[leftoverture]

Does anyone actually have a high mileage N20/N26? I've been asking around and I can't seem to find anyone that's at 100k miles or more (that's 161,000 kilometers for those using the metric system).

I keep hearing that the N20/N26 is a time bomb ready to fail me as the miles go up so I feel like I'm at a decision point. Currently at just under 78k miles on my 2016 N26. It's been flawless so far, but I'm preparing for retirement in few years and can't really afford a major engine issue.

And the prices for doing the timing chain guide and turbo seem to be all over the map, but expensive no matter what.

So is the N20/N26 really that bad? I sure do love driving this thing.

[leftoverture]

Bimmertech seems to think the N20/N26 are ok, at least the ones after early 2015...

https://www.bimmer-tech.net/blog/ite...bmw-n20-engine

[WolfGTI]

My wife's X1 just crossed 100k...N20, only thing out of the ordinary we did was a valve cover due to oil leak, flawless otherwise.

[mb67]

Sorry, but even though I daily drive mine (It's my only car) my '15 228i (N20) only has 33,050 miles on it. I will say that I've not had an engine problem since I bought it.

[leftoverture]

Originally Posted by WolfGTI

My wife's X1 just crossed 100k...N20, only thing out of the ordinary we did was a valve cover due to oil leak, flawless otherwise.

What year is the X1?

[leftoverture]

Originally Posted by mb67

Sorry, but even though I daily drive mine (It's my only car) my '15 228i (N20) only has 33,050 miles on it. I will say that I've not had an engine problem since I bought it.

You must have a short commute! Our 2016 had 32k miles when we bought it back in 2020. It laid low the first couple years as more of a summer toy, but last year I started daily driving it. We took it on a long trip to the Grand Canyon a couple years ago, too.

So now at almost 78k but my commute is 32 miles each way so the miles are accumulating faster now. Zero issues with this car except a control arm bushing we had to replace. It's just fun to drive.

[MC77]

I've got 133,000 on mine. Valve cover gasket, cracked oil pan, thermostat. Oil pan upgraded to metal vs oem plastic. Have owned it since 20,000.

[JAYDOG3621]

The N20 after around mid 2015 improved very much over the early N20's. I forget the exact production month, but around that time the timing chain guides were updated. If you have an N20 post 2015 you should be fine.

That being said, I have a 2013 528i and have my fingers permanently crossed. Car is approaching 100k and so far, knock on wood, no issues. I have done the very basic timing chain pull test and it seems good so hopefully I am one of the lucky ones.

[leftoverture]

Originally Posted by MC77

I've got 133,000 on mine. Valve cover gasket, cracked oil pan, thermostat. Oil pan upgraded to metal vs oem plastic. Have owned it since 20,000.

Very cool, glad to see a higher mileage example. Thanks for sharing. What year is your car?

[leftoverture]

Originally Posted by JAYDOG3621

The N20 after around mid 2015 improved very much over the early N20's. I forget the exact production month, but around that time the timing chain guides were updated. If you have an N20 post 2015 you should be fine.

That being said, I have a 2013 528i and have my fingers permanently crossed. Car is approaching 100k and so far, knock on wood, no issues. I have done the very basic timing chain pull test and it seems good so hopefully I am one of the lucky ones.

Thanks. At the rate I'm putting miles on now, I'll be close to 100k by this time next year.

[mb67]

Originally Posted by leftoverture

You must have a short commute! Our 2016 had 32k miles when we bought it back in 2020. It laid low the first couple years as more of a summer toy, but last year I started daily driving it. We took it on a long trip to the Grand Canyon a couple years ago, too.

So now at almost 78k but my commute is 32 miles each way so the miles are accumulating faster now. Zero issues with this car except a control arm bushing we had to replace. It's just fun to drive.

It is a short commute - 3 miles round trip. When I bought it as a CPO in 2018, it had 17,160 miles on the odometer. Funny enough, had I not taken that 5,000 mile cross country round trip to see relatives in 2019, it would have a lot less mileage.

EDIT

I guess I'll let the cat out of the bag now: I'll be trading it in hopefully in a few months to get the 2025 manual Z4 M40i.

[WolfGTI]

Originally Posted by leftoverture

What year is the X1?

Built in Mar 2015 owned it from new - Jul 2015.

[Dom147]

I had a 2014 228i with 126k miles, never replaced the timing chain. was tuned for the last 30k. Car was ran hard. Never gave me any issues other than my cylinder 4 injector dying.

[MC77]

Originally Posted by leftoverture

Very cool, glad to see a higher mileage example. Thanks for sharing. What year is your car?

2015, allegedly with the newer guides.