Originally Posted by
pfillery
Want to know the best 15 minutes I ever spent - googling and downloading the series 3 factory workshop manual from the net. Most of what the average home mechanic wants to do is in there, and what the book doesn't tell you this forum probably can (so I've found). Or go and buy the haynes one if you don't have the download limit as its a big file. I printed and bound mine and it makes for great light reading at night.
When I used to live in a country area without much access to mechanics except for dodgy ones who would disconnect things rather than fix them (but only unimportant things like cooling fan wires because the fan makes a noise, nothing serious) and whose idea of fixing a check engine light was to take out the bulb, I would do car servicing and auto electrical stuff for $40 an hour plus parts, and usually I told them what to buy and they would supply the oil and filters etc, I would usually include any grease or sprays etc as part of my labour charge. So maybe that is an option, find a good backyard mechanic and source the bits yourself, that way you can buy it on your terms and avoid the added on profit margin they make.
Case in point - Ultra Tune (did I just say that out loud?) wanted $10 for an indicator bulb in a recent roadworthy on a work vehicle, whereas another place just grabbed one out and replaced it for free, no charge at all, (not even for the hours of labour it took to strip the entire car to pieces in order to fit the bulb) so it is all about perspective and where you go. They are reknowned for putting on 20 or 30% markups on parts and always try and quote on genuine parts rather than aftermarket. Tried to quote me over $700 supply only ex freight for a steering part from a Peugeot once and told me they had to be imported from France with a 3 - 4 week delay and were not available in Australia, funny how I managed to find the same part through a Pug dealer for $250 available by overnight freight delivered free. Kind of makes you think they didn't want the job.