I BOUGHT A CHEAP BMW M5 COMPETITION WITH ONE HUGE PROBLEM

Summary

The video follows the journey of purchasing a damaged BMW M5 Competition from an auction. Initially seen as an easy repair, the car had front-end damage, a broken oil cooler, and numerous internal issues. The buyer attempts to diagnose and fix the problems, struggling with a dead battery, electronic handbrake, and a damaged strut tower. After multiple troubleshooting efforts, including bypassing the oil cooler, the engine cranks but fails to start fully. Despite setbacks, the video highlights the risks and challenges of buying a crash-damaged car with potential for high repair costs.

Takeaways

• 🚗 The speaker purchased a BMW M5 Competition from someone who bought it at an auction but couldn't fix it due to an issue.
• 💰 The car was listed on eBay for £33,500, which is significantly lower than its typical value of around £50,000.
• 🛠️ The BMW M5 had a front-end collision, missing a bonnet, bumper, headlights, and coolers, with airbags deployed, but the buyer thought it could be fixed easily.
• 🛑 A major issue is that the engine doesn't run because the oil cooler at the front bottom of the engine was smashed in the accident, causing it to lose all its oil.
• 🔧 The car has various mechanical issues, including a damaged strut tower and electronic handbrake that wouldn't release, making it difficult to move the vehicle.
• 📉 The BMW M5 was written off as a Category S vehicle in February 2021, meaning it had structural damage, and nobody had repaired it for over a year.
• 👷 The strut tower has a large hole and dent, potentially requiring engine removal for repair, adding to the complexity of the rebuild.
• 🧰 Despite several attempts, including bypassing the oil cooler and attempting to get power into the system, the engine failed to start properly.
• 🔌 A potential pyro fuse issue was identified, affecting the engine's ability to start, and temporary fixes were attempted to bridge connections for a start.
• 🏁 The car eventually cranked but didn't run consistently, leaving the owner uncertain about the engine's condition, but it's not seized.

Q & A

Why did the original buyer sell the BMW M5 to the current owner?

The original buyer sold the BMW M5 because they encountered a problem that was stopping them from fixing the car, which made the repair more difficult than expected.

What attracted the current owner to purchase this specific BMW M5?

The current owner found the BMW M5 listed on eBay for £33,500, which was significantly cheaper than the usual price of around £50,000 for similar models, making it an attractive deal despite its crash damage.

What were the initial damages noticed in the auction photos of the BMW M5?

The auction photos showed that the car had a front-end collision, missing the bonnet, bumper, headlights, and possibly a few coolers. Additionally, the driver's side wing looked repairable, but the passenger side needed a new inner wing and all the airbags were deployed.

What specific issue did the BMW M5 have that caused concern for the current owner?

The car's oil cooler, positioned at the bottom front, was damaged, causing the oil to leak out. The owner was concerned about the engine potentially having run without oil, which could cause serious damage.

What makes the BMW M5 Competition model special?

The BMW M5 Competition comes with a 4.4-liter twin-turbo V8 engine producing over 600 BHP, has four-wheel drive with an option to switch to rear-wheel drive, and is a high-performance sports sedan.

What was one of the main obstacles in moving the car into the garage?

The car had no power, making it difficult to release the electronic handbrake and put the car into neutral. The owner had to manually work around these issues, including climbing through the back seats to access the battery.

What unexpected damage was discovered after purchasing the car?

The car had significant structural damage, including a large hole and dent in the strut tower where the suspension sits. This damage suggested that the engine might need to be removed to complete the repairs.

Why is the strut tower damage particularly problematic for repair?

The strut tower is made from special cast aluminum, which needs to be bonded to the car’s frame. It’s a critical structural component, and repairing or replacing it may require removing the engine due to limited access.

How did the owner plan to assess whether the engine was functional?

The owner planned to bypass the damaged oil cooler by bridging the oil lines and refilling the engine with oil to see if the engine would start. The goal was to get the engine running before investing in further repairs.

What challenges did the owner face while trying to start the car?

The owner faced multiple issues while trying to start the car, including power problems, the potential of a blown pyro fuse (a safety fuse that blows during airbag deployment), and the car not responding despite attempts to bridge connections.

Outlines

00:00

🚗 Taking a Risk on a BMW M5

The speaker didn't purchase the BMW M5 from an auction directly, but from someone who attempted to fix it and failed. The car was crash-damaged, and the previous owner couldn’t address the issues. The speaker explains the risk of buying crash-damaged cars, especially from those who have already tried and failed to fix them. Despite the damage, the speaker thought the car looked manageable for repair, especially since many parts behind the front-end damage seemed in decent shape. However, the speaker quickly realizes that this is going to be a far more complicated project than expected.

05:02

🛠 Power Struggles and Broken Components

The speaker details the challenges of getting the car powered up and into neutral to move it inside. After a few failed attempts with jumper packs and struggling to open the boot, the speaker finally gets power to the car. However, the digital display shows multiple errors, and there’s a significant challenge in disengaging the electronic handbrake. Even after accessing the gearbox and using a zip tie to put the car into neutral, the handbrake refuses to come off, further complicating the process.

10:04

🔧 Structural Damage and Engine Woes

The speaker reveals that the BMW M5 was purchased for £32,500 as a Category S (structural damage) vehicle, and similar models in good condition are priced at over £60,000. The critical issue is severe damage to the strut tower, which suggests the engine may need to be removed for repairs. Although the frame seems straight, the strut tower's damage might make this a very costly fix. The speaker remains hopeful that if the engine needs to come out, any existing damage could be addressed during the process.

15:06

🚦 Troubleshooting: Bridging the Oil Line

To get the engine started, the speaker bypasses the damaged oil cooler by bridging the oil lines. After draining what little oil remained and inspecting the turbos for debris, the speaker moves forward with attempting to start the car. However, the car still won’t start, leading the speaker to suspect a blown pyro fuse—a safety device that could have triggered when the airbags deployed. The next steps involve locating and investigating the fuse to diagnose the issue further.

20:11

🔋 Success and Unresolved Engine Issues

After bypassing the pyro fuse, the speaker finally gets the car to crank and briefly run, confirming that the engine isn't seized. Despite this minor success, the car doesn’t run consistently, and the root cause of the problem remains unresolved. The speaker signs off by promoting BMW-related merchandise and expressing excitement about tackling the next steps in the repair process, leaving viewers eager for updates on the project.

Keywords

💡BMW M5 Competition

The BMW M5 Competition is a high-performance luxury sedan powered by a 4.4-liter twin-turbo V8 engine, producing over 600 horsepower. In the video, the speaker purchased a damaged version of this car from a previous owner who was unable to fix it, setting the stage for a challenging repair journey. The car represents the speaker's dream vehicle, although it comes with significant issues.

💡Auction

Auctions are events where goods, such as vehicles, are sold to the highest bidder. The BMW M5 mentioned in the video was initially purchased at an auction by someone else before being sold to the speaker. Auctions often offer vehicles at lower prices, especially damaged ones, but they come with risks, as highlighted by the challenges the speaker faces in repairing the car.

💡Category S

Category S refers to a vehicle classification in the UK where a car has sustained structural damage but can be repaired and returned to the road. The speaker’s BMW M5 falls under this category, indicating it had significant structural damage that requires extensive work. The classification emphasizes the risk and complexity of the repair process.

💡Non-runner

A non-runner is a vehicle that does not start or function properly. The BMW M5 is a non-runner due to extensive damage, particularly to its oil cooler, and the fact that the engine had no oil. This adds to the challenge of the repair, as the speaker must first get the car to start before assessing other mechanical issues.

💡Oil cooler

An oil cooler is a component that helps regulate engine temperature by cooling the engine oil. In the video, the BMW M5's oil cooler was damaged in the accident, leading to the loss of oil. The speaker focuses on this as a key issue because an engine without oil can suffer catastrophic damage, and fixing or bypassing the oil cooler is necessary to start the car.

💡Structural damage

Structural damage refers to damage to a vehicle’s frame or supporting components. The BMW M5 suffered significant structural damage, including a hole in the strut tower, which supports the suspension. This type of damage requires complex repairs and often involves removing major components like the engine, adding to the difficulty and expense.

💡Electronic handbrake

An electronic handbrake is a modern braking system activated via a button rather than a traditional lever. In the video, the speaker struggles with the BMW M5’s electronic handbrake, which is stuck due to the car having no power. This problem complicates efforts to move the car into the repair unit, highlighting one of the difficulties with newer car technologies.

💡Pyrofuse

A pyrofuse is a safety component designed to cut off electrical power in a vehicle following an accident, particularly after airbag deployment. The speaker suspects the pyrofuse is preventing the BMW M5 from starting. The pyrofuse ensures that damaged or dangerous vehicles do not inadvertently start, but it also presents a hurdle in getting the car running again.

💡Car vertical check

Car vertical check is a service used to check a vehicle’s history, including accidents, mileage, and potential fraud. The speaker uses this service to investigate the BMW M5’s background, discovering that it had been written off as a Category S vehicle over a year ago. This check helps potential buyers make informed decisions, although in this case, it adds to the speaker’s concerns about the car’s repairability.

💡Zip tie trick

The zip tie trick is a DIY method mentioned in the video where the speaker attempts to manually shift the BMW M5’s gearbox into neutral by pulling a lever with a zip tie. This method is used when normal electronic functions are unavailable, as is the case with the non-starting BMW. The speaker’s success in performing this trick allows him to move the car, illustrating the resourcefulness required in complex repairs.

Highlights

The buyer purchased a crash-damaged BMW M5 Competition from someone who couldn't fix it after buying it from an auction.

The BMW M5 was listed for £33,500 on eBay, much lower than the usual price of £50,000, due to the damage.

The car has a 4.4-liter twin-turbo V8 engine with over 600 BHP, a key attraction despite the significant damage.

The car sustained a front-end knock, with damage to the bonnet, bumper, headlights, coolers, and more.

Airbags on both sides, including the dashboard and curtain airbags, were deployed, contributing to repair challenges.

A major issue is the oil cooler located at the front of the engine, which was destroyed in the crash, causing oil to leak out.

The car was labeled as a non-runner, with significant concerns about the engine running without oil and potential internal damage.

A structural damage issue was found with a hole and dent in the strut tower, which might require engine removal to repair.

The car has a category S designation, indicating structural damage, and was damaged over a year ago, yet remained unfixed.

Attempts to start the car failed initially, as the electronic handbrake wouldn't release without power, complicating the repair process.

After bypassing the oil cooler and refilling the oil, the engine still wouldn't start, possibly due to a blown pyro fuse.

A pyro fuse was found, and the team attempted a risky bypass with zip ties and jumper packs to try and start the car.

Finally, after numerous trials, the engine cranked but did not start, raising concerns about the extent of the engine damage.

The buyer expressed relief that the engine wasn't seized but remains uncertain about the full extent of the mechanical issues.

The video concluded with the anticipation of further costly repairs and possible engine damage, leaving the project's future uncertain.

Transcripts

I didn't buy this BMW M5 competition

from auction somebody else did but then

they sold it to me after they realized

one problem which was stopping them from

fixing it

buying a crash damage car is risky as it

is but buying it off someone who

couldn't fix it adds a lot more to the

risk now you're probably like me find a

car that you won or dream of owning

search on eBay or AutoTrader and then

put lowest price first or does that just

make me a cheapskate now I actually

found this BMW M5 listed on eBay for 33

500 pound and usually these cars go for

around 50 000 pounds if not more and

it's easy to see why the BMW M5 comp

comes with a 4.4 twin turbo V8 which has

over 600 BHP now actually managed to get

it cheaper than that but we'll get on to

what I paid for it later in the video

because I'm kind of thinking now it

might not have been worth it but on

First Impressions okay some of you might

think I'm mad but even on the list and I

didn't think this car looked that bad

it's had a front end knock but

everything really from the wing

backwards looks Sim half decent shape

for someone like me who doesn't really

have any type of skill is more of a

driveway mechanic that self-teaches

himself I thought this could be an easy

repair

but oh is this gonna be far from an easy

repair the car I bought this from was

kind of like myself he was repairing

cars on his driveway so looking at the

auction photos of this car you could see

well it needs a front end there's no

Bonnet there's no bumper headlights and

maybe a few coolers as well the driver's

side Wing looks repairable the passenger

side Wing not so much it would need a

new inner Wing which just requires a bit

of welding and all of the airbags are

blown including the dashboard and both

of the curtain airbags so really looking

at that damage we could probably repair

this on a driveway with no real special

tools required and have a decent M5 for

a lot less than the normal price but as

always when dealing with cars as I'm

sure you'll know it's not as easy as

that and in this specific case there's

two reasons why it's not as easy as that

and the first reason Hannah's going to

explain and why is that the engine

doesn't yeah this is a non-runner

because BMW decided to put their oil

coolers at the very bottom at the front

of the engine so if they're ever in any

accident they get absolutely smashed a

bit so this is dropped all its oil out

and you don't need to be a genius to

know what happens to an engine when it

has no oil in it we've just got to hope

it wasn't ran without it the oil cooler

looks

like it's just pulled out of the there's

the top of the oil cooler and there's

the pipe it looks like it's kind of like

I think it's definitely knackered I mean

that is yeah that's definitely

but it's like pulled out I think you've

got like a oil feed in here

and then the oil will turn in there

there's the auxiliary belt

oh dear what's that

[Music]

oh is that a pulley there oh

ah

no it's like a water pump oh my God

there's so much broken here oh even

that's broken

um charge cooler oh dear do we get

Hannah's approval on the M5 I mean don't

come for me but I don't like BMWs

this is a 4.4 liter V8 twin turbo it can

be like a thousand horsepower and look

at the interior four-wheel drive as well

and you can make it into rear wheel

drive it doesn't have a heated steering

wheel it doesn't have any Steel

[Music]

like me I never used to like BMW and

then you're in your drive on then you

like it now the engine has to come out

the M5 anyway to do a certain repair on

this but before I explain why we've got

to try and get the car into neutral so

we can push it inside the unit

we got power

[Music]

got no power

weirdly it seems like my jumper pack

didn't work so I went and fetched a

bigger one the battery's actually in the

boot so we're having to use the

terminals which are underneath the

Bonnet we've got 7.5 volts so flies

absolutely nothing but still nothing so

the only other option was to put the

jumper pack directly to the battery in

the boot but we can't open the boot

because you need electric to open the

boot so we're having to climb through

the back seats to gain access to it

unless you guys know of an emergency

release that I could have pulled to open

the boot but I didn't know so we're

crawling in the back red

foreign

we have a problem he got a reading no

nothing no

so there's three lines there's no

reading at all

what

oh

does that work yes we've got power we've

got power on we've got power on it must

just be really dead yeah our digital

display

Okay so we've got digital display oh

nearly a full tank of fuel come on so

loads of faults can you put this in

neutral

I don't want to start it that's the

thing do you know if I just pressed

press to start engine press brake pedal

I don't want to start the engine that's

the thing there's no oil in it I don't

think

you can get it in neutral

I can't even take the handbrake off

I think what we've got to do is get

underneath it there might be a notch in

the gearbox I'm pretty sure there's

gonna be a notch in the gearbox we can

work it into neutral but that doesn't

solve the handbrake not coming off the

back we're gonna need power to get the

handbrake off the bat oh we can open the

boot we can open the boot now

no we can't well it's not looking good

so far

so I've got the Jack out to see if we

can find something on the bottom of the

gearbox I've watched a video apparently

all you need is a zip tie to do this

let's see if that is true

uh there's the Box

is the gearbox

okay so is this

that lever apparently you pull it down

and then zip tie it

to the prop shaft and that will put it

in neutral I'm gonna put you guys there

let's see if I can do this

this turned out to be way more difficult

than it looks the prop shaft was in the

way of this lever and I had to somehow

bend the Zips around to hook it over the

lever which puts it into neutral I'm

smooth

I'm just gonna get it after a bit of

fiddling around I eventually got the zip

tie through the little hole on the lever

and it eventually could start to pull it

tight in hopes that that would pull it

in neutral

aha

okay everything if we pull that down

[Music]

oh

round two bigger zip tie I'm double zip

tied

holding that lever down

if that don't do it

I don't know what will

front wheel moves

bat wheel no

at least get a parking brake

see ya

[Music]

see if the handbrake will come off

okay the handbrake doesn't like coming

off

coming to think of it

this is the only BMW that I remember

having an electronic handbrake all of

them have manual handbrakes they thought

it was cool to have a manual handbrake

but all of a sudden they decided it's

not cool to have one

and which means you can't move it

when it's crashed so plan of action was

to plug the auto diagnostic into the car

and then put the handbrake into a

service mode which again didn't seem to

work

[Music]

turn off

why does it not turn off it says in

addition press the brake pedal I'm

pressing the brake

[Music]

finally we got the handbrake off and the

car was in neutral and we can now begin

to get the BMW M5 into the unit which is

getting me so excited to get started on

it now before I bought this car I did a

car vertical check on it and on the

check brought up something quite

worrying check this out so I put the

registration in and then I got my check

and straight away I can see there's been

no mileage fraud it's not been recorded

as stolen but there is an amber light

for an accident of course and there's no

outstanding Finance on it as I scroll

through the report I can see every time

an ownership's been changed and every

time a registration plate has been

changed on the car but that's not what

was Rory and me I can see the M5 got

written off as a category s but this was

in February 2021 last year so the car's

been damaged way over a year and nobody

has decided to fix it

[Music]

but just to mention the cool thing about

Carl vertical is that it works in over

20 different countries and it can

uncover a lot of hidden history like on

this C63 this car was crash damage and

cover vertical actually have the photos

from when the car was auctioned off at

the car crash auction website you won't

believe the amount of people which are

driving around in a car that they don't

know the full history of which is why I

urge you after this video ends to check

your car out or a car that you're

potentially about to buy by using car

vertical with the link in the

description box below and use code map

because that will save you a bit of cash

as well so the BMW M5 as is cost me 32

500 pounds it's a category s which means

structural damage it's a 2019 and

according to the seller this has only

got 10 000 miles on it M5 competition

with the same year the same spec but not

crashed you're looking at about 63 to 6

65 000 pounds so in my opinion I think

that leaves you with around ten thousand

pounds give or take to make this scene

worth it and get it back on the road and

for it to be a cheap BMW M5

that was until the previous owner found

this damage

[Music]

this is the damage which is gonna cause

hell there is a huge hole and big dent

in the strut Tower which is where the

suspension sits and for that reason we

think the engine has to come out

with the car being category s which

means structural damage which it does

have quite clearly I don't actually

think any of the frame is bent I think

it is all straight but we will have to

get it checked out good way to see

whether anything is obviously moved for

this structure is to check these struck

braces right here and well nothing in

his mood you can't see that the strut

Towers move back left right or Twisted

in any way the bolts look like they're

in the same place and on this side

yeah it's all the same on that side with

this chassis legs this part looks okay

that part looks like it's gone but we

can get that all measured but I think

this hole was caused by something

piercing straight through the Bonnet

there I don't think it's any sort of

stress on the suspension that's caused

it looks like something has literally

hit the Bonnet gone straight through it

and Pierce that huge hole and the worst

part about it I believe that strut Tower

is made out of a special cast aluminum

which needs to be bonded to the frame of

the car

this is a huge piece and a vital part of

the engine and it actually goes all the

way down there and further down the back

as well and I don't think we will try

but I don't think we will actually be

able to get to it and bond it and take

it off and put a new one on without

removing the whole engine because I

don't think we've got enough room to

play with here but if it's only that

part to replace the front end and the

airbags this could be a cheap repair

but that's if the engine's okay the only

positive to this is that if the engine's

got to come out any way to do the repair

then if there is any damage to the

engine then we can fix it whilst it's

out but that could get very expensive so

I think and I hope I'm right in saying

this I want to get this engine running

first before we start stripping it apart

to see if it actually works and the way

I'm going to do that is I want to bridge

the oil line from here

so here so that we're not going through

the oil cooler which is obviously broken

and then it should hold oil in the

engine and fingers crossed it ticks

overnighters

here we go

whilst I had the M5 up in the air I had

a quick inspection to see if I could see

any more damage but always looking good

so now I'm removing the hose out of one

end of the oil cooler and then I can

pull the old oil cooler away from the

car then I've got this super long

silicone hose which I'm going to use to

connect one oil cooler hose to the other

one doing the complete bypass of the

front oil cooler obviously this is not a

long term fix but it should work to get

the car started with the BMW being a

newer car it doesn't have a dipstick so

there's no way of telling how much oil

is actually in the engine so what I'm

going to do is drop what's left of the

oil into my oil tub and then I'm going

to refill it with the amount of oil that

it needs

well there's supposed to be 10 and a

half liters in this engine and only

well not even about three and a half

came out so I'm gonna put this back in

top it over some old oil or something

like that we just want to see if it's

running of course I'm going to replace

the oil at some point but yeah it's not

looking good at the minute

the only good point you could take from

this is that I didn't notice any metal

shards or anything unusual in the oil

that actually came out before I try and

start it as well I'm going to remove

this induction pipe just to check

there's no plastic or any debris that's

worked its way down and into the turbos

because if I start it and there is then

we could cause some serious damage there

[Music]

foreign

looking good and there's no play in the

turbo either

let's hope it stays that way right

now I don't know

I don't know whether this has a pyro

fuse in it which is the fuse which blows

off

um when the airbags go I've had a look

in the back here and it looks like

something is missing from this bit here

but other than that I can't see that it

actually has one so I think it's just

going to be trial and error

[Laughter]

yeah if it starts sounding crazy I'll

just straight turn it off that's a good

idea

just double check the oil now because if

some if it's awesome

services

how do I put the phone down I don't know

are you in any trouble yes I've got

other front ends hanging off the off the

car okay here we go just gonna send it

did that even crank

it don't want to go

oh oh I know I know I know I've still

got it in neutral underneath

[Music]

okay is that

yep so it should be in part I think this

is it now it should be in Park oh this

is the disorder and this is what risk is

about

I'm gonna I'm gonna do it

I'm gonna do it

[Music]

oh

still no luck the only thing I could

think of is that if this car has a power

of Technics fuse on which had blown

right is that a pyro fuse but to be

honest I couldn't really see anything

obvious

if this don't do it then power ain't the

issue so we just resorted in using a

bigger jumper pack in hopes that it just

didn't have enough power to start

come on

it doesn't want to do it it's just

nothing I've got my foot as hard as I

can on the brakes I'm pressing the start

stop button

[Music]

literally nothing is happening so still

no luck so there must be a pyro for you

stopping this pyro fuse has been found

it's definitely

well on the looks of it you've got your

two cables there that looks very air

buggy there

so ah yes there it is down the bottom so

what is that bridge in and the only way

to find out that was to start stripping

it apart

then it could work out exactly what was

going on down there

right

here's the Pyro fuse just there and from

what I've worked out I think these two

uh have got something to do with the

engine start so ones could go to the

starter motor

um

I don't know what the other one does

I've never seen two of them go to the

par reviews but I would assume if that

fuse is broken underneath then the power

which is going directly to here so the

power

the power goes on the battery directly

onto this line here and this is all your

body electronics and everything there

and this is what starts it so

this is what starts it so I think if I

bridge the gap between that to there we

should get a start well at least an

attempt if this is not the sketchiest

thing you've ever seen then you've seen

some sketchy stuff because we are

connected there to there to there

hopefully

saying that to reckon it's gonna do it

is only one way to find out there is

only one way to find out and that means

to start it is it okay

there we go ignition

ignition

ignition

[Music]

it cranks then didn't it

I lost power

okay I'm a bit nervous now because that

did not sound good

ignition

come on Beamer

oh

it's clear quit

what's happened

[Music]

yeah it went from being like this again

do it again well you do you know you

don't think it's going to blow off that

part though

okay ready

no

no

it's done it definitely ran at least we

know it's not seized up I don't know why

it won't run consistently but if you're

a beamer boy like myself you can grab

the BMW M sport hoodies with the link in

the description box below thanks so much

for watching this video if you've

enjoyed it hit that subscribe button hit

that thumbs up button and I'll see you

in the next video peace out

[Music]

yeah it's uh part of the airport

oh dear

oh what a ball like

[Music]

[Applause]

a drug

[Music]