120d M47 / N47
Sold with 2 different engines in this chassis, M47 2004–2007, N47 2007–2011. Both are on this page; they differ in exactly the ways that cost money.
Overview
The 120d is the M47 diesel version of the BMW 1 Series hatchback (E87), sold 2004–2007 with 163 PS and manual or automatic. Manageable at level 2. Front timing chain spares it the N47 fault; swirl flaps and turbo vanes are the only real wear items. 17 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. 17 recorded in total.
Risk level −11 · Likely spend vs price −26 · all issues →
Ranked by probability × repair cost. 19 recorded in total.
Risk level −33 · Walk-away failures −12 · Likely spend vs price −26 · all issues →
Which engine
120d M47D20TU2 2004–2007
The pre-N47 four-cylinder diesel. Front-mounted timing chain, so none of its successor's headline problem. Swirl flaps and turbo vanes are the wear items.
Risk 2, Manageable. Front timing chain spares it the N47 fault; swirl flaps and turbo vanes are the only real wear items.
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 | €2,900 | €4,200 | €5,800 | €3,550 | The specification the car launched with. |
| LCI Facelift (LCI) | 2007 | €3,150 | €4,600 | €6,300 | €3,900 | 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 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.
Big mileage with a full book is normal and no barrier; these are long-distance engines.
| Service item | Interval | Cost |
|---|---|---|
| Engine oil Longevity depends on regular oil | 15,000 km or annually | €90–140 |
| Swirl flaps Can be ingested if the linkage wears | roughly 150,000 km | €150–400 |
| Turbo actuator Variable vanes stick on short-run cars | as needed | €300–700 |
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 120d
- ChassisE87
- EngineM47
- 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 | M47D20TU2 |
| Configuration | I4, turbodiesel · 1995 cc |
| Fuel / injection | diesel · common rail |
| Model years | 2004–2007 |
| Facelift phase | Sold either side of the 2007 facelift, 2004–2006 pre, 2007 LCI |
| Power / torque | 163 PS · 340 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) | 5–6.5 l/100 km mixed |
| Markets | EU |
120d N47D20 2007–2011
Efficient, torquey, and carrying a rear-mounted timing chain that fails and takes the engine out with it. Then buy only with documented chain work.
Risk 4, High risk. The N47 rear timing chain is the failure that can total the engine; everything else is ordinary diesel wear.
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 19 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.
Cold-start sound and chain paperwork decide the car; a rattly low-miler is worth less than a quiet high-miler.
| Service item | Interval | Cost |
|---|---|---|
| Engine oil Chain wear tracks oil condition | 15,000 km or annually | €90–140 |
| Timing chain The failure that ends the engine | listen at every cold start | free |
| DPF regeneration Town driving blocks the filter | avoid short-trip-only use | €250–1,000 if blocked |
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 120d
- ChassisE87
- EngineN47
- Years2007–2011
- MarketCentral EU
- Windowrolling 12 months to 2026-07
Good buy isn't the same as cheapest. Any car without documentation for rear timing chain failure should be priced as if the repair is still owed. 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 | N47D20 |
| Configuration | I4, turbodiesel · 1995 cc |
| Fuel / injection | diesel · common rail |
| Model years | 2007–2011 |
| Facelift phase | Facelift (LCI) only, from 2007 |
| Power / torque | 177 PS · 350 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) | 4.7–6 l/100 km mixed |
| Markets | EU |