[Axe77]

Originally Posted by 1.2GT3GT

In addition to the crankshaft vibration damper pulley, the mechanical belt tensioner and the v-ribbed belt, it looks like the cylinder head cover (also called tappet cover) and it's gasket set have also been changed.

I'm pointing this out since you don't seem to have mentioned the cylinder head cover anywhere in your post.

Was there any oil weeping/seepage from your cylinder head cover or gasket that necessitated such a replacement?

Sorry I had not checked my invoice and had simply written at a headline level from memory. But yes, that’s right, there was seepage when they checked it which is why it was changed. I was told in advance that they will check for this aspect too. Thanks for pointing it out I’ll add this bit in the original post too.

I have generally had a very high order of support from BMW Turbhe thanks to fellow BHPian Maverick5490 and even though he’s moved on to another brand within Infinity he was kind enough to keep a general oversight of the job done.

Hope this helps.

[1.2GT3GT]

Originally Posted by Axe77

But yes, that’s right, there was seepage when they checked it which is why it was changed. I was told in advance that they will check for this aspect too.

@Axe77, thank you very much for checking.

I’ve also got oil seepage around my cylinder head cover gasket area and the cylinder head cover and gasket replacement is something that I’ve been keeping pending for quite a few months now.

After seeing your parts list, I’ve read a bit and it looks like crankshaft vibrations and other engine vibrations and related harmonics, heat and contact with leaking oil can all damage the rubber material in the crankshaft vibration damper though I don’t know which is more severe.

There is also the point of my F34 320D GT being at the 8+ years, 80,000km+ mark.

There is also the case where a crankshaft vibration damper which is worn leads to undamped vibrations reaching and consequentially damaging other parts such as the belt tensioner, alternator and A/C compressor which are on the same v-ribbed belt.

I’m hoping the oil seepage from my cylinder head cover gasket area hasn’t yet dribbled downwards in sufficient quantity and come in contact with my crankshaft vibration damper.

First thing I’ve got to do is try and check the crankshaft vibration damper in my car and see if there are any visible cracks in the rubber material and also for possibility of contact with leaking oil.

[Axe77]

The Grand Turismo hits the highway

A quick weekend trip to Pune and beyond. Door to door around 510 kms.

Left from near Parel, Mumbai on Saturday around 1.50 pm via Atal Setu and reached Baner for a quick meeting at exactly 4 pm (traveling non stop). Traffic wasn’t bad at all specially on the ghats ensuring I could cover this distance in 2 hrs 10 mins despite never exceeding 100 kmph on the highway (other than literally 2 short burst overtakes) and not exceeding 60 - 65 kmph on the entire ghat section.

The next morning required a fair bit of traveling with a 7 am start from my pal’s home. Was staying at Aundh and had to pick up a relative at Salisbury Park and then head to a little beyond Narayangaon (on the Nashik highway). Turned off from old Bombay Pune highway towards Bhosari and Chakan heading onward towards Rajgurunagar and beyond.

I must say the 3 bypasses that are now operational around Rajgurunagar and Manchar have significantly improved traveling speeds on those sections (previously Rajgurunagar was a massive traffic bottleneck). It’s now a super smooth tar road, really well laid too for most part. Only issue is speed limit predictably is 80 kmph (understandable as it has two wheelers too and is not access controlled so to speak) where I still feel it could well be 100 kmph. I was generally between 80 - 110 kmph - I did see an Interceptor on the highway and am hoping I wasn’t on the wrong side of 80 at that time.

I run the 3GT on Xtragreen diesel so made a fuel fill just for peace of mind of about 16.65 litres when the car had run about 211 kms or so (while on my way out), without resetting the trip meter. I must say, there seem to be enough number of pumps on this route selling Xtragreen diesel as well as XP95 petrol, both of which I was making a mental note of since I use these in the 3GT / GLC.

Returning the same evening was predictably awful after Rajgurunagar - crossing Chakan towards Bhosari presenting the typical jams. Managed to reach Salisbury park only by 7.30 pm to drop my relative. From there, made it to Mumbai in about 3 hours door to door, traveling non stop (via PCMC and entering the expressway from Talegaon). It was raining throughout the Pune - Mumbai spell and absolutely pouring on large parts of the ghat. Stayed within 100 kmph and 60 kmph respectively throughout the Expressway and ghat section respectively.

Still delivering performance and reliability in spades

All in all the car performed flawlessly. The Grand Turismo sure lives up to that moniker even today. It’s a testament to its reliability and touring ability that at ~70,000 kms and just a month shy of it turning 9 years, I don’t hesitate in taking it to the interiors of Maharashtra in full blown monsoon.

Starting and ending odometer reads. Note the fuel gauge setting (accounting for a 16.65 litre midway fill). Curious to measure the FE using tankful method.


At an office at Baner, Pune.


Great place to stop with decent food, clean loos and quick service. Seems really popular too, judging by the number of cars.
Akash Misal Place & Veg Restaurant, near Khed ghat bypass





Above and below: Somewhere just before my final destination ahead of Narayangaon ….



… and below - at the final destination: a small village in the vicinity of Narayangaon.


Super rainy return to Mumbai. This was the sort of visibility on the ghat section. I had dropped speed to even 40 kmph when required for visibility reasons.


A long day but man and machine finally home at about 10.30 pm. The 3GT looking the part - Grand Turismo par excellence indeed.

Edit: Postscript
Forgot to write this but a point has to be made about the JNPT return section when you’ve exited the expressway coming into Mumbai and heading towards Atal Setu. The road is an unmitigated disaster with absolutely deadly potholes strewn generously across it. In low visibility conditions (rain, darkness) it’s near impossible to spot these and it almost negates the advantages of using Atal Setu in terms of the risk it adds to tyres / rim damage. Despite my best efforts I did go through one but luckily no harm done. The last thing one wants is a fatal rim damage or proper tyre burst on this count.

[Flyingdutchman]

Excellent write-up. 3 Series diesel mills are extremely frugal and judging by your driving pattern with average speed of 80-100kmph, I won't be surprised if you managed to extract close to 20 kmpl during the trip.

I am so glad to see my native place (Narayangaon) featured on the forum. Entire Junnar taluka is an underrated travel destination with so many historic places, greenary, only tehsil in India with 5 connected water dams, Nane ghat (ancient trade route), Malshej ghat, Shivneri Fort (Birthplace of Chatrapati Shivaji Maharaj), Ancient Buddhist Caves, First capital city of ancient Satavahana Empire , 2 Ashtavinayaka Temples, GMRT Radio telescope and many such picnic spots. A perfect destination for weekend family gateway.

[Axe77]

71,000 kms update: Tyres changed; switched from RFT to tubeless

Got my tyres changed to Continental UC6 - went for tubeless tyres instead of run flats for the first time in the 9 years and 70k+ kms that I’ve had the car. What an immediate difference to the ride quality which instantly seems plusher.

Moderator Akshay1234 had been egging me to switch to tubeless for a few years now and I really should have listened the last time itself.

Changed them at Pal tyres Santacruz, where I’ve been going for the last several years now (they also have the Hunter machine for alignment / balancing). Tyres cost me 16k apiece, 65k total for the 4 tyres.

The shop is very conveniently located a 2 min walk from the Ducati showroom so I took the chance to take their Multi V4S also for a quick spin to Bandra and back.

Some pics outside Pal tyres. Sorry for the really poor quality picks. I was still in my helmet etc and literally just fired away a few clicks when my driver called and I stopped over to pay the bill.

[rebinth]

Originally Posted by Axe77

71,000 kms update: Tyres changed; switched from RFT to tubeless

Got my tyres changed to Continental UC6 - went for tubeless tyres instead of run flats for the first time in the 9 years and 70k+ kms that I’ve had the car. .

Congrats on completion of 9 years.. Can you confirm if your stock RFT was 225/50 R18 & 255/45 R18?. Can you share the dimensions of the new Continental UC6 tubeless?

Other than the Insurance and regular oil change, Can you share your big costs during your ownership.

[Axe77]

Originally Posted by rebinth

Congrats on completion of 9 years.. Can you confirm if your stock RFT was 225/50 R18 & 255/45 R18?. Can you share the dimensions of the new Continental UC6 tubeless?

Thank you. The old RFT tyres as well as the new tubeless are both the same specs (all four): they’re 225/50/R18. Some close up / cropped pics below of both the old and the new tyre sizes.

Other than the Insurance and regular oil change, Can you share your big costs during your ownership.

This entire thread lays down the various maintenance and upkeep costs, routine as well as otherwise. If you read through it, it should hopefully address the above.

[AnkitShroff]

Hi Axe77. Many congratulations on completing 9 years with this beautiful machine. I have your thread bookmarked and been following it for quite sometime, but never got around to posting since I was a silent reader on Team-bhp till last month.

I too have a 8.5 year old 2016 3GT 320d (pre-LCI but with the silently-updated engine) and the car feels so great even today. A couple of times in the past 2-3 years has the fleeting thought of upgrading crossed our minds, only to later cherish that we did not proceed with that thought.

How do you find your ownership of GLC compared to 3GT? I understand that both are different body styles, but how ‘new’ does a 6-7 years newer model feel in terms of technology, features and drivability. A couple of features that I miss are Cruise control & Carplay (even wired carplay is not present), but are there others that warrant even contemplating an upgrade (even if a lateral one)? Thanks in advance.

[1.2GT3GT]

Originally Posted by Axe77

71,000 kms update: Tyres changed; switched from RFT to tubeless

Got my tyres changed to Continental UC6 - went for tubeless tyres instead of run flats for the first time in the 9 years and 70k+ kms that I’ve had the car. What an immediate difference to the ride quality which instantly seems plusher.

@Axe77, good to hear about your switch from RFT to tubeless tires.

Have you had any RFT puncture incidents till date wherein you were able to peacefully continue your journey at a slower speed without needing to change the punctured tire immediately?

Now, after the switch, do you have plans to get a 5th alloy with a 5th tubeless tire? Thank you.

[Axe77]

Originally Posted by AnkitShroff

How do you find your ownership of GLC compared to 3GT? I understand that both are different body styles, but how ‘new’ does a 6-7 years newer model feel in terms of technology, features and drivability. A couple of features that I miss are Cruise control & Carplay (even wired carplay is not present), but are there others that warrant even contemplating an upgrade (even if a lateral one)? Thanks in advance.

Thank you for the kind words.

Honestly, I need (/want, not sure) a two car garage so the GLC was always adding to the 3GT and not replacing it. The few things I truly appreciate about the GLC over the 3GT are conveniences like Apple CarPlay, cruise control (I use this more than I thought thanks to camera monitored fast highways with super modest speed limits) and the transition from diesel to petrol. Other than that, honestly it’s mostly almost a lateral upgrade and not one that’s critical by any means. The 3GT is still wonderfully reliable and can serve just as well for another 3 - 4 years. If you’re upgrading simply because you definitely want something more, you’ll need to either move to a proper 6 cylinder car or one that’s considerably more spacious. My GLC petrol is neither of the above compared to the 3GT. I do enjoy the change, but it’s not a life changing upgrade as such.

But in my context, what the GLC was a definitive upgrade over was the Meridian that it replaced. The Meridian was excellent but the GLC is just several notches above in every respect of luxury and driving pleasure.

Originally Posted by 1.2GT3GT

Have you had any RFT puncture incidents till date wherein you were able to peacefully continue your journey at a slower speed without needing to change the punctured tire immediately?

Now, after the switch, do you have plans to get a 5th alloy with a 5th tubeless tire? Thank you.

I had several such occasions - one in fact was on a secluded bit of the Goa Mumbai highway about 20 - 25 kms before reaching a puncture shop at Ajara. The plan of course has always been to inflate the Tyre and then find the first puncture shop available. It’s never been to drive the car for a prolonged time with the puncture there.

In the 9 years I’ve had the donut in the car, I’ve never used it once. Even now, if I ever have a situation where I HAVE TO change the tire, I’ll still make do with the donut - I don’t feel the need to switch to a full size spare. I always have a Tyre inflator in the car and I expect that will be sufficient in future as well.

[1.2GT3GT]

Originally Posted by Axe77

I had several such occasions - one in fact was on a secluded bit of the Goa Mumbai highway about 20 - 25 kms before reaching a puncture shop at Ajara. The plan of course has always been to inflate the Tyre and then find the first puncture shop available. It’s never been to drive the car for a prolonged time with the puncture there.

In the 9 years I’ve had the donut in the car, I’ve never used it once. Even now, if I ever have a situation where I HAVE TO change the tire, I’ll still make do with the donut - I don’t feel the need to switch to a full size spare. I always have a Tyre inflator in the car and I expect that will be sufficient in future as well.

@Axe77, thank you for the details, helps with my introspection. Hope your donut tire has not crossed its use by date (irrespective of the running it has seen).

[abhinavsureka]

I have been facing serious issues with the service at BMW indore. Every single time my car goes for any minor work it takes them weeks and the car comes back with new issues or the old ones remain unresolved.
Even something like very minor paint work took them 2-3 weeks few months back for something that they admitted should have taken 3 days max.
Now again in August it went for some electrical work and it finally came back yesterday. But with scratches outside and the seats completely ruined. Pic attached for reference.

What should I be doing in this case? The options I am considering other than writing to BMW Germany are putting it everywhere on social media and approaching the consumer court. Please guide

Infinity at indore had the best service at one point of time but now it is bad beyond words.

[AnkitShroff]

Originally Posted by Axe77

Thank you for the kind words.

The 3GT is still wonderfully reliable and can serve just as well for another 3 - 4 years. If you’re upgrading simply because you definitely want something more, you’ll need to either move to a proper 6 cylinder car or one that’s considerably more spacious. My GLC petrol is neither of the above compared to the 3GT. I do enjoy the change, but it’s not a life changing upgrade as such.

Thanks Axe77. My family prefers to change the cars once they cross 5-6 years of age. It is threads like this (and GTO’s 10+ year old F10 530d) that has given me the confidence to convince my family to retain our 3GT for so long (8.5 years and continuing). For a lateral car upgrade, spending 60 lakhs makes little sense for the feeling of a ‘New’ car when the current one can be maintained in pristine condition by spending 2-3 lakhs annually.

The problem with an upgrade is that there are no cars that tick both the categories of more space and driveability of a 3-liter engine. The current E450 and 540d/530d/540i (if they bring one) are in LWB version and not really a driver’s car. Something like M340i, is an upgrade on engine (and driving dynamics) and that is it and hence not an upgrade exactly. 630d, though a LWB, was great on space and pretty good on driveability (though not as great as G30 530d) but unfortunately, they killed both the cars in our country. I wonder if a pre-owned 3-year old 2021 make (since they removed certain features later on) 530d/ 630d makes more sense than the current new-gens as a last hurrah (chances of 3-liter diesels in this segment are getting thinner with each passing day)

[Axe77]

Took the 3GT on another highway drive to Nashik for a quick weekend getaway. This time I had trundled along with my mum and a couple of cousins so decided to take both the GLC as well as the 3GT. My driver drove the 3GT for the ‘to and fro’ highway runs and within Nashik I took over the 3GT while my wife piloted the Mercedes. Car is an hint over 72,000 clicks by the time we’ve returned to Mumbai.

Parked in the middle is my BIL and cousin sister’s immaculately kept Superb M/T. My BIL and I discovered only a few years ago and quite by chance that we’re both on the forum (handle RJ2285).


Some of us had reached a day earlier and spent the first night at a charming place called Utopia Farmstays, just a stone’s throw away from Sula.


Parked here at Utopia.


It makes for some nice bird watching and my older cousin got busy with his DSLR to get his photography fix.


That caught my son’s fancy and he was also trying his hand at capturing whatever birds he could with my iphone. Not the same results as my cousin of course but I’m just happy it piqued his interest in both birds as well as photography. This is what I like about the simpler places. This place has nothing at the property - no TVs or anything. If you want a quiet place to just be at one with nature, Utopia is wonderful.


Checking out from Utopia. Luggage loading can wait … need the customary pic first.


Staying at Beyond by Sula: We were a large enough contingent to have managed to fill out their lovely 4BHK villa. It makes for some stunning sunset views (including that first pic above) …


… as well as some lovely sunrise views.


We continued some more sunrise photography at the larger section at Beyond, which houses several single and twin rooms along with the breakfast section.


Finally on our return journey. Halted at Dhingras (Location pin) to get the kids some proper food instead of the snacky food court stuff. This is ~40-45 kms after Kasara ghat so lines up well for a late lunch if you’ve left around noon from Nashik.

The journey into Mumbai was much worse than the way out, specially the two key bottlenecks before Thane. I wrote briefly about the traffic on our return journey here.

[AnkitShroff]

Hello again Axe77. There are a couple of questions that I would appreciate your input on (might be helpful for other owners of 3GT as well).

My 3GT is roughly 8.5 years old having run ~76k kms (most of them very sedately at a cruising speed of 80-100 kmph on highways). My FNG is recommending changing the rubber parts (pulley etc.) as a preventive measure since they go hard after 8+ years and there is a higher chance of them snapping (particularly on longer drives when they heat up more, in his words). Have you gotten them changed yet? If yes, can you provide the details of the maintenance done by you and the condition of the replaced parts.

Additionally, he has suggested getting the transmission fluid changed as well. He drove the car and said that it will bring a difference in the drivability. While BMW says that it is 'sealed for life', ZF does recommend changing it around 50-60k miles (roughly 75-80k kms adjusting for our roads). The process of changing the transmission oil, from what I read online, is not as simple as changing the engine oil (something along the lines of flushing the oil twice under different conditions before refilling it). Given my experience with the ASS so far, I am a little under-confident in their ability to carry out the maintenance in the right manner, and am a little hesitant in asking my FNG to carry out this change even though I find him competent. I have come across some horror stories of the aftermath of transmission oil change not carried out in a proper manner. Would appreciate getting some input on the same.

On a separate note, with these impending expenses on the car and the pre-Covidesque offers available, it is difficult to resist switching to a new car (perhaps a 3GL M Sport Pro). Just a week back, I came across a very good deal for a 2021 LCI 630d and had finalised the deal only to learn that it had been booked a day back. The only thing holding me back is that there are absolutely no issues with the car and it still drives like a dream, hence it is being very difficult to let it go.

Cheers!