ichigo
Member
Hey all
I am currently in a dilemma with a car I purchased and need some advise/guidance.
So let me start at the beginning...
I have always wanted an e46, I finally found one in PE, through my mate, his cousin is a mechanic at Mtech Autoworx in Newton Park and had a 03 e46 320i Sport, but it had a misfire and the mileage was high - 260K.
So I went to look at it and liked it, especially the color and the interior was neat but the misfire....eish... So I left it and carried on looking.
But the price of the car kept making me think of it and the possibility of owning my first e46 was very exciting.
He wanted 55k and said that if I paid him 5k, that would motivate him to get it fixed, anyways we came to an agreement, which does not need to be mentioned, but the price remained 55k.
He advised the would recon the head, and fix the window regulators and replace the lower control arms.
So I waited and was getting updates like, "The valve stem seals and guides were replaced, I'm waiting on the engineer, will put it back together as soon as its back", etc.
So eventually I took ownership of the car at the end of Sept 2015, I was advised that it needed to be driven carefully, no high revs etc. for about 1000km. He stated that he spent around 12k on the head.
I kept noticing a burn smell, so I took it to Jason at Auto Classique, which is around the corner from me. They only work on BMWs and Minis. He put it on the machine and picked some issues, and then started revving it, black smoke, smelt like oil. He mentioned that if the valve stem seals were done, the only other things that can cause this issue, is the piston rings or the crankcase breather valve.
A day or two later, on a Friday, I drove it a little out of PE to Coega and on the way it there, it wanted oil, so I called the seller and he said did an oil filter and oil change, so its strange that it wants more oil.
On the way back, it died on me, it wouldn't start, I got it towed and then once it was in my garage it started, of course!
Seller came to see it the same night and said, not much he can do now or troubleshoot as it is starting but he never had issues with it getting stuck.
I explained the smoking and the fact that it wanted more oil, and he said its probably the crankcase breather valve as the oil was low but that I should take it into his workshop on Saturday for more analysis.
So I took it to him the next day and put it on the machine, eventually after some consulting with his father, the owner, he said he will change the breather valve and took the cost of the parts off the purchase price, so we made arrangements for the following week.
On Monday, I was driving to town and it died on me again, so the seller helped me tow it and then investigated, said it was the alternator, so I refurbed it and bought a new alternator voltage regulator and he also changed the crankcase breather valve and all associated pipes, I then fetched it on the Friday.
Next day, I took it on the long road, it ran nicely, no smoking, but then on the way back, it said the oil is low, so it topped it up, at this time I was using 5w30.
Now in my mind, the smoking problem was fixed.
Then I started noticing leaks on my garage floor. I took it to Auto Classique and Jason asked me if its still smoking and I said no.
He put it up on the hoist, and advised me to change the oil from 5w30 to 25w60 (high mileage oil) and that the tappet cover and oil filter housing was leaking and that the gaskets needed to be changed, so I had this done.
I also did the brakes and the top radiator hose as well as the spark plugs (which was strange because I would think, you change the spark plugs if you just did the head?).
So the leaking stopped, but the high oil consumption was still there.
I told the seller and he said that he is willing to help but if it is the pistons rings, then it would cost me 6k.
I said I will try save the money and get back to him.
Eventually I had a misfire, I took it to Auto Classique again and they found oil on one of the spark plugs and then told me that it is definitely the piston rings, if the valve stem seals and crankcase breather valve were changed!
I told the seller and he said that he is willing to help but still I would need to pay for the parts, which is the 6k I assume.
I've tried selling the car as advised by the seller to recoup my money and am very honest about the oil problem with potential buyers but once they hear rings need to be done etc, I don't hear back from them.
I am fed up now and wanted to know if I am in the wrong with wanting to take this matter to the ombudsman/lawyer/rmi?
Do I have a case? Other sellers/dealers advise that there is no "as is" any more as per the cpa unless you advise the buyer of the major issues, things like brakes and alternators are wear and tear and I knew I would have to spend cash on the car, but to be sitting with a major engine problem after less than 6 months is beyond me.
I mean if I had known it was the rings from the beginning I would have not purchased the car to begin with and if you take the head off, can you not see that the rings are worn?
Yes, I pushed the seller to fix it but he never mentioned anything about it smoking/using oil excessively. I think the misfire that it had in the beginning before I purchased it, was due to the rings, but I will never know..
It had another misfire before Xmas and they same thing needed to be done, cleaned the spark plugs and the misfire goes away.
And it is always asking for oil. Almost every two/three weeks, I throw in 500ml.
Please help!
I am currently in a dilemma with a car I purchased and need some advise/guidance.
So let me start at the beginning...
I have always wanted an e46, I finally found one in PE, through my mate, his cousin is a mechanic at Mtech Autoworx in Newton Park and had a 03 e46 320i Sport, but it had a misfire and the mileage was high - 260K.
So I went to look at it and liked it, especially the color and the interior was neat but the misfire....eish... So I left it and carried on looking.
But the price of the car kept making me think of it and the possibility of owning my first e46 was very exciting.
He wanted 55k and said that if I paid him 5k, that would motivate him to get it fixed, anyways we came to an agreement, which does not need to be mentioned, but the price remained 55k.
He advised the would recon the head, and fix the window regulators and replace the lower control arms.
So I waited and was getting updates like, "The valve stem seals and guides were replaced, I'm waiting on the engineer, will put it back together as soon as its back", etc.
So eventually I took ownership of the car at the end of Sept 2015, I was advised that it needed to be driven carefully, no high revs etc. for about 1000km. He stated that he spent around 12k on the head.
I kept noticing a burn smell, so I took it to Jason at Auto Classique, which is around the corner from me. They only work on BMWs and Minis. He put it on the machine and picked some issues, and then started revving it, black smoke, smelt like oil. He mentioned that if the valve stem seals were done, the only other things that can cause this issue, is the piston rings or the crankcase breather valve.
A day or two later, on a Friday, I drove it a little out of PE to Coega and on the way it there, it wanted oil, so I called the seller and he said did an oil filter and oil change, so its strange that it wants more oil.
On the way back, it died on me, it wouldn't start, I got it towed and then once it was in my garage it started, of course!
Seller came to see it the same night and said, not much he can do now or troubleshoot as it is starting but he never had issues with it getting stuck.
I explained the smoking and the fact that it wanted more oil, and he said its probably the crankcase breather valve as the oil was low but that I should take it into his workshop on Saturday for more analysis.
So I took it to him the next day and put it on the machine, eventually after some consulting with his father, the owner, he said he will change the breather valve and took the cost of the parts off the purchase price, so we made arrangements for the following week.
On Monday, I was driving to town and it died on me again, so the seller helped me tow it and then investigated, said it was the alternator, so I refurbed it and bought a new alternator voltage regulator and he also changed the crankcase breather valve and all associated pipes, I then fetched it on the Friday.
Next day, I took it on the long road, it ran nicely, no smoking, but then on the way back, it said the oil is low, so it topped it up, at this time I was using 5w30.
Now in my mind, the smoking problem was fixed.
Then I started noticing leaks on my garage floor. I took it to Auto Classique and Jason asked me if its still smoking and I said no.
He put it up on the hoist, and advised me to change the oil from 5w30 to 25w60 (high mileage oil) and that the tappet cover and oil filter housing was leaking and that the gaskets needed to be changed, so I had this done.
I also did the brakes and the top radiator hose as well as the spark plugs (which was strange because I would think, you change the spark plugs if you just did the head?).
So the leaking stopped, but the high oil consumption was still there.
I told the seller and he said that he is willing to help but if it is the pistons rings, then it would cost me 6k.
I said I will try save the money and get back to him.
Eventually I had a misfire, I took it to Auto Classique again and they found oil on one of the spark plugs and then told me that it is definitely the piston rings, if the valve stem seals and crankcase breather valve were changed!
I told the seller and he said that he is willing to help but still I would need to pay for the parts, which is the 6k I assume.
I've tried selling the car as advised by the seller to recoup my money and am very honest about the oil problem with potential buyers but once they hear rings need to be done etc, I don't hear back from them.
I am fed up now and wanted to know if I am in the wrong with wanting to take this matter to the ombudsman/lawyer/rmi?
Do I have a case? Other sellers/dealers advise that there is no "as is" any more as per the cpa unless you advise the buyer of the major issues, things like brakes and alternators are wear and tear and I knew I would have to spend cash on the car, but to be sitting with a major engine problem after less than 6 months is beyond me.
I mean if I had known it was the rings from the beginning I would have not purchased the car to begin with and if you take the head off, can you not see that the rings are worn?
Yes, I pushed the seller to fix it but he never mentioned anything about it smoking/using oil excessively. I think the misfire that it had in the beginning before I purchased it, was due to the rings, but I will never know..
It had another misfire before Xmas and they same thing needed to be done, cleaned the spark plugs and the misfire goes away.
And it is always asking for oil. Almost every two/three weeks, I throw in 500ml.
Please help!
