Well, I did and didn't dodge a bullet

[CybrSlydr]

What about this one from Bimmerworld?

https://www.bimmerworld.com/Driveline-Shifter/Driveshafts-Accessories/Powertrain-Industries-Driveshaft-E46-M3.html

[CybrSlydr]

The one on FCP doesn't show it comes with the flex disc, just the CSB and u-joints.

https://www.fcpeuro.com/products/bmw-driveshaft-26112229240

[bmwfnatic]

I bought a brand new drive shaft, but I am in Europe and it was ‘only’ 1250 for me.

It comes with everything, flex disk, bolts, csb, gasket, cv joint and is pre packed with grease.
It tightens up the entire car because there’s also wear in the CV splines on these.

It would also save you on labor for replacing the CSB, and CV joint on a used shaft, they can just slap it on and be done.

[CybrSlydr]

As important as a drive shaft is, I'm really thinking I might just bite the bullet and buy a new OEM one rather than used, even though $300 is WAAAAAAY more appealing (and allow me to get more done) than $2k for a new one.

They already have the flex disc, so I don't need to buy that. Should I still buy a couple of those CV gaskets, lube, and the exhaust seals? Also helps that I got an e-mail from FCP with 10% off orders over $100, so the driveshaft is cheaper.

[Slideways]

Just FYI, Febi is not OE. They are never OE, they are just repack stuff and not produce them self. Depending on the part, OE's are Meyle, TRW or similar. In the Guibo case it's Meyle.

SGF makes the flex disc for BMW. As long as it says SGF on it, no matter which repackaged box it comes in, it is the OEM part. Meyle is not stamped SGF.

[oceansize]

My shop we charge retail for all BMW parts, plus 5%, that makes the fuel pump $615.36 before tax. If I sold it at my cost then there is no money considering the time to source the parts, etc, etc, I have to make some money on both ends to keep the shop a float.

Labor is 2.6hrs at $150 a hour. Doing some reverse math if they charged 2.6hrs as well then their labor rate is $225. Probably a lot for Casper, WY, but maybe not? That is cheaper than the BMW dealership in Austin.

We then offer a 5% discount if paying cash or zelle (credit card fees 🙄)

And maybe there was some diagnosis time as well?

And yes, anyone could DIY this job its not terribly hard, but the devil is in the details. I've had more than a few clients spill gas in their car, not get the clamp tight and leak gas or not seat the seal in the tank and then leak (only to find out the first time they fill it up and now gas is running out from under the car). This isn't to persuade anyone from attempting but sometimes that peace of mind is worth the labor. Oh also if you buy a BMW part from a retailer like ECS or FCP it does not have a BMW warranty on it anymore. It has to be bought from a BMW franchise (I found that out the hard way).

And I'm not trying to be argumentative, just offering a different perspective that isn't always seen on the enthusiast forums where there are lots of DIY'ers.




Seen it many a times, exhaust hardware being loose.

George if you lived near me I'd pay you and I'd be broke. Not having a good shop owner near me has saved me a lot of money, for real.

[CybrSlydr]

At idle and low rpms, this is while stationary or when driving? I assume driving, but not many people drive around at idle speeds. I would be surprised if you had a driveshaft issue and it went away once warmed up for "years." I would be concerned this is a second issue from your description.


This is a chicken or the egg kind of thing, I've definitely seen many driveshafts that "felt" fine when driving but then on disassembly you find its got a bad u-joint. It doesn't change the end result but just wanted to give another view point.


There are quite a few posts saying that the shop is "screwing you" or whatever, but I wanted to give a different perspective. From my side (as a shop owner AND enthusiast), there are a couple ways to look at this. If you are taking the car to a shop, they generally are going to want to warranty their work. Its hard to take on the risk of used parts AND a warranty AND at a cheap price. So sure they could throw a used driveshaft in and it would be cheaper and it probably would be fine. OR they put new parts on the car and you get a warranty not only from them but also from BMW. Everyone has to make money to stay in business (duh) but rent, insurance, labor, taxes, maintenance, etc all add up and those have to he found somewhere. This is what I would charge (out the door) at my shop for those options suggested above:

• New BMW driveshaft - $3,036.39 (not including any diagnosis charges).
• Used BMW driveshaft - $1,456.84 (not including any diagnosis charges) using the $350 driveshaft I have to mark up, new CSB and Guibo. With this option you still have a used CV joint and center u-joint.
• Fuel pump (since it was also noted above) - $1,056.13.

Because BMW driveshafts are so expensive I've looked at alternatives and we have installed more than a few aftermarket/rebuilt driveshafts with limited success. Some have been great, others we've had to warranty. It really seems like a crap shoot. If I knew we were getting a good product thats the way I would go as they are generally 50% new BMW cost with a 1yr part warranty. BUT its really hard to justify using them knowing I might have to go back in there for free to fix it when I could just charge a bit more for a better part. If you were going to DIY and you didn't value your labor as much then I would say go the reman/used route, with some proper maintenance and see what happens. But if you are paying someone sometimes the easy button is expensive.

***One last thing, is your car manual? If so with the driveshaft out its a perfect time to refresh the shifter components or swap in an SSK. The labor should be minimal at that point consider the driveshaft is already out. Another thing to consider is how are the diff bushings? Its more work, but relatively not as much as starting from scratch since the exhaust and driveshaft are already out. And might want to consider transmission mounts if they aren't fresh.

Appreciate the insights!

It was when mostly stationary. It would go away once I started moving, but came back at stop signs/lights, etc. They showed me the driveshaft and the car up on the lift - the U-joint was certainly seized, I saw it for myself. I'm having them look around and see if anything else looks like it could be refreshed (initially the front shocks look original [and I have about 160k on the car], and sway bars will probably need replaced as well). There's also a leak somewhere underneath, a small/slow one, so they're going to chase that down and see what it is. I asked about the transmission mounts and saw them - the tech said they looked good and I didn't see any cracks or the like.

I did ask about the shifter link (yes, the car is a manual) since the shaft was out and he manipulated it and everything looked fine - the previous owner already got the SSK, so I'm good there.

[sbay]

Just FYI, Febi is not OE. They are never OE, they are just repack stuff and not produce them self. Depending on the part, OE's are Meyle, TRW or similar. In the Guibo case it's Meyle.

Interesting because FCP has them listed as the OE for this part. Either way, good to know for the future thanks.

*Edit* Looks like SGF is the OE for this part, which is then repackaged by Febi.

[George Hill]

You're fuel pump price is pretty reasonable, what I would have expected. You tack on some money to the cost of the part which is fully expected as you're going to provide a warranty on labor. But, there is always a line, $1200 is simply too much for that job. We all know what that job entails and that line was crossed at $1200. Fuel pumps are not, as far as I know, a frequently failing component if using the original OE part.

The fuel pump is https://www.ecstuning.com/b-genuine-...p/16142229684/ currently 498.86 which then means that shop is charging $700 for possible warranty and labor. IMO, yes, that is too high for that job.

Now, I've overpaid to shops in the past because I want a shop owner that I like to make money. I like a good shop being around so I'm not simply cheap.

Edit: I'm assuming that when OP says fuel pump, that yes it was simply a fuel pump and not other stuff.

My shop we charge retail for all BMW parts, plus 5%, that makes the fuel pump $615.36 before tax. If I sold it at my cost then there is no money considering the time to source the parts, etc, etc, I have to make some money on both ends to keep the shop a float.

Labor is 2.6hrs at $150 a hour. Doing some reverse math if they charged 2.6hrs as well then their labor rate is $225. Probably a lot for Casper, WY, but maybe not? That is cheaper than the BMW dealership in Austin.

We then offer a 5% discount if paying cash or zelle (credit card fees 🙄)

And maybe there was some diagnosis time as well?

And yes, anyone could DIY this job its not terribly hard, but the devil is in the details. I've had more than a few clients spill gas in their car, not get the clamp tight and leak gas or not seat the seal in the tank and then leak (only to find out the first time they fill it up and now gas is running out from under the car). This isn't to persuade anyone from attempting but sometimes that peace of mind is worth the labor. Oh also if you buy a BMW part from a retailer like ECS or FCP it does not have a BMW warranty on it anymore. It has to be bought from a BMW franchise (I found that out the hard way).

And I'm not trying to be argumentative, just offering a different perspective that isn't always seen on the enthusiast forums where there are lots of DIY'ers.

With regards to that specifically, for me that did end up being a loose header -> section 1 bolt/nut. As far as I can tell there was no actual leak, but the bolt/nut was rattling until things expanded enough.

Seen it many a times, exhaust hardware being loose.

[terra]

For YEARS, when I turned on the car, at idle and low RPMs, it would make this metallic rattling sound. It eventually went away during the drive and didn't always happen. I figured it was a loose exhaust hanger or something, and didn't think much of it.

With regards to that specifically, for me that did end up being a loose header -> section 1 bolt/nut. As far as I can tell there was no actual leak, but the bolt/nut was rattling until things expanded enough.

[oceansize]

• New BMW driveshaft - $3,036.39 (not including any diagnosis charges).
• Used BMW driveshaft - $1,456.84 (not including any diagnosis charges) using the $350 driveshaft I have to mark up, new CSB and Guibo. With this option you still have a used CV joint and center u-joint.
• Fuel pump (since it was also noted above) - $1,056.13.

You're fuel pump price is pretty reasonable, what I would have expected. You tack on some money to the cost of the part which is fully expected as you're going to provide a warranty on labor. But, there is always a line, $1200 is simply too much for that job. We all know what that job entails and that line was crossed at $1200. Fuel pumps are not, as far as I know, a frequently failing component if using the original OE part.

The fuel pump is https://www.ecstuning.com/b-genuine-...p/16142229684/ currently 498.86 which then means that shop is charging $700 for possible warranty and labor. IMO, yes, that is too high for that job.

Now, I've overpaid to shops in the past because I want a shop owner that I like to make money. I like a good shop being around so I'm not simply cheap.

Edit: I'm assuming that when OP says fuel pump, that yes it was simply a fuel pump and not other stuff.

[George Hill]

For YEARS, when I turned on the car, at idle and low RPMs, it would make this metallic rattling sound. It eventually went away during the drive and didn't always happen. I figured it was a loose exhaust hanger or something, and didn't think much of it.

At idle and low rpms, this is while stationary or when driving? I assume driving, but not many people drive around at idle speeds. I would be surprised if you had a driveshaft issue and it went away once warmed up for "years." I would be concerned this is a second issue from your description.

Recently I felt what I can only describe as when you go over rumble strips coming from the center/rear of the car. Googling said it might be the center support bearing, the guibo, or something else. I have a second vehicle, so I decided to take it down to the indy shop I use and have them take a look at it.

Got the call today and... fuck.

The u-joints on the driveshaft are seized on one side. The rattling I've been hearing all these years? It was the driveshaft out of balance due to the seized u-joints. This also took out the center support bearing. The guibo/flex disc is also cracked and needs replaced.

The shop is quoting me $3500 to replace the driveshaft and parts.

This is a chicken or the egg kind of thing, I've definitely seen many driveshafts that "felt" fine when driving but then on disassembly you find its got a bad u-joint. It doesn't change the end result but just wanted to give another view point.

Does that quote seem reasonable to you folks?

There are quite a few posts saying that the shop is "screwing you" or whatever, but I wanted to give a different perspective. From my side (as a shop owner AND enthusiast), there are a couple ways to look at this. If you are taking the car to a shop, they generally are going to want to warranty their work. Its hard to take on the risk of used parts AND a warranty AND at a cheap price. So sure they could throw a used driveshaft in and it would be cheaper and it probably would be fine. OR they put new parts on the car and you get a warranty not only from them but also from BMW. Everyone has to make money to stay in business (duh) but rent, insurance, labor, taxes, maintenance, etc all add up and those have to he found somewhere. This is what I would charge (out the door) at my shop for those options suggested above:

• New BMW driveshaft - $3,036.39 (not including any diagnosis charges).
• Used BMW driveshaft - $1,456.84 (not including any diagnosis charges) using the $350 driveshaft I have to mark up, new CSB and Guibo. With this option you still have a used CV joint and center u-joint.
• Fuel pump (since it was also noted above) - $1,056.13.

Anywhere else I can source a driveshaft other than Turner or FCP Euro?

Because BMW driveshafts are so expensive I've looked at alternatives and we have installed more than a few aftermarket/rebuilt driveshafts with limited success. Some have been great, others we've had to warranty. It really seems like a crap shoot. If I knew we were getting a good product thats the way I would go as they are generally 50% new BMW cost with a 1yr part warranty. BUT its really hard to justify using them knowing I might have to go back in there for free to fix it when I could just charge a bit more for a better part. If you were going to DIY and you didn't value your labor as much then I would say go the reman/used route, with some proper maintenance and see what happens. But if you are paying someone sometimes the easy button is expensive.

***One last thing, is your car manual? If so with the driveshaft out its a perfect time to refresh the shifter components or swap in an SSK. The labor should be minimal at that point consider the driveshaft is already out. Another thing to consider is how are the diff bushings? Its more work, but relatively not as much as starting from scratch since the exhaust and driveshaft are already out. And might want to consider transmission mounts if they aren't fresh.

[S54B32]

I would get the Febi since it’s OE, plus the bolts aren’t one time use so you can just reuse yours.

Edit: be careful, Febi is only a repack company. You can get any brand in there box...on most parts from febi I got the cheapest from the market (not judging on febi guibo, more in general).
Others have pointed out that OE is SKF for the e46 m3 guibo, thanks! I think there was some thread or list with OE confirmed parts some time ago.

[CybrSlydr]

Casper Wyoming, honestly now I'm curious about the shop you are going to. I hate to jump to conclusions. But I feel like there isn't a high likelihood of finding a lot of top level BMW specialists out there.

This can definitely be a DIY if you have some tools and free time, and maybe some friends to help. Dropping the exhaust sucks ass to do with one person. But otherwise none of that stuff should be THAT bad if you take your time. Youtube can guide you through all of this.

https://www.farleysautocasper.com

That's who I've taken it to. Unfortunately, I live in an apartment complex that doesn't allow you to put vehicles up on stands or do work in the parking lot.

We do have that "Backwards Mechanic" place though.

[EthanolTurbo]

Twelve hundred on a fuel pump with labor is wild man.

Fucking insane honestly.