[tomgwuyn]

Hi All,

I got a 06 330i 6 speed manual which got 110K miles.I've owned it for 1.5 years now and changed brakes and tires recently. The shocks / struts / sway bars are due now after getting examined by Indy mechanics and its estimated around 2 to 2.5K (Bilstein B6 or B8 with other components) . Oil Pan is also leaking and I know that is optional.

Nothing else is due except some minor things like rear sunscreen shade not working etc. But that too is optional.

Should I spend the additional 2.5K or sell it? What are the pros/cons?

[Unknown_Car]

Don't listen to all the indy mechanics. You should feel yourself if you need new suspension or not. I had before e39's with 120k miles and shocks where still really good. Plus you never know the person before might of changed. I never belive indy mechanics. I know this because i used to be a B teck and i seen how much crap people where doing that was not even needed, all for the commission thats how you get payed.

Plus 2.5k for sturs, shocks and sway bars is way to much. Why wont you do it your self if you think its needed?

[Efthreeoh]

I know the streets of Albany are not the best, and the suspension has probably seen its share of pot holes, but at 110K I doubt it needs anything but front struts and rear shocks, and maybe front thrust arms. I doubt it needs any additional suspension components. It sounds like the mechanic is suggesting you upgrade the suspension rather than just repair it. Look at the struts and shocks, if they are not wet with oil, then while not new, they are still functional. Salt corrosion being an issue in the North East, it could be corrosion has damaged the shocks and struts and causing them to leak, which means they lose their dampening function and need to be replaced.

Being that you think you should sell the car just because it possibly needs $2K of suspension work tells me you are not in it for the long haul of BMW ownership. At 110K miles, your car is going to need repairs and if not DIYing most of them, you are going to want to sell the car every time a repair comes up. In that case, just get the minimum done, which is struts and shocks.

If you shy away from repairs such as this, perhaps leasing a new car every 3 years is your best option.

[tomgwuyn]

Originally Posted by Efthreeoh

I know the streets of Albany are not the best, and the suspension has probably seen its share of pot holes, but at 110K I doubt it needs anything but front struts and rear shocks, and maybe front thrust arms. I doubt it needs any additional suspension components. It sounds like the mechanic is suggesting you upgrade the suspension rather than just repair it. Look at the struts and shocks, if they are not wet with oil, then while not new, they are still functional. Salt corrosion being an issue in the North East, it could be corrosion has damaged the shocks and struts and causing them to leak, which means they lose their dampening function and need to be replaced.

Being that you think you should sell the car just because it possibly needs $2K of suspension work tells me you are not in it for the long haul of BMW ownership. At 110K miles, your car is going to need repairs and if not DIYing most of them, you are going to want to sell the car every time a repair comes up. In that case, just get the minimum done, which is struts and shocks.

If you shy away from repairs such as this, perhaps leasing a new car every 3 years is your best option.

Thanks Efthreeoh. I was only thinking because I had spent around 4K in the last 1.5 years on the mechanical stuff. If I am doing the shocks/struts, I will definitely do a good suspension refresh to make sure the sway bars/thrust arms are done. And you are right about the Albany roads. They are way tooo bad. It gets worse during Winter.

How long do you think the life on these cars would be considering the kind of roads it is operated on? It is my daily driver and I drive 40 miles round trip everyday.

[tomgwuyn]

Originally Posted by Roma_335i

Don't listen to all the indy mechanics. You should feel yourself if you need new suspension or not. I had before e39's with 120k miles and shocks where still really good. Plus you never know the person before might of changed. I never belive indy mechanics. I know this because i used to be a B teck and i seen how much crap people where doing that was not even needed, all for the commission thats how you get payed.

Plus 2.5k for sturs, shocks and sway bars is way to much. Why wont you do it your self if you think its needed?

I got your point. I am able to hear sound while driving and it gets worse on bumps/potholes. The mechanic pointed that to be left front and right front stabilizer push rods (I guess those are sway bars.) and rear shocks.

[Efthreeoh]

Originally Posted by tomgwuyn

Thanks Efthreeoh. I was only thinking because I had spent around 4K in the last 1.5 years on the mechanical stuff. If I am doing the shocks/struts, I will definitely do a good suspension refresh to make sure the sway bars/thrust arms are done. And you are right about the Albany roads. They are way tooo bad. It gets worse during Winter.

How long do you think the life on these cars would be considering the kind of roads it is operated on? It is my daily driver and I drive 40 miles round trip everyday.

I drive on pretty smooth roads, but my car sees about 40 miles a day of back road hammering. Thats out of a 175-mile daily. My car is 12 years old and 356,000 miles. I did shocks and struts at 185K, then a Bilstein B8/H&R upgrade at 320K, with new A-arms and tierods. I have M3 thrust arms that were refreshed at 300K. The chassis is a tank. But your car sees more salt. Mine at 12 years is in fantastic shape body wise

[tomgwuyn]

When is the right time to replace the O2 Sensors and Catalytic converts on a 06 330i with 116000 miles? And how much would it cost approx? The driver side rear window also failed to close after I opened it. Looks like it is the actuator problem.

[Efthreeoh]

Originally Posted by tomgwuyn

When is the right time to replace the O2 Sensors and Catalytic converts on a 06 330i with 116000 miles? And how much would it cost approx? The driver side rear window also failed to close after I opened it. Looks like it is the actuator problem.

I'll not comment on the window actuator.

But the O2 sensors and cats... If you have no SES trouble codes related to them, leave them alone. In my car, I've lost only the Bank 2 Sensor 1 (pre-cat) lambda probe (twice for some reason). The other 3 sensors are original at 366,000.

The replacement Bosch parts are anywhere from $90 to $170 depending upon where you buy them from. There are 4 total sensors, so anywhere between $400 to $800 for just the parts w/out labor. The BMW OE parts are $250. Replacing the cats means replacing the exhaust manifolds, which is cost prohibitive. Just leave everything alone until a SES light comes up and a trouble code points to the O2 sensors or cats.

My 2 cents.

[PhaseP]

+1 on not replacing O2 Sensors or Cats until they fail, which you will be notified with engine an check light. And if that happens, first check your exhaust manifold to exhaust pipe flange connections, they may start to leak and being very close to rear O2 Sensors will cause engine check light, where there is nothing wrong with the O2 Sensors nor the Cats.

For the suspension I agree with Efthreeoh too, front struts and rear shocks and the front thrust arm bushings most probably.

You may also need a control arm bushing on rear suspension each side, that is reported here in the form to cause squeaking. Mine are still fine.

[unrulyteach]

Robbery