2019 M5 Competition

stephen

Active member
Do you know (or willing to share) what the big portions of the 391K costs are broken up into yet?

Its not a new engine for that much, but it's roughly double mine, seemingly without much in the way of bodywork, electronics lights etc.

It's more for my curiosity as it seems the repair costs/estimates are all over the place these days.
I'll DM you the quote
 

stephen

Active member
Got my car back yesterday, and subsequently sent it back.

Everything sorted properly, exhaust still on order however back seats are pretty much ruined (from being in immaculate condition with 0 marks, scuffs etc.) and two nice chunks of paint out my left rear wheel. The arm rest also has a nice white paint mark however I did not take a picture of that.

What I find particularly shocking is that they were happy to release the vehicle to me in this state.

According to the driver he picked the car up from Ballito BMW in that state, albeit 3 weeks ago! Also had a really interesting conversation with the QC manager asking me to sign the release form anyway and he will then 'sort out the issues' for me. The QC manager FFS!

I cannot believe this is the level of acceptable service from a premium dealership.

WhatsApp Image 2024-03-15 at 12.17.28 (1).jpeg
WhatsApp Image 2024-03-15 at 12.17.29 (1).jpegWhatsApp Image 2024-03-15 at 12.17.29 (2).jpegWhatsApp Image 2024-03-15 at 12.17.29 (3).jpegWhatsApp Image 2024-03-15 at 12.17.29.jpegWhatsApp Image 2024-03-15 at 12.17.30 (1).jpegWhatsApp Image 2024-03-15 at 12.17.30 (2).jpegWhatsApp Image 2024-03-15 at 12.17.30.jpegWhatsApp Image 2024-03-15 at 12.17.28.jpeg
 

gavsadler

///Member
That looks like the back seat was used to store parts / boxes on it.

You may win by applying some leather cleaner / conditioner, some mild heat and some massaging to get the leather to stretch and move around a little

It is shocking how many other people don’t have an inkling of respect or consideration for other people’s property
 

stephen

Active member
Car was initially at SMG Ballito, insurance assessors then had it moved to SMG Umhlanga where the repairs where completed.

I cant really say where the damaged happened however according to the Umhlanga BMW's driver he picked the car up from Ballito with the parts in the back seats as you mentioned.

That being said, surely that's not something you accept and simply leave until the customer brings it up?!?

Ive been told they will sort the issues out so holding thumbs they fix.
 

TurboLlew

Honorary ///Member
Car was initially at SMG Ballito, insurance assessors then had it moved to SMG Umhlanga where the repairs where completed.

I cant really say where the damaged happened however according to the Umhlanga BMW's driver he picked the car up from Ballito with the parts in the back seats as you mentioned.

That being said, surely that's not something you accept and simply leave until the customer brings it up?!?

Ive been told they will sort the issues out so holding thumbs they fix.

You might have luck with steam on those areas. The leather itself looks OK. They should refurb your wheels for you.

I had this issue with the Mercedes crash my wife had last year where the tow truck was instructed to take the car to Carello which was 3 turns from the crash and 2 turns from my house. The shady F*** took it to his mates at Renew It Sandton which, apart from being known for dogshit work and having cars literally catch on fire after repairs, is also seemingly involved in fraud.

Insurer ensured car was assessed there but sent back to Carello for repairs after I made a big noise about it. I am 99% confident RenewIt stole the inflator kit and medical kit from the car... They also CLEARLY left things on the roof (my guess is the bumper/crash bar?) that scratched things up pretty badly (I am talking about the glass pano roof). They also left the car in an absolute mess to the degree the Carello guy commented about it. Fortunately between Sela and Carello they sorted most of it out... except for stolen items. I used Carello many times in the past and while I have had the odd quality issue, I have never had things go missing or things seemingly maliciously damaged/missing... they even gave back items they found in the car when working on it.

The reason I am telling this story is that this appears to have happened to you. Ballito was pissed off that (for whatever reason) the car was being moved and their payday wasn't gonna happen, so they couldn't be arsed to do a decent job packing things up...

Unfortunately your QC experience is not uncommon - don't be pressured into doing it. Your insurer will push them to complete repairs properly if required... they know this...
 

stephen

Active member
Sorry to hear about your experience with the merc. This type of thing seems more common than i thought. Very sad that this just seems to be the norm now.

Insurance has been a nightmare as well. Had to fight for the exhaust to be repaired, luckily I had two quotes both stating replacement has to happen.
 

kingr

BMWFanatics Advertiser
Official Advertiser
People don't have pride in what they do anymore, m5 or 320i, sadly you're just another job card to get out of the door.

I've learned from this type of experience (coincidently 10 years ago from renew it) to never accept the car until you are satisfied. Ask them to drink coffee while you take your time to go over the whole car, from engine to under carriage. You must conduct your own QC.
 

stephen

Active member
An update on the M5.

Been a bit of a roller coaster this last year.

July 2024Drivetrain error. Power reduced message. Tech mentioned they found oil in the coolant. System was flushed, bled etc. and pressure tested. No issues found. Have a letter stating that the system is 100% and they believe someone added oil in the coolant reservoir! :rolleyes:R1771.0 (plan)67632 kms
September 2024Motorplan extension - 1 yearR26021.4669000 kms
Jan 2025Service - Sparkplugs, oil, filters, replace key batteryR11016.41 (plan paid)70592 kms
July 2025Coolant warning. Car is back at BMW being diagnosedtbd72829 kms
July 2025The car is due for a service this monthtbd

I had the right side camera replaced around December/Jan 2025 as well but I cannot find the invoice for that. Motorplan paid +-11k.

Next up is the last year of extension to 2026 September, quote is the same at R26021.46

Been a bit of a headache to be honest in terms of issues.

My thoughts on the F90 compared to my last 2 cars:

Living with the F90 has been a super rewarding experiences (aside from the occasional issues 😅). The car is aggressive and unapologetic and feels quite raw (not murderous :p) for a big heavy sedan. What seriously impresses me most is how light and nimble it manages to feel despite its size and weight. Compared to the F10 the F90 is a big step up in every department. I thought I would miss the F10 RWD layout but the F90 xDrive system just makes sense. It still feels playful when you want it but with a level of control and confidence the F10 just never had. Still really easy to step the back out with my lack of driving skills and not kill myself. I've also come to prefer the ZF auto on the F90 to the old DCT. Its just makes more sense on a daily driver. And being a bit older now I think the DCT would be too full on.

As for the G80 M3 that I owned previously I think the M5 is the better proposition overall, although I understand that these cars have different audiences and serve different purposes. The G80 is incredibly planted with the front-end balance being the most standout feature for me. The problem is you really have to wring its neck to get any fun out of it. Its way too precise and composed that it feels clinical most of the time. Im sure on a track in the right hands its a complete weapon.

The F90 on the other hand brings all the drama with none of the impending fear of death and its got all that theater when you're just cruising. The car is more unhinged in a good way and that makes it more enjoyable to live with day to day.

I’ve not put the car in full RWD mode yet and to be honest, I probably never will. Its way too flattering and confidence inspiring in AWD to justify it. It masks all mistakes and makes you feel like a far better driver than you really are. That balance between grip and playfulness is one of the things that makes the F90 so enjoyable. Wild when you want it to be but it’s got your back when things get sketchy. Ignorance is bliss in this case!

Ill admit what I want out of a car has changed drastically over the past 10 years, now that I’m a little older (and hopefully a bit wiser) things like comfort and refinement and usable performance matter a lot more now than theoretical lap times or tail out drama on every drive. I don’t think I’ll ever go back to something that constantly feels like its trying to kill me just for the sake of "purity". The F90 honestly strikes that perfect balance. Its fast and exciting and capable but also something I can live with every day without feeling worn out or on edge.

The G90 has some big shoes to fill. The F90 nailed that sweet spot between everyday usability and brutal performance. To me this is what the M5 should be all about. The challenge for the G90 as I see it, is that it enters a very different landscape with a very different audience. The focus now seems to be shifting heavily towards tech, gadgets and electrification. Screens are getting ridiculous, cabins more digital and cars are becoming more like rolling computers than driving machines. The configuration options alone really put me off. For now im just glad I get to enjoy the F90 while M cars still have a bit of unfiltered edge to them.
**Ive not driven the G90 so take my opinion for what it is, i.e. uneducated!
 

modocrat

Well-known member
Sorry to hear about the issues.

Did the seller not extend the plan for 2 years when you purchased the car?
 

stephen

Active member
Sorry to hear about the issues.

Did the seller not extend the plan for 2 years when you purchased the car?
I was given the cash to do it but the wheels needed refurbing and a couple other cosmetic things needed doing.
Also didnt want the Pirellis it came with !
 
Top