[coaster.n3rd]

Yesterday I got approved a 2003 BMW 325i w/68K on the ODO. I went to take the car for another test drive today. So I went down to the store at lunch and make sure this is really what I wanted. I checked out the car, opened the hood, checked the connections and saw everything was nominal. I hopped in the drivers seat and turned the motor over and fell in love. The exhaust sounded perfect, a nice I6 rumble that sounded like sex.

I pulled out of the lot and feathered the the throttle down Ann Arbor Rd. I could feel this car moving with me instead of against me. Lane changes were smooth and braking was too easy. I thought the brakes felt wierd, but I never felt the crunch again after that in the brakes

I turned onto SB I-275 and blipped the throttle. Gear changes from 2nd to 3rd happened quickly. beforwe I knew it I was at 80 mph in 3rd gear. A cop on my left, hiding in the median and I dropped the gears down to 2 and let the engine brake the car. It was perfect, like butter.

Once past the local authorities, I opened up the throttle body and jumped to 100mph from somewhere near 71mph

103.... 104... 105... everything was great. I dropped from 6th to 5th gear and really laid into the throttle. The BMW came to life and threw me back in my seat. I knew what love felt like and it was being violated by a pissed off german car.

109... 110... 111... BANG! My stomach dropped and I started to panic. I lost brake pedal feel. No brakes... I thought to myself that i had no way of slowing down from 111 mph. I pulled up on the e-brake and the right rear wheel caught and grabbed at the caliper. The car went right and then the stability control kicked in. I could hear it trying to apply the brake to each wheel to keep it straight, but it was all for nothing as I was pretty sure the brake booster was gone. I tried turning off the Stability Control with 0 results.

I dropped gears and kept slamming them lower and lower. The engine brought the car down to about 30mph, then I had no throttle. I couldn't accelerate to the right side of the road. I turned on the hazards and pulled to the left and let the grass in the median do its thing to slow the car down with good ol fashioned friction.

I pulled off and called the store, they sent a tow truck out from BMW USA. I waited, called a friend and talked while the truck showed up. Underneath the car was a puddle. Coolant and Brake fluid.

Anyone know why this might have happened?

 

[Joevette]

that solid BMW engineering...

 

[DuSpinnst]

Man, you shouldn't be taking those BMW's up to that speed!

 

[baloo]

Did the pedal go to the floor or was it stiff?

 

[Titanic]

. The exhaust sounded perfect, a nice I6 rumble that sounded like sex.

It sounded like crying and apologizing?

That's no good, that could have ended up much worse. You're lucky you didn't die, and I won't get too preachy, but this is why you shouldn't speed to such an absurd degree in an unfamiliar car.

 

[coaster.n3rd]

Did the pedal go to the floor or was it stiff?

It was normal. I was assuming since there was coolant on the ground that the lack of acceleration was to keep the motor from overheating.

 

[baloo]

Huh?

 

[MCGARRETT]

Because BMW's are overated piles of s**t?


Why the hell would you want a 5 year old BMW with 70K on the clock, you could buy a nice new car for what they are asking for that heap. Stop pretending.

 

[coaster.n3rd]

It sounded like crying and apologizing?

That's no good, that could have ended up much worse. You're lucky you didn't die, and I won't get too preachy, but this is why you shouldn't speed to such an absurd degree in an unfamiliar car.

:lmao:

I'm very familiar with the 325i. I know how its supposed to handle and feel. I've driven them at higher speeds on a track. So I'm perturbed this happened.

 

[baloo]

My guess is you ran over something and punctured the cooling system and the brake booster. These cars can run at triple digit speeds in summer heat all day long without overheating, which means coolant wouldn't escape unless somepart of the cooling system is punctured.

Obviously there are two separate hydraulic circuits and having both of them fail at the same time is very unlikely, but there's only one booster...

 

[coaster.n3rd]

Because BMW's are overated piles of s**t?


Why the hell would you want a 5 year old BMW with 70K on the clock, you could buy a nice new car for what they are asking for that heap. Stop pretending.

I have a thing for bimmers. Why do people buy used cars in the first place and on top of that I already own a new car. The condition (interior/exterior not mechanical) was immaculate. This was going to be for ****s on giggles on Saturday nights and sundays.

 

[coaster.n3rd]

Huh?

We punctured a hole in our Cobalt radiator and the throttle was limited. It felt like normal peddle feel. Later when I read the manual, it stated the car would cut throttle to keep the motor from overheating during a coolant loss. i figure if a Cobalt has it, a 325i does.

 

[baloo]

You can't just assume the cooling system was fine just because the car didn't lose power. However the Cobalt detects coolant loss, neither the loss nor the detection would be instant. And if it wasn't punctured, how did the coolant get out?

 

[SuperSS27]

So you blew the motor? Or just blew a hose off the motor causing coolant loss?

 

[EldoFan]

Could you put it up on a lift and try and take a look underneath it?? Or would ya have to take it to a Bimmer shop?

Either way, it sounds like an expensive and/or complex repair......best of luck to ya

 

[t-rex]

Years ago I was coming home from Houston on I-10 and something punctured my radiator just outside Lafayette, La. I had the cruise pegged at 70 and noticed the car slowing down drastically. Then I noticed the temp needle buried and the car just shut down entirely and coasted to a stop. I had steering and brakes, just no power assist. The BMW dealer told me the engine management shuts the car down if a sudden coolant loss or sudden drop in oil pressure is detected.

I was still able to control it though...

 

[chaseabryant]

I have heard things about the cooling fans kind of exploding on some BMW's... It tends to take out a hose or a coolant reservoir.....

-Chase

 

[pete4280]

So what did the dealer say to you when you told them about this?

 

[MonteCarloSS86]

Woops, did you find out what went wrong yet? (other than the obvious)

 

[coaster.n3rd]

So what did the dealer say to you when you told them about this?

Its my store. I told the used car manager exactly what happened. I also told him before the ride I was going to take it to a triple digit speed.