Well, crap, Oppo....

"JasonStern911" (JasonStern911) 11/08/2019 at 23:40 • Filed to: None

3

18

So last time I posted, I was figuring out what to do with the slight coolant leak from the Z4's expansion tank.

“Replace it! And the entire cooling system! It’s super easy - barely an inconvenience!”

I’ve worked on German cars before. That doesn’t sound right...

“Trust me. I’ve owned a different car before. This is super easy!”

Well, so have I, and it was....

And so I went down the replace the entire cooling system rabbit hole despite not being a BMW certified mechanic. The disassembly went easy, and as an exercise, it was fascinating to see the things BMW engineers cut for costs (proper radiator brackets) and things they completely over-invested in (43 fasteners to cover the free floating radiator/fan/condenser to deter people from looking at the free floating radiator/fan/condenser).

The reassembly went worse. The water pump and thermostat went on easy enough. But the whole non-removable condenser/radiator/fan is this enormous cluster f-k where everything has to be done in a specific order, which there are no online or non-BMW mechanic documentation for doing. So I put everything together and take it apart like 8 times. I pay dealership prices for the one part my online shopping neglected. And despite my best efforts, I cannot for the life of me figure out how to get the coolant reservoir back in.

I spent a f’ing hour on this. There is insufficient space in all directions. The biggest culprit is the upper radiator hose connector. You have to push down on the reservoir so it makes a connection on two hoses. But you can’t do that because the top coolant connector blocks a straight-down insertion process. So eventually I forced it and broke a $200 dealer price temperature sensor.

So now I’m stuck, and I’m kind of in a “what do I do?” mindset. I know I have to pay $90 and wait a week for a replacement German plastic sensor, or $200 locally for the same part. But then I still can’t replace it myself, and nobody I know is a mechanic or cares to be. So I can hopefully pay someone to come bail me out. Or pay to have a broken car towed to a repair shop that will charge me up the ass to fix what I broke. Fun.

But it’s just money. I can always make more. The killer thing here is all of the time that I am blowing. Even when I am not working I am in a bad mood and that makes the time I spend with others less enjoyable. So what am I doing and why?

So that’s kind of the existential car ownership situation I am in. I’m old. I have a kid so I don’t have free time. I’m not track daying. My tires are blowing out from old age instead of abuse. I still have bikes to get adrenaline rushes from. So ignoring the Z4's issue, what now?

The Z4 was $8300 and bought because I missed having a convertible and needed something kid-safe(ish). That hasn’t changed. But it also has a BMW oil leak in addition to needing the entire coolant system replaced. All on a 69k mile car. Why aren’t people calling BMW out on their English/Italian level build quality? It’s nuts. Their over-reliance on plastic to cost save combined with poor engineering/management choices is mind-blowing.

My Porsche 996 has been incredibly reliable. If you ignore the pre-purchase inspection costs when I bought it, I have spent ~$75/year on unexpected repairs, mostly due to a MAF sensor I could have swapped out myself for 40% of the cost. But there’s always that ticking time bomb worry despite it giving me no evidence of any impending issues. Blackstone Labs oil samples each oil change reinforce how well the engine has been wearing.

Porsche spent for better parts, but you also feel that cost aftermarket. BMW replacement parts are $5 versus $500 because they’re under- engineered Chinese crap that’s bound to fail again, and again, and again. I hate working on the BMW because it’s German, but I hate working on the Porsche because I have a tendency to f- things up due to my poor mechanic skills, and the parts prices are crazy.

So old man me is saying trade them both in on a Lexus RC. Embrace practicality and have a nice, albeit somewhat beige, future. Both cars plus some cash should get me a low mileage example that should last me ages... unless the whole Toyota teaming with BMW is a sign that they’ve deviated from their 90s quality .

The real old man answer is to buy a Corvette. Maybe wait for the C8 unveil to hopefully drop C7 prices, or honestly just embrace a non-Z06 C6 as the simple-ish, reliable-ish car I can drive for ages. A C6 would probably be a wash price-wise, but respectably less maintenance and repair wise, both cost and time.

Or I can do the thing that seems most responsible short-term. Dump some cash into the Z4 to fix everything. It’s a fine car. And market prices are just that - market prices. The truth is it was a ~$45k car that I bought for ~$8k, so spending thousands keeping it running is still significantly cheaper than buying a new(er) replacement.

Strong feeling with some deep thought that I will just take the financial L, pay up the arse in repairs to keep the Z4 running until 100k. But even then, having worked on a few modern BMWs, they are horribly engineered vehicles designed to last through the warranty period and no longer. There is no reason why my older Xterra with nearly double the mileage should exhibit none of these issues, other than forced obsolescence which proves BMW has no interest in the long-term quality of their vehicles.

Getting the feeling that parenthood is what sucks. Have to imagine I’d get more satisfaction with less drama and cost if I was all alone with a KTM SuperDuke...

WilliamsSW > JasonStern911 11/09/2019 at 01:41

3

I feel you - I’ve got 2 little kids, and I’m old, and I want time to play with cars, but that ain’t happening any time soon . If it makes you feel any better, I’m certainly a worse mechanic than you.

That said, headaches with the BMW shouldn’t make you trade in the Porsche. And, once you sort out the cooling system, I would *hope* that you would be done for a while throwing money and time at that car. That cooling system should last you at *least* another 60k - which is pathetic, but what are the odds you’ll have the car 60k miles from now??

BMW’s, more than anything, are sensitive to whether they’ve been maintained or not - Porsches are too, but are less likely to be victims of deferred maintenance.

I’ve got a 19 year old, 110k mile BMW (E46) that I bought brand new. It’s honestly pretty damn reliable - yeah, I’ve been lucky, but I’ve kept up with its needs, too. Sounds like you bought yours pretty recently, which means that there’s some catching up to do on the cooling system and whatnot.

I leased a GS350 F-sport, and it was perfectly reliable - and bored the hell out of me. My current compromise daily is a 2015 E550 Merc. Generic luxury sedan with stupid levels of torque and 0-60 in 4.5, which entertains me, at least. But you gotta do what makes YOU happy.

While we’re on the topic, is that Xterra either a) a manual or b) had an external trans cooler installed? If the answer to both question is ‘no’ then do something ASAP.  So much overlap - I have a 2005 Pathfinder.

And fuck yes, there are days where I feel like I’d be a lot happier if I was alone and had something more fun than any of the 3 cars I have now (KTM Duke for you, 911 for me). Mine are 3 years, and 5 months - how about you?

This is what we'll show whenever you publish anything on Kinja: > JasonStern911 11/09/2019 at 01:43

2

Imho? Fix the z4 and ditch it. Pay someone to fix it if you h ave to, but ditch it. Modernish BMW’s are great to drive when they’re new or freshly rebuilt, but you know the score, I don’t n eed to tell you. The component quality is abysmal and we could both independently come up with better polymers in our bathtubs if it cam e down to it.

The Porsche? Well. It may bankrupt you in the long run, but at least they can make plastic and rubber that doesn’t disintegrate moments after purchase. It’s a Porsche too, which is always a plus. B ut again, as we discussed earlier, it may attempt to bankrupt you. But also it’s a Porsche. To me that means keep it and maybe dig a hole to hide it in should things go awry.

How would you feel about a Porsche and a c6 z06? Because much like the bedtime story about the bears that you read to your kids, it sounds j uuuss st right to me.

atfsgeoff > JasonStern911 11/09/2019 at 01:49

1

Why aren’t people calling BMW out on their English/Italian level build quality?

Because they don’t usually break until their 2nd or third owner, and used BMW buyers expect them to break.

Maxima Speed > JasonStern911 11/09/2019 at 07:40

3

Allow me to introduce myself. Extreme reliability, convertible, very safe, and comfortable. Oh....., you wanted driving dynamics?

My bird IS the word > JasonStern911 11/09/2019 at 09:51

1

my mini (made by bmw) had a plastic thermostat housing (on a part that gets hot/cold thousands of times over ownership) that exploded at only 47k. I cut my hands up so bad replacing that garbage. On top of the dozens of cost cutting plastic bs that car had that failed or didnt work property. It also burned more oil than the Gulf war. 

Fuck that company.

JasonStern911 > This is what we'll show whenever you publish anything on Kinja: 11/09/2019 at 14:46

1

Presuming I don’t keep my 996 past 100k miles, the Porsche won’t bankrupt me (knocks on wood). There’s a trick to owning them where you drop $3-4k every 50k miles to replace all of the common problems. What kills most Porsche owners is labor. So drop the engine ONCE, then fix everything while the engine and transmission are right there. Even if something did happen where the car blew up and nothing was salvageable, its ownership (less insurance and registration) would only be like $3k/year. People lose way more than that buying new Mitsubishis.

Problem with owning a Corvette and the Porsche is that I don’t want to work forever. But if a cherry C5 came around at a nice price, I honestly think I could rationalize selling the Z4 and living out my realistic teenage dream garage.

Nostalgia is a hell of a drug. I really can afford one nice car, but instead I keep going back to the cars I wanted to own when I was young, dumb, and broke. Heaven help my wallet if a cherry JDM imported 4G63 equipped Starion ever comes up for sale.

JasonStern911 > Maxima Speed 11/09/2019 at 14:47

0

JasonStern911 > WilliamsSW 11/09/2019 at 14:53

1

I’ve never actually verified this, but m y Xterra is a 1st gen 2002 with the tow package, so it was supposed to come with a (likely undersized) transmission cooler. I know the 1st gen and 2nd gen Xterras have completely different transmissions. Is this overheating issue 2nd generation specific or all Xterras prone to it? I have a strong belief that 10,000 years from now, the world will be populated with cockroaches and 1G Xterras still holding on while begging for timing belt changes. I’d hate to contribute to the latter not being true.

JasonStern911 > WilliamsSW 11/09/2019 at 15:06

1

Jealous on the E46. Despite having the same M54 motor, the Z4 placed the cooling system in front of the front support bracing. That literally has been the biggest problem working on it. I literally had to disconnect an engine mount and jack the motor from the chassis to replace the water pump, which went smoothly, but doesn’t seem like something anyone should ever have to do. And it’s that bracing that is preventing me from fitting the coolant reservoir now, as an extra inch of space negotiating the reservoir is literally all I need to make this an easy DIY job. /sigh

If you youtube “z4 coolant reservoir replacement”, you’ll notice the videos skip the installation part. I suspect that’s because nobody wants to watch a 7 hour video filled with every curse word imaginable.

But there is a small but noticeable when you’re under there oil leak. Haven’t tracked it down yet, but I suspect it’s from the oil pan - something that would never happen so soon on a Honda/Toyota/Nissan. And something that may necessitate lifting the motor from the chassis, requiring a cherry picker I don’t own or have room for. At that point, it’s probably a pay the shop thousands to reseal everything then ride the car to 100k- 120k, then hope there’s somebody that both wants it and doesn’t know how to Google “BMW cost of ownership.” :)

I’m a patient guy, so even if I go the Lexus route, it will be a while. I’ve never driven an RC, and if it feels like an IS with a slicker looking body, I’d probably have to pass. But if Toyota sold the RC as the Supra versus re- badging a Z4, how much more interest would there be?

JasonStern911 > My bird IS the word 11/09/2019 at 15:09

1

Feel for you. I’ve heard multiple horror stories from MINI owners that never realized a MINI was a cost savings BMW, as if BMW didn’t do enough cost savings with their main product line.

WilliamsSW > JasonStern911 11/09/2019 at 15:41

0

Ah - I just assumed you had a 2G. That one ( if its an auto) has an integrated trans cooler-radiator that can leak internally. Which, at a minimum, requires replacing the trans if it happens. Don’t think it applies to yours at all.  

WilliamsSW > JasonStern911 11/09/2019 at 15:46

0

Also does yours really have a timing belt? Mine has the VQ40DE - it has a timing chain.

WilliamsSW > JasonStern911 11/09/2019 at 16:37

0

Ugh on the Z4, that sucks. Mine is an early E46 - so it’s actually an M52 under the hood. I’ve had a few minor oil leaks over time but nothing that hard to get to. Gotten very lucky on the cooling system, too.

The RC is a mashup of the IS and GS underneath, believe or not. Quite a bit heavier than the Zupra, and even heavier than the IS. You would need the V8 of the F for it to be any fun. The 3.5 v6 is super reliable but not very exciting in that chassis.

JasonStern911 > WilliamsSW 11/10/2019 at 15:27

0

Yep. From torsion bars to a VG33 that evolved out of the Z31, 1st Gen Xterras are re-bodied relics from the 1980s. A ton of pros and cons to that.

Cons wise, fuel economy is abysmal. The power-to-weight ratio is horrific. The vehicle is so gutless that highway passing is only if other drivers are kind enough to slow down and let you. The old-school four speed automatic is the reason why Oppos bash automatic transmissions. Power drops off at around 3500RPM, after which the vehicle just exchanges additional fuel consumed for engine noise.

Pros wise, Nissan had decades to work out all of the kinks, so the power-train has been bulletproof. Other than the timing belt, it’s an incredibly low maintenance vehicle. And other than 1 of the 6 spark plugs, it’s been incredibly easy to work on. Oil changes, excluding oil drain time, are 5 minute tasks, and only take a (slightly worrisome) 3.5 quarts of oil . While 4WD is less ideal than AWD in all but the severest winter conditions , it has been nothing but an amazing backup winter/toy hauler/ Home Depot trip /loaner vehicle.

I honestly don’t mind wrenching on vehicles from time to time so long as the vehicle is capable of being wrenched on. So naturally the easy to work on Xterra is completely fuss-free and the vehicles that aren’t are the ones that need all of the attention.

JasonStern911 > WilliamsSW 11/10/2019 at 15:39

0

The original leak that started all of this was from the coolant reservoir, and that’s the only part that I cannot for the life of me reinstall, so replacing the whole cooling system versus failing to replace just the coolant reservoir is effectively wash. But noticing a small oil leak in addition to a small coolant leak has me open to cutting my losses. Car isn’t worth zero and I didn’t drop five figures on it. But if, and it’s always an if, I go down that route, it would be one of those things where I patiently wait as long as needed to find the right replacement car - leaning a C5 or C6 Corvette. The Z4 came out when I was a broke college kid, and I liked it then, so owning it was kind of aspirational despite most people not viewing an E85 as aspirational these days. Same with the 996. And I’ve always wanted to own a Corvette at least once in my life. Prefer to do it while I’m young enough to enjoy it versus the stereotypical Corvette owner that never drives it because it’s too hard to get in and out of.

Still haven’t driven one, but I suspect that RCs will remind me of G37Xs, which was where I was leaning prior to buying my 996. Great cars, reliable, vulnerable to depreciation, but lack that something special feeling when you get in one. My wife, with a 335i stuck in our driveway with the MIL illuminated, is the one pushing me towards that. Probably something I should push her more towards, but then my money isn’t infinite, and while cars have their place, how much should one really spend on transportation?

JasonStern911 > atfsgeoff 11/10/2019 at 18:46

0

For lower production models/high performance variants? Sure. But if the average entry 3/4-series buyer was told “this car will start falling apart in 5 years/60k”, I doubt they’d pick BMW over more reliable alternatives. They’re probably already rationalizing the depreciation by thinking they will own it 10+ years.

atfsgeoff > JasonStern911 11/10/2019 at 18:54

0

The only people I personally know who buy or lease brand-new BMWs mostly just care about the badge as a status symbol.

JasonStern911 > atfsgeoff 11/11/2019 at 17:20

0

I just wanted a six cylinder Miata. E85 Z4s are really about as close as you can come. :(