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Engine Reliability

Specific discussion about the E89 2009 Z4 (sDrive35is, sDrive35i, sDrive30i, sDrive23i)
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Smartbear
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Engine Reliability

Post by Smartbear » Tue Jul 27, 2021 4:01 pm

craigdm wrote: Tue Jul 27, 2021 3:56 pm I've got some more details now and would welcome some advice on service intervals.
Car was registered May 2014
1st Service is June 2016 @ 17K
2nd Service is May 2017 @ 22K
3rd Service is May 2019 @ 39K

I thought the service intervals were 10K or 2 years, which ever comes first? Or is it all condition based for the E89?
Service intervals were reduced a few years after the cars were introduced.
Rob
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e89 Sdrive 20i, plenty of mumbo & good economy-the thinking bears z4
e89 Sdrive 30i, this ones busted, pass me another...
e85 3.0si sold

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Engine Reliability

Post by craigdm » Tue Jul 27, 2021 5:28 pm

So what are the service intervals recommended now?? It's never straight forward with BMW is it :roll:

Do those services look right? 1st service @2 years and 17K miles sounds dodgy. Then again the Jag XE is 2 years or 20K miles.
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Engine Reliability

Post by Silverstar » Tue Jul 27, 2021 5:54 pm

I believe the service intervals are condition based and the computer tells you when the car is due for a service. So it's not unusual to see the service history pattern as you mentioned for this car.

Once you buy the car though, you may want to at least do an oil and filter change every 5000 to 10000 miles or every year whichever comes first to ensure the engines stays in good health regardless of what the car's computers tells you.
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Engine Reliability

Post by flybobbie » Tue Jul 27, 2021 6:11 pm

It's a pity all these cars get abused by first owners, not their fault, with these 15k to 20k first services. My car was 21k before the first service stamp appeared in the book.

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Engine Reliability

Post by Pbondar » Tue Jul 27, 2021 8:18 pm

Without looking at the detailed service record it’s not very clear…BMW chose at various points to use a 15k or 25k mileage arbitrary service interval

Within that not all items would necessarily be ‘serviced’

The service book would show pictorially what items has been ‘serviced’ at each service point.

When and at what mileage was the new engine fitted?

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Engine Reliability

Post by craigdm » Tue Jul 27, 2021 9:23 pm

New engine was fitted Dec 2019 @41k miles. Spoke with the owner and he says BMW originally quoted him £10k, before reducing this down to £2k as a good will gesture. The invoice lists the replacement as a 'exchange engine' so that could be anything, although I'm guessing it would be a brand new unit.
Is there anyway to check that the engine fitted is the correct tune? The car in question is a 28i.
Z3 rare 2L Straight 6. Should have kept it!
E85 3.0Si sold back in 2014. Should have kept it!
E89 20i just arrived 2021

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Engine Reliability

Post by Smartbear » Tue Jul 27, 2021 9:26 pm

craigdm wrote: Tue Jul 27, 2021 9:23 pm New engine was fitted Dec 2019 @41k miles. Spoke with the owner and he says BMW originally quoted him £10k, before reducing this down to £2k as a good will gesture. The invoice lists the replacement as a 'exchange engine' so that could be anything, although I'm guessing it would be a brand new unit.
Is there anyway to check that the engine fitted is the correct tune? The car in question is a 28i.
Take it to a rolling road, they’ll soon tell you. The engine only produces what the ecu mapping tells it, so same ecu should result in the same “tune” :thumbsup:
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e89 Sdrive 20i, plenty of mumbo & good economy-the thinking bears z4
e89 Sdrive 30i, this ones busted, pass me another...
e85 3.0si sold

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Engine Reliability

Post by Pbondar » Tue Jul 27, 2021 10:45 pm

Exchange unit on these babies is a full brand new engine ..maybe without some accessories like alternator / air con etc

The unit will be a full fat 28i as it causes all sorts of issues if they try and change the engine type in an existing car.

If you read the DME part number that will tell you the variant.

So I would say it’s a good deal….

Is it an auto?

Service wise change the oil / filter every year or every 5k to 8k miles max whichever comes sooner and you can’t go wrong..

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Engine Reliability

Post by craigdm » Wed Jul 28, 2021 6:17 am

I think this could be a good deal, unfortunately it's a manual and I was really looking for an auto.
What's the general consensus on gearboxes?
I'm test driving a manual later today, simply because it's local to me and I've not even sat in one of these yet!
Z3 rare 2L Straight 6. Should have kept it!
E85 3.0Si sold back in 2014. Should have kept it!
E89 20i just arrived 2021

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Engine Reliability

Post by Rockhopper » Wed Jul 28, 2021 7:46 am

Was it a "new" new engine or just another engine? Did they "correct" the odometer or is it still showing the total miles the actual car has done?
That service data is rather meaningless as it relates to the old engine and on such a low mileage car i wouldn't expect anything other than the engine to need attention (oil and filter change etc etc)?

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Engine Reliability

Post by Smartbear » Wed Jul 28, 2021 9:36 am

Rockhopper wrote: Wed Jul 28, 2021 7:46 am Was it a "new" new engine or just another engine? Did they "correct" the odometer or is it still showing the total miles the actual car has done?
That service data is rather meaningless as it relates to the old engine and on such a low mileage car i wouldn't expect anything other than the engine to need attention (oil and filter change etc etc)?
I think it’s illegal to wind the odometer back, they can just log the mileage the replacement engine was fitted at.
I don’t think bmw would be fitting a used replacement engine under warranty, it would be a new/rebuilt unit :thumbsup:
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e89 Sdrive 20i, plenty of mumbo & good economy-the thinking bears z4
e89 Sdrive 30i, this ones busted, pass me another...
e85 3.0si sold

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Engine Reliability

Post by Rockhopper » Wed Jul 28, 2021 10:16 am

I seem to have missed a page on this thread! Didn't realise it was done by BMW. I've seen other dealers put exchange or used engines in then advertise the miles of the car as being the mileage the new engine has done (assuming its lower!!).

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Engine Reliability

Post by step_change » Wed Jul 28, 2021 10:49 am

I can't see what the issue is here? So what if it is a new engine, especially if fitted by BMW? Lot's of parts get changed on a car. A new engine is no big deal. A new wiring harness where the car had to be stripped to the bone, yes I would worry about that. But the engine, whilst a big component is a defined scope, and relatively simple - for a mechanic - swap out.

I'd say go for it without hesitation!
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Engine Reliability

Post by Silverstar » Wed Jul 28, 2021 12:41 pm

craigdm wrote: Wed Jul 28, 2021 6:17 am I think this could be a good deal, unfortunately it's a manual and I was really looking for an auto.
What's the general consensus on gearboxes?
The automatic ZF 8 speed as fitted to the 28i is a very good gearbox, very highly rated. Although some purists won't touch anything other than a manual something about not being a real drivers car unless it's a manual or some crap like that. :rofl: But for me I have tried various BMW in manuals and with the exception of an E46 Compact never liked manual boxes in a BMW.
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