I need help quickly -- I need replacement engine history (and donor car history)

[Skip Raulin]

I recently purchased a 2007 BMW Z4 3.0i with 37,800 original miles from an established high-end dealer in Chicago. I was specifically searching nationwide for a 2006-2008 Z4 with fewer than 40,000 miles and a standard transmission. I found one, got a clean-as-a-whistle Carfax, bought it, and drove it back to Austin, Texas. After a month of driving the vehicle, I took it in to my local BMW dealership to get the oil and other fluids replaced with BMW fluids, and discovered that the car has a replacement engine -- with reason to suspect the engine may have over 120k on it.

Clearly, a classic car is not a "37,800 mile car" if it has a replacement engine with 120,000 miles on it. If true, this would constitute a material and substantial "hidden defect" under the law of most states. If I am going to approach the dealer or file a lawsuit to rescind the purchase, I need to take action relatively quickly. I have the engine serial number and the VIN number -- according to BMW, they do not match, and that is all the information the dealer can provide. I need to get as much information about the donor engine (N52B30) as I can, and it would be amazingly helpful to obtain all available information about the donor car from which the engine was removed. If the last reported mileage on the donor car was over 100k, that it is all I need to file a lawsuit to rescind the purchase.

Can anyone point me in the right direction? I have already contacted several classic car inspection services, and weirdly, none of them have been able to help me -- they all seem oriented toward physical/visual inspections, not documented vehicle/engine history.

I work nights, and will not be able to respond between 2:00 pm and 12:00 midnight (CT). Any information or suggestions that members of the forum can provide would be greatly appreciated. Thanks.

[dj Roo]

I don’t know of any online way to verify if the engine serial number matches the VIN for the car, you would probably need to contact BMW directly. Unfortunately the engine serial number isn’t the same as the VIN like many US cars so it’s not as easy to confirm.

I’ve used VIN lookup services before and I don’t recall ever seeing engine serial number listed.


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[BimmerBreaker]

I don't think any of us can help you on this. The dealer will be the only people that may be able to use the engine serial number to obtain the VIN number of the car the engine came from, and then you could do a carfax or similar to look up the history of that car. I am not even sure if a dealer can determine VIN from the engine serial number alone though.

I would ask them how they gained the information on the engine mileage and it being a replacement engine. Whatever method they used to determine this could possibly be used to help you if you need to pursue legal action.

I think it will be a tough lawsuit regardless, and depending on state you may need to prove that the seller was aware of the problem before hand. Many used car dealer sales contracts will also have verbage that precludes them from having responsibilities in cases like this. Caveat emptor. Good luck regardless

[Skip Raulin]

I have the engine serial number and the VIN number -- according to BMW, they do not match, and that is all the information the dealer can provide.

To be perfectly clear, my local South Austin BMW dealership has already confirmed that the engine in the vehicle is NOT the original engine.

The car came with a fairly extensive Carfax history, and most of the prior routine maintenance was performed at BMW dealerships. There is no mention of an engine replacement in the Carfax report, of course. It only makes sense that whatever owner or car dealer who had the replacement done would have had done "off book."

[Skip Raulin]

I have also contacted the customer relations department of BMW North America in New Jersey, and the CSR promised to escalate this inquiry up the flag pole to get a definitive answer. Of course BMW can match the engine (engine serial number) to the original donor car (VIN) based on their internal production records. The 2-part question is -- are these records readily available electronically, and will BMW provide the answer if they do have easy access to the information?

Interestingly, BMW North America already had me in their electronic records for my previous ownership of a different Z4 based on my interactions with a BMW dealership in Atlanta in 2020-21. Clearly, they do keep some form of ownership and service history that their CSRs can access.

[JAS1169]

Your dealership in Texas is already aware your engine is from another BMW and has 120 miles on it. I'd be very surprised if BMW will give you any further information without a subpoena. They won't want to voluntarily become a witness in any action you may bring unless you force them.

I know you must be crazy mad and I don't blame you at all. However, before you do anything, you should step back and think things out. If you retain counsel, it will cost you $$ as well as the travel time to another state. Then even if you establish that the engine was from another car, you'd need to prove the car dealership you purchased it from was aware that the engine had been changed out and didn't disclose it to you. Otherwise there defense will be that they had obtained the car from a source and had relied on the carfax when purchasing it. Note: it might have been used as a trade or came from an auction. How can you refute the dealership you purchased the car from claiming they were unaware of the engine switch and also a victim when they purchased the car?? Remember, unless this was a BMW dealership, they (the dealership you purchased the car from) does not have access to the internal data base that BMW maintained on the car's they make and sell. That's a defense you'd need to overcome, and I have no idea how you'd do so, again unless you purchased it from a BMW dealership.

Yea, I know it sucks.

[clarkitect]

How does it run?

[Pinehurstz3]

My thoughts, Think about the total value of the car. What do you want to happen? We have all bought older cars and some undisclosed defect or item shows up. Unlikely the dealer had any knowledge of this. You do not have a rare $300K Ferrari. If a Roadster, at best your Z4 would be worth $17-$18K. You will spend $5-$8K in legal fees to get what? How did the dealer know to assume the engine had over 100K miles? If it runs and drives well enjoy the car. PS these engines if cared for will go 250K miles, and by replacing the engine they may have fixed the BMW common issues (cooling system, engine gasket leaks, etc) so you actually may be better off.

What is the engine serial number? If the dealer can tell you the engine model number from the serial number that could be helpful. You actually can tell a fair amount about the engine with the model number (e.g. does it start with M50 or N52, or What) see below
BMW Engine numbers.jpg