BMW dealer declines suspension work on E30

[ghrays]

I went to my local dealer a couple of weeks ago to have a look at a couple of F22 demonstrators they had in stock as I'm working out what I might get as a new daily.

I parked the e30 in the carpark by the showroom & service area, when I got back there were 4 guys standing by the car scratching their heads and I was grumpily asked why it was parked there - despite the fact I'd just walked out of the showroom and had popped into the dealer from work so I was in business attire - I wasn't there on a weekend in my hoodie and jeans.

It was obvious they thought my clean old e30 was going to offend the rich Soccer Moms. After more than 20 years driving BMWs, with that treatment I'm seriously considering a C250 coupe instead just on principle.

I have just the opposite experience when I park my E30 at the dealer. Several of the sales and service guys have asked me about it as some have never seen one.

[325e '87]

I have just the opposite experience when I park my E30 at the dealer. Several of the sales and service guys have asked me about it as some have never seen one.

Yeah, at least one of the folks that work there (Greenville, sc) makes me an offer on mine.

[lukeADE335i]

I have just the opposite experience when I park my E30 at the dealer. Several of the sales and service guys have asked me about it as some have never seen one.

Not suggesting it's all dealers, but certainly my local dealer has lost site of their traditional clientele.

Never have had an issue with the parts guys though - they always ask about the car and dig it (and often seem to "need to double check the vin" to have a peak under the hood).

[15Michaeljoseph]

I was at my local dealer once in the e30 to pick up a new trunk lock for our e36. When I was coming back out to my car, a salesman had parked a new X5 next to it and was talking to the test-drive customer about BMW quality and longevity, pointing at my car.

I thought it was cute because the poor guy probably had no idea what he was looking at... Hit me with the classic winga-dinga "that's a nice car!" when I got in and left.

From what I've read online and in the magazines, it seems like Mercedes is a lot better to their 'classic' clientele. Granted I've never been on that side of things but my understanding is that they stay on top of classic parts production more diligently. I actually think I remember reading a while back that Mercedes was either going to start or already had a program in place that would help classics owners with full-on restorations. I'll have to search that to confirm.

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[Jordan]

I manage a BMW specialist shop and get E30's through from time to time. I'm happy FOR E30's coming through because I like them, but I 100% understand why a dealer wouldn't want to mess with them. Granted its not a universal rule but I see it time and time again that the vehicles are in an overall poor state of repair, need heaps of work, and the owner is not well situated to afford those services at shop rate. See Reddit r/Justrolledintotheshop/ for an idea of the stuff shops see every day that is ghastly....

It is a considerable time investment for a shop to evaluate a car and list out its mechanical deficiencies and from a legal stand point I have to make the owner aware of anything remotely dangerous as we live in such a litigious society these days. When there is little to no hope of getting any work on the vehicle it becomes a losing proposition to even bring it in the shop sometimes.

[redsubdivisions]

I was at my local dealer once in the e30 to pick up a new trunk lock for our e36. When I was coming back out to my car, a salesman had parked a new X5 next to it and was talking to the test-drive customer about BMW quality and longevity, pointing at my car.

I thought it was cute because the poor guy probably had no idea what he was looking at... Hit me with the classic winga-dinga "that's a nice car!" when I got in and left.

From what I've read online and in the magazines, it seems like Mercedes is a lot better to their 'classic' clientele. Granted I've never been on that side of things but my understanding is that they stay on top of classic parts production more diligently. I actually think I remember reading a while back that Mercedes was either going to start or already had a program in place that would help classics owners with full-on restorations. I'll have to search that to confirm.

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I've got a friend that works at a Mercedes dealer and he tells me he still sees R107s, W123s, etc. because the owners love their cars and Mercedes keeps offering parts for their vehicles.

[bmwman91]

keep in mind they mostly work on soccer-mom cars these days - BMW seems hell bent on making the German version of the Camry. I would never willingly take a car there that wasn't under warranty/recall. The techs are probably competent enough to follow computer instructions on a modern car, but you'll pay out the nose for likely inferior service on something like an E30.

My thoughts exactly. BMW is basically a totally different company than it was even 15 years ago. I cannot see myself ever buying anything that they made after ~2006. They are all great on paper and are fun to drive, but they lack the "feel" of the older ones and are such maintenance nightmares that I genuinely think that they make them unreliable to keep profitability up. As for the techs, I am sure that the mechanic certifications are plenty good, but they probably only cover fairly new cars. I would not trust anyone at a dealer under the ago of 60 to turn a wrench on an E30, and good luck finding a mechanic that age at a dealer. At least around here, 99% of the BMWs on the road are driven by people who will never ever floor them, and they might as well have a low compression 3 cylinder under the hood because the owner is mostly interested in the BMW badges and various "luxury" features (and of the ones they actually use, they can be found in most mildly-optioned Accords and Camrys).

I had to go to 3 different independent shops to find one that would press OEM bushings in the subframe, trailing arms, diff and control arms (I did all of the removal and would bring them the parts off of the car). The first straight up said that they did not want the job, the second indirectly said the same ("I guess I can do it, but I am going to charge you $1100 to press them since I don't have the mandrels"), and the third was owned by a Porsche enthusiast who did it simply as a courtesy to a fellow enthusiast (and it was $500 to have 9 old bushings pressed out + new ones in + both rear wheel bearings).

The auto maintenance and repair industries are very cutthroat. It is a hard, thankless job to do, commercial rents are insane in many places, and they have to do what produces the most dollars per hour. Generally speaking, basic maintenance on soccer-mom vehicles is where it is at, and even if they want to do bigger "interesting" stuff, they seem to only take on one or two of those projects at a time as sort of side-gigs.

[e30davie]

(and it was $500 to have 9 old bushings pressed out + new ones in

For that price id just go and buy a press!

Ive had simliar truoble getting bearings pressed onto axels for an suzuki 4wd. I litterally walked up the main mechanic street with two axels in my hand stopping at every shop trying to find someone to press them on. Its just too small of a job to do it when they can charge $300 to change oil and oil filter when they could probably do two of them in the time it takes to press my bearings on. Again i eventually found some old dude who did it cause he used to have a suzuki 4wd and he did it for $20 as we had a good old chat.

As mentioned by others, the other thing is in my experience most "mechanics" are somewhat useless. if the answer doesn't show up on a scan machine or if the the part is literally smoking. they just throw new parts at it hoping to fix the symptoms. I feel the art of true mechanics diagnosis is dying or dead. Want someone like this working on your e30?

[bmwman91]

That reminds me, the $500 also included the rear wheel bearings. Still a little steep, and I did consider a Harbor Freight press, but the time and expense of fabbing my own mandrels didn't seem worth it.

It is depressing how little pride most shops take in their work, but I also completely understand. Most of them are running on razor thin profit margins and have irrational customers incessantly threatening to sue them over dumb stuff, or just outright refusing to pay the invoiced amounts. The tiny number of specialty shops that do focus on restoration type jobs all cost 10x as much, and it is no mystery why.

[Caperix]

I was at my local dealer once in the e30 to pick up a new trunk lock for our e36. When I was coming back out to my car, a salesman had parked a new X5 next to it and was talking to the test-drive customer about BMW quality and longevity, pointing at my car.

I thought it was cute because the poor guy probably had no idea what he was looking at... Hit me with the classic winga-dinga "that's a nice car!" when I got in and left.

From what I've read online and in the magazines, it seems like Mercedes is a lot better to their 'classic' clientele. Granted I've never been on that side of things but my understanding is that they stay on top of classic parts production more diligently. I actually think I remember reading a while back that Mercedes was either going to start or already had a program in place that would help classics owners with full-on restorations. I'll have to search that to confirm.

Sent from my moto g(6) using Tapatalk

Jaguar/rover are building a large shop in my town for their US classics operation. It kills me that a Chinese company that has only owned jag for about a decade is willing to dedicate this much to their older vehicles but the factory BMW scan tool won't even read the faults out of a e36 anymore

[James Crivellone]

My thoughts exactly. BMW is basically a totally different company than it was even 15 years ago. I cannot see myself ever buying anything that they made after ~2006. They are all great on paper and are fun to drive, but they lack the "feel" of the older ones and are such maintenance nightmares that I genuinely think that they make them unreliable to keep profitability up. As for the techs, I am sure that the mechanic certifications are plenty good, but they probably only cover fairly new cars. I would not trust anyone at a dealer under the ago of 60 to turn a wrench on an E30, and good luck finding a mechanic that age at a dealer. At least around here, 99% of the BMWs on the road are driven by people who will never ever floor them, and they might as well have a low compression 3 cylinder under the hood because the owner is mostly interested in the BMW badges and various "luxury" features (and of the ones they actually use, they can be found in most mildly-optioned Accords and Camrys).

I had to go to 3 different independent shops to find one that would press OEM bushings in the subframe, trailing arms, diff and control arms (I did all of the removal and would bring them the parts off of the car). The first straight up said that they did not want the job, the second indirectly said the same ("I guess I can do it, but I am going to charge you $1100 to press them since I don't have the mandrels"), and the third was owned by a Porsche enthusiast who did it simply as a courtesy to a fellow enthusiast (and it was $500 to have 9 old bushings pressed out + new ones in + both rear wheel bearings).

The auto maintenance and repair industries are very cutthroat. It is a hard, thankless job to do, commercial rents are insane in many places, and they have to do what produces the most dollars per hour. Generally speaking, basic maintenance on soccer-mom vehicles is where it is at, and even if they want to do bigger "interesting" stuff, they seem to only take on one or two of those projects at a time as sort of side-gigs.

eh, while I agree BMW has sometimes lost focus they still make some amazing cars. I adore my E60 M5, I've driven the new M2/3/4/5/6 and they are all incredibly powerful and handle very well.

Even when you go down to the, "regular" BMW's the 228i, M235i, 340, 330d, even the 550i's are great cars.

Yes, they are different, but I'll be honest having a big heavy sedan with a heads up display, more technology than the space station, yet can destroy most cars on the road AND corner.. pretty solid in my book.

[bmwman91]

Agreed, I do enjoy driving them. Considering that all car makers are making big heavy pigs with more technology than the space station now, BMW is probably making some of the best performing cars within that context. I am definitely not making an argument that the E30 is somehow better than the new BMWs. The new ones are better in every aspect, both on paper and in reality. The E30 has a fun factor that the new ones do not seem to have, at least under certain contexts. My theory on that is that, to a limited extent, the fun comes from the feeling of really railing on a car and driving the snot out of it, rather than actually going super fast. Sort of along the lines of the old adage, "it is more fun to drive a slow car fast, than to drive a fast car slow." The F10 M5 puts a big stupid smile on my face along with a shot of terror that the E30 cannot, so it really depends on the driving context.

I have driven my in-law's F10 M5 and it is pretty mind-blowing. Maybe I am turning into an old man, but I have a hard time justifying owning one, at least around here with traffic being what it is. I would either be wasting my money on one if I drove it responsibly, or I would drive it to get my money's worth and end up somewhere between jail and the morgue! I am routinely up in the greater Seattle area, and while traffic is quite possibly as bad there as here during commute hours, the "commute hours" are not 14 hours of each day. So I suppose that you have more opportunity to enjoy the car there.

[James Crivellone]

Its funny to compare them back to back. Driving my near bone stock (H&R/Bilstein) E30 Touring right after my E60 M5 puts a different kind of smile on my face.

Both are fantastic, both are stupid fun, both have limitations, but I cannot honestly say that BMW has lost their way, its just evolved.

Now that stupid FWD 1 Series, X2/X4/X6 crap.. and the fact that the M3 should be a 2 Door...but they still make fun stuff.

[325e '87]

I’m 48, small business owner, and drive a diesel pickup/trailer all over the eastern us for work. Very very few newer bmw cars get my attention. E46 m3 would be one, e28 535i would be another. I’m quite happy with my ‘89 sedan and when it starts acting like the engine needs work I will make the m20 run in the 180-200hp range and then it’s just a matter of how long I inhabit this planet.

[Staszek]

Its funny to compare them back to back. Driving my near bone stock (H&R/Bilstein) E30 Touring right after my E60 M5 puts a different kind of smile on my face.

Both are fantastic, both are stupid fun, both have limitations, but I cannot honestly say that BMW has lost their way, its just evolved.

Now that stupid FWD 1 Series, X2/X4/X6 crap.. and the fact that the M3 should be a 2 Door...but they still make fun stuff.

I completely agree. They have evolved, its a different kind of thrill. I recently tracked an F12 M6, and while not light and nimble as the E30 it was a sheer blast to drive at high speeds and let the tail out. I haven't driven the F90 M5 yet but I hear its amazing and I cant wait.

My E93 M3 is probably one of the last analog yet modern BMWs, still NA and that car is a blast to drive in a completely different way.

That being said I think Porsche has done a better job of modernizing but still feeling truer to being P Car. My next car will be either a Panamera Turbo or possibly the new Tesla fighting Tayman.

I also agree that Mercedes is WAY better at touting their past and keeping that feel and exclusivity alive. You see it in their advertising and at their dealers.