Sell Time Opinion

[Lubehead]

My 2010 35d has been excellent up to the present at 107,000 miles. A suddenly developed stalling issue led me right to the local dealer where I left it for the weekend. Their diagnosis was a faulty EGR valve which I questioned as to the proper root cause. A $1100 later, I picked up the car and all was well. The next day, while en route to a meeting, it died altogether having to be flat-bedded back to the dealer for $200. Now they dug deeper(??) and found that the # 5 injector was bad and possibly the DME needed to be replaced. They said they dedicated a day and a half to the proper diagnosis and to their credit ( well maybe) I was only charged another $200 for a fuel filter replacement which allowed me to drive the car. The recommendation was to replace all injectors at a cost or $3700.00, reprogram and depending on the results, perhaps replace the DME for another $1750.

I took the car to an Indie and they replaced the #5 injector. The Indie thought they could provide a Bosch injector but found that they are sole sourced by BMW. Using my CCA discount, ( you do belong to BMWCCA right?!) I purchased an injector for $420.00 and brought it to the Indie where they replaced it and programmed it for another $1,000.

My original plan for this vehicle was to drive it to 150,000 miles ( which represents 6 years for me) and replace it at that time. I am not soured by this experience as it has been trouble free, but a sudden $3k expense, gets my attention. So I am now thinking if now may be a better time to let her go as opposed to waiting another 20 months or so ( 2k miles a month) where it will be worth less and the market will be even narrower.

FWIW, I am considering an F15 ( although I wanted to wait for the 2nd year and will also consider a Cayenne diesel, neither of which I have driven at this point.

I'd like to hear your opinions.

[blue dragon]

Please see this thread, your dealer is blowing smoke up your a$$. There is a defect where water affects injector number 5. No DME replacement necessary. If you don't want to be paying out the a$$, learn to read your codes yourself, instead of just letting the dealer throw parts at a problem when you are paying for it

Error code 4B99 and 483D - Bimmerfest - BMW Forums

[KnudsonsM3]

So these are the only issues and you want to sell? AND they're fixed now?

I say keep it.


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[Lubehead]

Dealer did not do the replacement, as I indicated, I took it to an Indie.I did not accept their opinion, that's why the car was taken away. I did not say I wanted to sell, I said It was a consideration and I wanted to hear opinions.

KnudsonM3 I appreciate your input.

bluedragon, I'm glad I looked at the thread you provided a link to as I immediately thought of water in the fuel and why it would only affect one injector but thanks to the link, I see that you are referring to external water contamination. Love the video showing the "special tool" for injector removal.

Sounds like engine cleaning/washdown is ill advised.

[KnudsonsM3]

Use scrubby bubbles for your engine bay. A lot of the Cca guys here in the PNW use it and like it. I now use it and like it. Might need to do it a couple times but it'll look great when you're finished.


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[ard]

Originally Posted by blue dragon

Please see this thread, your dealer is blowing smoke up your a$$. There is a defect where water affects injector number 5. No DME replacement necessary. If you don't want to be paying out the a$$, learn to read your codes yourself, instead of just letting the dealer throw parts at a problem when you are paying for it

Error code 4B99 and 483D - Bimmerfest - BMW Forums

That was my thought as I read the OP.


With every single car I have owned since the internet, there appears to be a 'tipping point' in time, where the knowledge base 'in the wild' surpasses that of the dealerships...this happens where:

1. Cars age out of warranty coverage.

2. Cars age and people with more car skills than money begin to acquire the car.

Both these things drive the discovery of cheap fixes and cheap diagnostics...the old dealer path of "pull codes, run tests, replace parts' is fine when everyone has BMWNA paying the bills. But once it is self pay, DIYers are driven to more ingenious solutions.

An odd thing happens too: many owners believe that the dealer (or the indy) maintains the very best temple of knowledge on these cars. They cannot believe that there is an online community with better info. Indeed, the dealer and indys may be convinced that they ARE better...but they aren't, all the time.

We will, over time with the E70, collect this odd assortment of "you see this, that is caused by that' scenarios...imo this is one of them.

[Lubehead]

And ard, aside from the opinion seeking, that's primarily why I posted my experience, as it was a rare opportunity to share my experience as this is what these forums are all about in my opinion.

[ard]

Thanks.

[3Series]

I was just in a similar situation. I decided to sell the X5 and get a new car. I bought a 2014 MDX to replace the X5 as our family hauler.

Does the MDX drive better than the F15, no, but it's fairly close and I'll get used to the MDX driving dynamics, or my wife will.. However the MDX interior room is head and shoulders above the X5 when you have car seat kids in the back, a need for a third row and cargo space for strollers....

I didn't want to spend thousands again this year replacing air springs, valve cover gasket, vanos solenoids and the AC evaporator.

Mostly, I just wanted a new car so I wouldn't have to deal with any repairs paying out of pocket and time wasted going back and forth to my indie.

Life was simpler when I had all the time in the world to DIY and/or make multiple visits to my trusted indie and "sport shop" for parts.

[Lubehead]

When I picked up the car at the dealer it was late in the day and I noticed a diesel exhaust smell which I dismissed. After retrieving it from the indie I noticed it was still there. Since there was no smell until after the EGR valve was replaced by the dealer, I brought it back to the them. Today he says the EGR cooler is causing the smell and it it will be $1500 to repair. I asked how it could fail at the exact time as the EGR valve and he said they are totally non related.

This "coincidence" seems to me quite a stretch!