I need some advice please.

[s5tuart]

My best friends are on holiday in Wales.
They broke down on the way there and it seems like the timing chain broke. Apparently common on a 2014 BMW 318d with 110K miles on it.
So, they are a bit stuck.
The decision they need to make is to get the car repaired at circa £3K or cut their losses. The car cost £6k last year, bought after leasing it from new.
I'd be tempted to fix it and have the benefit of a rebuilt engine.
What would YOU do?

 

[Blobcat]

Interesting question as if been through similar costs / engine issues twice on the LandRover and the smart is currently in the garage (and has been since May) - My Landy is a keeper so I’ve spent at least £10k on it. Smart is overall very good but with a new gearbox control unit and a engine control unit required plus other bits as yet to be ascertained it’s going to cost much more than half its worth to get it running again. It is getting repaired

How much would it cost to replace the car? Can you get a second hand engine? Do they have an independent garage they trust? Do they have any matches?…

 

[s5tuart]

Interesting question as if been through similar costs / engine issues twice on the Lane Rover and the smart is currently in the garage (and has been since May) - My Landy is a keeper so I’ve spent at least £10k on it. Smart is overall very good but with a new gearbox control unit and a engine control unit required plus other bits as yet to be ascertained it’s going to cost much more than half its worth to get it running again. It is getting repaired

How much would it cost to replace the car? Can you get a second hand engine? Do they have an independent garage they trust? Do they have any matches?…

The cheapest similar car on eBay is over £5K but personally I'd be worried about getting another one at that age and those sort of miles.
A second hand engine might come with its own secrets.
I have a local independent garage that I'll talk to on Monday. Good idea
Getting the car home from Anglesey will be a problem for them but they are thinking of joining a recovery service then waiting a couple of days.....hmmmmmm!

 

[s5tuart]

...and it looks like I might drive down to Anglesey, leave them my CLS and get the bus back home again!

 

[Uncle Benz]

Sadly the N47 engine is prone to this. You do get some warning as the chain rattles when you start it from cold, and when it gets close to failure it rattles all the time. Replacing the chain and associated parts in a timely manner costs about £1200. If the chain breaks, the cam carrier ladder and lots of top-end stuff is wrecked. I doubt it’ll repair for £3k. A secondhand engine is the cheapest route, but I’d strongly advise to replace the chains and guides before it’s fitted. In all honesty it’s a non-economic repair.

 

[DSK]

Very sad to hear when this happens leaving folks stranded.

I don’t know the in/outs technically for this but from what I’m seeing, I’d cut losses, no offence it’s a 318d, break it for parts and the circa £3k can go towards the next purchase. A lot of nice cars about for that!

Lexus IS 220d / 250…..
BMW 330 d/I….


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

 

[malcolm E53 AMG]

Sorry to hear this what a time for it to happen.

Probably worth having the car transported back and offered for sale as is there are plenty of BMW enthusiasts out there. It’s interesting to see the total amount of BMW cars on AT compared to MB at least 30% more so someone’s keeping them on the road

 

[davidsl500]

BMW's equivalent of MB's OM651 I believe..... they could contact www.sellthecar.co.uk and see if they will buy it. They will also collect wherever it is...

 

[Uncle Benz]

Here’s one I did a couple of months back. Caught in time, luckily.

 

[00slk]

This happened to my sons 2012 320 BMW, luckily the dealer honoured their warranty and it lived until he drove it through a flood and destroyed the engine He tried for months to find the same exact engine, but discovered a years difference is all it takes for a discussion to sell as isi. He tried to sell and £500 was his top offer. He scrapped the car for parts on ghe end and is totally out of pocket.
Cut your losses

 

[ioweddie]

try bmwland

Forums

Forums

www.bmwland.org.uk

 

[Wighty]

...and it looks like I might drive down to Anglesey, leave them my CLS and get the bus back home again!

Where is sunny Anglesey is this all taking place buddy ?

 

[s5tuart]

Where is sunny Anglesey is this all taking place buddy ?

I'm not sure of the exact location Wighty.
I'm sure I can find out.

 

[Wighty]

I'm not sure of the exact location Wighty.
I'm sure I can find out.

I was only wondering because I know parts of it quite well , my parents live up there . Depending on what action was going to be taken with the car etc I might be able to offer some local advice ???

 

[BPD07]

Sell it as is, or break for parts if your friend is handy with spanner’s. If they go £3k in, then next year when the rad goes it’s another bill, then the gearbox. If they do re-engine it then they should sell straightaway.

 

[s5tuart]

I was only wondering because I know parts of it quite well , my parents live up there . Depending on what action was going to be taken with the car etc I might be able to offer some local advice ???

Thank you so much!!!!

 

[s5tuart]

Sell it as is, or break for parts if your friend is handy with spanner’s. If they go £3k in, then next year when the rad goes it’s another bill, then the gearbox. If they do re-engine it then they should sell straightaway.

The sell as is price offered by SellTheCar was£1500 with knowledge of the damaged engine.
He is going to talk to BMW tomorrow and I suggested there COULD be some goodwill due as it's always been serviced there.
I'll talk to an Indy I know and gauge what the real world costs might be then he will make a decision.

 

[ajlsl600]

My best friends are on holiday in Wales.
They broke down on the way there and it seems like the timing chain broke. Apparently common on a 2014 BMW 318d with 110K miles on it.
So, they are a bit stuck.
The decision they need to make is to get the car repaired at circa £3K or cut their losses. The car cost £6k last year, bought after leasing it from new.
I'd be tempted to fix it and have the benefit of a rebuilt engine.
What would YOU do?

For me wud depend on condition of rest of car. I always prepared to overlook iffy motor or trans for perfect body, interior and spec. But then I used to rebuild my motors for less than a grand! Some f gasket sets are £600 now!!!

 

[ajlsl600]

Sadly the N47 engine is prone to this. You do get some warning as the chain rattles when you start it from cold, and when it gets close to failure it rattles all the time. Replacing the chain and associated parts in a timely manner costs about £1200. If the chain breaks, the cam carrier ladder and lots of top-end stuff is wrecked. I doubt it’ll repair for £3k. A secondhand engine is the cheapest route, but I’d strongly advise to replace the chains and guides before it’s fitted. In all honesty it’s a non-economic repair.

We have really made some progress when a perfectly good car is rendered scrap over a timing chain.!!!

 

[th3h1ghlander]

We have really made some progress when a perfectly good car is rendered scrap over a timing chain.!!!

I remember that from early 2000s the BMW diesel 320/520 and 325/525 had engines also prone to timing chains snapping due to bad/misaligned chain guides. Is it really a problem they had not fixed by 2014 (or later?). Hearing the horror stories about these engines “grenading” defo had an effect on my decision on which marque to go with.