$1200 repair quote!?! E34 Gurus HELP!

[dacoyote]

I just bought a suspension pack off ebay for around 300$ with 750i bushings and m5 control arms everything. although there are trick to installing everything correctly. you can easily do the control arm bushing at least and there is only one idler arm on my 525i I am having a mechanic help me install all that stuff I will let you know if the problem persists

fcp I would assume???

Get ready to do it again next year...

[ILoveMPower]

Thanks for the help guys. I don't really feel confident doing work like this myself... while I'm sure I'm probably able, I'd rather be dead broke with the work done right.

I'm gonna call them up tomorrow and get an exact part list, because I didn't actually get a chance to talk to them, only a slip of paper with some attempted part names (what I posted above) made by my Mom.

[632 Regal]

he will have some practice by then, probably do it himself.

[genphreak]

Your shop is taking the classic BMW repair approach of replacing everything around the offending item. Like if you get the brake pads replaced at the dealership they want to replace the disks and everything.

I don't disagree, but I like the idea that the dealer does it properly and one has that option (as with many other cars one simply doesn't). It is kind of like insurance, if we get into **** and can't fix something you can always pay the dealer for the 'right' amount of time and a reasonable hourly rate and **know** its done (as close as possible) to factory spec. The labour rate sround here is usually not much higher than a good indie charges.

No monkeys, right methods, right parts and no ********. The only problem is the price of the parts, so for less mechanically capable people it's not a bad option if all the other mechanics are happier working on other cars. (Until the parts required become extensive that is, oh yea, and one has to be careful of them marking up ridiculous charges on workshop supplies and so on- ie get a quote first...)

Has anyone ever tried taking OEM parts to the dealer and having them fit them? I would have thought they'd refuse as a matter opf policy to avoid tarnishing their reputation (and protect their profit of course...)

Nick

[genphreak]

Thanks for the help guys. I don't really feel confident doing work like this myself... while I'm sure I'm probably able, I'd rather be dead broke with the work done right. I'm gonna call them up tomorrow and get an exact part list, because I didn't actually get a chance to talk to them, only a slip of paper with some attempted part names (what I posted above) made by my Mom.

If I were you I'd buy the FCP kit and pay someone (good) the time it takes to do the job- that way all the parts are new, you know they are good. Make sure they can tell you the method they will use to torque the thrust and lower control arms. (search for it here or look it up in the bently) as they must tighten all the nuts+bolts properly, use threadlock and **very particularly** get those arms torqued right.

[Kalevera]

Nick, I'm going to call you out on this.

While there are plenty of ethical and good dealer techs, they're idiots more often than not. The last time Fritz went to the dealer, he came back with three problems he didn't have before he went in. While I've never worked for a dealer, I associate with past and current dealer techs and have had plenty of opportunities to witness occurences that counter the "no monkeys, right methods, right parts and no ********" assertion. The right parts bit is about all that I agree with, and even then it's faulted on occasion (ie selling rebuilt calipers as new, at new cost). You'd be surprised at what goes on.

Just about the last thing I would do with an older car is send it to a dealer. The more senior techs typically don't want to work on old cars, and don't have to. So you get a rookie. That's how my exhaust ended up with a huge dent in the end pipe and how bolts were mismatched and left loose. Turnover in this industry is high, factory training (even going through step) doesn't mean the tech knows anything about models other than the current lineup.

None of this is to say that tomfoolery doesn't happen at independents, or that there aren't ethical dealer techs/service managers. Choose wisely. Maybe I'm biased, but I don't trust the dealer to change oil, let alone swap suspension parts.


Also, to comment more broadly on the thread: we have no idea how this car drives. Maybe it does need all of the parts, maybe it doesn't and these are items that will fail in the near future. Maybe the shop has no idea what it's doing and is making random guesses at what needs to be fixed, or has a more nefarious intent. To make assertions on some repair shop's theory of diagnosis based on a cagey parts list and an estimated cost is ridiculous.

And another thing: a good shop will take the time to explain, or even show, how they diagnosed the source of a problem. Furthermore, in Ohio, it's illegal to throw away old parts before a customer has taken delivery of their car. There shouldn't be any doubt in it -- the front suspension is easy to diagnose on these cars, noises and operating characteristics are relatively easy to visually or audibly replicate with the car in the air.


best, whit

[632 Regal]

with all respects, these are older cars and unless someone works on them regularly I dont think you will have a good job done. This is why this forum is here, education and help on our specific E34 lineup. Even if you dont have faith to do this yourself, with this forum and the people on it (-diamond777) you as a rookie will probably do a better job than you could pay any amount to someone else to do the same.

[E34 530]

(-diamond777)

lol.

[genphreak]

lol.

Damn good point from jeff.. and eloquently made as ever!

With that in mind perhaps someone more local on the forum that has done it before would help you do it...

[Jjcarr]

I don't disagree, but I like the idea that the dealer does it properly and one has that option (as with many other cars one simply doesn't). It is kind of like insurance, if we get into **** and can't fix something you can always pay the dealer for the 'right' amount of time and a reasonable hourly rate and **know** its done (as close as possible) to factory spec. The labour rate sround here is usually not much higher than a good indie charges.
Nick

I agree, but I figured I'd offer both sides to the guy. Personally I like to replace stuff before it's worn out, and I like the idea that the dealership does that...means I get a better car when I buy it used off the sucker who leased it...

Basically he's got some options:
1) Pay $1200 and have it done, end of story
2) Buy all the parts for around $450, DIY, end of story
3) Start replacing the more likely parts DIY a piece at a time until the problem fixes itself (yes, obviously he can evaluate the condition of the parts but I'm trying to keep it simple here), minimum $220, maximum $450.