an FYI for high mileage E70's....

[KYZRSOSE]

As many of you know, I do a lot driving, both hard city driving and lots of highway roads. Having 92.5K miles on my X now, and after 2.5 years of on the road driving (approx. spent 4-6 months in the shop,) the X is starting show signs of serious problems. Beyond general maintenance and small items, the larger more expensive issues are starting to creep up. I just replaced the A/C compressor and various belts to the tune of $2,600.00 with the local dealer (OH YEAH, and when I went to pick up the car, just as I got into the car, I noticed something the hatch area. I opened it up, with the SA right behind me, ONLY to find the FAN, FAN SHROUD and lower engine cover! .) Upon further quick inspection in the engine compartment, the dumbass never put back the parts after installing the new compressor and belts. A wait of about 40 minutes allowed him to put back the parts badly needed in this heat wave we are having in NY.

After receiving the X back yesterday afternoon, a brief home drive, she was parked awaiting more driving in the morning.

Well...I went to drive the X this morning to find the brake pedal very low. OK, I knew I needed brakes in about 10K, so I thought this was normal. While on the highway, I noticed the X was weaving in the lane. Not me, the X was weaving. To the point where I really needed to focus on the direction of the X going forward. As I approached 15 minutes of driving, my dashboard and iDrive screen lit up like a Christmas tree (or Channukah bush for my Jewish peeps out there.) So, what I was feeling is basically what was displayed on the screen. ABS, DSC, and AWD.




So, roadside assistance will be called for the second time in two weeks to have it flatbed-ed back to the dealership (the first time the compressor was so bad it was flying little shavings of metal in the engine compartment.)

[cmyX6go]

Sorry K/B. You are not having good luck with your baby...

[Roadster]

what was the SA answer to your discovery in the hatch area after you probably shoved the fan up his ase?

[KYZRSOSE]

Originally Posted by cmyX6go

Sorry K/B. You are not having good luck with your baby...

Its unfortunate. I really do love the X, and all things that come with it, but the trials and tribulations of recent are starting to concern me. I know that with the good comes with the bad, and that maintenance and repairs is a normal occurrence of owning an auto, especially one as advanced as ours. I just wish they would spread themselves (repairs) out a little bit more...of'course having a dealership that works with me, rather than just get me for the billing would be nice as well...

Originally Posted by Roadster

what was the SA answer to your discovery in the hatch area after you probably shoved the fan up his ase?

His mouth dropped, and in a split second asked me to open the hood (as if those parts were from another car!) Nice big-ole' gap between the engine and the radiator....and the ability to see right down to the ground. OH, again when I got home, I was researching another mod in the front end. So I get under the car, and the lower cover is missing 3 screws (they only fastened two screws on the outer edge, and when I tap on the cover, there's something rattling around underneath (or over ) the lower cover....

[blktoptrvl]

Originally Posted by KYZRSOSE

His mouth dropped, and in a split second asked me to open the hood (as if those parts were from another car!) Nice big-ole' gap between the engine and the radiator....and the ability to see right down to the ground. OH, again when I got home, I was researching another mod in the front end. So I get under the car, and the lower cover is missing 3 screws (they only fastened two screws on the outer edge, and when I tap on the cover, there's something rattling around underneath (or over ) the lower cover....

I wonder if he "road tested" the X before releasing it to you. If he did, I would worry about the amount of damage they did running the car without cooling.

[KYZRSOSE]

Originally Posted by blktoptrvl

I wonder if he "road tested" the X before releasing it to you. If he did, I would worry about the amount of damage they did running the car without cooling.

They claim the road test was 5 miles. Its BS, because if they had tested the X, they would have heard this immense right front noise (or ignored it all together.)

Finally home tonight, in a loaner after having a friend take me there, we'll see what happens in the next few days.

I'm sure American, Japanese and German makers have all had success stories beyond 100k, 200K, etc. with minimal repairs. But as an aggregate, American cars tend to die (along with increasing repair costs,) beyond 100K. Japanese cars probably have the best record in high mileage cars relative to their presence in our markets over the last 20-30 years. German engineering has always professed dominance in high mileage cars, but with costly maintenance. Please remember, I say this as an AGGREGATE....(I don't need another one off success story to try and bash me down here...) My first car was 86' 190E with 200K that I drove till 250K until the tranny died. The second, 85' Honda Accord, also with 200K plus mileage both with minimal maintenance.

I have confidence that my X will get to 250K (at least that's what I need it to do,) but it will come at a significant cost during the way, most likely beyond what I had originally intended to spend on upkeep.

Originally Posted by cmyX6go

Sure, it's all yours. Take it off my hands so I can jump in the ///M. Nothing but pocket change

Evan swap, right??

[ard]

I'm not going to make any excuses for BMW, but I am having problems understadning how your X is showning signs of "Serious Problemss" (plural)

You AC compressor grenaded (and you were ill advised to use a BMW dealer unless you had a warranty).... poor repairs followed, and now the dumba$$ who butchered the AC job likely screwed up something in the wiring harness. ABS modulator connector, wheel speed sensor, etc. (FYI, low pads will NOT result in low pedal....)


Mark my words, they will lie to you about the root cause of this issue so they can bill you for more work.

(I'm a believer in extended warranties, unless you are modding the drivetrain....they've always paid out for me.)

GL

A

PS You may want to have a discussion with the service Manager about WHO will be allowed to work on the car. If they have a certified master technician, I'd write ON THE WORK ORDER, that "Approval on granted for Mr. Master Tech to perform all work on this vehicle". In writing, not verbal. They just shine you on with whatever you need to hear, then give it back to the same moron and tell him to 'fix it and you are doing it for free'... how motivated will he be this time?

[KYZRSOSE]

Originally Posted by ard

...and you were ill advised to use a BMW dealer unless you had a warranty

I wasn't advised to use them. I choose them. Its a hard case not to in my life. Drive in, drive out with a loaner. The indy's around here that I know of do not offer loaners, and I have very little time to wait for friend/wife to get me, plus I have no use of a "spare" car. So while I'm stuck with the "st"ealership, the convenience effect outweighs the trouble. However, this will be reviewed in my life as I go forward. Had this been my previous vehicle (Jeep GC Hemi,) my own shop could have performed the repairs, but my confidence level with them and my BMW is low (albeit neither is my confidence level in their master techs too.)

Originally Posted by ard

...PS You may want to have a discussion with the service Manager about WHO will be allowed to work on the car. If they have a certified master technician, I'd write ON THE WORK ORDER, that "Approval on granted for Mr. Master Tech to perform all work on this vehicle". In writing, not verbal. They just shine you on with whatever you need to hear, then give it back to the same moron and tell him to 'fix it and you are doing it for free'... how motivated will he be this time?

The SM knows me very well, unfortunately, and I did ask who worked on the car. To my dismay, Noah, their head master tech worked on it. According to what I was told, the X was taken out of his bay early by another tech when they heard I was here for my car (I randomly showed up to follow up on my car, only to have my SA tell me that its almost ready.) I can believe that because the parts were in the back, and another tech not working on the car would not have known where the additional parts were.

Originally Posted by ard

Curious, with your miles.... have you changed the transmission fluid?

Yes, it was changed many miles ago. Probably due again.

Originally Posted by phattbam

sorry to hear, keep us posted with any new findings

Will do...

Originally Posted by Jeg Norge

time to collect all paper work and make a complain to bmw NA and maybe even a lawsuit!

Been there, done that....with no favorable position given to me. Search for my previous threads.

Originally Posted by motordavid

There is an easy solution, though expensive:
I recall you drooling, and in near ecstasy, after driving L's Monster X6,
so go spend some dough. What's 12 mpg to you, anyway...
GL, Ol'UncleMotor, your fave middle aged goy

Yes, that is a solution. May a tap into your retirement for that??

L's T-ReX would be a great solution. L, care to make a donation to your local Jewish X owner? Its tax deductible...

and mD...did you say GOY??? Very funny my gentile goyum....

[cmyX6go]

Originally Posted by KYZRSOSE

L's T-ReX would be a great solution. L, care to make a donation to your local Jewish X owner? Its tax deductible...

....

Sure, it's all yours. Take it off my hands so I can jump in the ///M. Nothing but pocket change

[KYZRSOSE]

Originally Posted by ard

...but I am having problems understanding how your X is showing signs of "Serious Problems" (plural)

Serious problems, whether they be in the warranty period or after, would relate to the following in my mind....

Don't have my bills here, but off the top of my head, here's what's been done, both mechanically and electrically.

Under warranty
Blower motor replaced
Front Stabilizer Swap bar replaced ($1,400 cost of part)
Fuel lock off valve? replaced
Fan motor in Pass seat for active ventilation (something like 1K - decided not to fix because WAS not under warranty period)
A/C Compressor...seems to soon, but I'll be a sport....
CCC unit - by my direction to fix a problem
iDrive screen - by my direction to fix a problem
Bluetooth module - by my direction to fix a problem
CAS Unit - by my direction to fix a problem

...(*by my direction to fix a problem) - problem has not been fixed.

Smaller issues:
Right front strut top replaced ($600 plus if memory serves me right)
Twice, vertical window pillar trim replaced
Twice, door molding replaced
Steering wheel button plastic replaced
Once, upper trim, glove blox replaced
Once, entire glove box replaced (FYI, noise still there)
Rear parcel shelf, replaced

Other things that I have had replaced:
TWO - windshields
One rear window

This does not include regular tire replacement or any additional items put into my X.

Let me stop all the nay-say'rs out there that will criticize my post as complaining. I am not, just merely explaining what constitutes serious issues from smaller ones as per the question posed. I have a BMW, I'm prepared with the costs, its just that over the past 12 months, problems and issues have arisen too frequently and a general frustration has grown with the situation. I'm sure my next car will have issues, it all depends on the environment surrounding the causes and the way in which they are corrected.