how realiable are these things? 03 plate the 330D one, do the gear boxes give many problems on them heard a few stories about them !?!?

 

They are just as reliable as any other BMW 330d can have trouble with turbo's like all bmw'd models.They are going cheap nobody seems to want them we have loads on the fore court that arent shifting.
Never had one in here needing a gearbox , had a petrol one in the other day getting a clutch was high mileage