Rusty M135i. Any advice?

Chris_D · Post by **Chris_D** » Tue Jul 23, 2019 6:10 pm

Put it down to relative inexperience perhaps, but my nephew Matty has bought himself what he thought initially was a lovely M135i. Makes all the noises and moves he was looking for but sadly he’s now discovered it’s infested with corrosion.

He’s had it more than a month so he’s out of the 30 day cooling off period so can’t return it but still inside the 6 month window where the seller is obliged to address any issues to the customers’ satisfaction. If the ensuing repairs are not to the sellers satisfaction then the buyer has the right to return it apparently.

BMW chief mechanic is refusing to play ball when Matty sent photos to them stating it was within acceptable limits of corrosion and had passed its MOT. Thats a bit of a whitewash if you ask me.

It’s going into Arnold Clark BMW tomorrow, where it was originally bought from for their own appraisal.

My suspicion is that they will fob him off with a basic repair and replace a few of the rusty bolts and fasteners but I’ve suggested that he push for a replacement car if a refund isnt possible. There would be no way to tell, apart from stripping the car about how deep the corrosion has penetrated.

I’d be absolutely livid tbh, but then I would have probably spotted the corrosion in the first place and this leads me to ponder exactly how this can be sold as an ‘approved BMW’ in the first place!

Any advice from you sage old lot?

Some photos. He sent me a short video where you can see also the steering linkages are corroded.
These are just the components and areas that are visible! Imagine the state of the brake lines, fuel line etc.

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greg81 · Post by **greg81** » Tue Jul 23, 2019 6:17 pm

I don't actually think any of that looks too bad to be honest

IRD · Post by **IRD** » Tue Jul 23, 2019 6:19 pm

A few years ago I looked at a car with similar symptoms and discovered that it had actually been caught in some floods. The BMW dealer concerned changed it’s status from ‘Approved BMW’ and I believe it went for auction. If my memory serves me well I believe from previous posts that Arnold Clarke doesn’t have the best reputation for customer care..

mmm-five · Post by **mmm-five** » Tue Jul 23, 2019 6:19 pm

How old & how many miles on the car?

Good price or over-priced?

I can't really agree with your argument - as the car is fit for purpose and completely safe, and just looks like a normal amount of corrosion for a car that's used on UK roads (unless it was sold as a low-mileage garage queen and kept in a humidity-controlled bubble)...or are you saying some surface corrosion is totally unacceptable in a 2nd hand car?

Thrustyjust · Post by **Thrustyjust** » Tue Jul 23, 2019 6:22 pm

I suspect its been left on the quayside while the previous owner worked offshore for weeks at a time. I have next to no rust on a 2007 E86 , in comparison to that.

Mister T · Post by **Mister T** » Tue Jul 23, 2019 6:22 pm

Don't think you have a leg to stand on

jamie_z4 · Post by **jamie_z4** » Tue Jul 23, 2019 6:23 pm

Pretty much like every used bmw on the planet...

TitanTim · Post by **TitanTim** » Tue Jul 23, 2019 6:32 pm

If anything is going to rust it will be external nuts and bolts although from the pics it does look a little worse than you would expect, I assume it's an earlier pre LCI car. The rusty nuts on the front engine scuttle are a bit odd though and seems excessive. Has the been kept on the coast, driven through seawater. You won't stop tinworm unless like me the car is garaged 99.9% of the time 364 days of the year

There are known problems with rusty bootlids on the 1 Series, there's been a few cropping up the various forums on cars less than 3 years old around the rear wiper and general bubbling up of paintwork.

Its called quality.

Tim.

Smartbear · Post by **Smartbear** » Tue Jul 23, 2019 6:36 pm

Looks a bit unsightly but it’s just superficial and won’t fail an MOT test because of it-I’d be amazed if they gave a refund to be honest

Rob

buzyg · Post by **buzyg** » Tue Jul 23, 2019 8:08 pm

Not nice, maybe lived at the beach. Suspect he may be stuck with that one though. It's clearly road worthy. Hope I'm wrong. May be worth enquiring what protection can be applied, to reduce the rate of spread. Hopefully the dealer may offer something along those lines.

buzyg · Post by **buzyg** » Tue Jul 23, 2019 8:08 pm

Not nice, maybe lived at the beach. Suspect he may be stuck with that one though. It's clearly road worthy. Hope I'm wrong. May be worth enquiring what protection can be applied, to reduce the rate of spread. Hopefully the dealer may offer something along those lines.

gwatson · Post by **gwatson** » Tue Jul 23, 2019 8:11 pm

Scottish car by any chance?? Always exposed to far more road salt, hence I normally go down south for most of my motors

Mister T · Post by **Mister T** » Tue Jul 23, 2019 8:45 pm

buzyg wrote: ↑Tue Jul 23, 2019 8:08 pm Not nice, maybe lived at the beach. Suspect he may be stuck with that one though. It's clearly road worthy. Hope I'm wrong. May be worth enquiring what protection can be applied, to reduce the rate of spread. Hopefully the dealer may offer something along those lines.

EDIT as didn't read the above correctly

Clearly road worthy

No holes or serious corrosion on the chassis or suspension pickup points. Same as any other (assuming) 7 year old car that has lived outside.

Chris_D · Post by **Chris_D** » Tue Jul 23, 2019 9:15 pm

Aye, it's from bonny Scotland and also on the coast apparently.

So, the concensus seems to be its ok to be sold a car in this condition without indicating it to the buyer and classifying it as an 'approved used bmw' as its passed its last mot?

Well fk that in its ear!

Imo theyve taken advantage of a young lad that they could bank on not looking at the mechanicals closely enough as somebody more experienced might have done.
It stinks.

jamie_z4 · Post by **jamie_z4** » Tue Jul 23, 2019 9:18 pm

Chris_D wrote: ↑Tue Jul 23, 2019 9:15 pm

Imo theyve taken advantage of a young lad that they could bank on not looking at the mechanicals closely enough as somebody more experienced might have done.
It stinks.

I think your alone with that view im afraid, every time i've been under a BMW (bear in mind ive owned over 50 now) ive seen stuff a lot worse than the pics above.

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