N52 Engine Noise Information (HVA) *Cost Update

R

R26Andy

Member
Newcastle upon Tyne
Hi all, Some of you may have read in my other thread that I was getting the dreaded tapping noise that the N52 engine suffers from (caused by HVAs). I just want to feed back on the issue and the dealer.

I took it to Stratstone Newcastle yesterday with this intermittent fault and they immediatley diagnosed the problem and said they would need to replace all the HVAs. So they took the car off me there and then and said I would have it back by end of today (only 30hrs ,which I was a little sceptical about tbh). I was very impressed as Ive heard talk about people getting fobbed off or going through several diagnostic steps before getting to the crux of the matter.

Well, as good as their word I got a phone call today saying the car would be ready after 4:30pm and they had also changed the foglights due to condensation (I had requested them to look at these also).

I was presented with a copy of the invoice and it came to £750 which is labour at cost rate and exclusive of VAT. So we would have been talking over £1,000 had it been out of warranty. They had also NOT wash the car as I had asked them not to.

If anyone want to see a copy of the invoice for parts cositngs I will scan and post on monday.

Full marks to Stratstone and touch wood, the problem seems to have been resolved.

Andy
 
do the dealers get the money back off BMW, if so why do they even worry about doing the work, its a none fault but some dealers are reluctant to acknowledge it
 
Taz x said:
do the dealers get the money back off BMW, if so why do they even worry about doing the work, its a none fault but some dealers are reluctant to acknowledge it
Click to expand...

The invoice I was presented with was the one that goes to BMW uses a discounted labour rate (The service managers words, not mine) so strictley speaking ( :wink: ) they dont make much money, they just get their costs covered which is maybe why some dealers are not as hot as others when it comes to getting it sorted.

The majority of the cost of this job is in the labour bth. Parts only came to cira £150+VAT so its not exactley the end of the world for those out of warranty. We might be talking £500 all in from a BMW specialist?

blackredz4 said:
mine rattles when its been stood for a while but stops after a few minutes is this how yours was ?
Click to expand...

Yep, mine would intermittently occur after starting from cold, usually after a previous short run. The sometimes the noise was very loud other time it was quiet but would go away if I give it a good rev. Trouble is, to rev the engine high enough you have to wait for the engine to warm up which meant driving about in a £35k car that sounds like a double decker bus for 10 minutes :evil: .
 
Taz x said:
do the dealers get the money back off BMW, if so why do they even worry about doing the work, its a none fault but some dealers are reluctant to acknowledge it
Click to expand...

The dealers have to have the claim approved by BMW, so they won't do the work if they can't get the money back. Simples

I would do some serious research before parting with my own cash on just changing the HVA's as this hasn't always fixed the problem as the long thread on e90forum shows.
 
Well, its been around 1.5months since I had the HVAs replaced and I can confirm it has NOT resolved the issue, it came back the other week, I hoped it was a one off but on Friday it happened again (and very loud and very embarrassing!). Ive also think Ive found out how to replicate it for the dealers.

Its booked in tommorow morning so I will see what they have to say. I think I`ll be pushing for a new cylinder head.

I`ll keep the forum posted.

Andy
 
R26Andy said:
Well, its been around 1.5months since I had the HVAs replaced and I can confirm it has NOT resolved the issue, it came back the other week, I hoped it was a one off but on Friday it happened again (and very loud and very embarrassing!). Ive also think Ive found out how to replicate it for the dealers.

Its booked in tommorow morning so I will see what they have to say. I think I`ll be pushing for a new cylinder head.

I`ll keep the forum posted.

Andy
Click to expand...

Interested in knowing how to replicate.

Luckily for me in the end every time I picked it up from the dealer it did it, whether this was because I would only drive for 1/2 mile then get out to open the garage door where upon you could then hear it I don't know. Also starting the car and just allowing to idle seems to induce maybe.

But as said I would be interested to know how you can do it. Glad to say though 2 years after getting my head changed mine's been 100%.
 
The process I have found to date replicates the issue is as follows:

1) Get the engine up to full operating temperature, nice and hot.
2) Allow the engine to completely cool so the engine oil is stone cold (over night ideally)
3) Start the car and shut it down quickly several times (e.g. replicating the several short journies where the engine does not get up to temperature)
4) Allow the engine to completely cool again.
5) Start the engine and the HVAs should be tapping away.

Andy
 
I would be interested in an update as I keep getting fobbed off by my dealer (to be fair to the dealer the problem goes away as they are 30 miles away and it resolves itself on the way there) I am currently trying to resolve it with BMW UK to see if that makes any difference
 
Noise disappeared on the way to the dealer and they couldnt replicate it in the three days they had the car (I did tell how I think it can be replicated) so they cant/arent willing to do anything :(

It was very faint when I started the drive in. Next time I am only going to take it to them when its doing it loudly as it seems to take longer drive to resolve it.

They did say not to make an appointment next time and just bring it straight in which is good.


Andy
 
Least yours lasted 6 weeks, I picked mine up on Saturday and it did it again today. Someone will be getting a shirty phone call in the morning! :x
 
bmw are aware of this fault so why can they just not accept it does it, by the time you get to the dealers it as gone
 
Taz x said:
bmw are aware of this fault so why can they just not accept it does it, by the time you get to the dealers it as gone
Click to expand...

Pretty much what I have written in an email to Tim Abbott, I dont think they will do anything though.

I am honestly tempted to flog the bloody thing and buy something else. It is extremely annoying and there are a lot of other car manufacturers out there. I have owned Fords, Hondas, Rovers even in the past that were less hassle than a supposed premium car!
 
Taz x said:
have you mentioned this forum?
Click to expand...

No, would that help? I just mentioned a load of other links that I found while searching on google and several youtube videos of people with the same issue.
 
Taz x said:
personally i think this forum would help, i would even give links to these discussions
Click to expand...

Well I will see how it goes with the first email and then follow it up, dont want to cause any trouble for the forum if BMW get annoyed?
 
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