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Maintenance Poll

2K views 5 replies 6 participants last post by  warp1 
#1 ·
Maintenance Poll

OK, as a new used high mileage 124,000 mile '95 525ita owner I am curious about how I should maintain my car.
My wife also has a ’99 328ia, which will go out of warranty next year.

How do you all accomplish maintenance??

1 – still under warranty – go to BMW dealer
1a - still under warranty – go to BMW dealer & go ___?__ (elsewhere) for ___?___
2 – no longer under warranty still go to BMW dealer for almost everything
3 – have found a competent german car specialty garage
4 – use a local mechanic
5 – go to a national chain – Sears, Pep Boys, Goodyear, Midas etc.
6 – have a good friend that you use/abuse for peanuts and cost of parts
7 – do everything yourself

And to follow up >>> how much do you do yourself??

A –Everything and my garage is fully equipped
B - Everything and you beg, borrow or rent needed tools
C - Everything except what can’t be done without expensive electronics and/or tools
D - Replace and repair broken and worn parts and do routine changes
E - Routine fluid and filter changes
F - Just write a check or pull out the plastic

And when you can’t do it yourself where do you go
1 – To the new car lot for a new car
2 – BMW dealer for almost everything
3 – have found a competent german car specialty garage
4 – use a local mechanic
5 – go to a national chain – Sears, Pep Boys, Goodyear, Midas etc.
6 – have a good friend that you use/abuse for peanuts and cost of parts
7 – crazy and check in with mental health professionals

And also for you do it yourselfers
Where do you get parts? and what do you get from who?

a - BMW
b - local import auto parts supplier
c - local auto parts supplier
d - mail order & internet - where _____?____


Here is a link to my initial posting
http://www.bmw-forums.com/forum/topic18973.html

 
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#3 ·
My dad is a mechanic. He has all the tools and knowledge we need to fix whatever goes wrong... and we have access to the lifts where he works at any time after hours (from 5pm to 8 am and every Sunday).

I buy parts from www.racingking.net (good prices -- e34 parts), www.bavauto.com . Thankfully, those are the only two places I needed to buy from so far. Both are excellent when it comes to customer service and you always get the right part !

Slvr e39, if you have nothing nice to say...
 
#4 ·
I buy all my parts from places like bavauto or the dealership and TRY to figure it out myself and make do with the tools that I have. So far everything has gone well - Although with the lack of some of the real shop tools, I dont think I could handle big jobs.

As far as maintenance goes, everything has been a breeze and the car is running great :D

I at least try everything and if I truly can NOT figure it out, I get some help, and if that fails - I take it in. lol
 
#6 ·
Well, a couple weeks ago, Da Red Dog got a new clutch and peripherals as well as new driveshaft parts courtesy of The Little Car Shop in Milwaukee. Yesterday, I swapped in a new radiator. This week, it'll get an oil change by me and within another month, it'll be getting a suspension swap from my other 'is with the help of a handful of friends (Hope I can afford the beer!). :cheers

If the job needs a lift or requires the removal of major PITA components like the gearbox or engine, I'll have competent pros do it. Not that I can't, but at my age, having done a lot of those jobs myself in the past, I've now got the cash to pay somebody to do jobs that exceed my 'Aggravation & Pain Quotient'. :wrench The suspension job, above, isn't so difficult, but doing all four corners on two cars could take a lot of time without the extra hands.

Warranty? Whazzat? :dunno
 
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