BMW Parts Prices NEW SHOCKER...

[Dezzy]

I had already bored the block to 86mm so I needed the rings.

I had the pistons too. Once I found a reasonable price for good quality rings, I then found out I needed custom little end bushes making up to fit the rods. All good cheap engine building fun.

[goosiegander]

I had already bored the block to 86mm so I needed the rings.

I had the pistons too. Once I found a reasonable price for good quality rings, I then found out I needed custom little end bushes making up to fit the rods. All good cheap engine building fun.

Painful stuff dude!

[Royalratch]

How the hell can a Piston ring cost £135?!?

£135 each or per Piston as in £135 for 3?

How the hell can a Piston ring cost £135?!?








And...








How the hell can a Piston ring cost £135?!?

[Dezzy]

I had already bored the block to 86mm so I needed the rings.

I had the pistons too. Once I found a reasonable price for good quality rings, I then found out I needed custom little end bushes making up to fit the rods. All good cheap engine building fun.

Painful stuff dude!

Thanks mate. It's built now though.

[bss325i]

Alpina E46 B3S headgasket = £310+Vat!

[goosiegander]

Alpina E46 B3S headgasket = £310+Vat!

the thing had better be hand crafted by Chuck Norris on a mountain top for that money...

[Royalratch]

How the hell can a Piston ring cost £135?!?

[Dezzy]

How the hell can a Piston ring cost £135?!?

I was very shock when I rang my local dealers.
I ordered a full set fro
the USA which set be back for a S50 full set of rings £200 including import tax then I broke 1 test fitting

Then a friendly zoner sorted a single piston set out for me.

[goosiegander]

How the hell can a Piston ring cost £135?!?

ROFL!

[Dezzy]

First of all the idea was to use M44 pistons (85 mm) they were about the same money as M3 ring set when I spoke to my local dealer.

[pac1982]

In my little gray folder with all the manuals and history in etc i have a little red book called "The BMW fitted price guarantee scheme"

Apparantly its a guarantee scheme for fixed prices on parts and fitting and is full of vouchers for various parts i'll list a few........

BMW 325 (6 cyl) exhaust £249 fitted

BMW (4cyl) Battery £55 fitted

BMW 325 (6Cyl) Battery £65 Fitted

BMW 325 (6 cyl Front Shock Absorbers £175 fitted

I dont think the vouchers would still be valid but it gives some comparison to todays prices

[bss325i]

An E30 325 exhaust is about £450 now!

[Simon13]

its not just bmw, but GSF. They wan't £77 for a front wheel bearing, they don't sell fag ones which are OE but their own brand only now

£70 for a service exchange rear caliper

A BMW windscreen is £200, more than the rear! About a year ago a front screen could be had with some discount to £100


Loads of stuff has gone up, the coonts are rising us for all its worth winding me up everything seems to be getting expensive E30 wise now

[pac1982]

its not just bmw, but GSF. They wan't £77 for a front wheel bearing, they don't sell fag ones which are OE but their own brand only now

£70 for a service exchange rear caliper

A BMW windscreen is £200, more than the rear! About a year ago a front screen could be had with some discount to £100


Loads of stuff has gone up, the coonts are rising us for all its worth winding me up everything seems to be getting expensive E30 wise now

It does have its good points it will kinda move an E30 in to becoming a serious classic so E30 values should go up over time as well as parts

[bss325i]

A BMW windscreen is £200, more than the rear! About a year ago a front screen could be had with some discount to £100

Yep, i bought a top tint screen for the sport this time last year and it was £100 with discount.

[goosiegander]

A BMW windscreen is £200, more than the rear! About a year ago a front screen could be had with some discount to £100

Yep, i bought a top tint screen for the sport this time last year and it was £100 with discount.

Check out the m3 rear screen prices!

[bss325i]

Did you by an M3/shell in the end?

[AlpineAde]

In Australia a BBS 15" rim is still available from the dealers for around £400. One wheel = £400.

An iS lip is around the same.

A fuel pump for my car is nearly £425.

An Alpina 3 spoke steering wheel? Gettable through special order from BMW. Just under £730.

A cat back exhaust replacement from the dealer for my car is around £550. That's half an exhaust.

[HairyScreech]

well if you ever want any of those bits add postage and £20 for my trouble and ill have them sent to you from the uk.

[Nay]

Are you telling me they charge £135 for a ring that site around a piston.

The new champion mick-take.

@goosiegander - what parts did they 'suddenly' find?

I am telling you (because I know for a fact because I priced them 3 months ago) the the 3 rings that sit around each piston are £135+ vat each.

Needless to say I bought mahle ones

I can also vouch for that.

I called up cotswold last year sometime and the lad on the phone said... 'are you sitting down?'

[AlpineAde]

well if you ever want any of those bits add postage and £20 for my trouble and ill have them sent to you from the uk.

You guys could make a fortune off us Aussies and Kiwis.

'are you sitting down?'

The most common phrase heard here in upside down land.

[HairyScreech]

well if you ever want any of those bits add postage and £20 for my trouble and ill have them sent to you from the uk.

You guys could make a fortune off us Aussies and Kiwis.

'are you sitting down?'

The most common phrase heard here in upside down land.

should that not be "are you sitting up?"

[Dezzy]

Or are you bent over?

[George]

*goes back to the 'E30 Parts for Sale' Section*

[AlpineAde]

LOL! at HairyScreech and Dezzy.

[Royalratch]

Ade - those prices are galacticly stupid.

If you need big expensive one-off stuff just let me know I'll happily get it from here and ship. I get upto 20% off parts too.

iS lip was £100 2 months ago here.

The Piston ring one is still tops at the mo - though the a Tech II steering wheel down under was close.

[AlpineAde]

Honestly, it's amazing Ratch. We poor buggers in the colonies really cop it. I do get a discount on selected parts (when my mate can swing it ) but a lot of the time I'm just left to stump up the cash and pay. I know I can go for cheap parts if I really want, but a lot of them are very poor in quality and I refuse to put them on the car. As far as I am concerned they have to be OEM quality or better. I simply cannot bring myself to put rubbish on my car. Mind you, OEM suppliers often do a "non-branded" version of the part you're looking for so that is always an escape route.

The other alternative a lot of us Australians go for is to buy from America from such companies as UUC, Turner Motorsports, Ireland Engineering, etc., etc. A lot of the time it will work out cheaper than buying from the dealer in your own city!

Oh! And thanks for the offer (and you, too, HairyScreech) ~ at some stage I might just well take you up on that! £100 for an iS lip is crazy cheap out here.

[Royalratch]

As I said, the shit hits the fan when you need a part where there is no OEM or used alternative. Usually interior stuff.

[AlpineAde]

Indeed. Luckily I haven't run into such an instance yet. Give it time though.

I meant to add above, my vote goes for the £135 (+ VAT) piston rings ~ that is a shocker!

[Royalratch]

See below.

[pacerpete]

My dealer now tells me rear number plate lights are £19.42 +vat each , they did tell me £35 each two weeks ago !

Quite a difference from the £4 odd I used to pay !


At least with most mechanical parts there are lots of different options. Alas with trim parts , mouldings, plastics etc there is no choice but to assume the position and grimace !

[Dezzy]

See below.

As in a piston set

[Royalratch]

Just... wow.

[AlpineAde]

See below.

My dealer now tells me rear number plate lights are £19.42 +vat each , they did tell me £35 each two weeks ago !

Quite a difference from the £4 odd I used to pay !


At least with most mechanical parts there are lots of different options. Alas with trim parts , mouldings, plastics etc there is no choice but to assume the position and grimace !

I know!

I've replaced a lot of exterior and interior items and...just...ouch!

[Andyboy]

E36 plastic brake master cylinder reservoir is £103. That is without the screw on top bit, just the reservoir.
You could buy a complete running E36 for that.

E34 5 Series wiper rack assembly (without the motor) is over £500 plus VAT.
You could buy five E34's for that!