320d N47 / B47
Sold with 2 different engines in this chassis, N47 2012–2015, B47 2015–2019. Both are on this page; they differ in exactly the ways that cost money.
Overview
The 320d is the N47 diesel version of the BMW 3 Series wagon (F31), sold 2012–2015 with 184 PS and manual or automatic. High risk at level 4. The rear timing chain can still fail on these later N47s, and the repair needs the engine out. 7 failure modes are recorded against its engine, gearbox, chassis and shared components, one of which is a walk-away item without documented proof. 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 wagon (F31) · photo BMW F31 3 Series Touring Mineral Grey Metallic (1) by Damian B Oh · CC BY-SA 4.0 · Wikimedia Commons
Ranked by probability × repair cost. 7 recorded in total.
Risk level −33 · Walk-away failures −12 · Likely spend vs price −26 · all issues →
Ranked by probability × repair cost. 4 recorded in total.
Risk level −11 · Likely spend vs price −9 · all issues →
Which engine
320d N47D20 2012–2015
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 rear timing chain can still fail on these later N47s, and the repair needs the engine out.
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 | 2012–2014 | €7,950 | €11,650 | €16,950 | €9,800 | The specification the car launched with. |
| LCI Facelift (LCI) | 2015 | €8,650 | €12,700 | €18,500 | €10,700 | B47 and B48 engines replaced N47 and N20; Revised lights and bumpers; Updated iDrive and interior trim |
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.
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.
Chain wear on the N47 tracks oil condition and build rather than distance alone. A high-mileage car with short oil intervals is a safer bet than a low-mileage one that ran BMW's long service schedule.
| Service item | Interval | Cost |
|---|---|---|
| Engine oil and filter Chain and turbo life both track oil condition, and BMW's long intervals are no friend to either. | 12,000–15,000 km | €130–190 |
| Timing chain inspection Catching a stretched chain early is the difference between a repair and an engine. | on any rattle | €0–150 to inspect |
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 320d
- ChassisF31
- EngineN47
- Years2012–2015
- 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 | 2012–2015 |
| Facelift phase | Sold either side of the 2015 facelift, 2012–2014 pre, 2015 LCI |
| Power / torque | 184 PS · 380 Nm |
| Transmissions | 6-speed manual · 8-speed automatic (ZF) |
| Gearbox families | Getrag six-speed manual · ZF 8HP eight-speed automatic |
| Drivetrain | RWD · xDrive |
| Economy (real-world) | 4.5–6 l/100 km mixed |
| Markets | EU |
320d B47D20 2.0d 2015–2019
The modular diesel that replaced the N47 from 2015. It keeps the chain at the back of the engine and has a far better record with it, so the emissions hardware is where the costs sit on this one.
Risk 2, Manageable. No headline engine failure is recorded, so the particulate filter and EGR hardware are the main costs.
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.
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.
The B47 covers big distances well and its chain has a far better record than the N47's. Journey history matters more than the odometer, because the filter wants long runs.
| Service item | Interval | Cost |
|---|---|---|
| Engine oil and filter Low-ash oil protects the filter and the chain likes it fresh. | 15,000 km or annually | €130–190 |
| EGR recall check BMW recalled EGR coolers on diesels of this era and the work should be on the record. | before purchase | €0 |
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 320d
- ChassisF31
- EngineB47
- Years2015–2019
- 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 | B47D20 2.0d |
| Configuration | I4, turbocharged · 1995 cc |
| Fuel / injection | diesel · common rail |
| Model years | 2015–2019 |
| Facelift phase | Facelift (LCI) only, from 2015 |
| Power / torque | 190 PS · 400 Nm |
| Transmissions | 6-speed manual · 8-speed automatic (ZF) |
| Gearbox families | Getrag six-speed manual · ZF 8HP eight-speed automatic |
| Drivetrain | RWD · xDrive |
| Economy (real-world) | 4.3–5.8 l/100 km mixed |
| Markets | EU |