The efficient diesel E90 — a genuinely good motorway companion, but one where the purchase decision should be driven almost entirely by the engine's well-documented timing chain risk.
The E90's chassis is a comfortable match for the N47's strong low-end torque, and on a car with a documented, addressed timing chain, this is a genuinely good long-distance companion with real everyday appeal.
As with the petrol-engined E90, this generation carries more electronic complexity than the E46 before it — worth factoring in alongside the engine-specific risk covered on the linked page.
This is about the car itself — for engine-specific failure points, see the dedicated engine page below.
This generation of 3 Series is a defining application of the N47. The timing chain check on the dedicated engine page should be treated as mandatory before buying.
FULL ENGINE BREAKDOWNBMW N47 Diesel — Reliable or Not →If the N47's timing chain risk gives you pause, the petrol-engined version of this same generation is worth comparing.
This is non-negotiable: get documented proof of the timing chain's condition or production date before considering anything else about the car, per the full guidance on the engine page.
A rattle on cold start that takes more than a second or two to settle should be treated as disqualifying until a specialist assesses it.
Ask about driving pattern for EGR/DPF risk — a motorway-biased history meaningfully lowers that specific concern.