I have, or should I say had, a 1989 BMW 325is. The timing belt broke while I was starting the engine. The shop estimates repair costs at $2,400. I cant afford that. What should I do?
Devin Flannery
The BMW M20 six-cylinder engine is known as a "crasher engine," meaning that if the timing belt breaks the valves hit the pistons. The best case scenario is bent valves, meaning a complete valve job or salvaged cylinder head. At worst, the valves can destroy the pistons, as well. To prevent failure, BMW timing belts MUST be replaced every 50,000 miles or every five years, whichever comes first. Last timing belt replacement should be noted on a sticker in the engine compartment, in the vehicle service booklet, or both. Devin, I'm sorry to hear of your misfortune, but part of the responsibility of car ownership is to educate ourselves on what maintenance needs to be performed and when on the cars we own. At this point, I suppose you should sell the car as is. Speak with the shop. If the rest of the car is in good condition, one of the technicians may be interested. In fact, some 12 years after the last timing belt-equipped Bimmer rolled out of the factory, many BMW technicians would have nothing to drive were it not for customers who break timing belts. Readers should note that very few BMWs have timing belts; most use a timing chain. Here is a chart:
BMW Engine Timing Belt Applications
The Following BMW Engines have Timing BeltsAll others use timing chains.
M20 Engine, 2.0, 2.3, 2.5 or 2.7 liter six-cylinder SOHC
Applications (including Touring and Cabriolet):
E12 body non-US
520, 520i, 525, 525i
E21 body non-US
320, 320/6, 323i
E30 body non-US
320, 320i, 323i, 325e, 325i, 325iX
E30 body US
325e, 325, 325i (1987-1991 [1992 cabrio]), 325iX
E34 body US
525i up to (not including) 1992 only
M21 Engine, 2.4 liter SOHC diesel, normally aspirated or turbocharged
Applications (including Touring and Cabriolet)
E28 body US
524tdM40 Engine, 1.6, 1.8 liter four-cylinder SOHC
Applications (including Touring and Cabriolet)
E21 body non-US
316, 318, 318i
E30 body non-US
316, some 318 and 318i
E36 body non-US
316i, some 318i (including compact), 316p (propane fuel)
E46 body non-US
318i
M41 1.6 liter SOHC diesel, turbocharged
E36 body non-US
316td (compact)
316
Test Driving is Good
I recently bought a 2002 BMW 325iT for my wife. The car has everything she wanted--premium package, the right colors, heated seats, and a wagon to boot. She loves the 17-inch wheels that came with the sport package but finds the lowered and stiffened shocks and springs to be a bit rough for daily driving. I own a 528i and agree that her car rides pretty roughly on uneven pavement, which we have a lot of in our area. I'm looking for a good set of "comfort shocks" for her car. I don't mind giving up some handling and even raising the stance of the car is not a problem. Since most aftermarket suspensions are designed to be more aggressive than stock and even manufacturer sport suspensions, I am having a problem finding one focused more on comfort.
Charles Guilliams
via the Internet
Charles, your letter illustrates why it is so important to test drive cars before buying. I can't begin to tell you how many letters I answer from readers who bought the sport package but don't want it, or didn't buy it but desperately want it. The two most common complaints I receive about BMW suspensions are, "It rides too firmly" and "It doesn't ride firmly enough." Someone ought to create a Web site where you guys can all swap shocks and springs.
You can't find shocks and springs focused on comfort because those are the ones already on your car. Aftermarket shocks are either performance oriented or original equipment equivalent, and aftermarket coil springs are all performance oriented. The factory parts are the soft-riding parts.
Unfortunately, if you want to keep this car and soften the ride, your only choice is buying non-sport package shocks and springs and installing them in your car. This is going to cost a great deal of money at the dealership. The car will then need a four-wheel alignment to non-sport package specifications. Make sure the technician loosens the rear trailing arm bushings before the spring installation, and then torques them to spec with the car in its new operating position--otherwise they'll be pre-loaded and will fail quickly.
Speaking of Web sites, you might try posting on the E46 board at www.roadfly.org. I have no doubt you'll find someone who will want to trade you his standard 325iT shocks and springs for your sport package parts. Try to stay away from shocks with many miles on them--try to keep it under 30,000. Otherwise just buy new shocks and trade springs.
Choosing an independent BMW shop
I have a 1988 BMW 325iX and I'm looking for an experienced independent BMW technician. I live in Patchogue, New York (Suffolk County, Long Island). Any shops pop up on your radar? Competition BMW of Smithtown is the closest dealer to me but at $110 per hour for a 16-year-old car I can't stand to pay it.
Also, it is coming time to sell or restore the car. I would really like to restore and upgrade it. Do you know any BMW specialists in the area, or is Korman the only option? Thanks for all you help in advance.
George Garcia
Patchogue, NY
Initially, Korman Autoworks is a fine shop but they're in North Carolina--a bit far afield from Long Island, eh? Word of mouth is the best way to find an independent BMW shop, generally speaking. The question then becomes where to hear those words of experience. Members of the BMW Car Club of America (www.bmwcca.org) have two unique resources at their disposal in this regard. First, you can attend local chapter meetings or call the local chapter technical representative and get in-person advice regarding your fellow members' experience with local shops. Second, you'll receive a regular chapter newsletter in which local shops typically advertise. In my experience, if a shop cares enough to advertise in the local club newsletter, that speaks well of them caring enough to correctly maintain and repair your Bimmer as well.
Another resource anyone can use is www.iaibmwsp.org, which is the Web site of the International Association of Independent BMW Service Professionals. Membership in this organization gives technicians and shops a "leg up" on BMWs propensity to keep any and all vehicle information secret, because members share information and have access to a communications network among fellow members. Members also purchase access to BMW's Technical Information System and GT-1 computer--significant investments in their businesses. One member shop is located in New York, Bay Diagnostics in Brooklyn.
Of course, non-membership is IAIBMWSP does not mean a shop is somehow deficient--that's not the case at all. I know of two shops in your general area I can recommend personally: Little Garage ( www.littlegarage.com) in Huntington, NY, and Performance Service Parts & Auto Body in Dobbs Ferrry, NY (914-963-9830).
Now let's talk about pricing. If I'm a BMW technician and I charge $110 per hour or some similar high amount, there are usually two reasons for it: 1) The geographic location of my shop is such that the market will bear the price--in other words, my customers tend to be well off; and 2) The geographic location of my shop is such that my overhead is very high--in other words, I have to contend with Big Government. Guess what? Long Island has both going for it. Moreover, and this is nothing against any particular shop in your area or anywhere else, the rip-off phenomenon--i.e. money paid, work not done-- is far greater in large urban areas than it is in rural areas or the heartland of America. This is why the independent shop I worked at in Vermont has a customer base about 40% from New York City, Boston, and urban New Jersey.
Traditionally, labor charges only cover a shop's overhead, the costs of doing business. Because these costs are higher in urban areas, labor charges are higher there, as well. Traditionally, parts profit--buying parts and selling them at or slightly below BMW of North America suggested list price --were the shop's only profit. Well, that was then and this is now; parts are no longer as profitable as they once were. So labor charges have, in some places, been bumped up to make the business float. And labor charges go up each time those costs of doing business increase. For example: expenses occasioned by environmental regulation, insurance gouging, state inspection mandates, diagnostic equipment, facilities expenses, real estate taxes, income taxes, the local anti-car Hysterical Society, the zoning board, and the dog lady across the street who calls the police every time you start a car with a broken exhaust before 7 a.m., even though she's up at 4 a.m. to let her dog deposit little presents in front of your shop. It ain't easy having a shop in an urban area, George.So, the further you are willing to travel from your home for BMW service, chances are good the less you will pay, and it is possible you'll receive better work as well.
Heater Troubles
I have a 1988 BMW 325i but no owners manual. I am trying to get my heater to function, and I don't know where to start. I was thinking to check the relays but I don't know which relay goes to what. There is an orange relay under the steering column and there are eight under the hood. Six of them are orange and 2 are silver; the numbers on the case for them are K1 through K8. I need to know the accessories that these power.
Nick Cottingham
via the Internet
You should find an owners manual, but it's not going to help you here. You need the Bentley E30 3 Series Service Manual (www.bentleypublishers.com), which contains relay and fuse keys as well as blower motor diagnostics. The procedure and circuitry are too elaborate to retype here, and besides you'll need the diagram.
That said, none of the relays in the fusebox control the blower motor. Fuse number 20 (30-amp) sends power. At high fan speed, full power is supplied to the blower motor. At lower fan speeds, a series resistor assembly controls power to the blower motor, reducing voltage in three stages accordingly. This series resistor assembly is integral to the blower motor, and cannot be replaced separately.