$1300 front axles, wtf...

[Mlarsen]

^ Is that price per cv joint?

[smcdermott326]

I have paid a little over $200 to have them rebuilt "locally". Prices vary for places that rebuild...I've heard anywhere from $150 to $250.

[audiquattrot]

if anyone needs a passenger side iX axle, i have one for sale. no tears in the boot either.

[snowbmr]

Ok, so I think I finally know whats up with these axles. I was told by our Napa guy that I could send my front axle in, and it would take a few weeks to have it re-built with new bearings, boots and such. He said he couldn't give a firm price quote because it depends on the condition of the axle to begin with. But he did say that it was typically a $150 to $300 dollar range to have them re-built.

I wasn't able to get the specific part numbers since he was so busy. I'm not sure what company was actually doing the re-building. If your Napa guys have no idea about this, let me know and I'll check into it more.

So, indeed you have to have one in good enough shape to re-build. But if thats the case it sure beats the $1300 price with a $50 core...

But for now I am going the route of simply replacing the boot, unless we find that the joint is so bad it should be re-built. But don't know that yet...
Cheers!

[snowbmr]

That'd be awesome if you could do that. The NAPA guys local to me don't know their assholes from their elbows when it comes to these old cars (with good reason I guess, I'm probably the only guy that's gone in there looking for BMW parts since the place opened...)

If you could snag a # for the RF axle as well, I'd be forever indebted.

Well quite possibly a FALSE alarm! The Napa guy apparently didn't listen as well as we all hoped (he's usually pretty good). He initially looked up the rear axles... He is however currently looking to see if they have the fronts.
I suppose it probably was too good to be true..
Will let you know for sure once I find out.

[ChaseN]

Will do. However he just left town thru the weekend. Though I can check the Napa guy and get it. Will try tomorrow!
Also note, that is with a core return, don't know what it'd be without a core...
Cheers!

That'd be awesome if you could do that. The NAPA guys local to me don't know their assholes from their elbows when it comes to these old cars (with good reason I guess, I'm probably the only guy that's gone in there looking for BMW parts since the place opened...)

If you could snag a # for the RF axle as well, I'd be forever indebted.

[snowbmr]

HUH?
Get the part number from your mechanic, PRONTO!

Will do. However he just left town thru the weekend. Though I can check the Napa guy and get it. Will try tomorrow!
Also note, that is with a core return, don't know what it'd be without a core...
Cheers!

[ChaseN]

HUH?
Get the part number from your mechanic, PRONTO!

[snowbmr]

Try Napa

I'm in the midst of doing an engine swap, after my oil pump gear failed and lost oil pressure while on a road trip a few years ago and finally got a used set up to swap out... Anyway, just found I also (among so many other things) need a new LF axle, or at least a inner boot, and my mechanic said he found a re-manufactured one via Napa for $150, the full axle re-built with new bearings and boots. I couldn't believe it, but that was his quote.

[Mlarsen]

Get the hook up on parts, when I say hook up I mean pay cost instead of list price.

This is key.

I work at a shop, my parts supplier (worldpac) doesn't even have them. The only other place is the stealership and it's still a shit load of money at cost. Does any one know of a place for replacement cv parts?

[kid325e]

Get the hook up on parts, when I say hook up I mean pay cost instead of list price.

This is key.

[nando]

when bmw decides it isn't worth making a certain part anymore, they have a habit of steadily increasing the price to the point where no one wants to buy it. other examples are mtech 2 body panels and dashboards. if you feel like shitting your pants, just price those items.

Yep. They still have that stuff if you want it. They're just making sure that somebody with enough money that really wants a part, can still get it. And who knows, maybe the extra profits go to additional production when they run out, if it's justified. The E30 will probably be added to mobile tradition soon too.

also, prices on many E30 parts that aren't just regular maintenance stuff definitely went up after the E30 was added to the "archive" section, and not just odd 325ix parts either.

[nando]

the prices on some of the low volume/specialty parts are a little sporadic.

I think it basically comes down to demand and availability. once in a while they're merely $500 - probably right after they've just had a bunch produced. once the supply gets low, the price goes up so they don't run out.

Basically think about it this way - yeah, it's $1300, but if you *had* to buy one, you could. If this were a ford or a chevy model of similar age and low-production (5000 US, 25000 worldwide), you wouldn't be able to buy one at *any* price. it's BMW's way of making sure there is at least *some* supply available.

and anyway just have them rebuilt or buy used. Rebuilding is about 10x cheaper, as long as you don't let them get so bad that you grenade a CV joint they'll last nearly forever.

[flyboyx]

when bmw decides it isn't worth making a certain part anymore, they have a habit of steadily increasing the price to the point where no one wants to buy it. other examples are mtech 2 body panels and dashboards. if you feel like shitting your pants, just price those items.

[325ix]

What are you talking about, I think we can all agree that $1300 for an axle is absurd. There is no way anybody would be alright with spending that kind of money for an axle, When there usually at most a couple hundred.

I think he is getting at the fact that ix's aren't cheap to maintain and at this point for him $1300 is chicken feed after how much he has spent.