VANOS FAILURE -- Z3M Roadster -- PLEASE HELP
Discussion
PLEASE HELP!!
Guys, this is my first posting on this site & I could really do with your help......
Bank in March this year I bought a 1998 BMW Z3M Roadster from Collingham of Harrogate. WOW What a car !
Well it was until the Monday before last when I was driving between Stratford Upon Avon & Cambridge when the VANOS went bang & I had to be flat-bedded back to ELM'S BMW of Cambridge.
The Vehicle is now out of warranty. I have been reading through this Forum & BM3W.com & noticed that this seems to be a known problem with the vehicle. I have also read that BMW UK have been very good and fixed this problem 100% FOC as a goodwill gesture......
Can someone please help and tell me how they approached BMW UK with this problem. Does anyone have any other advice or a good success storey, where BMW UK have paid a big chunk of this bill if not 100% ??? I've just bought a house & can't afford to get it repaired !
Thanks
Rich
richard.lucas@ntlworld.com
Guys, this is my first posting on this site & I could really do with your help......
Bank in March this year I bought a 1998 BMW Z3M Roadster from Collingham of Harrogate. WOW What a car !
Well it was until the Monday before last when I was driving between Stratford Upon Avon & Cambridge when the VANOS went bang & I had to be flat-bedded back to ELM'S BMW of Cambridge.
The Vehicle is now out of warranty. I have been reading through this Forum & BM3W.com & noticed that this seems to be a known problem with the vehicle. I have also read that BMW UK have been very good and fixed this problem 100% FOC as a goodwill gesture......
Can someone please help and tell me how they approached BMW UK with this problem. Does anyone have any other advice or a good success storey, where BMW UK have paid a big chunk of this bill if not 100% ??? I've just bought a house & can't afford to get it repaired !
Thanks
Rich
richard.lucas@ntlworld.com
you have to look at this realisticaly, the car is around 8 years old so dont expect too much help....
if the vanos failure has damaged other parts of the engine your best bet might be to buy a complete engine from someone reliable like Douglas Valley breakers (01257 472 866).
if its just the vanos you should be able to get it replaced by an independant for around £1500.
these things happen, you've bought an 8 year old car with a highly tuned 3.2 ltr engine, its not a mondeo so you have to be prepared for some big bills along the way! good luck getting it fixed..
if the vanos failure has damaged other parts of the engine your best bet might be to buy a complete engine from someone reliable like Douglas Valley breakers (01257 472 866).
if its just the vanos you should be able to get it replaced by an independant for around £1500.
these things happen, you've bought an 8 year old car with a highly tuned 3.2 ltr engine, its not a mondeo so you have to be prepared for some big bills along the way! good luck getting it fixed..
Rallycross is right and without FBMWSH you haven't got a pray to get anything out of the main dealer.
I'd buy a second hand engine then sell the car as there would be no guarantee that the same wouldn't happen again.
I think these are those situations that you could do with your best mate working for BMW getting the parts at cost and doing the work after hours(if only)
Good luck anyway.
I'd buy a second hand engine then sell the car as there would be no guarantee that the same wouldn't happen again.
I think these are those situations that you could do with your best mate working for BMW getting the parts at cost and doing the work after hours(if only)
Good luck anyway.
rallycross said:
you have to look at this realisticaly, the car is around 8 years old so dont expect too much help....
if the vanos failure has damaged other parts of the engine your best bet might be to buy a complete engine from someone reliable like Douglas Valley breakers (01257 472 866).
if its just the vanos you should be able to get it replaced by an independant for around £1500.
these things happen, you've bought an 8 year old car with a highly tuned 3.2 ltr engine, its not a mondeo so you have to be prepared for some big bills along the way! good luck getting it fixed..
if the vanos failure has damaged other parts of the engine your best bet might be to buy a complete engine from someone reliable like Douglas Valley breakers (01257 472 866).
if its just the vanos you should be able to get it replaced by an independant for around £1500.
these things happen, you've bought an 8 year old car with a highly tuned 3.2 ltr engine, its not a mondeo so you have to be prepared for some big bills along the way! good luck getting it fixed..
Agree with what he said, although 'reliable' and 'Douglas Valley' shouldn't ever be in the same sentence.
Looks like you are going to have to pay to fix it. There's no way BMW will take a claim on an out of warranty, 8 year old car seriously.
richlucas said:
Hi there Mate,
Well it's got 48,000 miles on and full BMW service history to 15,280 & specialist from there to date!! Things have just got worse though.
The BMW garage has just stripped part of the engine, the camshaft, piston, conrods etc etc are all shot too.
Well it's got 48,000 miles on and full BMW service history to 15,280 & specialist from there to date!! Things have just got worse though.
The BMW garage has just stripped part of the engine, the camshaft, piston, conrods etc etc are all shot too.
Truly sorry but you're buggered.
Replacement engine is the only way out of this, or sell it for what you can get and just write it off to experience.
Makes the warranty look like good value, with the benefit of hindsight.
Very bad luck.
Sorry to hear about your pain... you have no chance with BMW helping you out so best to let it go.
If I were you I would take the car to a decent independent specialist (if you want to spk to me then drop me a pm and I'll tell you who I use) who can supply and fit a second hand engine. Whilst they're doing it they can fit some new engine management, rip off that useless Vanos (and save you that worry ever again) and map it to put a huge grin on your face.
Look on the bright side, my motto... if it breaks upgrade it.
If I were you I would take the car to a decent independent specialist (if you want to spk to me then drop me a pm and I'll tell you who I use) who can supply and fit a second hand engine. Whilst they're doing it they can fit some new engine management, rip off that useless Vanos (and save you that worry ever again) and map it to put a huge grin on your face.
Look on the bright side, my motto... if it breaks upgrade it.
m3pilot said:
I spoke to Munich legends about this issue when i bought my M3 Evo, They were saying it can break at anytime and that it cost around £1,400 to fix if it goes. There based in sussex and know alot about M engines so might be worth contacting.
Indeed, but MAN can Mr Halse TALK. I'd take some earplugs if I were you.
Vesuvius 996 said:
m3pilot said:
I spoke to Munich legends about this issue when i bought my M3 Evo, They were saying it can break at anytime and that it cost around £1,400 to fix if it goes. There based in sussex and know alot about M engines so might be worth contacting.
Indeed, but MAN can Mr Halse TALK. I'd take some earplugs if I were you.
which one, Barney or Tony?
sleep envy said:
Vesuvius 996 said:
m3pilot said:
I spoke to Munich legends about this issue when i bought my M3 Evo, They were saying it can break at anytime and that it cost around £1,400 to fix if it goes. There based in sussex and know alot about M engines so might be worth contacting.
Indeed, but MAN can Mr Halse TALK. I'd take some earplugs if I were you.
which one, Barney or Tony?
The one with the beard. Lovely fellow, and BOY can he steer an M3, but MAN ALIVE he could talk!!
Both!
I've had a E36 M3 Coupe and now have a S50 ZM Coupe, both excellent cars. I've never had any problems with Vanos, , make sure the bolts are replaced and the vanos folter gets replaced at every service. If the Vanos does go, well it's £1500.
But ask yourself, What other cars that offer that level of performance for the money? They do not have many flaws, the vanos is overdone by forums.
My advice to you is to take the car to an indepedant, get it repaired and continue to enoy the car. I doubt you need a whole new engine.
I've had a E36 M3 Coupe and now have a S50 ZM Coupe, both excellent cars. I've never had any problems with Vanos, , make sure the bolts are replaced and the vanos folter gets replaced at every service. If the Vanos does go, well it's £1500.
But ask yourself, What other cars that offer that level of performance for the money? They do not have many flaws, the vanos is overdone by forums.
My advice to you is to take the car to an indepedant, get it repaired and continue to enoy the car. I doubt you need a whole new engine.
www.quarrybmwspares.co.uk
or
www.fabdirect.com
Scroll down on Fab and they seem to be breaking a Z3M Roadster just now
or
www.fabdirect.com
Scroll down on Fab and they seem to be breaking a Z3M Roadster just now
Edited by naetype on Friday 27th October 12:52
Probably too late now but....
Sale of goods act, you bought an expensive car and within a year it went bang...
Go back to the dealer you bought it from.
I'm in the car trade and I can tell you we get well and truely screwed on this if we get taken to court.
Mate sold a £300 banger.. engine went... punter never said a word, got a main dealer replacement engine and presented my mate with the BIG bill.
Needless to say, mate said boll**ks.. got taken to court and LOST !
Sale of goods act, you bought an expensive car and within a year it went bang...
Go back to the dealer you bought it from.
I'm in the car trade and I can tell you we get well and truely screwed on this if we get taken to court.
Mate sold a £300 banger.. engine went... punter never said a word, got a main dealer replacement engine and presented my mate with the BIG bill.
Needless to say, mate said boll**ks.. got taken to court and LOST !
Edited by redgriff500 on Friday 24th November 17:21
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