Dawg in Dallas

I have lurked and read here for quite some time and even joined up a few months back. As you can see by my post count, I don't post. However, I would like some advice.

I own a '06 530i. Purchased it with 19K as a CPO in April 2008. It now has 130K miles. I have put off some suspension issues for about a year. Well, the time has come to either get the work done or trade it.

I have a quote (indy) to do the following work:

oil change
replace power steering reservoir (has small leak)
Replace lower coolant hose and auxiliary fan switch
Replace front and rear control arms
Replace shocks and struts (bilstein B8)
Replace brake pads and shoes (ceramic pads)

As you can see this is a substantial amount of work. The quote for everything is just over $5K.

For a little history of the car and what has been replaced:

Radiator and new battery about one year ago
Valve cover gasket
all routine maintenance other than what is noted above in the quote, including new plugs and coils at 100K

Have not replaced but based on my reading here will be a problem sooner rather than later - water pump.

Car has been paid for for awhile. According to mechanic, the engine is in great shape, no signs of any leaks at all.

Still love the car, use as a daily driver (obviously with the mileage), am not a DIYer and would like to keep the car a minimum of two more years.

What say you?

TheSuspensionSource

I would shop around a bit more. The brake pads are a simple job. Why do the control arms need to be changed? There are other cheaper options on struts/shocks.

Dawg in Dallas

The car is "floaty." For the remainder of this post, please keep in mind, I am not a DIYer so I may get some of this wrong. I had two shops in the past year and a half tell me the bushings were bad in my car. I would have gotten those fixed at the time, but I had just spent some money on the radiator, battery and valve cover gasket and had a baby due. So I put it off. When I took the car in for a quote, I knew I needed the brakes done, and with the way the car was driving, I also thought it was time for the suspension work to be done. The shop said that because the front control arms were in such bad shape, it put additional pressure on the rear components and while it was not a must to replace at this time, it would be a good idea. I asked for the entire quote so I could weigh my options. I don't really want to piecemeal the suspension, and it doesn't drive the way a BMW should drive currently - particularly in the turns.

I have the cash to do the entire job, I think it needs to be done. I am just wondering whether it is worth it. It is a high mileage car, I am not fanatical about working on it like many here, but I do take care of it. Is this significant investment worth it for such a high mileage car?

He may be gouging me, I don't know, but he is cheaper than the dealer and he has done good work on this car and my '07 335. The brakes for instance he is charging me $400 in labor, the pads, discs and sensors total $600. So $1000 for the brakes...

Given the work, I have outlined, what do you think the ballpark should be?

TheSuspensionSource

I buy most of my OEM parts from PelicanParts.com then take to my indy shop. It typically works out cheaper for me that way. See if your shop will allow you to bring your own parts.

Without knowing the brands you are getting for everything it is hard to say. My local indy shop wants to charge me $140 for pads and rotors. That is with me providing parts. The labor is typically more expensive than the parts.

Dawg in Dallas

Thanks, I will ask them about doing that.