MT Auto Parts Blog | Expert Tips for BMW enthusiasts on BMW Parts, Accessories, Engines and More

Photo by p - on Unsplash The BMW 5 Series is a car that rewards careful buying. Get the right one: right generation, right engine, right history, and it's a genuinely excellent ownership proposition. Get it wrong, and you're looking at bills that don't reflect well against the car's market value. Each generation has its own fault profile. Here's what matters for each. Generation Summary E60/E61 (2003–2010). The most characterful 5 Series, but also the most mechanically complex of the three. N52 and N54 petrol engines are the reliable engine choices. M57 diesel is capable but demanding. Biggest concerns: cooling system, subframe cracking on diesel models, electric window regulators, and iDrive early-gen reliability. F10/F11 (2010–2017). The most commonly owned 5 Series on UK roads. The N47 diesel timing chain is the defining fault of the generation. N55 petrol is reliable. Turbo wear on diesel variants at higher mileage. Better overall build quality than the E60, bu...

  Image: BMW N57D30A Complete engine for sale at MT Auto Parts for £3,999.99 Buying a used BMW engine is one of the better value propositions in the entire used parts market. The saving over a new unit is often several thousand pounds, and a low-mileage genuine engine performs almost identically to a new unit. But the difference between a good purchase and an expensive mistake is almost entirely in what you check beforehand. This guide is direct: here is what matters, here is what to ask, here is what to walk away from. The Pre-Purchase Checklist Summary   What to check What does it tell you Engine code match Confirm the code on the engine matches your car's code exactly, not just the model and year Donor vehicle mileage Actual odometer reading from the donor car, not an estimate Oil cap/dipstick condition Check for milky residue — indicates coolant mixing with oil, likely head gasket Visual oil leaks Valve cover, oil filter housing, sump. Present leaks will continue after fi...

  Photo by Александр Бендус on Unsplash The BMW X3 is one of the more dependable BMWs in the current used market, but that doesn't mean it's problem-free. The three generations covered here (F25, G01, and the older E83, where relevant) each have their own set of faults. Most are well-documented, most have predictable mileage triggers, and most are fixable without paying dealer prices if you know where to source the right BMW X3 parts . F25 BMW X3 (2011–2017) — Common Problems N47 diesel timing chain — the main risk The 2.0d variants of the F25 up to around 2015 use the N47 diesel engine, which has a rear-mounted timing chain with a documented failure concern at higher mileages. It is the same issue as in the F30 3 Series. A cold-start rattle from the rear of the engine is the warning sign. If the chain hasn't been replaced and the car has more than 80,000 miles, treat this as a known cost. From approximately 2015, the N47 was replaced by the B47, a revised engine with a fro...

  Photo by Brandon Vázquez on Unsplash The BMW 3 Series is one of the most popular cars on UK roads and one of the most debated when it comes to reliability. Ask in any BMW forum, and you'll get answers ranging from "mine has done 180,000 miles with nothing major" to a list of expensive faults that reads like a parts catalogue. Both can be true. The 3 Series spans multiple generations, multiple engines, and two decades of ownership history, and reliability varies significantly depending on which version you own or are considering. This guide covers the F30 3 Series (2012–2019) and the G20 3 Series (2019–present) — the generations we see most at our BMW breakers yard in Thurnscoe, South Yorkshire. We work on these cars every week, so what follows is based on what we actually see rather than forum hearsay or manufacturer claims. The Short Answer on 3 Series Reliability The BMW 3 Series is a reasonably reliable car when maintained correctly and bought with a service history....