Help: water leak!

[PapayaSF]

I'm not a mechanic, and a job as serious as finding and fixing a coolant leak would be beyond me. I might save a few hundred if I did it myself, but it would probably take me an entire day, and if I screwed up, would cost me more in the end.

Years ago I thought of changing the spark plugs in my TR-6, but chickened out and took it to the shop, and boy am I glad I did. One of the spark plugs off when they tried to remove it. It took them a great deal of effort to get all the pieces out, which they did at their expense, of course. If I'd broken that plug, it would have cost me more time and far more money than I might have saved.

If you want a website built or an article edited, I'm your guy. But it makes more sense for me to leave things like coolant leaks to experts.

[Mopho]

Originally Posted by PapayaSF

I'm not a mechanic, and a job as serious as finding and fixing a coolant leak would be beyond me. I might save a few hundred if I did it myself, but it would probably take me an entire day, and if I screwed up, would cost me more in the end.

Years ago I thought of changing the spark plugs in my TR-6, but chickened out and took it to the shop, and boy am I glad I did. One of the spark plugs off when they tried to remove it. It took them a great deal of effort to get all the pieces out, which they did at their expense, of course. If I'd broken that plug, it would have cost me more time and far more money than I might have saved.

If you want a website built or an article edited, I'm your guy. But it makes more sense for me to leave things like coolant leaks to experts.

PM me the next time you need something done on your car. I am 25 miles from S.Francisco in the East Bay. Might be able to save you some money.
I'm getting pretty good at finding parts at a discount (30 years as a body and fender repairman in El Cerrito and Shop manager for 10 years).
I am so picky about work being done on my cars, I usually do it myself.
I also only know one way to do things. The right way the first time, that way you don't have to do it twice.
Seems like a lot of the young mechanics I have dealt with are in such a hurry to beat flatrate, they don't have time to clean parts, reassemble correctly, or anything else. I HATE doing things twice.
I just changed the A/C condenser (which is probably the next thing that will go wrong with your car, it's typical on Bimmers) and spent less than $200 including the recharge and cost of new condenser. There's a place in Oakland where I get all my radiators and A/C condensers, cost me $142 for the condenser brand new with lifetime warrantee.

[PapayaSF]

Thanks, Mopho, I'll keep that in mind. The only thing at the moment is the apparently common problem of a broken driver's side door panel. I've found some tutorials online, and it seems like the sort of repair I might tackle myself. But if you find a dark gray door panel for a '96, let me know!

Oh, and the California sunroof part identified here. BMW San Francisco still can't find one!

[Mopho]

Originally Posted by PapayaSF

Thanks, Mopho, I'll keep that in mind. The only thing at the moment is the apparently common problem of a broken driver's side door panel. I've found some tutorials online, and it seems like the sort of repair I might tackle myself. But if you find a dark gray door panel for a '96, let me know!

Oh, and the California sunroof part identified here. BMW San Francisco still can't find one!

I would go to an upolstery shop on the top part you need. They will have resources the dealer won't have.
Door panel? does it just need the mounts for the push buttons re-attached?
I glued my plastic mounting brackets with epoxy, picked up new push pins (that snap into the door and are mounted on the door panel brackets that come loose).
Another way to fix the door panel if it is not cracked and falling apart, is to get some long upolstery type screws and put a few in to hold the door panel on. Kinda micky mouse, but works if you don't want to take the door panel off.

I gotta do my drivers side still, it's flopping around, already fixed passenger side when I changed the window regulator.
The part # for the door panel "clip" (push in buttons to hold door panel on)
is #51-43-8-189-311

[xxxJohnBoyxxx]

Originally Posted by PapayaSF

I'm not a mechanic, and a job as serious as finding and fixing a coolant leak would be beyond me. I might save a few hundred if I did it myself, but it would probably take me an entire day, and if I screwed up, would cost me more in the end.

Years ago I thought of changing the spark plugs in my TR-6, but chickened out and took it to the shop, and boy am I glad I did. One of the spark plugs off when they tried to remove it. It took them a great deal of effort to get all the pieces out, which they did at their expense, of course. If I'd broken that plug, it would have cost me more time and far more money than I might have saved.

If you want a website built or an article edited, I'm your guy. But it makes more sense for me to leave things like coolant leaks to experts.

Well you definately made the right choice. I'm sorry for my remarks since if you did it yourself you might end up with thousands in damage.

You need to make friends with some DIY'ers

Best, John Smith