Six Months In--Owner's Experience

[WAKman]

As of this week, I've owned my 2008 E92 DCT for six months. Frankly, I'm surprised it's been this long, since I still get a little thrill every time I stumble out to the garage in the mornings and turn the key (well, OK, push the start button). And, my car is a daily driver--I've put 9000 mies on it in the time I've owned it--so I use it for death slogs up and down Seattle's horrible congested freeways far more than for weekend flings in the countryside. Regardless of how I use it, the allure of that V8 purring like a big old fat tabby cat, then shrieking when I twist its tail, always lifts my spirits. After many years and over seventy cars owned, I can say it's one of my two or three favorite cars ever.

Before I bought the car, I negotiated with the dealer to pick up the labor on the rod bearings; I paid for the parts. I also proactively replaced the gears in the TBAs, though I discovered that the TBAs in the car had 2014 dates on them, so someone else had already addressed the issue. Since I did the work myself, and even the 2014 gears showed wear, I was glad to have done it. All it cost was the price of the new gears and a couple of leisurely hours working on the masterpiece under the hood.

A month after I brought it home, I noticed some oil on the garage floor under the front of the engine. I took it back to the guy who had done the rod bearings, thinking it may have a bad oil pan seal, but it was the front main seal. I had the guy do the work, together with replacing the fluid and pan in the DCT (the pan was leaking). The total bill was $1800. Not cheap, and I could have done it myself, but sometimes I'm happy to just let a pro do it.

So far that's it. The car is beautiful, comfortable, a great handler and crazy fast. I especially love the car/human interfaces: the incredible seats, the firm and easily modulated brake pedal, and the perfect steering wheel. Overall, a stunner. I also think, sadly, that it represents the last of a breed we will never see the likes of again.

So glad I got one.

Terry
2008 IB M3
86,000 miles

[SeattleLSB]

Welcome! Just picked up my 2011 E90 M3 on Friday. I'm coming form an E46 M3 and located in Seattle as well.

Traffic does indeed suck but it's worth it! Who did the rod bearings for you? How did yours look when you had them replaced?

I agree with you so much about the dying breed. I drove so many different cars, the turbo cars just do nothing for me! I just have to decide if I am going to sell the E46 M3 or keep both!

Joe

[MPower7]

Congrats, which rod bearings and bolts did you decide to go with?

[Helmsman]

Lovely morning post Terry. Thrilled in the morning after 6 month is a totally normal diagnosis mate. Same here after 4 years ownership and daily useage.

[Foggins]

What a great read, thanks for sharing.

[zipper228]

tabby cat/tail twisting is a great image haha, nicely done

[carenthuziast]

Are the new gears plastic like oem or are there more durable aftermarket metal gears?

[HomoPirate]

Great review.

[WAKman]

Originally Posted by MPower7

Congrats, which rod bearings and bolts did you decide to go with?

I went with BE Bearings and ARP hardware. The ones that came out looked pretty good, even at 77K miles. Nice even wear. The shop that did the work was DMI Automotive in Ballard. It's a one-man shop that was just started by Dmitry Veclev, who previously was a tech at BMW Seattle before striking out on his own. Dmitry actually remembered the car from his time at BMW Seattle, and vouched that it had been well-maintained. That was pretty cool.

Terry

[MPower7]

Originally Posted by WAKman

I went with BE Bearings and ARP hardware. The ones that came out looked pretty good, even at 77K miles. Nice even wear. The shop that did the work was DMI Automotive in Ballard. It's a one-man shop that was just started by Dmitry Veclev, who previously was a tech at BMW Seattle before striking out on his own. Dmitry actually remembered the car from his time at BMW Seattle, and vouched that it had been well-maintained. That was pretty cool.

Terry

I went with BE bearings as well. And the BE designed ARP Bolts. looking to knock this out early january. Knock on wood until then, I have 55,000k

[akkando]

Originally Posted by MPower7

I went with BE bearings as well. And the BE designed ARP Bolts. looking to knock this out early january. Knock on wood until then, I have 55,000k

I am pretty ignorant when it comes to the e9x m3s. Do these aftermarket rod bearings have the same problems as the OEM or are they a different size with larger tolerance than the OEM?

[MPower7]

Originally Posted by akkando

I am pretty ignorant when it comes to the e9x m3s. Do these aftermarket rod bearings have the same problems as the OEM or are they a different size with larger tolerance than the OEM?

These bearings are supposed to help eliminate the problem by increasing the clearance. Long story short no one knows if this will help. I believe only one set up BE have been pulled after only 5000k, they showed no wear but again only 5k.

https://www.bebearings.com/

There are other manufactures of bearings, VAC, WPC to name a few.

[WAKman]

Originally Posted by carenthuziast

Are the new gears plastic like oem or are there more durable aftermarket metal gears?

Mine were some sort of plastic. I don't recall the manufacturer, but it was one of the one mentioned in one of the TBA threads on this site. I think the larger gear, which meshes with a smaller metal one, needs to be some sort of plastic so it's "sacrificial;" i.e., wears away. If both were metal, the inevitable metal flakes that came off during use would cause binding. At least I think that's the reason they make them of plastic. The problem was that instead of using durable plastic, BMW evidently chose to make them our of Cheez-Wiz.

Terry

[nydog]

Nice review Terry.

It will be 2 years in March that I've owned my e92 M. I have a R53 Mini Cooper S as well so I try to not drive the M every day, but that's not easy for exactly the reasons you mentioned. Pulling the cover off, starting her up and running through the gears are still very pleasurable nearly 2 years in.

[Transfer]

Nice read and glad you're enjoying your M. Seattle can be a rough place for a car enthusiast and driving here including a daily stoplight commute was one of the reasons I got rid of my E90 M3. Now I have an 85% highway commute and want my M car back!

[PACarGuy]

Great write up. 6 months in for me as well and loving every time I get to drive her, which is daily. Alas my commute is relatively short so I've only put <3K miles on her so far (at about 56K miles now), but those miles are always a thrill.

Had one TA replaced by BMW under emissions warranty in October. Still have another 1.5 years left (or 14K miles) for the other one to go.
Debating doing rod bearings early next year but haven't decided yet. May wait until I get to 60K.