RE: BMW: don't drive your M5, M6
Discussion
The build quality of a current BMW is unrecognisable to anyone used to older models. I have an F30 320d as a company car, and in six months / 12k:
- FEM body control module went haywire causing issues with the Stop/Start system and the windscreen wipers. Took six weeks to get the part from Germany, and then two full days to fit and program.
- The nearside front indicator intermittently stops working and nobody knows why
- The headlamp levelling system throws intermittent "fault" messages on the i-Drive screen on start up.
- The front suspension is starting to clonk noticeably on uneven road surfaces
- The paint is appalling. If you don't get bird droppings off within 24 hours it leaves a visible mark. It also chips and scratches seemingly if you look at it the wrong way. Car looks very secondhand already, despite being well cared for, having never been near an automatic car wash, and being regularly washed and polished.
- Although the design of the interior is very attractive, some of the materials used are very cheap and nasty. The plastic on the sides of the centre console is hard and scratchy, and the plastic around the climate control and stereo controls wouldn't be out of place in an 80's Peugeot. As in, you push it with your finger, and the whole thing creaks and moves. The silver plastic "aluminium" trim around the gear lever and on the gearknob itself is also marked already.
- At 12,000 miles it has already lost its tight, "new" feel. There are various intermittent buzzes and squeaks from the trim.
- The turbo has started to whine audibly on cold oil. Incredibly, the car is still telling me it's got 10k to go until its first oil change (22k oil change intervals on a relatively high output diesel engine seems ludicrous to me).
It strikes me BMW have substituted good basic solid engineering for bells and whistles, and fleet appeasement with service intervals that simply don't make sense for longevity. It's also not as good to drive as the equivalent E90, whatever the reviews say. The steering is numb, and the body roll a joke without the Adaptive suspension. Also it feels markedly less substantial generally. My last E90 had 65k on it when it went back. Still looked, felt and drove like a brand new car. This doesn't at 12k.
- FEM body control module went haywire causing issues with the Stop/Start system and the windscreen wipers. Took six weeks to get the part from Germany, and then two full days to fit and program.
- The nearside front indicator intermittently stops working and nobody knows why
- The headlamp levelling system throws intermittent "fault" messages on the i-Drive screen on start up.
- The front suspension is starting to clonk noticeably on uneven road surfaces
- The paint is appalling. If you don't get bird droppings off within 24 hours it leaves a visible mark. It also chips and scratches seemingly if you look at it the wrong way. Car looks very secondhand already, despite being well cared for, having never been near an automatic car wash, and being regularly washed and polished.
- Although the design of the interior is very attractive, some of the materials used are very cheap and nasty. The plastic on the sides of the centre console is hard and scratchy, and the plastic around the climate control and stereo controls wouldn't be out of place in an 80's Peugeot. As in, you push it with your finger, and the whole thing creaks and moves. The silver plastic "aluminium" trim around the gear lever and on the gearknob itself is also marked already.
- At 12,000 miles it has already lost its tight, "new" feel. There are various intermittent buzzes and squeaks from the trim.
- The turbo has started to whine audibly on cold oil. Incredibly, the car is still telling me it's got 10k to go until its first oil change (22k oil change intervals on a relatively high output diesel engine seems ludicrous to me).
It strikes me BMW have substituted good basic solid engineering for bells and whistles, and fleet appeasement with service intervals that simply don't make sense for longevity. It's also not as good to drive as the equivalent E90, whatever the reviews say. The steering is numb, and the body roll a joke without the Adaptive suspension. Also it feels markedly less substantial generally. My last E90 had 65k on it when it went back. Still looked, felt and drove like a brand new car. This doesn't at 12k.
Edited by Limpet on Wednesday 26th September 10:17
surveyor said:
SmartVenom said:
I actually think good on BMW for issuing the recall, not all German manufacturers have been so quick to acknowledge potential causes of engine failure.
Agreed. Most posters seem to think that it's a negative think that BMW are sorting the problem rather than adopt a wait and see approach. I suppose the cynical might think that the time bomb perhaps goes off earlier than most for them to adopt such a drastic step.Probably lucky it was the M5/M6 not something more common.
PILCH 23 said:
surveyor said:
SmartVenom said:
I actually think good on BMW for issuing the recall, not all German manufacturers have been so quick to acknowledge potential causes of engine failure.
Agreed. Most posters seem to think that it's a negative think that BMW are sorting the problem rather than adopt a wait and see approach. I suppose the cynical might think that the time bomb perhaps goes off earlier than most for them to adopt such a drastic step.Probably lucky it was the M5/M6 not something more common.
y2blade said:
PILCH 23 said:
surveyor said:
SmartVenom said:
I actually think good on BMW for issuing the recall, not all German manufacturers have been so quick to acknowledge potential causes of engine failure.
Agreed. Most posters seem to think that it's a negative think that BMW are sorting the problem rather than adopt a wait and see approach. I suppose the cynical might think that the time bomb perhaps goes off earlier than most for them to adopt such a drastic step.Probably lucky it was the M5/M6 not something more common.
zebedee said:
The Jolly Todger said:
Well my BMW did 190,000 miles without any major problems at all before I sold it. That sort of thing helps.
My Mondeo did more than that but no-one assumes they are a paragon of reliability. BMW do seem to be in more than a fair share of engineering woes of late, but they still have a very good reputation, whereas the k-series-bashing thing has always really annoyed me. I'm sure there are k-series that have done 190,000 miles plus by now too!
will261058 said:
But not on the original head gasket
Do f*ck off. Please. Gain some experience and then come back on here.Neighbours 214Si. 230K and counting. Original 1.4 K. Regularly serviced and looked after. Original head gasket.
Back on Topic - damage limitation is best when the warranty pool is small. The early recall is a swift and shrewd move from the OEM.
y2blade said:
There is a lot of conjecture, and talk, but went through the first 2 pages, and it was all about people who have heard about issues. Not saying that there haven't been issues, but BMW are well known for getting known issues fixed. Unlike some other manufacturers.
I wonder how quick they can get the parts in, and get the cars in. Wouldn't like to be at the back of the queue.
FWDRacer said:
will261058 said:
But not on the original head gasket
Do f*ck off. Please. Gain some experience and then come back on here.Neighbours 214Si. 230K and counting. Original 1.4 K. Regularly serviced and looked after. Original head gasket.
Back on Topic - damage limitation is best when the warranty pool is small. The early recall is a swift and shrewd move from the OEM.
FWDRacer said:
will261058 said:
But not on the original head gasket
Do f*ck off. Please. Gain some experience and then come back on here.Neighbours 214Si. 230K and counting. Original 1.4 K. Regularly serviced and looked after. Original head gasket.
Back on Topic - damage limitation is best when the warranty pool is small. The early recall is a swift and shrewd move from the OEM.
Teamsreth said:
y2blade said:
There is a lot of conjecture, and talk, but went through the first 2 pages, and it was all about people who have heard about issues. Not saying that there haven't been issues, but BMW are well known for getting known issues fixed. Unlike some other manufacturers.
I wonder how quick they can get the parts in, and get the cars in. Wouldn't like to be at the back of the queue.
The sealed for life gearbox thing makes me laugh. I had a massive argument with some people on a forum that insisted it really meant sealed for life in the sense that, it can do galactic mileage and not be a problem. Even with evidence they still refused to believe that their beloved manufacturer would do something unless it was 100% correct.
Active Unnering Dirtbox Inhabitants.
One thing I will say about the engine noises being piped into the cabin, I had the pleasure of sitting in a brand new F10 M5 and giving the throttle a tickle. God it sounds absolutely glorious, especially the popping on the overrun and the way the car rocks.
Don't care if it has piped engine sounds, I love it.
Active Unnering Dirtbox Inhabitants.
One thing I will say about the engine noises being piped into the cabin, I had the pleasure of sitting in a brand new F10 M5 and giving the throttle a tickle. God it sounds absolutely glorious, especially the popping on the overrun and the way the car rocks.
Don't care if it has piped engine sounds, I love it.
Teamsreth said:
but BMW are well known for getting known issues fixed.
The issue is that there are numerous issues. Also, they don't get it right with the first attempt at fixing"BMW tried to engineer a newer HPFP solution to eliminate HPFP issues users were having. The first 335/135s came out with 1351 7 537 320 HPFP followed shortly by 1351 7 585 655 HPFP and 2009 model had 1351 7 592 881 HPFP followed by 1351 7 596 123 HPFP. These pumps were updated and replaced again due to the high rate of failure with 1351 7 594 943 HPFP. But these also started to fail and got updated and replaced in May 2010 with a brand-new re-manufactured pump 1351 7 613 933 HPFP"
Edited by Derek Chevalier on Wednesday 26th September 14:28
Face for Radio said:
The sealed for life gearbox thing makes me laugh. I had a massive argument with some people on a forum that insisted it really meant sealed for life in the sense that, it can do galactic mileage and not be a problem. Even with evidence they still refused to believe that their beloved manufacturer would do something unless it was 100% correct.
My BMW auto gearbox is in for a rebuild having covered 170k miles without a service however the gearbox specialist suggested BMW have now suggested servicing every 40k.waxaholic said:
The so called brand is going down the toilet, certain marques will laughing there
nads off this.
All marquee have their issues. Audi with their DSG/S Tronic 'box comes readily to mind. A class action move in the US gave Audi the necessary motivation to get their sh it together and help their customes.nads off this.
Plenty of people on the TT forum over hear suffering the same problem, some fail early on and so on. Others not an issue. Others marques won't be laughing, more thank God it's not us. They know it could be.
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