Can a 200,000 km F30 320d Still Be a Good Buy?

[M3boi]

I’ve now driven roughly 1,500 km since the last service, including a proper road trip down to KZN. The fuel consumption was honestly impressive.

I filled the tank before leaving Johannesburg and, by the time we reached Bergview, the car still had just over three-quarters of a tank remaining. Consumption was sitting at around 4.8 L/100 km while cruising at approximately 130 km/h.
View attachment 37134
View attachment 37135
View attachment 37136
For a 200,000+ km 320d making 150 kW and 452 Nm, I really can’t complain about that.

The second half of the trip, however, became a little more interesting.

I started hearing what sounded like an exhaust leak and noticed more smoke than usual whenever I put my foot down. The car was still driving perfectly normally, with no warning lights or other issues, so I avoided pushing it and continued cruising until Durban.

We arrived without any drama and still had just under half a tank left. Johannesburg to Durban on a little over half a tank is seriously impressive, especially considering the exhaust leak developed along the way.

The following morning, once the engine had cooled down completely, I opened the bonnet and found the culprit.
View attachment 37137
View attachment 37138
The aluminium EGR blanking plate supplied with the delete kit had distorted. After the sustained heat of the long-distance drive, the plate had bent at its weakest point and allowed exhaust pressure to blow past the gasket.

Not exactly ideal when you’re hundreds of kilometres from home. 😂

With limited tools and parts available, I removed and refitted the plate using exhaust sealer as a temporary measure to get me back to Johannesburg. It helped a little, but definitely wasn’t a permanent solution.

Once we got home, I removed the damaged aluminium plate and fitted two new plates together as a double stack to give the blanking point considerably more rigidity.
View attachment 37140
I’ll keep an eye on it going forward, but it’s definitely something worth noting with some of these aluminium EGR delete plates.

After sorting that out, the engine bay needed some serious attention. The exhaust leak had made a mess, so everything got a proper clean with degreaser, foam, brushes and the pressure washer.
View attachment 37139

Once the engine bay was clean again, I checked the engine-oil level on the dipstick.
View attachment 37141

The level was perfect, but after around 1,500 km the oil was already noticeably dark.
View attachment 37142

Obviously diesel engine oil darkens fairly quickly because of soot and combustion contaminants, so colour alone doesn’t necessarily mean the oil is finished.

At the same time, that’s also exactly what I want to see from the Motul X-clean during this clean-up phase. A good detergent and dispersant oil is designed to keep soot, deposits and contaminants suspended in the oil so that they can be carried out of the engine when the oil is drained, rather than being left behind to settle and form sludge.

So I’m quite happy to let the Motul do its job, pull whatever contamination it can into suspension, and then get it out of the engine with the oil change.

Considering this engine is still going through my clean-up phase, I figured I might as well do another oil service while I was there.

(RIP to all the diesel guys who want to do 15,000 and 20,000 km service intervals. 😂)

A fresh oil filter + Oil and I got to work.
View attachment 37143
View attachment 37144
View attachment 37145

The oil filter was removed, followed by draining the engine oil.
View attachment 37146View attachment 37147
View attachment 37148

Once most of the oil was out, I left a small container underneath to catch the final drips while I removed and thoroughly cleaned the undertray.
View attachment 37149
View attachment 37151
Afterwards, everything was closed up again, the cleaned undertray was refitted and the engine was filled with fresh oil.
View attachment 37150
View attachment 37152
Another engine-oil service done, Engine bay cleaned & Exhaust leak sorted.
View attachment 37153
View attachment 37154
View attachment 37155

And the car is ready to go again.

Despite the little EGR plate issue, I’m extremely happy with how the car performed on its first proper long-distance trip. The power delivery was excellent, it cruised effortlessly and the fuel economy was even better than I expected.

These 2.0d BMWs are seriously underrated for just how much they offer.

Maybe get some EGR blanks laser cut out of 304 stainless, will hold up to the heat a lot better than alu and will be cheap to do!

 

[Clint@MMS AUTO]

That carbon free intake system is unbelievable at that mileage!

I think we maybe onto something here.

I've done about 3 of these so far.



I also removed the intake manifold again this week the valves looked super clean. I refitted the swirl flaps, its easy to refit swirl flaps on this n47 because its just a gasket plate that needs changing. So now i think its going to be even more efficient in general but still has lots of pull for a little 4 Cyl.

 

[Clint@MMS AUTO]

Maybe get some EGR blanks laser cut out of 304 stainless, will hold up to the heat a lot better than alu and will be cheap to do!

Yes thanks, I do have the Stainless laser cut plates coming soon. in the meantime, the double Alu plates are holding up well but will be changed out soon.

Got another trip coming up soon so will see how it does during that drive.

 

[Clint@MMS AUTO]

WHERE WE ARE NOW - 320d UPDATE

So far, owning this car has definitely been a learning experience, but still a very pleasant one. The car goes incredibly well and, despite everything we’ve done so far, it hasn’t really given me any trouble that I couldn’t deal with.

At this point, everything feels and rides like an “almost new” car. The suspension refresh has probably made one of the biggest differences overall. Going over bumps and uneven road surfaces is actually a pleasure now. Everything is working as intended, the car feels properly damped and controlled, and there are no more knocking or clunking noises from the suspension.

The handling and steering have also improved massively, especially with the F80 M3 lower control arms. The way the car turns into corners and holds a line now is completely different. The front end feels much sharper and more direct, and it makes me think that with a slightly wider and stickier set of tyres, the M3 control-arm conversion together with a fresh suspension setup has to be one of the best handling upgrades you can do to an F30.

The only small item still outstanding there is the headlight level-sensor link. The F30 and F80 use a slightly different arrangement where the link attaches to the control arm, so the original one doesn’t quite work with the new setup. I found a link rod from a 7 Series that looks like it may work, so I’ve ordered one and will give that a try when it arrives.

As for the brakes, I’m actually happy with the standard setup. They’re not the M Sport Brembos, but for normal street use they bite quickly and stop the car very well. I’ve had to stand on them properly a few times and the car stops hard and confidently, so I’m leaving the braking system alone for now.

I also updated my spreadsheet today to see exactly what has been spent on the car since buying it.

We’re currently sitting at: R84,587

So basically R85k in parts, maintenance, upgrades, fluids, detailing, electronics and all the other little things that somehow keep finding their way onto the shopping list. 😂

That figure doesn’t include any labour because all of the mechanical work has been done in-house. My labour bill basically consists of buying the guys lunch every now and then, so I’ve saved a considerable amount there. 😂

Here’s where the money has gone so far:

Cooling System - R8,880

• Full aluminium oil filter housing assembly with coolers and thermostat
• Aluminium coolant flange
• Thermostat
• Thermostat housing
• EGR delete kit

Suspension & Alignment - R16,700

• Bilstein M Sport front shocks
• Bilstein M Sport rear shocks
• F80 M3 lower control arms
• Front shock mounts
• Spring pads
• Tie rods
• Stabiliser links
• Rear shock mounts
• Rear bump-stop kit
• Wheel alignment

Engine & Gearbox Mountings - R2,700

• Left engine mount
• Right engine mount
• Transmission mounts

Engine / Performance - R7,650

• N47/B47 downpipe
• PCV valve
• Swirl-flap plate
• Xcede custom software

Cosmetic & Detailing - R11,589

• Front lip spoiler
• Rear diffuser
• Mud flaps
• Gloss black mirror caps
• Boot lip spoiler
• Kidney grilles
• Mirror glass
• Apex Detailing interior and exterior treatment

Fluids - R6,493

• Motul gear oil
• Motul ATF
• Motul DOT 5.1 brake fluid
• Liqui Moly 5W-30
• Motul Diesel All In One Ultra
• Motul engine oil
• Motul engine flush
• Motul coolant

Service Parts - R3,685

• Three oil filters
• Air filter
• Cabin filter
• Fuel filter
• ZF 8HP gearbox service kit

Lighting - R2,406

• LED headlights
• LED fog lights
• LED number-plate lights
• LED interior lights
• New fog-light housings

Other Bits & Upgrades - R24,484

• Wi-Fi ENET adaptor
• M Sport steering wheel
• BimmerTune
• COR, registration, licence and disc
• New AGM battery
• Start/Stop button
• 12.3-inch CarPlay/Android head unit
• Reverse camera
• M1/M2 steering-wheel button module
• Paddle-shift wiring hardware
• Jack pads

TOTAL SPEND SO FAR: R84,587

And somehow the list still isn’t finished. 😂

But looking at how the car drives and feels now compared with when I bought it, I really don’t regret doing any of it.

The goal was always to take a higher-mileage F30 320d, work through it properly, address the age-related issues and see just how good one of these cars can still be at over 200,000 km.

So far, the answer is: very good.

There are still a few little things I want to sort out, but mechanically it’s getting very close to where I envisioned it from the start.

 

[The Hound]

Im loving this thread. Detailed, yet easy to follow. As an owner of a high mileage Bmw 2l diesel, I could not have asked for a better guide to maintain my old lady. Thank you Sir.

 

[YozTruly]

WHERE WE ARE NOW - 320d UPDATE

So far, owning this car has definitely been a learning experience, but still a very pleasant one. The car goes incredibly well and, despite everything we’ve done so far, it hasn’t really given me any trouble that I couldn’t deal with.

At this point, everything feels and rides like an “almost new” car. The suspension refresh has probably made one of the biggest differences overall. Going over bumps and uneven road surfaces is actually a pleasure now. Everything is working as intended, the car feels properly damped and controlled, and there are no more knocking or clunking noises from the suspension.

The handling and steering have also improved massively, especially with the F80 M3 lower control arms. The way the car turns into corners and holds a line now is completely different. The front end feels much sharper and more direct, and it makes me think that with a slightly wider and stickier set of tyres, the M3 control-arm conversion together with a fresh suspension setup has to be one of the best handling upgrades you can do to an F30.

The only small item still outstanding there is the headlight level-sensor link. The F30 and F80 use a slightly different arrangement where the link attaches to the control arm, so the original one doesn’t quite work with the new setup. I found a link rod from a 7 Series that looks like it may work, so I’ve ordered one and will give that a try when it arrives.

As for the brakes, I’m actually happy with the standard setup. They’re not the M Sport Brembos, but for normal street use they bite quickly and stop the car very well. I’ve had to stand on them properly a few times and the car stops hard and confidently, so I’m leaving the braking system alone for now.

I also updated my spreadsheet today to see exactly what has been spent on the car since buying it.

We’re currently sitting at: R84,587

So basically R85k in parts, maintenance, upgrades, fluids, detailing, electronics and all the other little things that somehow keep finding their way onto the shopping list. 😂

That figure doesn’t include any labour because all of the mechanical work has been done in-house. My labour bill basically consists of buying the guys lunch every now and then, so I’ve saved a considerable amount there. 😂

Here’s where the money has gone so far:

Cooling System - R8,880

• Full aluminium oil filter housing assembly with coolers and thermostat
• Aluminium coolant flange
• Thermostat
• Thermostat housing
• EGR delete kit

Suspension & Alignment - R16,700

• Bilstein M Sport front shocks
• Bilstein M Sport rear shocks
• F80 M3 lower control arms
• Front shock mounts
• Spring pads
• Tie rods
• Stabiliser links
• Rear shock mounts
• Rear bump-stop kit
• Wheel alignment

Engine & Gearbox Mountings - R2,700

• Left engine mount
• Right engine mount
• Transmission mounts

Engine / Performance - R7,650

• N47/B47 downpipe
• PCV valve
• Swirl-flap plate
• Xcede custom software

Cosmetic & Detailing - R11,589

• Front lip spoiler
• Rear diffuser
• Mud flaps
• Gloss black mirror caps
• Boot lip spoiler
• Kidney grilles
• Mirror glass
• Apex Detailing interior and exterior treatment

Fluids - R6,493

• Motul gear oil
• Motul ATF
• Motul DOT 5.1 brake fluid
• Liqui Moly 5W-30
• Motul Diesel All In One Ultra
• Motul engine oil
• Motul engine flush
• Motul coolant

Service Parts - R3,685

• Three oil filters
• Air filter
• Cabin filter
• Fuel filter
• ZF 8HP gearbox service kit

Lighting - R2,406

• LED headlights
• LED fog lights
• LED number-plate lights
• LED interior lights
• New fog-light housings

Other Bits & Upgrades - R24,484

• Wi-Fi ENET adaptor
• M Sport steering wheel
• BimmerTune
• COR, registration, licence and disc
• New AGM battery
• Start/Stop button
• 12.3-inch CarPlay/Android head unit
• Reverse camera
• M1/M2 steering-wheel button module
• Paddle-shift wiring hardware
• Jack pads

TOTAL SPEND SO FAR: R84,587

And somehow the list still isn’t finished. 😂

But looking at how the car drives and feels now compared with when I bought it, I really don’t regret doing any of it.

The goal was always to take a higher-mileage F30 320d, work through it properly, address the age-related issues and see just how good one of these cars can still be at over 200,000 km.

So far, the answer is: very good.

There are still a few little things I want to sort out, but mechanically it’s getting very close to where I envisioned it from the start.

Thanks for the breakdown Clint.

As an academic exercise, please add the labour costs as well. That will give a realist estimate for those of us who aren’t mechanically gifted.