €90–150 |
| Injector/NOx scan The only honest read on the fuel system | 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 118i
- ChassisE87
- EngineN43
- 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 | N43B20 |
| Configuration | I4, naturally aspirated, lean-burn · 1995 cc |
| Fuel / injection | petrol · direct |
| Model years | 2007–2011 |
| Facelift phase | Facelift (LCI) only, from 2007 |
| Power / torque | 143 PS · 190 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 |