German Logic

"Party-vi" (party-vi)
08/27/2015 at 11:05 • Filed to: None

A water pump for my E46 is $200, but the rain gutter trim that dry rotted is $371 each side. Fucking what?

DISCUSSION (29)

RamblinRover Luxury-Yacht > Party-vi
08/27/2015 at 11:10

High premium on the looks of your rain gutter, mein Herr. No good skimping on the stuff that really matters. *takes off insane German hat*

If only EssExTee could be so grossly incandescent > Party-vi
08/27/2015 at 11:11

They foresaw cooling system issues and started mass producing replacements right from the very beginning of the car.

You have xenon lights? Don’t break ‘em. It’s $800 a pop.

MontegoMan562 is a Capri RS Owner > Party-vi
08/27/2015 at 11:12

Clearly you’re not aware of how much over-engineering went into that rain gutter trim.

RamblinRover Luxury-Yacht > MontegoMan562 is a Capri RS Owner
08/27/2015 at 11:13

German overengineering: It may be unnecessary but it sure is expensive!... wait

EL_ULY > Party-vi
08/27/2015 at 11:14

*car logic

Party-vi > If only EssExTee could be so grossly incandescent
08/27/2015 at 11:17

I’m trying to figure out how I would break my lights, but I believe you on the price. Strangely enough my cooling system hasn’t given me any issues in the past 50,000 miles.

StoneCold > Party-vi
08/27/2015 at 11:23

My E38 had a tiny leak in the stripping/molding/rain-guttery-gilbilde that would dampen the passenger rear carpet a bit. So. I busted it out like so , and filled it wiiiiiith:

Kinja'd!!!

!!! UNKNOWN CONTENT TYPE !!!

I swear to God. And it never leaked for the rest of the 7 months I had it in Chicago winters. Still doesn’t, if my neighbor I sold it to is to be believed. No regrets. Alabama School of Shade Tree Mechanics: German Division.

Chris_K_F drives an FR-Slow > Party-vi
08/27/2015 at 11:24

Kinja'd!!!

If only EssExTee could be so grossly incandescent > Party-vi
08/27/2015 at 11:25

I should clarify, that’s $800 ea. for an E39. Yours probably cost much more.

Leadbull > Party-vi
08/27/2015 at 11:26

Schade

Party-vi > If only EssExTee could be so grossly incandescent
08/27/2015 at 11:28

Yep - around $850 each for mine. Dayum.

If only EssExTee could be so grossly incandescent > Party-vi
08/27/2015 at 11:32

The way I see it, you’re not just paying for the parts, you’re paying for ten years of warehouse storage fees.

Hope you don’t have any angry exes that own baseball bats.

EmbraceTheRasp > Party-vi
08/27/2015 at 11:33

The sliding ashtray cover on the tunnel facing the rear seats costs $150.

Could be worse. You could’ve got sucked into a convertible. I’ve decided to find a blown-motor clean-ish M3 just for the annoying little parts that no one is going to make in 5 years.

When you have to deal with these sorts of things, just remind yourself that you bought it for the sweet 6 under the hood and the tight suspension under the fenders, not for the on-again-off-again central locking system or the two-foot-radius range on the keyless entry.

unclevanos (Ovaltine Jenkins) > Party-vi
08/27/2015 at 11:50

$200?! Have you looked on fcpeuro?

Party-vi > unclevanos (Ovaltine Jenkins)
08/27/2015 at 11:55

That’s for the Stewart high performance pump, which I have installed already. You can get a cheapo pump for like $65.

RamblinRover Luxury-Yacht > Chris_K_F drives an FR-Slow
08/27/2015 at 11:58

One German*
*With a special tool, a special workshop procedure detailed in the manual taking two hours (and would, without the procedure, take four), and to replace a light bulb costing four times as much as a typical one.

RamblinRover Luxury-Yacht > StoneCold
08/27/2015 at 11:59

Alabama rednecking: 1, obtuse German failure modes: 0

bobbe17 > Party-vi
08/27/2015 at 12:05

Are you just talking about the black rubber around a rear window on a coupe? If so there’s a DIY out there that uses 3M weather stripping for about $40 total. It’s a pretty easy job, did it on mine last year.

http://www.m3forum.net/m3forum/showth…

Party-vi > bobbe17
08/27/2015 at 12:13

That’s the exact piece, and there’s no way I’m going to shade tree my car up.

Sam > Party-vi
08/27/2015 at 12:14

Trim and other cosmetic things are always more expensive than mechanical things. They probably stopped mass producing the trim about 10 years after they stopped production.

unclevanos (Ovaltine Jenkins) > Party-vi
08/27/2015 at 12:17

I shelled out $95 for the geba water pump. At least stewart makes pumps for the inline sixes, the v8 guys are left out.

RallyWrench > Party-vi
08/27/2015 at 12:22

What? The list on that pump is $137, and most aftermarket sources sell a Graf or equivalent for less. The trim does suck, that’s all BMW. I’d say pop it off and paint it yourself, but it’s a pain in the ass to get off without bending.

RallyWrench > Party-vi
08/27/2015 at 12:24

Yeah. My 46 has Bi-Xenons, I’m fearing that day.

Party-vi > RallyWrench
08/27/2015 at 12:27

Mine’s a 2002 with 165k miles. I think you’ll be OK for a while.

RallyWrench > Party-vi
08/27/2015 at 12:43

Mine’s an ‘03 with 160, so I hope so. Although I’ll be selling it soon, unfortunately.

bobbe17 > Party-vi
08/27/2015 at 13:39

Fair enough. I’m a cheap ass and like doing things myself. Figured worst case scenario I'd have to replace them anyway. Something minor like window trim that no one will notice I'm willing to do a little improvising. I can certainly understand why some one would want to stick with real parts though.

Party-vi > bobbe17
08/27/2015 at 13:43

My only concern is with water infiltration and rust. I figure as long as the window seals are good it should be alright.

NoneOfYourBiz > Party-vi
08/27/2015 at 14:24

Similar with my mid 2000s Hyundai Elantra. A weather seal for a door is something like $300. Water pump? Maybe $50.

My theory is it’s because things like seals (or trim) are custom to each model whereas they can re-use designs of things like water pumps or alternators so economies of scale kick in.

I don’t buy German cars anymore though; cost of ownership is through the roof.

Party-vi > NoneOfYourBiz
08/27/2015 at 14:31

My theory is they hate us.