I've been following the threads about cracks in the differential mount and separation of body panels in the trunk area of Z3s and M roadsters and coupes. I am grateful to the people who shared their unhappy experiences.
Has anyone gotten repairs done themselves? I'd appreciate getting a brief description of what condition the car was in, what you had done and what it cost.
I understand that BMWNA should take responsibility but it would be nice to understand how expensive te fix might be. (I have a low mileage roadster and might want to have some preventative work done if BMWNA isn't going to stand behind their cars in this case.
Bill Hunt
Bill,
Like you I live in the SF Bay Area. My M Coupe was covered in full by BMWNA and Allison BMW in Mt View. For more info on my case please see Count Schemula's Z3 Diff Mount Website where I'm logged as Case #5..
http://www.extricate.com/subframe/
I'm having additional reinforcement done beyond the factory-spec BMW repair by a highly regarded fabricator in the SF Bay area, Tony Colicchio of TC Designs http://tcdesignfab.com/
For more info on my own comprehensive fix to my own diff mount issue please see my post on Roadfly (In short..BMW factory repair + TC Design reinforcement + Polyurethane subframe bushings)... http://bimmer.roadfly.org/bmw/forums...4853604-1.html
MSH
Do you have an idea what this additional work might cost?
Bill
Cheap...Approx one hr for the diff mount reinforcement @ $75 an hr....probably a couple bucks for raw materials.Originally Posted by FasterThanEver
MSH
I am planning to replace the rear subframe bushings with the Ireland Engineering polyurethane set. I found the following procedure for removing the rear subframe bushings. Although not on a Z3 chasis, it still gives you a good idea of what's involved.
http://www.bmwe34.net/E34main/Mainte...ameBushing.htm
2000 M Roadster
Estoril Blue, Black Top, Grey & Black Interior
Mr. M Car reinforced rear subframe, VAC Oil Pan Baffle, Achilles Oil Pump Shaft Kit & Reinforced Oil Pick-Up Tube, Conforti Shark Injector, H&R/Bilstein, Swapped strut hats, IE subframe bushings, H&R Front/Rear Sway Bars, BW engine mounts, BW camber shims, CL Strong Strut, GC End Links, GC RSM, UUC short shift, UUC TME, UUC Clutch Arm Bushing, UUC Clutch/Brake line, Aluminum T-stat housing, S54 radiator and oil cooler, Stewart water pump, lower temp T-stat/fan switch, Aluminum Pedals, Z3 Solutions Trunk Organizer, Leather Z oil distribution block, LeatrherZ armrest, LeatherZ illuminated ZHP shift knob, Clear Bumper Lights, BMW 6 disc, Axxis Deluxe Plus, Doug Whalen seat bushings, Soundgate SDSBMW
Some time ago I came across an 12/2000 article about reinforcing the chassis in the differential area
http://www.mz3.net/articles/207.html
"The fix is to have Peter at Crayford Coachworks, in Marina Del Rey (310-577-9830) with years of experience reinforcing the Porsche GT2 race cars, go wild. They choose to seam and stich weld a new member into place that had been reinforced with steel tubes. They also seam and stich welded other areas of the frame....
Not happy with the way BMW attached the differential, they decided to reinforce that as well."
I don't think anyone had differential mount failures or trunk floor seam separation problems at the time.
Bill
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