E60 M5 Rod Bearing Failure! - Advice Really Appreciated

[TobyTR]

As a potential E60 M5 owner, this is terrifying to say the least.

Have any owners successfully had a rod bearing failure covered under warranty? With the exception of consumables, what other issues are not covered under warranty?

[Quinny]

TobyTR said:

As a potential E60 M5 owner, this is terrifying to say the least.

Have any owners successfully had a rod bearing failure covered under warranty? With the exception of consumables, what other issues are not covered under warranty?

Most warranties I've come across seem to cover everything




Until it breaks that is, then you'll find most warranties cover nowt

[Zod]

When my clutch went, the dealer tried the "we'll have to do a lot of work to investigate and if they reject the warranty claim, it will cost you a lot of money" line. I told them I would call BMW to discuss why the non-human-operated clutch of one of their flagship cars had developed a fault at 15000 miles. Things were resolved very quickly after that.

[skeeterm5]

TobyTR said:

As a potential E60 M5 owner, this is terrifying to say the least.

Have any owners successfully had a rod bearing failure covered under warranty? With the exception of consumables, what other issues are not covered under warranty?

I had many warranty claims honoured by BMW, indeed I can't recall a single item rejected by them. I think a lot depends on your relationship with the actual dealer who can be instrumental in getting things through.

S

[simonpa]

The Mondial extended warranty is usually very good, but has anyone claimed for rod bearings using another warranty provider?

[jamesc12]

I've just picked up one of these despite reading this thread first!

I bought a Mondial Comprehensive warranty the day I bought it and am now waiting for it to start (only 10 days away!)

It was advertised with a full service history - I've checked the service book and it all looks stamped correctly but if I'm honest, I don't really understand what to look for! I phoned the dealer it was last serviced at and they confirmed it had a new clutch which was all I was after but given the car has 'on-demand' servicing, how do I know it has a "Full service history" just by looking a the book?

Maybe I'm overthinking this but the only logical conclusion I can make, unless I'm missing something, is... the only way to tell if it has a "Full service history" is to download the 'service demand logs' from the car itself (e.g. when oil was 'asked for' by the car) and compare that with the service book to check it was done within X miles. And does this meet the 'Mondial' definition of "Full service history"? Can anyone clarify?

After reading this thread, I'd feel a lot better if I knew my confirmation that the car had a full service history to Mondial was watertight!

Edited by jamesc12 on Sunday 27th September 02:41

[jonah35]

jamesc12 said:

I've just picked up one of these despite reading this thread first!

I bought a Mondial Comprehensive warranty the day I bought it and am now waiting for it to start (only 10 days away!)

It was advertised with a full service history - I've checked the service book and it all looks stamped correctly but if I'm honest, I don't really understand what to look for! I phoned the dealer it was last serviced at and they confirmed it had a new clutch which was all I was after but given the car has 'on-demand' servicing, how do I know it has a "Full service history" just by looking a the book?

Maybe I'm overthinking this but the only logical conclusion I can make, unless I'm missing something, is... the only way to tell if it has a "Full service history" is to download the 'service demand logs' from the car itself (e.g. when oil was 'asked for' by the car) and compare that with the service book to check it was done within X miles. And does this meet the 'Mondial' definition of "Full service history"? Can anyone clarify?

After reading this thread, I'd feel a lot better if I knew my confirmation that the car had a full service history to Mondial was watertight!

Edited by jamesc12 on Sunday 27th September 02:41

Ask mondial

[AW10]

jamesc12 said:

I've just picked up one of these despite reading this thread first!

I bought a Mondial Comprehensive warranty the day I bought it and am now waiting for it to start (only 10 days away!)

It was advertised with a full service history - I've checked the service book and it all looks stamped correctly but if I'm honest, I don't really understand what to look for! I phoned the dealer it was last serviced at and they confirmed it had a new clutch which was all I was after but given the car has 'on-demand' servicing, how do I know it has a "Full service history" just by looking a the book?

Maybe I'm overthinking this but the only logical conclusion I can make, unless I'm missing something, is... the only way to tell if it has a "Full service history" is to download the 'service demand logs' from the car itself (e.g. when oil was 'asked for' by the car) and compare that with the service book to check it was done within X miles. And does this meet the 'Mondial' definition of "Full service history"? Can anyone clarify?

After reading this thread, I'd feel a lot better if I knew my confirmation that the car had a full service history to Mondial was watertight!

Edited by jamesc12 on Sunday 27th September 02:41

If you read the service requirements in the book you can figure out what a full service history is. As far as the engine is concerned you need the running in service and then oil changes as demanded by the car with SMG and diff fluid and plugs done every third oil service. The policy states that you need the stamps in the book *and* the receipts in case there are any queries but in practice I have never been asked for receipts.

[johnfm]

As said on page 2, I can't believe you didn't seek redress from the dealer who sold you the car. After a month it would have been their obligation to sort it out.

[jcolley]

It has taken a long time in development, but it looks as if there is finally a affordable (subjectively) solution to the S65 and S85 bearing wear problem. BE Bearings has introduced a new connecting rod bearing manufactured by Clevite (the OEM bearing manufacturer) which improves the oil clearance and should wear better over time.

http://www.bebearings.com/

[Shaoxter]

jcolley said:

It has taken a long time in development, but it looks as if there is finally a affordable (subjectively) solution to the S65 and S85 bearing wear problem. BE Bearings has introduced a new connecting rod bearing manufactured by Clevite (the OEM bearing manufacturer) which improves the oil clearance and should wear better over time.

http://www.bebearings.com/

Interesting. Do they have any hard evidence though? i.e. run these and stock bearings in a same engine and compare the wear after a certain mileage?

[jcolley]

Shaoxter said:

Interesting. Do they have any hard evidence though? i.e. run these and stock bearings in a same engine and compare the wear after a certain mileage?

I'd be willing to bet you would never find an engine builder willing to mix bearings with different clearances in the same engine.

That said, I'm having an S85 crank with a spun bearing journal weld repaired and ground. The machinist who does these manufactures the stroker cranks for many BMW performance shop including Dinan's S85 stroker crank. They always provide additional oil clearance over what the stock crank offers for the very reason of preventing oil starvation. I was initially having this crank ground/polished slightly undersized to do the same, but now for the price, it's actually cheaper to use these. The price increase over OEM bearings which I have to buy anyway is less than the additional labor charge for the crank work. To me, if I'm doing a preventive maintenance bearing swap, no chance I'll use OEM again. BMW had a nice little price increase on their bearings recently anyway, probably due to demand.

[Patrick Bateman]

It'd be interesting to see how these fair long term.

[jonah35]

The trouble with these cars is the following

Rod bearing
Clutch
Flywheel
Throttle actuators
Idle control valves
Smg pump
Dodgy smg box that feels like there is slack in it
Electrics that seem to break often
Doesn't seem fast until at the top end but at that point you're breaking speed limits so not as useable real world power as many cars

Great engine but flawed in many ways which is why the same m5s and m6s sit in the classifieds for months on end,