oil change goes bad...rear subframe. Randy?? *now with pics*

[2000Z3M]

UPDATE: now w/ pics post 8 and 9

So today when my car was on the lift getting the oil changed I desided to check out the rear subrame. Well needless to say with 120K miles I have 4 poped welds . I went to both BMW $ealerships today and they both want about 2K to fix it . I think that an auto body shop might beable to just re-weld the poped welds and renforce the rest. Any other idea?
Should I send BMWNA a letter?
I won't be installing anything new on my car untill I get this fixed.

UPDATE: now w/ pics post 8 and 9

update 1/8/2005: I just did a car fax and my car is accident free

[CMUZYY]

my customers have call bmw na in new jersey and have gotten their cars fixed, you just must be persisitant

[abtmuda]

Pictures?

[2000Z3M]

Pictures?

Ill post tomorrow when its back on the lift

[osborni]

If BMWNA is going to tell you "No", then make them tell you no.

[2000Z3M]

I also have a crack on my rear diff mount. this sucks. pics will come tomorrow.

[RSPDiver]

Looks like you are commencing your journey through the subframe fix Matrix. I seems like persistance is the key, at least based on the journey of z3power (I think) with the 1.9 Z3 issue. It may be feasible to get more attention out there with the volume of BMW owners, if you bark up the right trees. I say fight it and don't pay jack. Better to have your go-fast mods on a fixed car, anyway.

[JBgotM]

I have been there and gone downat road. I have been documenting my road to approval and now my road to repair. Feel free to use my info.

The BMW dealership will tell yon't be covered. You need to request to have the BMW regional rep to come look at it and go in with all the knowledge you can get. There IS an innnbuliten they know about and will use to apprlve the rirs.u have history of rear end deamage themost likely not cover it. I was able tt approved through persistance, knowledge, and a courtious firmness.

[2000Z3M]

Pictures?

here are 4 pics, more in nest post
under the car



here you can see a crack starting to forum, on the far lest of the mount just under the black hose.

[2000Z3M]

here is the trunk
this shity seam weld is done, there are two parts (one 3 inches and the other 5 inches) that are still holding


I have 8 poped welds and 3 that are about to go in the trunk

[Randy Forbes]

here is the trunk
this shity seam weld is done...

Yep, I've seen that before. If you know a good welder (bodywork/collision repair, not a bridge erector) I've got something that can help you out.

Looks like this when all the dust is settled:

[2000Z3M]

randy,
I guess I need that done.
I'm taking my car to http://www.baybridgemotors.com/ on monday, they are one kick ass shop. I'll show them this to see that they can do. After that my car is parked untill I take it go get fixed.
Chris

[Z3speed4me]

that looks SO familiar...good luck with whatever path you take for the fix

[JBgotM]

Yep, I've seen that before. If you know a good welder (bodywork/collision repair, not a bridge erector) I've got something that can help you out.

Looks like this when all the dust is settled:

Chris - if you are going to do Randy's kit, I'm not sure it would be worth pursuing getting BMW to cover it as most of the repairwork would be part of the installation ofRandy's kit (thats my understanding anyway). But if you are going to do some other kit/method, then it may be worth BMW to repair the damage before geting the work done.

I am having BMW do the work, then later in the year or next year I will have to go in an reinforce it.

[2000Z3M]

JBgotM and z3Speed4me,
Can you PM me to give me an ideal what you tell BMWNA? Should I send them pics?
Chris

[JBgotM]

my vin is LC88588 and I have documented everything I can in my thread.

Repair thread:
http://forums.bimmerforums.com/forum...d.php?t=414054

that covers the repair process. I documented my quest for aproval in the "definative" sticky thread at the top of the Z3 forum.

[2000Z3M]

my vin is LC88588 and I have documented everything I can in my thread.

Repair thread:
http://forums.bimmerforums.com/forum...d.php?t=414054

that covers the repair process. I documented my quest for aproval in the "definative" sticky thread at the top of the Z3 forum.

thanks man, ill have to save that to my thumb drive and show them.

[Randy Forbes]

randy,
I guess I need that done.
I'm taking my car to http://www.baybridgemotors.com/ on monday, they are one kick ass shop. I'll show them this to see that they can do. After that my car is parked untill I take it go get fixed.
Chris

E-mail me for the installation instructions; maybe they'll quote you a price from them...

erandyforbes@aol.com

[2000Z3M]

E-mail me for the installation instructions; maybe they'll quote you a price from them...

erandyforbes@aol.com

e-mail sent

Also

I just reseaved a e-mail from BMWNA, I have to go back and have the dealership take a look at it then I have to e-mail BMWNA back. Im so glad I have the next few days off.
Chris

[AthleticTrainer]

Damn chris.. this aint a plesant view. Hope this can be reimbursed or covered by BMWNA. maybe theres a recall listed somewhere?

[JBgotM]

Damn chris.. this aint a plesant view. Hope this can be reimbursed or covered by BMWNA. maybe theres a recall listed somewhere?

not publicly.

I have now heard from multiple dealerships that there is indeed internal documentation of the problem and the repair proceedure and such, but they are not allowed to give it to customers. I have tried.

[JBgotM]

oh, and the email to BMWNA SHOULD get a response, but mostlikely you will get what everyone else gets. kinda goes like.... "sorry for your luck, thanks for owning a BMW..."

[MoparDan]

update 1/8/2005: I just did a car fax and my car is accident free

[JBgotM]

update 1/8/2005: I just did a car fax and my car is accident free

thats nice if you plan on seelling, but mine says its accident free, and I can show pictures of my accident, and it looks like it was in one before I bought it too.

The dealer sill do their own check and be more thorough than carfax. Don't trust carfax, its been wrong many many times.

[2000Z3M]

Today I went to the dealership to have them look at the popped welds and they wouldn't do it because I did't have an appt yet I was there on friday and they told me to come back so they could do a quick look over. I have an appt on friday at 8:30am, 5 hours after I get off work. This is also the 1st Z3 that they have sen with this problem. They have 6 Z3's on the lot I want to take a look at to see if they have this same problem .

The service guy I talked to said that there is a 99% chanch bmw won't pay to get it fixed. This is because at 120K miles "I have gotten the live out of my car." What type of bullpoop is that? NADA says my car is worth over 24K and kbb 17K what gives. I also told him that they have fixed a car that has 70K on it and if they fix oe with 70K they sould fix one with 120K.

When I go in on friday I'm going to go in with ever VIN that has had this problem becuase they said this is not a common issue . If they don't fix this I will NEVER buy a bmw again.

I should bring up the fact that an 2001 S54 motor might some how last 130K and see if what they would do in that case.

I think I need to get the BMW rep in the shop on friday.

Chris

PS: JBgotM and z3Speed4me can you let me know what dealership you got your car fixed at so this way I can have the dealership here give them a call on how to fix my car. And JBgotM did you have you car all moded up when you brought it in?