Congrats on your BMW. I have a 1991 535i I bought last spring with 162K miles on it.
Last weekend I replaced the upper control arms (thrust arms). The bushings were bad which causes it to shudder when you brake. The ball joints were also bad (they'll make a clunking sound when you go over bumps) - so I replaced the entire arm on both sides. Took me about 4 hours, but I've never done that type of work. I think my lower control arms might need replacing too. I still get a litle bit of shudder when I brake. It's going in to the shop tomorrow to see if the rotors are warped or if the bushings are bad. This time I'll let the shop do the work.
Check the ball joints on the sway bar links (or stabilizer links) - mine need replacing but these look much easier to replace than control arms. One of the site sponsors (FCPGroton) has some good prices on control arms and swaybar links.
You might want to replace your fuel filter, especially if you do not know the history on it. Very easy to access and change out.
Do the hoses (radiator and vacuum) and belts all look good?
Spark plugs OK? If you change them - there's a lot of talk on these forums about not using platinum plugs - so do some research on the proper ones to use.
Good luck and have fun!
Last weekend I replaced the upper control arms (thrust arms). The bushings were bad which causes it to shudder when you brake. The ball joints were also bad (they'll make a clunking sound when you go over bumps) - so I replaced the entire arm on both sides. Took me about 4 hours, but I've never done that type of work. I think my lower control arms might need replacing too. I still get a litle bit of shudder when I brake. It's going in to the shop tomorrow to see if the rotors are warped or if the bushings are bad. This time I'll let the shop do the work.
Check the ball joints on the sway bar links (or stabilizer links) - mine need replacing but these look much easier to replace than control arms. One of the site sponsors (FCPGroton) has some good prices on control arms and swaybar links.
You might want to replace your fuel filter, especially if you do not know the history on it. Very easy to access and change out.
Do the hoses (radiator and vacuum) and belts all look good?
Spark plugs OK? If you change them - there's a lot of talk on these forums about not using platinum plugs - so do some research on the proper ones to use.
Good luck and have fun!
