Based on regular members that post here, the following are a list of shops in the SE WI area that work on/specialize in BMWs.

Concours Motors (Dealership)
5990 N. Green Bay Road
Glendale, WI 53209
(800) 604-4213
(800) 604-2792
http://www.concoursbmw.com/en_US/

Zimbrick BMW (Dealership)
2400 Rimrock Road
Madison, WI 53713
(608)443-3900
http://www.zimbrickbmw.com/

Alpine Import Specialists
2201 W. Bender Rd.
Glendale, WI
414-228-8292

The Little Car Shop
4251 N. Green Bay Rd.
Milwaukee, WI
414-263-2500

European Auto House
4618 W. Woolworth Ave.
Milwaukee, WI
414-358-3552

O'Reilly Motor Cars
324 W. Cherry
Milwaukee, WI
414-273-6789

Mraz Import Automotive
3240 Gateway Rd
Brookfield, WI 53045

(262) 781-0074


(recommended on e46fanatics.com)
Matt's Foreign Car Specialists
55th and Vliet
414-475-0525

State of The Art Import Auto Repair
6210 W State St
Milwaukee, WI 53213
(414) 431-2900

IF you know of a shop

Please post the name, address, and phone #. If you know of a shop that specializes in certain areas - i.e. Powdercoating, exhaust, etc. please post that up as well.


Thanks
Sachin

I can tell you right now that Randy at State of the Art is a complete tool. My friend Jake who owns Topstreet Performance leased the back of Randy's building out a few years ago just to get started. The guy is a hack and overcharges like none other. He speciallizes in Honda/Toyota, has hardly seen a BMW, Audi, or Merc, and charged some poor 19yo kid to put a 6-speed swap in a VR-4. :shifty

I've always recommended Foreign Car Specialists in Madison, WI. Chris Beebe has owned the shop since 1968, and is very familiar with BMW's. Ask him to see his vintage BMW Isetta! They know what they are doing for sure. I would ask specifically if Chris or George can work on your car. One time my engine was running a little rough, I asked Chris about it and he told me to start the car and pop the hood. He put his ear down near the cylinder head and proclaimed the #3 spark plug to be misfiring. So we put a new one in... and sure enough, it solved the problem. This guy knows cars.

I worked there for about 8 months last year, so I know the shop pretty well.

Foreign Car Specialists
1313 Regent St.
Madison, WI 53715
608-255-3441


Don't even consider taking your car to Zimbrick BMW in Madison. Those guys are hacks, and will bend you over with the bill. They price gouge badly, even if you just go in to buy parts!

nice to see you posting ryan. thanks for the call today, long time no hear from ya...

edit to make this post worthly of being in a sticky thread.

kelly moss motorsports here in madison was recommended to me by a couple people through the years.

i would also recommend mike polley, he is a member here but pretty busy so plan accordingly if you're going to try to reach him.

I've always recommended Foreign Car Specialists in Madison, WI. Chris Beebe has owned the shop since 1968, and is very familiar with BMW's. Ask him to see his vintage BMW Isetta! They know what they are doing for sure. I would ask specifically if Chris or George can work on your car. One time my engine was running a little rough, I asked Chris about it and he told me to start the car and pop the hood. He put his ear down near the cylinder head and proclaimed the #3 spark plug to be misfiring. So we put a new one in... and sure enough, it solved the problem. This guy knows cars.

I worked there for about 8 months last year, so I know the shop pretty well.

Foreign Car Specialists
1313 Regent St.
Madison, WI 53715
608-255-3441


Don't even consider taking your car to Zimbrick BMW in Madison. Those guys are hacks, and will bend you over with the bill. They price gouge badly, even if you just go in to buy parts!

First I have heard of negative remarks about Zimbrick. Acura of Brookfield, ZImbrick's store in Brookfield is one of the best, as others can attest to, for more than just Honda/Acura. Extremely courteous, professional and very helpful.

IIRC, Kevin has had decent experience with Zimbrick.

I worked at Foreign Car Specialists and I did (well I guess I still do but that's a different story for a different day :)) get parts at wholesale price. I did learn though that Zimbrick BMW charges 25% over factory cost. This is a common practice although most dealerships are much closer to 10%.

They wanted to charge me $79.21 (list price - $63.37 wholesale at 20% discount I got) and some change for a guibo for my e30... I went with bavauto at 34.95.

Wholesale rocks! I got a windshield replaced for $128 when some nematode threw a beer bottle into it in downtown Madison. That was the entire cost, including all parts and labor.

I worked at Foreign Car Specialists and I did (well I guess I still do but that's a different story for a different day :)) get parts at wholesale price. I did learn though that Zimbrick BMW charges 25% over factory cost. This is a common practice although most dealerships are much closer to 10%.

They wanted to charge me $79.21 (list price - $63.37 wholesale at 20% discount I got) and some change for a guibo for my e30... I went with bavauto at 34.95.

Wholesale rocks! I got a windshield replaced for $128 when some nematode threw a beer bottle into it in downtown Madison. That was the entire cost, including all parts and labor.

I need my windshield replaced. What can you do for a 318ti (same windshield as any e36 sedan)? Cash...

nice to see you posting ryan. thanks for the call today, long time no hear from ya...

edit to make this post worthly of being in a sticky thread.

kelly moss motorsports here in madison was recommended to me by a couple people through the years.

i would also recommend mike polley, he is a member here but pretty busy so plan accordingly if you're going to try to reach him.

Mike does a lot of work on my E36 aswell, great guy and incredibly knowledgable and familiar with BMW's.

Detailing
Auto and Truck Elegance
N15w22180 Watertown Rd
Waukesha, WI 53186
(262) 542-2022

(Have not personally used them - they were recommended in another thread - although when I was at Acura of Brookfield, the pre-owned car department used them for reconditioning all the pre-owned vehicles. We (Acura) was happy with the work)

Tinting
Sunbusters
300 Travis Ln # 18
Waukesha, WI 53189
(262) 549-9075

Kartunes
Autosound & Security
300 N. Chicago Ave.
South Milwaukee WI 53172
414-571-1077

BlackOut
3515 S 108th St
Milwaukee, WI 53228
(414) 329-4000

Wheels and Tires
Mark Rinderle
2079 S 35th St
Milwaukee, WI 53215
(414) 384-7830

Big Bear Tire
N58W39834 State Road 16
Oconomowoc, WI
(262) 567-4449

Race Gas (100+ octane)

Ok, I've done some research, and these are the places I've heard about...

Citgo in Evansville has 110 *Verified by calling, they do sell 'racing fuel' but the counter girl was unsure if it was leaded or unleaded
Deals on Wheels outside of Cottage Grove has 116 (55gallon drum only)
Stop & Go at Center Ave and Rockport Road in Janesville has 109 *Verified by phone, they do sell race gas, but unsure of lead or octane
Moore's Towing on Mineral Point Road (middleton?) has 110
Meffert Oil in Waunakee has 110
Zurbuchen Oil in Verona has 109
BP in Lyndon Station has 111


If anyone knows of more please add them to the list!

I finally made it to the Citgo in Evansville, completely by accident. I was shocked to see race gas on 3 pumps. I put 3 gallons in a full tank of gas, made a noticeable difference for me on my way to Lake Geneva and back. I recently switched to my hotter "winter" plugs and I could tell I was running more timing with the addition of the race gas.

Specs:
Citgo Race Gasoline
RON - 113
RdON - 110
AKI (R+M)/2 - 110
MON - 107
Color - Red
Lead, gm/gal - 3.0+

Yes, it is leaded. You can pay at the pump too, so I assume you can buy it 24x7. :buttrock

Moore's Towing
3802 Mineral Point Rd
Madison, WI 53705

I spoke with these guys a couple months ago. They sell Torco 114 octane race gas. I just did a mapquest on them and it's only 3.6 miles from my house! I'll stop down there and see what their setup is and what they charge.

HOWEVER

Moore's Towing looks shady. There are two above ground tanks for race gas, the ones with the old school dial meters. Not sure how fresh the gas is. There is a tacky side outside proudly announcing everyone who's had a check bounce there.

I opted for the 20 drive to Evansville. I've run 3 tanks of 110 octane and 93 octane blend (60% premium, 40% race). Everything seems to be working fine and my car absolutely loves the race fuel. Not sure how much the N/A cars will respond to this, but with the supercharger it's a big deal. :alright

Anyone know a good performance exhaust shop in the Milwaukee/surrounding area? I'm looking for a place that can work with stainless steel, not sure if there is any place around that can do mandrel bending.

Check out zinovimotorcars.com if you guys need any paint work or Aftermarket products give me a call.


Ask for

Billy Z

Check out zinovimotorcars.com if you guys need any paint work or Aftermarket products give me a call.


Ask for

Billy Z


I might need my E30 repainted this summer... Lachsilber. It needs some dings filled here and there too. what do you think a ballpark price would be?

you can PM me if you want.

Need recommendations for shops in the Appleton area........anyone??

If in the findlay area DO NOT go to Autobahn Garage he tried to rip me off by saying i needed a new engine when it was my starter that had gone bad.

Towing
Wolf Towing
1504 Summit Ave
Waukesha, WI 53188
(262) 544-9653

I think this is the company I used before - I am almost positive it was Roger Wolfe or something like that, and this is the closest I found.

Well, as a few of you know I had some work done at The Little Car Shop and was not too happy with the results. I was going to keep quiet about it until what I had found today really gets to me.

When I had the car picked up I had left the plastic engine covers off but made sure to leave all the hardware in place. When I got the car back the hardware was missing so I had to purchase new hardware to be able to put the covers back on.

The plastic positive jumpstart cover was missing.

Found a broken electrical connector next to the positive jumpstart connection.

The fan shroud missing the plastic fastening hardware, had a broken tab and was just left hanging. Had to buy new hardware to attach the one remaining tab. Good thing I caught it before it dropped on top of the spinning fa while driving.

The cover behind the left headlight was missing the plastic fastening hardware. Had to purchase new hardware to reattach.

Found a broken electrical connector on the throttle body.

They changed the oil but didn’t bother resetting the dash indicator.

When they put the rear seat back in after reconnecting the battery they left off the plastic covers for the seatbelt. No big deal I though, I’ll just snap them on myself I thought. Well, they didn’t fit. Why? Because they installed the rear seat with the middle seat belt underneath so the seat bottom wouldn’t drop all the way down. Not really a big deal if it was the first time you’ve ever worked on a BMW but in my opinion this is inexcusable from any shop claiming to be experts.

Now today I’m also suspect that they didn’t put the BMW coolant in the car that I supplied. The car had the green stuff in prior but the radiator and block were drained before I pulled the head. I had supplied a gallon of BMW coolant that I had bought for the job. I open the coolant reservoir up today to find green coolant inside. I’m sure it might have been possible for some remnants of the green stuff to mix with the blue BMW coolant but considering how these guys handled the rest of the job I have my doubts. FYI, they did only charge me for a half gallon of coolant so I assumed they used what I supplied.


This all started with a head gasket replacement on my 525iT that I started but got in over my head on. By the time I was done I was in to them for $3100. They ended up sending the head out for dynafluxing and surfacing, replaced the timing chains and guides, thermostat and housing. For $3100 I would expect a lot more attention to detail and no missing parts. Maybe they treat customers better who have mint e30 M3s or restored 2002 models instead of beat up e34 tourings. Regardless, there’s no way I will ever have them work on my cars again.

Mark,

I am glad you posted this up. Please post up your experience at Goff's in Pewaukee as well.

Also, check your PMs.

-S

O'Reilly Motor Cars
324 W. Cherry
Milwaukee, WI
414-273-6789


they overcharge as well. basically i TOLD them what was wrong (alternator was dead) and they still did a $100 inspection to see what was wrong. the inspection list was funny- blah blah check these wires, blah blah check intake boot blah blah blah and then last checked alternator output FAILED. they then charged me $220 service to change it (its a 45min job tops) and i asked for an oil change and they gave me some 3k mile service and charge $50 for it.

I need to put new rotors and pads on my E30 and my buddy is not too keen on putting his jeep on blocksto letme borrow his jack stands and tools.... so it looks like im gonna have to pay the service shop..

But just so you know i called Alpine import and they quoted me 175.00 to mount the rotors pads and flush the brake fluid:)

and european auto house quoted me 225.00

But as for little car shop... i have nothing but negative comments for them.

I needed a heater valve to get my heater working again last winter and it took them 3 months and about 10 phone calls before they got the part. Finnaly i replaced it and then they called me. Worthless. Plus they said they didnt wanna work on my car because it had a modified engine (FI). But i wasnt asking them to work on the engine...???? You dont get it? neither did i.


I wont ever be going back there.

they overcharge as well. basically i TOLD them what was wrong (alternator was dead) and they still did a $100 inspection to see what was wrong. the inspection list was funny- blah blah check these wires, blah blah check intake boot blah blah blah and then last checked alternator output FAILED. they then charged me $220 service to change it (its a 45min job tops) and i asked for an oil change and they gave me some 3k mile service and charge $50 for it.

Here's a good one:

I brought my S50 E30 Cab replica in because it flunked emissions and they're the only 'approved' emissions repair facility that I knew worked on Bimmers. $200 to check it over including a road test (mileage was exactly the same as when I brought it in). The diagnosis? It needed new cats fabricated for my unique car. Cost? Are you sitting down? With tax, close to $4k!!!! Bye,bye. The car ended up passing with a can of 'Guaranteed to Pass' and an understanding DMV worker.

Milwaukee is a small town. Shops get reputations....

...Cost? Are you sitting down? With tax, close to $4k!!!! Bye,bye. The car ended up passing with a can of 'Guaranteed to Pass' and an understanding DMV worker.

Milwaukee is a small town. Shops get reputations....

Are you kidding? thats ridiculous. I think some shops quote work based on the quality of car not the job. Maybe if you brought a beater e30 in there they would have charged you a few hundred. Thanks for the info

After reading the recommendations here for a BMW shop after we stopped doing business with Alpine. We ended up taking it to European Auto House which actually turned out to be very close because they moved into a location in Mequon. 1st time we dropped the car off because the car had all sorts of problems including overheating and car not starting all the time. Mechanic seemed very knowledgeable especially he felt confident about the starting issue and that it was an ignition switch causing the problem. After a laundry list of what the problems were and a $300 bill which did not even include the ignition switch and that it had to be ordered still. The switch was important because the non starting problem is a PIA because it can leave us stranded sometimes. So we brought it back the following week when he got the part it and so we were hoping that the problem with the electrical system would be solved because he was very confident that this was the issue. Well after picking it up to the tune of a $500 bill it fixed nothing and the starting issue is still a problem. On top of everything a bunch of things ended up being broken on the dash. The cruse control cover was hanging down, the tape deck cover no longer stayed down. The driver side seat controls is loose.

You know, as I reread this thread, almost EVERY shop in Sachin's list has had someone post here with a bad experience. Since my maintenance and troubleshooting skills are minimal, I fantasize about an independent shop where the customer service is friendly, the techs are knowledgable and the prices are reasonable. Is this the Holy Grail in Milwaukee?

It's starting to seem that way! :(

You know, as I reread this thread, almost EVERY shop in Sachin's list has had someone post here with a bad experience. Since my maintenance and troubleshooting skills are minimal, I fantasize about an independent shop where the customer service is friendly, the techs are knowledgable and the prices are reasonable. Is this the Holy Grail in Milwaukee?

It's starting to seem that way! :(

No, it's the Holy Grail in the Milky Way Galaxy!

You can be the best shop in the world but it's impossible to make everyone happy all the time. As long as human beings are running the show mistakes will be made and people will complain.

It doesn't look like anyone's posted anything bad about Alpine Imports. I've had the best luck with them so far. Not perfect but unlike some of the other places they haven't done anything to my cars (so far) that would make me not go back there.

You know, as I reread this thread, almost EVERY shop in Sachin's list has had someone post here with a bad experience. Since my maintenance and troubleshooting skills are minimal, I fantasize about an independent shop where the customer service is friendly, the techs are knowledgable and the prices are reasonable. Is this the Holy Grail in Milwaukee?

It's starting to seem that way! :(

Not having a BMW, I do not have any experience with any of the shops - Ergo, the shops I listed were a cumilation of the people asking where to take their cars - I figured it would be easier to have 1 thread listing the places rather than countless threads.

As Jeff said, someone has had a bad experience at any of the shops listed.

The feedback, although it is has been negative thus far, is still beneficial - if you decide to take your car to one the shops listed at least you know what to expect and/or explain out exactly what you want done.

As I said I don't know much about BMW shops, but I have heard horror stories among horror stories about most Import (Japanese) shops in Milwaukee - I know of one independant shop that provides high quality service, but that does come at a premium - he is not outragous but is only marginally cheaper than a dealership, so out of convenience I just get my work done at the dealership (doesn't hurt that the first 2 oil changes were free and 1 tire rotation took me 1/2 hour - Lease FTW :D )

Point is, every shop is going to have some irritated customers - better to know in advance than to find out for yourself.

-S

No, it's the Holy Grail in the Milky Way Galaxy!

You can be the best shop in the world but it's impossible to make everyone happy all the time. As long as human beings are running the show mistakes will be made and people will complain.

It doesn't look like anyone's posted anything bad about Alpine Imports. I've had the best luck with them so far. Not perfect but unlike some of the other places they haven't done anything to my cars (so far) that would make me not go back there.

im headed over there myself in a week or so... i'll tell you guys how it goes.

Service:

Mraz Automotive

(262) 781-0074

3240 Gateway Rd
Brookfield, WI 53045

I now the owner mike mraz and he is a honest guy and does great work. Never have heard anything bad about them

dropped of my car at alpine today and they quoted me 350 for what they said over the phone would be 175. I asked what gives? She goes thats for two wheels... Im like... what?

I dont know why they would think i would only want two rotors put on my car. I should've done it myself.

dropped of my car at alpine today and they quoted me 350 for what they said over the phone would be 175. I asked what gives? She goes thats for two wheels... Im like... what?

I dont know why they would think i would only want two rotors put on my car. I should've done it myself.

And it just gets better.... You had high hopes for Alpine too, eh? I'm friends with the daughter of the owner of European Auto House, and spent some time with her dad at the ALMS race. I would be going there, but Mequon is a hike - although I go to Cedarburg with my 944...

Speaking of 944, Mraz put Toyota coolant in it several years ago - never been back.

dropped of my car at alpine today and they quoted me 350 for what they said over the phone would be 175. I asked what gives? She goes thats for two wheels... Im like... what?

I dont know why they would think i would only want two rotors put on my car. I should've done it myself.

I know lots of people who have only one axle worth of brakes done at a time. Of course they're all cheap bastards but still... You should have asked them at the start when the low price was quoted. Communication is a 2-way street.

Just got my 528i back from Concours after some routine maintenance (coolant flush, brake flush, and oil change) and their price was surprisingly reasonable. I've always dealt with Scott whenever I take my cars there (for warranty work the last 5 years) and he was always great to work with but when I dropped the car off this last time it was insanely busy there and I had to deal with a new guy named Sean. Not the best experience, I told him to reset the service indicators after the service which he refused to do because the indicator was calling for an inspection and I wasn't about to pay them their rip-off rates for looking at things I can look at myself. So when I picked up the car I had to argue with him to get the damn thing reset. Scott would never pull that crap with me. What do they care anyway? The whole reason I went to Concours to begin with was so that Scott could earn some commission off my work since he's been so helpful in the past, and now he won't see that money anyway since the other doofus wrote it up.

Now that European Auto House is up north by me I may have to try them.

well i still think they should have clarified over the phone since i told them that i had purchased 4 UUC rotors and pads and two sensor wires. So i was obviously comunicating on my end.

Regardless its in the past. They did my car on short notice and did a really good job. Happy just not 100% happy.

I manage a small car dealer in West allis. We send all of our BMW/Mercedes service to

Cleveland Ave. Auto repair
85th & cleveland west allis wi
414-321-1130

Very reasonable on price and knows his stuff. Tell him Mike @ merit sent you.

FWIW, I've been going to Alpine since I picked up the car earlier this year. Used them for catching up on long overdue maintenance items neglected by the POs that I felt uncomfortable in tackling as a new BMW owner, as well as suspension install work (from shocks springs to subframe bushings), parking brakes, and install of a replacement diff and driveshaft. Easy folks to work with, will allow you to bring in/dropship parts if you can find a better source, and the mechanics are very willing to take the time to explain to you what they are doing, what needs to be done and why and don't give you grief when you decide to DIY. A glitch or two has come up occasionally but they have always worked with me to take care of things. The facility also is secure if you have to leave the car overnight. Wish they were located closer to home but it has been worth the drive.

And it just gets better.... You had high hopes for Alpine too, eh? I'm friends with the daughter of the owner of European Auto House, and spent some time with her dad at the ALMS race. I would be going there, but Mequon is a hike - although I go to Cedarburg with my 944...

Speaking of 944, Mraz put Toyota coolant in it several years ago - never been back.

Yes Mraz had a few bad people back then. I know in the past couple of years he has gotten rid of those people. You are seriously the first bad comment i have ever heard from them and i know quite a few people that go there for service.

Yes Mraz had a few bad people back then. I know in the past couple of years he has gotten rid of those people. You are seriously the first bad comment i have ever heard from them and i know quite a few people that go there for service.

I have been going to Mraz for about 4 years now and I have yet to have a bad experience. I started taking my '93 318is there after "The Shittle Car Shop" kept giving me the run around every time I brought my car in. After my Mom's Z3 came off warranty we started taking it there as well. I just recently picked up a 330ci and will be bringing it in for its first time soon.

Mike and his crew do a great job.

well i still think they should have clarified over the phone since i told them that i had purchased 4 UUC rotors and pads and two sensor wires. So i was obviously comunicating on my end.

Regardless its in the past. They did my car on short notice and did a really good job. Happy just not 100% happy.

I have done a lot of biz with Alpine and have been happy with them. The owner, Dennis, is the guy who works on the BMW's and is a good guy.

For instance, I had a '93 vw corrado i brought in because it wouldnt start and i got no spark, half hour later they called and told me my fusebox was loose and i could come pick it up no charge. At the time I had NO CLUE about cars and they really could have racked it up for me. So props to them.

Just ask for Dennis.

They were also one of the few shops around that would work on my dads 89 750iL besides the stealership

PS...he is looking for a cheaper e30 toy to track around.

FYI NEVER TAKE YOUR CAR TO COUNCOURS UNLESS IT IS UNDER WARRANTY!!!!! I hate them with a passion and can give numerous examples of them :ky their 'customers'. They don't give a rats ass about you. Their sales team is terrible too, my dad bought a mercedes gl450 from cali for $3k less and the car was stickered $5k more expensive!! He told the guy that it was too much money for the car and the salesman replied, "well, I would be happy to show you a lesser vehicle" :mad

Whenever you take it their they get all crazy about making sure you give them high ratings on service. Ever wonder why? Perhaps because they have so low ratings that the car companies don't give them the spifs they should be getting for good service.

European Auto House is the place the PO of my car took it. He didn't complain, but he doesn't exactly know a lot about cars either....:rolleyes

Big Bear Tire in Oconomowoc.

I dropped my 318ti off there after installing an Ireland Engineering rear camber correction kit. They did an amazing job even though it was a huge pain in the ass. They are willing to align to whatever specs you want, great for cars that see some track duty. Very professional and they didn't charge me extra because it was aftermarket and different than stock.

Highly recommended for tires, wheels and alignments.

Big Bear Tire in Oconomowoc.

I dropped my 318ti off there after installing an Ireland Engineering rear camber correction kit. They did an amazing job even though it was a huge pain in the ass. They are willing to align to whatever specs you want, great for cars that see some track duty. Very professional and they didn't charge me extra because it was aftermarket and different than stock.

Highly recommended for tires, wheels and alignments.

+1

Marty and John do a great job. It's the only shop in SE WI I trust my cars to.

I have done a lot of biz with Alpine and have been happy with them. The owner, Dennis, is the guy who works on the BMW's and is a good guy.

For instance, I had a '93 vw corrado i brought in because it wouldnt start and i got no spark, half hour later they called and told me my fusebox was loose and i could come pick it up no charge. At the time I had NO CLUE about cars and they really could have racked it up for me. So props to them.

Just ask for Dennis.

They were also one of the few shops around that would work on my dads 89 750iL besides the stealership

PS...he is looking for a cheaper e30 toy to track around.

FYI NEVER TAKE YOUR CAR TO COUNCOURS UNLESS IT IS UNDER WARRANTY!!!!! I hate them with a passion and can give numerous examples of them :ky their 'customers'. They don't give a rats ass about you. Their sales team is terrible too, my dad bought a mercedes gl450 from cali for $3k less and the car was stickered $5k more expensive!! He told the guy that it was too much money for the car and the salesman replied, "well, I would be happy to show you a lesser vehicle" :mad

Whenever you take it their they get all crazy about making sure you give them high ratings on service. Ever wonder why? Perhaps because they have so low ratings that the car companies don't give them the spifs they should be getting for good service.

European Auto House is the place the PO of my car took it. He didn't complain, but he doesn't exactly know a lot about cars either....:rolleyes

That's weird. not that I have had any experience with Concours - I only know what others tell me and Slow323Ci has had nothing but positive experiences there. In addition, Concours is a huge sponsor of Badger bimmers.

As I said though I have no personal experience.

That's weird. not that I have had any experience with Concours - I only know what others tell me and Slow323Ci has had nothing but positive experiences there. In addition, Concours is a huge sponsor of Badger bimmers.

As I said though I have no personal experience.

I took my car to Concours a few weeks ago for some routine service. I was unable to use my preferred service advisor, and the experience was not what I have been accustomed to.

Next time Alpine will get my business.

I took my car to Concours a few weeks ago for some routine service. I was unable to use my preferred service advisor, and the experience was not what I have been accustomed to.

Next time Alpine will get my business.

Who is your preferred SA?

Who is your preferred SA?

Scott. He's the only old timer left there. Things were also a lot better when Vic was in charge of BMW service.

My roommate used to be a parts driver for Concours and recommends staying away; that's all I've heard about them.

As for Alpine, my Audi 200 turbo was taken there by my buddy Brendan a while back (before I bought it from him). It had a strange miss under acceleration that we couldn't figure out. They said he needed all new fuel injectors, that none of them were flowing correctly and they needed to be replaced. He took it to Mequon Auto Tech for a second opinion. Jeff (the guy who's working on my E28 now) looked at all the injectors and laughed. The #5 fuel injector had popped out of its hole. He popped it back in and the car ran fantastically once again. Since then, the 200 has only been there and at Reina (who are pricey but top-notch) for service, and he's done a great job.

YMMV; I wouldn't say Alpine is a bunch of scheisters because of that, but I can say that Jeff over at Mequon is a great guy. Not a BMW-specific guy, but he does fantastic work.

Reina (who are pricey but top-notch)
I wouldn't let those guys touch my car with a 10 foot pole. I've seen their work and it's not pretty. I know several people who are currently in litigation with them over their "top notch" service. They've severely damaged more than one car they've worked on - and then had the balls to hand the owner a 5-figure repair bill and the car in worse shape than when it got there.

After my car started hemeridging oil for the past couple of weeks I decided to take it to MRAZ based on the feedback in this thread and that they are probably one of the closest shops to where I live. Wow, I was totally blown away by how I was treated. I don't think I've ever had as good of an experience with customer service in my life ever.

They were able to accomodate my school schedule by having me drop the car off on my way to school in anticipation for working on it the next morning and even provided me with a loaner. Granted it was a Mercury Sable, probably 2000ish, but I can't even get a loaner when dropping my GTO off at the dealership. :rolleyes For an indy shop to provide customers with loaner vehicles sends a message to me that they understand the inconvience and actually gives a damn about the customer.

They called me the next morning probably about 9ish with the initial diagnosis (vavlve cover gasket, although they couldn't rule out head gasket also with all the build-up on the block. FYI, it was leaking from the back of the head and what I though was under the #6 cylinder under the exhaust. I powerwashed it a few times but couldn't get all the build-up washed off to properly diagnose it myself so I gave up.) They had the job done by the time I was done with class. They also found small leaks from the front cover and water pump which were both off and on when my car had the work done at LCS back in June. :rolleyes I suspect they either didn't follow the correct torque/tightening sequence or reused the old gaskets.

Overall, I'm definately pleased and will be back the next time I need service done.

I wouldn't let those guys touch my car with a 10 foot pole. I've seen their work and it's not pretty. I know several people who are currently in litigation with them over their "top notch" service. They've severely damaged more than one car they've worked on - and then had the balls to hand the owner a 5-figure repair bill and the car in worse shape than when it got there.

Really? That's the first I've heard. They brought my 200 back from the dead after some catastrophic electrical issues.

Would have been good to know before I took it there - at least I'm one of the lucky ones!

Really? That's the first I've heard. They brought my 200 back from the dead after some catastrophic electrical issues.

Would have been good to know before I took it there - at least I'm one of the lucky ones!

Even a broken clock is correct twice a day, LOL

Their sales practices are even worse than their service. They show consignment cars as if those cars belonged to them in their ads and on their website and even if you make an appointment to come in and see one of those cars it's never there and they give some run around story and try to convince you to buy one of their cars. A guy I know drove up from Chicago to look at a Ferrari 512TR they had advertised (still do, as of 11/15/07) after making an appointment, etc. They didn't have the car available. It was a consignment, which they never revealed to the Chicago guy. They said the secretary was out driving it and they didn't know when it would be back. I know the guy that owns the 512TR and he changed his mind about selling the car - it hasn't been for sale for many months. Yet Reina uses it to lure customers in and then tries to sell them a Testarossa they own that has been for sale for ages.

Even a broken clock is correct twice a day, LOL

Their sales practices are even worse than their service. They show consignment cars as if those cars belonged to them in their ads and on their website and even if you make an appointment to come in and see one of those cars it's never there and they give some run around story and try to convince you to buy one of their cars. A guy I know drove up from Chicago to look at a Ferrari 512TR they had advertised (still do, as of 11/15/07) after making an appointment, etc. They didn't have the car available. It was a consignment, which they never revealed to the Chicago guy. They said the secretary was out driving it and they didn't know when it would be back. I know the guy that owns the 512TR and he changed his mind about selling the car - it hasn't been for sale for many months. Yet Reina uses it to lure customers in and then tries to sell them a Testarossa they own that has been for sale for ages.

My optmotrist (sp) office is just west of Reina - I saw their "trashed" line hidden in the back. I :rofl

I've never taken a BMW there, but I've had nothing but good experiences when I've bought my Volvo to:

Import Specialists
2121 Ole Davidson Rd (Highway 31/Green Bay Road), Racine, WI 53405 Phone: (262) 638-8788

They specialize in the big German 3, as well as Volvo, Saab, and Subaru. Very friendly, knowledgeable guys, competitive (but not dirt cheap) prices, and excellent work. The shop is kind of a small place, but they seem to do quite a business. The first time I went there they had an E24 M6 and a 560SEL on the lifts.

What about reputable Madison shops? I've been getting a lot of emails asking for a BMW CCA recommended Madison shop. As far as I know we don't have one. Who the best Euro-Independent in the Madison area?

I've heard good things about Kelly Moss (expensive) and Phoenix. Who else?

What about reputable Madison shops? I've been getting a lot of emails asking for a BMW CCA recommended Madison shop. As far as I know we don't have one. Who the best Euro-Independent in the Madison area?

I've heard good things about Kelly Moss (expensive) and Phoenix. Who else?

Earlier in the thread, Slowman posted Foreign Car Specialist:

I've always recommended Foreign Car Specialists in Madison, WI. Chris Beebe has owned the shop since 1968, and is very familiar with BMW's. Ask him to see his vintage BMW Isetta! They know what they are doing for sure. I would ask specifically if Chris or George can work on your car. One time my engine was running a little rough, I asked Chris about it and he told me to start the car and pop the hood. He put his ear down near the cylinder head and proclaimed the #3 spark plug to be misfiring. So we put a new one in... and sure enough, it solved the problem. This guy knows cars.

I worked there for about 8 months last year, so I know the shop pretty well.

Foreign Car Specialists
1313 Regent St.
Madison, WI 53715
608-255-3441

Don't even consider taking your car to Zimbrick BMW in Madison. Those guys are hacks, and will bend you over with the bill. They price gouge badly, even if you just go in to buy parts!

Beatniks recommended (well mentioned) Kelly Moss, which you referenced and Mike Polley, who is indeed a member here. IDK his Screen Name but his brother (I think) Chuck - his SN is OBD1 2.8L

nice to see you posting ryan. thanks for the call today, long time no hear from ya...

edit to make this post worthly of being in a sticky thread.

kelly moss motorsports here in madison was recommended to me by a couple people through the years.

i would also recommend mike polley, he is a member here but pretty busy so plan accordingly if you're going to try to reach him.

Also, I cannot speak to Slowman's comment regarding Zimbrick, however I di work @ their Acura store in Brookfield and they are extremely professional. FWIW, Josh (NewmanJ) works at Zimbrick Benz as a tech.

I don't know about Milwaukee, much less Madison. I guess that comes from having a car that doesn't need repairs. ;):stickoutt:D

they overcharge as well. basically i TOLD them what was wrong (alternator was dead) and they still did a $100 inspection to see what was wrong. the inspection list was funny- blah blah check these wires, blah blah check intake boot blah blah blah and then last checked alternator output FAILED. they then charged me $220 service to change it (its a 45min job tops) and i asked for an oil change and they gave me some 3k mile service and charge $50 for it.

Here's a good one:

I brought my S50 E30 Cab replica in because it flunked emissions and they're the only 'approved' emissions repair facility that I knew worked on Bimmers. $200 to check it over including a road test (mileage was exactly the same as when I brought it in). The diagnosis? It needed new cats fabricated for my unique car. Cost? Are you sitting down? With tax, close to $4k!!!! Bye,bye. The car ended up passing with a can of 'Guaranteed to Pass' and an understanding DMV worker.

Milwaukee is a small town. Shops get reputations....

I usually meet up w/ the President of Badger Bimmers weekly - Anyway she was saying that the owner of O' Riely (sp) has never had a working car after a DE. Apparently his engines have gone out during the session.

Take it FWIW - I am not commenting on his service or work.

I recently referred a CCA member to Foreign Car Specialists in Madison and he let me know that the shop is now closed. So that leaves Kelly Moss and the Zimbrick dealerships. I was hoping someone had at least one other independent to add to the list. I don't mind recommending the dealer, but they can be expensive.

I recently referred a CCA member to Foreign Car Specialists in Madison and he let me know that the shop is now closed. So that leaves Kelly Moss and the Zimbrick dealerships. I was hoping someone had at least one other independent to add to the list. I don't mind recommending the dealer, but they can be expensive.


Mike and Chuck Polley? :dunno :dunno :dunno

Mike and Chuck Polley? :dunno :dunno :dunno

I think Mike is working at a dealership outside of Chicago now and Chuck is working at Middleton Ford. They are great resources but aren't exactly a "shop" that I would want to refer a stranger to.

After going through some more threads I found Chuck made this post:
My garage. I dont trust anyone around here. If you want to go to a shop, go to bennets in middleton and have Matt P. work on your car. He has a 88 M5 which he built a full race motor. Him and I did the turbo build on my car.

-Chuck

And this:

I've heard good things about Dunn's Import in Middleton (from a non-car guy though).

I'm a little farther north up in Sheboygan county, but there's Meyer Imports in Sheboygan Falls. Has done the AC work and a clutch on my 328is. He's not real fast (it's a two man shop) and not overly pricey. The clutch, with a Sachs oem and shifter bushings was a week and $920. For me it's just handy, I can drop off the car and walk to work. Other people I've talked to say he'll find the best price on parts. I don't think he stocks a lot of parts because he deals with so many brands of cars. He is Bosch certified.

where to take my BMW for service in St.Paul minneapolis area?

where to take my BMW for service in St.Paul minneapolis area?

You might try creating your own thread - this thread lists Wisconsin shops only.

Zinovi Motor Cars best body shop in the world. www.zinovimotorcars.com

just read this thread for the first time and I'd like to add that Riverside Auto on the east side of Milwaukee is a hidden gem. I do most of my own work but I take my cars to them for alignments. My e30 has one adjustment for an alignment and they know it, they charged me $59+tax to align the car and adjust my camber plates to my requested setting. They are top notch, honest, and totally straightforward.

I'm in the process of doing a fully adjustable rear suspension and new front camber plates in my e30 track car, they will get it for an alignment in the spring, I wouldn't take it anywhere else ever. O'Reilly's quoted me $250 for the same alignment and wouldn't budge on the price despite my assurance that it was only a two wheel front alignment I was after.

I hate Little Car Shop...they have turned into hacks. Alpine Imports and European Autohouse I've had good experiences with, but I do most of my own work, I usually take it to Alpine for convenience when I'm lazy.

Had an appointment this week at Alpine and was called and told they will be shutting their doors. Sounds like the owner has a severe health problem and is in a hospice. Sorry to hear....

Had an appointment this week at Alpine and was called and told they will be shutting their doors. Sounds like the owner has a severe health problem and is in a hospice. Sorry to hear....

The owner of Alpine recently passed away and Alpine will be closing their doors. :(

The owner of Alpine recently passed away and Alpine will be closing their doors. :(

Denis passed away on Feb. 27th. He was a nice, friendly guy and an honest and competent mechanic. RIP, he will be missed.

Denis passed away on Feb. 27th. He was a nice, friendly guy and an honest and competent mechanic. RIP, he will be missed.

:( Sad times. He was a good guy. Evil pancreatic cancer.

We got a shop down on the east side of milwaukee, but im in madison very often... could even stop out by some guys if you need work done to quick throw an estimate out there. Were pretty packed for work but always can make room for more! We do custom fabrication as well which is a good chunk of the work we do. I gotta finish getting our site up so you can see the kinda work we do!

The owner of Alpine recently passed away and Alpine will be closing their doors. :(

There are still talks about people buying the shop. Its at such a low price for everything the shop has that people have been calling about it a lot lately. Hopefully someone buys it up and it can keep its doors open! They are still doing lots of work actually, and some of you could get an appointment if you call them when they aren't super busy. Just a heads up!

I need a shop that'll do custom exhaust/fab work! Anyone know of anything??? I've looked all over the place and can't really find a decent shop that does custom welding/exhaust stuff.

If you don't mind the Spanish ghetto, Velasquez and Sons Mufflers for Less does quality cheap work. They're near 16th (Caesar Chavez) and National.

I've never taken a BMW there, but I've had nothing but good experiences when I've bought my Volvo to:

Import Specialists
2121 Ole Davidson Rd (Highway 31/Green Bay Road), Racine, WI 53405 Phone: (262) 638-8788

They specialize in the big German 3, as well as Volvo, Saab, and Subaru. Very friendly, knowledgeable guys, competitive (but not dirt cheap) prices, and excellent work. The shop is kind of a small place, but they seem to do quite a business. The first time I went there they had an E24 M6 and a 560SEL on the lifts.

Took my car here for an oil change and inspection after buying it. They did a good job. I have never tested there knowledge though. Maybe I should with a nagging issues I am having.

Never take your car to Motor Technology in Racine. Had them mount tires for $30 for the front and $40 for the rear and they handed me a bill for $209 for this price I would expect quality. Well the quality of work I got was duck tape weights and a brand new set of scratched rims.

There are still talks about people buying the shop. Its at such a low price for everything the shop has that people have been calling about it a lot lately. Hopefully someone buys it up and it can keep its doors open! They are still doing lots of work actually, and some of you could get an appointment if you call them when they aren't super busy. Just a heads up!

I just stopped in at Alpine today and the place was crazy busy.

Yea man, they are still taking crazy business.

Just to throw in my two cents' worth: Alpine's always been a good experience for me. They know their stuff, they're honest, they don't mind if you supply your own parts, and their pricing is very reasonable. They even did the custom welding needed to accommodate my new cats.

Most importantly, they understand my overprotectiveness and maintain a consistent level of service regardless. :D

Just browsing the forums and found this one pretty interesting. I thought I'd throw my opinion out there too. I've been going to the little car shop for quite a while now and as of late have been very disappointed with their work. I just had the radiator replaced and they did the work for me. Recently my dad took my little brother to the car control clinic at Wisconsin state fair parking lot and what do you you know, the car starts smoking and overheating. They apparently do not know how to clamp on radiator tubing so ended up having to go and buy more radiator fluid. Also on the drive home the front right corner falls out on the freeway. I checked it out and the bracket was all busted up, and I had just installed them before the radiator was fixed and the brackets were fine (this part is just speculation, but I'm thinking they knocked it somehow and cracked it). Really their work has gone downhill and charging more. Would recommend avoiding this shop.

Dan

Just browsing the forums and found this one pretty interesting. I thought I'd throw my opinion out there too. I've been going to the little car shop for quite a while now and as of late have been very disappointed with their work. I just had the radiator replaced and they did the work for me. Recently my dad took my little brother to the car control clinic at Wisconsin state fair parking lot and what do you you know, the car starts smoking and overheating. They apparently do not know how to clamp on radiator tubing so ended up having to go and buy more radiator fluid. Also on the drive home the front right corner falls out on the freeway. I checked it out and the bracket was all busted up, and I had just installed them before the radiator was fixed and the brackets were fine (this part is just speculation, but I'm thinking they knocked it somehow and cracked it). Really their work has gone downhill and charging more. Would recommend avoiding this shop.

Dan
yea they have been going downhill lately from what i hear

yea they have been going downhill lately from what i hear

I've heard that Little Car Shop is under new ownership and is now called Urban Motors or something like that.

Yea thats what I believe too. I know for a fact they have had a recent change in ownership.

I've read the whole thread and still can't choose where to take my M3 for sevice.

reading all these bad experiances makes me scared !!

I've read the whole thread and still can't choose where to take my M3 for sevice.

reading all these bad experiances makes me scared !!


Alpine and European Auto House are probably your 2 best bets.

Thanks Sachin528 !

sunbusters seems to be closed...

phone # don;t work.

Any reputable place for repairing stone chips??

I have like 4,529 stone chips on my jet black.. and was thinking about using Langka..

But rather have the pros do this kinda work.

Any reputable place for repairing stone chips??

I have like 4,529 stone chips on my jet black.. and was thinking about using Langka..

But rather have the pros do this kinda work.

Are you looking for some touch up work?

The "body shop" my family has used for years (10+) is Al's Auto Body.
2617 S. 31rst St.
Milwaukee
414-645-1665
David is the owner and "tech"

He does excellent work and is inexpensive. The shop look like a hole in a wall, but the work is excellent.

(I have to stop by an make an appointment to have David get rid of the scratches on my car. :( )

Are you looking for some touch up work?

The "body shop" my family has used for years (10+) is Al's Auto Body.
2617 S. 31rst St.
Milwaukee
414-645-1665
David is the owner and "tech"

He does excellent work and is inexpensive. The shop look like a hole in a wall, but the work is excellent.

(I have to stop by an make an appointment to have David get rid of the scratches on my car. :( )

Ill stop by that place.

thanks again

In response to requests for pics / info about detailing, here's the skinny on the place called Tender Car:

They're on KK (Kinnickinnic Ave.), just north of Lincoln Ave. Website is tendercar.com. I don't know who did the actual work, but they have a number of different service packages available, from basic washing to full interior/exterior detailing. The package I got was the "Black Tie," which goes for $199.

I've managed to get only a couple of decent pics so far -- the interior shots are somewhat blurry, and the exterior shots were in slightly wet and overcast conditions so I didn't get many that actually turned out okay. (Plus I need to get all of the dings and dents out before I really go to town with the camera.) But anyway...

Shot 1 -- note the bird lurking dangerously above :shifty

http://img168.imageshack.us/img168/6916/shot1mp7.jpg

Shot 2 -- don't mind the rear bumper cover, it was scratchy and dull when I got the car. Detailing can't really do anything for it.

http://img529.imageshack.us/img529/9881/shot3ej5.jpg

And a couple of blurry shots of the interior:

http://img253.imageshack.us/img253/9125/p1050417fg1.jpg


http://img148.imageshack.us/img148/1219/p1050416yh9.jpg

I know, these pics don't show all that much. I hope to have some better ones up soon. Everything looks much, much better in person.

Stopped in at Alpine Imports today and talked to Corrina (Denis' daughter) to see what the official story is.

Right now the shop is open as usual and Corrina and her husband are running the place. There are a couple parties interested in buying the shop but have not committed yet. They plan to stay open in the meantime.

I've heard that Little Car Shop is under new ownership and is now called Urban Motors or something like that.


Just stopped by there yesterday and met the guy. Unfortunately, for me, he won't be working on any older cars like my E30.

Seems like a nice guy. Saw his plans for the shop. Should turn out nice. Hope the service turns out better as well.

Just stopped by there yesterday and met the guy. Unfortunately, for me, he won't be working on any older cars like my E30.

Seems like a nice guy. Saw his plans for the shop. Should turn out nice. Hope the service turns out better as well.

We had talked about this @ the last board meeting. One of the board members had his E30 track car @ Urban and they did brakes on his car.

I forgot what all they did (pads/rotors/rebuild caliper) but they charged $400 for one set. :eek:

Straight flat rate. Does not matter how long it actually takes them, they are going by what the computer predicts the job should take.

Yeah ive had nothing but bad experiences with little car shop.... Didnt know about it turning into urban though.

But as for alpine they are great.

But i would recommend everyone just getting to know thier car a little and trying to do it on thier own... It seems like service around SE WI is really spotty.

Any reputable place for repairing stone chips??

I have like 4,529 stone chips on my jet black.. and was thinking about using Langka..

But rather have the pros do this kinda work.

Little late, but Acci-Dent (next to Alpine Imports) does this kind of work, too. I have no experience with them, just met a few guys, so I can't really tell you how good of a job they do.

But i would recommend everyone just getting to know thier car a little and trying to do it on thier own... It seems like service around SE WI is really spotty.
+1, i do everything myself on my car. The only time i took it to a shop was to get a rear wheel bearing done on my e36, from what i read it was a 3 hr job,needed special tools and i just didnt have the time. So i took it to k&r in waukesha,mechanic working on it lost his two front teeth changing the wheel bearing. Either im lucky, or that was my cars way of telling me it doesnt like to be touched by anyone but me.

If anyone ever needs to use a car lift, ive got on in my shop lmk and we can work something out.

Little late, but Acci-Dent (next to Alpine Imports) does this kind of work, too. I have no experience with them, just met a few guys, so I can't really tell you how good of a job they do.

The Acci-Dent guys don't do paint work. They only do paintless dent removal.

Acci-Dent shares shop space with a new outfit called Bender Body Repair. They specialize in light body repair. I had them repair the license plate screw holes in my bumper and repaint it. They did a good job for much less money than anyone else wanted. Their number is (414) 351-0585, ask for Nate.

The Acci-Dent guys don't do paint work. They only do paintless dent removal.

Acci-Dent shares shop space with a new outfit called Bender Body Repair. They specialize in light body repair. I had them repair the license plate screw holes in my bumper and repaint it. They did a good job for much less money than anyone else wanted. Their number is (414) 351-0585, ask for Nate.

Hmm, well thats my bad, I didn't know it was only paintless. I've heard stories about how they've fixed chips so I only guessed. :cool

Hmm, well thats my bad, I didn't know it was only paintless. I've heard stories about how they've fixed chips so I only guessed. :cool

No bad... Nick (the ownder of Acci-Dent) told me they have Bender Body do any paint repairs for them. Could very well be transparent to the customer since they share the same shop.

anyone know a machine shop that can rebuild a head?

Bead blast, surface, port polish, angle grind and fit valves, assemble...ect?

anyone know a machine shop that can rebuild a head?

Bead blast, surface, port polish, angle grind and fit valves, assemble...ect?

This is a long shot - many years ago, I went over to Kilpatricks in Waukesha (tour of their place) - IDK if they can do any engine or are specialized?



On another note, based on what I heard about a recent experience with Urban, and my recent visit (albeit not service work related), there is no way I'd trust them with my ride. (I have seen some garages of my friends - their garage is better than Urban/LCS) :eek::eek:

EDIT: I should qualify my statement - Even if I did not know anything about Urban/LCS, I would not take my car there. Place looks to run down to do quality work, esp at the going labor rate.

On another note, based on what I heard about a recent experience with Urban, and my recent visit (albeit not service work related), there is no way I'd trust them with my ride. (I have seen some garages of my friends - their garage is better than Urban/LCS) :eek::eek:

EDIT: I should qualify my statement - Even if I did not know anything about Urban/LCS, I would not take my car there. Place looks to run down to do quality work, esp at the going labor rate.

I was just over there last week and spoke with him for quite a while. Give him a few weeks to clean the place up. He's got alot of stuff on order that should up the visual appeal fo the place.

For a place who's labor rate is lower than a dealership, there's alot of complianing about it here. Is their quality of work not up to par or something?

I had the Little Car Shop (at the time) do a helicoil fix for me. Did it without pulling the head, and only cost me about 400. It's still holding up very well....with many track days and autox's....with speeds well over 100mph. Seems to me they did (do) something alright there. Though they might not have the most appealing looking shop, the work seems to be just fine to me.

I was just over there last week and spoke with him for quite a while. Give him a few weeks to clean the place up. He's got alot of stuff on order that should up the visual appeal fo the place.

For a place who's labor rate is lower than a dealership, there's alot of complianing about it here. Is their quality of work not up to par or something?


I cannot say from personal experience. Based on the people that posted their experiences, I would not take my car there. I know most of the people posting in this thread, so I trust their judgement and believe their experiences.

If that makes sense.

Like I said though, I know a few independant Import/Honda garages. They too charge less than the dealer, but their set up appears so much more professional.

FWIW, based on what Slow323Ci told me, it is not really to surprising to find that independant shops charge less than the dealership charge. Dealership rates are insane for BMWs.:eek::eek: Well Concours at least.

+1, i do everything myself on my car. The only time i took it to a shop was to get a rear wheel bearing done on my e36, from what i read it was a 3 hr job,needed special tools and i just didnt have the time. So i took it to k&r in waukesha,mechanic working on it lost his two front teeth changing the wheel bearing. Either im lucky, or that was my cars way of telling me it doesnt like to be touched by anyone but me.

If anyone ever needs to use a car lift, ive got on in my shop lmk and we can work something out.

Holy crap... thats rediculous... A nick or a scratch i can deal with but if my car jacked my teeth id take a baseball bat to it.

That being said... When you talk about your shop are you referring to that automotive shop called Tom's auto i think? In Okauchee?

Ps: also you should come to the councours BMW show on June 14th i think Bring your 2002 Its gonna be cool

I cannot say from personal experience. Based on the people that posted their experiences, I would not take my car there. I know most of the people posting in this thread, so I trust their judgement and believe their experiences.

If that makes sense.

Like I said though, I know a few independant Import/Honda garages. They too charge less than the dealer, but their set up appears so much more professional.

FWIW, based on what Slow323Ci told me, it is not really to surprising to find that independant shops charge less than the dealership charge. Dealership rates are insane for BMWs.:eek::eek: Well Concours at least.

Well again, like i said, new owner, nice guy, new plans, new equipment. I'm gonna give him the benefit of the doubt.

This is a long shot - many years ago, I went over to Kilpatricks in Waukesha (tour of their place) - IDK if they can do any engine or are specialized?




kilpatricks is right across the street from us. They do mostly muscle cars and whatnot. We had some work done there on our work van once bc its so close.Ugh, lets just say they are very pricey

If you bring them a spec sheet, they can do it. All it is, is a matter of number and tolerances. If they have all the info, the rest is all the same.

If you bring them a spec sheet, they can do it. All it is, is a matter of number and tolerances. If they have all the info, the rest is all the same.

Shouldnt they know the specs though??? Unless its some one off part.

Like my Gruppe N BMW camshafts :)

Shouldnt they know the specs though??? Unless its some one off part.

Like my Gruppe N BMW camshafts :)

:eyecrazy for what motor?

I mean, they aren't going to know torque specs and piston diameter's, etc for every motor off hand you know? They'd have to search and get all that info.

:eyecrazy for what motor?

I mean, they aren't going to know torque specs and piston diameter's, etc for every motor off hand you know? They'd have to search and get all that info.

Im undertaking a motor build for my m20 powered e30

2.8l M52 shortblock
rebuilt m50 NV head
Gruppe N bmw factory m50NV Cams
Pink Top M3 injectors
underdrive Pulleys
Fleabay Headers (im broke)
Zf Trans
OEM m3 clutch/flywheel
Short ratio rear Diff
Euro 3.5 MAF (If i can find one)

Anyway hopefull someone can make me a custom chip for that setup... we'll see. Theres nothing really crazy about it, except that the cams are pretty obscure.

Im undertaking a motor build for my m20 powered e30

2.8l M52 shortblock
rebuilt m50 NV head
Gruppe N bmw factory m50NV Cams
Pink Top M3 injectors
underdrive Pulleys
Fleabay Headers (im broke)
Zf Trans
OEM m3 clutch/flywheel
Short ratio rear Diff
Euro 3.5 MAF (If i can find one)

Anyway hopefull someone can make me a custom chip for that setup... we'll see. Theres nothing really crazy about it, except that the cams are pretty obscure.

Try giving C&S a call. They do mostly American Muscle, but their machine shop is top notch. I took my old Supra motor to them to do some work, and they work on a few imports as well (DSMs, Hondas, etc.) They are located in Butler, right off of HWY 45. Take HWY 45 to Hampton Ave and head west to 124th ST. Turn left (south) on 124th, and they are on the right hand side about 2 blocks down. Here's their info:

C&S Performance Engines
4687 N. 124th St.
Butler, WI 53007
USA

(262) 781-0469

http://www.cs-performance.net
Ask for Clint if you can.

went to get detailing done at Concours.

it was 210 plus tax.

very impressed.

whoever had the stone chips have Bill Zinovi @ zinovi motorcars paint it. zinovimotorcars.com his shop is spotless and works on real high end stuff, does excellent work.

Try giving C&S a call. They do mostly American Muscle, but their machine shop is top notch. I took my old Supra motor to them to do some work, and they work on a few imports as well (DSMs, Hondas, etc.) They are located in Butler, right off of HWY 45. Take HWY 45 to Hampton Ave and head west to 124th ST. Turn left (south) on 124th, and they are on the right hand side about 2 blocks down. Here's their info:

C&S Performance Engines
4687 N. 124th St.
Butler, WI 53007
USA

(262) 781-0469

http://www.cs-performance.net
Ask for Clint if you can.
good guys over there

Has anyone had an experience with Goff's Auto Body in Pewaukee? I have to have my rear bumper repaired, and am curious if they do decent work.

Has anyone had an experience with Goff's Auto Body in Pewaukee? I have to have my rear bumper repaired, and am curious if they do decent work.

I think ///Meisterbrau had a poor experience - he went to the one in Pewaukee, IIRC.

I still recommend Al's Auto Body - 2617 S. 31st St. 414-645-1665. Call David and tell him I sent you.

GL.

Actually, I am taking the Accord in for some scratches and stone chips. I'll post before and after pics and cost.

-S

Thanks Sachin, I'll check out Al's!

Has anyone had an experience with Goff's Auto Body in Pewaukee? I have to have my rear bumper repaired, and am curious if they do decent work.

Absolutely, positively NOT!!!! The quality of work looks like they subcontracted to some high school body shop. Took the car back and complained. Their second attempt was better but there were still waves in the panel and the orange peel was still terrible.

Just throwing this out there...

If anyone needs some basic detailing done, I can do it. I detail for a small dealership and I don't charge a lot at all. Basic package is $70. I can't say I'm better than Concours or anything, but I'll get the job done without charging $200+. I'm not mobile, but I'm just off Capitol Drive in Brookfield. Easy location.

Shoot me a PM for more information.

Again, just throwing it out there.

Absolutely, positively NOT!!!! The quality of work looks like they subcontracted to some high school body shop. Took the car back and complained. Their second attempt was better but there were still waves in the panel and the orange peel was still terrible.

Thanks MeisterBrau! I'm going to check out Al's on the south-side this weekend. Thanks for all of the help:D

Well, I think we need to seriously update the Window Tinting section.

Blackout is booked 2-3 weeks out.
Sunbusters no longer has a working telephone.
And Kartunes is just too far for those of us who live on the north side.

Well, I think we can add a new tinter to the list of good places in the Milwaukee area:

Superior Window Tinting
http://www.superiorwindowtinting.net/
Phone: (414) 443 - 0434
855 S. 84th St.
West Allis, WI 53214

Guys there have been doing it for over 16 years. They don't stock any colored tint (thank god), but have many different kinds of normal tint. Very reasonably priced and did a great job on my car!

Well, I think we can add a new tinter to the list of good places in the Milwaukee area:

Superior Window Tinting
http://www.superiorwindowtinting.net/
Phone: (414) 443 - 0434
855 S. 84th St.
West Allis, WI 53214

Guys there have been doing it for over 16 years. They don't stock any colored tint (thank god), but have many different kinds of normal tint. Very reasonably priced and did a great job on my car!

Thanks for the referral! BTW...the 'Probe-rari' is fantastic!!!

Thanks for the referral! BTW...the 'Probe-rari' is fantastic!!!

The what?

Just went to Blackout for my M3

35% all around and i am very satisfied.

I was kinda worrid when they were popping out the inner trims on the door.. I hope i don't hear any rattling noise inside the door in the future...

overall, they were really proffesional except the doggy, i didn;t like the dog that much... he smelled.. :-)

anyways mine was 215 + tax.

I would recommend for anyone.

Just went to Blackout for my M3

35% all around and i am very satisfied.

I was kinda worrid when they were popping out the inner trims on the door.. I hope i don't hear any rattling noise inside the door in the future...

overall, they were really proffesional except the doggy, i didn;t like the dog that much... he smelled.. :-)

anyways mine was 215 + tax.

I would recommend for anyone.

Blackout does do a good job, I'll admit that, but why I didn't go to them is that they always seem "booked out" for weeks and weeks. I think the earliest I could get my car in from what the lady told me was 3 weeks. And then I'd have to leave it all day.

Superior did it the same day, for a LOT less money, and I think just as good of a job. And they didn't need to remove any trim.

Scott. He's the only old timer left there. Things were also a lot better when Vic was in charge of BMW service.

What about Dan?

Dan Bluma. He seems really caring and nice.

I think ///Meisterbrau had a poor experience - he went to the one in Pewaukee, IIRC.

I still recommend Al's Auto Body - 2617 S. 31st St. 414-645-1665. Call David and tell him I sent you.

GL.

Actually, I am taking the Accord in for some scratches and stone chips. I'll post before and after pics and cost.

-S

I want to see them pics of the stone chips removed before I take my car to Al's shop.

What about Dan?

Dan Bluma. He seems really caring and nice.

Who's Dan?

AFAIK Concours has two Service Advisors, Scott and Shawn , and the Service Manager is Jim.

Who's Dan?

AFAIK Concours has two Service Advisors, Scott and Shawn , and the Service Manager is Jim.

He's another SA I go to... maybe he's new. :embarrasm

If you live a little farther north I've had good luck with Meyer Import Svc (http://yp.yahoo.com/py/ypMap.py?tuid=5769188&ycat=7844597&city=Sheboygan+Falls&state=WI&zip=53085&uzip=53085&msa=7620&slt=43.733&sln=-87.8371&cs=5&stat=:pos:0:regular:regT:20:fbT:0)
420 Rangeline Rd
Sheboygan Falls, WI (920) 467-2231. For me it was handy (within walking distance from work) and $72/hr rate. It's a 2 man shop and always have cars waiting to be serviced. They work on all makes but IDK if they have scanners for newer models. Did a clutch on my 98 328 for $940 with a shifter bushing kit, a Sachs clutch kit and my own trans mounts.

I want to see them pics of the stone chips removed before I take my car to Al's shop.

I'll post them up in a week or so. I have to go back for him to blend the paint (?).

IDK - he did the "rough" work in a day, and told me to come back in a week, and he'd blend them in.

W/E. $50 works for me.

My '02 M3 just came off the CPO warranty in January. I took it to Concours while it was under warranty, but I doubt if I'll be back now that I'm footing the bill. I had planned to take it to Alpine, but now I'm not sure given the change in ownership. I might try-out European Auto House in Mequon.

I discovered a pricey, but good detailer the other day. I haven't had a full detail done, but I've had the car hand washed ($25). (Yes, I can be lazy.) Nice work. I believe the owner, Saul Rivera, used to be the lead detailer at Concours.
North Shore's Finest Auto Detailing
7505 N. Port Washington Rd., Glendale, WI
414.704.0816 -- By appointment only

I also had some minor body repairs done at:
Prestige Auto Works
6301 West Douglas Avenue, Milwaukee
They were pricey, but did a great job on the repairs and paint work. I was very unhappy, however, with the "free" detail they gave the car. I now have several swirl marks in the paint from the buffer. Very poor workmanship and very difficult to remove. This will be one of my summer projects.