[F30BimmerChris]

Hey everyone,
I just wanted to bring back a video from 2012 I recently came across that reminded me of why I chose my F30 328i as the car I own today. It shows the excitement and pride of the engineers for this new engine to be, as well as scenes that show the infamous Timing Chain guides in several shots.

I know some fellow N20/N26 members have experience TC failure, and I hope it happened during warranty, warranty extension, or in some way got helped out with the repair.

But that leaves all us N20/N26 owners that are approaching high mileage in our 328's (100k+ miles) with a bit of caution and confusion as to what condition our cars are going to be in the future.
I know some of us are paranoid, but I have come to ignore the fact that the whole TC issue is even a problem, I still follow my personal maintenance schedule very thorough, but I enjoy my car with no worries. At 80k miles and still paying the loan, I drive my car and enjoy it everyday with no worries.
I will someday when my car is paid or until it's at 120-140k miles, will I consider doing the TC job and keeping this car as long as possible, as it has grown sentimental value to me, and still impresses me everyday, with how efficient and smooth the engine is even at this mileage.

What's your point of view with your F30?

[CandyRedRC46]

Knowing how bad the timing chain guide problem is with these cars, watching this video, with every word the engineers say, I cant help think, "wow you people really are full of shit".

[MilanF30]

My thoughts exactly... give these people some laxative

[Z K]

All the BMW videos like to highlight the great engineering they put into their engines... Yet even on their top line M sports cars, every single M engine has had some fatal engine problem - from vanos to rod bearings to crank hub issues.

Would you still trust these people to know what they're doing given the decades of engine problems they've been having?

[pierreye]

If you really want to keep your car long term, I wouldn't wait until 120k miles to change the TC. Once warranty up, better get it change. Finger cross the newer parts will fix this problem once and for all.

[xichrisixBMW]

WOW the negativity on this site! What other manufacturer makes a 4 cyl engine with this much power and smoothness...you guys should bail and buy a Honda Civic

[F30BimmerChris]

Originally Posted by xichrisixBMW

WOW the negativity on this site! What other manufacturer makes a 4 cyl engine with this much power and smoothness...you guys should bail and buy a Honda Civic

I don't get offended. I guess we'll never 100% know what has caused or can cause the TC failures, but I agree with you on the engine smoothness, at least my car sounds like a tractor but doesn't feel like one.

[lens]

Originally Posted by xichrisixBMW

WOW the negativity on this site! What other manufacturer makes a 4 cyl engine with this much power and smoothness...you guys should bail and buy a Honda Civic

Easy.

Mercedes with their GLA45/CLA45.

Mitsubishi EVO has done it since forever.

Ford Focus RS with their engine (after the head gasket fix update)

The engine in the new Mk 7 Golf R and Audi S3.

They're a plenty of 4 cyl engines that are better than BMW's shitty 4 cylinders.

I used to own a 2014 328xi, before trading it in for my 335i.

Best decision ever, I would have never gotten past 80k miles on the N26 before something exploding in the engine.

[sspade]

Love my 328 and the N26 powering it. Very impressive engine that falls into an elite class given its award winning history.

In the last 20 years... these are the engines that Ward's has deemed worthy of their annual award.

Plan on keeping mine until at least 200k miles. Currently closing in on 84k miles with very little to no issues to speak of at all.

[pierreye]

Originally Posted by xichrisixBMW

WOW the negativity on this site! What other manufacturer makes a 4 cyl engine with this much power and smoothness...you guys should bail and buy a Honda Civic

Don't get us wrong. I liked the engine power and smoothness. Just that BMW should acknowledge and repair/upgrade the TC for any owner that bring it in for this issue.

[CandyRedRC46]

Originally Posted by xichrisixBMW

WOW the negativity on this site! What other manufacturer makes a 4 cyl engine with this much power and smoothness...you guys should bail and buy a Honda Civic

Funny you should say that, because a lot of Honda engines are leagues above the N20 in both reliability and power holding. Where the N20 shines, is stock to simple bolt on and tune, while low mileage and in warranty.


While the N20 is healthy and within the warranty period, it is a great, smooth and responsive engine. But try taking an n20 past the warranty period or over somewhere north of 3 to 4 hundred at the wheels and you are rolling the dice.....

[Chihuahua]

Originally Posted by xichrisixBMW

WOW the negativity on this site! What other manufacturer makes a 4 cyl engine with this much power and smoothness...you guys should bail and buy a Honda Civic

Cool video, thanks for posting.

I don't know that I'd call the N20 'smooth'. It's definitely an impressive motor in terms of power output, but it isn't without its share of problems. It's a buzzy motor that sounds like a vibrating bucket of bolts when you first start it up in the morning. I say this as a 328i owner. An up to temperature M54 is smooth.

Obviously the big N20 isue is timing chain failure, which is completely and absolutely inexcusable for a company whose middle name is quite literally "motor". I agree with others in this thread that there are plenty of manufacturers that produce engines with similar power output and have reliability to boot. The problem is the chassis around them isn't always compelling as what BMW puts out there, and that's the concession that a lot of us make when deciding to buy a BMW.

[Pauloxxi]

What shame! The engine lived 5 years for the 3 Series.

[floridaorange]

Was having a new battery installed yesterday at German car mechanic -

Audi
VW
BMW
Mercedes

That's the order of most to least amount of problems they see - and therefore expense to maintain.

Additionally they said the layout of the engine bay is was really makes these cars works of art vs American & Japanese cars. On the German cars working in them is much faster because nothing is in the way, on the American & Japanese cars other parts need to be removed to get to the actual issue.

[rjd_F30]

Originally Posted by floridaorange

Was having a new battery installed yesterday at German car mechanic -

Audi
VW
BMW
Mercedes

That's the order of most to least amount of problems they see - and therefore expense to maintain.

Additionally they said the layout of the engine bay is was really makes these cars works of art vs American & Japanese cars. On the German cars working in them is much faster because nothing is in the way, on the American & Japanese cars other parts need to be removed to get to the actual issue.

I've found the opposite to be true in my limited weekend mechanic experience. Doing work on friends/family's American cars is MUCH easier than work on my car. GM cars especially, at least the 2000's era V8 one's (C5/6 Corvette, trucks) are so simple a toddler could do most of the maintenance on them.

[F30lolz]

I’m on my 3rd N20 variant:

First was a 2013 328 N26 that I had new and traded it in at around 31k miles for a 09 335i. My particular N26 had the TC symptoms and was going to have the dealer look at it under warranty but as stated before got the e90. At that moment the n20/n26 left a bad taste for me.

Second was a 2015 320 (03/2015 production) so already knew it had the updated TC. Picked it up April of this year as a DD. Back in 2017 when my e90 was at the dealer for almost two weeks for the airbag recall, I was given a 3k mile 2017 320i as a loaner and it felt like a dog. I know 320 N20’s are detuned/smaller pistons or whatnot but the car literally had no power IMHO. Test driving this particular 320 felt different. Had a lot more ‘balls’ if you say and it was a CPO. Was a great DD until someone smashed into me and totaled it.

Currently as my DD - 428i GC N20 (01/2015) and knowing about the TC/guide issues I gambled on it. Has been a great DD and even though I have had zero symptoms my local dealer just performed the warranty work on the TC/guides last month and so far so good. With the updated parts, my confidence is back in the N20.

Now for all those built before 03/2015 as I’ve stated before in another thread, I hope this class action suit will result in a recall for all N20/N26’s to have this work performed regardless of mileage/symptoms or not.

[CandyRedRC46]

Originally Posted by floridaorange

Additionally they said the layout of the engine bay is was really makes these cars works of art vs American & Japanese cars. On the German cars working in them is much faster because nothing is in the way, on the American & Japanese cars other parts need to be removed to get to the actual issue.

Remind me again how to change the timing chain on these engines lol

[kdad]

Just wanted to double check again, is the TC guide problem a thing in the past (Pre- mid-2015 MY)? Or should post-mid-2015 owners be worried?

[F30lolz]

Originally Posted by kdad

Just wanted to double check again, is the TC guide problem a thing in the past (Pre- mid-2015 MY)? Or should post-mid-2015 owners be worried?

Vehicles produced from March 2015 and on will have the updated parts.

Yup, bumping an old thread but wanted to chime in. Late December 2019 I was involved in a flash flood in North Miami Beach which my freshly n20 with updated TC/guides gave up the ghost. After a month at the shop a used n20 from 2015 (not sure of the production date) was installed so safe to assume I have a pre March 2015 n20 in my 428i. I drive ALOT and when I say a lot, I mean it. The car had around 79k miles at the time of the flood and now has 130k miles. You read that right. Therefore, 50k miles since December 2019 and so far I haven’t had any TC symptoms. Oil changed every 9k miles using factory BMw oil/filter.

[Knifeedge2k1]

Originally Posted by floridaorange

Additionally they said the layout of the engine bay is was really makes these cars works of art vs American & Japanese cars. On the German cars working in them is much faster because nothing is in the way, on the American & Japanese cars other parts need to be removed to get to the actual issue.

[floridaorange]

Im in a Mercedes and Volvo now anyway.

[Maverickoso]

I have a mixed bag of it all lol. I've owned a few cars so far (on my 16th) and of those I've owned 6 cars that all shared the same Mazda MZR block (2003 Mazda 6i GT, 2006 Mazdaspeed6, 2012 Ford Focus Hatch, 2013 Ford Fusion Titanium, 2017 Focus ST, 2017 Ford Fusion 2.0T SE AWD). All had varying levels of issues or none. Couple cars ago I had a 2011 VW GTI. Great engine, very smooth (soft mounts) but man, even with the latest EA888 engines you have to carbon clean them every maybe 20,000KM.

Prior to my 2015 328i xDrive, I had a new 2017 Ford Fusion 2.0T AWD that had a head gasket failure at only 22,000KM. Proper synthetic oil changes/intervals. I do have a March 2015 build so I should have the updated timing components and other than 1 leaky injector when I picked up the car used at 61,000KM, the spark plugs are CLEAN compared to ANY Ford DI Turbo engine or VW DI Turbo.

I bought a wireless borescope camera to check out the valves, to see if I had to do a carbon clean as I was at about 68,000KM. Other than what looked like a little oil from the valve stem, the valves were SPOTLESS. Even with having a winter (-18c to -30c) of very short 7 min drives from a heated garage to a heated underground (most of the time), valves and spark plugs were always clean. I've always used 91 octane gas and from the fuel information in ISTA+, apparently it has only had 87 octane once in over 5 years and previous owners.

Good ride in comfort and thrilling fun in Sport+ and Sport Auto. The fact that I can get that and then also get 40MPG (5.8L/100KM) on a 3.5 hour highway trip at 110KM/HR, even with doing testing of above settings, just a few times...maybe, is fantastic.

What I found is that people pick their battles. You can go onto ANY forum and find issues if you're looking for it. I've got the t-shirts. They just become rags that you clean other cars with.