BMW 320

Digest from the reviews

Based on transcripts of 2 reviews

• •The 2.0d (B47) earns praise in both of the 2 reviewed transcripts: the buying inspector calls it one of the most reliable engines on the market — 300-400k km with 7-8k oil changes, chain past 200k — and says skip the 318d for the full 320d (different pistons, not just software); the TV program agrees chains reach 200-250k but hard driving cuts that ~1.5x, even under 100k on top versions.
• •Diesel housekeeping differs only in severity: the TV program shows intake swirl flaps coked by 40-50k km — clean every 30-40k, a seized flap can shed parts into a cylinder and the manifold is replaced only whole — plus crank-pulley dampers dying at 30-100k (thud, power errors, burnt-rubber smell); the inspector is gentler: clean each ~100k, watch the damper and cooling.
• •Petrol notes come from the TV program: B48 oil-filter housings with the built-in heat exchanger leak coolant at ~70-80k km and stiffened valve stem seals start oil burn past 100k; the B58's headline issue before 2021 is a factory-defective oil pump — the oil-level readout freezes at 16-22% at any mileage; swap to the 7th-revision pump without waiting for a pressure error.
• •The ZF 8-speed is the calm spot in both reviews — 200-250k km if not overheated, with fluid every 50-90k km depending on style; the weak AWD link per the TV program is the rear differential: sweating seals, side bearings that can knock before 100k km, and early covers that pushed oil out of the breather under hard driving (a modified cover, or a few cuts made by independents, fixes it).
• •Watch the small stuff: both reviews hit the glitch-prone mirror/window control units (dealers swapped them repeatedly until a fixed revision; the inspector's own window panel died and self-healed after moisture); the TV program adds 50-60k front arms with no separate ball joints, sub-100k engine mounts, and the 2020 steering-tie recall for Oct 2018 - Apr 2019 cars.