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Price quote for Cooling overhaul - $1800?

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#24 ·
98540iA said:
What you guys don't seem to take into consideration is that not everyone has tools, a place to work on the car and/or the skills and confidence to work on the car. I sure wish I had more of all of this and I do my own brake work but it certainly wouldn't take me 35 minutes to do all 4 brake pads. Probably more like 3.5 hours for me ;)
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It may take you 3.5 hours the first time. It took me 10+ hours to do my t-stat and waterpump the first time. I just wanted to be careful. Now I could do it in my sleep. As for the tools, there is nothing that you cannot buy from the dollar store if money is tight. How long they will last is up to you. I got my pulley holder from napa for $19.99. If ya cant afford these tools, you cant afford for an Indy to do it. As well as owning the car in general.

Im not the most mechanically inclined person in the world. But, I love DIY and love to save the money. :thumbup:

Not trying to be a dick but its the truth
 
#25 · (Edited)
540indiana said:
IIm not the most mechanically inclined person in the world. But, I love DIY and love to save the money
Click to expand...
I am likely the least mechanically inclined person in the world ... and I can still DIY.

For example, see:
- How NOT to change your oil!

Or ...
- How not to remove the mass air flow sensor (MAF) spring clip (1)
- How not to repair your E39 trunk wiring loom (1)
- How not to remove the nipple from the E39 radiator (broken radiator nipple)
- How not to put your E39 fan clutch back on (crooked fan clutch nut)
- How not to bleed your E39 cooling system (1) (broken bleeder screw)
- How not to replace your E39 thermostat (thermostat loom misplaced)
etc.

However, even with my inherent ineptitude, with the help of the tribe, I have wholly avoided the dealer since my 2002 ran out of warranty in 2005 (alternator, belt drive overhaul, cooling system overhaul, multiple brake jobs, FSU repair, ABS trifecta repair, trunk loom repair, window regulator repair, headlight adjuster repair, spark plug DIY, AC stink avoidance, general maintenance items, etc.).

Besides the tools are free!
- What to tell people who say they don't have time, money, or tools to DIY E39 repairs!

Here, for example, are the free tools for your brake job:
- E39 (1997 - 2003) > Tools for replacing disk rotors and pads

Note: The key DIY secrets are cleverly hidden in bold red letters above!

Image

 
Discussion starter · #26 ·
Just to make myself feel worse about the situation I decided to call Dinan back home to get a quote. They would have done my brake job for roughly $100 cheaper... FML... Learned my lesson an $1100 (with tax) way.... EFF
 
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#27 ·
540indiana said:
It may take you 3.5 hours the first time. It took me 10+ hours to do my t-stat and waterpump the first time. I just wanted to be careful. Now I could do it in my sleep. As for the tools, there is nothing that you cannot buy from the dollar store if money is tight. How long they will last is up to you. I got my pulley holder from napa for $19.99. If ya cant afford these tools, you cant afford for an Indy to do it. As well as owning the car in general.

Im not the most mechanically inclined person in the world. But, I love DIY and love to save the money. :thumbup:

Not trying to be a dick but its the truth
Click to expand...
I've done brake pads on many cars many times and have had my 540 for over 4 years now and if you count jacking the car up securely, removing wheels, removing the old pads, replacing with new pads & putting wheels back on.... that will take any mortal human being with the most basic tools and jack at least a couple hours. I would LOVE to see someone do this all in 35 minutes like mr540 says. NOT POSSIBLE unless they have the car up on a lift with the wheels already off and someone helping them out.
I make good money so that is not the issue. I like to DIY some things for the fun and feeling of success, and to save a few bucks, but some things I would rather not try DIY'ing.
I'm also not trying to be a dick, but that's the real truth. 35 minutes to do all 4 brakes, c'mon..... whoever says they can do that is delusional or a bold faced liar.

bluebee said:
I am likely the least mechanically inclined person in the world ... and I can still DIY.

For example, see:
- How NOT to change your oil!

Or ...
- How not to remove the mass air flow sensor (MAF) spring clip (1)
- How not to repair your E39 trunk wiring loom (1)
- How not to remove the nipple from the E39 radiator (broken radiator nipple)
- How not to put your E39 fan clutch back on (crooked fan clutch nut)
- How not to bleed your E39 cooling system (1) (broken bleeder screw)
- How not to replace your E39 thermostat (thermostat loom misplaced)
etc.

However, even with my inherent ineptitude, with the help of the tribe, I have wholly avoided the dealer since my 2002 ran out of warranty in 2005 (alternator, belt drive overhaul, cooling system overhaul, multiple brake jobs, FSU repair, ABS trifecta repair, trunk loom repair, window regulator repair, headlight adjuster repair, spark plug DIY, AC stink avoidance, general maintenance items, etc.).

Besides the tools are free!
- What to tell people who say they don't have time, money, or tools to DIY E39 repairs!

Here, for example, are the free tools for your brake job:
- E39 (1997 - 2003) > Tools for replacing disk rotors and pads

Note: The key DIY secrets are cleverly hidden in bold red letters above!
Click to expand...
I like to DIY also, but I'm realistic in that I have only so much time and energy to devote to DIY'ing and reading forums. I have a full time job, I also am co-owner of a new company so in essence another full time job, a teenager to cart around, a pre-teen to also cart around and a wife to coordinate all of this stuff with..... not to mention a huge dog, 5 bunnies, friends and (of course) fun driving time.
What works for you does not necessarily work for someone else..... Everyone has their own skill and comfort level, interests and availability. Folks, we have to remember that not everyone thinks or does the same things we do so "What to tell people who say they don't have time, money or tools to DIY" is an opinion that has the potential of being an insult. Also, why are you saying the tools are free? Because they pay for themselves after even just one use? That still does not make them free but you aren't fooling anyone anyways because we all know tools are not free.
 
#28 ·
98540iA said:
I've done brake pads on many cars many times and have had my 540 for over 4 years now and if you count jacking the car up securely, removing wheels, removing the old pads, replacing with new pads & putting wheels back on.... that will take any mortal human being with the most basic tools and jack at least a couple hours. I would LOVE to see someone do this all in 35 minutes like mr540 says. NOT POSSIBLE unless they have the car up on a lift with the wheels already off and someone helping them out.
I make good money so that is not the issue. I like to DIY some things for the fun and feeling of success, and to save a few bucks, but some things I would rather not try DIY'ing.
I'm also not trying to be a dick, but that's the real truth. 35 minutes to do all 4 brakes, c'mon..... whoever says they can do that is delusional or a bold faced liar.

I like to DIY also, but I'm realistic in that I have only so much time and energy to devote to DIY'ing and reading forums. I have a full time job, I also am co-owner of a new company so in essence another full time job, a teenager to cart around, a pre-teen to also cart around and a wife to coordinate all of this stuff with..... not to mention a huge dog, 5 bunnies, friends and (of course) fun driving time.
What works for you does not necessarily work for someone else..... Everyone has their own skill and comfort level, interests and availability. Folks, we have to remember that not everyone thinks or does the same things we do so "What to tell people who say they don't have time, money or tools to DIY" is an opinion that has the potential of being an insult. Also, why are you saying the tools are free? Because they pay for themselves after even just one use? That still does not make them free but you aren't fooling anyone anyways because we all know tools are not free.
Click to expand...
I agree with ya on the 35minutes. Hell when I refinished my wheels it took me 20-30 minutes alone just to get them off the car . No harm no foul :)
 
#29 · (Edited)
98540iA said:
whoever says they can do that is delusional
Click to expand...
Just gathering the stuff together to do the job right took me about that long! :)

Image


It 'can' be done in half an hour - but - you'd have to be mighty fast and not do a good job, in the end, as it takes a while to properly check the caliper pins, mic the rotors, check runout, grease the skids, torque to specs, etc.
Image


My very first brake job took weeks of research (elapsed time) and a couple of days in the air (again, elapsed time).

But, that entailed looking up everything there was to know about doing a brake job correctly:
- Learning required to do your first brake job correctly (1)

My second brake job took just a few hours (nothing left to learn).

I helped a no-nonsense friend do his afterward, and even that took an hour.

98540iA said:
What works for you does not necessarily work for someone else.....
Click to expand...
Understood.

But he's the one who asked if $1800 was a good price; and I was just giving the answer that I would recommend to my own friends (and which was recommended to me).

So, I'm not 'totally' off the wall recommending a DIY, am I?

98540iA said:
Everyone has their own skill and comfort level
Click to expand...
I fully understand that also.

Nobody can be less skillful or less comfortable with cars than I am! :)
(Do you want me to list my mistakes?).

So, my point was, "if I can do it, so can the OP". But, I'm not going to twist his arm. I just gave him the same arguments that worked on me. :)

98540iA said:
***8220;What to tell people who say they don***8217;t have time, money or tools to DIY***8221; is an opinion that has the potential of being an insult.
Click to expand...
Hmmmmmm... I never thought of it that way.

I was thinking of it as a set of intelligent discussions to explain to newbies that doing the work yourself has tremendous benefits over paying someone else to do the work for you (benefits that are not just in dollars).

98540iA said:
why are you saying the tools are free? Because they pay for themselves after even just one use? That still does not make them free
Click to expand...
The point (made in that thread) was that it costs X to pay a mechanic to do the job if you don't have the tools. However, in many cases (see the thread for details), it actually costs (sometimes far) less than X to just do it yourself (buying the necessary tools).

If you need the repair, it costs less with the tools than it does without the tools.

If someone is simultaneously complaining that it costs too much to have a mechanic do the work - and then - that they don't have the tools - so they have to pay the mechanic ... my answer is ...

The tools actually save you money.

98540iA said:
you aren***8217;t fooling anyone anyways because we all know tools are not free.
Click to expand...
Ummm... your take is different than mine. I didn't think I was 'fooling' anyone.

BTW, in the referenced thread, there 'are' also free tools listed, e.g., AutoZone deposit-and-lend tool sets for struts, oxygen sensors, screw extraction kits, etc.

Plus, if you're handy, making some of the tools out of garage door components is also 'free':
- How to make your own BMW cooling system overhaul fan clutch nut counterhold tools (1) (2)
- How to make your own BMW thrust bushing tool (1) or buy them (1) (2) or improvise (1)
- How to make your own BMW car ramps (1)
- How to make your own BMW subframe & differential bushings tool (1)
- How to make your own BMW oxygen sensor removal tool (1)
- How to make your own BMW single-VANOS solonoid socket tool (1)
- How to make your own BMW camber & toe-in alignment tools (1)
- How to make your own BMW hella headlight adjusters (1) (2)
- How to make your own BMW rtab removal tool (1)
- How to make your own BMW upper timing chain locking tool (1)
- How to make your own BMW flywheel locking tool (1)
- How to make your own BMW cylinder head bolt removal tool (1)
- How to make your own BMW cam locking nut tool (1)
- How to make your own BMW crankshaft holder tool (1)
- How to make your own alignment tools to adjust toe-in and camber (1)
etc.

Image
 

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#30 ·
I just saw the OP's response about JB Weld working on the cooling system:
- E39 (1997 - 2003) > jb weld seems to have worked on my radiator...

jmhunter said:
Ok Ok... So I have had this pinhole JB Welded for 15 months give or take... Still intact.

I moved up to seattle.... but we are in the midst of moving back... once i do I will be doing a complete redo of the cooling system.. (See my other thread on an $1800 quote)
Click to expand...
I gotta hand it to the OP as I would never have thought the JB Weld would have held out so long.

If he can continue to repair the cooling system for essentially the cost of JB Weld, he fixed his cooling system for far less than it would have cost me.

Note: Picture below of JB weld example is from another thread:
Image
 
Discussion starter · #31 ·
Hahahahah! Ya... I'll be replacing everything.. but this thing has run 30k miles with JB weld.. granted the car never goes to exceptionally hot areas.
 
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Discussion starter · #32 ·
Ok everyone.. here is your chance to tease me.. and to know who not to use for service.. tried talking them down and everything.. JERKS

There is also recomendations for other issues... The suspension issues are real.. but i dont think the power steering issue is real.
 

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#35 ·
bluebee said:
Just gathering the stuff together to do the job right took me about that long! :)

It 'can' be done in half an hour - but - you'd have to be mighty fast and not do a good job, in the end, as it takes a while to properly check the caliper pins, mic the rotors, check runout, grease the skids, torque to specs, etc.

My very first brake job took weeks of research (elapsed time) and a couple of days in the air (again, elapsed time).

But he's the one who asked if $1800 was a good price; and I was just giving the answer that I would recommend to my own friends (and which was recommended to me).

So, I'm not 'totally' off the wall recommending a DIY, am I?

I fully understand that also.

So, my point was, "if I can do it, so can the OP". But, I'm not going to twist his arm. I just gave him the same arguments that worked on me. :)

Hmmmmmm... I never thought of it that way.

I was thinking of it as a set of intelligent discussions to explain to newbies that doing the work yourself has tremendous benefits over paying someone else to do the work for you (benefits that are not just in dollars).

If you need the repair, it costs less with the tools than it does without the tools.

The tools actually save you money.

Ummm... your take is different than mine. I didn't think I was 'fooling' anyone.

BTW, in the referenced thread, there 'are' also free tools listed, e.g., AutoZone deposit-and-lend tool sets for struts, oxygen sensors, screw extraction kits, etc.
Click to expand...
Great responses. And I feel honored to have been responded to so thoroughly in TWO threads. :angel:
I think your DIY suggestions are great actually as sometimes we all need a little push and then we're glad someone pushed us.
Also, agree that although I said the thread was an opinion and had the potential to insult, it also has the potential to be an intelligent discussion regarding the value of DIY'ing.
I also agree that the tools save you money but will stand by that they still aren't free :D
I guess I just wanted to play devils advocate and I really appreciate your intelligent and educational replies!
 
#36 ·
98540iA said:
I guess I just wanted to play devils advocate and I really appreciate your intelligent and educational replies!
Click to expand...
Thanks.

I think the OP showed a good sense of humor, in addition to learning what we thought about the $1,800 price tag.

We all need to remember that we too, a long time ago, used to go to the dealer or indy for repairs.

Not only do they double the price for the parts - but - they charge $100/hour (or whatever) for their shop rate.

It's almost as if they're F O R C I N G us, by their prices, to learn how to do it ourselves.

I, for one, am HAPPY they did so because I was deathly afraid of my brake job (the research alone took weeks of elapsed time); and I was stuck many times in the other jobs mentioned.

In every case, the tribe came through for me!
 
#37 · (Edited)
"I've done brake pads on many cars many times and have had my 540 for over 4 years now and if you count jacking the car up securely, removing wheels, removing the old pads, replacing with new pads & putting wheels back on.... that will take any mortal human being with the most basic tools and jack at least a couple hours. I would LOVE to see someone do this all in 35 minutes like mr540 says. NOT POSSIBLE unless they have the car up on a lift with the wheels already off and someone helping them out.
I make good money so that is not the issue. I like to DIY some things for the fun and feeling of success, and to save a few bucks, but some things I would rather not try DIY'ing.
I'm also not trying to be a dick, but that's the real truth. 35 minutes to do all 4 brakes, c'mon..... whoever says they can do that is delusional or a bold faced liar."



He took it to a professional shop "THEY" having a lift and more than one worker should have it done in 35-45 min.

Edit: I for some reason thought I read he was only getting the rears done not all four so double that.
 
#38 ·
Mr540i said:
having a lift and more than one worker should have it done in 35-45 min
Click to expand...
I've never been able to find a BMW shop time (or whatever they call it) for various jobs.

Does anyone know how to find the 'official' shop time for a four wheel BMW brake job (or any job)?
 
#39 ·
bluebee said:
I've never been able to find a BMW shop time (or whatever they call it) for various jobs.

Does anyone know how to find the 'official' shop time for a four wheel BMW brake job (or any job)?
Click to expand...
Again, That was for REAR brakes not all four As I stated I had misread his post and thought he stated he had the rear brakes done.

At our shop brake jobs rarely take more than an hour.
 
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