Announcement

Collapse
No announcement yet.

Bearing shells Failure!

Collapse
X
 
  • Filter
  • Time
  • Show
Clear All
new posts

  • Originally posted by ZZZEMMCO View Post
    What is an acheivement is that your dealer has received the support of Munich---We both know that in Portugal that is something special, Sales are not at threat if you are treated in a bad way.
    I was always a very weak link...and it is just like you say...the costumer has a hard time in Portugal and we haven't got Small Claims Court...so legal action takes long...so all I had going for me was persistence and info...so I just gathered all the info I could and I must say, the WWW is fantastic when properly used. Special thanks to every one but specially to Exdos and Martlet!!! Due to all of the specific characteristics of my case/situation, until almost the last day I was convinced that even with all the fuss and info I would return empty handed...I am glad I was wrong and that I did not give in.

    I would also like to add that I've asked for help/info in other forums, mainly in the US and I was puzzled with the bad reaction that my posts achieved...something that did not happen here - gladly!!! Of course some chaps there tried their best but all-in-all, most of them are convinced that the bearing shells failing does not relate to a fault...maybe because they had a 6 years warranty and the ones with the problem got it fixed under warranty and kept they mouth shut...I must confess that I was expecting a different reaction...the Z3MC did not feel like a community like it does here!!!
    ///M Coupe 2001 S54 Steel Grey - Paulo M.
    -------------------------------------------
    ----- Sporting Clube Portugal - Forever -----

    Comment


    • any more recent news on this front from UK dealers/ BMWgb??

      Originally posted by exdos View Post
      If we bring court action against BMW(UK) Ltd, then we can also obtain quite a lot of information from BMW under the rights of disclosure prior to a hearing, of stuff relating to the bearing shell problem, which BMW might prefer to keep to itself.

      As a fellow S54 owner Iam keen to know latest as mine (formerly steve1) is now 6 years old.
      I have very good relationship with my dealer so would like latest so can either speak to or write on similar lines to register my concerns.

      Comment


      • Originally posted by steveH View Post
        As a fellow S54 owner Iam keen to know latest as mine (formerly steve1) is now 6 years old.
        I have very good relationship with my dealer so would like latest so can either speak to or write on similar lines to register my concerns.
        Steve,

        I have been working with David (Coupe Fan) on this for more than 6 months. We have been in protracted correspondence on this subject with BMW. However, BMW remains totally intransigent and simply refuses to face up to its responsibilities to its customers.

        We have attempted to pursue a complaint through VOSA. Now, VOSA is a motor industry regulator, which is financed by the motor industry itself. Over the years, it has been my experience that any industry-financed regulator/complaints body is completely and utterly hamstrung by the industry which it is supposed to regulate. VOSA appears no different. VOSA claims that it can only regulate on matters of safety, and that the durability of parts fitted to vehicles lies outside its remit. VOSA claims that S54 bearing shell failure is a matter of durability/serviceability of parts and not a matter of safety, and as such, it refuses to take any action against BMW. Having said that, VOSA has written to BMW and from this we have learned from BMW that out of the total of 172 MCs and MRs sold in the UK, at least 8 vehicles have suffered bearing shell related failures. This is a failure rate of at least 4.65%. Whilst this failure rate appears relatively small, it is a significant number in a small vehicle population.

        As I understand, BMW effected the bearing shell "quality enhancement" for the E46 M3 on only a couple of hundred S54 engine failures, and fixed around 48,000 E46 M3s worldwide. If the failure rate had been 4.65% in the 48,000 strong E46 M3 population then this would mean that some 2,232 engines would have failed before BMW took the necessary action to commence its "quality enhancement" fix. BMW did not wait so long, why?

        From our correspondence, we have discovered that BMW states: "The engine fitted to the M Coupe is fundamentally the same as the one fitted to the E46 M3”, so, it follows that there is no FUNDAMENTAL DIFFERENCE between our engines and those fitted to the E46 M3. It is therefore patently unjust and unfair that BMW should leave us exposed to the risk of failure when it has taken appropriate action to fix the SAME engines for more than 96% of owners who have a S54 engine fitted in their cars (E46 M3 owners).

        As matters stand, under UK law, unless your car actually suffers failure, then it is impossible to take action against the manufacturer of the vehicle under present Product Liability law. BMW knows this, and is therefore shielded from direct action by owners. In my case, I bought my MC from a BMW franchised dealership, and as such I am able to bring action against the dealership, as the seller of "faulty" goods with a known manufacturing defect, under the Sale and Supply of Goods Act. It is my intention to bring this action before I am prevented from doing this under the law on limitation.

        I am appalled that BMW thinks that it can leave MC and MR owners exposed to the risk of death and/or injury by bearing shell failure. Likewise, any owner whom might be unlucky and suffer such, will be majorly inconvenienced and exposed to a huge financial burden in seeking repairs, which might be as much as the £14,000 cost of a new engine, when BMW could easily put matters right, as it did for E46 M3 owners with parts costing around £100. BMW has told me that it cannot offer goodwill indefinitely on its cars.

        It makes my blood boil.
        /// Exdos ///
        "Men who try the impossible and fail spectacularly are infinitely superior to those who reach for nothing and succeed" --Napoleon Bonapart

        Comment


        • Bearing Shells-----Cont

          It all comes back to numbers, and possible threats of litigation.VOSA are no different from the FSA that were supposed to be looking after the interests of consumers and investers in the financial world, just look at the Northern Rock fiasco.Who bites the hands that feed you?

          The 46K owners of the E46 M3 are a very different proposition , with the vast majority in the USA.The 46K are the future for AG, and selling all the M6- M5- X6,s + all the new models on their way, would mean suicide if they ignored the power of the present owners.

          The position of the 172 S54,s in UK, with to date 8 failures doesnt make BMW UK sit up and take notice.

          I still feel that the answers are there, in USA.
          safetyfast

          Comment

          Working...
          X