New M3 owner - Being Proactive

[jake181]

Hi guys,

Im from the UK and have just bought a 2011 BMW M3. Its my dream car and I'm loving it!

The car has a full BMW service history, with extended BMW warranty and has covered 54k miles.

I have done my research into the main problems these cars face, the top issues appear to be the throttle actuators which I'm not too worried about and rod bearings which I am worried about. I have the extended warranty which gives me piece of mind but I am wondering if there is anything I should be doing to be proactive when it comes to the rod bearings. Should I have oil analysis done? New bearings installed? etc, or should I just enjoy the car, and if it starts making noises/symptoms then take it to BMW and have them investigate it as I will be covered by warranty?

Thanks for any advice

Jake

[Jobe.]

Originally Posted by jake181

Hi guys,

Im from the UK and have just bought a 2011 BMW M3. Its my dream car and I'm loving it!

The car has a full BMW service history, with extended BMW warranty and has covered 54k miles.

I have done my research into the main problems these cars face, the top issues appear to be the throttle actuators which I'm not too worried about and rod bearings which I am worried about. I have the extended warranty which gives me piece of mind but I am wondering if there is anything I should be doing to be proactive when it comes to the rod bearings. Should I have oil analysis done? New bearings installed? etc, or should I just enjoy the car, and if it starts making noises/symptoms then take it to BMW and have them investigate it as I will be covered by warranty?

Thanks for any advice

Jake

Congrats on your purchase!

Due to BMW changing the bearing material an oil analysis will not reveal the true condition of the bearings.

Have you researched your warranty to make sure it will cover you in the event that you need an engine? Some warranty companies put holes in the contract that do not cover certain circumstances. If you're covered do not worry about it...just enjoy ownership.

[r0cketm0nkey]

PSA: It's "peace" of mind. I can't give you another piece of your brain.

Back on topic: Congrats! Yes the rod bearings are probably the worst of the worst. At your mileage, normally one would go through the bearings upgrade. However you do have warranty, and it should cover such cases, provided you don't plan to modify your car and give the dealership excuses to make your ownership miserable. Drive it like hell, so if it blows before warranty is over, you can replace the engine and be on with it.

You should also be aware of paint peeling off the valve covers. It's not significant mechanically but it's quite the eyesore. There are also some discussion on how the main bearing could also be an issue...but I feel like it's not as big a problem as some make it out to be. Compared to rod bearings, the chances of an issue with the main bearing is far lower.

[Mvy]

The one thing I would recommend it dont follow the BMW oil change interval, they are way too long. 6k-9k miles max then change the oil. It cant hurt and if the OCI has any bearing on bearings, its worth the peace of mind.

[jake181]

Thank you for all your replies, I have a bmw comprehensive extended warranty which I believe covers me for failure of any component that is not part of normal maintenance. Thank you for the advice on additional oil changes, I think I will do this, The receipts show an average oil change interval of 16k miles, which seems very long!

As for valve cover paint peeling, is there anything that can be done to prevent this? I’ll have a look at the condition of mine later

Thanks!

Jake

[tlow98]

Originally Posted by r0cketm0nkey

PSA: It's "peace" of mind. I can't give you another piece of your brain.

Back on topic: Congrats! Yes the rod bearings are probably the worst of the worst. At your mileage, normally one would go through the bearings upgrade. However you do have warranty, and it should cover such cases, provided you don't plan to modify your car and give the dealership excuses to make your ownership miserable. Drive it like hell, so if it blows before warranty is over, you can replace the engine and be on with it.

You should also be aware of paint peeling off the valve covers. It's not significant mechanically but it's quite the eyesore. There are also some discussion on how the main bearing could also be an issue...but I feel like it's not as big a problem as some make it out to be. Compared to rod bearings, the chances of an issue with the main bearing is far lower.

Originally Posted by Mvy

The one thing I would recommend it dont follow the BMW oil change interval, they are way too long. 6k-9k miles max then change the oil. It cant hurt and if the OCI has any bearing on bearings, its worth the piece of mind.