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#1. Book hours - was Front control arm replacement cost? - from James Clay
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Date: Sun, 19 Jun 2005 23:36:16 -0500 From: "James Clay" <james@bimmerworld.com> Subject: Book hours - was Front control arm replacement cost? Book hours are based on a trained mechanic doing the job following BMW proceedures. There is a BMW program for estimating book hours and book hours rarely vary. Book hours help a shop to cover some issues - sometimes no matter how good you are, you get something that just won't work or go together right. Many of you have the fortune of never having to work on a car that has bee through salt. Also, when mechanics are faster than book hours, it is often because they work hard to be good. They are familiar with the car they are working on. They work diligently to get the job done quickly and they learn quick methods to solve problems. They get paid by book hours, so this is an incentive to work quickly. A lot of shops will not pay the hours for warrenty REwork, which means the mechanics are also motivated to do the job correctly the first time. So who would you prefer to work on your car? Someone that knows the car inside out due to the experience they have with it and can very accurately pinpoint the issues and problems you are having and quickly turn the car around, due to experience? Or the mechanic who knows a proceedure and follows it as they go, doing what the book says, step by step, taking the time quoted? We charge actual hours because at this point almost all of our work is project based, so I am not writing because I have any interest in the specific issue. James Clay http://www.bimmerworld.com http://www.bimmerworldracing.com Engineered BMW Performance 540.639.9648
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#2. Re: Front Control Arm Replacement - from Shane Kleinpeter
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Date: Mon, 20 Jun 2005 06:14:48 -0700 (PDT) From: Shane Kleinpeter <sak335@yahoo.com> Subject: Re: Front Control Arm Replacement As a data point, I replaced one of these at the race track this weekend after the car owner/co-driver smacked the guard rail at Lowe's MS here in Charlotte. Total replacement time for one side was 30 minutes. Dealer cost for the part was $120 with discount from $140. James at Bimmerworld carries these for 2/3 of what we paid. A quick toe reset with toe plates took another 15 minutes. Keep in mind this is in the race paddock not a garage with a lift. And I had to pull all the smashed fenders and stuff out of the way to get to it...those repairs took the bulk of 3 hours to complete. So yes, I'd say you got charged too much, but you still paid less than what my brother paid at the dealer a few years back so don't feel bad. Learn to do stuff like this yourself and you can save a pile of cash. I think the only tools I used were: BF Hammer Pickle Fork 22mm Wrench 19mm Wrench Jack, stands, etc. Shane K. > Subject: RE: Front control arm replacement cost? > > Thanks for all the comments regarding my question > about front control > arm replacement costs. > > Relative to some of the comments and queries: > > - The $780 did not include an alignment. > - I considered doin' the job myself, but my "do" > list around the house > is already very long, plus I reserve what extra time > I have for my kids > - I assume they installed all the correct m3 parts > and bushings, but no > way to tell really > > Anyway, thanks again for the feedback. My sense > that the cost was at > the high end of the range, but still in the ballpark ____________________________________________________ Yahoo! Sports Rekindle the Rivalries. Sign up for Fantasy Football http://football.fantasysports.yahoo.com
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#3. FS: URI Ultra S Pulley - from Ahmad Lutfeali
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Date: Mon, 20 Jun 2005 09:41:52 -0400 From: "Ahmad Lutfeali" <m3_racer99@hotmail.com> Subject: FS: URI Ultra S Pulley Folks, I have a Unorthodox Racing (URI) Ultra S Crank Pulley for 96+ cars (you may need to order a separate tooth gear-$20ish~~ if you want to use it on a 95 model). The Pulley comes with the shorter serpentine belts. I paid $230 for the total kit. Will let it go for $120 shipped. 8-10 rear wheel horsepower (and torque) gains with this and it's the best bang for the buck. I used it for almost a year and am slowly modifying the car to I Stock rules and the pulleys are not legal. Cannot be combined with a lightweight fly wheel (its either the flywheel or the pulley). Thanks in advance. Ahmad
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#4.Paul Stoddart interview about the USGP f1asco - from Chester Wong
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Date: Mon, 20 Jun 2005 10:07:25 -0700 (PDT) From: Chester Wong <chester_p_wong@yahoo.com> Subject: <OT> Paul Stoddart interview about the USGP f1asco http://members.chello.nl/e.beurskens/Stoddart_Interview.mp3
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#5. FS: BMW C33 M3 radio/cassette player (now on ebay) - from Mdriver13@aol.com
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Date: Mon, 20 Jun 2005 14:08:06 EDT From: Mdriver13@aol.com Subject: FS: BMW C33 M3 radio/cassette player (now on ebay) Hi Group, This is the only item from a list sale about one month ago that is still unsold. I have placed it on ebay and if interested you can follow the link and bid. This head unit is in perfect condition. All preset buttons work, the display is completely perfect and bright, and the cassette player has been used for about 10 hours total! Action ends this Thursday at 9PM ET. http://cgi.ebay.com/ebaymotors/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&item=4556961690&sspag ename=ADME%3AL%3ADS%3AMT%3A8 cheers, Bob Gill 97 ///M3 coupe Philly Region SCCA 2nd Place BSP - PA State Championship 2004
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#6. Re: [E36M3] FS: URI Ultra S Pulley - from Mdriver13@aol.com
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Date: Mon, 20 Jun 2005 14:20:41 EDT From: Mdriver13@aol.com Subject: Re: [E36M3] FS: URI Ultra S Pulley In a message dated 6/20/2005 9:46:43 AM Eastern Standard Time, m3_racer99@hotmail.com writes: I have a Unorthodox Racing (URI) Ultra S Crank Pulley for 96+ cars (you may need to order a separate tooth gear-$20ish~~ if you want to use it on a 95 model). Are these legal for SCCA BSP class??? Bob Gill 97 ///M3 coupe Philly Region SCCA 2nd Place BSP - PA State Championship 2004
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#7. OT - 19" E46 M3 rims FS - from Shelhart2@aol.com
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Date: Mon, 20 Jun 2005 19:40:51 EDT From: Shelhart2@aol.com Subject: OT - 19" E46 M3 rims FS These have 13k miles on them and are off my 2004 E46 M3. There are two with some slight curb rash but are otherwise in excellent shape. I have the stock tires mounted with the rears at the wear bars. I replaced them with BBS RS GT's. The deep dish looks excellent. Email privately if you know anyone that is interested. Shel Hart Orlando, Florida
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#8. RE: Diff front mount bushing - from James Clay
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Date: Mon, 20 Jun 2005 22:32:15 -0400 From: "James Clay" <james@bimmerworld.com> Subject: RE: Diff front mount bushing You can definitely shear the bolt - I did it at a school once - not fun. There probably is a tool, but not cheap. I think we generally take the rear subframes off, burn out those bushings, and powedercoat them. I have a pile of E36 for cores. Much easier than tearing up the expensive BMW tool on a few stubborn bushings. I am not sure if you can hammer that one out - someone on the list should know. James Clay http://www.bimmerworld.com <http://www.bimmerworld.com/> http://www.bimmerworldracing.com <http://www.bimmerworldracing.com/> Engineered BMW Performance 540.639.9648
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#9. Ride heights and alignment settings - from Chester Wong
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Date: Tue, 21 Jun 2005 09:57:32 -0700 (PDT) From: Chester Wong <chester_p_wong@yahoo.com> Subject: Ride heights and alignment settings Welp...the car is back together....a big thanks to Wayne for helping me out. It feels good to have a rear sway bar after nearly 8 months of going without :) Anyway, in preparation for the driver school, I swapped out the suspension for the TCKline Koni DA setup. I don't even remember the spring rates that I got, but they were something like 500#/600# Since I don't drive the car to and from work anymore, I decided to lower the car a bit. I was a bit shocked to lower the front about 1/2" on the collar and when I put the car back on the floor, it was pretty damn high up. My car must have been a SUV last year with the suspension installed! :) Last year I didn't care because I knew the race suspension would come right out and I didn't want to get another alignment so I ran with a less than ideal alignment. So...I definitely know I'm running 13.25" from center to fender in the front but I forgot the rear setting. It's pretty easy to adjust the rear (just lift the car and stick your hands in there to turn the collar. So...any recommendations for rear ride height (from center to fender)? Also...suggestions for alignment settings would be welcome as well. I've been so far out of the loop with hitting the track that I just forgot everything. O, btw....before the overhaul, if I were to rock the steering wheel back and forth (little amounts) while the car was stationary, I could feel a clunk (HI STAN!). After replacing the lower joint assembly, tie rods, control arms and the bearing at the bottom of the steering column, the clunk has been exorcised! TIA, Chester
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#10. Re: [E36M3] Ride heights and alignment settings - from Chester Wong
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Date: Tue, 21 Jun 2005 10:15:23 -0700 (PDT) From: Chester Wong <chester_p_wong@yahoo.com> Subject: Re: [E36M3] Ride heights and alignment settings O, btw, the lowest I would want to go in the front is 13.25" since there's about 1.5" - 2.0" of travel before it hits the bumpstop and I will also use the M3 on the streets during the summer. So I need to set the rear appropriately for 13.25" in the front :) TIA, Chester --- Chester Wong <chester_p_wong@yahoo.com> wrote: > So...I definitely know I'm running 13.25" from center to fender in the front > but I forgot the rear setting. It's pretty easy to adjust the rear (just > lift > the car and stick your hands in there to turn the collar. So...any > recommendations for rear ride height (from center to fender)? > Also...suggestions for alignment settings would be welcome as well. I've > been > so far out of the loop with hitting the track that I just forgot everything.