Recently purchased a 2008 Z4 2.5si for £5750, about a month ago, and have yet to enjoy it.
My first issue came about a day after I had purchased the car, when I could smell burning coming from the engine bay. Checked it over and after removing the engine cover i was horrified to discover oil everywhere (no visible oil anywhere else on the engine so upon inspection it appeared fine) , my heart sank and I instantly thought the worst. After spending ours cleaning it all up I came to the conclusion it was overfilled and therefor splashed out of the cap.
The real issues began when my engine light came on, after an hour journey down south. I let the car cool and sit for about a day and when i returned the light had gone off, so i continued to drive it home. On the journey home the light returned and i felt a significant loss in power, a kind of flat spotting. I took the car into the garage for diagnostics and the proposed bill was scary, Engine leaks, gearbox leaks, bushing, shocks, springs and a couple other things. I spoke to mechanically trained friends and they advised that I get most of the work done, so i did. Setting me back roughly £1000. The engine light had been triggered by and issue supposedly coming from the Vanos, so they re-seated the solenoids and the light went off. Leave it a few days and again the light came on, so i proceeded to replace the vanos solenoids myself. Ran great for all of a day and then it cut out light came on again and the EML also joined it. Got the car home and again booked it into the garage, meanwhile the light keeps going on and off and the power issues seems to fixed itself from time to time.
Bring us to the present moment in time and i have just received a call from the garage to inform me that they need to take the top of the engine apart and have a look at the compression strips and cam shafts. An issue i dont fully understand but appears to do with compression in the oil system and bypassing the vanos. They have also mentioned potential fault with the vanos adjustment unit. This is going to cost me a lot of money that i dont have. I have a video explaining the work that needs doing from the technician if anyone would like to see it. Not to mention me needing a new set of tires and front shocks.
Im starting to fall out of love with the car and this is the last thing i want as i have sacrificed so much.
Ive read so many good things about these cars and their engines, its just seems like i got the bad one out of a bunch.
Any advice, help or comforting will be greatly appreciated as for know im car less and jobless hurayy...
Thanks
Will
My first issue came about a day after I had purchased the car, when I could smell burning coming from the engine bay. Checked it over and after removing the engine cover i was horrified to discover oil everywhere (no visible oil anywhere else on the engine so upon inspection it appeared fine) , my heart sank and I instantly thought the worst. After spending ours cleaning it all up I came to the conclusion it was overfilled and therefor splashed out of the cap.
The real issues began when my engine light came on, after an hour journey down south. I let the car cool and sit for about a day and when i returned the light had gone off, so i continued to drive it home. On the journey home the light returned and i felt a significant loss in power, a kind of flat spotting. I took the car into the garage for diagnostics and the proposed bill was scary, Engine leaks, gearbox leaks, bushing, shocks, springs and a couple other things. I spoke to mechanically trained friends and they advised that I get most of the work done, so i did. Setting me back roughly £1000. The engine light had been triggered by and issue supposedly coming from the Vanos, so they re-seated the solenoids and the light went off. Leave it a few days and again the light came on, so i proceeded to replace the vanos solenoids myself. Ran great for all of a day and then it cut out light came on again and the EML also joined it. Got the car home and again booked it into the garage, meanwhile the light keeps going on and off and the power issues seems to fixed itself from time to time.
Bring us to the present moment in time and i have just received a call from the garage to inform me that they need to take the top of the engine apart and have a look at the compression strips and cam shafts. An issue i dont fully understand but appears to do with compression in the oil system and bypassing the vanos. They have also mentioned potential fault with the vanos adjustment unit. This is going to cost me a lot of money that i dont have. I have a video explaining the work that needs doing from the technician if anyone would like to see it. Not to mention me needing a new set of tires and front shocks.
Im starting to fall out of love with the car and this is the last thing i want as i have sacrificed so much.
Ive read so many good things about these cars and their engines, its just seems like i got the bad one out of a bunch.
Any advice, help or comforting will be greatly appreciated as for know im car less and jobless hurayy...
Thanks
Will
Gutted for you OP. Hope you can get it sorted.
,sleepless nights and some pricey trips to the garage. I beleive the issue is sorted. It sounds very similar to what you are explaining in your post Nick, excpet i did experiance some power issues. 
