Just found out my VC is out where to get one

[Bronzitee]

Well sadly i was playing in the snow and I was like WTF, didn't seem right for awd so I did the jack test and the front wheels don't even move at all, so I take it that means the VC is finished for,
so question is, Do i just replace the VC or find a good working transfer case and where can I buy a good VC at. I know transfer cases new are not my price range.

[nando]

a brand new VC is about $850 (probably varies a lot). I'd ask blunttech for a quote.

a used transfercase is around $300, but you never know if it's going to work or not.

how long have you had the car?

[Bronzitee]

NOt even that long. It's my first ix so I didn't know much at the time I bought it damn noob. But the car came with full service records since it was bought and the previous owner said AWD worked so I just assumed.
I lifted the rear by a jack and the front wheels didn't move at all. But the rear wheels moved at same time. Another thing is when I was in the snow I looked at saw the driver side wheel move sometimes like it was trying to spin

[nando]

I lifted the rear by a jack and the front wheels didn't move at all. But the rear wheels moved at same time. Another thing is when I was in the snow I looked at saw the driver side wheel move sometimes like it was trying to spin

so with the rear wheels in the air, the car didn't pull forward, correct? the rear wheels just spun in the air?

that does mean your center VC is kaput. The PO likely had the car towed improperly, mismatched tire sizes, or some other form of abuse. My last TC went to 275k on the original VC, it only died because of all the track abuse I put it through combined with age.

[Bronzitee]

So does it still act like a rwd LSD since both rear tires spin at the same time,
and no the car didn't pull forward at all, and its a automatic if that makes a differance but i don't think it does

[nando]

well, no - what happens is the center diff turns "open". so whichever wheels have the least amount of traction get all the torque; it doesn't "turn RWD". If you switched ends and lifted the front wheels off the ground instead, both fronts would spin and the car still wouldn't move.

doesn't matter if it's an automatic.

[Bronzitee]

alright so i just tried lifting the rear again because the first time I did it I really didn't give it more throttle even though I know it doesn't need a lot of throttle to get moving
but when I did give it more throttle I stuck my head under and I can hear something like "catch" up front and the front wheels kinda jerked but didn't move forward still. Does this mean something, could it just be the front splines or something, sorry for all the noob questions, I'm still learning about this system

[nando]

a stripped front driveshaft sounds like bolts in a blender, otherwise it's most likely still a bad VC.

[Bronzitee]

Well conclusion is I'm F-ed, the car runs smooth and quiet so I guess I'm on a search for a new VC or a good known working transfer case

does it drive like crap in the snow then with no 4wd

[nando]

it will slip a lot more and you're far more likely to get stuck or lose control.

[Bronzitee]

Blunttech just quoted me one at $673, Is that a good deal, i've heard ones go up to like $950

[edsta74]

wow. $673 is a good price. I just bought one from BMW with an insider discount and paid over $800 for it. Id take it.

[Bronzitee]

How could I get a insider discount i keep hearing about saying I did try to get it from BMW

[Bronzitee]

oh and when I do decide to replace the VC, can I just easily replace just the VC and be done with it or do I have to go through everything as the "writeup" says

[blunttech]

How could I get a insider discount i keep hearing about saying I did try to get it from BMW

dude you have an insider discount with me. you wont get it or anything else cheaper