330ci Preventative maintainence.
Discussion
The parking sensors could just be wet, they don't always respond well to pressure washers, give it a chance to dry out before spending any cash.
Also have a look at your MOT advisories if any, to see what might be on the horizon. Keep plenty of funds back if any rear brake pipes are corroded, changing these is a DIY b
h and very expensive at a garage.
Another fly in the ointment is the boot floor where the subframe mounts, it is not uncommon for the metal to split which is a serious problem, specialists charge upwards of £750 to fix this issue though a lot of the job is the same as replacing the over-tank brake pipes. This is the first thing I would check before spending elsewhere on the car.
Also have a look at your MOT advisories if any, to see what might be on the horizon. Keep plenty of funds back if any rear brake pipes are corroded, changing these is a DIY b
h and very expensive at a garage. Another fly in the ointment is the boot floor where the subframe mounts, it is not uncommon for the metal to split which is a serious problem, specialists charge upwards of £750 to fix this issue though a lot of the job is the same as replacing the over-tank brake pipes. This is the first thing I would check before spending elsewhere on the car.
twoblacklines said:
I forgot to mention - my parking sensors also broke today. Now I just get a 5 second long beep and...nothing. Sigh.
The way this is going I will just take it to WBAC and take the £2k they have offered for it.
Did the dealer not offer you some sort of 30 day warranty or similar?The way this is going I will just take it to WBAC and take the £2k they have offered for it.
Fox- said:
twoblacklines said:
I forgot to mention - my parking sensors also broke today. Now I just get a 5 second long beep and...nothing. Sigh.
The way this is going I will just take it to WBAC and take the £2k they have offered for it.
Did the dealer not offer you some sort of 30 day warranty or similar?The way this is going I will just take it to WBAC and take the £2k they have offered for it.
OP, you paid 5.5k for this car, take it back, for an old E46 that is strong money, it wants to be right.
StuntmanMike said:
This.
OP, you paid 5.5k for this car, take it back, for an old E46 that is strong money, it wants to be right.
this... if you just got it from a trader they should sort this for you.OP, you paid 5.5k for this car, take it back, for an old E46 that is strong money, it wants to be right.
As for you list of things. I think it's just nuts to do all that! You're looking to spend thousands of pounds on things which are fine?!
Fix and repair when things need doing. Just use it and enjoy it.
twoblacklines said:
I forgot to mention - my parking sensors also broke today. Now I just get a 5 second long beep and...nothing. Sigh.
The way this is going I will just take it to WBAC and take the £2k they have offered for it.
Do you use them ? Mine broke about a year ago and I've only just fixed them with a new gearbox reverse switch and PDC module from eBay 2nd hand. In all honesty it didn't stop me using the car. Why bother paying money to fix things that don't add any motoring benefit ?The way this is going I will just take it to WBAC and take the £2k they have offered for it.
It is back at the dealer now. They didn't give me a courtesy car or anything though so I am carless for however long it takes.
Driving a long listening to my exhaust as usual watching my steering wheel judder from side to side slightly, suddenly it takes all the characteristics of a puncture (has been doing this sporadically) so I just keep driving (because it kept doing this) until I found a petrol station, outside Newquay of all places, stinking of what smelt like burning clutch.
Just so happened to be an AA guy in his van there so grabbed my membership card and he told me it is siezed brake caliper, known issue, jumped on Google on my phone and tons of threads describing exactly that.
SO having poured cold water over them to cool them I limped to Grampound where there is a bmw specialist, they measured the wheel temp and it was 700deg c, the others 300 deg c. They claimed I would have to have all 4 brake discs and pads and calipers replaced to the tune of £500, that I couldn't use the car in the meantime, and then proceeded to completely ignore me whilst I waited for someone to come and get me. Halfway through that period they shut shop at 10am and went off somewhere, meaning I would have to wait for them to come back as I had the keys etc. Utterly shocking customer service if you ask me.
So I just drove home which took an hour, rang up dealer, they said to drive it there...all 30 miles even though I said it seemed unfit for doing so.
So had to drive it there, stopping every 5 mins to let it cool down, at one point about 1 mile from the place it was actually smoking!
Then typically 500m away from their garage it stops binding completely and just behaves as usual just like it did before (guessing it just broke completely?), v-belt or whatever stops squeaking and all the parking sensors when I reversed into space there worked. Luckily I have video of it all not working!
So I will see what they say - I paid overprice thinking I would get a mint as you can get version of a 2003 90k bmw (which is what they sold me on) so their customer service has to be totally awesome in my eyes.
I don't think I would buy a car again from a dealer unless it is an UAC from a main dealer such as BMW or AUDI dealerships, way too much hassle.
Driving a long listening to my exhaust as usual watching my steering wheel judder from side to side slightly, suddenly it takes all the characteristics of a puncture (has been doing this sporadically) so I just keep driving (because it kept doing this) until I found a petrol station, outside Newquay of all places, stinking of what smelt like burning clutch.
Just so happened to be an AA guy in his van there so grabbed my membership card and he told me it is siezed brake caliper, known issue, jumped on Google on my phone and tons of threads describing exactly that.
SO having poured cold water over them to cool them I limped to Grampound where there is a bmw specialist, they measured the wheel temp and it was 700deg c, the others 300 deg c. They claimed I would have to have all 4 brake discs and pads and calipers replaced to the tune of £500, that I couldn't use the car in the meantime, and then proceeded to completely ignore me whilst I waited for someone to come and get me. Halfway through that period they shut shop at 10am and went off somewhere, meaning I would have to wait for them to come back as I had the keys etc. Utterly shocking customer service if you ask me.
So I just drove home which took an hour, rang up dealer, they said to drive it there...all 30 miles even though I said it seemed unfit for doing so.
So had to drive it there, stopping every 5 mins to let it cool down, at one point about 1 mile from the place it was actually smoking!
Then typically 500m away from their garage it stops binding completely and just behaves as usual just like it did before (guessing it just broke completely?), v-belt or whatever stops squeaking and all the parking sensors when I reversed into space there worked. Luckily I have video of it all not working!
So I will see what they say - I paid overprice thinking I would get a mint as you can get version of a 2003 90k bmw (which is what they sold me on) so their customer service has to be totally awesome in my eyes.
I don't think I would buy a car again from a dealer unless it is an UAC from a main dealer such as BMW or AUDI dealerships, way too much hassle.
dtmpower said:
Do you use them ? Mine broke about a year ago and I've only just fixed them with a new gearbox reverse switch and PDC module from eBay 2nd hand. In all honesty it didn't stop me using the car. Why bother paying money to fix things that don't add any motoring benefit ?
Quite a lot. Mainly to do a 4-point-turn here
Because I can't reverse up there it just wheelspins.... I had to reverse up in my FWD A3's because it would wheelspin going forwards up there.
[quote]Fix and repair when things need doing. Just use it and enjoy it.
Any ideas how much I am looking at getting somewhere to fit this vanos seal kit and anti-rattle?
http://www.i6automotive.co.uk/double-vanos-seals-k...
I am doing the DISA myself whenever I get the car back.
Edited by twoblacklines on Saturday 25th October 00:31
Well, ran out of cash today to fix this. Well not run out per say but run out of what I am prepared to spend.
Spent just shy of £2500 on it in 3 weeks fixing things - everytime I fix something, something new goes wrong, for example I have an industrial blowing sounding noise coming from under the drivers door when the car is turned on, you can hear it over the engine and exhaust at idle, believed to be the fuel pump... not going to fix this just going to sell the car instead.
I am really gutted about my tyres - £500 of goodyears and a week later having to sell the car... I am not looking forward to selling it tomorrow either as everywhere I drive one of the brakes squeal or generally make noises. The gearbox is just WIERD - I accelerate in gear, it seems to clutch slip like a manual car would with a failing clutch, the revs rise as the car accelerates then the revs drop mid acceleration as if i changed up a gear - except I am in 5th gear in manual mode - there is no gear to change up to.... put me off slushboxes....DSG/S-Tronic please!
I have not been put off these cars though, I just think they don't suit a daily driver. It has been pretty good on fuel since I changed the exhaust CPS, I get around 270m per tank which is £75 of vpower. I would love to pick up a low mileage, manual, techno violet coupe at some point. For now I am trying to decide between spending £3k on a golf mk4 gt tdi or spending £8k on another a3 s-tronic tdi.
Spent just shy of £2500 on it in 3 weeks fixing things - everytime I fix something, something new goes wrong, for example I have an industrial blowing sounding noise coming from under the drivers door when the car is turned on, you can hear it over the engine and exhaust at idle, believed to be the fuel pump... not going to fix this just going to sell the car instead.
I am really gutted about my tyres - £500 of goodyears and a week later having to sell the car... I am not looking forward to selling it tomorrow either as everywhere I drive one of the brakes squeal or generally make noises. The gearbox is just WIERD - I accelerate in gear, it seems to clutch slip like a manual car would with a failing clutch, the revs rise as the car accelerates then the revs drop mid acceleration as if i changed up a gear - except I am in 5th gear in manual mode - there is no gear to change up to.... put me off slushboxes....DSG/S-Tronic please!
I have not been put off these cars though, I just think they don't suit a daily driver. It has been pretty good on fuel since I changed the exhaust CPS, I get around 270m per tank which is £75 of vpower. I would love to pick up a low mileage, manual, techno violet coupe at some point. For now I am trying to decide between spending £3k on a golf mk4 gt tdi or spending £8k on another a3 s-tronic tdi.
twoblacklines said:
Spent just shy of £2500 on it in 3 weeks fixing things - everytime I fix something, something new goes wrong, for example I have an industrial blowing sounding noise coming from under the drivers door when the car is turned on, you can hear it over the engine and exhaust at idle, believed to be the fuel pump... not going to fix this just going to sell the car instead.
Didn't you buy this car from a dealer though? What did they say about the issues?Hindsight I know but sounds like you should have paid for a pre-purchase inspection, IME these cars can be mega money pits if neglected.
I use mine as a daily driver and have done for 50,000 miles, if I had to pay someone else for repairs the expense would have been tremendous.
As stated before if you cannot do your own repairs you had better have very deep pockets.
I use mine as a daily driver and have done for 50,000 miles, if I had to pay someone else for repairs the expense would have been tremendous.
As stated before if you cannot do your own repairs you had better have very deep pockets.
Hindsight I know but sounds like you should have paid for a pre-purchase inspection, IME these cars can be mega money pits if neglected.
I use mine as a daily driver and have done for 50,000 miles, if I had to pay someone else for repairs the expense would have been tremendous.
As stated before if you cannot do your own repairs you had better have very deep pockets.
I use mine as a daily driver and have done for 50,000 miles, if I had to pay someone else for repairs the expense would have been tremendous.
As stated before if you cannot do your own repairs you had better have very deep pockets.
I'm with Fox, this has to be a dealer issue. You've had the car about, what, a month?
You mention somewhere WBAC offering 2k for it, they are fair in my experience but they won't pay that if they identify any of the faults or other issues.
So if you get 1800, you are still 700 down on just what you've spent on repairs. You paid about 5k? So that's just written off. Got to be worth a challenge to the dealer.
similarly, if you trade it into an Audi / VW dealer by the sounds of your intended replacement, you'll be no better off. You'd recap more selling privately, but then I'd pity the buyer who purchases this car. and if you know of problems and hold them back, surely even in the absence of their protection from sales of goods act, they could use the small claims court against you?
challenge the dealer, I'm sure for advice folks here will chip in.
You mention somewhere WBAC offering 2k for it, they are fair in my experience but they won't pay that if they identify any of the faults or other issues.
So if you get 1800, you are still 700 down on just what you've spent on repairs. You paid about 5k? So that's just written off. Got to be worth a challenge to the dealer.
similarly, if you trade it into an Audi / VW dealer by the sounds of your intended replacement, you'll be no better off. You'd recap more selling privately, but then I'd pity the buyer who purchases this car. and if you know of problems and hold them back, surely even in the absence of their protection from sales of goods act, they could use the small claims court against you?
challenge the dealer, I'm sure for advice folks here will chip in.
Fox- said:
twoblacklines said:
Spent just shy of £2500 on it in 3 weeks fixing things - everytime I fix something, something new goes wrong, for example I have an industrial blowing sounding noise coming from under the drivers door when the car is turned on, you can hear it over the engine and exhaust at idle, believed to be the fuel pump... not going to fix this just going to sell the car instead.
Didn't you buy this car from a dealer though? What did they say about the issues?k up and go and see them, to put it in perspective, I have run a 330ci as a daily for nearly 5 years, apart from consumables it has ran largely fault free.Fox- said:
Didn't you buy this car from a dealer though? What did they say about the issues?
I took it back - they "fixed" the burning brakes by rebuilding/replacing a caliper, which means very likely leaving a warped disc on.I showed them the video of it squealing on start up (the cambelt etc) and when I got it back they said they could find nothing at all wrong with the suspension, steering, other brakes, any of the belts, or anything else. They said the parking issue was a sensor and they would ring me back the next day and I could come in to have it fitted - they never rang me back and when I rang them I got excuses for a whole week so just stopped ringing them.
I have sold it to WBAC today for £2500 - so a £3k loss + the £2500 loss = £5500 loss in three weeks :/
From the way you started this and the other thread, it appeared you wanted to find things to fix. Not saying there wasn't anything wrong with the car but at the same time you have to expect some minor niggles like PDC not working on a fairly old car. I know I could spend £1000 on mine now on things that could be done (CCV, rear shocks, 4WA etc) but they're not really urgent so will do them as and when.
I think you'd be better off with a lease car - with the hit you've taken you could almost have run an M135i or a Golf R for 2 years on the deals that were around....
I think you'd be better off with a lease car - with the hit you've taken you could almost have run an M135i or a Golf R for 2 years on the deals that were around....
nitrodave said:
I can't quite believe what I am reading here.
You sold it to WBAC at a huge loss so soon after buying it? and You spent £2.5k in 3 weeks knowing the trader is responsible for any problems you had with the car after purchasing it?
I hope this is a wind up.
This is exactly what I was thinking! OP, you sound paranoid, any car you buy is going to make you worry.You sold it to WBAC at a huge loss so soon after buying it? and You spent £2.5k in 3 weeks knowing the trader is responsible for any problems you had with the car after purchasing it?
I hope this is a wind up.
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