320i N46 / N43
Sold with 2 different engines in this chassis, N46 2005–2007, N43 2007–2011. Both are on this page; they differ in exactly the ways that cost money.
Overview
The 320i is the N46 petrol version of the BMW 3 Series sedan (E90), sold 2005–2007 with 150 PS and manual or automatic. Demands diligence at level 3. Same rear timing chain and guide wear as the 318i, on a car with the same low value backing the repair. 13 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 3 Series sedan (E90) · photo BMW E90 kallerna by kallerna · CC BY-SA 3.0 · Wikimedia Commons
Ranked by probability × repair cost. 13 recorded in total.
Risk level −22 · Likely spend vs price −26 · all issues →
Ranked by probability × repair cost. 16 recorded in total.
Risk level −33 · Likely spend vs price −26 · all issues →
Which engine
| Engine | Years | Facelift | Power | Torque | Risk | Issues | Good buy | In one line |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| N46 | 2005–2007 | pre | 150 PS | 200 Nm | R3 | 13 | €3,400 | The pre-direct-injection four. Simple and cheap, with one expensive failure mode you can hear. |
| N43 | 2007–2011 | both | 170 PS | 210 Nm | R4 | 16 | €3,950 | Economical and smooth when everything works, and a fuel-system money pit when it doesn't, on a car too cheap to justify the repairs. |
320i N46B20 2005–2007
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 3, Demands diligence. Same rear timing chain and guide wear as the 318i, on a car with the same low value backing the repair.
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 13 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 normal and acceptable if the chain is quiet and the service book is full. But watch for cars that have sat, short-run town use hardens the valve cover and chain guides faster than motorway miles.
| Service item | Interval | Cost |
|---|---|---|
| Engine oil Chain and guide wear follow oil condition | 10,000–12,000 km | €90–140 |
| Valve cover gasket Oil onto the exhaust manifold is a smoke-and-smell problem, occasionally worse | when it leaks, not before | €250–400 |
| Automatic fluid + pan The ZF box is durable if serviced and expensive if not | 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 3 Series 320i
- ChassisE90
- EngineN46
- Years2005–2007
- 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 | 2005–2007 |
| Facelift phase | Pre-facelift only, to 2007 |
| Power / torque | 150 PS · 200 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) | 8.5–10 l/100 km mixed |
| Markets | EU |
320i 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 4, High risk. Piezo injectors and NOx sensors both fail, both are expensive relative to the car's value, and a full set of injectors costs more than many of these cars are worth.
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 | 2007 | €3,300 | €4,600 | €6,600 | €3,950 | The specification the car launched with. |
| LCI Facelift (LCI) | 2008–2011 | €3,600 | €5,000 | €7,200 | €4,300 | Revised front and rear lights and bumpers; Interior trim and iDrive updates; N53 replaced N52 in most European markets; N57 replaced M57 in the 330d |
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 16 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.
Ignore the odometer and count the injector receipts. Six injectors at €350–500 each is €2,000–3,000 on a car worth €5,000, so the only versions of this car worth buying are the ones where a previous owner has already paid that bill. Short-trip cars fare worst.
| Service item | Interval | Cost |
|---|---|---|
| Injector history The single item that determines whether this car is cheap or ruinous | check before purchase | €350–500 each |
| Spark plugs and coils Misfires get blamed on injectors when the plugs are the cause | 40,000–50,000 km | €200–350 |
| Engine oil Chain tensioner wear follows oil condition | 10,000–12,000 km | €90–140 |
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 3 Series 320i
- ChassisE90
- 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 | Sold either side of the 2008 facelift, 2007 pre, 2008–2011 LCI |
| Power / torque | 170 PS · 210 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 |