BMW's Z8: Structurally Shaky?

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Jürgen Wunderlich, a technical board member of the Z8 club, also is downplaying U.S. enthusiasts' fears that aluminum distortions could weaken or crack the Z8 frame. The Americans seem "much more fearful" about that prospect, he says. "For the structure of the aluminum frame to be compromised, you would need a huge impact," such as a high-speed encounter with a massive pothole.

Speculation that rough driving is behind the damage is off-base, Macpherson insists. "Look, most of us bought these cars as investments, not to go to the race track. Beyond that, we have to deal with several related issues -- a possible collapse in investment values if the car can't be easily fixed, safety questions, and what people are supposed to do with damaged cars. Will BMW buy unrepairable ones back?"

Probably not. But that's not to minimize the potential hassles the Z8 affair could cause the company. For starters, the aluminum-frame components are so exotic that only specialized welding centers could undertake repairs -- possibly including cutting out distorted panels and replacing them with new sections. Germany has only three such centers, and a similar number are in the U.S., which means owners could be without their cars for some time as fixes are attempted. And due to the special unified construction of the aluminum frame, only parts of it can be cut out and replaced without weakening the chassis.

LEGAL MANEUVERS.

The cost of repairs to BMW also could spiral if the engineering solution to the bent shock towers requires something more complicated than a "strut brace," a transverse bar that can make the towers more rigid. Re-forming misaligned upper body panels, a condition some owners are reporting, could run into many thousands of dollars in fabrication expense.

In addition, the Z8's aluminum frame rails are baked at high temperature in a special process, and the frame cannot be "rebaked" as part of a repair, Hetze says. To illustrate how pricey swapping aluminum components can be, he notes that just replacing the engine subframe assembly can cost between $24,000 and $36,000 per car.

It's unclear whether the Z8 affair is a serious quality setback for a prestige German auto maker or a tempest in an aluminum teapot. Indeed, while some Z8 owners are heartened by what they call BMW's belated response to two months of customer complaints, some U.S.-based Z8 owners are weighing typically American protective measures, just in case. Macpherson says several Z8 owners have contacted Proskauer Rose, a big Manhattan law firm, and two of the firm's attorneys have agreed to represent Z8 drivers in a combined lawsuit, should it come to that.

Wunderlich notes that BMW has been "incredibly open" with the Z8 Club officials, and Hetze described BMW's approach and cooperation as "fair and constructive."

Nonetheless, U.S. owners feel they've been left hanging too long. "This is a serious issue to me, and I'm glad that I forced it," says Macpherson of his gadfly role. "I have met a lot of Z8 owners through my Web board, and I really feel a sense of responsibility to them. I hope BMW comes up with some answers." He'll soon find out.

With Gail Edmondson in Frankfurt

Walczak is a BusinessWeek senior editor and the magazine's Washington bureau chief