Hello,
I have been offered a 1999 318i BMW with 109k miles on the clock. Car is very clean although the salesman tells me it needs a new timing chain and will give me the cost of this off the purchase price.
Does anyone have any idea what this would cost to get done? Or am I better off running a mile?
timing chains can go in bmw's if they get overstrech and if it goes then say good bye to your engine
what lights are on in the dash of the bmw ie the engine management light and the eml light and is the car in limp mode etc ?
timing chain should never need replacing, very strange that garage are selling the car in those circumstances, problem me thinks is more than timing chain!
I spoke to my mechanic about it and he recommended I keep away. He reckons after that mileage (100k) they start to give trouble anyway and the timing chain could just be the start of it. He recommended a decent Toyota (eg Avensis) with the vvti engine (although he says the engine just before this is better) ,or a Honda for the same money. Or a Nissan. Also, they'd sell on a lot easier in a year or two than a BMW.
I have an Avensis. Be careful with the VVTi Avensis. a number of pre 2004 engine had to be replaced under waranty because of high oil consumption at about 45,000mile