Good riddance E92 M3...

[BimmerBoomer]

A wonderful car for 140,000 k. and 4-1/2 years, spoiled for me by glitches that BMW just didn't deal with in a timely manner - or at all. The first thing was the radio not working on cold days. Replace the amplifier. Nope. Replace the radio. The whole car died, the dealer quickly stuffed the old back in. Two years after I got the car this issue was solved by a software update.

Then the CELs started. Then the battery died. After six months of limping along with a defective battery I finally got a new battery out of BMW - paid for by the dealer's sales department: service wouldn't bend.

Then the CELs started on occasion to produce limp homes - three to date. Oh, and for two days the windows refused to go up into the frame when I closed the door! But I cured that by driving to the dealer. When I tried to show the service manager the windows worked - and have worked ever since.

About this time the M power button began turning itself on. It has done so from time to time for the last two years. This winter two new things. Firstly, no gear selection showing on the dash. Well, this only happened twice, but the DCT is throwing codes. And the dealer doesn't have a clue what to do about it. Other than a new DCT that is. And the key refused to work except in the ignition for two weeks. It's fine now.

At no time has the dealer or BMW taken any responsibility for the glitches. We have no lemon law in Canada, so it's grin and bear it or sue. I traded for a new 435i xDrive 8 AT. I'll drive the car for a couple of years until I decide what I really want. If I have trouble with this one BMW will hear from me or my lawyer. My next car? Likely not the F80 as much as I'd like one. My last totally satisfactory experience with a BMW was my E46 M3, two cars before the E92 M3.

Don't get me wrong: I loved this car. But I can't live with it.

[M3-S65]

Why would you buy another BMW after that?

[V8FunNaturally]

Originally Posted by M3-S65

Why would you buy another BMW after that?

Because he had a totally satisfactory experience with an E46 M3 before that and that was a MT transmission.

"Firstly, no gear selection showing on the dash. Well, this only happened twice, but the DCT is throwing codes. And the dealer doesn't have a clue what to do about it. Other than a new DCT that is"

[deletedelete]

Sucks about your car. It sounds like you got a lemon and it's interesting that you're still loyal to BMW after all that.

[Petros]

Anyone thinking of Nick Murray's Porsche 911 while reading the OP's post?

OP, you should have made some vids of all the problems and put it on youtube. Works like magic!

[BimmerBoomer]

Originally Posted by Petros

Anyone thinking of Nick Murray's Porsche 911 while reading the OP's post?

OP, you should have made some vids of all the problems and put it on youtube. Works like magic!

What a nightmare! No, this car was more subtle than his.

By the way, did anyone else get spiders in the sealed beams? How does that happen?

[///M///]

Originally Posted by sunsweet

Because he had a totally satisfactory experience with an E46 M3 before that and that was a MT transmission.

"Firstly, no gear selection showing on the dash. Well, this only happened twice, but the DCT is throwing codes. And the dealer doesn't have a clue what to do about it. Other than a new DCT that is"

Oh no.....here we go again. You manual guys don't miss any opportunity, do you Please, not another one of those threads!

[coloradoe92m3]

Why would bwm care what lawyer has to say ifyou have no lemon law? Lol

[BimmerBoomer]

Originally Posted by dsm918

Oh no.....here we go again. You manual guys don't miss any opportunity, do you Please, not another one of those threads!

My manual 2007 335i coupe had the engine pulled at 40,000 k. and shipped back to head office. However BMW did pay me compensation to keep this car, with a new engine.

But I do think BMW's inability or unwillingness to treat the DCT as anything but a module to be replaced is an issue. I'm a lot more comfortable going to the ZF 8 AT.

[M3-S65]

Originally Posted by sunsweet

Because he had a totally satisfactory experience with an E46 M3 before that and that was a MT transmission.

"Firstly, no gear selection showing on the dash. Well, this only happened twice, but the DCT is throwing codes. And the dealer doesn't have a clue what to do about it. Other than a new DCT that is"

I guess it is human nature to defend what we purchase. Defending our ego ...if I own a MT I am a MT, or I am a DCT...
I like to debate for fun, but I actually like both MT and DCT and could care less if I owned either one.

[AlteredBe4st]

WOW!! Talk about issues, gL1t)H, G[|+€H....

[FogCityM3]

Sad as it is to say, I've had more problems with the M3 than my E46 330i, which was pretty much bullet-proof with nearly zero issues. I do believe the quality of materials and fit/finish are worse now vs BMWs of years past. When I drive an F30 335i, it really feels like a hollow box with a ton of wind noise and very plasticky buttons/dash. E46s were so far ahead of their time and I really don't know what happened given how much more the production is automated these days.

[Vic311]

Originally Posted by BimmerBoomer

A wonderful car for 140,000 k. and 4-1/2 years, spoiled for me by glitches that BMW just didn't deal with in a timely manner - or at all. The first thing was the radio not working on cold days. Replace the amplifier. Nope. Replace the radio. The whole car died, the dealer quickly stuffed the old back in. Two years after I got the car this issue was solved by a software update.

Then the CELs started. Then the battery died. After six months of limping along with a defective battery I finally got a new battery out of BMW - paid for by the dealer's sales department: service wouldn't bend.

Then the CELs started on occasion to produce limp homes - three to date. Oh, and for two days the windows refused to go up into the frame when I closed the door! But I cured that by driving to the dealer. When I tried to show the service manager the windows worked - and have worked ever since.

About this time the M power button began turning itself on. It has done so from time to time for the last two years. This winter two new things. Firstly, no gear selection showing on the dash. Well, this only happened twice, but the DCT is throwing codes. And the dealer doesn't have a clue what to do about it. Other than a new DCT that is. And the key refused to work except in the ignition for two weeks. It's fine now.

At no time has the dealer or BMW taken any responsibility for the glitches. We have no lemon law in Canada, so it's grin and bear it or sue. I traded for a new 435i xDrive 8 AT. I'll drive the car for a couple of years until I decide what I really want. If I have trouble with this one BMW will hear from me or my lawyer. My next car? Likely not the F80 as much as I'd like one. My last totally satisfactory experience with a BMW was my E46 M3, two cars before the E92 M3.

Don't get me wrong: I loved this car. But I can't live with it.

Your post has just validated and justified my decision to go for a stripper with as few electronic gadgets as possible. FWIW my radio went out too at 5K miles, replaced under warranty.

The engine on these cars isn't what worries me, it's all the electronics.

[Jay-K]

wow 140k.

[italyix]

Originally Posted by Jay-K

wow 140k.

Kilometers, not miles.

[V8FunNaturally]

Originally Posted by M3-S65

I guess it is human nature to defend what we purchase. Defending our ego ...if I own a MT I am a MT, or I am a DCT...
I like to debate for fun, but I actually like both MT and DCT and could care less if I owned either one.

I agree mt/dct owners should respect each other's choices, that's the only healthy approach. When one side is trying to impose their views most often they're completely overlooking or even ignoring what justifies the other side's preferences only wanting to hear what they think is important. Most people are completely ego driven.

[M3 Pilot]

Its luck really.

When I had my 08 E92, it sees about 4-5 track days per year without consuming any oil.

With my 13' Comp Pack, its drinking 1 qtz every 9000km which doesn't see any track time.

Before the 13' Comp pack I was in the market for a GTR.

Some 12' GTRs with 7000km experience fuel gauge light failure. Some MFD screen turns pink. Drivetrain solenoid A & B failure. These problems are common enough that local workshops stock ready parts for them.

Yet some son of a bitch 2008 GTR with 75,000km runs without any problem since day 1.

[SenorFunkyPants]

That sucks...I sure its no consolation at all that my car has been the most reliable car I have ever owned. 5+ years and 50k miles with only the battery changed and standard servicing...still runs as well as day one if not better.

[Disciple7]

I've had no problems whatsoever in my first year of ownership on my 2013 M3, but the only electronic gadget I added was Navigation. I even have Manual Cloth Seats.

[Javelin]

Canada doesn't have any "Lemon Law" as the OP states, but we do have CAMVAP (Canadian Motor Vehicle Arbitration Plan) which provides for binding arbitration. Apparently it's free, but I don't know anyone who has used it, so not sure if it's any good or not.

I also had the blank DCT display on a couple of cold days - just looked like the LCD being below it's operating limit (crystalline to nematic transition) to me, at least that's what I'm telling myself . Came back as the car interior warmed.

[BimmerBoomer]

Originally Posted by Javelin

Canada doesn't have any "Lemon Law" as the OP states, but we do have CAMVAP (Canadian Motor Vehicle Arbitration Plan) which provides for binding arbitration. Apparently it's free, but I don't know anyone who has used it, so not sure if it's any good or not.

I also had the blank DCT display on a couple of cold days - just looked like the LCD being below it's operating limit (crystalline to nematic transition) to me, at least that's what I'm telling myself . Came back as the car interior warmed.

Believe it or not, manufacturers can just opt out! Good luck with the DCT. I don't know that I have a DCT problem - and I don't know that I don't have one.

[///Mperative]

Originally Posted by Javelin

Canada doesn't have any "Lemon Law" as the OP states, but we do have CAMVAP (Canadian Motor Vehicle Arbitration Plan) which provides for binding arbitration. Apparently it's free, but I don't know anyone who has used it, so not sure if it's any good or not.

I also had the blank DCT display on a couple of cold days - just looked like the LCD being below it's operating limit (crystalline to nematic transition) to me, at least that's what I'm telling myself . Came back as the car interior warmed.

Yeah, binding arbitration is crap. It clearly favors the defendant.