99 328Ci Rear subframe?!

[shell320]

Anyone have any info on the situation with regard the rear subframes on E46s.
Heard that they were recalled in Germany and there is a court case pending in the USA where owners are now taking in their cars to get a mod done to prevent the subframe/chassis puncturing the body.
They apparently weld in a reinforcing plate for free.
Is this the case here?
how can you tell if your car is affected or should you just have the mod done incase?
how much is it or are BMW UK footing the bill? (unlikely i know)

[paoloh]

shell320 said:

Anyone have any info on the situation with regard the rear subframes on E46s.
Heard that they were recalled in Germany and there is a court case pending in the USA where owners are now taking in their cars to get a mod done to prevent the subframe/chassis puncturing the body.
They apparently weld in a reinforcing plate for free.
Is this the case here?
how can you tell if your car is affected or should you just have the mod done incase?
how much is it or are BMW UK footing the bill? (unlikely i know)

BMW normally foot the bill on cars up to 10 years old IIRC.

Just give BMW UK a call and ask.

[shell320]

but this issue has only just been publicised tail end of last year and my car falls into the possibly affected group being Dec 1999 which also puts it over the 10yr age

[paoloh]

shell320 said:

but this issue has only just been publicised tail end of last year and my car falls into the possibly affected group being Dec 1999 which also puts it over the 10yr age

No it hasn't.

That issue has been known for years.

[msh]

I used to have a E46 328ci and was keen to keep an eye on this subframe problem. Luckily for me it didn't materialise. Not sure how many E46's were affected but i know it was the more powerful engine that would cause the damage.
BMW will only do a free fix if car has not been modified in any way, especially big alloys, suspension etc.
I have seen figures of £ 7000 quoted for warranty work.
I was quoted about £300 for a plate to be fitted and strengthened if the worst did happen- so not the end of the world.

[bazking69]

msh said:

I used to have a E46 328ci and was keen to keep an eye on this subframe problem. Luckily for me it didn't materialise. Not sure how many E46's were affected but i know it was the more powerful engine that would cause the damage.

Ditto, albeit it a 323Ci. And an auto which largely seem unaffected compared to the manuals.

To have it done properly is thousands and a big big job, but there is a 'cheap' repair kit bodge. Eitherway, it shouldn't be an issue on a modern car.

If I said I sold the car purely because of this concern i'd be lying, even though it was coming up to 10 years old and always a niggle in the back of my mind. It was the whole host of other issues and problems that contributed towards making it the worst car I have ever owned and the reason I moved it on sharpish and at a big loss.

Now alot of the early cars are older then 10 years and long outside of the dealer network with regards to history I'd be very concerned about whether or not BMW would honour the repair if this issue reared it head...