Hi, new guy here. Has anyone else blown their motor? I was delivering my dad's 850i to a pier to get shippped to Hawaii and the car felt like it was going to die and it just died all of a sudden. I was told that I blew a head gasket :eek:.

I'm getting a new motor installed right now with 180K miles on it (my car now). The original motor had 220K miles on it. Costing me a little over $9K so far, but that includes a new clutch assembly. What do you guys think? There was a motor in Maryland with about 80K on it, but they didn't deliver. I live in the Central Valley, CA.

you paid $9k for a "new" used 180,000 mile motor???

The deal with used V12's is that unless you see the car that they are being taken out of, you have no way of knowing the "true" mileage and condition. There are several V12's out there with alot less mileage for a fairly decent price. I have one with approx. 70,000 miles that cost me $1500. Research before purchase really does pay off.

Actually, the motor was $3,500 and installed with a new clutch assembly came out to a little over $9K.

I have one with approx. 70,000 miles that cost me $1500. Research before purchase really does pay off.

Where did you get the motor anyways? The owner of the shop that's installing my motor looked like he had some sort of BMW motor registry that showed BMW 850 motors for sale in the US. I wonder if anyone can access that site.

you are being fed a line of BS about an 850 "motor registry".
I got my engines from the following places:

44,000 mile from AutobahnSport in Portland, OR for $2500
70,000 mile motor from a complete parts car ($1500 from auto auction)- the rest of the car paid for the engine, so basically it was free.
...and you paid $3500 ($1000 more than me) for one with over 4 times the mileage! I would be talkking to that boy right about now for that rape!

Pleas elet us know the shop that performed this "quality" work, so no one else falls into the trap.

Is it Father's Day today?!

Ouch, I do feel kinda violated! If you can find a motor currently selling for less miles and less money than what I have, you'll probably read about me on the next morning's paper, "Man goes ballistic and shoots everyone dead at a BMW repair shop..."

Ouch, I do feel kinda violated! If you can find a motor currently selling for less miles and less money than what I have, you'll probably read about me on the next morning's paper, "Man goes ballistic and shoots everyone dead at a BMW repair shop..."

try this:
http://cgi.ebay.com/ebaymotors/1989-BMW-v12-Engine_W0QQcmdZViewItemQQcategoryZ33615QQihZ005QQi temZ150249713222QQrdZ1QQsspagenameZWDVW (http://rover.ebay.com/rover/1/711-53200-19255-0/1?type=3&campid=5335818596&toolid=10001&mpre=http%3A%2F%2Fcgi.ebay.com%2Febaymotors%2F1989-BMW-v12-Engine_W0QQcmdZViewItemQQcategoryZ33615QQihZ005QQi temZ150249713222QQrdZ1QQsspagenameZWDVW)

90,000 miles - very clean $2,300 or best offer. This engine has a few nice things: polished intakes, etc...

ummm...I think someones trying to find out what to sell a engine for..lol
I think I just bought a engine from ya for $500 bucks and you're just now checking if you made a bad deal?

... :X. *speechless*

Why replace an entire engine if you "think" you only blew a headgasket? The symptoms you describe don't sound like a headgasket failure to me.

The car died on my when I was stopped at a stop light. I think what they told me was the head gasket blew and I kept on driving it until the car overheated and damaged the engine. I never saw smoke or anything to alert me to stop. I think I seized the engine so it was not salvagable.

Funny thing was it just came from the shop for servicing and was told that no one ever knows when the gasket is going to go. Oh well, as soon as I get it back I'll be selling it right away. My dad gave it to me when the engine blew.

I figured, about $9K investment out of my pocket, maybe sell it for $15K, a $6K profit. It does have new brakes, new clutch, new gaskets, new tires, new engine mounts, new strut/sway bars, and other stuff.

The car died on my when I was stopped at a stop light. I think what they told me was the head gasket blew and I kept on driving it until the car overheated and damaged the engine. I never saw smoke or anything to alert me to stop. I think I seized the engine so it was not salvagable.

Funny thing was it just came from the shop for servicing and was told that no one ever knows when the gasket is going to go. Oh well, as soon as I get it back I'll be selling it right away. My dad gave it to me when the engine blew.

I figured, about $9K investment out of my pocket, maybe sell it for $15K, a $6K profit. It does have new brakes, new clutch, new gaskets, new tires, new engine mounts, new strut/sway bars, and other stuff.

Hate to burst your bubble dude, but that car (with 220,000 miles) with a blown engine (and I ain't talking about a supercharger here) is basically a parts car. You might be able to get $2500 out of it, if you are lucky - sorry, but that is the going rate for something in this condition - been around parts cars long enough...

Hate to burst your bubble dude, but that car (with 220,000 miles) with a blown engine (and I ain't talking about a supercharger here) is basically a parts car. You might be able to get $2500 out of it, if you are lucky - sorry, but that is the going rate for something in this condition - been around parts cars long enough...

I think you misunderstood - the car will have a running motor in it. I bought a motor with 180K miles and it will be put into the car. The compression has been checked and will have a 3 month warranty on the motor.

I was told that the car was only worth about $1,500 with the blown motor. I figured it'll be a good investment to put a motor in it and sell it for a profit. It will pay for my Roth IRA for 2008 and the .458 SOCOM rifle I just bought.

I think you're misunderstanding...

even so, with a 180,000 mile motor you won't break the $10,000 mark. A 1991 with 90,000 - 120,000 miles barely brings in that much. But good luck anyway.

You do realize that parted out, that car is worth the $15,000 that you are trying to get, but it is over a longer period of time - been there done that several times.

You are dropping $9000 into it only to get maybe $10,000 out - not a good return since you have to figure in the initial cost or value of the car before the motor died.

Part it out - that's where you will get a "return on investment"

Part it out - that's where you will get a "return on investment"

+1

+1

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I appreciate all the input. I don't really want to have to part out a perfectly good running car, but if that's what it takes to get a higher return, that's what I might have to do.

Before I do that, I'll put my marketing skills to work and hopefully get the ROI I'm looking for. I don't hang on to any "weekend" cars for longer than a year and have consistently sold them at least $2K over retail blue book.

This is a different situation though - I didn't buy this car; my dad gave it to me. I guess we'll see how much it goes for despite the economy and market forces going against my favor...

percectly running car?
i thought you wrote that the engine is a goner...

I'm getting a new motor installed right now with 180K miles on it (my car now).

Currently in the shop getting another motor installed with 180K miles. I was supposed to get it this Friday, but will get it sometime next week; waiting for a part.

I bought the motor closest to my location. I'm thinking I should have waited and looked for one with less miles, but it's to late to cry about it now. I'll unload it to the highest offer I get when I have it prepped for sale.

selling her in good shape and all recored and super clean is the best you can do now,
since you are past the point of no return.
good luck