Hi Gillian,

The BMW N47 2.0-litre diesel engine did indeed suffer, for a long time, from a very serious issue with its timing chain, which could snap, and basically destroy the engine. Because the chain was supposed to be maintenance free, and mounted at the back of the engine, it was very difficult, not to mention expensive, to fix.Now, theoretically, BMW introduced fixes for the issue from 2012 production onwards, so the car you’re looking at should be fine. But, to be on the cautious side, it would be best to buy from a BMW main dealer (which means that the car will come with a full two-year warranty) and make sure that it has a full BMW service history, as that will smooth your path if you have any problems further down the line.