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  • #31
    Originally posted by THE ANIMAL
    Well if all they have to do is change the big end bearings and all the shells then 6 to 8 hrs hrs job done.
    Sounds like from the earlier message that they wouldn't do this as they think the rest of the engine has been subjected to the remains of the shells mixed in the oil circulating round the engine.

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    • #32
      That sounds very similar to what the service manager said this morning and makes my poor car sound very unwell :(
      98S Estoril

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      • #33
        Re: Update

        Originally posted by flyingsaucer
        Exdos, you mentioned something about correspondence. Any help with this would be much appreciated.
        flyingsaucer,

        Send me an email then I'll have your email address then I'll send you copies of the correspondence.

        As others say, get a written report from the stealer as to the exact fault with the engine and ask for a written reason why this has happened, bearing in mind that the car was relatively recently serviced by a BMW stealer. That's your evidence. Do drop into your conversation with your stealer that you are an active participant on BMW owners internet forums and others are watching this scenario develop. Then wait until you learn how much BMW wants from you to sort this problem out and then you will have several different options from which you can choose. If you choose the stealer route and they want some money from you, then ask exactly what will be done with your failed engine.
        /// Exdos ///
        "Men who try the impossible and fail spectacularly are infinitely superior to those who reach for nothing and succeed" --Napoleon Bonapart

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        • #34
          I certainly dropped in the 'active member on a BMW forum and a number are being supportive and are watching the progress of the situation' into my chat on the phone before he started putting my proposal together and it was obviously taken on board.

          Thanks for the advice one and all.
          98S Estoril

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          • #35
            flyingsaucer: Do you know what oil you had and how much?
            S50 - '99 Estoril/Estoril-Black
            Mods - KW 3 Coilovers, H&R ARBs, Raid steering wheel, Wiechers Sport half-rollcage & strut brace, Simota CAI, Powerflex front and beam bushes, Beyern Mesh 18".

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            • #36
              Engine on Ebay

              Click

              Greenbat

              Ex MC Owner

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              • #37
                Hi there, as this is an SMG engine I think that you will find that the crank spigot is different from the manual cars :( crank spigot, so unless you wish to convert your M Coupe to SMG [with a larger gearbox tunnel] it will not fit!!

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                • #38
                  Update no.2

                  Arse

                  So the stealership have just got back to me and having had a reply to the proposal they submitted. BMW are prepared to pay for half of the engine and half the labour which would leave me with a £6.5K bill. I feel like i've just been raped :shock:

                  It's too late to get on to Munich Legends today, but i'll be ringing round for quotes tomorrow for low mileage engines plus labour.

                  I'm feeling pretty chessed off to say the least at present and am thinking about just getting rid of the bloody thing as the costs are getting out of control. I have seen in other threads that you shouldn't get involved in ownership unless you can handle the costs, but this is ridiculous.

                  Would I buy another BMW again?

                  Having serviced, MOT'd and had my tyres done at this stealership including extending the bloody warranty for the last 4 years in which all I have claimed for is an electric window, the above figure makes me wonder why I bother.

                  If I am going to sell the car it obviously needs fixing before I can do this. I understand that BMW are not going to give me an engine and labour for free but I was hoping for a little more than 50% 'good will' or am I being unreasonable?

                  Am I better off sourcing a low mileage S50 and getting an Indy to do the work or the stealership

                  OR

                  do I start getting shirty, writing letters and ringing BMW UK until I get a better reponse.

                  The stealership have given me a couple of days to come to my decision and I am totally lost and f*c$*ng angry :evil:

                  BAH HUMBUG
                  98S Estoril

                  Comment


                  • #39
                    I feel your pain :(

                    I have had my troubles with BMW and it is totally nerve wrecking. It is impossible to understand that they "are okay" with the point that their M-engines keep blowing up. This is not the first and last S50 engine that throws bearing, so BMW has a problem and they should be responsible for it.

                    Rebuilt engine from germany:
                    Click
                    S50 - '99 Estoril/Estoril-Black
                    Mods - KW 3 Coilovers, H&R ARBs, Raid steering wheel, Wiechers Sport half-rollcage & strut brace, Simota CAI, Powerflex front and beam bushes, Beyern Mesh 18".

                    Comment


                    • #40
                      sorry to hear all the bad news!
                      found this on ebay
                      http://cgi.ebay.co.uk/M3-PARTS-ENGIN...QQcmdZViewItem

                      Comment


                      • #41
                        Flying Saucer

                        A really tricky situation for you....

                        I know hindsight is a wonderful thing, but it makes you wish you had raped the warranty a bit in the past.

                        4 years worth of extended warranty, is nearly 3plus grand going by previous figures.

                        I am just suprised that they have not taken this into consideration.

                        As you say, you have two options, fight with BMW for a better offer or go through an Indy.

                        It all depends on how long you can be without a car.

                        I am sure you will be able to receive a more satisfactory result from BMW if you push hard, but its a lot of effort and will mean more time wasted with your car off the road etc

                        However, if you do receive more satisfactory good will gestures then at least once the engine is fitted, you will have the utmost piece of mind.

                        The other option, which would have been best from the start IMO(sorry for the use of hindsight again) would have been to take it to someone like CPC or Thorney for the damage to be assessed by them and a solution, with 'real world' prices for labour and parts.

                        I cannot believe for one minute that the price for parts and labour is £13k, I bet is costs a fraction of this price.....

                        And, is this diagnosis and solution really the best answer? A total new engine seems overkill.

                        Sourcing an engine and supplying it to an Indy to fit into your flying saucer will certainly be the most economic but its an unknown quantity and another risk....

                        The risk of an engine blowing up is always a worry and I think most of us, if going via the dealer would wish we never purchased the car in the first place.


                        Out of interest, what is the current bill will BMW atm?

                        What really fucks me off with BMW is their total inconsistency between dealers for what is and what isn't covered by warranty. Their answer is due to franchised dealers but IMO this is utter bollox as BMW oversee what is ultimately claimed under warranty.

                        It may be worth contacting someone like DanP on here as he had a good will gesture on his Vanos despite not being under any BMW warranty or any BMW servicing.

                        Comment


                        • #42
                          Id ring up BMW UK get hold of the head of customer services and explain to him your situation with all the years warranty etc it only just finished you only had it serviced not long ago. You’re mileage is very low for something like this to happen and that you are disgusted with the situation and if he thinks it’s acceptable. Tell him if this is all they are willing to do you think its totally unacceptable and that you were at some point soon going to replace your car with the new Z4mc and now you are so disgusted with the way you’ve been treated that your going to sell your car and wipe you hands with BMW. Also ask his name and say you will be writing a letter to the head of BMW Germany.

                          Comment


                          • #43
                            Originally posted by THE ANIMAL
                            Id ring up BMW UK get hold of the head of customer services and explain to him your situation with all the years warranty etc it only just finished you only had it serviced not long ago. You’re mileage is very low for something like this to happen and that you are disgusted with the situation and if he thinks it’s acceptable. Tell him if this is all they are willing to do you think its totally unacceptable and that you were at some point soon going to replace your car with the new Z4mc and now you are so disgusted with the way you’ve been treated that your going to sell your car and wipe you hands with BMW. Also ask his name and say you will be writing a letter to the head of BMW Germany.
                            +1

                            This strikes me as a fantastic suggestion!

                            Comment


                            • #44
                              I would also copy in the Chairman of the BMW Owners club in any correspondence, just to let BMW know that you're not keeping it to yourself.
                              '99 Estoril/Estoril & Black

                              Comment


                              • #45
                                I've now been in touch with Munich Legends and Thorney Motorsport who were both extremely helpful.

                                Munich Legends immediately offered to rebuild the engine and said that it is typical of BMW dealerships to replace rather than repair because they do not have the expertise these days. He had recently done an S50 rebuild with the same problem and siad that it should be no trouble for him. He quoted £5K for the rebuild and around £600 for fitting a new stearing rack. I then asked him about dropping in a used S50 if I could source one and he was reluctant to do this because of the big end problems on S50 engines but would do the job for all the same if wished to go down that route. Having discussed these options I told him that BMW had offered me 50% on a new engine and labour and he said that in all honesty I was probably better off accpeting their offer.

                                Thorney Motorsport were equally as helpful. The chap on the phone couldn't quite believe my luck and said that he would suggest keeping the top end and fitting a new bottom end but which I didn't fancy and he also offered me a used race tuned S50 engine with 70hp more than the standard for £5K. I was dubious about this and he was also extremely honest with me and said that it probably wasn't what I was after considering what I use it for and that it would probably cost more to insure/service etc. and that the sensible option would be to go with what BMW were offering.

                                It strikes me that a used engine or rebuilt engine would cost me a grand less than a completely new block that more than likely will have a warranty. In fact if I do go through BMW then I will insist on this! It would obviously have no mileage and would certianly give me more peace of mind than a used engine that's history I was not sure about.

                                I cannot afford to be without a car for much longer not least because I miss the bugger! :-( Having also done some figures in my head I can probably get away with a finance package for some time having stopped my monthly payments 2 months ago having got full ownership. Isn't it classic how us enthusiasts can find absurd ways of justifying keeping hold of the MC becuase it gets under the skin 8-)

                                I really was impressed with the Indy's advice and once this engine trouble is all sorted I will almosty certainly start using one as the people you talk to care about their business and want to keep you custom. The Indy's that I have been in touch with could all have offered me advice that favoured them. It seems to me that you are never reallt talking to anyone that actually cares at BMW unless you go right to the top and that is always very hard. The corporate machine can only mean that each individual only wants to please the person that sits above them or the person that they have to answer to. And the person they should answer to is the bloody customer considering the outrageous costs that we fork out. By offering me more than 50% BMW would only be admitting that there is something wrong with the S50 and they couldn't possibly do that now could they ops:

                                If I had the time (he says typing this post!) I would write those letters and persue those phone calls but I really don't know how far that would get me. I just want the Saucer back................
                                98S Estoril

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