If this had happened to me, I would have gone ballistic when they blew my engine. If I calmed down enough to hear their original plan I would have called BMWUSA that same day. If somehow I managed to get to where you are now and I saw my X5 sitting outside with a flat tire, regardless if it wasn't garage at home, if there is something beyond ballistic that would be me. If you can garage your X it would be on a flatbed today, headed to my house or immediately in a safe indoor place at the dealer, no exception. If you are not comfortable demanding what is only reasonable than call your attorney now and have him deal with the dealer and BMWUSA. This is absolutely ridiculous and shameful treatment of a customer. It is way past time that you give them an ultimatum, a drop dead date, after which you will file suit against the dealer and BMWUSA if you don't have your X back in a condition that meets you approval. In the meantime, you will be dealing with my attorney. I will no longer accept you lack of consideration and urgency. If you don't think or want your attorney to take it over you should still give them a drop dead date.

I'm not sure it/what they gave you to drive but if it is compromising to you I would immediately demand what you feel is acceptable to you. They can make a set up a new demo for you to drive easily enough.

I have dealt with product coming from overseas for many years and very seldom had significant delays due to customs.

I can't believe they don't have the capability to get the engine through customs in a timely fashion they must deal with customs on a daily basis.

If they can't change the oil without blowing your engine it is not likely they could figure out how to fit a 2014 5.0 but at least that could be shipped from the US plant. May not sound as good but that would be lots of goodies.

I am trying to figure out, what is wrong with the customs procedure??? The BMW AG ships sh!tload of engines and transmissions from Germany (see origin content on Z and X) to South Carolina to get the X and Z out the assembly plant. Why would THIS engine shipment be any different??? if it is a brand new engine, it is crated and shipped just like any OTHER brand new engine. I think that somebody is feeding you a line of crap as they think that you can't call them on their bluff.

the engine (if there is one to be shipped) may have not been shipped, may have not been authorised to be shipped, may have not been manufacturered (BMW AG stopped making brand new N62s that are fittable to the E53s, it is like demanding that BMW assembles a brand new E53)... I think, it is a unicorn that they are feeding you , while trying to figure out what to REALLY do in your situation.

4 months of lost usage, 4 months of payment on the car note (if you are paying for it), 4 months your property is in poorly handled custody of a dealer...

Demand to see the Bill of Lading for the engine shipment, ask for the engine serial number, ask for which vessel the engine is loaded onto, ask which port of entry the engine is at - those are specific questions aimed not to give you the engine serial (who cares about it!!) but to force the debils to give you the real answers... Those numbers, the Bill of lading, the serial number, the vessel - are concrete numbers, that can't be just made up, as they are verifyable... If there is a real engine out there, really in transit, all of those things are easily available... if there is nothing - you get further runaround about those things...

I have shipped a few things across oceans, and there websites that you can track containers on the boats and everything in between, just like a fedex shipment...

OMG! 4 months without your 4.8? I've got God given patience but, holy crap! Last year when mine got rear ended and taken to a body shop for 4 weeks and being without drove me insane! I was virtually up their a$$ daily for a progress report and having to drive a rental that was a 4 banger to boot!

Lawyer up if you haven't already and see how quickly things fall into place!

Good luck bro!

I think T is onto something here, I don't believe they have a new crated engine from Germany because I don't believe those are still in production, more than likely they are trying to source you a rebuilt or refurbished engine from somewhere overseas and are having problems, hangups, etc, and keep feeding you a line of bs.

The fact that you haven't gotten an attorney involved astounds me. Ever notice how things get done faster and to your satisfaction once litigation is involved? My wife got burned by a Pottery Barn glass beverage container which was intended for making fresh tea, well the idiots at that company decided not to tell the factory in China to make sure it was made with tempered glass, and the jar burst into a million pieces first time she filled it with boiling water. Minor burns on her legs and a few phone calls to Pottery Barn did basically nothing, all she wanted was a refund for the jar and for them to change the manufacture to tempered glass, they couldn't even give her the refund without getting "regional manager approval" since it was a gift from our wedding registry. Long story short a family friend is an attorney and decided to make a few phone calls, they are now "in talks" with the attorney to figure out a resolution quickly.


I'll call them out on their bluff and believe a brand new manufactured N62 4.8is engine from Germany in crate when I see it, there has to at least be other things in the shipment besides the engine? They make it seem like the engine is the only thing being held back?

The Most Remarkable 'Repair' Thread Continues...
Hopefully, someone from BMW NA, above summer intern level, is reading this.

I agree with the bs level of 'engine in customs', and the product in process is very easy to track, by a caring dealer.

Dealer Mgmt/ownership is either not aware of the situ, or does not give a flying fook, or they are using this situ for after hours hilarity at the local watering hole.

The flat tire/dead batt are simply icing on the dog poop.

Reading this 15 page thread, I would have real concerns that the dlr is really capable of properly installing the 'new' engine, (and all its ancillary electronics/hoses/connections, et al), if/when the 'new' engine shows up.

I would find the best ambulance chaser-deficient product/service barrister in my county or state and move it up a serious notch.
GL, mD

Wow... I would have lost it if the dealer did that to my X5....

I'd wager your old motor is off somewhere in a dark corner of some garage being rebuilt....it will be their last play as a way to get you back in the sav sooner. I ship entire yachts back and forth overseas, owner's supply, tenders, TV's, all sorts of "stuff" and rarely have customs issues and we are a small potatoes company......

At the very least get a lawyer to send the dealership and bmw na a certified letter stating that they now have XX days to bring resolution to your case otherwise you will be forced to pursue legal matters in a court of law.

I once took my X into the dealer and they scrapped a rim on the sidewalk, I made then re-finish ALL of my rims because they "no longer matched"... they took care of me! I am SURE they will take care of you.

Be strong brother!!

It is absurd to think that a manufacturer like BMW would have trouble with bringing in an engine through customs. They have a plant in the US that they must ship a ton of stuff to on a regular basis. I start to think along the lines that they might be trying to rebuild your engine as someone mentioned.

This is enough for them to give you another car. They are really taking the piss on this.

If BMWNA won't step in and have this resolved to your satisfaction in a timely manner, imagine what scandal this would cause if we all post a link to it, on all the bimmers forums.
You sir, deserve a "Patience" Award.