Buying a 2.0 BMW Diesel- Advice

[claude]

I wll be doing some viewings to get an idea whats out there in terms of 2.0 litre bmw diesel saloons, im steering towards an early f10 or 320d but my main concern is how will i know what the timing chain situation is? i dont really know what to hear when the engine is running or what to look For as i have never been a diesel owner, I know my local indy mechanic does timing chains and replaces engine a ta serious rate so the issue is really there and i pity the people who purchase and get this bad luck
if i do i see a car i like and call BMW with the chassis number would they know if the chain was replaced? thanks

[james forde]

Its hard to say, I think the timing chain issues can still exist in all newer models. However one with a good service history should reduce the chance of it stretching/snapping greatly.

It didn't stop me buying an F10 but I did have it checked out........ BMW will be able to tell you if a main dealer replaced the chain.

[dergside]

To me, not being able to tell from a viewing (or listening) only is the worrying point. I was well aware of the problem before I bought our old 520d, listened for the expected rattles, etc. and only asked BMW to check it because I didn't intend to keep the car long and wanted it noted on the service invoice that it was checked and OK. The service people told me that in the test they do they measure on a scale of 1-10 and mine was 8/10, 10 not being the good end of the scale.

I'd known the car from new, knew it hadn't been abused before my ownership and had all the attention that BMW and the car said it needed and this was diagnosed with only a little over 50k miles. A colleague has one of similar age (early '11), bought as an approved used BMW and the chain snapped on his last summer. Not sure if he would be mechanically sympathetic enough to react to any tell tale increase in noises before it let go but it did it just trundling home from work one evening, leaving him on the side of the road. His AUC warranty covered him for a replacement engine but not everyone is so lucky.

For the time being I've gone back to petrol engines. HPFP's, coil packs and sundry other concerns may well exist on these but they're a more reasonable bet than a €2-3k bill for a chain replacement, if you're lucky or twice that if you're not. Goodwill from BMW, though seemingly in reasonable supply, is still a bit hit and miss. Mine was done without any arm-twisting but I think there are folks on here that haven't had the same response. There is a decent thread on this subject from around the second half of last year.

The f10 is a very fine car, pretty much outstanding as a milemuncher, but the fundamental flaw with the diesel engine would make me tread carefully on another one until history proves its been overcome.

[Don B]

Had been searching for something similar for several months now, in various places...private sales, non main dealer car dealers, main dealers and I've been told different things by them all. I had one dealer swear blind that bmw will replace any timing chain if it's needed, then a main dealer telling me they won't. We've gone for something from a main dealer, an approved used car with warranty. Couldn't chance having to pay for a chain replacement again...had to do it on the compact, and that was cheap compared to the cost for a diesel chain replacement.

[james forde]

BMW Ireland said to me if I buy a car with a full BMW Main Dealer service history its more then likely to be covered under goodwill but non main dealer wouldn't. No guarantee regardless but it helps.........