Bought an old BMW M3, filled with regret...

mrk · 7 Jan 2016 at 18:25

I'm sticking with the Eventuri combo so no need for that

Keep MAF, and just the Eventuri optimised map instead. Should be ~392Nm torque and ~362BHP.

Update on the car today.

The boot floor is making good progress. Just a few bits left on it and then to finish it to look like new again. The bumper is here and underside components will arrive tomorrow (big heat shield, supporting trim bits, exhaust hanger brackets etc). Over the weekend the fit and finish of joins and panels will be seen to. Early next week the car will be prepped for full respray. Another day to put everything back together and it's ready for collection.

The cost for the underside components between exhaust, boot floor and bumper came to £870. All genuine BMW parts.

The Jeep was dropped off this evening, apparently I will be the last person to drive it as a hire car as Enterprise are selling it off.

This is the hire cost rundown to Admiral:

^I drove the Insignia 1 mile before doing a U turn and getting the Jeep back. It was that dire. The E Class was being charged at £75 a day I was told.

Dave85 said:
Stop it mrk im struggling. Must resist purchase of awesome carbon air box...

#SorryNotSorry

badgeruk · 7 Jan 2016 at 18:57

I didn't get a delivery confirmation tonight so looks like mine won't turn up tomorrow

Dis86 · 7 Jan 2016 at 19:24

Mrk, time to update that sig I reckon...

mrk · 7 Jan 2016 at 19:41

Only when everything is back together :cool:

Edit* More fitting now!

badgeruk said:
I didn't get a delivery confirmation tonight so looks like mine won't turn up tomorrow

Good things come to those who wait

Dis86 · 7 Jan 2016 at 20:02

Aye much better now. We'll see that smile back soon though!

mrk · 7 Jan 2016 at 20:36

This is what the car will sound like with the Eventuri installed:

Quite fruity no?

And on the Z4M (for Badger

):

panthro · 7 Jan 2016 at 22:12

mrk said:
I'm sticking with the Eventuri combo so no need for that Keep MAF, and just the Eventuri optimised map instead. Should be ~392Nm torque and ~362BHP.

I know, but just explaining that you don't need to go down the Alpha N route like a lot of people would have you believe.

P.B · 7 Jan 2016 at 22:19

Need a video of the noise when its done

mrk · 8 Jan 2016 at 09:00

Of course

grudas · 8 Jan 2016 at 11:48

do like the sound!

badgeruk · 8 Jan 2016 at 12:45

Well I just got a reply back to the email I sent on Monday from BMW about whether I could take out the extended warranty with this part fitted, the answer is a no apparently. This is completely different to the phone call I had with them on Tuesday where I was told that it was fine and the warranty would stand unless BMW could prove this part caused the issue.

No idea whether I will install the part or send it back now

mrk · 8 Jan 2016 at 13:17

I'd get some written confirmation from them, it's an airbox so I can't see how it could cause an issue!

Good news on my car though. The replacement panel arrived from BMW and it actually is one whole panel on the outline I noted above in the photo but actually spans a bit lower too around the 2 areas the bumper bolts onto. So the initial plan was to do the standard cut and weld job but as this panl is a whole anyway, the damaged one can be un-stitched and the new one attached on.

A bit more work involved as mentioned above but he said he'd rather do it this way as it makes more sense in this job since the whole panel fits at the factory stitch seams anyway.

Calming news for pepsilol

badgeruk · 8 Jan 2016 at 13:21

mrk said:
I'd get some written confirmation from them, it's an airbox so I can't see how it could cause an issue!

That's what the first guy said ( and the Z4 forums mostly), I guess I could always fit the part and take the warranty out and just replace the part with the OEM one if I ever need to, it doesn't look it its hard to fit/remove.

As My part wont be here today ill most likely book it in for what I think is its oil service next week (2k or so early), and get them to check it out fix anything I can think of under my current warranty then fit the part and go from there.

And that is good news about your car

Edit: Just thought, i already have an aftermarket radio and going of what they have said that would void both my current and future warranty, in this and my last car and they covered stuff. Bloody confusing mess this is.

pepsilol · 8 Jan 2016 at 14:18

mrk said:
Calming news for pepsilol

Just goes to show I know what I am talking about

mrk · 8 Jan 2016 at 16:44

pepsilol said:
Just goes to show I know what I am talking about

Well both methods are correct, just so happens in my case the panel as a whole piece is so small it turned out to be logical to just replace it entirely

badgeruk said:
That's what the first guy said ( and the Z4 forums mostly), I guess I could always fit the part and take the warranty out and just replace the part with the OEM one if I ever need to, it doesn't look it its hard to fit/remove.

As My part wont be here today ill most likely book it in for what I think is its oil service next week (2k or so early), and get them to check it out fix anything I can think of under my current warranty then fit the part and go from there.

And that is good news about your car

Edit: Just thought, i already have an aftermarket radio and going of what they have said that would void both my current and future warranty, in this and my last car and they covered stuff. Bloody confusing mess this is.

If they've covered with an aftermarket stereo then I'd think so too! But the airbox is a 45~ min job to install so not a major deal top put back to stock I suppose either.

sigma · 8 Jan 2016 at 20:27

I'm surprised (especially given your attention to detail) that you think the cut and weld job is no different to replacing the whole panel!

mrk said:
Nope, no subframe/chassis/alignment issues. BMW did a full check during their estimation and gave it the all clear. There is no damage beyond the first boot floor panel.

Agree with the comments about not trusting BMW to do this.

When I was reading up about this it was mentioned that you really do need to look very closely. I'd be asking your guy to have a proper look as it's not so easy to spot hair line cracks.

mrk · 8 Jan 2016 at 21:03

sigma said:
I'm surprised (especially given your attention to detail) that you think the cut and weld job is no different to replacing the whole panel!

Agree with the comments about not trusting BMW to do this.

When I was reading up about this it was mentioned that you really do need to look very closely. I'd be asking your guy to have a proper look as it's not so easy to spot hair line cracks.

In the context that cut and weld in this type of repair makes visually no difference to the end result and makes absolutely no difference to the function of that part. Going back to the rear wings, if a car has those repaired then the new wing panel welded on, flattened and then prepped and sprayed results in a wing that's as good as new again.

As has been mentioned plenty of times already, it's a type of repair that bodyshops do all the time and is considered normal.

As for the subframe, yeah I've done all my research on it already and BMW have inspected the car twice in my ownership as well as ETA Motorsport. ETA's outlook on it is that subframe cracks do happen often, but it's a complete lottery. They have had cars in with 6 digit mileage with no cracks and cars just used on track with no cracks, yet low milers with them!

I think I just got lucky with mine, but in the future if cracks do appear I'll just get ETA to do the job. I planned to get ETA to inspect it at least once a year anyway as I travel to that area multiple times every few months.

pepsilol · 8 Jan 2016 at 21:04

mrk said:
Well both methods are correct, just so happens in my case the panel as a whole piece is so small it turned out to be logical to just replace it entirely

My biggest question is, why did BMW not know this? Some chap clearly just browsed at your car and came up with a figure as there are far too many inconsistencies.

mrk · 8 Jan 2016 at 21:12

pepsilol said:
My biggest question is, why did BMW not know this? Some chap clearly just browsed at your car and came up with a figure as there are far too many inconsistencies.

BMW probably would have too once they started to work on the panels.Although they did say the rear was stripped down.

But that adds another question. Had BMW accepted a contract repair with Admiral, that would have been final, if they realised they could just replace the panel entirely which would require a little more time, then that would have to be billed. As it would have been a contract repair, they could not bill that amount to Admiral any more, so I'd be footing that extra time or just allowing them to cut and weld. My guy isn't charging me extra for this.

BMW also said my exhaust needed replacing as it was bent. The exhaust actually is not bent and only the carrier hangers/brackets were. My old exhaust can go on eBay for £100-£150 as the replacement I bought is cosmetically in a newer condition due to having covered far fewer miles.

This has indeed made me question a few things BMW stated needed "replacing".

At least it's being sorted fully now and at a place where I can pop in any time and see how it's all shaping (heh) up and take pictures.

mrk · 10 Jan 2016 at 14:17

M3 update.

Things are going well and according to plan. A few more panel bits needed to be ordered. The rear end is made up of more parts than I imagined. I won't actually be pocketing as much cash as I thought, more like 2-3k now. Ah well, I have opted for only genuine parts and new where logical. Even still, he's not charging me much more than the trade price he gets them in. Just the sum of all parts is just high really. It is what it is.

The final finishing to the panels will happen tomorrow. The panel itself was stitched and welded on late last night. one of the mechs was smoothing everything over the seams.

The boot lid is installed too, there are no panel gaps or alignment issues. All looking great.

Pics:

^ That line you see below the light cluster area, that's the OEM stitch seam, the panel stitch runs all along this behind where the bumper would sit. That's the stretch of the entire panel.

The bumper is made up of plastic and carbon fibre, the crash panel behind it is a composite foam/CF thing. Pretty neat seeing the bare carbon fibre weave on the underside. Can see why even a used one is nearly £200 in complete form.