Mechanic seemed to think i was crazy

[Jehu]

I stopped by a local Bimmer guy shop today. A former Ferrari race tech. In his shop were i think three E 39's on which he was working. Their engine bays all looked clean as could be.. we discussed my Timing Chain Cover gasket leak and he seemed to think i was a bit dim for even contemplating spending that kind of money of my car. I was a bit surprised when he said he'd just let it go and get rid of it and move on and up to the newer models... He didn't refuse the work saying to come back in July after his vacation on some Saturday and he'd look at it and then tell me what it would cost for him to fix it but it also needs struts and shocks, tie rods and upper control arm bushings then a windshield and some rust remediation around that while its off . I could easily drop $4k more and already have about $15K into it inc. purchase price and he pointed out for that I could have bought a low mileage e 39 540 /6 but I'd have to put cash into that as well. I drove around the rest of the afternoon working and thought about what i should do. the e 34 did look a bit tired next to all those clean E39's then driving down this windy suburban road a shiny E24 came roaring up the road looking like it just rolled off the Concourse and i thought ... he obviously isn't concerned he's driving an old , outdated model. He keeps it mint and its a sight to behold and a constant blast to drive. Am i really out of touch for finding the E 34 appealing enough to spend all this cake on fixing?

[Qube]

Yes. Considering she looks better than most late model rice-rockets out of there. Fast and with class. Have you seen the new Sentra SE-R? Ewww...

[winfred]

it all evens out in the end, new car and upkeep or old car and upgrades/maintaince, to me theres no way id trade a e34 for a e39, i like the 540s much better then the 6 cylinder (540s steering box makes it drive way better then the rack on the 525/528) but i am not a big fan of the e39 in general, so if you like your e34 go for it, what are ya gonna do not spend money on a car?! may as well spend it on a car you enjoy

[632 Regal]

why not do it yourself and make it a problem free car for years?

costs a lot to pay someone else to do simple things, thats why this board is here.

[Jehu]

Where do i do a job that requires me to drain the oil and coolant when i live at a Condominimum ? Timing chain cover ain't coming off without that step is it ? I've done whatever i could, spark plugs, heater valves i guess are about it .. I don't see myself having a garage and a yard of my own in the next few months ... I am for whatever reasons relatively comfortable coexisting with this oil leak but i just generally dislike leaving things undone... I was just a bit surprised he was so dismissive of my old girl..here i was thinking i had a somewhat rareish gem and he's telling me he'd dump it...

[winfred]

one mans meat is another mans poison


I was just a bit surprised he was so dismissive of my old girl..here i was thinking i had a somewhat rareish gem and he's telling me he'd dump it...

[rob101]

Where do i do a job that requires me to drain the oil and coolant when i live at a Condominimum ? Timing chain cover ain't coming off without that step is it ? I've done whatever i could, spark plugs, heater valves i guess are about it .. I don't see myself having a garage and a yard of my own in the next few months ...

See this is all about commitment, I am moving into a place with a lock-up garage, and that was a priority when i looked at places. See I'd rather work on a car and learn than throw money at a problem to make it go away.

In Australia it is a no-brainer though. drive a local shitbox (and i do mean shitbox), drive an e34 which costs around 10k or drive an e39 which costs 20-30k (and isn't built as well).

[Sam-Son]

People call me crazy just about everyday when they find out how much I love my car and how much time and effort I put into it, not to mention money. And I put up with it everyday because most of the people who say this to me aren't car people and I tell them they'll never understand because as my friend disappointingly pointed out he viewed cars as refrigerators with wheels. Whenever I see or drive a newer BMW I think how great it is and how goo it is to drive...but the moment I see my E34 and get behind the wheel I realize how much more I like it than any newer car(Except maybe a 997 GT3) but anyway. Every time I drive it I think God I'm happy I bought this car and I wouldn't have spent my money on anything else.
Anyway that's just my opinion;)

[winfred]

my next place will have atleast a two bay shop for me where i can put a lift (two cars wide and two deep if i can get my way), don't care as much about the house as theres a place for me to have a home shop even if i gotta build it, doing all my personal projects 20 miles away at work sucks


See this is all about commitment, I am moving into a place with a lock-up garage, and that was a priority when i looked at places.

[LunatiC]

If you read the May 2007 edition of TotalBMW, which goes into the E39 in depth, you will most definitely side towards the E34. It seems that the E39 just has too many problems. All temptations I had of upgrading to a newer 5er have just been vanished by what these guys had to say (and I don't think they're ********ting either).

Perhaps your Ferrari-trained mech just couldn't be ****ed to work on your car, and just hiking up the number of things "wrong" and their cost to try and make you go away. If you're still concerned, get a second (or third) opinion and see what they say.

[Sam-Son]

If you read the May 2007 edition of TotalBMW, which goes into the E39 in depth, you will most definitely side towards the E34. It seems that the E39 just has too many problems. All temptations I had of upgrading to a newer 5er have just been vanished by what these guys had to say (and I don't think they're ********ting either).

Perhaps your Ferrari-trained mech just couldn't be ****ed to work on your car, and just hiking up the number of things "wrong" and their cost to try and make you go away. If you're still concerned, get a second (or third) opinion and see what they say.
Yeah I can never trust a mechanic who is trying to pursuade me out of giving him business. Get a new one.. er.. mechanic that is

[markus]

hell no man, keep it. i see it like this. im probly gonna wind up keeping mine. I mean sure I can sell it. But the market is small for a 540i and nobody wants to pay for a good one. I think in time our E34s that are well kept will go up in value. Id want probly around $6500 because I put A LOT of time and money into mine to get it where it is today. The PO didnt do **** and which is why he dumped it. I still have one more valve cover gasket to do and 4 spark plugs to do as well. i also want to get my style 19s on and shadowline her and get some euro bumper trims. Its not much more to go before its just right. Now I have to fix my sagging muffler because the tranny guy claimed the old ones "rotted off" so he hung it with chicken wire. I guess I need to get some of those clamps in the ETK.

But besides all that ****, i think most new cars suck ass, and as mentioned before you will just have to fix the **** in the future anyway. Car payments suck and you already know the service history on the car you already have. to me an E34 is like a hobby. My 5er is my daily driver so i like to keep it clean and make sure its running as good as possible. The satisfaction I get is when I see someone driving a newer BMW and my old E34 gets more looks. These cars have something that new cars dont, and thats character. Plus they arent exactly hard to work on and diagnose. try doing that with an E39. The guy u were talking to sounded like a tool anyway.

[markus]

Total BMW is the best BMW mag. Whats the feature car this month? I havent bought an issue in like 2 years.

[Jehu]

Yeah I can never trust a mechanic who is trying to pursuade me out of giving him business. Get a new one.. er.. mechanic that is

Maybe that's why he had THREE of them in there being worked on.. I honestly think he was sincere in his belief that even with their issues to him you progress with the design and leave the old models in the past. I had a beautiful girlfriend once and one day i glanced at her from a certain angle and i found myself wondering if i could do better. i ended up losing her and have regretted it ever since.. As i drove along feeling the smooth power and the total mastery of the handling i couldn't think of a car i'd prefer and i guess that's why i wondered if i was out of touch.

[LunatiC]

Total BMW is the best BMW mag. Whats the feature car this month? I havent bought an issue in like 2 years.

Well, I'm in Australia so the latest mag takes a month or so before it hits our shores. The May 2007 issue has the following:

"Oil Barron" - Alpina D3 E90 (diesel)
E30 with an S50 in it (looks pretty hot!)
Some ex-skateboarder champion's US-modded E46 M3
Some classic car racer's 2002 before he stacked it at Laguna Seca
Test driven X5 7 seater in the US
Immaculate E28 5er -- cleanest one I've ever seen
E36 wiper switch fix
Spax mods for E36 suspension
... and the aforementioned E39 buyer's guide.

[ThoreauHD]

A mechanic that doesn't appreciate older model BMW's would be suspect to me. Well, he isn't a BMW mechanic though- so that would pretty much explain it. Go to a BMW indy. My indy is here:

http://www.danmartinsautoservice.com/
and
http://www.excluservice.com/index.htm

And he lives for M speed and classic rebuilds to mint. From what my indy's tell me the ******* factor for bmw owners comes in at the 2001 and up series. They know nothing about driving, much less manners. If Grace Kelly was a BMW, the E34 would be it. If the mechanic doesn't appreciate the history- it ain't you man. It's him.

I live in the DC/Maryland/Virginia area, and BMW's are everywhere- but they are all 2007-2008 model 3 series, some 5 series, and maybe a M or 7 series here and there. They all look like the camry's and lexus' sitting next to them in traffic. But if you see a 5 or 7 series E34 or older in pristine condition- it damn near embarrasses everything else around it. And in all honesty, when comparing the new BMW's to the Lexus line, I would take the Lexus. It looks better. But anyhow, don't second-guess yourself. Your first instinct is always correct, whether it be cars or women. Don't second guess it. Take care.

[Jehu]

A mechanic that doesn't appreciate older model BMW's would be suspect to me. Well, he isn't a BMW mechanic though- so that would pretty much explain it. Go to a BMW indy. My indy is here:

http://www.danmartinsautoservice.com/
and
http://www.excluservice.com/index.htm

And he lives for M speed and classic rebuilds to mint. From what my indy's tell me the ******* factor for bmw owners comes in at the 2001 and up series. They know nothing about driving, much less manners. If Grace Kelly was a BMW, the E34 would be it. If the mechanic doesn't appreciate the history- it ain't you man. It's him.

I live in the DC/Maryland/Virginia area, and BMW's are everywhere- but they are all 2007-2008 model 3 series, some 5 series, and maybe a M or 7 series here and there. They all look like the camry's and lexus' sitting next to them in traffic. But if you see a 5 or 7 series E34 or older in pristine condition- it damn near embarrasses everything else around it. And in all honesty, when comparing the new BMW's to the Lexus line, I would take the Lexus. It looks better. But anyhow, don't second-guess yourself. Your first instinct is always correct, whether it be cars or women. Don't second guess it. Take care.

I don't know how i gave this impression of this guy.. He works exclusively NOW on BMW's after being a Master for a BMW Dealership while also being a Ferrari race tech.. My intention was never to call this man into question,his perspectives are perfectly valid and i trust his integrity as obviously many BMW owners do evidenced in his shop always being full. I wouldn't hesitate to have him do anything at all on this car and i'l probably have him do front end stuff and struts since he so capably convinced me i could just as easily live with this leak if i can quit obsessing over it. I mean if i want to be exhaustive about what my car needs i'd have to add an entire paint job and the heater core to all those other items bringing the total if all done at Pro shops probably approaching $10K if you figure $4k for the paint job, $1.2 K for the Heater core, $2k for schocks struts and other suspension steering items, $2k for the leak , windshield , tires and maybe new brake pads for the Cherry on top.. Oh the seats could stand being removed and treated to break thru that hardness and maybe re-dye and stich up a tiny hole developing on the bolster, dang i forgot the power steering hoses too.. there... then i could put it all out of mind for the foreseeable future .Now if that had all been done and with the Original price of $9,200.. plus the new alternator, control arms , motor mounts , clutch and flywheel, drive belts ,rotors and tires totaling around $5k the actual sale price could have been $22K.. who's buying that? Apparently me.

[ThoreauHD]

I wasn't implying that he was a bad person. I didn't know that he is now a BMW technician. I was implying that he doesn't think your car is worth 10K in repairs. That would be true, if the car was 60K, as it was originally. It would also be true if, after you did all of those repairs, that the car would still be a sagging rotten lemon that ran like crap and never worked. But neither is the case here.

I have already spent 11K on repairs, conservatively. I bought the car for 7K. I will do a full 3 week paint job and interior restoration for 4K. So, I'm in the same boat as you. But I expected to be in this boat. About half of the folks on this board come in thinking that this vintage car will run itself, and will be fixed with japanese parts. I had no illusions about the project that I was undertaking because I read this board before I bought the car.

I could have gotten a midline Toyota Prius for 26K. Or maybe a Honda suv, or even a low end chevy sedan(those new american muscle looking things). But none of those cars look or drive or feel like this car.

I have done all of the repairs that you are contemplating. I have no regrets because I have never intended to resell this to make a buck. It's my hobby and pride and joy, so I come at it from that angle. I know it seems horribly overwhelming looking at all the rubber parts that need replacing, among other things. If it's your goal to get from point A to point B without initial repairs, then it'll upset you. If you want a high resale value, it will also upset you. But if you want to make the car perfect, then it won't disappoint. Once it's done it's done. I haven't had any repairs fall on their ass because the design was bad or the parts are complete crap. I haven't been so lucky with any other car.

As far as repairs went, I hit the big stuff first. Motor mounts, Flex disc, Suspension bushings, head gaskets. After that night and day driving revelation, I was motivated to go on. Then I hit the little things. This car was designed properly, so I in no way feel bad about spending 15K on making it last another 200K miles. Economically it makes sense, at least to me. Hang in there Jehu- or cut bait now. Just take it slow and easy with one piece at a time. Order the parts, save up for labor, and when you have a window of time get the indy on it.

And remember Jehu,

http://i4.photobucket.com/albums/y106/toasty0z/luvyouthismuch.jpg

:)

Peace.

[LunatiC]

I could have gotten a midline Honda Prius for 26K.

They're Toyotas!

[bmwrp8]

don't be depress on what your mechanic says...my first BMW was an '98 e36 4door 316i then sold it and bought a 1994 e36 4door 325i then sold it again for a 2003 e39 525i guess what... I sold it and bought a 1989 e34 525i!Why? because I just fell inlove with the looks of the e34 and its handling not to mention its characteristics! there's something in the e34 I just can't explain! So if your happy and satisfied with your e34 don't be depress if someone told you that it is outdated and old!they just don't know what happyness e34 can give you! A true BMW enthusiast dosen't look at the age of the car but its true beauty from within!:D hehehe I rest my case:D :D

[Paul in NZ]

here is a test Jehu...if you have just cleaned your car and you park it somewhere as you walk away do you turn take a look back smile inwardly(or evn outwardly) and then walk on...?

[Ross]

It is apparent that you enjoy your car, so don't feel bad about keeping it up.
Unless you have the cake for and prefer a new car there will always be something to fix or maintain.
If this mechanic is less than enthused about working on your car and views you as a fool then you are a fool to do business with him.
Think about the DIY route some more.

[Morgenster]

here is a test Jehu...if you have just cleaned your car and you park it somewhere as you walk away do you turn take a look back smile inwardly(or evn outwardly) and then walk on...?

:D Yeah, that's the right test alright. But it's economics too. If you keep the car in good running condition and spend 2k or 3k a year just on that, it still is cheaper than any new car.
A lot of people think I'm crazy for keeping mine, but they all drive bland cars which cost them at least the same amount of money in loan payments alone, not counting maintenance or repairs that fall out of warranty.

[ThoreauHD]

They're Toyotas!
Oh crap. My bad. Honda has the civic hybrid.

[Elekta]

My indy rarely fixes E39's. He's a 2002, e34, e9, e12, e32 kind of mechanic.

Find someone with a like mind to work on your car. I had a leak in a t section of my intensive washers that another outfit spent an hour and a half billable, but still didn't fix it. My conclusion, they just didn't care enough about the car to sort it out. It was a j o b

I then took it back to my indy who loves my wagon, and he put the right guy on it and they called me up and told me what it was finally. I paid for an hour's but I guarantee they spent more time on it than that. See my point?

There are E34 minded indy's out there, you just have to root them out.

best

[ThoreauHD]

here is a test Jehu...if you have just cleaned your car and you park it somewhere as you walk away do you turn take a look back smile inwardly(or evn outwardly) and then walk on...?

Exactly. It's kind of creepy for me because I never cared about an inanimate object before, but I find myself doing just that with this thing. I'd imagine it's like watching your kid grow up after you've taught them everything you know. Now that I think about it, yea, it is kinda weird for me to like a car. I'm a computer guy aka information pimp so I'm usually more spartan in my tastes.

[Montreal525]

here is a test Jehu...if you have just cleaned your car and you park it somewhere as you walk away do you turn take a look back smile inwardly(or evn outwardly) and then walk on...?

Damn, I thought I was the only nut who did that.... Sometimes, I even park her a little further down the parking lot so she stands alone so I have a better view... :D especially for when I'm walking back to my car....

I am also at that crossroad where some work is needed and will add up to a pretty penny... I have to say, even if I wanted a new car, I have no idea what I would get, all new cars look the same to me...

Jeff

[Barney Paull-Edwards]

Man is biting the hand that feeds him.Disagree with the only crap feature of E34, steering box versus rack on E39 which is miles better.Ask yourself the question, even with fixing what you have mentioned you still have a better car.any later car is damn nearly unfixable by a village garage, only by the stealer, so fix it and enjoy.The 535d I traded in has just cost the owner £5250 for a new diff,ouch.

[Jehu]

here is a test Jehu...if you have just cleaned your car and you park it somewhere as you walk away do you turn take a look back smile inwardly(or evn outwardly) and then walk on...?

Yes, after making sure i've left nothing unbuffed. I may even say something like;" ohhh you're sooooo sexy, grrrr." lol...

[Jehu]

don't be depress on what your mechanic says...my first BMW was an '98 e36 4door 316i then sold it and bought a 1994 e36 4door 325i then sold it again for a 2003 e39 525i guess what... I sold it and bought a 1989 e34 525i!Why? because I just fell inlove with the looks of the e34 and its handling not to mention its characteristics! there's something in the e34 I just can't explain! So if your happy and satisfied with your e34 don't be depress if someone told you that it is outdated and old!they just don't know what happyness e34 can give you! A true BMW enthusiast dosen't look at the age of the car but its true beauty from within!:D hehehe I rest my case:D :D

That is a very positive and helpfull perspective.I appreciate the insight very much... I understand persoanl taste is subjective and i don't think as far as i know E 34's fail to perform as well as newer models and i have said before i personally prefer the body style of the E34 so I'm not unhappy with my predicament but the additional perspective greatly helpes me see from beyond my own thoughts that i am not an oddball.lol. Thanks!

[whiskychaser]

Where do i do a job that requires me to drain the oil and coolant when i live at a Condominimum ? Timing chain cover ain't coming off without that step is it ?
I took my timing chain cover off in the street! :-) Lost a bit of coolant but didnt even drop the oil. I think the drip tray cost me 50p. At £100 an hour at BMW I think thats a bargain. OK I still got a coolant leak. Did I say I was perfect? :) My rule of thumb: is a new car cheaper than what it costs me in parts to repair this one? On the other hand, my son reckoned the orange stripe down the sides of his car looked cool. Not so good if the cause is metal on metal brake pad to disc. So the choice is a. get your hands dirty b. Pay someone to get their hands dirty c. Get something that never breaks. If you find a source for option c. plse let me know :-)

[Jehu]

Its pretty tight in this 540 engine room.. You can just barely even see the cover. I just received a call from the other BMW Indy who actually located the leak in the TCC . He quoted me $4,500.00 and three to four days.. He was going to refurbish basically everything he came into contact with in the process. new water pump, every gasket within reach, throttle body, valley pan Rear Main Seal both Oil pan gaskets , new coolant, new oil, I imagine intake manifold gasket new pulleys etc,etc. So while I'd be willing to take my Bentley manual and having the neccesary tools take it to a dirt lot and go for it. I simply don't see that as a viable option.. To get to the upper oil pan gasket the tranny needs to come off i think I don't have a portable lift.. and parts which need to come off have to have a reasonably clean place to sit till they go back on... dirt lot doesn't sound like a plan but there you have it..

[bmwrp8]

WOW!$4500!!:( buy an engine:D preferably an m70!:D :D honestly I think the guys ripping you off BIGTIME!! ask for 2nd and 3rd opinion from other shops...since now you know the problem

[whiskychaser]

$4500 for a timing chain gasket leak? My car didnt cost half of that! Think I'd be looking at a tube of instant gasket and sealing it from the outside. Maybe not what you want to hear. But you cant be talking heavy duty leak from a timing chain cover?

[Jehu]

$4500 for a timing chain gasket leak? My car didn't cost half of that! Think I'd be looking at a tube of instant gasket and sealing it from the outside. Maybe not what you want to hear. But you cant be talking heavy duty leak from a timing chain cover?

No its not a heavy leak as far as i'm concerned. I go thru about 1/2-1 qt apx every three weeks. I changed the filter last week after about 9K mi. I've been using and adding M1 10w30 but going to try Royal Purple 10w30 since i found it at a local pep-boys. BillR suggested the RTV sealant as well but where the leak is itd still be a time consuming job to get to believe me you can only see it looking straight up from below the car on a lift with a goose-neck bulb thru all the front end parts, cross members engine supports and what have you. By the time you have enough access to the location you may as well just removed the cover and replace the gasket. I'm not certain the entirety of this latest shops quote is 100 essential but I understand his idea is many of the things he listed are just as likely to require replacing sooner or later and while you're in there you'd be smart to get them done then. I'm undecided but since this isn't a disabling condition i'm just trying to see where i stand and what options are available figuring the more i know the better choices I'll ultimately make.

[whiskychaser]

Well I was looking at a 540 the other day and my lady said 'you are not having that!' She may be right - if access is that bad I'm staying with a straight 6. Seriously though, that seems like a lot of oil for a timing chain cover leak. I didnt think there was any real oil pressure in there? I'd be going for Bill's solution. OK its not elegant but its practical

[Jehu]

Well I was looking at a 540 the other day and my lady said 'you are not having that!' She may be right - if access is that bad I'm staying with a straight 6. Seriously though, that seems like a lot of oil for a timing chain cover leak. I didnt think there was any real oil pressure in there? I'd be going for Bill's solution. OK its not elegant but its practical

Not as high pressure location. Next time you're looking under the hood of a 540 try and see the bottom egde of the lower drivers side Timing Chain Cover.

[whiskychaser]

Not as high pressure location. Next time you're looking under the hood of a 540 try and see the bottom egde of the lower drivers side Timing Chain Cover.
Didnt say it way easy. Just think its a lot less hours and expense. You could buy 3 E34s in the UK for that sort of money. I paid £800 for mine. And some would say I was robbed given the work I put into it. Think everybody draws a line in the sand and wont cross it. I just havent found the sand yet :)

[Sam-Son]

here is a test Jehu...if you have just cleaned your car and you park it somewhere as you walk away do you turn take a look back smile inwardly(or evn outwardly) and then walk on...?
I do that even when it's filthy

[Dave M]

Its pretty tight in this 540 engine room.. You can just barely even see the cover. I just received a call from the other BMW Indy who actually located the leak in the TCC . He quoted me $4,500.00 and three to four days.. He was going to refurbish basically everything he came into contact with in the process. new water pump, every gasket within reach, throttle body, valley pan Rear Main Seal both Oil pan gaskets , new coolant, new oil, I imagine intake manifold gasket new pulleys etc,etc. So while I'd be willing to take my Bentley manual and having the neccesary tools take it to a dirt lot and go for it. I simply don't see that as a viable option.. To get to the upper oil pan gasket the tranny needs to come off i think I don't have a portable lift.. and parts which need to come off have to have a reasonably clean place to sit till they go back on... dirt lot doesn't sound like a plan but there you have it..

Holy $hizer thats a ton of work for an oil leak. I'd let it leak until most things on that list go bad. What a PITA to work on.

Dave

[winfred]

a upper chain cover gasket is not a big deal, pull the valve cover and about 6 bolts it's on it's way off, definetly could be done in a driveway if you are handy with tools, the lower is the whole front of the motor

[skr]

hey, be glad i't not a v12. in my opinion nothing ain't doable in a parkinglot. if u got some skill,determination and will to suffer u can pull the engine in a parkinglot. u allso need 3 other people and a long pipe, or chuck norris... :)
anyway, they want an insane amount of money for the job. a car guy with a garage and the will to drink some beer whould be cheaper. look into that. but if the only way is to spend big cash, then spend it, because the e34 is defenatly worth any amount and yours is one of the finest there is.

[Paul in NZ]

poor jehu......we are all telling him what an insane ammount of money it is etc but not what he wants to know....
jehu here is what i would do.
I would,at the next service ask your indy to locate the oil leak and to give you an estimate to fix that only...dont confuse the issue with all that other work.We prolly could all spend hundreds and hundreds and hundreds on our cars.So just the oil leak ok?once you have got that sorted you can think about the other stuff at the front of the engine.You may find that the TCC oil leak is not responsible for your total oil loss.And please guys no cracks about doing it himself or what a ripoff mechanics are etc.....not all of us have the desire to tackle these types of jobs.

[Jehu]

poor jehu......we are all telling him what an insane ammount of money it is etc but not what he wants to know....
jehu here is what i would do.
I would,at the next service ask your indy to locate the oil leak and to give you an estimate to fix that only...dont confuse the issue with all that other work.We prolly could all spend hundreds and hundreds and hundreds on our cars.So just the oil leak ok?once you have got that sorted you can think about the other stuff at the front of the engine.You may find that the TCC oil leak is not responsible for your total oil loss.And please guys no cracks about doing it himself or what a ripoff mechanics are etc.....not all of us have the desire to tackle these types of jobs.
Actually what i want to hear is;"oh I can fix that telepathically from my remote location, no sweat,:)

While some of what was included in the quote may not have strictly been neccesary for the oil leak fix , if these parts are known to eventually need replacing it makes sense to me to get them done. Its academic at the moment as i can't drop $4,200 USD on the car right now anyway weather it actually needed it all or not. I am more so leaning toward getting struts ,shocks, new M5 UCA bushings , tie rods and new front tires and just enjoying the car the oil leak be damned.I clearly understand there is only a marginal risk the leak will become a catastrophic failure suddenly and the warning message gives me plenty of heads up to keep operating levels up so having considered available options i have an invitation to bring it into another shop when the owner returns from Vacation second week of July and i will then have two well informed opinions of what can or ought be done if anything ,anything more than the steering,suspension work. I guess i had upon discovering the leak believed it was something one absolutely must attend immediately for the survival of the Engine but if that's not necessarily true I'll put it on the back burner a while.

[Paul in NZ]

well there is no question that it wont lead to a catastrophic failure as long as you keep the oil level up...

[shurton]

I'd drive it till it goes, and then for $4500 you could get and engine swap done. If you can do it yourself you could get it done for $2500-$3000 using a low miles motor. I just had mine swapped for an engine with 110,000km (~70,000 miles)

[Super90]

....after reading everything this car has needed. IMHO, I think you spent too much purchasing a car that was undermaintained and needed far too much work. The fact that you even mention a paint job is the real tip off. I have a buddy with a 540i/6 that is in amazing shape and I know you could buy it for closer to $10k right now today. The paint is beautiful, it has been maintained extremely well, with tons of money spent over the past eight years on her. The interior has been very well cared for with the leather treated religiously. I think your mechanic is basically trying to persuade you to stop spending money on this particular car. It was not the right candidate for all this effort. He is trying to convence you to spend more appropriately. Maybe you have already done all this work on it, and are too far in the hole, so it is difficult to turn back. I can understand that. But, this is starting to sound like a full restoration instead of maintenance. When you mention interior, paint, lots of mechanical needs, that's not a good sign.

Sorry, but that's how I am seeing this based on the bits I have read. Maybe I have misunderstood though.

R.

[Jehu]

....after reading everything this car has needed. IMHO, I think you spent too much purchasing a car that was undermaintained and needed far too much work. The fact that you even mention a paint job is the real tip off. I have a buddy with a 540i/6 that is in amazing shape and I know you could buy it for closer to $10k right now today. The paint is beautiful, it has been maintained extremely well, with tons of money spent over the past eight years on her. The interior has been very well cared for with the leather treated religiously. I think your mechanic is basically trying to persuade you to stop spending money on this particular car. It was not the right candidate for all this effort. He is trying to convence you to spend more appropriately. Maybe you have already done all this work on it, and are too far in the hole, so it is difficult to turn back. I can understand that. But, this is starting to sound like a full restoration instead of maintenance. When you mention interior, paint, lots of mechanical needs, that's not a good sign.

Sorry, but that's how I am seeing this based on the bits I have read. Maybe I have misunderstood though.

R.

I have driven it a lot,putting about 50,000 miles since a year ago last May. What i said it needs it does but for instance the interior. There is only one small,very small opening along the drivers seat upper bolster seam in the entire leather covering of all seating. The carpets aren't immaculate but i drive it every day and it has always been in New England with our snowy,sloppy winters but aside from the twisting passenger seat and drivers head rest needing the fix what i said about needing treatment doesn't mean is a crappy interior just that it is about time to take some sandpaper and the Rejuvinator oil and soften them up. No the leather wasn't religiously treated before i got it but it is as far as i know not all that much of a job to get them softened up. I have used Leatherique a few times, the Rejuvinator oil and prestene clean but i drive the car so much and yes i often eat and drink while driving so its not a concourse show queen. The things i replaced , alternator, clutch and flywheel upper control arms and bushings, motor mount, etc aren't unusual to find failing when they did at between 140-160,000 miles are they? Even the timing chain cover gasket failing has lasted about 75,000.00 since the Short Block swap back in '99 so while perhaps not that many Miles it has been nearly ten years.Is that really all that unusual for a car that when i got it a year ago i began driving like the Devil himself was after me all day? I had a friend who has a lift throw my fuel filters on today and when i told him i paid $9,200 for it he laughed and said he had an e34 540 albeit an automatic for which he paid around $5k. The paint has taken a beating on these sand filled New England roads but when i cleans and wax it and shine the Rondells it still turns heads and gets compliments but sure if you look very closely you'll see a good number of scrapes,chips and the sand blasted nose. I wanted an e34 540 manual and i wanted one i could check out which meant it needed to be local. Sure i could have flown across country and done all that but honestly i was just too busy with work and the rest of my affairs to do that when it was always possible such a trip could always prove fruitless so i jumped when i saw this one near me. I know i paid near the upper end of the Blue Book value and have had to drop a lot of baloney on it but its still a hell of a blast to drive , You should have seen my face tonight flying past all the cubicle people going home from their little boxed in jobs tonight . I was in heaven and to boot this friend with the Garage and lift will throw my shocks and struts in for $65/hr @ apx 5 hrs. Every day the oil leak becomes less and less of an issue moving further back in my thoughts. It does have a little rust around the windshield that with the glass will total about $500 I'll get that done after the shocks are in and maybe have that shop Shadowline paint the window trim and smoke the tail lights. I'm not cashing out of this game yet.