HalfJobHarry 106 Report post Posted May 29, 2020 On 5/28/2020 at 2:50 PM, zero said: @HalfJobHarry makes a good point though, and I can see both sides. Learning to do the work on your own car is rewarding and a money saver, as long as you do it properly and with proper parts. Then there are some jobs best left to the professionals. And finally, there are always idiots out there like Glenn and others have given examples of. Couldn't agree more....but for me personally most of those jobs have either been down to tricky access requirements...some things are simply nightmares even with a lift..attempting them without them is only for the masochists. The others are ones that require VERY specialist / VERY expensive tools. I'm not going to try and machine a block or deck a head myself (although the Youtube videos of this being DIYd are madness!). In recent years I'm also in a position where I've had access to other vehicles and don't rely on the BMW(s) in the way I once did. I've found this takes a large amount of the 'worry' out of attempting the tough jobs. If I destroy my own car, I'm not the type to go pointing fingers or blaming any guides/advice I was given either . It's on me. On 5/28/2020 at 2:43 PM, zero said: Every time you take the inlet off. In the scheme of things spending a few extra dollars on a new inlet gasket is peanuts. And much better than having to pull the inlet again if you have a leak. I could understand if they have become brittle...but every time? They are $70 set from the dealer , which means maybe OEM for $40 ish elsewhere? I suppose planning ahead for when it's strictly necessary to remove the inlet and minimizing the amount of times you do it could work. I've never thought about this before, I've always just replaced gaskets when they looked to have 'had it' or at some lengthy interval :D. That said I don't have much experience with boost so presumably that's the difference? A lot higher pressures in the manifold to keep contained.... Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
HalfJobHarry 106 Report post Posted May 29, 2020 On 5/27/2020 at 8:08 PM, Gaz said: Fair enough, although there's 2 oil filter housing gaskets and it's a fiddly wee job trying not to spill coolant everywhere Just the filter housing to block one in this case. Wasn't too difficult. Now fiddly on this car was getting that vac pump bolted back on to the back of the engine. I contorted in ways I never thought possible for that one :D. I recall the being a bit more involved on my E46 (I seem to remember needing to take the alternator out and hang the power steering pump off the subfame) and oil seemed to emerge from every possible orifice. Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
HalfJobHarry 106 Report post Posted May 29, 2020 On 5/27/2020 at 7:51 PM, M3AN said: Somewhere in the NZ supply chain someone is making a killing on genuine parts, the service counter cost is criminal. I assume that the dealers take a reasonable cut of that margin, which would somewhat offset any low margin labour considerations. It's difficult to look at a BMW dealer and think "low margin" when we can compare the extortionate price of parts locally to the exact same part from the US or Europe. Case in point. Just today I paid $27 for a pair of 'wash pump strainers' (9 on the pic) tiny little plastic cage with a rubber grommet attached. They are listed all over the world for about $3 each. They had them in stock and the service was good which is some consolation. The dealers in the UK were not cheap by any stretch, but still wasn't a steep as here. That said, I've had some success here cutting the odd deal or two when it was recognized that the pricing may be a little bit wide of the mark (timing chain tensioner! and a few other odds and ends). The dealer I've used here is actually nice and polite with good service, whereas almost every dealer in the UK I ever went to was arrogant as hell and pretty much laughed as they took my money in glee. Then strangely other things like DOT4 LV seem priced like 'normal'. Mileage definitely varies. 1 Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Matth5 471 Report post Posted June 8, 2020 On 5/29/2020 at 7:01 PM, HalfJobHarry said: I could understand if they have become brittle...but every time? They are $70 set from the dealer , which means maybe OEM for $40 ish elsewhere? More like $20 lol https://www.fcpeuro.com/BMW-parts/335i/intake-manifold-gasket-kit/ Granted the cheap one is not "genuine BMW". Will probably end up being $30 or so to get it to NZ. Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
