520d M47 / N47
Sold with 2 different engines in this chassis, M47 2005–2007, N47 2007–2010. Both are on this page; they differ in exactly the ways that cost money.
Overview
The 520d is the M47 diesel version of the BMW 5 Series wagon (E61), sold 2005–2007 with 163 PS and manual or automatic. Manageable at level 2. The front-mounted chain spares it the N47 problem, so what's left is swirl flaps and turbo vanes. 19 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 5 Series wagon (E61) · photo BMW E61 5 Series Touring Jet Black (1) by Damian B Oh · CC BY-SA 4.0 · Wikimedia Commons
Ranked by probability × repair cost. 19 recorded in total.
Risk level −11 · Likely spend vs price −26 · all issues →
Ranked by probability × repair cost. 21 recorded in total.
Risk level −33 · Walk-away failures −12 · Likely spend vs price −26 · all issues →
Which engine
| Engine | Years | Facelift | Power | Torque | Risk | Issues | Good buy | In one line |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| M47 | 2005–2007 | both | 163 PS | 340 Nm | R2 | 19 | €4,250 | The pre-N47 diesel, and the cheapest way into an E60 without the timing-chain worry. |
| N47 | 2007–2010 | LCI | 177 PS | 350 Nm | R4 | 21 | €6,550 | Efficient, quick enough and quiet, with the timing chain that decides whether it's a bargain or a write-off. |
520d M47D20TU2 2005–2007
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. The front-mounted chain spares it the N47 problem, so what's left is swirl flaps and turbo vanes.
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 | 2005–2006 | €3,400 | €5,100 | €7,400 | €4,250 | The specification the car launched with. |
| LCI Facelift (LCI) | 2007 | €3,700 | €5,550 | €8,100 | €4,650 | Revised lights, bumpers and iDrive; N53 replaced the N52 in most European petrol sixes; N47 replaced the M47 in the 520d |
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.
Big numbers are normal and fine. These were company cars, so a 300,000 km example with a full book is a better bet than a low-mileage one with gaps.
| Service item | Interval | Cost |
|---|---|---|
| Engine oil Long life on this engine follows regular oil | 15,000 km or annually | €100–150 |
| Swirl flaps A detached flap can be ingested and wreck the engine | roughly 150,000 km | €200–450 |
| Automatic fluid + pan The ZF fill is not a lifetime one whatever the label says | 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 5 Series 520d
- ChassisE61
- EngineM47
- 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 | M47D20TU2 |
| Configuration | I4, turbodiesel · 1995 cc |
| Fuel / injection | diesel · common rail |
| Model years | 2005–2007 |
| Facelift phase | Sold either side of the 2007 facelift, 2005–2006 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) | 5.5–7 l/100 km mixed |
| Markets | EU |
520d N47D20 2007–2010
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 can fail and take the engine with it, and the repair is engine-out on a car worth little more than the bill.
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 21 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.
The cold-start sound tells you more than the odometer. Treat a rattle on start-up as terminal and treat missing chain paperwork as a reason to walk or to discount hard.
| Service item | Interval | Cost |
|---|---|---|
| Engine oil Chain wear tracks oil condition and level | 15,000 km or annually | €100–150 |
| Timing chain The failure that writes the engine off | listen at every cold start | free |
| DPF regeneration Town driving blocks the filter | avoid short-trip-only use | €300–1,000 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 5 Series 520d
- ChassisE61
- EngineN47
- Years2007–2010
- 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 | 2007–2010 |
| 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) | 5–6.5 l/100 km mixed |
| Markets | EU |