First post ...
The short version of a long story is that I had been trying to sell my X5. I posted on Craigslist and had a lot of interest. In order to avoid showing it to everyone individually, the owner of a local Bimmer auto shop where I had been going agreed to let me leave the car there for interested parties to inspect. If anyone wanted to test drive, he would send one of the mechanics along. During one such test drive, they had gone around the block. The individual was stopped at a red light. When the light turned green, he pressed the gas pedal as far as it would go and the car promptly stopped. Now we can not get the engine to start. The auto shop owner - working on BMWs for 40 years - can not get the engine to start. He said he can turn the engine manually about 1/4 turn but that is about it. He has not taken the engine apart. So far the things he has tried have been free of charge...he thinks the only option is to get a used engine & replace... but that is in the $4k plus labor range. That isn't worth since (prior to this issue) the car was in the $10k-11k range.
--Any ideas of what might have happened when the individual pressed the gas pedal all the way down??
--I just want to be done with this car and not take a total loss ...
---and no, I can't go after the individual that test drove it ... I have his license but it isn't something I want to get involved with...
--I filed a claim with my insurance under "Vandalism," but it is pretty unlikely that this would be covered...
Thanks!