Detroit Mechanic?

[Clay 94 530i]

I'm new to this forum so first off I just want to compliment you guys on a great site, it is very well organized and very informative, especially to someone new at this like me.

I am looking for a good and trusted BMW mechanic in the Detroit area and being new to the scene I have been to the dealership quite a bit which has been pretty hard on the pocket book.

Last summer my '94 530i started up with the "shutter" that seems to be so common. After suspecting the rotors and having them ground down flat it started up again at the end of last season and also started the slight shutter between about 40mph and 60mph (no braking for this shutter). I figure its the front bushings, and even though I do a majority of work on my car this one I am a little uncomfortable with and would like to have a profesional take care of and confirm my suspecsions of the bushing and not the rotors.

If anyone knows of a good BMW mechanic in my area I would greatly appreciate any suggestions or referrals!

[Derek A.]

You can't turn BMW rotors, they are manufactured to specification. If you have turned them they are junk and need to be replaced. Chances are that your thrust arm bushings are shot and maybe the ball joints on the control arms are shot as well. If memory serves your car had aluminum thrust arms and they are not inexpensive.

Try www.nikolasmotorsport.com in sylvan lake - orchard lake road and middlebelt roughly, 248-682-7755. Who knows if you call you might even get me on the phone :)

[BrianH]

Clay,
Don't know what side of town you are on, but you might try Munk's Motors in Waterford. They only work on German stuff, and they've been around for 25 years or so. I've used them a couple of times and they seem OK to me.

http://www.munks.com/

[uberhahn]

Clay,

I have taken my car to Nikolas Motorsports and will continue to have my car serviced there. Honest in their assessments, fair on price, and quick in service.

If you search my previous posts, you will find a thread where I described a very positive experience with Nikolas.

I'm not affiliated with them in any way, I just trust them to work on my car.

uberhahn

[Clay 94 530i]

well that might explain why the big shutter in the braking has come back so quickly. Curiously enough when I was having the tires rotated at a Belle Tire they said that one of the arms and bushings needed to be replaced so out of convience I let them do it. Now I was under the impression that both sides should be done and not just one, but they said that just replacing one should be fine. This may be my punishment from letting Belle Tire do anything but rotate my tires.

I have heard of your shop but I am completely across town from you (Grosse Pointe) so my chances of making it over there during your shop hours are slim to none. You may still hear from me though. Any ideas of someone on my side of town?

Thanks!

[Derek A.]

99 % of the time a non BMW specific shop does thrust arm replacment they use a factory speced bushing. 525i bushing on a 525i, 540i bushing on a 540i etc. On all the cars we do we use the e32 750il bushing. Its the longest lasting, stongest OEM style bushing BMW makes. We also only use Lemforder parts, a lot of the generic repair places will use the cheap china parts that just plain don't last.

There is a night drop box for after hours drop-off. Give us a call if you want to set something up.

Derek.-

[632 Regal]

Lemforder parts are more expensive and if you compare them to another brand side by side the Lemforder is better quality. Simple things like the sway bar links...when I first got the car I didnt know there was a difference and got a pair from Bavauto. When it came to taking them off for new struts forget it! The lemforders have a spot on the back to hold the stud part and the others didnt...torch time.

[western99]

This guy is a genius when it comes to the E34. He is the owner of the BMW E34 Website. He is the only person who touches my car and you can not beat his prices. With the currency exchange you are already 20cents on the dollar ahead.

http://www.bmwe34.net

Brian