[eurocarfan100]

Originally Posted by bollwerk

Sadly, my 2011 E93 needs about $6,000 in repairs (or a complete engine replacement), which is as much as (or more than) blue book value, so I decided not to have it repaired. (Car is NOT drivable)

Any suggestions on how to deal with getting rid of it? I would like to try and get a grand or two out of it, from someone who wants to part it out maybe, but that might not be realistic. I know I can donate it for a write off or sell to a junkyard for a few bucks, but I'm asking what folks think is the best option.

Repairs needed:
1) New valve cover / gasket
2) Replace timing chain, gears, actuators and guides

Everything else works great, including the folding hard top. I even spent about $6k on upgrading the audio system many years ago, so perhaps there is value in those components as well, to someone.

I'm in NorCal if anyone wants to check it out.

Thanks!

Did you ever check with insurance on totaling it some how? Either sell parts separately or maybe see somewhere else to repair! I’m hearing some charge $500-1000 on timing chain! Valve cover and gasket you can do yourself easy to do! Maybe you can get it done cheaper elsewhere! Was this the dealer? Dealer gonna rip you off! Dealer charged $2000 for oil pan gasket and another charged $500 outside! Look around for options!

[bollwerk]

Originally Posted by jsunma

With all due respect to the OP, it's pretty clear that he just doesn't want the car or the hassle and would rather simply get some cash for a problem that he wants out of his driveway/garage asap. To each their own, and if you've got the resources to do what you want, then more power to you.

So, someone on here who's in the Bay area should make him a real offer over $1800 and get the car. I'd love this as a project myself (always loved the idea of those hardtop convertibles), but as they say, "wrong coast". (plus, I could probably find a similar project out here if I really cared to)

FWIW, I also will second the point about the warranty. Serious warranty service - IMO - always requires work on the claimant's part, but it can often pay off. I got a whole new cylinder head on my car due to being persistent about the ticking valve issue (back when the car was still under BMW's extended warranty). I've heard positive stories about the SULEV warranty. But again, I think the OP simply wants the car gone and actually doesn't want to go through the work of getting it fixed.

I don't have a problem getting the car fixed. In fact, I would love to keep the car. It's a question of cost. If it was all under warranty, I'd gladly get it fixed and keep the car. But if the repairs end up costing me the same as the blue book value, it's not worth it to me. I don't want to invest more money in a car that is constantly breaking down. I've already spent over $5k in repairs in the past 5 years with this car. It's becoming a money pit.

As for why the shop thinks it's the timing chain - It's a bit of a long story, but here are the shop's notes:
---------------------------------------------------------------------
After the crankcase engine oil service, service proceed to clear codes and test drive the vehicle. Found that when idling at a stop light, there was a very loud whistle and the engine started to run very rough. Returned to the shop and proceeded to hook up a scan tool to check for codes and found misfire codes on all cylinders and the camshaft timing codes also returned.

Next inspected for the cause of the whistle noise. Monitored data stream and found that short term fuel trim on both banks was at +29%, which should be near zero. Long term fuel trim has not adjusted yet. Using a manometer, checked the crankcase vacuum and found that it was very high. This means the the PCV system is not functioning properly. The PCV system is part of the valve cover assembly. Checked for pattern failures and found that the valve cover does have a high failure rate.

At this time we suggest that we replace the valve cover, inspect timing chain components and re-check.

Note: there is still a concern that there may be failing timing chain components.
---------end of tech notes-----------
I gave them the go-ahead to check the timing chain components and they found sheared bolts and other problems.

[bollwerk]

Originally Posted by eurocarfan100

Did you ever check with insurance on totaling it some how? Either sell parts separately or maybe see somewhere else to repair! I’m hearing some charge $500-1000 on timing chain! Valve cover and gasket you can do yourself easy to do! Maybe you can get it done cheaper elsewhere! Was this the dealer? Dealer gonna rip you off! Dealer charged $2000 for oil pan gasket and another charged $500 outside! Look around for options!

This was not the dealer. It's a local Repair Pal affiliated shop I've used for a couple years and was recommended by a friend who works for Repair Pal.
It may be easy, but I don't work on my own car anymore. I'm 52 and have no interest in even changing my own oil now.

[fastboatster]

Wish it had an n54/n55 and was a coupe or sedan(

[E92_William]

Wait wait wait those symptoms are just of a bad pcv valve. Any other timing codes could be as simple as vanos solenoids or check valves. I think you might be way overreacting to this issue

[Leslie731]

I'd really do a little more research on exactly what needs to be replaced,i e another shop even dealer. I know from experience v c g is covered under sulev,there is a forum thread, pages long on everything that's covered,maybe one thing leads to another and giving a nice car away, might not have to happen Good luck, which ever way this goes

[Efthreeoh]

Originally Posted by E92_William

Wait wait wait those symptoms are just of a bad pcv valve. Any other timing codes could be as simple as vanos solenoids or check valves. I think you might be way overreacting to this issue

I second this opinion. Sounds like a bad PCV oil separator and a new valve cover is in order. As hassmaschine eluded to the sheared bolts sounds like the VANOS actuators bolt issue, which is a TSB issue and is fixable (there are numerous threads on the subject - I forget the details). Or it could be the front head bolt issue, but that's not a 2011 N52 issue usually. IIRC the Vanos bolt issue is the 3 bolts that hold the cam phaser begin to back out and the heads shear off. I think the fix is remove the bolts and install the upgraded part and retime the camshafts.

It sounds like the shop is in over its head and the car needs review by a BMW trained technician.

[jsunma]

Well, my last comment on this (not wanting to beat a dead horse) is that if this were my car, I'd do some research to find the most trust-worthy BMW dealer in the area and then get the car over there for them to evaluate it under the SULEV warranty. With more info, it definitely sounds like the car needs a new valve cover (due to the PCV failure), and that should be covered. There's nothing in the repair shop's description that clearly says that it's jumped timing other than running rough and some codes, which could be a variety of things (including the $50 sensor that I've changed twice on my car). But at any rate, all of that would be obvious once the valve cover comes off, which it will have to anyway.

I'd also find a more specifically experienced indy if I were going to keep a BMW and not do the work myself.

[neilvan]

Damn I wish that was local (fathers friend is looking for a power retractable convertible).

N52s can be had here for around a few hundred$$ labour is the part that adds up if its beyond someone skillset

[CTinline-six]

Originally Posted by Efthreeoh

I second this opinion. Sounds like a bad PCV oil separator and a new valve cover is in order. As hassmaschine eluded to the sheared bolts sounds like the VANOS actuators bolt issue, which is a TSB issue and is fixable (there are numerous threads on the subject - I forget the details). Or it could be the front head bolt issue, but that's not a 2011 N52 issue usually. IIRC the Vanos bolt issue is the 3 bolts that hold the cam phaser begin to back out and the heads shear off. I think the fix is remove the bolts and install the upgraded part and retime the camshafts.

It sounds like the shop it in over its head and the car needs review by a BMW trained technician.

This.

It pays to find a specialty shop with these cars. To me it sounds like the shop "believes" the timing chain is bad and want to swap an engine because they don't really know.

[Bob Shiftright]

Originally Posted by bollwerk

But if the repairs end up costing me the same as the blue book value, it's not worth it to me.

If I thought about it that way, I couldn't justify filling the gas tank on some of the cars I've owned.

[bollwerk]

Originally Posted by Bob Shiftright

If I thought about it that way, I couldn't justify filling the gas tank on some of the cars I've owned.

Of course. I get it. Everyone has their cost tolerances. I've owned the car for 5 years (bought used for $24k) and have already spent over $5k in repairs. This additional $6k makes it feel like a money pit. As much as I love the car, I don't have the tolerance to invest this much more money in it. I've wanted a Tesla for a while and this just accelerates the purchase. If I made more money, I'd repair it and have both cars, but I still have a hefty mortgage to pay too, haha. =)

[Efthreeoh]

Originally Posted by bollwerk

Of course. I get it. Everyone has their cost tolerances. I've owned the car for 5 years (bought used for $24k) and have already spent over $5k in repairs. This additional $6k makes it feel like a money pit. As much as I love the car, I don't have the tolerance to invest this much more money in it. I've wanted a Tesla for a while and this just accelerates the purchase. If I made more money, I'd repair it and have both cars, but I still have a hefty mortgage to pay too, haha. =)

Well we're just trying to tell you the issue may be misdiagnosed and it's not a $6K repair, but rather a $1K repair (or less). You've not elaborated on what $5K of repairs you've done on the car and how many miles it's been driven in the 5 years you owned it, so none of us with a lot of experience with these cars can assess if your car falls out of the norm. If you've counted tires and brakes as "repairs" then that's not a correct financial evaluation since those are wear items all cars have as costs to replace.

$5K seems excessive in some respects, but again what were the costs for and over how many miles. It seems that what any of us have provided as advice is ineffective now with the consideration what is really the issue is you want to buy a new $50K Tesla.

[E92_William]

Well whichever way you go, make sure you're selling it to either Neils friend or another enthusiast that is handy enough to swap an engine (or just fix the pcv ) instead of junking it

[bollwerk]

Originally Posted by E92_William

Well whichever way you go, make sure you're selling it to either Neils friend or another enthusiast that is handy enough to swap an engine (or just fix the pcv ) instead of junking it

I would love to sell it to an enthusiast, but no one local to me has spoken up here.

[bollwerk]

Originally Posted by Efthreeoh

Well we're just trying to tell you the issue may be misdiagnosed and it's not a $6K repair, but rather a $1K repair (or less). You've not elaborated on what $5K of repairs you've done on the car and how many miles it's been driven in the 5 years you owned it, so none of us with a lot of experience with these cars can assess if your car falls out of the norm. If you've counted tires and brakes as "repairs" then that's not a correct financial evaluation since those are wear items all cars have as costs to replace.

$5K seems excessive in some respects, but again what were the costs for and over how many miles. It seems that what any of us have provided as advice is ineffective now with the consideration what is really the issue is you want to buy a new $50K Tesla.

I completely understand that it's possible the shop has misdiagnosed the issue, as they don't specialize in BMWs, but at this point I'm not sure it's worth it to me to pay to have the car towed 50 miles to the nearest BMW dealer, or to pay $250 (?) to have them diagnose it, particularly since the engine is partially torn apart. They might need me to pay to just reassemble the engine to even diagnose it.

As for the $5k in repair costs over the past 5 years (and about 60k miles I've added), I'm not counting normal maintenance like brakes, oil changes, tires, etc... I'm talking about stuff like needing to replace the starter, FRM (it was past the 10 year mark for the recall), radiator, cooling system leak, etc...

[fastboatster]

I think that the engine being partially torn apart is an issue in itself. Possible disassembly damage and misplaced parts.

[2one3E90]

B18 C5 swap it. You can get that engine for 3K. Vtec rear wheel drive baby

[fastboatster]

Originally Posted by 2one3E90

B18 C5 swap it. You can get that engine for 3K. Vtec rear wheel drive baby

Pretending you are saying this seriously, too much money and not enough power in stock form aside from CA engine swap legalities. That gen vtec is worse than Vanos, it just kicks in while vanos does it’s thing at any rpms and engine loads.
Worst case, time for another n52, these are only a few hundred bucks, and junk cars are readily available, I went to some pick and pull some weeks ago, saw a few 328is, nobody needs these engines because they don’t blow up often.