Inspection Service Query

[GT Spec]

I've noticed some people are voting for 'Shims report + photos/video of engine with valve cover off'.

Which garages are providing this service?

only a video of them actually doing the shims on your car would act as full proof. They could easily take a photo with the cover off, doesnt prove shims were changed.

This is the kind of evidence I am referring to - https://video.citnow.com/vtJY7GfPNb2

This is good practice. Boosts confidence in the work being carried out.

[Angelus666]

How do they evidence your valve clearances have been done mate?

I guess you don’t really 100% know, but Like any decent garage IMO they’ll provide you with all the bits you ask for/want, so photos, video and will even allow you to watch any work being done if you’re that inclined.

Are you paranoid that your garage are BS the work they’re doing/charging for?

Paranoid is a strong word.

But without going into it too much - yes I’m looking for a new garage.

If you’re close to Chelmsford then I’d certainly recommend them. Speak to Chris there who will give you confidence that they’ll do a good job.

My other go to inde garages are Highams Park BMW. It’s not a flash garage but they’re excellent at solving any issue with the car. Also Thorney Motorsport is a top garage in MK. I took my CSL there for 3 years and it never ever missed a beat.

[just-right]

In the end they can fake almost everything if they wanted to, even a video. Good feedback from others and the garage having been upfront with you in the past will surely help!

My independent specialist told me that they never did the shims on any s54 while he was working as a head mechanic at the local dealership.

[BTZ461]

Really guys I just cannot believe how weird and precious you posters are becoming on this forum. What with the rod bearing replacement issues, and now this I'm beginning to wonder it the the Z4M is really the car for you all. If we may recount over the past twelve years we have owned eight S54, and S50 engined cars. Yes, they have all been low mileage examples, all have had a serious going over on arrival. All have had without exception valve clearances within spec. It is extremely rare to find an engine outside spec, just ask any competent engineer the stats. And the same with the alleged rod bearing issue. None of the pictures posted on this forum would have given me cause for concern, sure there was signs of wear, but given age and mileage, no more nor less than what an engineer would expect to see. Like the shins you are all banging on about they are wear items.
Come on chaps, give yourselves a serious talking to, anyone considering the purchase of a Z4M and looking through these forum pages could quite rightly make a decision not to acquire a car because of the misinformation your all are constantly spouting off to all and sundry. Perhaps the BMW M brand is not the brand to have in your garages
And those amongst us of us who have garage workshops as a business are laughing their heads off at all the misinformation floating about, come on guys it is not always true if you read about it on the internet

[mr wilks]

Really guys I just cannot believe how weird and precious you posters are becoming on this forum. What with the rod bearing replacement issues, and now this I'm beginning to wonder it the the Z4M is really the car for you all. If we may recount over the past twelve years we have owned eight S54, and S50 engined cars. Yes, they have all been low mileage examples, all have had a serious going over on arrival. All have had without exception valve clearances within spec. It is extremely rare to find an engine outside spec, just ask any competent engineer the stats. And the same with the alleged rod bearing issue. None of the pictures posted on this forum would have given me cause for concern, sure there was signs of wear, but given age and mileage, no more nor less than what an engineer would expect to see. Like the shins you are all banging on about they are wear items.
Come on chaps, give yourselves a serious talking to, anyone considering the purchase of a Z4M and looking through these forum pages could quite rightly make a decision not to acquire a car because of the misinformation your all are constantly spouting off to all and sundry. Perhaps the BMW M brand is not the brand to have in your garages
And those amongst us of us who have garage workshops as a business are laughing their heads off at all the misinformation floating about, come on guys it is not always true if you read about it on the internet

Just about THE best post i've read this year



any thoughts on CV19 ?

[mmm-five]

any thoughts on CV19 ?

It’s all internet misinformation, after all I know hundreds of people, and not one has had it

BTW, if we don’t bother checking these ‘just wear’ items, then do we just wait for something to go bang and then send the bill to BTZ461 in New Zealand?

@ BTZ461, how long on average do you keep your M cars, as you seem to go through a lot of them. I’ve only had 3, but put over 100,000 miles on each of them, and all have had shims checked on schedule and never once have I required zero shims...but that’s only according to the engineer/technician doing them...so they could just be lying.

[mr wilks]

any thoughts on CV19 ?

It’s all internet misinformation, after all I know hundreds of people, and not one has had it

BTW, if we don’t bother checking these ‘just wear’ items, then do we just wait for something to go bang and then send the bill to BTZ461 in New Zealand?

@ BTZ461, how long on average do you keep your M cars, as you seem to go through a lot of them. I’ve only had 3, but put over 100,000 miles on each of them, and all have had shims checked on schedule and never once have I required zero shims...but that’s only according to the engineer/technician doing them...so they could just be lying.

You have spent enough time around your own & others S54 cars , they are quite unique in their characteristics so you must have developed a ear for them by now ive had 4 , only 1 of those sounded off & sure enough at Ins2 required adjustment & was how it should sound afterwards , the last ZM i had sounded so good on both cold & warm tickover it was hard to distinguish between my N52 coupe idling next to it .
Granted they don't all sound the same but one needing attention isn't hard to spot if you have some experience around them

[BMWZ4MC]

any thoughts on CV19 ?

It’s all internet misinformation, after all I know hundreds of people, and not one has had it

I can go one better - I’m a doctor and I’ve treated hundreds of patients this year and not one has had CV-19. I’m with Donald Trump, it will all be over by Easter
As for S54 shims, over 11 years of ownership during which I’ve undertaken more frequent inspection services than the BMW schedule dictates, I’ve never had zero shims either. I do know several people who’ve had premature S54 cam and follower wear and several others who’ve had engines let go through spinning a shell. I know no one who has had both, so I’ve concluded that one confers immunity for the other.

[Angelus666]

Totally agree on the post above here.....some people on recently are acting like these cars are made of rare precious metals that crumble at the slightest rev of the engine. These are £15-20k BMW’s....people worrying about them like they’re old school £150k Italian exotics, I just don’t get it....

Literally all the independent garages I have used in the past have all said not to worry about the S54 engine, it’s one of the most bullet proof ones made, and unless you’re heavily tracking it then you will be fine with sensible maintenance. I have done 9 years across my CSL and MC and they have never ever missed a beat, not even needed an oil top up between services.

[mmm-five]

You have spent enough time around your own & others S54 cars , they are quite unique in their characteristics so you must have developed a ear for them by now ive had 4 , only 1 of those sounded off & sure enough at Ins2 required adjustment & was how it should sound afterwards , the last ZM i had sounded so good on both cold & warm tickover it was hard to distinguish between my N52 coupe idling next to it .
Granted they don't all sound the same but one needing attention isn't hard to spot if you have some experience around them

But that’s part of the problem...I think the car sounds fine before an inspection, but it comes away needing 1-7 shims each time, and doesn’t sound any different when I get it back...but that could be down to the exhaust (or the dealer never actually doing them).

With the S38 in the M5s, you’d know they were getting tighter as the engine became smoother at idle, but that could eat 1L of oil every 2,000 miles. The S54 is much quieter overall, and uses zero oil between services...even at it’s last one at 160,000 (140,000 miles into the ‘new’ engine).

Not much you can do about shells though as you won’t hear anything until it’s too late, as in my case. From 3-4 x 2-3 laps of driving & cooling down at the Ring where everything was smooth & pulled completely normally, to the first bit of lumpy idle on starting up after refuelling, to pulling the filter out and cam cover off, the car probably did less than 2 miles. The insides looked like the glitter fairy had visited as the filter had lots on both sides, but the bigger (3mm?) flakes on the outside...and the cams looked similar but just very fine particles.

Maybe 100,000 miles would seem a sensible age to check/replace them if they’ve never been done. 40/50k miles is too soon unless it’s either seeing a lot of track time, or only does 2,000 miles a year and ragged from cold on hoons.

[R60BBA]

You’re forgetting that the engine will only be tappety if the shims are too far out of spec.

If the shims are too close (there will be no extra tappety sounds) and you could potentially end up burning a valve ($$).

There is nothing weird or unreasonable about enquiring about how garages of other M owners evidence they have completed valve clearances at an Inspection service either.

The video linked above is an example of good practice. Perhaps if main dealers and certain garages did not have a rep for not doing shims despite customers paying for them to be checked; a thread like this would not have to exist.

There is no misinformation on this thread either and I don’t think it would put anyone serious off M ownership.

If you have not voted and are not contributing to the fulcrum of this thread - do not post.

Cheers

[BTZ461]

You’re forgetting that the engine will only be tappety if the shims are too far out of spec.

If the shims are too close (there will be no extra tappety sounds) and you could potentially end up burning a valve ($$).

There is nothing weird or unreasonable about enquiring about how garages of other M owners evidence they have completed valve clearances at an Inspection service either.

The video linked above is an example of good practice. Perhaps if main dealers and certain garages did not have a rep for not doing shims despite customers paying for them to be checked; a thread like this would not have to exist.

There is no misinformation on this thread either and I don’t think it would put anyone serious off M ownership.

If you have not voted and are not contributing to the fulcrum of this thread - do not post.

Cheers

Really R6OBBA, get over yourself. If I owned a workshop business and a customer wanted a video of a Insp 1 or 2 to ensure the work was being carried out, I would feel that my integrity was being doubted or challenged. My reply would consist of two works, one beginning with f and the other finishing with the same letter.
I find it really weird, and exceptionally unreasonable about asking for evidence of work being carried out on our cars whether it be BMW or any other brand.
And as for your statement about misinformation, really, much more of this sort of stuff and you will be wearing the cap "Minister of Misinformation"

[BTZ461]

Totally agree on the post above here.....some people on recently are acting like these cars are made of rare precious metals that crumble at the slightest rev of the engine. These are £15-20k BMW’s....people worrying about them like they’re old school £150k Italian exotics, I just don’t get it....

Literally all the independent garages I have used in the past have all said not to worry about the S54 engine, it’s one of the most bullet proof ones made, and unless you’re heavily tracking it then you will be fine with sensible maintenance. I have done 9 years across my CSL and MC and they have never ever missed a beat, not even needed an oil top up between services.

Totally agree on the post above here.....some people on recently are acting like these cars are made of rare precious metals that crumble at the slightest rev of the engine. These are £15-20k BMW’s....people worrying about them like they’re old school £150k Italian exotics, I just don’t get it....

Literally all the independent garages I have used in the past have all said not to worry about the S54 engine, it’s one of the most bullet proof ones made, and unless you’re heavily tracking it then you will be fine with sensible maintenance. I have done 9 years across my CSL and MC and they have never ever missed a beat, not even needed an oil top up between services.

Excellent post, quite agree

[R60BBA]

Yeah but you don’t own a garage do you.

Point out the misinformation in this thread.

[BTZ461]

Yeah but you don’t own a garage do you.

Point out the misinformation in this thread.

Actually..........oh help