Posts: 33
Registered: May 2002

posted 06-05-2002 08:48 AM            

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OK do i have bad luck or what. I thought I would escape London and the Jubilee Celebrations and go to the continent. First my tyre came off at 135 on the motorway -I mean it came off completely!! Thanks to BMW Assistance who put me up in a hotel and found me a tyre the next day. Then I find a nice straight road - no traffic so i try Launch control for the first time. Everything goes great according to plan, text book take off with minimal wheelspin. About 5km later I hear a serious engine rattle. BMW Assistance comes - He opens the bonnet and says 'tut tut' in French, I know it's seriouis. When he sees the blank look on my face he says 'tut tut' in Dutch, then in German. I didnt know any of these languages that well but now I know what 'Your engines ***ked' means in all three. Finally the tow truck arrives. This guy is your typical tow truck driver you see in the movies - no speech, grunts a lot and I don't have a clue where I'm going. Inside of the truck is littered with empty cans, oil bottles etc. There follows a hair raising journey through the Belgian countryside whereby he negotiates sharp bends at hi speed with my M3 on the back and me and my partner in the front without a seatbelt whilst talking to his depot on a mobile phone. Finally arrive at the BMW Dealership - its closed. Never mind they drop off my car and BMW arrange to drive me back to the hotel and say they'll call me in the morning. Well its now the afternoon and they have just called. My car is going to take AT LEAST two weeks to fix. In the meantime I've got this great hire car, with the steering wheel on the 'wrong side' and when you press the accelerator you've enough time to write a postcard before the car mooves. Oh Well ! Can someone who can post my pics of the accident give me an e-mail address plase....

[This message has been edited by Zed (edited 06-11-2002).]

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Posts: 69
Registered: Jan 2002

posted 06-05-2002 09:20 AM            

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I am truly sorry to hear about that. It's bad enough that it happens, but to be stuck in another country is really bad.

Make sure to add your details to: http://members.roadfly.org/jason/m3engines.htm

Jason has an excellent database of information and has proved invaluable to those who have suffered this problem to get BMW to fix it QUICK. Go to the link and down the left sidebar is a link to report your failure.

Good Luck!

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Posts: 4
Registered: May 2002

posted 06-05-2002 12:13 PM            

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Hi Zed,

As 'gtobynj' pointed out, send those pics to me and i'll post them up.

Thanks
Jason
jason@roadfly.com

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Posts: 33
Registered: May 2002

posted 06-06-2002 02:31 PM            

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Hey Jason

Back in the UK - M3. Pics are on the way let me know if u don't receive them

[This message has been edited by Zed (edited 06-06-2002).]

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posted 06-06-2002 03:32 PM            

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Pictures here: http://members.roadfly.com/jason/43zed.htm

Linked to site as #43: http://members.roadfly.org/jason/m3engines.htm

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Posts: 33
Registered: May 2002

posted 06-06-2002 04:33 PM            

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Hey Jason thanks. Will post some info on your website just as soon as I find out what's actually happened to my engine. This has been a weird experience. I drove to the continent by car and came back on the plane minus my M3. At Brussesls Airport there is an M5 in the departure lounge. It is being raffled by a charity called Child Focus, the European Centre for Missing and Sexualy Exploited Children. I bought a ticket - What the hell, I reckon I have had my quota of bad luck this year. At least the money will go to a good cause. Going back to the tyre, incident. Does anyone know if any other make of tyre would have perfomed better. This was a Michelin? I did not even notice that the tyre was missing until I noticed a burning smell. There was a slight loss of power and the car kept going in a straight line...

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posted 06-07-2002 05:53 AM              

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Zed,
get on the phone to BMW GB, and have a look on www.bm3w.co.uk. SteveD on that forum got his M3 completely +replaced+ and BMW GB loaned him an M3 whilst he waited for his new one.

Regards,
Neil.

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Posts: 33
Registered: May 2002

posted 06-07-2002 06:22 AM            

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Neil
Thanks for that I'll try and track Steve D down on the forum. BMW were going to send me a Vauxhll Omega so I'll try and change that.

Best Regards
Zed

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posted 06-09-2002 09:00 AM              

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I'd also try and charge them for all your expenses during the trip.

Regards,
Neil.

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