However, I decided to make public all information regarding possible illegal BMW, which I was asked to inspect. Unfortunately, there are no options to solve this problem painlessly (for the owner of the car).
First stage: I was asked to inspect the N43 series engine, which was not working normally ever since purchasing of the car.
Vehicle: E90, N43, with mileage as if 110.000 km. Bought in Lithuania, 6 months ago.
Checking the engine, I stated, that the software is completely inappropriate.
MSD was not maintaining the Info list error message list:
History list was more than strang:
Error list, instead, was empty, no error messages recorded. The engine behaved as if it’s configuration would require 2 wideband probes (in true – it has one), the NOx system was damaged, but again – no error messages. Completely inadequate performance of the DME. It was decided to reprogram the DME.
True though, after visual inspection of the vehicle it was clear to me, that the mileage for 110’000 km is a lie. The driver’s seat was worn out more than for my car with mileage over 400’000 km.
But in KOMBI we see:
When connecting INPA, we had to conclude, that a large number of the modules don’t respond at all!
Hmmm… Also, it can not be a crash of the exact CAN, because some modules are responding.
Yes, ISTA D also notices a lot of problems:
Check this picture:
It’s interesting that NAVI Professional “don’t respond”, but… The car has no NAVI at all!!!
When running the configuration check according to VIN – yes, the NAVI was not intended for it!
Configuration, which was in FRM and CAS, intended also CD changer, MULF/Bluetooth module, electrical seats, M pack, M suspension, and several other features.
How is that possible?
Parallelly, the serviceman checked the key data:
Mileage over 250’000 km? I believe the true mileage is much higher. But it is not the more interesting part. The car has two registered keys, and one of them was stubbornly refused to contact the car.
But, returning to configuration features. While the men were struggling with NCS, I had time to think – what happened to this car, why its configuration is completely different from one it should be.
The car has been retrofitted after the end of the warranty and the “stripped” before sale? No. The seats are not been taken off.
The car is a hybrid from several vehicles? No. SRS (on sides), all doorways – correct (the factory’s point type welding – visible, factory painting places – still present).
The front of the car was a little suspicious (possibly, replaced/overdone all front), but the longerons are not touched. It could be possible, that in addition to all problems, from which suffered this car (read further in this entry), it also has had a major accident – frontal collision, after which the all front part was replaced. In favor of this assumption:
a) the “nostrils” are not Shadowline, although the other part of the car is (also according to VIN);
b) it looks that the front of the car is lacquered in another way than it’s done in the factory (with closed bonnet).
Damaged CAS or FRM? Illogical. Drawn? Illogical.
Let’s check the unit identification:
Pay attention to VIN, which is recorded in DME.
DME FR and VIN correspond to a diesel engine car for UK market, E92 (coupe, Cabrio) with M57D30 engine, the setup completely corresponds to the stored configuration of this “empty” car. MSD81.2 has been “sewn-in” FR from the diesel car?
Additionally, MSD81.2 is identified as MSD80.2!
And at this moment all of us remembered the exclamation of our colleague when he approached the car from a distance of around 1 meter – “oh, how it shines!”
It was said for the engraved VIN on the shock absorber stand. VIN was “shining” even from the distance of several meters, as it would be engraved only yesterday!
It’s worth to pay attention:
a) BMW logo is not round;
b) distance between signs – not equal;
c) 1 are shorter; last “1”-s – significantly shorter (it’s possible that the coolant expansion utensil was interfering the engraving);
d) the shrift itself is very fine, the “steps” of the engraving are visible.
Here, one of the factory-made VIN’s for comparison:
The current car: the VIN on the engine compartment – not present at all:
The registration label looks genuine (with perfography), but is glued on askew:
It’s possible, that the seller of the car had the original documents of the vehicle, using which he could order the label from BMW AG.
So look’s the slightly used car, ABOVE the average market value, from Lithuania. The car, obviously, will have to undergo the expertise.
But the question – how the car with such inappropriate VIN (+ nonexisting VIN in place, where it should be placed) was not spotted by the employee of the Road Safety institution, where the comparison of numbers has to be undergone before the registration? Especially if we keep in mind, that the car was imported from the country, which is notorious for similar cases…
And final remark – although the car (and its configuration) is, brutally saying, raped, the equipment, which was used by the persons responsible for such manipulations, is not cheap.
CAS and DME FR of these cars cannot be changed if the motor_hours are above 10. To change FR/ISN, all unit has to be “sewn-in”, which can be done by using, for example, BMW Explorer. For BMW Explorer also the additional module of MSD80 is necessary. Such a set of the software will cost above EUR 2000.
