Shady Ass Johnny Mechanics

[RobertK]

Yesterday was one of the worst days I have had in a while. After the 4th I drove up to Bowling Green, KY to purchase a 1992 325is black on black w/ 112,000 for $1500. The chick was very nice but very ditsy. She took it to her family mechanic (a reformed auto broker who specialized in Toyotas and Hondas) to have everything checked up before seling it.

We met at the shop at 10 in the morning and as I get there one of the greasy mechanics tells me that they didn't finish it and that their "master mechanic" started have electrical problems he could not fix but they did have to replace the main inline fuse. So the chick is upset because it had 0 problems when she brought it in and now the battery is dead so she replaced it for free. Once we got the car started we noticed the windows won't roll up, the gauge cluster isn't moving, the OBC won't come on, and the blinks won't work but the parking lights and hazards are fine??

The greasy shop mechanic tried to tell her "water must have got in the wiring somewhere" which was bullshit and then they charged the poor girl $200 for the fuse replacement!?! After that we renegotiated the price to $1000 and I took the car to the local BMW dealership where it turns out the stupid ass mechanic either hooked a battery up backwards OR hooked his battery booster up backwards and blew the main inline fuse and shorted out all those components INLUDING the ECU so the engine would only run in a "Limp" mode causing it to run way to rich once it warmed up and misfire.

12 hours later I'm driving back to Cookeville with no BMW. Luckily my mom's boyfriend has a car hauler and said he would pick it up for me friday and bring it to Knoxville free of charge. Let this be a reminder to everyone who does not work on their own BMWs. TAKE IT TO SOMEONE WHO KNOWS HOW TO WORK ON BMWs!

BTW.. the shop was called Southern Kentucky Collision Center (formerly Southern Kentucky Auto Brokers) stay away from these greasy fucks!

P.S. - Anyone got any M50 non vanos ECUs laying around?

[silversleeper]

damn wannabe mechanics... i swear i hate them. how could they make a stupid error like that, and still charge the poor girl. i would've gotten those inbreds to get the car back together and let her take it back home without charging her anything.

[RobertK]

They would not admit to anything. She was upset because she felt bad for making a hassle for us and at the same time was pissed off that she had to pay $200 for repairing a car that she sold to us AND the problem was not fixed.

[KillerCalypso]

"Once we got the car started we noticed the windows won't roll up, the gauge cluster isn't moving, the OBC won't come on, and the blinks won't work but the parking lights and hazards are fine??"

That sounds like the "comfort relay" on e36's pn 61 35 8 364 690

[Ryan Stewart]

That sounds like the "comfort relay" on e36's pn 61 35 8 364 690

Fo sheezy, there is a lot that has to go wrong before power gets to those systems when a car is off.

Working on new bimmers is fun because of all the extra parts you have left when you are done.:D

[german g]

if I dont buy the M50 from this guy is louisville, you can have it..I'll see what he wants for it..

[Digitalwave]

$1,500 for that car seemed like a steal to begin with. Poor girl though, having to go through all that and then lose another $500 on the car. I wish there was something to do to get back at that mechanic.

[RobertK]

She lost a total of $700 after she paid their repair bill.

I talked to Ely (rs4pro3) and I think we might have narrowed it down to the Comfort Relay, Unloader Relay, and possibly the Hazard Relay.

What's sad is the Dealership in Bowling Green spent most of their time trying to communication with the ECU and rolling the windows up. I'm starting to loose faith in BMW techs. I should have known better to go somewhere that services BMWs AND Mercedes.

Would those relays also cause trouble with the ECU or cause it to not communication with the tech's computer or is the ECU fried too?

[Digitalwave]

Isn't the ECU one of the first things to go when you reverse the battery?

[RobertK]

Fuckin' A

It would figure the ECU would get instantly fried. The fucker is $375 from BMP and no one else I called has a 402 ECU in stock.

[Digitalwave]

Check bimmerforums and dtm. Lots of E36 parts cars around.

[RobertK]

I've been digging around on there but no one seems to have a non vanos ECU..

I can find vanos units all day long.

[DEV0 E30]

Found these on car-part.com, but more than half of them say to call for price, you could haggle.

1992
Engine Computer
BMW 325is
2-92,2.5L,5SP,0261-2 00-402
$250.04
Portland Import USA-OR(Portland)
1-800-547-3682
sales@PortlandImportAutoParts.com

1992
Engine Computer
BMW 325i
$250
McDonough Used Auto Parts USA-GA(McDonough)
1-888-216-4740
sales@McDonoughautoparts.com

[RobertK]

Thanks for the heads up.. I guess I'm going to have to sit on the car for a week or two to save up the money unless I can find someone with a parts car around Knoxville.

[DEV0 E30]

Yeah I've seen ecus go cheap, just have to find the right source.