Thinking of giving it back

C

Crusoe

Member
 NE Scotland
:(

Love my 3lr 2003 Z4. Had it for 28 days now and done 950 miles. Sadly most of those have been to and from the dealer, 8 times in to fix a high speed vibration but still not fixed. Should be a 30 day 1000 mile return policy so just enough to drive to the dealer tomorrow and give them back the keys. Love the car but can't keep taking time off work to let them try to fix it.

Dealer doesn't have bmw alternatives in stock so don't think they could get me another one, just want mine fixed but think I should walk away while I have the chance. What do you guys think, will they give me my cash back?

Might end up buying back my 325ci that they still have in stock, do have a 2004 M3 with 55k miles but want £22k for it which looks like £4k optimistic but might be able to do a deal, not sure it's in my budget and rather have manual than smg.

What would you guys do, they've replaced wheels, brakes, tyres done alignments and balancing and checked over the car underneath and not found anything.
 
dont be too hasty- if its an approved car they should find the fault- dont buy the m3 as it is clearly not the car you want! try leavig the car with them 4 a week - with a free lone car and see if they can sort it!
 
I've heard of this before, ask them to check the propshaft and get it rebalanced, :thumbsup:
 
Was it evident on the test drive? They might argue that you bought it and should have checked? Is the intention of return under the sales of goods act, ie, unfit for purpose...? I think thats a reasonable enough reason because high speed judder, if not resolved by all the methods you have had done suggests something big might be not right.

Is the vibraton easily describeable...

Does it run out, so get worse then better?
How much MOT does it have (ie, to check the condition of all bushings)

Have you had a look at the CV joints/driveshafts at the back, out of the diff into the hubs? (there may be an inbalance there)
Propshaft balance even?
 
Sorry you are still having problems :(

It is a tough call, Id definately talk to them re giving it back or other options.

Do they claim that the vibration is fixed then or agree it is still there?
 
Sure M3 would be a lot of fun, not tried one but a lot more expensive to buy and run if you do 20k miles a year. Symptoms were vibrations in steering that they seen to have cured at low speed but the high speed vibration is still there. 80mph to 110mph the car feels like it is on a massage chair, felt through seat, peddles and wheel. Garage claim they can't test to those speeds but that is when it is there, goes away when you go faster than that and know it is there so I feel it from lower speed now but only obvious above 75+.

Stay near eroll raceway if anyone asks of course.
 
Felt over 80mph in all gears so assume it isn't anything from the engine as the revs would be different. If I had to guess it feels more from the front end though.

Only 41k miles and just had a mot. Bought as a BMW approved used car.
 
Did you have the tires high speed balanced? Have the wheels been damaged in any way? Definitely sounds like a tire issue--are they still the run-flats? Are they pretty worn?
 
Nope, they have been rebalanced and tyres changed over and replaced. Now on new tyres and brand new wheels so they have tried all those options I think.
 
Do some Z4's have dual mass flywheels? I spotted that on the parts browsing website that some friction plates are non sprung so some must have!?

That is on the same rotating bit as the propshaft and would be the last thing I can guess at propshaft aside, IF the wheels/tyres are all right and the alignment is all ok...

(thats assuming it's a manual or smg, not an auto)

Propshaft balancing can be a problem though, as can the UJ's at each end if the bearings in them get worn (for whatever reason, maybe damage or just random failure), as the shaft can spin a tad off axis... that usually feels a bit more mechanically through the steering/pedals though, wheras wheel wobble from balancing always feels a bit rubbery in comparison.
 
If I give it back now there shouldn't be bmw penalty, if I wait and go back for another fix attempt it will be over the 30 day 1000 mile return so could just claim it they can't find the problem or not going to pay any more to try to sort it and give a low value to trade or buy back?
 
Sounds like i'd be better trying to get the cash back and finding a better example? If prop shaft was out of line would you trust there were not other problems or additional wear caused.
 
the first problem by the sounds of it is they don't have a clue when it comes to bimmers. Offer to keep the car if they will pay to have it fixed by an authorized bmw dealer (and get it in writing of course). Im sure the real guys can fix it for ya. At this point they probably wouldn't agree with that because they've lost so much money, they'll just send it to the auction or something..

if it is a bmw dealer they need to pull their head out of their arse
 
At the dealer now, taken a 130i out for a run which is a nice car but just not the car i'd take out for a drive just for fun. They've finally agreed to swap the wheels and tyres over from their auto z4 they have in stock so 10min I can test drive and see if that fixes it. Rather keep mine if it can be fixed easily.
 
Yay, happy customer now :) when threatened with getting it back and a chat with the dealer manager they did what I had first suggested and swapped on original equipment star splitrims from their other car in stock. Problem solved!


Said I can keep the splitrims on just now and talk next week, could do with a bit of refurb as there is some bubbling and scrapes but should be able to fix them up or sort out my old ones now they know what it is.

Glad I didn't trade, two nice girls at different places on the way home rolled down their windows and asked if I was cold and saying how much they liked my car, first time that's happened must have been my big smile now it's fixed.
 
Thought they already changed the wheels and tyres and no joy but OK with another set glad you got it sorted you can now look forward to summer 2009 if we get one :thumbsup:
 
Yeah they claimed that they did, know they replaced at least two as they looked new and shiny, the other two looked fine before and after so hard to tell. Might have said they were new but off another car rather than fresh in the box. Maybe some were reproductions and heavier than the other wheel so caused the problem. New tyres on this set of wheels, with run flat bridgestones rather than goodyears. Might have been a out of round tyre on the new ones they fitted too.
 
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