New to Z4s, advice please on problems with earlier E89s

[Vectian]

I am looking to get an E89 Z4, automatic. I like the 28i with it's extra power but also efficiency, however there aren't so many around. I have read about various issues and recalls with the earlier E89 up to roughly the 2013 facelift, after which BMW seem to have resolved these problems. After what year am I safe from these issues, and am I risking in with a pre-2013 car?

Also what is the reliability like on these cars? I had an 07 plate Audi TT and it was terrible, the least reliable car I ever owned! Thanks

 

[Pondrew]

According to 'forum wisdom' the cam chain assembly was changed in late 2014/ early 2015. Never seen any proof, personally, though. Earlier ones have a few issues with cam chain guides wearing and failing, generally at quite high miles.

Roofs can be troublesome on the E89 as they are very complex and have lots of bits to go wrong. Many repairs are cheap and easy to fix (micro switches, relays, etc) but some can be hard to find and harder to rectify. Water ingress can be a problem if the car has not been looked after properly or pressure washed regularly.

Generally very good cars, though.

Worth noting that the 28i uses an identical N20 engine to the other 2 litre models (18i and 20i), just with a different engine map. So it is really easy and cheap to remap the lower output ones to 28i levels (and slightly beyond).

 

[Vectian]

Thanks, I had read that about the engines but would prefer a stock car and not have issues with insurance and resale by modifying it. Someone else said that the turbo on the 28i is different but I don't know if that's true. So there's not really an advantage to getting one from 2015 on because ofnthe cam chain? I imagine that if it's from 2012 or so the cam chain would have already failed and been fixed by now? I read that the roof is different post 2013 face-lift and a bit more robust?

 

[Silverstar]

I am not sure if there were any recalls for the N20 engine which is what is in the 28i however as mentioned above they can suffer from cam chain failures which was supposedly fixed around 2015. If I was buying a N20 equipped car I would keep aside 1K in case this problem occurs or seek out a car that has already been fixed.

The 28i uses the same engine as the more plentiful and cheaper 20i with a different map and you could buy a 20i and remap it but when it comes time to resell you may have to remove the map to appeal to a wider market and also the values will suffer far more than the 28i due to too many 20i cars around as opposed to the 28i.

 

[Silverstar]

Thanks, I had read that about the engines but would prefer a stock car and not have issues with insurance and resale by modifying it. Someone else said that the turbo on the 28i is different but I don't know if that's true. So there's not really an advantage to getting one from 2015 on because ofnthe cam chain? I imagine that if it's from 2012 or so the cam chain would have already failed and been fixed by now? I read that the roof is different post 2013 face-lift and a bit more robust?

I think the turbos etc were the same but I believe the 28i came with bigger brakes. The earlier cars may or may not have had new cam chains fitted depends on the owner of the car and if any issues were spotted. If you get one from 2015 onwards there is probably much less chance of an issue.

 

[Pondrew]

The engine in the 28i is IDENTICAL to that in the other N20 models; no bigger turbo, no bigger anything, just a remap. There was a rumour that the 28i has forged pistons, but have seen no evidence for this whatsoever, so think it was just a rumour.

 

[B21]

Thanks, I had read that about the engines but would prefer a stock car and not have issues with insurance and resale by modifying it. Someone else said that the turbo on the 28i is different but I don't know if that's true. So there's not really an advantage to getting one from 2015 on because ofnthe cam chain? I imagine that if it's from 2012 or so the cam chain would have already failed and been fixed by now? I read that the roof is different post 2013 face-lift and a bit more robust?

I think the turbos etc were the same but I believe the 28i came with bigger brakes. The earlier cars may or may not have had new cam chains fitted depends on the owner of the car and if any issues were spotted. If you get one from 2015 onwards there is probably much less chance of an issue.

330 mm disc front vs 300 mm disc on 18i/20i

Only physical change..

Some parts have different part numbers to reflect coding..

March / April 2015 N20 moved to new cam chain..

Earlier the HPFP was revised and the turbo moved from PWG to EWG…applied to all N20..

Later Euro 6 injectors fitted..no impact on performance..

 

[Ole gits rule]

I am looking to get an E89 Z4, automatic. I like the 28i with it's extra power but also efficiency, however there aren't so many around. I have read about various issues and recalls with the earlier E89 up to roughly the 2013 facelift, after which BMW seem to have resolved these problems. After what year am I safe from these issues, and am I risking in with a pre-2013 car?

Also what is the reliability like on these cars? I had an 07 plate Audi TT and it was terrible, the least reliable car I ever owned! Thanks

Maybe worth talking to this guy - https://z4-forum.com/forum/viewtopic.php?t=147439

 

[True-Blue]

I looked at a 15 plate and a 65 plate that both had old style cam chain guides… so check, because build date and registration date are not the same thing.

 

[Vectian]

I looked at a 15 plate and a 65 plate that both had old style cam chain guides… so check, because build date and registration date are not the same thing.

How did you know that they had the old guides? You have to take the engine apart a bit to see it don't you?

 

[Pondrew]

How did you know that they had the old guides? You have to take the engine apart a bit to see it don't you?

You can see the top guide through the oil filler cap. I was under the impression they are different colours, although I checked mine the other day and it looks identical to our old one. Mine was built August 2015, old one was March 2013!

 

[B21]

I looked at a 15 plate and a 65 plate that both had old style cam chain guides… so check, because build date and registration date are not the same thing.

How did you know that they had the old guides? You have to take the engine apart a bit to see it don't you?

Old guides are a dirty light brown / mid brown Cadbury chocolate colour as if tainted by used engine oil…new guides are a much brighter white plastic..even if covered with engine oil..marked difference..the cam chain is chunkier but not easy to assess that..

 

[Vectian]

[/quote]

Old guides are a dirty light brown / mid brown Cadbury chocolate colour as if tainted by used engine oil…new guides are a much brighter white plastic..even if covered with engine oil..marked difference..the cam chain is chunkier but not easy to assess that..
[/quote]

Do you know if there was ever a recall related to this? Some sources online say there was but there is a lot of conflicting info. I'm wondering if I should just avoid N20s altogether and wait for a 30i with the N52 engine, I read the N20 timing chain fault can wreck the whole engine sometimes

 

[Pondrew]

Old guides are a dirty light brown / mid brown Cadbury chocolate colour as if tainted by used engine oil…new guides are a much brighter white plastic..even if covered with engine oil..marked difference..the cam chain is chunkier but not easy to assess that..

Mine has a build date of August 2015 and has the 'dirty light brown' guides, exactly the same as my old 2013 one.
AND mine is one of the end-of-production run out models; so I'm starting to doubt whether there really was a cam chain upgrade to the N20 in the E89 at all!

 

[B21]

Old guides are a dirty light brown / mid brown Cadbury chocolate colour as if tainted by used engine oil…new guides are a much brighter white plastic..even if covered with engine oil..marked difference..the cam chain is chunkier but not easy to assess that..
[/quote]

Do you know if there was ever a recall related to this? Some sources online say there was but there is a lot of conflicting info. I'm wondering if I should just avoid N20s altogether and wait for a 30i with the N52 engine, I read the N20 timing chain fault can wreck the whole engine sometimes
[/quote]

No UK recall unlike the litigious US..


Time for a 30i for you..