NO REVERSE!!!!!!!!!

My father-in-law's E39 530 sport had exactly the same problem a couple of months ago.  It cost him �2k to replace the box and that included a substantial discount from the dealer.  The original quote was nearer �4k 

The drum had shattered and BMW didn't want to know because the car was nearly 6 years old with 85k miles.

Hi,

The news is mixed. They are going to fix the box under warranty, first indications are that the clutch has failed in the box. The dealer tells me that it will cost him 2K to fix. Im not sure he even knows what he is talking about.

But even if they do get it sorted how reliable will it be???? I dont want it just to see out the warranty period.

Any way the bad news is the fecker gave me a Saxo  for the week to drive. Posibly the worst car I have ever driven.

Cheers

Mick

Mick523I wrote: The news is mixed. They are going to fix the box under warranty, first indications are that the clutch has failed in the box. The dealer tells me that it will cost him 2K to fix. Im not sure he even knows what he is talking about.

Oh well at least I got part of the diagnose correct.  There is more than one clutch in an automatic gearbox.  Make sure you get them all replaced. Looking here there are 4 clutches. 

T'is a gearbox out job say 2 hours, say 4 hours to strip the clutch out and refit all the new clutch then 2 hours to get the box back in, 1 hour to fill the box with oil and road test.  �70 for decent tranny fluid.  4 clutches at say �100 each.

That little lot is a days labour at �50/hour = �450 + �400 parts + �70 oil, hmm still not quite �2k but the thick end of �1k anyway.

Mick523I wrote: But even if they do get it sorted how reliable will it be???? I don't want it just to see out the warranty period.

Get him to give you a warranty on his repair.  A decent garage will offer one as a mater of course.

Mick523I wrote: Any way the bad news is the fecker gave me a Saxo  for the week to drive. Posibly the worst car I have ever driven.

All I can say on that one isI hate all crappy French cars with a real passion! 

Wear a balaclava over your head so none of your mates/family/work colleagues see you and take the wee wee out of you!

Andrew

 

Well Thursday has come and almost gone and still my BM is not ready. Im not bleeden impressed.

I hope its good for tomorrow. Any tests that I can do to make sure the box is working ok when I get her back???

Mick

 

 

Mick523I wrote: Any tests that I can do to make sure the box is working ok when I get her back???

Basically, drive her hard!

Toodle along in third gear at say 20-30 then give it some beans, the revs should rise steadily and the gearbox should deliver the power smoothly, with no jerks, slips or hesitations.  If the engine revs uncharacteristically then your box is slipping (either a faulty clutch or dodgy torque converter) and you should take it back.

Take up nice overtaking road in search of some prey (old git with a flat cap doing 50 mph in a Nissan will be sufficient) sit behind him then at the overtaking opportunity push it over into S then plant the right foot, mind and ease off when the red line comes up on the tacho!

If all goes well your confidence should return.  I have confidence in my autobox after getting it sorted and parting with �700!

Andrew 

Ok, I am f..king mad now. I went to the garage that does the warranty repair for the dealer who sold the car. I arrived to find 3 mechanics stairing at a laptop under the bonnett. I just need to reset the ecu on the box and you will be away he said. Thats grand I thought. 30 mins later he reports the he cant read the ECU. I am going to bring the car over to the Auto shop and see if they can read it. Ok I said and I went along for the ride. He tries to do a Uturn out side the garage and CRUNCH my new f..king wheel of the kerb. Its ok he says. (I know he has wrecked it but Ill say nothing yet).

We get to the auto shop and I get out to see the damage to the wheel, but my attention is drawn to 2 large deep scratches accross both dors on the passaenger side. WTF.  I point it out and he says are you sure it was'nt like that.(hold me back im going to kill him).

Next the Auto shop guy also cant read the ecu and declairs that the box ecu must be blown. (I am now blowing steam)

I walk around the back of the car and I notice a crack in the rear bumper. (thats it I give up)

I ring the Dealer and he is so appolijetic but I am now F**king going mentel.

So to sume up the car needs another trip to BMW for diags and a trip to the body shop and a new front wheel.

I only have the car 3 months and I am very close to demanding my money back (Am I being unreasonable?)

And I still have the bleedn SAXO.

Sorry for going on but I had to vent some where before I go Mad.

Cheers

Mick

Mick

Get everything that has happened written down so you can argue for a reasonable discount from anything that you are paying that isn't covered by warranty.

Andrew

Thrash the Saxo within an inch of its life!

Front wheel drive, transverse mounted, French piece of , it deserves to be thrashed, it will make you feel much better.

 

Try and get a full description of what the fault is from BMW, just out of interest.

Keep us posted.

Andrew

Mick wrote :- its paddys weekend so no work on Friday

S*d the polishing get down your local and get some black stuff down your neck, i think you deserve a few for what youve been through

I hope they did the bodywork to a high standard, and not just blew it over with a rattle can! If they are that haphazard when driving your car, it makes me wonder about the quality of work that has gone on - an auto box is a seriously delicate component, if it doesn't go right they can't just bash it with a hammer. If the work has been carried out properly, there is no reason for the repaired box to fail so if anything is wrong I'd take it back and feed it to them.

As for the saxo, well nothing a gallon of Optimax and matches wouldn't solve. Horrible little boxes, dangerous too - fold up like a crisp packet in a crash. Give it a good thrashing before handing it back, make sure the brake discs are glowing. They expect that in a hire car.