Man Down! 2008 M3 Rod Bearing Failed

[mr.justinberard]

I just purchased an 2008 E92 Bmw M3 and will be picking it up today so I am looking forward to that. Besides that, before the M3 I just purchased I had a 335i N54 that blew the rod bearing and I had the premier one third party warranty. I took the vehicle to south motors bmw and they called premier one. A couple days later premier one sent an inspector and they completely paid for a refurbished engine for my vehicle. The whole repair was about 10k. I know the M3 engine is almost double that in price but this should help you feel a little more comfortable. Also, I spoke to the dealer and the refurbished engines are never over 36k miles and my 335i had 58k miles so I lucked out! Hope this helps and the best of luck to you. I know how it feels to not have your Bimmer while its in the shop

[IIAp3x]

Originally Posted by mr.justinberard

I just purchased an 2008 E92 Bmw M3 and will be picking it up today so I am looking forward to that. Besides that, before the M3 I just purchased I had a 335i N54 that blew the rod bearing and I had the premier one third party warranty. I took the vehicle to south motors bmw and they called premier one. A couple days later premier one sent an inspector and they completely paid for a refurbished engine for my vehicle. The whole repair was about 10k. I know the M3 engine is almost double that in price but this should help you feel a little more comfortable. Also, I spoke to the dealer and the refurbished engines are never over 36k miles and my 335i had 58k miles so I lucked out! Hope this helps and the best of luck to you. I know how it feels to not have your Bimmer while its in the shop

Was your warranty company Premier Dealer Services?

[IIAp3x]

Update...

Wow so after two weeks of hell, there is finally light in the darkness...

The warranty company has agreed to replace the engine with a used 44k mile engine... At this point, I am exhausted and happy to even hear this...

However, I have also sent in a letter to BMWNA and Sandy Sansing BMW's reps, and they are currently trying to get a goodwill engine replacement and a new motor through corporate BMW... Or to possibly pay the difference... Worse case scenario I get a used engine with new bearings installed as preventative maintenance...

So it appears the Premier Dealer Service's process is pretty stressful, but the warranty company honored their stated coverage's- albeit with a used engine, but an engine nonetheless...

The best advice I can give here is that if you plan on purchasing a warranty through Premier Dealer Services, then follow these rules...

Always perform your cars factory recommended service intervals and do not exceed them even by 1 mile, and have it done at a reputable shop or the dealer... (DO NOT DO YOUR OWN SERVICES)

Keep Every Receipt... I scan and file every service receipt and file them on my pc by date...

Do not mod your car in any way that would void the Factory Warranty- same rules apply with 3rd party, as this will be considered a breach of contract... I had to provide a reason as to why I have lowering springs installed, and I had to send in the documentation of purchase and the product guarantee that the car's suspension and fenders did not have to be modified when it was installed...

If I had not had this documentation proving that the car's factory state was not modified to accommodate the new springs, they would have denied my engine claim... Even though the two are unrelated...

Do not be rude to them on the phone, even when they are bending you over, responding with short, vague answers and coldness throughout the whole process... Trust me, the $8 per hour employee on the other end of the phone can F$%K you worse than anyone else in this type of circumstance... Kill them with kindness, and then throw the phone through the window after you hang up...

This warranty was $2700... Right now, I am glad I spent it...

Victory is not always pretty, but it is victory nonetheless...

I will be drinking the 30yr glen livet tonight to celebrate... hehe...

Man I miss my car terribly...

Thanks for all the support, including Killerfish!

[///M Power-Belgium]

Originally Posted by IIAp3x

Update...

Wow so after two weeks of hell, there is finally light in the darkness...

The warranty company has agreed to replace the engine with a used 44k mile engine... At this point, I am exhausted and happy to even hear this...

However, I have also sent in a letter to BMWNA and Sandy Sansing BMW's reps, and they are currently trying to get a goodwill engine replacement and a new motor through corporate BMW... Or to possibly pay the difference... Worse case scenario I get a used engine with new bearings installed as preventative maintenance...

So it appears the Premier Dealer Service's process is pretty stressful, but the warranty company honored their stated coverage's- albeit with a used engine, but an engine nonetheless...

The best advice I can give here is that if you plan on purchasing a warranty through Premier Dealer Services, then follow these rules...

Always perform your cars factory recommended service intervals and do not exceed them even by 1 mile, and have it done at a reputable shop or the dealer... (DO NOT DO YOUR OWN SERVICES)

Keep Every Receipt... I scan and file every service receipt and file them on my pc by date...

Do not mod your car in any way that would void the Factory Warranty- same rules apply with 3rd party, as this will be considered a breach of contract... I had to provide a reason as to why I have lowering springs installed, and I had to send in the documentation of purchase and the product guarantee that the car's suspension and fenders did not have to be modified when it was installed...

If I had not had this documentation proving that the car's factory state was not modified to accommodate the new springs, they would have denied my engine claim... Even though the two are unrelated...

Do not be rude to them on the phone, even when they are bending you over, responding with short, vague answers and coldness throughout the whole process... Trust me, the $8 per hour employee on the other end of the phone can F$%K you worse than anyone else in this type of circumstance... Kill them with kindness, and then throw the phone through the window after you hang up...

This warranty was $2700... Right now, I am glad I spent it...

Victory is not always pretty, but it is victory nonetheless...

I will be drinking the 30yr glen livet tonight to celebrate... hehe...

Man I miss my car terribly...

Thanks for all the support, including Killerfish!

A warranty serves to replace the broken part (in your situation the S65) with a new part !
And not with a used part (S65) with 44K on it , and you don't even know the history of this engine !
You need a new (rebuilt S65) from BMW , BMW never replace engines with new engines .
In other words you need a rebuilt engine from BMW with 0 miles on it !
Sorry man , but personal I would not celebrate if I heard that I would get a S65 with 44K on it from my warranty that I payed $2700 !?!?!
I would never agree with that....NEVER !

To me it sounds more like you are f@cked up by...
1- BMW.
2- Your warranty.
Oh....man , these days ....WTF is going on in this world ???
Think I need to calm down....Oughhhh......

[Rich150001]

Originally Posted by IIAp3x

Update...

Wow so after two weeks of hell, there is finally light in the darkness...

The warranty company has agreed to replace the engine with a used 44k mile engine... At this point, I am exhausted and happy to even hear this...

However, I have also sent in a letter to BMWNA and Sandy Sansing BMW's reps, and they are currently trying to get a goodwill engine replacement and a new motor through corporate BMW... Or to possibly pay the difference... Worse case scenario I get a used engine with new bearings installed as preventative maintenance...

So it appears the Premier Dealer Service's process is pretty stressful, but the warranty company honored their stated coverage's- albeit with a used engine, but an engine nonetheless...

The best advice I can give here is that if you plan on purchasing a warranty through Premier Dealer Services, then follow these rules...

Always perform your cars factory recommended service intervals and do not exceed them even by 1 mile, and have it done at a reputable shop or the dealer... (DO NOT DO YOUR OWN SERVICES)

Keep Every Receipt... I scan and file every service receipt and file them on my pc by date...

Do not mod your car in any way that would void the Factory Warranty- same rules apply with 3rd party, as this will be considered a breach of contract... I had to provide a reason as to why I have lowering springs installed, and I had to send in the documentation of purchase and the product guarantee that the car's suspension and fenders did not have to be modified when it was installed...

If I had not had this documentation proving that the car's factory state was not modified to accommodate the new springs, they would have denied my engine claim... Even though the two are unrelated...

Do not be rude to them on the phone, even when they are bending you over, responding with short, vague answers and coldness throughout the whole process... Trust me, the $8 per hour employee on the other end of the phone can F$%K you worse than anyone else in this type of circumstance... Kill them with kindness, and then throw the phone through the window after you hang up...

This warranty was $2700... Right now, I am glad I spent it...

Victory is not always pretty, but it is victory nonetheless...

I will be drinking the 30yr glen livet tonight to celebrate... hehe...

Man I miss my car terribly...

Thanks for all the support, including Killerfish!

Thanks for keeping the community informed with the process and your experiences during this stressful time. Glad the engine was replaced, even if it was used. I would hate to be in your situation. This is great information for those who have 3rd party warranties or who are also looking to purchase one (me).

I'm curious though how BMW NA is going to respond to you? As more M3s fall victim to the Rod Bearing issue, I hope that BMW NA does the right thing and looks into recalling rod bearings on M3s as it seems to be an engineering flaw.

I know in the N54 335i world, there was a number of BMW issued recalls/extended warranties for fuel pumps, turbos, etc. Some of the recalls/extended 10 year warranties were the result of a law suit by its owners. I was able to get my turbos replaced as a result on my 335i.

[///M Power-Belgium]

Originally Posted by Rich150001

Thanks for keeping the community informed with the process and your experiences during this stressful time. Glad the engine was replaced, even if it was used. I would hate to be in your situation. This is great information for those who have 3rd party warranties or who are also looking to purchase one (me).

I'm curious though how BMW NA is going to respond to you? As more M3s fall victim to the Rod Bearing issue, I hope that BMW NA does the right thing and looks into recalling rod bearings on M3s as it seems to be an engineering flaw.

I know in the N54 335i world, there was a number of BMW issued recalls/extended warranties for fuel pumps, turbos, etc. Some of the recalls/extended 10 year warranties were the result of a law suit by its owners. I was able to get my turbos replaced as a result on my 335i.

About recalls...
Think it's different with our S65 , because BMW has no fix for the Worldwide BF of the S65..actualy never had in the last 8 years .

[Iyzmi]

What would the reasoning be for BMW NA to provide a new engine for a vehicle purchased used and outside of factory warranty? What did you write in that letter that would prompt them to cover a bill for any repair out of warranty, let alone an engine replacement? I would be astonished if they covered any part of this.

That's great that the warranty company came through though. I would try to fight for a refurb engine but would settle for one of basically the same mileage if that was all I could get.

Now let's get Mr. Optimist back in here to share his thoughts on how you should cancel the warranty anyway...

[jaco]

Great to hear. I have the same warranty with my 2011. Even a used engine is better than 20k out of pocket.

[SuckaGDog]

Good to hear they covered it. I figured it would be a used engine. I would get the bearings replaced on the used engine before installing it. Unless you don't plan on keeping it long term.

Also one thing I would ask them is how much coverage you have remaining after this whole repair. A lot of people forget that third party warranties are actually capped. Most of time they usually are capped to the amount you paid for the car or value of it at the time of purchasing. It should be written in the fine print what their policy is regarding it. That's why in third party warranty contracts most have a spot listing vehicle purchase price or vehicle value.

Originally Posted by ///M Power-Belgium

A warranty serves to replace the broken part (in your situation the S65) with a new part !
And not with a used part (S65) with 44K on it , and you don't even know the history of this engine !
You need a new (rebuilt S65) from BMW , BMW never replace engines with new engines .
In other words you need a rebuilt engine from BMW with 0 miles on it !
Sorry man , but personal I would not celebrate if I heard that I would get a S65 with 44K on it from my warranty that I payed $2700 !?!?!
I would never agree with that....NEVER !

To me it sounds more like you are f@cked up by...
1- BMW.
2- Your warranty.
Oh....man , these days ....WTF is going on in this world ???
Think I need to calm down....Oughhhh......

Third party extended warranties have the right to provide used parts at their discretion. OP came out ahead not having to spend anything out of pocket, except maybe his deductible. I would much rather take a used motor than be stuck footing the entire bill. Every thread I read you always post the same thing lol.

[Grk_M3]

Greetings guys.

Well, my situation is similar. I purchased my 2009 e92 m3 6 months ago.
On the 14 feb i got the dreaded knocking noise and drove straight to my dealer. Well, diagnostics concluded rod bearings. My dealer tried to push it through good will claim as my warranty ended just 12 days prior.

Well here is where the fun part starts. The first owner had his warranty voided due to a over-rev picked up during a service, hence my good will claim getting rejected as bmw says the car was modified to be over-reved. Problem is, when i purchased the car, all quality checks were passed, and work was still done on the car under warranty. Turns out the previous owner has some friends in really high places, and had his warranty re-instated.

Now obviously my dealer and bmw realized their error, but instead of replacing the motor, they offered to get the engine re-built by one of the notorious s65 engine builders in South Africa. Replace the crank and bearings, while blue printing the motor. They splitting the cost down the middle.

Its currently my 3rd month without my baby. Im actually glad my whole ordeal turned out with a rebuilt motor as opposed with a new one, as i know that all the tollerances and parts will be installed with great accuracy.

[Gbyleveldt]

^^^ Tune Tech?

They buy a loooot of cranks for the V8's

[Grk_M3]

Originally Posted by Gbyleveldt

^^^ Tune Tech?

They buy a loooot of cranks for the V8's

Yup thats right.. tune tech. Shawn Sings son is working on my car personally

[IIAp3x]

Originally Posted by ///M Power-Belgium

A warranty serves to replace the broken part (in your situation the S65) with a new part !
And not with a used part (S65) with 44K on it , and you don't even know the history of this engine !
You need a new (rebuilt S65) from BMW , BMW never replace engines with new engines .
In other words you need a rebuilt engine from BMW with 0 miles on it !
Sorry man , but personal I would not celebrate if I heard that I would get a S65 with 44K on it from my warranty that I payed $2700 !?!?!
I would never agree with that....NEVER !

To me it sounds more like you are f@cked up by...
1- BMW.
2- Your warranty.
Oh....man , these days ....WTF is going on in this world ???
Think I need to calm down....Oughhhh......

There's no question that I got F$%Ked, but it could have been so much worse... I have read a few threads of guys having to sell their cars "as is" and losing a lot of money...

Truthfully, I can afford the bearing changes every 50k, but I cant afford a $20k engine... If I had $20k to spend on my car- I could think of other things I would rather purchase- stroker 4.6 motor or a big blower, Dinan stage 3 kit...

I am not saying that I will go down without resistance, as I am first and foremost pushing for a new engine, or for BMWNA to pay the difference...

I am willing to even pitch in a little, if it gets me a new engine...

I will keep you posted...

[Gossypiboma]

I would pay the extra for an oil cooler and lines considering they are going to be full of shavings.

[IIAp3x]

Originally Posted by SuckaGDog

Good to hear they covered it. I figured it would be a used engine. I would get the bearings replaced on the used engine before installing it. Unless you don't plan on keeping it long term.

Also one thing I would ask them is how much coverage you have remaining after this whole repair. A lot of people forget that third party warranties are actually capped. Most of time they usually are capped to the amount you paid for the car or value of it at the time of purchasing. It should be written in the fine print what their policy is regarding it. That's why in third party warranty contracts most have a spot listing vehicle purchase price or vehicle value.


Third party extended warranties have the right to provide used parts at their discretion. OP came out ahead not having to spend anything out of pocket, except maybe his deductible. I would much rather take a used motor than be stuck footing the entire bill. Every thread I read you always post the same thing lol.

In my case, I need to re-phrase something: The warranty cost $2700, but the previous owner actually paid the $2700 for the warranty, and I only had to pay a $150 transfer fee...

But for the individual who is looking to buy this warranty, it is $2700 new...

When I was shopping for an E92 M3, I was actually looking for a 2012 that was still under warranty... The only reason I bought a 2008 was because this car had the exact color combo, trim package, and the same exact tasteful mods that I wanted to do to the car already done... And it had two years left on its extended warranty... I paid a little high for this car because it did have a warranty... So really the owner got extra for the car because the value of the deal came with a solid piece of mind...

So for the person interested in such a warranty, not only is it a piece of mind but it strengthens the resell values to be transferred to the next owner...

In this case, the previous owner won but I also won as well for the piece of mind- that it would offer a fair solution to a major problem such as this... Knowing what we all know about today's car manufacturers- budgets, cheaper materials, greed, hasty engineering, not enough long-term testing, etc.; I think the deal I got was fair by today's standards even though I was hoping for more out of it...

I say enjoy the V8's while we can, as soon we will all be racing around in electric mini cars!

[IIAp3x]

Originally Posted by BigBoosting

I would pay the extra for an oil cooler and lines considering they are going to be full of shavings.

You don't think they can flush them?

[IIAp3x]

Originally Posted by Grk_M3

Greetings guys.

Well, my situation is similar. I purchased my 2009 e92 m3 6 months ago.
On the 14 feb i got the dreaded knocking noise and drove straight to my dealer. Well, diagnostics concluded rod bearings. My dealer tried to push it through good will claim as my warranty ended just 12 days prior.

Well here is where the fun part starts. The first owner had his warranty voided due to a over-rev picked up during a service, hence my good will claim getting rejected as bmw says the car was modified to be over-reved. Problem is, when i purchased the car, all quality checks were passed, and work was still done on the car under warranty. Turns out the previous owner has some friends in really high places, and had his warranty re-instated.

Now obviously my dealer and bmw realized their error, but instead of replacing the motor, they offered to get the engine re-built by one of the notorious s65 engine builders in South Africa. Replace the crank and bearings, while blue printing the motor. They splitting the cost down the middle.

Its currently my 3rd month without my baby. Im actually glad my whole ordeal turned out with a rebuilt motor as opposed with a new one, as i know that all the tollerances and parts will be installed with great accuracy.

Oh man, 3 months! That is way too long... I would have died from depression already! Sorry to hear...

Funny thing is, I never saw a single E92 M3 when I was driving mine a lot here in Pensacola... Now that mine is broke down in the shop I am seeing E92's everywhere driving around... WTF!!! everywhere I look!!

[s85e90]

Originally Posted by IIAp3x

You don't think they can flush them?

I wouldn't take the chance. Cheap insurance to buy new.

[///M Power-Belgium]

Originally Posted by IIAp3x

There's no question that I got F$%Ked, but it could have been so much worse... I have read a few threads of guys having to sell their cars "as is" and losing a lot of money...

Truthfully, I can afford the bearing changes every 50k, but I cant afford a $20k engine... If I had $20k to spend on my car- I could think of other things I would rather purchase- stroker 4.6 motor or a big blower, Dinan stage 3 kit...

I am not saying that I will go down without resistance, as I am first and foremost pushing for a new engine, or for BMWNA to pay the difference...

I am willing to even pitch in a little, if it gets me a new engine...

I will keep you posted...

Thank you , if you keep me posted
Look... my comment was all about "honesty".
I really can't tolerate the feeling that people get screwed by BMW by BF and later with their warranty again .
Because I can feel how people are suffering in such horrible situations...
I really hope for you the most perfect situation to get another S65 .
Look at what I saw today... looks like BF are everywhere => #175 on this page http://www.m3post.com/forums/showthr...1105499&page=8
When others are saying...We say all the time the same thing ,that's because we see it all the time !

[SenorFunkyPants]

Originally Posted by IIAp3x

[...] or for BMWNA to pay the difference...

Why should BMWNA pay for anything? Its a 7 year old car, not bought from BMW and without a BMW extended warranty. It would be great if they extended some goodwill but its a bit of a stretch to expect anything.

[regular guy]

Originally Posted by IIAp3x

You don't think they can flush them?

Let me put it to you this way. After you've had an engine fail like this and an engine full of metal shavings, and you go to build a stroker motor, RD Sport (I'm not sure about Dinan), won't warranty the motor unless you also change the oil pump, oil lines, and oil cooler.

[V1.47fan]

I like your thread title.