# BMW guys- looking for a local mechanic
**URL:** https://forums.speedlife.net/t/bmw-guys-looking-for-a-local-mechanic/69731
**Category:** NYSpeed Automotive
**Created:** [June 26, 2009, 9:55am UTC](https://forums.speedlife.net/t/bmw-guys-looking-for-a-local-mechanic/69731 "2009-06-26T09:55:51Z")
**Posts on this page:** 20
**Page:** 1
### Author:  [@frost12850](https://forums.speedlife.net/u/frost12850)
#### Post date: [June 26, 2009, 9:55am UTC](https://forums.speedlife.net/t/bmw-guys-looking-for-a-local-mechanic/69731/1 "2009-06-26T09:55:51Z")
I have this annoying vibration, I dug around under the car for a little to check the common culprits with not the best of luck. I wanna just take it to someone to have a diagnosis done. For all I know it can just be that I need an allignment or something but I want to know for sure rather than spending a few bucks here and there hoping it solves the issue. Bottom line, anyone know of a local mechanic who knows his stuff, specifically BMW related. Theres this guy John Guarino that I had run an allignment on my old 328is back in the day that I was considering going to again but figured Id try for some other sources first.
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### Author:  [@ultradriver10000](https://forums.speedlife.net/u/ultradriver10000)
#### Post date: [June 26, 2009, 10:02am UTC](https://forums.speedlife.net/t/bmw-guys-looking-for-a-local-mechanic/69731/2 "2009-06-26T10:02:27Z")
You still can’t figure out what the problem is?
Sell that POS already and buy something from down here. Maybe upgrade to an M5 🙂
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### Author:  [@Blue\_Eyed\_Devil](https://forums.speedlife.net/u/Blue_Eyed_Devil)
#### Post date: [June 26, 2009, 10:13am UTC](https://forums.speedlife.net/t/bmw-guys-looking-for-a-local-mechanic/69731/3 "2009-06-26T10:13:37Z")
It might be good to mention which BMW you own. There may be a common problem with that model. Just sayin…
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### Author:  [@POOPRA](https://forums.speedlife.net/u/POOPRA)
#### Post date: [June 26, 2009, 10:16am UTC](https://forums.speedlife.net/t/bmw-guys-looking-for-a-local-mechanic/69731/4 "2009-06-26T10:16:43Z")
Blackforest for euros
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### Author:  [@Nikuk](https://forums.speedlife.net/u/Nikuk)
#### Post date: [June 26, 2009, 10:18am UTC](https://forums.speedlife.net/t/bmw-guys-looking-for-a-local-mechanic/69731/5 "2009-06-26T10:18:06Z")
BlackForest Motorsports – [http://www.nyspeed.com/forums/member.php?u=3039](http://www.nyspeed.com/forums/member.php?u=3039)
They are a vendor here, and highly recommended.
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### Author:  [@Shrives](https://forums.speedlife.net/u/Shrives)
#### Post date: [June 26, 2009, 10:29am UTC](https://forums.speedlife.net/t/bmw-guys-looking-for-a-local-mechanic/69731/6 "2009-06-26T10:29:52Z")
jason at blackforest on genesee near the airport does great work. also, keith at athol motors on reading near south park. id trust either one of them without question.
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### Author:  [@ultradriver10000](https://forums.speedlife.net/u/ultradriver10000)
#### Post date: [June 26, 2009, 10:31am UTC](https://forums.speedlife.net/t/bmw-guys-looking-for-a-local-mechanic/69731/7 "2009-06-26T10:31:06Z")
1996 M3 5 speed, 3.38 diff 125K, red, DSIIs painted dark grey, black interior, intake, exhaust, butt plug in seat mod, etc. etc. etc.
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### Author:  [@frost12850](https://forums.speedlife.net/u/frost12850)
#### Post date: [June 26, 2009, 10:36am UTC](https://forums.speedlife.net/t/bmw-guys-looking-for-a-local-mechanic/69731/8 "2009-06-26T10:36:42Z")
Its an e36 M3… checked the guibo already. Dont think its the motor mounts or tranny mounts. Ive been too lazy to see if its the CSB (center shaft bearing) plus I dont know what a bad one would look like. Might be something with the brakes… cuz I hear a slight noise when im next to a divider on an on ramp. I feel it mainly in the rear of the car… Im afraid its a rear wheel bearing but I dont wanna say it is yet. I just work too much now where when the weekend comes I dont wanna be under my car trying to determine what it is. Id rather pay a shop to run a diagnosis and tell me what it is so I can either have them fix it or determine myself if I can fix it. If its a wheel bearing Im obv not doing it. If its my rear tabs or something along those lines Ill do it. Like I said… hopefully its just that I need an allingment. I had my suspension all over the place when I swapped my diff and Ive never had an allignment done for as long as Ive owned the car.
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### Author:  [@frost12850](https://forums.speedlife.net/u/frost12850)
#### Post date: [June 26, 2009, 10:37am UTC](https://forums.speedlife.net/t/bmw-guys-looking-for-a-local-mechanic/69731/9 "2009-06-26T10:37:51Z")
> [@ultradriver10000](#):
>
> 1996 M3 5 speed, 3.38 diff 125K, red, DSIIs painted dark grey, black interior, intake, exhaust, butt plug in seat mod, etc. etc. etc.
Your an asshole hahaha… but yea I might try selling it. Your just about spot on with the description minus a few obv things :mamoru:. Id prob keep the intake and exhaust though and return it back to stock.
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### Author:  [@theblue](https://forums.speedlife.net/u/theblue)
#### Post date: [June 26, 2009, 10:46am UTC](https://forums.speedlife.net/t/bmw-guys-looking-for-a-local-mechanic/69731/10 "2009-06-26T10:46:04Z")
rear trailing arm bushings are the most common cause of rear vibration… they need to be replaced every 70k or so.
these cars of a lot of suspension / driveline wear items it and it’s often a few of them being half gone which cause the problem… a good mechanic might get lucky, but you’ll have to do them all in the end.
this year on my E36 I’ve done front control arms + bushings, rear bushings, new struts and springs and it was night and day… my car only has like 85k on it and needed all of this.
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### Author:  [@frost12850](https://forums.speedlife.net/u/frost12850)
#### Post date: [June 26, 2009, 11:00am UTC](https://forums.speedlife.net/t/bmw-guys-looking-for-a-local-mechanic/69731/11 "2009-06-26T11:00:21Z")
Yea Ive been in teh e36 crowd for a long time… front control arms are a PITA first time doing them… Ive never done rear cabs though. Are they difficult? Im riding on HR sports with Bilsteins. If Im doing any spirited driving suchas taking an on ramp hot Ive noticed that things dont feel as stiff as they should be.
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### Author:  [@snowracer101](https://forums.speedlife.net/u/snowracer101)
#### Post date: [June 26, 2009, 11:08am UTC](https://forums.speedlife.net/t/bmw-guys-looking-for-a-local-mechanic/69731/12 "2009-06-26T11:08:26Z")
I recently did my Rtabs and I’m not mechanically inclined at all, and It took me like 3 hours, not a bad job at all.
I’m not sure how hard the control arm bushings are though…
PS. if you do sell, i’ll buy your exhaust.
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### Author:  [@theblue](https://forums.speedlife.net/u/theblue)
#### Post date: [June 26, 2009, 11:09am UTC](https://forums.speedlife.net/t/bmw-guys-looking-for-a-local-mechanic/69731/13 "2009-06-26T11:09:48Z")
the rears are easy if you know what you’re doing… most people report 4 hours for the first side and one hour for the second (once you know what you’re doing). this turned out true for me… I made the “home depot” tool to press them in.
\*\* I meant rtabs.
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### Author:  [@snowracer101](https://forums.speedlife.net/u/snowracer101)
#### Post date: [June 26, 2009, 11:20am UTC](https://forums.speedlife.net/t/bmw-guys-looking-for-a-local-mechanic/69731/14 "2009-06-26T11:20:44Z")
> [@theblue](#):
>
> the rears are easy if you know what you’re doing… most people report 4 hours for the first side and one hour for the second (once you know what you’re doing). this turned out true for me… I made the “home depot” tool to press them in.
>
> \*\* I meant rtabs.
I ordered the UUC polys. UGH, now I deal with squeaks ☹
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### Author:  [@frost12850](https://forums.speedlife.net/u/frost12850)
#### Post date: [June 26, 2009, 11:22am UTC](https://forums.speedlife.net/t/bmw-guys-looking-for-a-local-mechanic/69731/15 "2009-06-26T11:22:34Z")
> [@sedlmeier101](#):
>
> I ordered the UUC polys. UGH, now I deal with squeaks ☹
I thought you had an e46?
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### Author:  [@theblue](https://forums.speedlife.net/u/theblue)
#### Post date: [June 26, 2009, 11:23am UTC](https://forums.speedlife.net/t/bmw-guys-looking-for-a-local-mechanic/69731/16 "2009-06-26T11:23:36Z")
I just did OEM, but a lot of the race guys like OEM + the re-enforcers and don’t like to go stiffer.
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### Author:  [@frost12850](https://forums.speedlife.net/u/frost12850)
#### Post date: [June 26, 2009, 11:23am UTC](https://forums.speedlife.net/t/bmw-guys-looking-for-a-local-mechanic/69731/17 "2009-06-26T11:23:42Z")
> [@theblue](#):
>
> the rears are easy if you know what you’re doing… most people report 4 hours for the first side and one hour for the second (once you know what you’re doing). this turned out true for me… I made the “home depot” tool to press them in.
>
> \*\* I meant rtabs.
I never did rtabs before… perhaps you can enlighten me on some tips if I need to do them?
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### Author:  [@theblue](https://forums.speedlife.net/u/theblue)
#### Post date: [June 26, 2009, 11:25am UTC](https://forums.speedlife.net/t/bmw-guys-looking-for-a-local-mechanic/69731/18 "2009-06-26T11:25:07Z")
this is what you want to do:
[http://www.bimmerdiy.com/diy/e36rtab/](http://www.bimmerdiy.com/diy/e36rtab/)
then only thing to add is that I used an air chisel to easily remove them once I’d used a cutting tool to break through one of the sides… popped right out in 10 mins on the second side. don’t forget to mark the alignment point before you remove them and also measure the distance the stock ones are in since this affects alignment.
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### Author:  [@frost12850](https://forums.speedlife.net/u/frost12850)
#### Post date: [June 26, 2009, 11:29am UTC](https://forums.speedlife.net/t/bmw-guys-looking-for-a-local-mechanic/69731/19 "2009-06-26T11:29:18Z")
> [@theblue](#):
>
> this is what you want to do:
>
> [BMW E36 RTAB Without Special Tools](http://www.bimmerdiy.com/diy/e36rtab/)
>
> then only thing to add is that I used an air chisel to easily remove them once I’d used a cutting tool to break through one of the sides… popped right out in 10 mins on the second side. don’t forget to mark the alignment point before you remove them and also measure the distance the stock ones are in since this affects alignment.
Dammit… air chisel… something I do not have. And your up in the Roch so I couldnt even attempt to compensate you for some assistance with an air chisel
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### Author:  [@theblue](https://forums.speedlife.net/u/theblue)
#### Post date: [June 26, 2009, 11:33am UTC](https://forums.speedlife.net/t/bmw-guys-looking-for-a-local-mechanic/69731/20 "2009-06-26T11:33:13Z")
if you have air tools, they are like $10 a harbor freight. if not you can still make it happen, but it might take a bit longer to get them out.
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