re: '95 M3 Over-Rev/Class action law suit? [long]

["Alan Alfano" <Alan.Alfano@xxxxxxxx>]

Sometimes things are not what they appear to be at first glance.
>From my schooling on the BMW-Digest, the M3 has a rev limiter that prevents
one from blowing the engine up with the throttle.
But there is no protection from a mechanical over rev.
This would happen when missing a fifth-to-fourth downshift and making a
fifth-to-second downshift.

It is my understanding that the 1995 M3 has soft engine mounts and when
downshifting with high rpms, where 4th used to be is now 2nd.
I believe that these mounts were made harder in the 1996+ M3's.
Nick; since you have a 95 M3, you are also affected.

This thread has been addressed in previous digest posts.
I found them at Dale Beuning's Search Page
http://www.eskimo.com/~dalus/search.html

http://www.eskimo.com/~dalus/bmw/e36/engine/e36_m3_overrev.html

http://www.eskimo.com/~dalus/bmw/email/m3/M3_Overrev__BMWNA.txt

Just my $0.02.

Regards,
Alan Alfano
alan.alfano@domain.elided

BMW CCA #30492
iX Registry # 214

1988 BMW 325iX
1956 Austin-Healey 100M (2)

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<<
Date: Tue, 24 Nov 1998 16:57:13 -0500
From: "Nick" <nikog@domain.elided>
Why in the world should BMW pay for your error?? They have a rev-limiter in
the computer to keep the motor from over-revving via the throttle; that is
all that's required. There is no way, read IMPOSSIBLE, that any
computer/manufacturer can prevent an overrev due to a mis-shift. The
mechanical coupling cannot be bypassed when the DRIVER puts the
transmission into the wrong gear.
Every car ever produced can be damaged by such an overrev. It can be either
the valves hitting the pistons, the timing chain jumping a tooth or two, or
the connecting rod bolts stretching and spinning a bearing. Yet I've never
heard of any other car brand owners suing the manufacturer because of a
driver induced overrev.
The only reason you hear of it so often with M3's is because they spend A
LOT of time on the track racing. That's when most drivers miss a shift.
That's why a car manufacturer specifically states that it will not cover
damage that occurs if the car was used off-road or racing. Some over-revs
do happen on the street (on-road, not track), but again, they're due to
DRIVER ERROR.
BMW should not have to pay for your misshift. It was your error, not
theirs. They did all they could do to prevent it. You didn't.
Nick
'95 M3
>>

<<
Date: Tue, 24 Nov 1998 10:12:28 -0800
From: "Kusik, Todd" <tkusik@domain.elided>
Subject: '95 M3 Over-Rev/Class action law suit?
Need information about the E36 class action lawsuit. I also over-revved my
'95 M3 motor. I feel that BMW should share some of the blame, at least sell
me an engine at a discount. Even Automobile magazine says it is easy to
miss a shift in the '99 M-Coupes. Will BMW ever add protection against this
problem?
Todd Kusik ('95 M3 Avus - 0HP)
>>

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