# 2016 228i with leaky rear differential. Is this a deal breaker?



## bongko (Jan 30, 2021)

Hi everyone,

I recently purchased a grey 2016 228i convertible with 36k miles, clean carfax from Shift and after the sale I took the car to a reputable independent body shop for inspection. I have 7 days to decide whether to keep the car and I specifically told the concierge that I would be bringing the car to the dealer and that if there was any major issues that they would need to be resolved. I called three different BMW dealers in a 25 mile radius and none of them had an appointment time until the following week, which would be beyond the 7 day return period, so I found a highly rated local body shop that charged $160 for inspection.
The body shop found two pages of minor error codes, no major engine issues, and a leaky rear differential. The mechanic said that there are some codes regarding both rear lights being swapped out, which he said was not normal, and that the bumper color looks slightly different from the main body. Visually to me there wasn't a noticeable difference but I defer to the expert. He was unable to confirm if there was a bumper replacement as he would have to remove the bumper to check, which would increase the inspection cost and I didn't care as long as there was no structural damage which the mechanic said there was not.
The leaky rear differential is not dripping fluid but there is a leak and gunk that has collected around the area of the leak. I called Shift right away and they denied that there was a leak since the car "Passed" their vigorous inspection and even sent me a copy of their inspection where they checked off the leak inspection. They will take the car in for inspection again and let me know what they decide.
I did some research regarding the rear differential leak and it seems that it is not an uncommon issue for this model around 30k-60k so I was just wondering if this leak stems from just a faulty seal or if I am going to have other problems that will pop up later on down the road. Other then the leak I do like the car, especially the fact that it is not white and its hard to find a not white car around my area. However the price was average for what's available and I've been eyeing a m240i around the same year and mileage, but that car is red which I am not in love with and costs 5k more which will probably lead to more "discussions" regarding my sanity with the wife.
So I am taking the car back to Shift to see what they will say regarding the issues. The rep did say that if they deem necessary they will fix the leak, however can I even trust them to repair it correctly. I would prefer to take it to the mechanic as he has a couple hundred yelp reviews and 5 star rating so at least I can hope he knows what hes doing. I have 5 days after Shift re-inspects to decide whether to keep the car and a sinking feeling that Shift will repair the car and I will have to decide whether to live with the uncertainty if they did the job right.
I understand that an older car will have some amounts of error codes and electrical issues and I don't expect a brand new car. I do most of the simple maintenance jobs on my ML350 and Infiniti M37 however working on bigger issues is something I let the experts handle. I am new to BMW so if anyone has any experience with this model and these issues and can let me know your experiences I would greatly appreciate it.


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## mr_bean (Mar 20, 2009)

It's tough to see where the diff is leaking in that pic. Yes, leaks are common and generally not a big deal if caught early and corrected. They can sometimes be an easy fix (leaks from either output shaft) or a bit more work if it's the input shaft seal.
Personally, I'd take it back to shift and ask them to fix the leak free of charge. You bought the car under false pretense and it's on them to correct it.


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