Bird-Dog
06-30-2023, 01:06 PM
Been a while since I've posted, but I have a sad story to tell.
While driving I-85 thru SC from my home in GA my car overheated in a section just north of Spartanburg I later learned the locals call "the chute". It's a several mile section of roadwork that has concrete wall barriers on both sides of 2-lanes - no shoulders or safety lanes. We were in middle of "the chute" in stop-and-go traffic inching along in 90º+ heat when my 2004 ZHP convertible began to overheat and pegged full-on red. With traffic already a parking lot and nowhere to pull over (and no way to get a tow truck in if I just stopped in the lane), I had to keep going to the next exist about a mile further on, regardless of what it was doing to the engine. That took a good 15-minutes inching along a car length at a time to get to it. By the time we got off and limped into a gas station to call for a tow, I knew I'd done major damage.
So, the engine is blown. The culprit, it appears, was the water pump. The car has 124K miles on it, and I'd had a full cooling system refresh done at 100K. I know, of course, how susceptible the engines are to damage from overheating. Had this happened just about any place except where it did I would have pulled over right away and probably be facing no more than a new water pump, hoses, and a belt. But what's done is done.
And now the question is, what's to be done about it?
Option 1: Replace the engine = $10K. This is clearly the best, but very expensive. The independent BMW specialist I've dealt with for many years was able to find an engine, but after pricing one from a reliable source it's more than he thought. Initially he was thinking $5,500 to about $8,500, depending on mileage. But it seems the price of good M54B30 engines from his source has gone up quite a bit. That price does include the engine supplier warrantying installation labor, so if the replacement turns out to be bad, we're covered. Still, not really a good option since I estimate the value of the car once repaired at about the same $10K as the cost to repair.
Option 2: Repair the engine = $5,500. Sounds better, but there are two drawbacks. According to the shop there's an 80% chance of a favorable outcome. But there's still a chance the inserts they'll put in the block for the head bolts won't hold and the repair is no good. No guarantee on this - it's entirely my $$$ risk. If it does take then I'll be out the entire cost and only have a worthless block and freshly machined head to show for it. There is, however, a slight chance we may be able to file a claim with SC DOT since their own stated regulations require safety lanes on the Interstate.
Option 3: Buy another car = ??? Likely $10K+ if I opt for another ZHP. Considerably more for anything else I'd be interested in. I'm guessing I'd only get maybe $1,500 for the car as it sits with the engine blown. More if I parted it out, but I'm not sure I'm up to that (ongoing back issues and limited mobility). OTOH, there are parts on this one I might like to have to transfer on to a new one such as NB interior, Konis, some Dinan bits, recently restored wheels w/ fairly new Michelins, etc...
Would love to hear some opinions. What would you do?
39836
While driving I-85 thru SC from my home in GA my car overheated in a section just north of Spartanburg I later learned the locals call "the chute". It's a several mile section of roadwork that has concrete wall barriers on both sides of 2-lanes - no shoulders or safety lanes. We were in middle of "the chute" in stop-and-go traffic inching along in 90º+ heat when my 2004 ZHP convertible began to overheat and pegged full-on red. With traffic already a parking lot and nowhere to pull over (and no way to get a tow truck in if I just stopped in the lane), I had to keep going to the next exist about a mile further on, regardless of what it was doing to the engine. That took a good 15-minutes inching along a car length at a time to get to it. By the time we got off and limped into a gas station to call for a tow, I knew I'd done major damage.
So, the engine is blown. The culprit, it appears, was the water pump. The car has 124K miles on it, and I'd had a full cooling system refresh done at 100K. I know, of course, how susceptible the engines are to damage from overheating. Had this happened just about any place except where it did I would have pulled over right away and probably be facing no more than a new water pump, hoses, and a belt. But what's done is done.
And now the question is, what's to be done about it?
Option 1: Replace the engine = $10K. This is clearly the best, but very expensive. The independent BMW specialist I've dealt with for many years was able to find an engine, but after pricing one from a reliable source it's more than he thought. Initially he was thinking $5,500 to about $8,500, depending on mileage. But it seems the price of good M54B30 engines from his source has gone up quite a bit. That price does include the engine supplier warrantying installation labor, so if the replacement turns out to be bad, we're covered. Still, not really a good option since I estimate the value of the car once repaired at about the same $10K as the cost to repair.
Option 2: Repair the engine = $5,500. Sounds better, but there are two drawbacks. According to the shop there's an 80% chance of a favorable outcome. But there's still a chance the inserts they'll put in the block for the head bolts won't hold and the repair is no good. No guarantee on this - it's entirely my $$$ risk. If it does take then I'll be out the entire cost and only have a worthless block and freshly machined head to show for it. There is, however, a slight chance we may be able to file a claim with SC DOT since their own stated regulations require safety lanes on the Interstate.
Option 3: Buy another car = ??? Likely $10K+ if I opt for another ZHP. Considerably more for anything else I'd be interested in. I'm guessing I'd only get maybe $1,500 for the car as it sits with the engine blown. More if I parted it out, but I'm not sure I'm up to that (ongoing back issues and limited mobility). OTOH, there are parts on this one I might like to have to transfer on to a new one such as NB interior, Konis, some Dinan bits, recently restored wheels w/ fairly new Michelins, etc...
Would love to hear some opinions. What would you do?
39836