dondizl

Celicasaur

Have you had the car for a while? Curious as to how it got to 3 failed bolts....normally 1 is enough to make the car kick out white smoke and force the owner to get it fixed.

dondizl

No, I picked it up roughly 2 months ago aware of the potential risk and was prepared to address it. So I kept an eye on the coolant level since day 1. Noticed I could grandma the car around town and it wouldn't lose any coolant during the drive or overnight. I did however notice that when I went for a spirited drive I would come home, check the level and sure enough, it'd be low. So I knew immediately what was going on. No external leaks. I'm a BMW tech so naturally I'm going to pay more attention than just your normal owner. So I took it in first opportunity and that was their findings. No engine light, no smoke, no rough idle or any kind of warning signs. Just got lucky I knew about the issue and kept an eye on it and had it addressed immediately. My plan pre purchase was to have this addressed ASAP, it would have been nice to have a little more time but all in all, again, glad I was aware of the issue and was prepared to have it addressed immediately need be

604 C63

Its such an obviously stupid design, as compared to the new style, that it always shocks me that they were used to begin with.

dondizl

Right!

Celicasaur

Oh wow, no smoke or change in character....that's spooky. I didn't know that it could go undetected like that.

It's a good thing the car is now in good hands. Good luck with the repairs

dondizl

Thank you. It's all done now. They replaced the head gaskets and updated the head bolts. So I got very lucky. Could have been ALL BAD!!! 😄

Patel

Do we still consider this a success story? Lol

-Patel

tjsulli1

Out of curiosity, how much did the work run you? Did you have It done at the MB dealership?

Kriston

Your a BMW Tech and Own a C63. Awesome

Head bolts on the C63 or Rod Bearings on the M3....

dondizl

4k roughly. Yes, I had their AMG tech do the work.

dondizl

Well.....can you blame me? For what I was looking to pay, the same MY M3 doesn't hold a candle to the 63! 😬

jptaylor

not a flame but a genuine question.....as a tech why not just do it yourself? about 12hrs work and +/- $600 total for the bolts AND the cam tool and you're done, with $3,400 left in your pocket....

NotABaller

Lets say he can save $3,400 by doing it himself, 90% of the time. The other 10% of the time, he messed something up and he blows up a $34,000 car. His EV = 0. And that is with valuing his own time at $0.



Just my armchair hypothesis

BLKROKT

Or maybe that ~12hrs he could instead be working and earn more? Opportunity cost.

604 C63

There it is. And if its 12 hrs of an AMG tech its prolly 16 hrs for him and 20 hrs for most anyone else.
You just dont know the little tips and tricks that make a job easier and quicker.

I employ this theory on anything around my house.

dondizl

Bingo, I'm a Motorsport tech, but I'm not an AMG tech, don't have the special tools, nor do I have the time or place to do a job like that right now. I left it to those familiar with that engine. Too expensive to risk for me also. Let them do it, have a warranty and spend my time with my family. Done deal! And I'm lazy when it comes to work outside of work! 😄

dondizl

Peace of mind mostly, and I'm lazy 😄

dondizl

This is also correct, I've Flagged 40hrs in a day at work in 8 hrs. No OT. This engine just ain't my specialty and I'm not rich. Left it to the AMG tech and saved my self some money possibly and a whole lot of peace of mind and time

NotABaller

Are you saying you once billed 40hours of work from 8 actual hours??

dondizl

I took a car with 40hrs (38.5 or so actually) worth of repairs and did it in an 8 hr day, yes. That's nothing compared to a lot of techs out there. Just depends on the job and how familiar you are with it.

BLKROKT

That's how dealerships make money. Book vs actual.

RIANF1

Lol like the OP, I am also employed by BMW as a service advisor and drive an 08 C63. I was torn between the AMG, an E60 M5 and an E90 M3. With a 30k +/- budget, I read up on all the potential problems on each of the vehicles. I ultimately chose the AMG for a few reasons. The noise, the F1 connection, IMHO, fewer "potential issues" than the other two and to stand out from the rest of the employees. I know about the potential headbolt issues as well, but when you buy cars like these, just budget for it and dont be shocked when it happens. I will have the same mentality when i purchse my next vehicle, an early 997 with the dreaded IMS bearing issue.