Please read, need your input NOW!

I received my S52 from the salvage yesterday, the told me it was an 88k mile motor out of a '98 M3 sedan auto, in fact, its a '97 M3 auto sedan (not a big deal), but with close to 130k on the motor, and at least one incidence on the registration history of the mileage being rolled back (only a few hundred miles, but still).

Also told me they had only had the motor for ~6 weeks, when it was salvaged back in July of 2008.

$1700 for 130k complete S52 is still a good deal, but its still not what they told me it was. So I'm not sure what I want to do about it.

What do you guys think?

Lower the price or walk. There is a principal involved, and I don't got for bait and switch tactics.

OH no wait! The answer is always MIATA.

It is still sitting on the pallett ready to go. I could have it on a freight line back to him this afternoon.

I'm just waiting a little while, getting some other input, before I call and act like a shiny happy person. I prefer to be more tactful and calm and it usually gets you much further.

130K is ~48% more than 88K. Offer them 48% less for the motor ($900).

Is it possible they sent you the wrong motor? That'd be the starting point of my conversation, and once it's established that this is the motor they intended to sell you, a substantial price adjustment based on the fact that it's not what they represented to you is in order. Not only the miles, I'd also be concerned about the 8 additional months the motor's been siting in who-knows-what conditions.

There are very big penalties in some states for selling you a different part than agreed upon. $10,000.00 in Michigan.

Contact the operator and their local BBB and complain.

Keep your email/paperwork with that 88k number on it and get them to lower the price or pay to have it removed from your driveway. It might have been an honest mistake so its fair to be polite and firm but like someone else said... some places have big penalties for that sort of nonsense if this business as usual.

Even just the thought of buying the freight to ship it back should be enough for them to work with you if you are willing to keep it at some negotiated price.

Would this be a fairly large dealer in internet salvage BMW goodies located in the south east by any chance?

Shipping was only $132 since I had it sent to my dads warehouse and it still sits there.

I'm waiting on a motor quote from another guy who is known to be reliable who now has two low mileage S52s. If his price is right I will just be calling the yard and tell them I'll eat the shipping here, but the engine will be coming back COD like it came to me.

It is a yard from the SE? Which one are you talking about? I don't want to drag anyones name through the mud on the off chance it was an honest mistake.

z31maniac wrote: It is a yard from the SE? Which one are you talking about? I don't want to drag anyones name through the mud on the off chance it was an honest mistake.

I had been looking at buying some stuff from "Strictly" myself and want to hear how this unfolds.

I'm just waiting a little while, getting some other input, before I call and act like a shiny happy person.

No need to act like a shiny happy person. There's also no reason to wait. Call him NOW. If a customer takes receipt of goods at my shop, then tells me a week later that they're unhappy, I get suspicious. Call. Talk to the owner. Tell him you're unhappy with the product. Hell, maybe they shipped you the wrong one.

^Oh I know there is no reason to, but sometimes when you are upset about something you end up acting that way. Which is why I have given myself a few hours to calm down and will be calling him shortly.

walterj wrote:

z31maniac wrote: It is a yard from the SE? Which one are you talking about? I don't want to drag anyones name through the mud on the off chance it was an honest mistake.

I had been looking at buying some stuff from "Strictly" myself and want to hear how this unfolds.

This one rhymes with "Heinz."

After checking on what a 68k mile S52 from the west coast will cost to get here, I think I'm just going to call and talk to them.

See if I can get the DME and few sensors I need to complete the swap, and just beat on it during the 6 month warranty and see if it begins to lose compression, develop a rod knock, blow up, whatever. He told me before if any of those things happen, he'd ship me another one free of charge.

They seemed like good people when I was dealing with them so I'd have a hard time believing they were being malicious.

I will let everyone know how the situation unfolds.

z31maniac wrote: This one rhymes with "Heinz."

Hmmm... yeah, I've bought a few smaller things from them before (harness, intake) and they seemed like good folks.

z31maniac wrote: See if I can get the DME and few sensors I need to complete the swap, and just beat on it during the 6 month warranty and see if it begins to lose compression, develop a rod knock, blow up, whatever. He told me before if any of those things happen, he'd ship me another one free of charge. They seemed like good people when I was dealing with them so I'd have a hard time believing they were being malicious. I will let everyone know how the situation unfolds.

I hope you have that in writing!

All of my used parts suppliers are open to negotiation. They'd rather sell something than take it back, even if they have to discount it. They should work with you.

If they don't, report here. I think the word would travel pretty quickly.