The V word...

[m3f_daz1713]

Yup, you guessed it fecking VANOS.



My M3 has been sounding really rough for about 4/5 days now. Sounds like a load of marbles in a bucket. So I took her to my mechanic today and Ive just had the dreaded phone call... "Your VANOS is knackered". My mechanic took my motor down to Barons main dealer (Farnborough, UK) and they confimed its the VANOS thats knackered. Fock. Been quoted £1600 + Labour...



Sad day for me and my ///M.... :-(



Ravi - I just read one of your threads and seen you've had yours done recently... Where did you get it done? How much in total? How long did it take??



Anyone else got any advice???

[m3f_Sirius_880bd69485]

Yup, you guessed it fecking VANOS.



My M3 has been sounding really rough for about 4/5 days now. Sounds like a load of marbles in a bucket. So I took her to my mechanic today and Ive just had the dreaded phone call... "Your VANOS is knackered". My mechanic took my motor down to Barons main dealer (Farnborough, UK) and they confimed its the VANOS thats knackered. Fock. Been quoted £1600 + Labour...



Sad day for me and my ///M.... :-(



Ravi - I just read one of your threads and seen you've had yours done recently... Where did you get it done? How much in total? How long did it take??



Anyone else got any advice???





I just watched a tech re-install a double vanos unit into an x5 at work yesterday. Took him about two hours to for the whole thing, so you would prob be without your car for a couple days.

[m3f_Predator_7d824d33ea]

i know exactly how you feel Daz, **** mines is the same colour as your car aswell. i got my car back today. The actual vanos unit, get ready for it is £1100 ! and the labour about £300 - £400. All in all the dealership charged me £1350 which is cheap.



I went to BMW Sytners in Leicester if that helps.the car was in there for 1 week, but the car feels as good as new if not better, and the difference in performance was astounding .



you'll miss you're car like hell but its worth it.



by the way is your car dropping oil ?? and you sure it isn't only the chain pre-tensioners ?. Anyway Daz i hope your car gets better and dnt worry mate i no it feels like the end of the world but it isn't. Keep us posted .

[m3f_daz1713]

Dude, shes not dropping any oil at all - there is a little bit around the top of the vanos unit but apart from that, the Oil level hasnt changed at all in 6 months! Funny you should say Chain pre-tensioners, thats exactly what I though (and hoped!) it would be but my mechanic verified that the pre-tensioner is fine. mofo.



Cheers for the info, Im down near Reading so im calling around all the dealers down this way to see how prices compare. Nobody has got near your price as yet so looks like I could be taking a trip up your way!



I'll leave another post soon with some quotes. What a bollock breaking pain in the back side.

[m3f_Predator_7d824d33ea]

Sytners is your best bet for a good price as they are the only company in enlgand that can build alpinas. Its not so much the part thats exspensice daz its the bloody labour, i no that Sytners mechanics work for £120 per hour ! ARGHHHHHHHHHh!



but nevertheles if your cars not leaking oil that badly find the best price you can. the only reason i used sytners were because they were near me and i was losiing oil the same rate i was putting it in, i went through a 5litre mobil can in 1 and half weeks!



The only problem is after you do get your car you can't really give it the one for about 3 weeks, as there are air pockets in the vanos unit and oil has to be drawn in as the vanos unit starts to wear in.



hope the search for a good price goes well, by the way does your oil pressure light come on ?

[m3f_daz1713]

Ravi, just got her booked in with Sytners in High Wycombe for next wednesday/thursday... Ahhhrrrr... cant wait that long before I drive her...!!! Dude down there seems sound and quoted me £1588 all in (parts/labor/VAT) and they gonna pick up the car from my house too. Sweet!



As far as the oil light, for a few weeks now, when I start here up (hot or cold) the oil light flashes 7 times exactly.... every time. But she hasnt lost a single drop since I had her???!!! Im assuming the system is seeing a drop is pressure somewhere.



BTW, I spent 10 mins on the phone trying to get them to give me a E46 M3 CSL as a hire car but they werent having none of it!!!! Dont ask dont get. Still, I asked and still didnt get. DOH!



Also, I see in one of your posts that your motor is de-restricted... how when and where did you get that done? For's and againsts??



Fingers crossed the final price is he same as the quote...



Cheers for the advice dude! Daz.



P.S - How many miles you got on the clock?? Yours is on a '97 right? Mines the same year as yours and shes just covered 80K so Im wondering if this is a typical lifespan of the double VANOS???

[m3f_Predator_7d824d33ea]

Thats good to hear Daz. I tried to get a courtesy car but they don't give courtesy cars to anyone under 21 and also you you have to pay 15 quid insurance a day. I'm sure the courtesy cars from Sytner of leicester are fiestas!.



I bought the car de-restricted and to tell you the truth i ve only taken the car over 160mph 3 times, its too bloody scary.



my cars a 96p and its covered 80'000, it also had vanos problems around the same milage as yours. So i guess it must be the typical lifespan of the vanos. Its a bit of a bummer having to fork out a £1000 plus to rectify the problem, but at least you now know that EVO will easily cover 200'000 if you service it at the right intervals.



Also Daz i was wondering before you bought your evo what other cars did you consider ?



and also was your Evo everything you expected it to be ?



hope you do get it done for that price and not a penny more, good luck Daz !

[m3f_Veece]

P.S - How many miles you got on the clock?? Yours is on a '97 right? Mines the same year as yours and shes just covered 80K so Im wondering if this is a typical lifespan of the double VANOS???



The Vanos on my 98' Evo had to be replaced last year at around 48,000 miles !!!

Luckily the car was still under warranty (entended). I was told it costs around 2k to fix though, so the price you have been offered seems pretty reasonable.



Was only told to take it easy for the first couple of hundred miles when I got the car back, and had no problems with it.

[m3f_daz1713]

160!!! Wow dude... My balls aint big enough. 145 is my best round a couple of junctions on the M4.... Thats enough for me!!!



As far a considering other cars before buying the EVO. Nothing mate. Ever since I first saw this motor (in Estoril Blue) years ago, Ive wanted one. Dream Car for me!! I suppose I did consider the Supra or a Escort Cossie, but neither offer what you get with an M3.



I love a car that sticks to the road like flies to sh*t and something that changes the shape of your face when you take off from the lights. All three will do that and plenty more. But I cant afford to be driving like that everytime Im behind the wheel.



Its the times like the drive to and from work everyday. Love winding it up but I love the fact that I can sit back on comfy vaders, wind the windows and down and cruse. Even turing to tunes off and listeneing to the purr of that 3.2 under the bonnet. Thats the other half that makes this car for me.



The only downside for me is that the car can be a liability sometimes. There's some real jealous bastards out there so I end up thinking twice about where to park it, know what I mean?



Apart from that, no regrets about buying the EVO. Just *really* looking forward to getting her fixed now and back on the road. She's sounds so rough that Ive just parked her up on my driveway until she gets fixed. Especially looking forward to hearing that purrrr again!



Daz



Veece: 48K is low miles to be having problems with the Vanos dude. Still, bit of bad luck there but some damn fine luck to be within the warrenty!!!!