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**808BMW** · 05-20-2004, 05:01 PM

Why not just buy a head locally and send it to the machine shop? I'm guessing it would be a whole lot cheaper.

**Jon325i** · 05-20-2004, 05:25 PM

There is nothing good you can say about Bavarian Engine Exchange. What they sell is crap, and if you have some BMW parts you're looking to unload, they will probably offer you a pocket full of lint for it. In other words, don't go there.

Now there is another place I know of that is down the street from Bavarian Engine Exchange (you can literally see it from this shop). The name of the place is B&M&W. I've been there a few times and I've been allowed to check out the yard in back to see their inventory....something they normally don't allow. Anyway, these guys get some wrecks that have lots of desireable parts on them and they are more reasonable with their pricing. Mind you they won't rebuild a head for you, but if you need one, these guys can probably get it. Here's their web link.....

http://www.beemerpart.com

Now you could probably find everything you need locally (or closer to where you live.....wherever that may be) if you do a little footwork. BEE is not that great of a "deal."

Jon

**MattM20** · 05-20-2004, 06:24 PM

Originally posted by Jon325i

There is nothing good you can say about Bavarian Engine Exchange. What they sell is crap, and if you have some BMW parts you're looking to unload, they will probably offer you a pocket full of lint for it. In other words, don't go there.

Now there is another place I know of that is down the street from Bavarian Engine Exchange (you can literally see it from this shop). The name of the place is B&M&W. I've been there a few times and I've been allowed to check out the yard in back to see their inventory....something they normally don't allow. Anyway, these guys get some wrecks that have lots of desireable parts on them and they are more reasonable with their pricing. Mind you they won't rebuild a head for you, but if you need one, these guys can probably get it. Here's their web link.....

http://www.beemerpart.com

Now you could probably find everything you need locally (or closer to where you live.....wherever that may be) if you do a little footwork. BEE is not that great of a "deal."

Jon

can you explain more why Bav engine exhange sucks? i assume you know what your talking about since you been there and may know people first hand who have dealt with them.

**Jon325i** · 05-20-2004, 07:56 PM

Their rebuilt motors are a mass of used parts....pistons, con-rods, etc. The quality checking that goes into re-using these second-hand parts isn't that thorough. I've talked to a few local BMW shops and they have warned me about staying clear from them. For the money one could build a better motor with higher quality parts.

When it comes to selling this place stuff, they are a joke. When I tearing down my last E30 and was looking to unload a variety of parts (including complete interior), these guys absolutely low-balled me. I had a pair of cloth seats in excellent condition and a matching rear seat (in even better shape) and they offered $50 for everything!?!? B&M&W bought them from me....for $200. Doesn't take a genius.

Bavarian sells junk for a lot and buys stuff from you for squat. B&M&W sees having them down the street as a silver lining. Customers who get burned by Bavarian wind up buying what they need from B&M&W.

Take my word....I've dealt with these folks on a face-to-face basis and I will not go back.

Jon

**Ryan Stewart** · 05-20-2004, 08:07 PM

The 335 that i ran with was a bavarian engine exchange engine and it started to burn oil like no other.

Kyle check out David Levian in Wichita. Kyle Koser can tell you where to find him. He does a lot of enginework for Alfas and Mercs, IM sure an M20 would be a peice of cake for him.

**Jon '92 325ic** · 05-20-2004, 08:13 PM

Is there another shop anyone would recommend for buying....

Is there another shop anyone would recommend for buying a rebuilt cylinder head? What about Metric Mechanic or Top End or ????

If I have my current head machined, ported, worn parts replaced, valve sizes increased,......... I'm gonna be without the use of my carcar for a while. I was thinking of just purchasing a head already machined, tuned, rebuilt to my specifications/likings and then swapping it out.

Sorry for jacking the thread, but I think I'm asking the same question.

Thanks

**Jon325i** · 05-20-2004, 08:35 PM

Re: Is there another shop anyone would recommend for buying.

Originally posted by Jon '92 325ic

Is there another shop anyone would recommend for buying a rebuilt cylinder head? What about Metric Mechanic or Top End or ????

If I have my current head machined, ported, worn parts replaced, valve sizes increased,......... I'm gonna be without the use of my carcar for a while. I was thinking of just purchasing a head already machined, tuned, rebuilt to my specifications/likings and then swapping it out.

Sorry for jacking the thread, but I think I'm asking the same question.

Thanks

Seeing you're in LA, check out Top End. A good source that is closer to you which would make going through the whole transaction easier. Metric Mechanic is good too, but there will some shipping costs involved (due to being located in the mid west) plus if you had any concerns about something, it would be a lot easier to go to the local guy.

Jon

**bimmer8604** · 05-20-2004, 08:55 PM

Originally posted by Ryan Stewart

The 335 that i ran with was a bavarian engine exchange engine and it started to burn oil like no other.

Kyle check out David Levian in Wichita. Kyle Koser can tell you where to find him. He does a lot of enginework for Alfas and Mercs, IM sure an M20 would be a peice of cake for him.

We've allready talked to mark, they want 2500 to rebuild the current head with the busted rocker, install an aftermarket cam(not included in the 2500), replace timing belt and water pump. Surprisingly they dont do any machine work like port/polish, all they do are valve re-grinds. Miller has had his car worked on down there before, and he's seen teh shop. Its wierd that they build all those track cars but they didn't reccomend any shops to do port/polish work...

I'm sure kyle has seen this thread get bigger and will change his mind about BEE.

Kyle

**bimmer8604** · 05-20-2004, 08:57 PM

Oh, he also called Maurices shop, Bavarian Motor Works, he wants like 1600, but i really dont trust him.... and he wont do performance engines. The other option is to buy Yans head from his old 325i and just put it in there for the time being, that will be about 600 and stuff, and we will rebuild kyles head as we want it over the summer.

Kyle

**MillerTimE30** · 05-20-2004, 09:06 PM

I think i am probably going to go to Metric Mechanic if their not to price isnt too high. But i need a head fast cause this no car stuff sucks.

**mdistel** · 05-21-2004, 03:03 AM

Why don't you just buy a good used head or engine? The M20 isn't very rare. Check Zionsvilleautosport or any of the other BMW parts recyclers.

Mark

**1974ripa** · 03-31-2010, 12:19 PM

Don"t do it!!!!

DO NOT!!! I repeat DO NOT buy from them. They sell piece of crap engines, they use poor quality used parts to rebuild there engines. They told me 90days for delivery and took 150days. On top of that engine wasn't working properly, used vanos was sticking. The shop mechanic had to do rework on the engine and "Bavarian engine exchange" complained about the labor cost. Hello Mcfly, it's BMW labor cost not a Chevy.

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