2000 BMW Z3

ON 24JUN2011, I SWERVED FROM A PARALLEL LANE TO AVOID BEING SIDESWIPED. NO CONTACT WAS MADE BETWEEN VEHICLES. HOWEVER, I NOTICED A NOISE COMING FROM THE REAR OF THE VEHICLE. THE VEHILE HAS A MANUAL TRANSMISSION. I TOOK THE VEHICLE TO AN AUTO BODY REPAIR SHOP. AFTER EXAMINING THE VEHICLE THEY TOLD ME THAT: THE FLANGE/BRACKET THAT HELD THE DIFFERENTIAL IN PLACE HAD A COMPLETE HAIR-LINE FRACTURE; AND, THAT A SUBSTANTIAL NUMBER OF SPOT WELDS HOLDING THE BODY ON TO THE FRAME HAD FAILED. I MADE CONTACT WITH THE LOCAL BMW DEALERSHIP MCGRATH BMW, OCATED IN WESTMONT, IL AND TOLD THEM OF THE INCIDENT. THEY STATED THAT THEY DID NOT UNDERTAKE BODY REPAIRS AND DIRECTED ME TO A FIRM WHICH DID ALL TYPES OF BODY AND STRUCTURAL REPAIRS AND WAS ACCREDITED BY BMW. I WAS GIVEN AN ESTIMATE FOR THE REPAIR OF BETWEEN $5,000-$6,000, AND WAS TOLD THAT THERE WAS NO PROGRAM OFFERED BY BMW TO SHARE IN THE COST OF THE FLANGE/BRACKET AND BODY REPAIR. I WENT BACK TO MY LOCAL BODY SHOP AND TOLD THEM TO ESTIMATE THE COST AND I ALSO REPORTED THE PROBLEM TO MY AUTO INSURANCE (STATE FARM). AN ADJUSTER FROM STATE FARM REVIEWED THE FAILURES AND STATED THAT THE CONDITION WAS ONE OF A PROBLEM IN MANUFACTURE AND NOT COVERED BY MY AUTO INSURANCE. MY BODY SHOP THEN GAVE ME AN ESTIMATE OF A NOT TO EXCEED FIGURE OF APPROXIMATELY $2,500. I TOLD THEM TO UNDERTAKE THE REPAIR. THE FLANGE/BRACKET HAS BEEN REPLACED AND REINFORCED AND THE BODY AND FRAME HAVE SINCE BEEN REWELDED AT A TOTAL COST TO ME OF $1600. ADDITIONALLY, I SPENT AN ADDITIONAL $100 FOR A ALIGNMENT (FIRESTONE OF COUNTRYSIDE, IL) THE LOCAL BODY SHOP IS DOUGLAS AUTO BODY, 4015 EBERLY AVENUE, BROOKFIELD, IL (708) 485-7774 - THEY ARE A BODY AND STRUCTURAL REPAIR SHOP APPROVED BY STATE FARM INSURANCE. THIS VEHICLE HAS BEEN USED BY ME AS A STREET VEHICLE AND NOT FOR RACING OR TRACK USE OF ANY KIND. THE FAILURES SEEM TO BE A MFG. DESIGN FLAW. *TR

I HEARD A CREAKING FROM THE REAR OF MY CAR, I PUT IT ON JACKS TO CHECK IT OUT. TO MY SURPRISE I FOUND EXTENSIVE DAMAGE TO THE FLOOR PAN MAINLY AROUND THE DIFFERENTIAL MOUNT. THE CAR IS UNDRIVABLE., BUT YET BMW WILL NOT TAKE FULL RESPONSIBILITY FOR THE MATTER. I SEE IT AS A SAFETY ISSUE AS IF I DID NOT CHECK IT AND CONTINUED TO DRIVE THE CRACKS AND TEARS IN THE BODY METAL THAT EXIST COULD HAVE CONTINUED EVEN FURTHER AND LED TO AN ACCIDENT OR WORSE. I WAS ESTIMATED AT A WHOPPING 5200 DOLLARS WHICH BMW SAID THEY WOULD ONLY PAY 3000 OF. I BELIEVE IT IS A MANUFACTURER DEFECT, SO IT SHOULD BE PAID IN FULLY BY THE COMPANY, BUT THEY WILL NOT STAND UP THE THEIR FAULT. I HAVE AT THIS TIME NO CHOICE BUT TO DRIVE THE VEHICLE IN ITS CURRENT STATE, THERE ARE CASES OF SIMILAR SUBFRAME PROBLEMS POPPING UP ALL OVER FORUMS ONLINE. ENTHUSIASTS OF THE Z3 WILL RECOGNIZE THIS ISSUE IF THEY TEDIOUSLY AND CAREFULLY INSPECT THEIR CARS, HOWEVER THE AVERAGE PERSON WHO JUST BUYS THEIR CAR AND DRIVES IT AROUND HAS ABSOLUTELY NO IDEA OF THE PROBLEM AT HAND AND THE POSSIBLE SAFETY ISSUE THAT IT MAY LEAD UP TO IF NOT TAKEN CARE OF PROPERLY. *TR

TL*THE CONTACT OWNS A 2000 BMW Z3. THE CONTACT HEARD A LOUD NOISE UNDERNEATH THE VEHICLE. A LOCAL MECHANIC STATED THAT THERE WAS AN 8 INCH FRACTURE IN THE SUBFRAME. THE VEHICLE WAS TOWED TO AN AUTHORIZED DEALER AND THEY WELDED THE FRAME. ONE YEAR LATER, THE CONTACT NOTICED THAT THE REAR TIRES, WHERE THE CRACK WAS LOCATED, HAD ABNORMAL WEAR. SHE TOOK HER VEHICLE BACK TO A MECHANIC AND IS IN THE PROCESS OF HAVING IT INSPECTED. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 135,000 AND CURRENT MILEAGE WAS 148,000.