jrhone

Need to have some springs installed in my other car...a 2018 M550i.  Anyone have a shop recommendation either in the Bay Area or LA Area...I go back and forth for work and can do either.  Thanks!

Looking for a set of square tail lights, lenses and assemblies.  Doesn't need to be mint, good drivers quality or better.  Thanks!

Im sure you can get a $2500 paint job there.  Mine was 8 years ago but it was $2k all in.  He quotes based on how much work you wanna do.   At the time I went the basic paint job was about $1200 if you didnt need alot of bodywork.  

For my car, engine wasnt pulled. I would be leary of a paint shop pulling and reinstalling engine lol.  You cant tow a car into mexico unless the truck and trailer are registered to you.  They also want a running car to easily move around the shop.  So painting an engineless car in mexico has some issues to get around. 

Wow.  Never had that happen to me.  Good to know.  I walked across the border with an air dam to be painted with no issues.  

When I did my car there wasn’t anything. The only odd thing was me driving back through the border checkpoint with no door panels.  The agent asked why are there no door panels.  It immediately hit me how suspicious that was.  I showed him my receipt from the paint job and was on my way.  

Congrats!   Car looks great!!   Enjoy it!!

Had a day off and instead of jumping into a comfortable and modern 5 series, I hopped into the 02.  Running my errand I decided to take the long way.   Took my time, but revved the car up doing it.  It started running better and better until a huge grin was on my face and I was blipping the throttle on downshifts and throwing it into corners.  Even needed a tune and a suspension refresh and to fix a cracked header…this thing is a blast!!!  Thats it.  This is just a simple I love my 02 post.  
 

If you stressed to Ramiro the quality you wanted, you should be happy with the work.  I was and still am.  Perfect?  No..It's still shiny...lol...and a huge improvement over what was there before.  Keep us posted and let's see some pics of the progress!  

Disagree with some of the stuff here.  Materials in Mexico are cheap.  They have lead based paint.  No EPA laws.  Most of a good paint job is labor, not materials.  Labor again is cheap.  The hard part is finding someone who sees your same vision on what you expect.  Then they quote you the hours it takes to get that result.  Anyone who didnt get the result they wanted, didnt properly communicate what you wanted.  My quote went from $1200 to $1500 to $2000.  Not because of anything except the amount of labor involved in prep work and my expectation.  So the $4000 quote might be for what would be a $12k paint job.  A bargain if the result is achieved.  In my experience, it seems like they hire ONE person to do your car...If they hire someone that isnt skilled then you get a half ass paint job.  They didnt start my car for 2 weeks because he wanted "The right guy" to do my car.  It wouldn't surprise me if the "good" body guys work at alot of different shops and are hired to do individual cars.  Anyway...I hope the price hasn't quadrupled...lol...I have a car I need to send down later this year...

Wow.  Thats a pretty big price difference.  Looks like he is getting alot of work!!  Thats triple what i was quoted.  I ended up right ar $2k.  Including a tip which went to the worker.  

I removed bumpers and interior panels.  They did the rest.   I drove it down and back.  From what I understand you cant take rented trailers over the border.  It was there I think 4 or 5 weeks.  About twice the estimate.  I then I have a thread here on the whole process.

My car went south of the border about 7 years ago.  For what I paid, I wouldn't hesitate to do it again...in fact I will on my current (non 02) build when it gets to that point.  The process was straightforward.  A few others on the forum have taken their 02s to the same place I took mine and the work was done very well...others may chime into how it's holding up.  Mine has held up well, with the exception of a few paint bubbles.  One on the hood and one on the sunroof.  For the price I paid...when I am ready to get those two areas addressed, I will pay for a respray....My car cost me $2k and that included a new headliner and LOTS of rust repair and straightening.  The body work was done amazingly well and was super straight,  I did alot of the labor of removing things and reinstalling things.  I also supplied all new window and door seals so thats not included in the price.  Nor my labor for stripping off the bumpers and lights and reinstalling them.  

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This is what the car looks like today, 7 years after the work.  I'm ashamed to say...It hasn't been waxed in months.  

Interested pm sent

Will these work for an early shorty bumper.  If so i will take them.  I know there are two kinds, not sure about the difference.  
 

John

Any specials on the sidedraft kit?

3 minutes ago, resra said:

@stu_mitch, not trying to be a hero here but I have a very nice gauge cluster housing from the same vintage as yours in question without any marks or damage. It's just the housing though. No gauges. 1974-1976. Free if you like. I can mail it to you or the buyer of yours. Let me know. Just pay shipping cost and I will put it in the mail for you. 

 

 

THIS is why this place is special.  This is common.  Post a want or need and you have a community looking to help!!   

Was it sold here on the FAQ? Was it an established member? I don’t think it’s about right or wrong. I think it’s about what you guys would consider fair. If he is unhappy with it and is willing to ship it back to you then I would refund the money. That’s what I would consider fair. I think you described it accurately but maybe when he got it it was worse than what he thought it would be and so he doesn’t feel he can use it. We are talking $100 here not $100,000. So for the sake of the fact that both of you are in this community and we are all here to make driving and restoring these cars possible and fun, I’d refund the money if he shipped it back.  

I will take them.  Pm sent. 

I will take the RH square tail light.  

Pm sent. I will take the late model with the tach. 

What year car was it out of?   If its a late model i am interested.  

3 minutes ago, John76 said:

JR, 

I was hoping to meet you at the Brisbane Swap & Show.

Car looks GREAT!

John

Thanks!  I was hoping to go but I had some family stuff to do in SoCal.  

Just a few pics after a wash.  She still cleans up nicely.