CPO car: drive belt and tensioner failure + overheat... skip?
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Junior Member
Joined: Apr 2016
Posts: 33
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05 M3 / 13 E63 Wagon
CPO car: drive belt and tensioner failure + overheat... skip?
Greetings MBWorld, first post here. Eyeing up a CPO 2013 E63 w/ 30k miles. Would you walk based on this?
Got a copy of the car's full service history and looks like the car had an overheat condition in January. Best I can tell, the belt tensioner seized and then the belt snapped and the coolant pump stopped. History also shows the car dropped coolant at the time through a relief valve, so that may indicate the degree to which the motor overheated. The prev owner stopped the car and had it towed in. Looks like he traded the car in immediately after.
Coming from the M3 world, a brief overheat may not be bad but not sure how sturdy the heads and head gaskets are in the M157. Should I demand the dealer do a leakdown? Anyone heard of a similar failure? I didn't check for "milk" in oil cap after test drive, got the history after. Car drives fine nothing weird. Cursory searches of the forum turned up nothing for this failure.
Car is under original warranty until next yr, and then CPO for another 3 yrs (I'd purchase +2 yr extension), so that eases my mind. But if the head or gasket are toast, not sure I want to chase those problems for years to come..
Got a copy of the car's full service history and looks like the car had an overheat condition in January. Best I can tell, the belt tensioner seized and then the belt snapped and the coolant pump stopped. History also shows the car dropped coolant at the time through a relief valve, so that may indicate the degree to which the motor overheated. The prev owner stopped the car and had it towed in. Looks like he traded the car in immediately after.
Coming from the M3 world, a brief overheat may not be bad but not sure how sturdy the heads and head gaskets are in the M157. Should I demand the dealer do a leakdown? Anyone heard of a similar failure? I didn't check for "milk" in oil cap after test drive, got the history after. Car drives fine nothing weird. Cursory searches of the forum turned up nothing for this failure.
Car is under original warranty until next yr, and then CPO for another 3 yrs (I'd purchase +2 yr extension), so that eases my mind. But if the head or gasket are toast, not sure I want to chase those problems for years to come..
Last edited by ruffy dongles; Apr 10, 2016 at 10:01 AM.
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Joined: Dec 2013
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E63
Greetings MBWorld, first post here. Eyeing up a CPO 2013 E63 w/ 30k miles. Would you walk based on this?
Got a copy of the car's full service history and looks like the car had an overheat condition in January. Best I can tell, the belt tensioner seized and then the belt snapped and the coolant pump stopped. History also shows the car dropped coolant at the time through a relief valve, so that may indicate the degree to which the motor overheated. The prev owner stopped the car and had it towed in. Looks like he traded the car in immediately after.
Coming from the M3 world, a brief overheat may not be bad but not sure how sturdy the heads and head gaskets are in the M157. Should I demand the dealer do a leakdown? Anyone heard of a similar failure? I didn't check for "milk" in oil cap after test drive, got the history after. Car drives fine nothing weird. Cursory searches of the forum turned up nothing for this failure.
Car is under original warranty until next yr, and then CPO for another 3 yrs (I'd purchase +2 yr extension), so that eases my mind. But if the head or gasket are toast, not sure I want to chase those problems for years to come..
Got a copy of the car's full service history and looks like the car had an overheat condition in January. Best I can tell, the belt tensioner seized and then the belt snapped and the coolant pump stopped. History also shows the car dropped coolant at the time through a relief valve, so that may indicate the degree to which the motor overheated. The prev owner stopped the car and had it towed in. Looks like he traded the car in immediately after.
Coming from the M3 world, a brief overheat may not be bad but not sure how sturdy the heads and head gaskets are in the M157. Should I demand the dealer do a leakdown? Anyone heard of a similar failure? I didn't check for "milk" in oil cap after test drive, got the history after. Car drives fine nothing weird. Cursory searches of the forum turned up nothing for this failure.
Car is under original warranty until next yr, and then CPO for another 3 yrs (I'd purchase +2 yr extension), so that eases my mind. But if the head or gasket are toast, not sure I want to chase those problems for years to come..
Thread Starter
Junior Member
Joined: Apr 2016
Posts: 33
Likes: 2
05 M3 / 13 E63 Wagon
Thread Starter
Junior Member
Joined: Apr 2016
Posts: 33
Likes: 2
05 M3 / 13 E63 Wagon
I'm thinking the same. Will have to settle on middle ground btwn what I want to do (leak down, private PPI, oil analysis) and what dealer will allow (probably none of those), and rely on warranty if any big issues.
Thread Starter
Junior Member
Joined: Apr 2016
Posts: 33
Likes: 2
05 M3 / 13 E63 Wagon
just an update... bought the car and +2 yr CPO extension. Drove it up to Watkins Glen (support car for the M3) and back as well as other trips totaling >1500 miles so far and no coolant consumption, oil consumption or any other odd behavior. Love this car. Will post pics once I have time to clean her up...
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E63
So the general consensus here is to buy despite the overheat issue, and yet everyone is in a hissy fit if the car was previously leased citing abuse.
These cars can handle some abuse as long as the maintenance is done. But I can say I would be more worried about a previous history of overheating more so than whether a leased car or one with a tune was abused enough to pass on.
That being said, OP, I wouldn't worry about it, that's what CPO is for, enjoy!
These cars can handle some abuse as long as the maintenance is done. But I can say I would be more worried about a previous history of overheating more so than whether a leased car or one with a tune was abused enough to pass on.
That being said, OP, I wouldn't worry about it, that's what CPO is for, enjoy!
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2014 E63S; AMS 100 octane ECU dyno tune; EDOK TCU tune; BB intakes; sprintbooster
So the general consensus here is to buy despite the overheat issue, and yet everyone is in a hissy fit if the car was previously leased citing abuse.
These cars can handle some abuse as long as the maintenance is done. But I can say I would be more worried about a previous history of overheating more so than whether a leased car or one with a tune was abused enough to pass on.
That being said, OP, I wouldn't worry about it, that's what CPO is for, enjoy!
These cars can handle some abuse as long as the maintenance is done. But I can say I would be more worried about a previous history of overheating more so than whether a leased car or one with a tune was abused enough to pass on.
That being said, OP, I wouldn't worry about it, that's what CPO is for, enjoy!
Why would they cpo this car, they usually just auction these cars off
