2009 E90 320d M Engine Replacement

[Avalan]

Long story short, my engine is blown @ 35000km BMW SA is deciding to replace or further investigate exactly what inside the engine is broken. It's been 4 days already and they can only tell me this now!

I'd like to know if anyone knows what happens to the value of my bucket of joy if they replace the engine.

Has this happened to anyone here before?

 

[Hellas]

35k? More details please like where you drive, how hard etc? That should be a factory flaw.

 

[Avalan]

35k? More details please like where you drive, how hard etc? That should be a factory flaw.

Bought it in October last year with 20 000 on the clock, so I can't vouch for the previous owner. I drive pta to jhb almost every day, highway and city roads only never dirt. Went down to st Lucia once, all was well.

They phoned asking if i drove through water, other than the normal rainy bits here and there, nope. I avoid puddles, they make the wheels dirty haha

It started as a knocking noise which got worse, I booked it in to have it checked out (this now after it already went for a service in December and I mentioned to check the funny squeak when the engine turns off, which is apparently normal for the diesel).
On the same day as making the booking went there and asked for a technician to come listen and advise, he said its serious and I shouldn't drive anymore. They didn't have a car for me so what should I do? Hoped it would hold out till the 21st for the booked check... it didn't, they moved the booking up to the 18th when i had OnCall tow it there after it just died by the side of the road.

 

[Jandre]

I don't think that a BMW factory replaced engine will negatively impact on your resale value.

 

[JustNN]

Just remember dont take any crap from them, you have motor plan and if they try and mess you around come back here and post the updates and let the guys here give you the right advice, push them and they will act alot faster. Also the story of no spare car is not new and they try and pawn you of onto your insurance to supply and courtesy car but again if you insist they will get you one. Goodluck

 

[netercol]

i agree, should not negatively impact your resale, in fact it could viewed as a plus point by some buyers, engine newer than body (so long as replaced by bmw)

 

[Hellas]

Which dealer are you working through?

 

[Twinz]

Damn! The previous owner must have done something to the car...very strange

 

[zaleonardz]

I concur, it will have a zero impact on the value of the car.

These things happen, any impurities or incorrect temp settings during the casting/manufacturing phase can deform a part, and while quality control is strict during manufacturing, mistakes happen.

As such, it could be during manufacturing that any number of parts could have been disformed or defective, and as such, thats why the engine went poof.

As long as BMW goes through the effort of not fixing but recplacing the entire engine (this is critical), and will have the engine number changed at the licensing department, you should not have to lift a finger.

You dont even need to disclose it,

 

[Avalan]

It's at Leo Hease Centurion. I've already escalated it with the service consultant, the technician and first line complaints manager. A lady supposedly higher up is keeping me informed, they've stopped sending me sms's of exactly how little has been done in the past four days.
Thanks for the inputs guys!

 

[zaleonardz]

Prob waiting for approval from BMW though what is called a "Puma Case".

It takes a couple of days, after that, the process is failry quick though, make then give you a loaner.... Bitch hard enough and they will.

Awesome thing of the loaner, even if you dont need it, you put them under pressure..

 

[Avalan]

Prob waiting for approval from BMW though what is called a "Puma Case".

It takes a couple of days, after that, the process is failry quick though, make then give you a loaner.... Bitch hard enough and they will.

Awesome thing of the loaner, even if you dont need it, you put them under pressure..

Rental car for the weekend... Nissan Tida, next to dying its my second least favourite thing in the world. So bitching will be high on the agenda today for sure!

 

[Avalan]

Getting courtesy car today at 3, thanks BMW Centurion, no extreme bitching and moaning required, just some nagging.

 

[Avalan]

SMS received 1:40: Dear sir, I spoke to Johan now he said that BMW South will be coming in to inspect your vehicle he did not give me a date as when that will happen he is still waiting for them to get back to him kind regards...


... 27 days and counting THIS IS PATHETIC!

 

[moranor@axis]

maybe you need to find someone higher up to complain too...

 

[Avalan]

Update: finally got the engine open, after spending an entire afternoon asking people for assistance and catching the dealer principle on his way in.

Crank shaft snapped off at the fly-wheel...

Now this get interesting, first i was asked if I drove through water (When asked how deep the water, it was indicated as about 30cm, aka you'd have to be an idiot to try that without a 4x4 - answer: no).

next I heard, the engine head was opened before, they can see this because the block has scuff marks on it from sanding paper, which is apparently what one does when replacing the head gasket, and there is a putty/sealer which they do not use on there as well. No record of BMW doing this... so what are they implying? I asked why anyone would tamper/or replace a head gasket of a car under motor plan rhetorically (just a thought, when tampering with an engine wouldn't one not leave scuff marks and putty in order to not get busted by BMW?).

Thirdly there was mention of "customer misuse" by gearing down to hard or something that would cause the momentum from the fly-wheel to snap the crankshaft (not plausible cause that sounds as though it would happen instantly, and this engine failure was gradual).

My conclusion: Was sold a dud, by BMW, not some corner dealer. I have a pretty good idea on how i would like this to be resolved, it involves not owning that can of joy anymore.

It must be said that the personnel have been very friendly, if not always helpful.
Aside: courtesy car is an automatic 116 (ag shame) with no defense against being reversed into by cars with tow bars.

Awaiting BMW SA decision on what to do now...

 

[zaleonardz]

Do not take crap,

if you baught the car from BMW pre-owned, and they are stating that crap, tell them that they sold you a motor vehicle with undisclosed faults, and that they need to prove that you actually had the shoddy repairs done, tell them that they sold you a car that was not as per BMW pre-owned terms and conditions, and that you will hold them liable for the full purchase value.

Mention things like the NCA, automotive onbudsman, tell them you are going to contact the bank and lodge an appeal to have the finance application cancelled based on the "break in the truet relationship between yourself and BMW where you were sold a vehilce that was not as per the BMW pre-owned promise"

Watch how quickly they do backflips to sort you out, be a serious doos here, cause if your not... you will get screwed.

By the way, that heat forming process that I spoke about originally, I am damm sure thats what happened here, inconsistancy in the cast.

And over time, it will break.

That crank should of been manafactured to withstand the maximum torque that the engine can deliver without incident. If they suspect that the engine has been abused, you should see wear on other parts as well, such as piston sleeves ect....



Hardball or walking funny... you choose.

 

[Avalan]

Awaiting approval from BMW South Africa for new engine, then wait some more for new engine.

There was a car I'd be interested in trading on, but now the shark nature of the dealership has taken over... Spend more time and money on getting things sorted out on a new car, I don't think so.

I will never buy another BMW, let alone advise anyone to deal with Leo Haese, unless it is to stay away.

 

[Avalan]

Dear Leo Haese Centurion

Thank you!

For the glowingly genuine letter of apology from BMW Leo Haese Centurion, I was not under the impression the service was of a substandard quantity, nor quality, and thus appreciate being informed officially. Gratitude toward a human being, from a business with more than a billion rand turnover annually, is certainly worth the butchered tree on which its written, and always dearly appreciated. This undeniably superlative leaf has only added to the pleasurable experience I’ve had, and I would like to unabatedly thank Leo Haese Centurion for the sheer bliss gained from wasting (or squandered of) both my time and money.
Please add my name to the long list of patrons who have found (non)service to be as literal as going to heaven, the occurrence most people cannot repeat more than once (and I most unequivocally wont).

I may only accentuate the quantified endeavour with which I’ll embark decreeing to others this enriching life experience.

Yours as sincere as yourselves...

 

[moranor@axis]

damn i whole month...

only thing i can say is dont hate bmw just because of these asses... i know its hard but in general these are good cars there are always those that slip threw

i hope this gets sorted soon so you can start enjoying your car...