Quote:
Originally Posted by JP0013
Car appeared to be 1 owner lease buyout. I think the guy just drove the piss out of it, but followed oil change intervals and I believe this kind of sludging is a testament to the manufacturer's ill advised maintenance protocol.
I checked the history with a dealer in Miami and there was nothing out of the ordinary. 122k miles, some minor paintwork and a leaking valve cover, but the price was too good to pass up, or so it seemed!
I saw the sludge when my indy did the valve cover gasket and at the time they advised me to trade it. My wife insisted it I keep it as a commuter when we bought her new 320i rather than trade it in, so here we are.
I've been through a lot of German cars, this one so far has been the biggest headache.
PPI was a shade tree shop, so that's on me...
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Well, if the rest of it is worthwhile, dropping an engine in isn't the end of the world. You can take care of (or have the shop take care of) all the common issues (VCG, OFHG, water pump, thermostat, pan gasket) before it goes in and know you're good to go for many miles to come.
I've had a close to 30-year history with BMWs, and the neglected ones are always needier (yes, following the manufacturer OCI qualifies as neglect), but once you catch up on the deferred maintenance and fix the problems, you have something you know inside and out. Get a motor, drop it in, and drive on.