Worried with those subframe stories
 

Hello,

I hope everyone is doing well.

A lot of those subframe stories have made me quite worried.

It sometimes even makes consider selling my CSL.

The BMW "specialists" in my area have never heard of it - just like the guys in Munich actually...

I have heard that BMW doesn't recommend the foam injections anymore.

Some say that this procedure was just supposed to delay the problem in order to pass the 10-year goodwill repair, but that it does not solve the problem.

My car gets regularly checked (at each inspection), but I am wondering if I could do any preventive work.

It seems that the cars are harder to repair once the foam has been injected.

Thank you for your advice and kind regards,
Alex

http://i19.photobucket.com/albums/b1...psa83b6ce8.jpg

Hi Alex,

You could get the aftermarket reinforcement plate kit fitted as a precautionary measure. It's quite expensive though, around £1000 for us to do it. I would say though, if yours has not cracked by now, there's a good chance it wont.
I have seen them crack in 3 different places, so make sure you get it checked thoroughly by someone who is familiar with the issue.
If you need to know which areas to check, let me know and I will take some photos of a car at work and upload them on here.

Hi James,

Many thanks for your precious advice.

If you were not that far from where I live, I would have taken my car to you.

I am sure there are some detailled pictures on where to look for the cracks, but if you don't mind, I would be grateful if you posted some.

The guys here in Geneva don't really seem aware of the issue.

I often drive the car without the radio on and I'm always trying to listen to any suspicious noises. It seems fine so far...

I'll pray that it doesn't hapen to mine as I am not too keen on the foam injection.

Again, many thanks for your help.

Kind regards,
Alex

Alex, I went with both the reinforcement plates and the foam injection as a purely precationary measure. With no cracks found and the 10 year period from BMW running out I decided it was worth doing for my peace of mind, as my CSL is a keeper long-term I think

Hi Leins,

I remember talking to you about this at the bar of the hotel in Munich.

The ideal would be to find a competent garage to do it either here in Switzerland or even in Germany.

Many thanks,
Alex

Can't advise on Germany I'm afraid, but I'd be very surprised if there aren't some good indepedent garages there who have done a few CSLs before. There must surely be a demand for it I would have thought?

There might be some specialists, but the BMW dealers in my area don't really put me in confidence when it's something other than their regular business.

Rear floor
 

Alx,

Have you tried writing to BMW Switzerland to ask about the well known rear floor issue? THey might help you remind your dealer of the fault and assist you getting it rectified or inspected properly?

Good Luck
PP

As per BMW Switzerland...
- There was never ever a problem with the subframe of the E46 M3 and E46 M3 CSL.
- There was never a CSL in the world that has been repaired.
- If your BMW was ever on a track (even for BMW driver training), whatever warranty you had (even if the car is 1 month old) it gets terminated immediately.

PS: here we have 3 years factory warranty and then you are on your own ;)

i guess they have decided that the chance a legal case succeeding is very low so are denying it all.

have you tried the BmW techical repair paperwork that is issued to solve the problem