Another Fun 98.44% Increase in Genuine Parts

[Estoril]

Proof that "Tariffs work !!!!"

[tnord]

The cars are worth far more. You should price some of those parts for a 993. I don't think the average E46 owner is nearly as wealthy as the average air cooled Porsche owner. We take ourselves too seriously sometimes. Just my 2c.

Anyway, S54 spark plugs are still quire affordable IMO.

how do the cars being worth far more change the viability of parts support over time?

the lower production numbers should make it a tougher business case.

Proof that "Tariffs work !!!!"

they work so well that prices will go up another 10% in Feb and 25% in June! huzzah!

[1000hp]

Premium prices

https://www.instagram.com/reel/DSC6M6EESWn/?igsh=MTA5cHg2Mmt3cTFqNg==

[discoelk]

how do the cars being worth far more change the viability of parts support over time?

the lower production numbers should make it a tougher business case.

The owners are far more willing to stomach things like $1000 for a set of tail lights on the aggregate. I don't think many E46 owners are willing to spend that much. This thread is an example of that.

A scruffy but solid high miles running/driving E46M can still be had for under $20k. An equivalent impact bumper 911 is easily double or triple that amount and 964/993s are far more. Those folks are far more willing and able to buy expensive parts.

[tnord]

I'll grant you that the p-car crowd will better tolerate higher priced parts, but I think we've got a bigger problem with so many basic items going NLA so fast. Original BMW parts taking a 100% jump in such a short time when the OE option is still available at less than half the cost is a big middle finger from BMW to their owners.

On the surface, it looks like MB does a better job with parts support than BMW, and their cars are of similar value and production numbers.

https://classicparts.mbusa.com/c-series-206

[samthejam]

^ This

FCP is just one vender. If you have been ordering from them for a while, you should be familiar with how they price items. If they offer the OEM part from the parts manufacturer that supplies BMW, always skip genuine and get the OEM part (ex. spark plugs, oil filters, certain gaskets, suspension components etc.). The price for the OEM parts tends to be more stable than OE BMW when ordering through FCP.

Also, M3 spark plugs are changed at 60k miles. If most of us are barely putting 5k miles a year on the car, your next change is in 12 years. I would not mind paying that bit extra the next time I need plugs, especially if I get 60k out of them. If the NGKs become discontinued or pricing becomes ridiculous, I'll use a similar high quality spark plug from another brand.

I have put 41k miles on the car since I did those plugs in July of 2024. So the lifetime warranty from a vendor for something like this for me at time of ordering is a perk.

As stated in original post I know NGK is OE and I know it’s cheaper.

Price was negligible difference when ordering so just got genuine, wanted to feel special seeing the BMW box. Again was planning on lifetime warranty and I understand prices creep up but doubling in a year and a half I just didn’t account for. It’s just annoying, but at least we can still get NGKs.

for now…

[samthejam]

And I’m sure we can all agree there are many external factors to the rising cost, and increasing difficulty in sourcing parts outside of BMWs control.

I just use this car a lot because I am too stupid to buy a camry and just complaining into the void. Hobby is just getting more and more expensive for how I enjoy it.

[BL92]

as the video i posted in a previous thread, bmw are focusing on recycling our cars

[4getr34]

wonder what e30 and e36 owners think - most of those I see on the road appears to be really cared for.

[Grey Phox]

wonder what e30 and e36 owners think - most of those I see on the road appears to be really cared for.

I sold my last E28 last summer. Even with a whole different world of aftermarket parts that didn't exist when I got my first E28 (2003/2004), it was still no easier to find things for that car in 2025 that you actually wanted to use to replace the parts with......when you could actually find them.

My E36 M3 Ive owned since about 2009. Alot of things with that car are and have been NLA at this point. It sucks but it is what it is. We are a pretty small market in the grand scheme of things. While I think it would be awesome if BMW did something like Porsche or Honda having that new Heritage Works program in Japan starting with the NSX, i know we'll never see it. They don't care you decided to keep a 20+ year old car.

I got to the E46 party late, they were out when I was in high school, and I lusted for one ever since......even while still having E28's (through HS) It took me 3 years to find a super clean one that I got in 2024 and i love it, but it does get annoying finding certain simple things. Jump on it when it randomly comes back in stock (if it does) or pay the ridiculous increases when someone sells it used. Those are the options unfortunately.

[bigjae46]

I've been using NGK 7415. I don't see an advantage to a BMW part in this case. Head gasket? OEM all day long. A spark plug is relatively easy to replace and keep spares on hand.

I think BMW cares less and less about heritage and is focusing more and more on the here and now. The cars and marketing pose a much different BMW than it did years ago. You hear "ultimate driving machine" less and less and fewer comparisons to older cars. Maybe the G87 M2 is the only thing that could possibly be a retcon but modern BMWs look and feel much different. They still are amazing driver's cars even if you want everything to never change. Back to parts...I would guess that this direction would put less and less importance on supporting older models.

I think BMW should celebrate the past with the future. Their past was amazing.

[x Spades x]

^ This

FCP is just one vender. If you have been ordering from them for a while, you should be familiar with how they price items. If they offer the OEM part from the parts manufacturer that supplies BMW, always skip genuine and get the OEM part (ex. spark plugs, oil filters, certain gaskets, suspension components etc.). The price for the OEM parts tends to be more stable than OE BMW when ordering through FCP.

Also, M3 spark plugs are changed at 60k miles. If most of us are barely putting 5k miles a year on the car, your next change is in 12 years. I would not mind paying that bit extra the next time I need plugs, especially if I get 60k out of them. If the NGKs become discontinued or pricing becomes ridiculous, I'll use a similar high quality spark plug from another brand.

5k miles ago year???

Im over here daily driving my car racking up 10k a year (in just 8 months). Is everyone treating these like Challenge Stradales???

[Keith_MN]

5k miles ago year???

Im over here daily ingredients my car racking up 10k a year (in just 8 months). Is everyone treating these like Challenge Stradales???

Multiple cars, hobbies, a family, work, travel, only 8 mo of driving weather... I'm lucky to put 1k/yr on.

[terra]

Multiple cars, hobbies, a family, work, travel, only 8 mo of driving weather... I'm lucky to put 1k/yr on.

Same. I think mine was only driven a hundred miles in the last year or so

[Slideways]

I've been using NGK 7415. I don't see an advantage to a BMW part in this case. Head gasket? OEM all day long. A spark plug is relatively easy to replace and keep spares on hand.

I think BMW cares less and less about heritage and is focusing more and more on the here and now. The cars and marketing pose a much different BMW than it did years ago. You hear "ultimate driving machine" less and less and fewer comparisons to older cars. Maybe the G87 M2 is the only thing that could possibly be a retcon but modern BMWs look and feel much different. They still are amazing driver's cars even if you want everything to never change. Back to parts...I would guess that this direction would put less and less importance on supporting older models.

I think BMW should celebrate the past with the future. Their past was amazing.

You'll have the pleasure of paying 3-4x more for BMW to put the Elring head gasket in a BMW parts box