JustaWanderer
12-06-2003, 04:42 AM
Hey all... I've been lurking here for a month or so now, trying to learn as much as I can without opening my mouth and sounding like an idiot, and I've certainly learned a lot.
Now that I actually posted something, I figured I'd introduce myself.
I'm from the Chicagoland area and a couple of months ago upgraded from a chronic-brakedown '96 Stratus to a '95 Hellrot red 325is manual. Man, I love this car, and for once in my life could understand how someone could love something like this, heh.
As far as the car goes, I got a good deal on it from some corporate guy at All State Insurance who wanted to buy the '04 model, so I felt like I got a good deal at 55k miles for 10 grand.
The guy had paperwork documenting Patrick BMW of the Chicago area doing a 120 point check on the car, signed, stamped, and paid for (something like 1 grand for a fog light and some minor stuff, sounds friggen expensive). Anyways, I thought that was awesome... had an uncle look it over, he picked up on some stuff and the price ended at 10k, rather than 10.5k. A month later, a fatigued radiator fan blade sheared off and took two other blades and my radiator with it. I had a mech who never seemed to do good work, and ended up taking it to Motorwerks (local big name, very expensive but well recommended dealer, you guys call them the stealer, right? very accurate). The guys at Motorwerks were really good... to my limited understanding, they seemed to do a great job, and got it done very quickly when I explained that I had work 2 days later.
The senior guy said they'd run it through a free 60pt inspection, and later that night, they called me to tell me that the car needed new ball joints, brake rotors all around, water pump, thermostat, and of course the dead radiator, fan, and fan shroud from the shrapnel when the blade tore off. But what's more is that they had to replace the flex joint too ( sounds like the right name, the 6 holed rubbery piece that goes between trans and driveshaft?), and he even showed me how torn up it was on one side. Needless to say, it was a part supposedly covered by the Patrick dealer inspection. The senior tech said that anyone who knew anything about BMWs would know to check that part. So stay away from Patrick, I guess :p
Hrm.. other than that, I'm just really getting into learning as much as I can, because I hate to be dependent on someone I'm not sure I trust, and I'd like to be able to spot bullshit when it crops up. The car is all stock and I finally have a new head unit on the way.... any suggestions on what the next usual upgrade is?
I'm really getting into this, haha.
Anyways, just wanted to say thanks for all the great knowledge I've seen in the last weeks and to ask for any suggestions at all on my car. I would ask about quietting what seems to be the lifters, but I searched and came up with a buncha things... guess I'll try putting in more oil first.
Also, anyone happen to know a really good BMW place in the Chicago area, preferably in the NW suburbs? Thanks a ton.
Now that I actually posted something, I figured I'd introduce myself.
I'm from the Chicagoland area and a couple of months ago upgraded from a chronic-brakedown '96 Stratus to a '95 Hellrot red 325is manual. Man, I love this car, and for once in my life could understand how someone could love something like this, heh.
As far as the car goes, I got a good deal on it from some corporate guy at All State Insurance who wanted to buy the '04 model, so I felt like I got a good deal at 55k miles for 10 grand.
The guy had paperwork documenting Patrick BMW of the Chicago area doing a 120 point check on the car, signed, stamped, and paid for (something like 1 grand for a fog light and some minor stuff, sounds friggen expensive). Anyways, I thought that was awesome... had an uncle look it over, he picked up on some stuff and the price ended at 10k, rather than 10.5k. A month later, a fatigued radiator fan blade sheared off and took two other blades and my radiator with it. I had a mech who never seemed to do good work, and ended up taking it to Motorwerks (local big name, very expensive but well recommended dealer, you guys call them the stealer, right? very accurate). The guys at Motorwerks were really good... to my limited understanding, they seemed to do a great job, and got it done very quickly when I explained that I had work 2 days later.
The senior guy said they'd run it through a free 60pt inspection, and later that night, they called me to tell me that the car needed new ball joints, brake rotors all around, water pump, thermostat, and of course the dead radiator, fan, and fan shroud from the shrapnel when the blade tore off. But what's more is that they had to replace the flex joint too ( sounds like the right name, the 6 holed rubbery piece that goes between trans and driveshaft?), and he even showed me how torn up it was on one side. Needless to say, it was a part supposedly covered by the Patrick dealer inspection. The senior tech said that anyone who knew anything about BMWs would know to check that part. So stay away from Patrick, I guess :p
Hrm.. other than that, I'm just really getting into learning as much as I can, because I hate to be dependent on someone I'm not sure I trust, and I'd like to be able to spot bullshit when it crops up. The car is all stock and I finally have a new head unit on the way.... any suggestions on what the next usual upgrade is?
I'm really getting into this, haha.
Anyways, just wanted to say thanks for all the great knowledge I've seen in the last weeks and to ask for any suggestions at all on my car. I would ask about quietting what seems to be the lifters, but I searched and came up with a buncha things... guess I'll try putting in more oil first.
Also, anyone happen to know a really good BMW place in the Chicago area, preferably in the NW suburbs? Thanks a ton.