A surprise and a new question...
Discussion
Took the 330Ci to the local garage to have them look at a very slight knocking sensation that the car gets on certain road surfaces and under moderate braking.
The owner also has a 330Ci so knows the car well, and I asked him to have a look and tell me if the bushes needed replacing. Surprisingly he said they were pretty decent, though he recommended a change to Powerflex ones for peace of mind. He wasn't too sure why I was getting this slight sensation, and wondered if it might be (and I'm quoting from memory here) 'play in the anti-roll mounting pins' or something.
Just wondered if this is a known issue, or whether there's anything else to check.
As I said, he knows 330s so I'm trusting him on this but before I instruct him to 'go fix' it would help if I had some alternative ideas for him to check out.
Car is otherwise driving very well and there's no obvious vagueness in the steering or problems with play as far as I can tell.
The owner also has a 330Ci so knows the car well, and I asked him to have a look and tell me if the bushes needed replacing. Surprisingly he said they were pretty decent, though he recommended a change to Powerflex ones for peace of mind. He wasn't too sure why I was getting this slight sensation, and wondered if it might be (and I'm quoting from memory here) 'play in the anti-roll mounting pins' or something.
Just wondered if this is a known issue, or whether there's anything else to check.
As I said, he knows 330s so I'm trusting him on this but before I instruct him to 'go fix' it would help if I had some alternative ideas for him to check out.
Car is otherwise driving very well and there's no obvious vagueness in the steering or problems with play as far as I can tell.
I'm sure he said he'd fit the bushes if I buy them (less than £50 delivered from Ebay) and £15 each I think for new pins, plus labour which he reckoned to be around an hour's worth (£35) so we're talking just a tad over a hundred quid. Seems quite reasonable, I wasn't quibbling the price, but I did want to see if there was anything else that it could be that he might have missed. After all, though he owns one himself, he's not a BMW specialist and possibly hasn't worked on that many...
You need to ask the question on one of the BMW forums really, they'll learn you.
£100 though, that's not bad really.
It's kind of logical that if they are replacing all the rubbery bits that join all the metally bits on your suspension that it'll stop any knocking noises, or at least rule it out as being your problem.
£100 though, that's not bad really.
It's kind of logical that if they are replacing all the rubbery bits that join all the metally bits on your suspension that it'll stop any knocking noises, or at least rule it out as being your problem.
Edited by dave_s13 on Sunday 17th May 21:11
No way I would put powerflex bushes on your car, it makes it a lot harder ride wise in the respect that you feel every lump and bump through the wheel. I hate them, as do many others.
By all means replace the bushes with new OEM ones or even put on bushes from an M3 cab, which are harder, but still rubber, if you want to stiffen things a bit, but don't put powerflex on.
Changing the antiroll bar drop links could be worth doing, these can be considered a serviceable part on many cars, and they do cause a knocking sound when they go.
Did he check the front wishbone bushes??
By all means replace the bushes with new OEM ones or even put on bushes from an M3 cab, which are harder, but still rubber, if you want to stiffen things a bit, but don't put powerflex on.
Changing the antiroll bar drop links could be worth doing, these can be considered a serviceable part on many cars, and they do cause a knocking sound when they go.
Did he check the front wishbone bushes??
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