[DozerDan82]

Long time no post. Been crazy busy.

Back in Sept I had a small incident with my car. PS front control arm broke while driving. A very 'exciting' few moments later ended with me using the car in front of me to stop. Turns out the ABS does not like when the tire is jammed up in the fender. Made for an interesting stopping experience.

Prior to this I had just done all new brakes, bearings, trans service, oil change etc. More or less dropped $1,500 into the car to have insurance total it after driving it for a day and a half.

Went back and forth with ins for a bit and finally agreed on buying it back. They sent me a check and I lost it (spend 3 weeks fighting over other money they owed me and did not want to deposit it, so I put it somewhere safe....)

Anyway as of the other day I have been issued all of my money and started ordering parts.

Think I have everything, less a hood and headlight and have spent about $1,200.

My take away after the buy back was $5,400 ish

So not too bad.

Accident took out the bumper and rad support, hood and head light. Rad pushed back into the ps pulley which broke, but the rad never leaked.

On order I have a new rad (just because), ps pulley, M3 control arm set, new rad support, new bumper bar, bumper cover, water pump and thermostat (seems silly not to do them) and some other misc things.

All in all not sure why they totaled the car, but they did. No frame damage, and the bumper bar is prob ever reusable if I wanted.

Down side is I have CBU again, did it a while back but looking at me EGR I can see it built up. So not sure if I am going to tackle that again, or delete or what just yet.

need to resize my pictures to upload them. will do that later.

[awenthol]

Originally Posted by DozerDan82

All in all not sure why they totaled the car, but they did. No frame damage, and the bumper bar is prob ever reusable if I wanted.

Having a shop do all the work, plus parts, paint, etc, it absolutely makes sense. These cars aren't worth anything and with "BMW pricing" repairs can get expensive in a hurry...

Base 335ds are well under $10k now.

[DozerDan82]

Originally Posted by awenthol

Having a shop do all the work, plus parts, paint, etc, it absolutely makes sense. These cars aren't worth anything and with "BMW pricing" repairs can get expensive in a hurry...

Base 335ds are well under $10k now.

I get that, but end of the day the only work that needed to be done was very minor (luckily).

Only real down side is it will have an 'R' title, not a huge deal as I plan on keeping it.

2009 with 155,000 on it. They put value at like $7,900. Which after lots of looking seemed fair enough. Buy back was higher than I would have thought at $2,000 but it is what it is.

[DozerDan82]

Lets see if this works for some pictures.

and my Motor mounts showed up today, was not expecting them until next week.

Bunch of other parts should be in on Monday, so may spend some time installing them.

[kbsilver]

Do you have any idea why the control arm broke? Was the car recently flatbedded for any reason and they tied it down by the control arms (A big NO NO)?

[DozerDan82]

Originally Posted by kbsilver

Do you have any idea why the control arm broke? Was the car recently flatbedded for any reason and they tied it down by the control arms (A big NO NO)?

No idea. I was slowing with traffic, prob doing about 45, hit a bump in the road and all hell broke loose. I was going for the e-brake when i hit the car in front of me. Pretty sure I was hard with my left foot on the dead pedal, and twisted back, which is what jacked my back up. Herniated disk and other fun stuff.


I have some other close up pictures, looks like the casting may have had a void in in, and it was just a matter of time til it went. Def been working its way towards breaking, based on the coloration and striation of the metal at the break.

Ins wanted nothing to do with it, unless a shop had recently worked on it... scumbags.

So far they have just started denying my physical therapy and sending me bills. the fun starts.

[DozerDan82]

SO I have been crazy busy with work and with the rest of life this has taken to the back burner.

Slowly but surely started ticking away at it again.

Decided to delete/tune it while I am here (plus lots of travel time and over time lately)

Doing a DUDMD Tune, Rawtek Downpipe, ERG pipe ect ect.

Got the water pump and thermo in. Fluidampr is installed (original was not horrible, but the car is apart so might as well)

Just got my motor mounts out tonight, realized that the ones I got do not have vacuum connections- need to look into that as they were stated as direct fit even said with vac set up. Eh not the end of the world right now.

I am traveling the rest of the week for work, but should have all my delete parts waiting for me when i get home.

Still need to decide what to do with my head lights, and hood. Hood I may just bang out for now. Head lights I need to get the car kinda back together so I can check them to determine if I am going to re- lense or replace them

Slowly- but she is coming back together.

[Spyro235]

Originally Posted by DozerDan82

SO I have been crazy busy with work and with the rest of life this has taken to the back burner.

Slowly but surely started ticking away at it again.

Decided to delete/tune it while I am here (plus lots of travel time and over time lately)

Doing a DUDMD Tune, Rawtek Downpipe, ERG pipe ect ect.

Got the water pump and thermo in. Fluidampr is installed (original was not horrible, but the car is apart so might as well)

Just got my motor mounts out tonight, realized that the ones I got do not have vacuum connections- need to look into that as they were stated as direct fit even said with vac set up. Eh not the end of the world right now.

I am traveling the rest of the week for work, but should have all my delete parts waiting for me when i get home.

Still need to decide what to do with my head lights, and hood. Hood I may just bang out for now. Head lights I need to get the car kinda back together so I can check them to determine if I am going to re- lense or replace them

Slowly- but she is coming back together.

I'm having my x5d deleted up in albany- if labor is going to be to the tune of $400, it's worth it to me to have someone who has done it before do it. One of those things that I know I'll be cursing under the truck for a weekend trying to do it.

[BB_cuda]

$400 is a great deal on an X5. I need to ask what all your getting done for this price?

[dmanb2b]

Originally Posted by BB_cuda

$400 is a great deal on an X5. I need to ask what all your getting done for this price?

I referred him...great shop, up near where the banned one used to live

[DozerDan82]

Originally Posted by Spyro235

I'm having my x5d deleted up in albany- if labor is going to be to the tune of $400, it's worth it to me to have someone who has done it before do it. One of those things that I know I'll be cursing under the truck for a weekend trying to do it.

Originally Posted by BB_cuda

$400 is a great deal on an X5. I need to ask what all your getting done for this price?

Originally Posted by dmanb2b

I referred him...great shop, up near where the banned one used to live

That sounds like a great price depending what is included. Hell if was closer I would debate spending that not to have to do it myself.


My down pipe showed up, my computer is tuned and going back out today, my other parts are - well I dont know. No shipping info, and can not get a hold of the company.

Plan to drop the rest of the exhaust and gut the SCR tonight. fun fun

[Spyro235]

Originally Posted by BB_cuda

$400 is a great deal on an X5. I need to ask what all your getting done for this price?

All in, I was told it would be right around $2000. ATM downpipe and midpipe, an scr race pipe, back to stock mufflers. That price includes installation, which by my measure makes labor around $350ish I think. Worth the 3 hour drive and $350 for me to have someone else do it at that rate. It'll probably be done faster, including the driving time!

[DozerDan82]

Originally Posted by Spyro235

All in, I was told it would be right around $2000. ATM downpipe and midpipe, an scr race pipe, back to stock mufflers. That price includes installation, which by my measure makes labor around $350ish I think. Worth the 3 hour drive and $350 for me to have someone else do it at that rate. It'll probably be done faster, including the driving time!

Not bad at all, I have like $1450 into my tune, down pipe and egr delete pipe.

Where in Northern NJ are you. I am in central. (exit 8 on the NJTP)

[DozerDan82]

DPF is out. I have been working on cars for over 20 years, and that was one of the most PITA jobs I have done in a long time.

So much crap had to come off to get to it, and who ever designed that motor mount bracket needs to be strung up.

Now to drop the rest of the exhaust and gut the SCR.

Gonna need to go buy some beer.

[Spyro235]

Originally Posted by DozerDan82

Not bad at all, I have like $1450 into my tune, down pipe and egr delete pipe.

Where in Northern NJ are you. I am in central. (exit 8 on the NJTP)

I'm up near exit 27 on Rt 80. I'm north western(To most people...).

Originally Posted by DozerDan82

DPF is out. I have been working on cars for over 20 years, and that was one of the most PITA jobs I have done in a long time.

So much crap had to come off to get to it, and who ever designed that motor mount bracket needs to be strung up.

Now to drop the rest of the exhaust and gut the SCR.

Gonna need to go buy some beer.

Every story I hear like this reinforces the fact that I should just pay a few hundred to have someone else do it in a few hours' time

I priced it out, iirc I was using ATM downpipe and mid pipe, and I'm not sure who's screwed race pipe. Total came to around $1650 in parts, so the $2000 to have it done without lifting a finger will be great. I've got enough projects- Drift car's motor is currently supported by an engine bar, oil pan is off of it along with the power steering pump, and everything considered front suspension from the subframe to the coils. Once the pan is back on, I'll be taking the trans mounts off, installing a new shifter, then subframe back on and everything back together with all new mounts/ steering coupler/ all that junk. Not to mention my dirtbike needs a clutch, and my '85 sabre needs desperate electrical help.... I just can't take on the truck project, as much as I'd rather keep my money!