Engine Rebuild / Install shop in Mid-Atlantic?

[MLynch357]

Just over a year ago, I was driving through South Carolina in my 2010 E90 BMW M3 base model sedan when I came upon a small bridge over a drainage ditch that had a really significant rise to it. Just as I crested the apex of the bridge I saw something on the road. I had no time to react, a guardrail on my right, a car on my left and actruck barreling down on me from behind. Could I clear it? Was it just cardboard? No and f*ck no! It was a huge piece of some masonry crap that had fallen off a truck. I drove over it, tearing the fluid reservoirs off the bottom of the car, sending a poof of smoke out the exhaust and setting off every alarm on the dash. Worse, there was absolutely no safe place to pull over until the Jehovah's Witness hall a mile down the road. Even worse, I had an MRI scheduled the next day in DC that I had to get home for (long story but rescheduling wasn't an option). So, the insurance company gave us a car so we could get home and towed the M3 to Caliber Collision who said "ummm...what are we supposed to do with this?" Over the ensuing weeks, the car finally made it to the local BMW dealer who pronounced the engine "blown" a diagnosis which my mechanic found plausible over the phone given the extent of operation after complete oil pressure loss.

The solution was to settle with the insurance company and have BMW send a new engine to be installed. I did this out of nostalgia for the car (manual trans, naturally-aspirated V-8, only 50k miles, etc.) A year later, BMW has sent either 3 or 4 wrong engines to the dealership, one of which was installed and the car driven until the air conditioner compressor pulley blew up because the pulley on the engine spun the wrong direction. At this point, I'm pretty confident BMW is not going to come through with the correct engine.

I may work a settlement with BMW / dealer and just get out of it. The other option would be to install a rebuilt engine...but who and where? I have zero bandwidth to DIY this. I see engines on eBay, but it seems like a million miles from an ad on eBay to a repaired car? I also don't want to play Gumby between an engine supplier who says the engine is right and a shop that says it's not...especially since BMW and their dealer can't seem to get the right engine into this car. In fairness to the dealer, their experience is based on new-model cars and this is a 10+ year-old product line. Any thoughts or recommendations on whether to try this and with whom? I could probably do this anywhere in the Carolinas or maybe better to have it shipped to DC / MD / VA? The dealer will only install a new engine and my mechanic didn't seem enthused about wading into this project. Thanks!

[exVtekGuy]

Hello friend. I'm sorry to hear about your troubles!! You should post this in mid Atlantic forum. There are many reputable shops in DC area. Many in Virginia have given good feedback on RRT and GT Peace. Best of luck!

[MLynch357]

OK, thanks! I'll do that...

[serranot]

I use RRT. Great shop.