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BMW Driving Experience

84 messages,  Last post on Jan 18, 2013 at 3:29 PM

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What is this discussion about? BMW 3 Series, BMW 5 Series, BMW 7 Series, BMW X5, BMW Z4, Car Comparisons, Performance Mods, Scheduled Maintenance, Motorsports, Coupe, Convertible, Sedan

Messages Page 7 of 9

#55 of 84 Re: GM UAW Contract [uplanderguy] by fintail

Sep 21, 2011 (10:05 am)

Replying to: uplanderguy (Sep 21, 2011 9:56 am)
Bought new, all records from birth? We are sure the dealer replaced the oil pain drain plug or the owner didn't put coolant in the oil filler?
 
At 86K there is likely an extenuating circumstance no matter the origin of the engine, unless it is a known defect like Honda transmissions or GM Dexcool or Ford head gaskets etc. I am not aware of any BMW of that era having a rep for a high rate of failure at that mileage.

#56 of 84 Re: GM UAW Contract [fintail] by uplanderguy

Sep 21, 2011 (10:07 am)

Replying to: fintail (Sep 21, 2011 10:05 am)
Yep, bought new at Dave Walter BMW in Akron, OH.

#57 of 84 Re: GM UAW Contract [dieselone] by uplanderguy

Sep 21, 2011 (10:09 am)

Replying to: dieselone (Sep 21, 2011 5:02 am)
I don't think many of us would compare a Malibu or Cruze to a CTS.
 
The wife and I both think our metallic black Malibu is as handsome as a CTS...gets repeated just about every time we pass one.

#58 of 84 Re: GM UAW Contract [uplanderguy] by circlew

Sep 21, 2011 (10:11 am)

Replying to: uplanderguy (Sep 21, 2011 9:56 am)
Most of my cars up until 2008 were UAW built. They had their chance with me.
 
The World is much larger than sorry GM and Chrysler....with all of their UAW disease.
 
Can't bring back 1969 with all the Camaros in the world....change hurts.
 
Regards,
OW

#59 of 84 Re: GM UAW Contract [fintail] by dieselone

Sep 21, 2011 (10:13 am)

Replying to: fintail (Sep 21, 2011 10:05 am)
I am not aware of any BMW of that era having a rep for a high rate of failure at that mileage.
 
BMW did have issues with the M3 3.2 I6 around 02-03 IIRC. I don't remember how wide spread, but low mileage catastrophic engine failures were reported and I believe BMW extended the warrantys on those engines.
 
from wikipedia
 
Despite its great success and critical acclaim, the S54 was plagued with rod bearing failures in early production. BMW attempted to blame vehicle owners for the failures early on but eventually started replacing rod bearings, oil pumps, and whole engines under warranty. This fault was attributed to a problem with the connecting rod bottom-end bearing shells that were supplied to BMW by a third party that did not meet BMW's specifications. This problem was fully corrected by BMW on engines produced after 06/2003. A recall was issued to retrofit all M3 cars with affected engines to swap to the proper bearing shells.

#60 of 84 Re: GM UAW Contract [uplanderguy] by dieselone

Sep 21, 2011 (10:22 am)

Replying to: uplanderguy (Sep 21, 2011 10:09 am)
The wife and I both think our metallic black Malibu is as handsome as a CTS...gets repeated just about every time we pass one.
 
Seriously, if you were prepared to spend $50k on a CTS you'd likely end up buying a $25k Malibu? If everyone thought that way Cadillac wouldn't exist.
 
There are several sub $30k cars I find good looking, but that certainly doesn't mean I'd rather them over a CTS or 3 series.

#61 of 84 Re: GM UAW Contract [circlew] by uplanderguy

Sep 21, 2011 (10:26 am)

Replying to: circlew (Sep 21, 2011 10:11 am)
Can't bring back 1969 with all the Camaros in the world....change hurts.
 
It sure does. That's why I think cars are so freaking boring today. And I'm not even a fan of '69 Camaros.

#62 of 84 Re: GM UAW Contract [dieselone] by roadburner

Sep 21, 2011 (10:53 am)

Replying to: dieselone (Sep 21, 2011 10:13 am)
BMW did have issues with the M3 3.2 I6 around 02-03 IIRC. I don't remember how wide spread, but low mileage catastrophic engine failures were reported and I believe BMW extended the warrantys on those engines.
 
Right. Although there are still some techs and mechanics who believe that the redline of the S54 was initially set excessively high and that exacerbated the problem.
 
There's only one other chronic BMW engine problem that I know of. Back in the 90's BMW decided to use Nikasil engine blocks in their M60B30 and M60B40 V8 engines. The high sulfur content of US(as well as UK and Brazilian) gasoline caused erosion of the upper cylinder walls. To BMW's credit it replaced the affected engines with new engines using Alusil blocks and extended the engine warranty to six years/100,000 miles.
 
As for owner abuse, I've told this story before: Back when Erik Wensberg was BMW NA's M Brand manager he told me about a guy who had his new E36 M3 towed to his dealer- with a seriously blown engine. The guy claimed his new Bimmer "just died" while he was cruising down the interstate(his prior car was an Oldsmobile, BTW). It turns out that the E36 M3's ECU records the highest rpm reached by the engine. When they interrogated the ECU it showed 9000 rpm(!). Guess whose warranty claim was denied?

#63 of 84 Re: GM UAW Contract [roadburner] by uplanderguy

Sep 21, 2011 (11:05 am)

Replying to: roadburner (Sep 21, 2011 10:53 am)
There's only one other chronic BMW engine problem that I know of. Back in the 90's BMW decided to use Nikasil engine blocks in their M60B30 and M60B40 V8 engines.
 
Our friends lived in the same town we did when they had the BMW--which would be mid'90's. Theirs was a 5-series V8, I do know that. The numbers prefacing "V8" above don't mean anything to me.

#64 of 84 Re: GM UAW Contract [dieselone] by fintail

Sep 21, 2011 (11:21 am)

Replying to: dieselone (Sep 21, 2011 10:13 am)
Yes, but this was a 90s car.
 
If it was a nikasil car with extended warranty, sounds like the dealer should have handled it better then. Oh well.

Messages Page 7 of 9

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