About this model
The BMW E87 (1 Series, first generation, 2004-2011) was BMW's entry into the compact hatchback segment, and in BiH it stuck around as the "affordable BMW" for drivers who want the brand's character without the cost of a 3 Series. The 120d engine option is the most common one on our market because it combines reasonable fuel economy (around 5.5-6.5 l/100 km on the open road), rear-wheel drive and agile handling. You see them daily on the streets of Banja Luka and surrounding towns, most often with 200,000-350,000 km on the clock, and the owners are mostly younger drivers who consciously pick a "small BMW". The catch is that the E87 120d came with two completely different engine versions, the M47N2 up to 2007 and the N47 from 2007 to the end of production, with completely different weak points that a buyer scrolling olx cannot tell apart from an ad. The difference in engine code decides what the owner will be spending money on in the first year.
Engines and variants
This model is most commonly available in BiH with the following engines.
M47N2 (120d, 163 hp) - the older 2.0 diesel from the E46 and E60 era, reworked for the first E87 series, produced 2004-2007. Mechanically it is simpler than the later N47, with the timing on the front of the engine and a proven layout. The main risk are swirl flaps in the intake manifold, which can fail and drop into a cylinder, causing catastrophic engine damage. A preventive delete of these flaps is practically mandatory on any used example of this engine.
N47D20 (120d, 177 hp) - the new-generation 2.0 diesel from the 2007-2011 period, with the timing chain mounted on the rear of the engine, facing the gearbox. It puts out more power and slightly better economy than the M47, but carries the infamous timing chain problem that tends to fail between 120,000 and 200,000 km. On most examples from 2007-2010 the chain has either already been replaced or is waiting to be, plus there is the well-known EGR cooler recall. A buyer must listen to the engine both cold and warm before buying.
N47D20 LCI (120d, 184 hp) - the facelift version from 2011, with a reinforced timing chain and a revised EGR system. Technically it is the most reliable variant of the E87 120d, the chain holds up significantly longer than on the earlier N47 units. It is rarely found in BiH because this series had a short production run, so anyone who finds a sound example has the best E87 120d BMW ever built.
Reliability and reputation on the BiH market
The BMW E87 120d is a car that rewards an owner who maintains it and punishes one who cuts corners. With regular oil changes every 10-12,000 km (not 25,000 as BMW longlife suggests) and timely work on the chain, EGR and DPF, the engine easily passes 350,000-400,000 km. Without that, serious faults pile up quickly and one neglected job drags the next one in. Spare parts are available in BiH both as original and good aftermarket (Febi, Lemförder, Bosch, LuK), prices are acceptable for the premium compact segment, and someone who knows how to buy can keep the car in shape without big surprises. Compared to the competition (Audi A3 8P 2.0 TDI, VW Golf 5 and 6 2.0 TDI), the E87 offers rear-wheel drive and more dynamic handling, but the Audi and VW are more forgiving of skipped maintenance and their service procedures are simpler. In the workshop we most often see that the typical E87 120d buyer in BiH chooses BMW deliberately and accepts that the first year will mean sorting things out, while we prefer to point people who want a worry-free car towards Japanese compacts.
Common faults we see
From practice, here is what most often comes in for repair on this model.
1. Timing chain on the N47 engine
Symptom: Characteristic rattling from the rear of the engine (toward the gearbox), especially on a cold start and at idle. In a worse stage you get camshaft/crankshaft correlation errors, loss of power and refusal to start.
The best-known flaw of the N47 engine (2007-2011) fitted to the E87 120d with 177 hp and the later 184 hp version. BMW put the timing chain on the rear of the engine, toward the gearbox, which makes lubrication and cooling harder, and the chain itself is thinner than it should be. Failure most often shows up between 120,000 and 200,000 km, and on cars with skipped oil intervals significantly earlier. Models from March 2011 onwards (LCI version with the N47TUD20) have a reinforced chain and far fewer problems.
Advice: If you hear a rattle from the gearbox side, do not wait. Replacing the chain means pulling the gearbox off the engine and is not cheap, but it is far cheaper than valves and pistons once the chain snaps. On any used E87 with an N47, listen to the engine both cold and warm, a short phone recording before purchase can save you a small fortune.
2. Swirl flaps in the intake manifold on the M47
Symptom: Loss of power, check engine light, occasional jerking under load. In the worst case the flaps break off, fall into a cylinder and cause catastrophic engine damage.
Affects the M47N2 engines in the E87 120d from 2004-2007. The plastic and metal flaps in the intake manifold give up over time, screws on the shaft loosen and the flaps drop into a cylinder. The problem most often appears around 150,000-200,000 km, earlier if oil intervals have been skipped. N47 engines do not have this problem because they use a different intake system.
Advice: The safest fix is a preventive delete, the intake manifold comes off and aluminum blanks are fitted instead of flaps. The engine does not lose performance in real driving, and the risk of catastrophic damage disappears. We do this in a day and recommend it for every buyer of a used M47 example.
3. EGR cooler - leaking and the BMW recall
Symptom: White smoke from the exhaust, smell of antifreeze in the engine bay, loss of coolant without a visible puddle, raised engine temperature. In extreme cases even a fire risk.
BMW issued a global recall in 2018-2019 due to cracking EGR coolers on N47 engines, and it covered the E87 120d. Coolant leaks through the cooler into the exhaust system, and contact with soot on the DPF can lead to ignition. A large number of E87s in BiH have been through the recall, but not all, and many owners do not know the campaign even existed.
Advice: Check the VIN at any authorised BMW dealer. If the car has not had the recall work done, BMW still does the replacement free of charge. We often spot the symptoms and send the customer to the authorised dealer for the free replacement instead of charging for work that is not ours to charge for.
4. DPF filter - clogging in city driving
Symptom: DPF light or check engine light, loss of power, higher fuel consumption, the engine drops into limp mode. At idle you may feel vibration or see the oil on the dipstick rise above maximum.
The E87 120d is a city compact by driving profile, which is the opposite of what a DPF wants. Owners who drive 5-10 km to work and back never give the filter a chance to regenerate at temperature, soot builds up and oil gets diluted with fuel. The problem is typical for all diesels in BiH, but on the E87 it stands out because the car is usually used in town.
Advice: The cheapest prevention is 20-30 minutes of highway driving at 2500-3000 rpm once a week, that lets the DPF regenerate on its own. Once the filter passes the limit, a forced regeneration on diagnostics solves most cases, the rest go for chemical cleaning or replacement. We do not recommend programmatic DPF deletion because vehicle registration in BiH is getting stricter on emissions.
5. Dual-mass flywheel and clutch
Symptom: Vibrations at idle felt through the gearbox, knocking on start-up or shutdown, jerking when pulling off, occasional clutch slipping in higher gears under load.
The dual-mass flywheel on the E87 120d typically lasts 180,000-250,000 km in normal driving, significantly less on chip-tuned examples and with drivers who often set off in second gear. The M47 has a slightly more durable flywheel than the N47 because the N47 transmits more torque. The clutch and flywheel are always replaced as a set, swapping just one component is false economy.
Advice: Check the dual-mass when buying, knocking and shaking at idle are the first sign. When replacing, ask for an original LuK or Sachs set, cheap Chinese copies do not last 30,000 km. If you plan to chip tune the car, know that you are cutting the flywheel's life at least in half.
6. Turbo geometry and the VNT mechanism
Symptom: Loss of power above 2500 rpm, smoke from the exhaust (blue or black depending on the stage), whistling or whining from the turbo, check engine light with boost pressure codes (often P0299).
The VNT (variable geometry) turbo on the E87 120d suffers from soot building up on the variable geometry vanes, which jams them and causes loss of power. It typically shows up at 180,000-280,000 km, earlier on cars used mostly in town with no regular highway driving. Bad oil and skipped intervals shorten turbo life dramatically.
Advice: At the first sign of power loss, have the turbo ultrasonically cleaned before you plan a rebuild or replacement, the mechanism often comes back to life for a tenth of the price of a new turbo. If the bearing housing is worn, let a specialist firm do the rebuild with a warranty, not the local mechanic.
7. Rear control arms and rear axle links
Symptom: Knocking over bumps from the rear, uneven wear on the rear tyres (inner edge), steering wheel shake above 100 km/h, instability in corners.
The E87 has a multilink rear axle shared with the E90, and as with all BMWs from that period, the rubber bushings in the arms give out over time. Banja Luka roads and speed bumps speed up the wear. The fault most often appears in the 150,000-220,000 km range, earlier if the car is driven loaded or on bad roads.
Advice: Do not replace just one arm, once you are in there, go for the full set of bushings and sleeves, it pays off. Original BMW is overpriced, Lemförder and Meyle HD give the same quality for half the money. After the job, an alignment is mandatory, without it you will eat the rear tyres in 15,000 km.
8. Electrics - battery, IBS sensor and comfort modules
Symptom: Errors on the comfort system, weak cranking, lost window memory, occasional radio shutdown, dash lights that switch on and off "as they please", the car not going into start-stop mode.
The E87 uses an AGM battery with an IBS sensor on the negative terminal that tracks the state of charge. As the battery ages, voltages drop and comfort modules start throwing errors without an actual fault. Replacing the battery without registering the new one in BMW's system (coding) leaves the sensor calculating against the old capacity, which shortens the new battery's life.
Advice: On the E87 the battery has to be coded after replacement, otherwise the IBS sensor will not work properly and the new battery is done in 18 months. We do that on diagnostics in a couple of minutes. Choose AGM or EFB, a plain wet battery has no place in this car.
Service and maintenance
There is no conventional timing belt, both engines (M47 and N47) have a timing chain, which does not mean "lifetime" as BMW marketing presents it, the N47 especially needs you to stay alert to noises. Oil should be changed every 10-12,000 km or once a year, BMW Longlife 04 specification (LL-04), viscosity 5W-30. The 25-30,000 km service interval BMW longlife suggests is for Western European conditions and fuel quality, in BiH cut it in half. If you mostly drive in town, add one half-hour highway run a week for DPF regeneration. EGR cleaning we recommend every 80-100,000 km as a preventive job, because soot deposits in the intake system are one of the main causes of power loss and boost pressure errors.
Owner tips
- Change the oil every 10-12,000 km, do not follow BMW longlife of 25-30,000 km - that is for Western European conditions and better fuel than we have here.
- Before buying a specific example: use the VIN to pull the car's full history via carVertical. From international registries you usually get real odometer readings by date, recorded accidents, number of previous owners and theft or total-loss indicators. We see it as mandatory before buying any used car, especially a German import like the E87. When paying for the report you can use the code GAGA for 20% off.
- If you hear any rattling from the rear of an N47 engine, book an inspection the same day, the timing chain does not wait.
- At least once a week drive 20-30 minutes on the highway at 2500-3000 rpm, the DPF will thank you and you will not see it in the workshop.
- Check the VIN at an authorised BMW dealer for the EGR cooler recall, if the example is covered and has not been done, you get a free replacement.
- When replacing the battery, always ask for IBS sensor coding, otherwise the new battery is done in 18 months.
Frequently asked questions
Which is better on a used BMW E87, the M47 or N47 engine?
If you are choosing between an M47 with a done swirl flaps delete and an N47 with an uncertain chain history, the M47 is the safer pick because the main risk is already neutralised. The N47 gives more power and better economy, but every example from 2007-2010 carries the timing chain question mark. The LCI version from 2011 is technically the best, but it is rare on our market.
How long does the timing chain last on the BMW N47 engine?
In practice between 120,000 and 200,000 km, depending on how regularly the oil is changed and the quality of the fuel. On cars with skipped intervals it can snap earlier, while carefully maintained examples can reach 250,000 km. Any kind of rattling from the rear of the engine is a reason to book an inspection straight away, do not wait.
Is it worth fitting LPG to a BMW E87 120d?
No, the 120d is a diesel engine and autogas is only fitted to petrol engines. If you are interested in an E87 with LPG, look at the 116i or 118i petrol versions, a sequential LPG system can be fitted and the savings are significant. For details on LPG on petrol BMWs feel free to get in touch.
Is the BMW E87 120d a good first car?
Honestly, we do not recommend it as a first car. Maintenance costs are above the compact-class average, faults need an experienced mechanic, and young drivers often do not understand that a BMW is not a Hyundai and that a skipped oil change costs several hundred KM a month later. As a second or third car, when you already know what you are looking for, the E87 is an excellent buy.
How much does a timing chain job on the E87 N47 cost?
The job requires pulling the gearbox off the engine and a set of original or quality aftermarket parts (chain, tensioners, guides, gaskets), so it is a more serious investment. The price depends on the actual condition - get in touch for an estimate. It is always far cheaper than fixing the engine once the chain has snapped.
What oil does a BMW 120d N47 need?
BMW Longlife 04 specification (LL-04), viscosity 5W-30 or 0W-30. Castrol Edge Professional, Liqui Moly Top Tec, Shell Helix Ultra and Mobil 1 ESP are proven choices. Shorten the interval to 10-12,000 km, BMW's longlife of 25-30,000 km is for conditions that do not exist in BiH.
Is the automatic on the E87 120d reliable?
The E87 120d was mostly offered with a 6-speed manual gearbox, and optionally with the ZF 6HP19 automatic. The ZF automatic is reliable if the oil is changed every 60-80,000 km, the problem is that BMW lists it as "lifetime fill" which in practice does not exist. If you are buying an automatic example, the first question is when the gearbox oil was last changed.
If you notice any of these symptoms on your E87 120d, drop by the workshop - it is better to check early than to repair at a high cost.