Viewing a CSL with 13000 Miles - advice.

[Calcifer]

Yeah I was slightly unhappy about that but i am slightly OCD and the bobbling is limited to a couple of places.

Still good to hear insight of others.

[JBird]

First owner of mine got a complete new steering wheel at 7,000 miles because of the bobling. So, don't worry about that. Steering wheel just seems to be an item that the OCD owners have to get retrimmed every few years.

Plaque I have not seen before - maybe some german dealers did that, or the first owner did it himself (For the UK cars the plaque is not factory part, BMW UK marketing made them extra for the UK dealers).

With the boot floor cracking, with such low milage you are probably safe. Just would add that my feeling is that the German cars don't seem to suffer from it (or it is not talked about), maybe because they have better roads. Perhaps a small reason to also keep the German market in mind if you want LHD. Mine was fine at 25,000miles, but then by 30,000 just started to crack after a season of punishment on dodgy UK goat trail roads. To reiterate my earlier advice, about the boot floor, make sure someone who really really knows where to looks checks it. The average dealer will check, say it is OK, but then take it somewhere like Bartlets (Garath, aka Giraffe on here) and he'll find an issue. All cars have it sooner or later, no reason not to buy, but you want to know what you are getting.

I'm curious, why are you after a LHD - are you planning on driving it in UK or a LHD country?

[select]

The Plaque actually is from the E36 LTW/GT.
AS Jbird said, UK cars had a different plaque but this was a dealer effort, meaning; Uk dealers installed them after delivery, it wasn't a factory option. Still jealous though


About the Bootfloor, its a inherent design flaw on the E46, every model will develop cracks sooner or later.

Spotting the cracks from just looking underneath the car isn't really possible. If theres cracks visible without removing the rear axle its already in a terrible state.

[Chad]

??? Would BMW still warranty a cracked boot floor ,even on a low mileage car 14 years down the line , you had to have a good relationship with BMW body shop to get it done a few years back

[MisterCorn]

I thought it was a 10 year limit on the floor repairs from BMW, not from first hand experience, just something I have heard mentioned quite a few times.

MC

[Chad]

Originally Posted by MisterCorn

I thought it was a 10 year limit on the floor repairs from BMW, not from first hand experience, just something I have heard mentioned quite a few times.

MC

Hi that's my understanding also , mine was done middle of 2013 under warranty, complete new floor, and only because it was a 'one' private owner car in top condition, they had knocked back multiple owner cars previously, so I think I was lucky getting it done on the ten year limit am not sure but was the new replacement boot floor panel made from thicker grade metal ???

[JBird]

Yep, it's not warranty, it's "good will", they offer it at their discretion for cases like this that slip through a usual warranty period, but clearly are a design f-up- Goodwill is up to a max of 10 years - so its over.

This means all boot floor repairs from now on are paid for by the owner. This means that a car that has had the repair done properly, VS one that is cracked and still needs repairing, possibly has a perceived value of 5-7k higher (what it would cost to walk in to BMW and get the repair done).

As said, I doubt a 15,000 mile queenie will have a cracked floor, so a potential new owner just has to decide if they want to wait for it to crack, or do preventative maintenance. If its going too be a garage queen, i'd do nothing, and sleep easy knowing there is an unmolested corrosion free virgin in the garage (!).

[Chad]

Originally Posted by JBird

Yep, it's not warranty, it's "good will", they offer it at their discretion for cases like this that slip through a usual warranty period, but clearly are a design f-up- Goodwill is up to a max of 10 years - so its over.

This means all boot floor repairs from now on are paid for by the owner. This means that a car that has had the repair done properly, VS one that is cracked and still needs repairing, possibly has a perceived value of 5-7k higher (what it would cost to walk in to BMW and get the repair done).

As said, I doubt a 15,000 mile queenie will have a cracked floor, so a potential new owner just has to decide if they want to wait for it to crack, or do preventative maintenance. If its going too be a garage queen, i'd do nothing, and sleep easy knowing there is an unmolested corrosion free virgin in the garage (!).

I recon your spot on regarding paying now. My lads csl had a complete new boot floor a couple of years before mine on good will, only to later crack again, second time was a paid repair ---good point on value BMW compleat new floor could command higher value

[Calcifer]

Thanks for the input and advice.

I will have it checked for boot floor issues. A fix of £7K sounds hefty!

Looking for LHD because it'll probably used mainly for Europe road trips and the occasional UK track day.

Interesting about the E36 LWT plaque being fitted. I wonder if this is a one off Owner effort or some CSL's actually had them fitted by a dealer, hmmmm

[select]

Originally Posted by Chad

[...] am not sure but was the new replacement boot floor panel made from thicker grade metal ???

As far as i know, they used the convertible boot floor which is thicker and has more bracing? And they injected foam into the cavitys between the floor.
But as far as i know it still doesn't prevent the cracks from happening, it simply delays it until the point BMW doesn't feel the need to be responsible for it.

Originally Posted by JBird

so a potential new owner just has to decide if they want to wait for it to crack, or do preventative maintenance.

That sums it up.

Originally Posted by Calcifer

I will have it checked for boot floor issues. A fix of £7K sounds hefty!

Try to find a good independent worskhop whos specialized in this repair. They are not only alot cheaper but also know their stuff and will fix the actual problem instead of the symptoms.

Originally Posted by Calcifer

Interesting about the E36 LWT plaque being fitted. I wonder if this is a one off Owner effort or some CSL's actually had them fitted by a dealer, hmmmm

Would be interesting to know where it was fitted to?