Easiest job that took the most time

[dna1943]

I replaced the rear bumper on my 92 convert along with the two bumper shock absorbers. The shocks went on easy but the bumper took 5 hours. Two stinkin' bolts. Five hours on my back. First one side started but other wouldn't. Take it down, make sure everything is OK and try again. Right side is Ok but not the left. Repeat and start the left side but the right feels like it is working but won't catch. Ugh, cover the ears of all the kids in the neighborhood. Finally everything lined up and it went right on and I don't even know what I did different. I had to keep repeating to myself "This is my hobby and I'm having fun" over and overand over.
Thanks for letting me vent. I have had 9 other BMWs and this one is the newest so I'm not new to this "fun".
Has anyony else had this kind of problem?

[Kershaw]

wow dude. you really should have contacted some local e30 people.

you can swap bumpers in about 20 minutes.

[scottinAZ]

putting on the goddamn clutch fan. 5 minute job at the outside, took an hour and a half. Freaking thing did NOT want to line up to spin on. walked away, had a stiff drink, and the fucker went straight on........

[lambo]

Changing oil. Turned out the threads were stripped :D

[slammin.e28]

I had one helluva time adjusting my seat once.

[Violet88]

lol

[nando]

my last timing belt did NOT want to go on. I spent probably 90 minutes just trying to get the belt on the sprocket. usually I can do the whole thing in that much time without a rush.

[Mlarsen]

my last timing belt did NOT want to go on. I spent probably 90 minutes just trying to get the belt on the sprocket. usually I can do the whole thing in that much time without a rush.

I had the exact same problem when I put my belt on.

[5Toes]

putting on the goddamn clutch fan. 5 minute job at the outside, took an hour and a half. Freaking thing did NOT want to line up to spin on. walked away, had a stiff drink, and the fucker went straight on........

Sometimes, you just GOTTA walk away.

[fsf1o1]

hehe

I had one helluva time adjusting my seat once.

Freaking Seats

[Balleristic31]

Stupid shifter cup bearing. That thing took me all day to get. Ugh

[devon.818]

the control arm. had the old one off in 20 minutes(from time i put jack under car).
spent 6 HOURS messing with the new control arm bushing/loli pop/ and new control arm.

finally took it to a machine shop. then took me about 25 minutes to bolt it all back together and get car rolling again. lol lame

[schtozo]

Battery tray in trunk, the bolt head was stripped and rusted, after an hour i hammered a flat head screw driver around it to cut the plastic and remove it.

[Earendil]

Having done the water pump and timing pump on my own car 3 times, I agreed to do a friends. I was a little slow, taking the time to get everything perfectly right, and 3-4 hours later it was all buttoned back up with new coolant. Started her up and the coolant came gushing out at about 5 gallons a minute.

I couldn't tell where it was coming from because it was all put back together, and it was getting dark. So the very next evening I did the entire thing all over again. I found a little extra gasket residue around the pump and spent 45 minutes carefully polishing that surfacing and making sure it mated together perfectly. I found nothing else even close to wrong (brand new hoses and claps) and assumed I had it under control. All back together again and she leaks just as much! Arg!

A bunch of research later reveals that the bolts on the water pump sometimes sink into the coolant area. So I took it all back apart, sealed the threads on the bolts, put it back together, and it hasn't leaked a drop since. I've never put a drop of anything on the water pump bolts on my own car. Live and learn.

So I spent about 14-15 hours total on a @#$%ing water pump.

The other common dice roll of a common repair is dropping and reattaching the exhaust. I've slapped that biotch back on in 15 minutes by myself. I've also spent 90 minutes with a friend trying to wiggle it into place.

[Pantless Spency]

putting on the goddamn clutch fan. 5 minute job at the outside, took an hour and a half. Freaking thing did NOT want to line up to spin on. walked away, had a stiff drink, and the fucker went straight on........

Fucking amen!!!! I changed mine out for a used one that also ended up bad and that took an hour then took it off and had to put a brand new one on, such a bitch to thread, not to mention hitting your knuckles on the rad, and going to a shop to borrow there pulley wrench twice haha