Zee Germans

[Peter]

Just overheard a colleagues telephone conversation with BMW. His car has been in the dealers due to overheating caused by a fan failure. Turns out that the lead time on the part will be another 2 weeks, 3 in total!!This is a brand spanking new 330d. So for all of us of have had TVR problems (myself included) it just demonstrates that things are just as bad with the "Dark side of the Force"

[trefor]

Parts for the girlfriends Audi TT seem to take 3-4 weeks minimum to arrive too.

[Saturn 5]

Peter, I like that "dark side of the force". I shall use that more in converstaion when talking about the enemy

[DIGGA]

Good to hear that all's not perfect with the 'Ultimate Driving Machines'! A mate of mine was invited to a BMW test day at Silverstone, when the last M5 was launched. He was hustling the car through Copse when the engine cut out. The car didn't run again that day - dohh!! Obvously, he never found out what gremlin caused the shut down. I've also heard stories of premature engine re-build on UK cars due to differences in our fuel over the German pump stuff (not sure how true this is). I too love the 'Dark Side' nickname. May the force be with you. Marcus & Ocean Haze Griff 500

[davidd]

The issue with BMW engines was on the 2.8 with differences in the sulphur levels being to blame. Many engines were replaces before they changed the liners to cope. There are horror stories for most makes of cars there is a story about the new water cooled carrera, whereby they have some design issues with the engines and replaced a load on warrenty, never hear about those though do we, not when there are unreliable TVRs to talk about:-)). D.

[hoganscrogan]

I heard about the probs with the watercooled porsche flat sixes - lots was siad on some us message boards. boxster and 911 customers would check their oil and find a milky sludge in there (water had got into the oil) the dealers would remove the engine and stick it in a crate to porsche, whereupon a brand new one would be sent back and refitted. Very effiecient - and hush hush - if I remember rightly a car mag running a 911 had just this problem and fix.

[hoganscrogan]

I heard about the probs with the watercooled porsche flat sixes - lots was siad on some us message boards. boxster and 911 customers would check their oil and find a milky sludge in there (water had got into the oil) the dealers would remove the engine and stick it in a crate to porsche, whereupon a brand new one would be sent back and refitted. Very effiecient - and hush hush - if I remember rightly a car mag running a 911 had just this problem and fix.

[tractorboy]

Im German and I drive a TVR, ..and a Merc.. but only for the shopping.. Its a relief when the Griff breaks down as parts for Mercs are normally on the shelf but at silly money, whereas the Griff parts are left overs on the shelf at slightly less silly money..

[cgibson]

Two of our directors drive 5 series b'mers and they both have had their engines rebuilt - over night by the dealer!! - looks like BM are trying to avoid some serious bad publicity.

[Marshy]

They had some issues with the early V8's. They used a cylinder bore lining made of {something*}, which they'd already used successfully in motorcycle engines. However, one of the by-products of the combustion process, harmlessly burnt away by the higher temperatures in a bike engine, was not in the car. This, it has been said, causes the lining to deteriorate. Lots of early V8s had blocks swapped because of this. One thing I will say is that, if the chatter on the BMW 7 list is anything to go by, there hasn't been any quibbling about a rebuild when a problem has been identified, and the rebuilds happen quickly. Which is nice... {*One thing being nikasil, the other thing being alusil. One's good, one's bad. I forget which is which...} Edited by Marshy on Thursday 26th July 12:03