[NewToM]

Originally Posted by DutchBoysRacing

Can you let us know how many miles you have on the car and a picture of the radiator?

I track my car often, and mine is getting chewed up

Car has about 4200 miles on it with most of it on the freeway. Some canyon roads that were not the greatest but no track time. I’ll try to get some pictures this weekend.

[RockCrusher]

Originally Posted by JABCAT

Sucks about the radiator. Look the part number up online, guaranteed to be a hell of a lot cheaper than what they're quoting.

What does tires and alignment have to do with the radiator damage. That's a ridiculous price for those as well. Why do you need tires at 7k mi? Depending on where you are, order tires from Discount Tire or Tire Rack.

Whether tires are needed or not and if tires needed if an alignment is needed or not I can't say.

But back in spring of 2023 at my local BMW dealer I priced a rear tire (Michelin) for my 2023 M2: $582. That's $1164 for both. Front tires are likely less expensive. WAG: $512/each. Then that's $1024 or about $2188 for a set of 4 mounted/balanced.

By way of comparison, checked Tire Rack: Set of 4 Michelin Pilot Sport 4S tires: $1647.96. Do not know if that is mounted/balanced or just the tires. Tire price breakdown: Rear tires: $439/each; front tires: $385/each.

Sticking with the $2188 (estimated cost at my local dealer) then that leaves roughly $322 for the alignment. $322 for an alignment reads a bit pricey. But I note the OP is in southern CA. Dealer hourly rates are going to be high.

Could find nothing online about hourly rates for southern CA but from 2014 (!) hourly rates at several BMW dealers in northern CA were $190-$200.

[JABCAT]

Originally Posted by RockCrusher

Whether tires are needed or not and if tires needed if an alignment is needed or not I can't say.

But back in spring of 2023 at my local BMW dealer I priced a rear tire (Michelin) for my 2023 M2: $582. That's $1164 for both. Front tires are likely less expensive. WAG: $512/each. Then that's $1024 or about $2188 for a set of 4 mounted/balanced.

By way of comparison, checked Tire Rack: Set of 4 Michelin Pilot Sport 4S tires: $1647.96. Do not know if that is mounted/balanced or just the tires. Tire price breakdown: Rear tires: $439/each; front tires: $385/each.

Sticking with the $2188 (estimated cost at my local dealer) then that leaves roughly $322 for the alignment. $322 for an alignment reads a bit pricey. But I note the OP is in southern CA. Dealer hourly rates are going to be high.

Could find nothing online about hourly rates for southern CA but from 2014 (!) hourly rates at several BMW dealers in northern CA were $190-$200.

I buy all my tires from Discount Tire (who now also owns Tire Rack). They run sales nearly every week, plus using the DT credit card gets you another 5% off the total & 0% interest for up to 12 months. Last year all my vehicles (4) needed new tires & I think I spent close to $8k or more on tires

[97supratt]

Originally Posted by DrewDDS

Hey folks,
So yesterday afternoon the a/c stopped working on my G87. I start investigating, and there is a large puddle of coolant on the ground underneath the car. Lo and behold there is a piece of gravel sitting just inside my front bumper, and a lovely dent in the radiator. The thin plastic cladding obviously did nothing to protect the radiator. Dealership quoted me $3300 plus another 2500 for tires and alignment. Absolutely refusing to cover it in any way.

The car is less than a year old and has 7000 miles on it. Surely this is bound to happen several times over ownership of this car. I find this extremely unacceptable that bmw does not stand behind their poor design choices.

Does anyone have suggestions or similar stories? The dealership suggested I pay out of pocket and try to have my insurance reimburse me, but I don’t find that to be an appropriate solution either. I asked them to make me an offer on the car, and the offer was 53k which I also find insulting.

Thanks in advance for any insight

I ordered the front grill and bottom grill because now I’m worried after reading about your awful experience. Sorry about what happened.

[RPM33]

Originally Posted by DrewDDS

Hey folks,
So yesterday afternoon the a/c stopped working on my G87. I start investigating, and there is a large puddle of coolant on the ground underneath the car. Lo and behold there is a piece of gravel sitting just inside my front bumper, and a lovely dent in the radiator. The thin plastic cladding obviously did nothing to protect the radiator. Dealership quoted me $3300 plus another 2500 for tires and alignment. Absolutely refusing to cover it in any way.

The car is less than a year old and has 7000 miles on it. Surely this is bound to happen several times over ownership of this car. I find this extremely unacceptable that bmw does not stand behind their poor design choices.

Does anyone have suggestions or similar stories? The dealership suggested I pay out of pocket and try to have my insurance reimburse me, but I don’t find that to be an appropriate solution either. I asked them to make me an offer on the car, and the offer was 53k which I also find insulting.

Thanks in advance for any insight

This is terrible Drew. Are you going to get the radiator fixed and then get rid of the M2? I feel for you.

[akumachu]

I am very curious on how a gravel got such downward force dropping into the inside to cause puncture.
Any pictures showing the damage?

[RockCrusher]

Originally Posted by JABCAT

I buy all my tires from Discount Tire (who now also owns Tire Rack). They run sales nearly every week, plus using the DT credit card gets you another 5% off the total & 0% interest for up to 12 months. Last year all my vehicles (4) needed new tires & I think I spent close to $8k or more on tires

With my previous German sports cars the local dealer sold tires at *Tirerack* prices. Nice.

Unfortunately the local BMW dealer doesn't based on the price quote I got.

[Carefree]

Originally Posted by RockCrusher

With my previous German sports cars the local dealer sold tires at *Tirerack* prices. Nice.

Unfortunately the local BMW dealer doesn't based on the price quote I got.

Our dealer in Scottsdale is competitive to the penny with Discount Tire.

[MineralGreyMetallic]

Sorry this happened.

Can you please post a picture of the damage, if possible?

[clubroad]

Anyone hear of cooling issues with skidplate installed to protect oil cooler?

[apez]

Originally Posted by M2siast

It doesn’t happen with the Mishimoto, at least. Unsure about others.

Admittedly I don't live in a super hot climate, but yesterday at the track a lot of people were having cooling problems. My Mishimoto clad M2 stayed cool.

[apez]

Originally Posted by M2siast

Cooling problems not in the G8X platform, correct, other vehicles?

I find the G8X cars will not have cooling issues, unless you’re following the car in front too close. As long as you have open air and drive mostly by yourself, it won’t happen.

And what happens when there are cooling issues from following the car in front too close, the car will still drive well, but with a bit of reduced power and a message on screen.

Other brands/makes. Just using that as an indication that it was hot enough and aggressive enough driving that cooling could have been a problem if the Mishimoto was not letting the oil cooler breathe enough.

[DrewDDS]

Originally Posted by RPM33

This is terrible Drew. Are you going to get the radiator fixed and then get rid of the M2? I feel for you.

Thanks - you know I thought I’d wait at least until I had a bit more grey hair to graduate to Porsche, but something is telling me now might be a good time

Originally Posted by MineralGreyMetallic

Sorry this happened.

Can you please post a picture of the damage, if possible?

Sure thing

View post on imgur.com

[two_three_two]

Originally Posted by DrewDDS

Thanks - you know I thought I’d wait at least until I had a bit more grey hair to graduate to Porsche, but something is telling me now might be a good time

if you want a p-car, by all means get a p-car, but there's plenty of well documented and easy fixes to this issue. did it suck spending $600 out of the gate to protect my cooling? sure. was it worth it to spend <1% of MSRP ensuring worry free enjoyment? you bet. every platform has its challenges.

[DrewDDS]

Originally Posted by two_three_two

if you want a p-car, by all means get a p-car, but there's plenty of well documented and easy fixes to this issue. did it suck spending $600 out of the gate to protect my cooling? sure. was it worth it to spend <1% of MSRP ensuring worry free enjoyment? you bet. every platform has its challenges.

Totally get that. To be honest, I’m quite put off by the appearance of the protection kits I’ve seen so far. And I’m also put off by the fact that BMW is refusing any responsibility for what I consider a massive design flaw. From my perspective this is a non daily-drivable car. If it’s happened this fast, it’s bound to happen again. If it were a $300, sucky but doable. But a $3300 repair as a result of gravel, WTF?? This is my third M car, and the only one to have radiator damage from a small rock. It’s irresponsible in BMW’s part and surely there will be a class action or recall/tsb

[two_three_two]

Originally Posted by DrewDDS

Totally get that. To be honest, I’m quite put off by the appearance of the protection kits I’ve seen so far. And I’m also put off by the fact that BMW is refusing any responsibility for what I consider a massive design flaw. From my perspective this is a non daily-drivable car. If it’s happened this fast, it’s bound to happen again. If it were a $300, sucky but doable. But a $3300 repair as a result of gravel, WTF?? This is my third M car, and the only one to have radiator damage from a small rock. It’s irresponsible in BMW’s part and surely there will be a class action or recall/tsb

it has been like this for two gens now. the F8X platform has the same thing, and the 992's also have pretty big exposed intercoolers under the headlights in the bumper. next time you walk around a parking lot, take note of just how many new cars now have exposed cooling elements... its a lot.

plenty of us daily drive ours... mine has 9k miles so far. i have a long gravel/dirt driveway, and i have taken it skiing in a variety of questionable conditions and road surfaces with no issues so far *knock on wood* due to my mishi plate and stradale grill inserts.

don't get me wrong - i don't like it- but this is simply the reality of a lot of performance car in this day and age. FWIW, it seems VAG/audi does a better job protecting them than BMW overall, but definitely model specific.

[Ravenseal]

That sucks, but why would the dealership/manufacturer cover road hazard? That's a comprehensive claim for your insurance company.

[DrewDDS]

Originally Posted by two_three_two

it has been like this for two gens now. the F8X platform has the same thing, and the 992's also have pretty big exposed intercoolers under the headlights in the bumper. next time you walk around a parking lot, take note of just how many new cars now have exposed cooling elements... its a lot.

plenty of us daily drive ours... mine has 9k miles so far. i have a long gravel/dirt driveway, and i have taken it skiing in a variety of questionable conditions and road surfaces with no issues so far *knock on wood* due to my mishi plate and stradale grill inserts.

don't get me wrong - i don't like it- but this is simply the reality of a lot of performance car in this day and age. FWIW, it seems VAG/audi does a better job protecting them than BMW overall, but definitely model specific.

My f80 was not like this, not sure why the mesh couldn’t have continued into this gen

View post on imgur.com

[DrewDDS]

Originally Posted by Ravenseal

That sucks, but why would the dealership/manufacturer cover road hazard? That's a comprehensive claim for your insurance company.

In my opinion it is a major oversight/design flaw. It’s like leaving out the air filter because it causes a restriction. “Why would we cover a problem caused by dust floating in the air?!”

[DSTR]

Originally Posted by DrewDDS

In my opinion it is a major oversight/design flaw. It’s like leaving out the air filter because it causes a restriction. “Why would we cover a problem caused by dust floating in the air?!”

You will have the exact same potential issue, grey hair or not, with Porsche. You will pay more for that as well lol!

[Ravenseal]

Originally Posted by DrewDDS

In my opinion it is a major oversight/design flaw. It’s like leaving out the air filter because it causes a restriction. “Why would we cover a problem caused by dust floating in the air?!”

They know their cooling design is inherently flawed and at risk of causing catastrophic failure like we've seen on this forum, but unless you're willing to litigate against BMW, nothing will change. These failures don't impact their bottom line and are sufficiently rare that they haven't garnered media or government attention. They only thing you can do is take precautions as an owner such as mesh covers and skid plates, if the road conditions where you drive are high risk. That's why I opted for the mishimoto skid plate.

[akumachu]

Originally Posted by Ravenseal

They know their cooling design is inherently flawed and at risk of causing catastrophic failure like we've seen on this forum, but unless you're willing to litigate against BMW, nothing will change. These failures don't impact their bottom line and are sufficiently rare that they haven't garnered media or government attention. They only thing you can do is take precautions as an owner such as mesh covers and skid plates, if the road conditions where you drive are high risk. That's why I opted for the mishimoto skid plate.

BMW makes about 1300 units (maybe even more now) of M2 per month.
It has been at least a year of production, so there are at least 15k M2 out on the road.
What percentage of incident should be consider as a design flaw?
Let's say we go with 10%, then there should be about 1500 cases of these world wide.
My bet is there are not as many as that.

I didn't even lower my car but I already scrap the bottom of the front a bit on a steep driveway. I blame myself rather how it was designed.
And I am sure the percentage of scrap incident is way higher than radiator puncture but no one would consider that as a design flaw.