The last time a BMW dealer worked on your 02?

[tomphot]

5 hours ago, 02Les said:

April 1987 at Keystone Garage, Bournemouth, UK. Since then it has been independent BMW shops.

 

Are you from the Bournemouth area?  I've been to Dean Court to see the Cherries.

[Son of Marty]

On July 3rd 1974 I bought my wife a 74 02 that we still have that's the last time it was at the dealer or any other shop. It was my 2nd 02 and they are so simple I just did my own work and that worked out well.

[bobthomas]

10 hours ago, healeyman said:

I was having trouble reinstalling the rain gutter roofline trim on my '76 02 earlier this year. The local dealer in Chapel Hill, NC offered to install it - and did at no charge. I haven't gone to them for any mechanical services.

Haven't taken an '02 to the dealer for repairs since the first new one, a '71, but I took it to Harris-conner Chevrolet/BMW in Chapel Hill then.  They've since become Performance BMW etc & I have had a couple of good experiences with them with newer BMWs.  Their BMW mechanic back in the 70s was Raymond. Last I knew, he worked at Chapel Hill Service center.  I think Chapel Hill Service Center is now known as Passport Motors. Raymond may be retired by now but if he's still working, he knows '02s.

[healeyman]

Thanks Bob, I️ will look them up. I️ want to replace shocks/springs but haven’t been able to locate a knowledgeable service center in my area to do the job. Hope Raymond is still around!


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[02Les]

15 hours ago, tomphot said:

 

Are you from the Bournemouth area?  I've been to Dean Court to see the Cherries.

Born and raised in Bournemouth.

No one is more surprised to see the Cherries in the Premier League. I played a couple of times for Bournemouth Town while a schoolboy.

[Gordon]

I took my 74 tii to my local BMW dealer (Casey BMW) in Newport News for a VA state vehicle inspection last year. The dealership mechanics were all over the car checking it out. No mechanical work was done by them, I take it to local independent shops if it needs work.

 

G-Man

[Brandon]

Most bmw dealers won’t touch a 2002, and at this point probably wouldn’t touch anything up through the mid-90’s.  Reason being is that they don’t train the mechanics on cars that are obsolete.  Got to look at it from a financial standpoint, it doesn’t make sense to have a mechanic trained to fix a 2002, e21, e30, etc, because probably one or two (or probably none) will come into the dealer for work, as they’ve all been sent to the crusher.  

[Mike Self]

9 hours ago, healeyman said:

I️ want to replace shocks/springs but haven’t been able to locate a knowledgeable service center in my area to do the job.

Rears are easy.  You don't even need a spring compressor.  If you place a small scissors jack under the lower spring perch, you can then unfasten the shock at the top and bottom, and gradually lower the rear axle until the OEM spring is unloaded and can be removed.  Your new spring will be a bit shorter, so will be easy to install.  Then crank the jack back up until you can install your new shock, and you're in business.  

 

Fronts are more complicated, but nothing you can't do yourself.  Lots of tutorials on the FAQ to guide you along the process.  

 

mike

[bobthomas]

9 hours ago, healeyman said:

Thanks Bob, I️ will look them up. I️ want to replace shocks/springs but haven’t been able to locate a knowledgeable service center in my area to do the job. Hope Raymond is still around!


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Mike makes a good point about rears being ez, I've done fronts & rears in my driveway many years ago.  If Raymond isn't still around, try Dietrich at Shade Tree Garage.  He used to work at Miller & Norborne & has done some good work on my 02s.  Just don't expect speedy work from Shade Tree.  If you do find Raymond, please tell him Bob Thomas says hello & sends well wishes.

[irdave]

Airbag recalls on the e46.  Which leads to a whole 'nother conversation.

 

The parts guy at my local dealership is amazing.  Which is good.

 

The one time we bought a car at the dealership (used '07 Z4M Coupe with 20,000 miles- gawd what a monster. ) the sales staff was so insulting to my wife that it was ridiculous- straight sexist crap- and she's a rather prominent physician / surgeon in town- didn't go over so well...  Which is bad.

 

So for stock, available parts, sometimes I call the parts guy at the local place.  For work?  No way.

[John76]

My 1976 2002 has been dealer serviced only twice in 42 years!

600 mile service....cost $11.06

44,800 miles.....dealer replaced driveshaft coupling and center bearing.....cost $165.27.

Everything else is done with my mitts only.

 

[Dick R]

The last time I took a 2002 to a dealership was likely to get its final service while under the 10,000 mile (?) warranty - probably sometime in 1970.  Of course, that car is long gone, but I do get plenty of parts for my more recent 02 at the local (Encinitas, CA) BMW dealer.   NLA stuff won't be there, but lots of other parts have been no problem.  Decent prices (generally) and availability is terrific.  Usually, if I order a part today, it will be at the dealer the next morning.  And it's also possible to order a part before 9:30 AM and they'll have it around 4:00 PM the same day.  You can't get that speed online and no shipping charges to boot.  

 

Probably the extreme of continuing support by a manufacturer is Mercedes.   They have two factory-owned facilities called "Mercedes Benz Classic Center".  One is in Germany, the other in Irvine, CA.  They'll work on any Mercedes.  Here's a quote from their website:

"From frame-off restorations to simple oil changes, our team has the unmatched technical expertise required to rebuild anything from the mechanical direct injection system in a 300SL, to return the body of a 190SL to factory-new condition, or even to resurrect a unique pre-war 150 Sport Roadster."  

 

I had the opportunity to get a tour of the California facility - quite interesting and impressive.   I suppose that you can get a similar level of service from Ferrari, but they've made far fewer vehicles and those shipping charges to and from Italy would be steep - just like the bill for the service. 

[joebarthlow]

last winter I had my local dealer order me a new key for my 1976 3.0si. 

[Conserv]

The last time I had a BMW dealer provide service on the '76 was March 15, 1984, as below. Although the car was already "in storage" by this time, I still generally kept the car inspected -- the receipt shows $12.50 for the Pennsylvania state inspection --- and registered until ca. 2007, when we moved to Atlanta.

 

The first item listed, "CK noise on Decel. coming to stop" was a hopeful attempt to diagnose an engine noise: miles, as shown, were 100,718.  We were never able to knowingly diagnose this noise and after my move to Atlanta, my lack of attention to the car culminated in a water jacket leak within the head, which, in turn, led to a hydro-locked engine by 2011, when I bit the bullet and began the mechanical restoration.  

 

Regards,

 

Steve

 

 

Edited November 13, 2017 by Conserv

[golftii]

8/16/91 tii broke down (rear wheel bearing) on PA turnpike on cross country trip; flatbed to Laurel Chrysler/Plymouth/BMW (love that) in Johnstown PA. They had the part and installed same day and I was on my way.
... but never been back to another since