A good sign when looking for a mechanic

"Textured Soy Protein" (texturedsoyprotein)
05/06/2016 at 15:06 • Filed to: None

Things are moving forward with my new-to-me 2011 335i xDrive M Sport! The seller signed the title over to me, sent me tracking info for the package, and my shipping company is picking the car up tomorrow. My leased 135is was serviced at the BMW dealer, but now I’m looking for independent shops.

Since the M Sport package on the 335i xDrive doesn’t actually include a sport suspension, which I knew before deciding to buy the car, I’ve been looking at upgrading the suspension. I could maybe do shocks/springs in my garage, but I want to knock out everything with the suspension in one shot. That includes replacing the front tension arm bushings, and dropping the rear subframe to change the sway bar, and while you have it down it’s good to replace the subframe bushings with M3 ones. I can’t do that on my own.

I’ve used a couple different independent shops here in Madison over the years, and have been satisfied to varying degrees. No major problems, and there’s one that I’ve used to install aftermarket performance parts I buy online, but their hourly labor rate ain’t cheap. So I did some searching, and found this little place called Phoenix Foreign Car Service. It’s very close to my office, and Google Street View shows an old Citroen DS in front, a bunch of old Volvos off to the right side, and a Jaguar XK hiding behind that Toyota pickup on the left. Oh, and they have stellar reviews.

So I’m going to call them plus my other place I’ve used before and see what’s what with putting on all these parts.

DISCUSSION (11)

Jcarr > Textured Soy Protein
05/06/2016 at 15:14

Speaking of street view, is the construction around the 18/151-14 interchange done yet? I travel through there every July and I seem to remember it being a pain in the ass the last couple years.

TheTurbochargedSquirrel > Textured Soy Protein
05/06/2016 at 15:31

Kinja'd!!!

This is the place that used to service the renaults and fiats my grandfather owned. Note the 505 next to the forester. Specificaly took the photo facing the next lot over to get a peugeot in the shot with the sign. This lot is about 5 minutes from my dorm. Lots of really cool cars.

JawzX2, Boost Addict. 1.6t, 2.7tt, 4.2t > TheTurbochargedSquirrel
05/06/2016 at 15:34

*waves* Hello fellow Vermonter! (or Vermont Resident if you are only here for college...)

Textured Soy Protein > Jcarr
05/06/2016 at 15:36

Nope, still in progress. Supposed to be finished before this winter.

Jcarr > Textured Soy Protein
05/06/2016 at 15:38

Oy, well I won’t complain any further seeing as how I only have to deal with it once a year.

Textured Soy Protein > Jcarr
05/06/2016 at 15:42

I deal with it every day, but not during peak rush hour so no big deal.

valsidalv, reminding you that infiniti is an option > Textured Soy Protein
05/06/2016 at 15:51

Did I miss something? What happened to the G37?

Textured Soy Protein > valsidalv, reminding you that infiniti is an option
05/06/2016 at 15:59

You can read the long version of the story here: Part 1 , Part 2 , Part 3 , Part 4

Short version: each time I drove a G37 I ended up liking it a bit less so changed my mind and went for an awd BMW.

TheTurbochargedSquirrel > JawzX2, Boost Addict. 1.6t, 2.7tt, 4.2t
05/06/2016 at 16:08

I’m just in Vermont studying Electrical Engineering at UVM but I have tons of family here as well. Familiar with this dealer?

JawzX2, Boost Addict. 1.6t, 2.7tt, 4.2t > TheTurbochargedSquirrel
05/06/2016 at 16:31

somewhat, I used to have my Alfa serviced by them until they installed a clutch plate backwards (they DID make it right, but how do you even do that?). Then I sucked it up and took it to Ralph’s (the only alfa specialist within 300 miles) and paid through the nose for service I at least knew would be right. I think they do better with the French stuff... but I have never gone back to them except to see whats on the lot.

TheTurbochargedSquirrel > JawzX2, Boost Addict. 1.6t, 2.7tt, 4.2t
05/06/2016 at 16:46

I personally don’t have any experience with them but my dad knows the owner from the 80s when they used to do a lot of the service on the cars my father and grandfather owned. Though the last time they would have done any work on our cars would have been my grandfathers Fuego, though he lived in Rutland at the time so they may not have ever worked on that particular car. Installing a clutch plate backwards is a big mistake to make, though you are right that their specialty is the french cars, particularly Peugeots.