[BarryBazooka]

Car details:

2011 BMW E90 320i LCI, N43 engine

170 hp, 180,000 km

iDrive, nav, aux, USB, Bluetooth

1st owner was a company, 2nd owner had it for 12 years

Bought from German dealer (not a backyard lot) for 6850 Euro.

Looks immaculate inside/outside, I brought it to the MOT to have a condition check and they said its very good.

Fault log before sale (not cleared):

C101D07 – RR wheel speed sensor, intermittent (happened at 113,903 km)

P13B6 – Crankshaft ↔ exhaust cam sync error (didn’t trigger CEL)

30EA – NOx cat sulfur too high (not present, CEL off)

2A99 – Crankshaft ↔ exhaust cam sync error (not present, CEL on, short to positive)

Service history:

Regular service every 15–18k km

MOT always passed with no remarks

Timing chain replaced at BMW in 2018 (open procedure)

My experience so far:

Drove ~100 km without issues

Two days later on the way to work, I had the yellow half check engine light once (not flashing) and iDrive said "Engine malfunction – full power not available, drive moderately."
No power loss, no misfire feeling, drove just fine, I cleared the fault log and tried to provoke it once more but it didnt came back since a week.

Occasionally a single jolt like a misfire, but RPM stays stable

Cold idle ~900 rpm, warm idle ~650 rpm.

Sometimes feels a bit rough after the resting from afternoon to the next morning, but runs fine

Occasionally after shifting + throttle, car shudders/hesitates like I shifted too early (but I didn’t)

Daily commute = 5 km city + 5 km highway, keeping <2000 rpm when cold

Engine sound: what I thought was chain rattle seems to be normal sounds of the injectors/valves

My concern:
Car drives fine, but I’m paranoid about N43 issues (chain, injectors, NOx cat). Already driving slower (max 120 km/h) and sometimes avoid starting it because I keep expecting a failure.
This is my first BMW and I don't know whats normal and whats not.

Next week I will give it new oil, filters and sparks.

[jaffles]

ahh good on you, think you have done as much as you can congratulations. I have just bought 2x 2011 330d with 160K & 170k km so it appears living with ignorance or taming OCD is part of BMW ownership. Same as you its my first experience with the Marc.

I watched a few youtube "100,000 mile must do" type clips which indicated to me the car is sound but has some bolt on replacements that age with time. Not sure how handy you are with the tools but a lot of it seems simple if your confident enough to have a go.

Crank Case pully (well maybe not this one) was on the list and both mine have been done before my time. The rubber ages and you get an engine light and stop immediately warning. It may be possible with your age and Ks its starting to fail.

Timing chain you have done. For get about it now till 350K but change that oil every 10.

Inlet manifold for carbon build up. You can clean the induction box while checking swirl flap bar integrality and replace the seals all at once. For piece of mind, more efficient motor overall, and address any minor air leaks. Clean your original with detergent, or Mr Muscle oven cleaner and a water plaster. Or they are cheap enough to replace as a whole unit.

Injector seals, a brass washer you replace to address vapor weep. Not a biggie but all adds to a smoother running motor.

Then if you have taken the induction box off while down that way, glow plug controller is 3 bolts and way easier with the space.

The clips suggested glow plugs too but my car starts fine and its not cold hear. I'm doing the glow plug controller on one as the car idles poorly but runs fine. And will do the other by way of similarity in age and km. I have no idea how a glow plug controller affects idle as the car has stated, but its common on hear to read about it.

You can also do a gear box reset, think its via I drive. The gear box learns your style of driving and should address and heavy awkward changes.
And like turning off a computer to reset how smoothly it thinks, disconnect your negative battery for the night (make sure it doesn't earth anywhere) and let the cars systems drain completely of energy, then reconnect in the morning. Might be no difference might be a few things hear and there but the computers will thank you.