The E38: An unexpected journey

[LCG]

Ever considerd buying a new B pillar from the BMW dealer? Or is the reapir cheaper/quicker/...?

I bought a new sideskirt+B pillar (comes as one item, only needed the sideskirt) for the E36 some 8 years ago, it was about 300€ if I remember correctly.

That is something I did not think about, could work because the sideskirt is a mess too. I will call the local dealers and ask prices.



Another thing that is bugging my brain in the middle of the night is the facelift front.

I think facelifted cars look A LOT newer than square headlight cars and more "luxury-er", yet I like the fact that square ones are glass and well... already have those

Since the car is getting a full paint job, now is the time to do it, but I have seen plenty of posts about how you need like harnesses, autolevel and bla bla bla... Anyone knows for sure what is involved?

Or even making a don´t do it hand gesture with a disapproval face with a good argument on why should I keep the square look?...

please?

[Nixxon]

Ever considerd buying a new B pillar from the BMW dealer? Or is the reapir cheaper/quicker/...?

I bought a new sideskirt+B pillar (comes as one item, only needed the sideskirt) for the E36 some 8 years ago, it was about 300€ if I remember correctly.

[LCG]

I believe, LGC, I believe

Seeing as you already understand the path of buying, getting attached, and selling - I reckon you'll keep this one for a while

In for more of your funny documenting

Thank you for believing, I do plan to keep it a good amount of time unless life happens and slaps me right in the mouth.

It was a good story until we discovered the bent B pillar. Good luck with getting it fixed.

Do you mind if I ask for the VIN number? Wouldn't mind checking out the options etc.

Everything will be ok, car was measured straight so its just the fact that doors were not closing properly.

wbagj8103wdl08724

Nah they have stand for that kinda thing, what you are doing is just rachet
Cool find nevertheless

you mean calling him like 3 times a day?

[klucifers]

Soooo..

When NCO told me that they would take 3 weeks to repair the car I already knew that in body shop lingo that is like 3 years, yet so I want to know what is happening.

I have been calling him for updates since the beginning ( I bet he makes that "why me" face when he looks who is calling )

I always ask what has been done to the car, what needs to be replaced to start ordering, color options etc.

But today I asked for pictures. And he sent me this one.



ha... ha....

Now I know why body shops take so long.

Nah they have stand for that kinda thing, what you are doing is just rachet
Cool find nevertheless

[Jimmy_HR32]

It was a good story until we discovered the bent B pillar. Good luck with getting it fixed.

Do you mind if I ask for the VIN number? Wouldn't mind checking out the options etc.

[Mehowski]

I believe, LGC, I believe

Seeing as you already understand the path of buying, getting attached, and selling - I reckon you'll keep this one for a while

In for more of your funny documenting

[LCG]

Soooo..

When NCO told me that they would take 3 weeks to repair the car I already knew that in body shop lingo that is like 3 years, yet so I want to know what is happening.

I have been calling him for updates since the beginning ( I bet he makes that "why me" face when he looks who is calling )

I always ask what has been done to the car, what needs to be replaced to start ordering, color options etc.

But today I asked for pictures. And he sent me this one.



ha... ha....

Now I know why body shops take so long.

[loekaaz]

Most of us at one moment in time have said. “I will keep this car for a long time" some are brave enough to say ”I will keep this car forever " . It is the usual excuse for our brains that is ok to dump lots of money into something we know is not worth it on a financial level.

Ouch. So true, it hurts.

[LCG]

I do not have pictures of the 7 series bendgate drama because I was not going to make a thread about it, and more importantly because I was in such shock that I didn’t think of taking pictures at all.

I have to explain something thought.

3” of bending is quite a lot, and if you try to imagine it on a straight edge you will sure think it’s impossible. And it is, at least with a flat roof.

But Luis WTF, you said 3 inches, or were you measuring in dick inches?

Not at all. The next text contains a lot of irrelevant data and many characters that could be boring for most of you but important to clarify this isn’t a totaled car.

The pillar is not actually bent 3 whole inches. That measure comes from comparison to the other side rocker panel/pillar/doors. I searched for a top picture of an e38 without luck.

He placed a ruler on the floor and another one on the doors, the combination of the bad shape of the wavy doors plus the actual bent pillar plus a somewhat bent rocker panel add up to almost 3 inches.

That said, here is a picture of the car that could explain it a bit. I took it after NCO and I chatted about solutions, more of that later.



You can see how the reflection between doors goes twice, this is because the doors should make a round shape between both and now they are like a record surfing wave that goes the wrong way on the center. (Check the first picture of this thread to see what I’m talking about). Yes I know I exaggerate a lot, its part of my life now.


Most of us at one moment in time have said. “I will keep this car for a long time" some are brave enough to say ”I will keep this car forever " . It is the usual excuse for our brains that is ok to dump lots of money into something we know is not worth it on a financial level.

Then we sell them for half of the cost of the bare car. It’s the car life, it owns you.

This car made me so happy when I bought it that I never contemplated the idea of selling it, I was more worried on leaving it as is or trying to fix it and getting it even worse.

After talking a lot with NCO and asking 40 times if he thought it would be done properly we agree on price for the repair and a full color change paint job.

And that is when I took the photo, car is already dissembled and being tortured with chains. I have not been there to take pictures because I can take a car that I bought with flaws. But NEVER a car that I pay to fix that has flaws. He knows that so I’m banned from the shop till it is straight.

[190Evan]

wow damn, well I bet you will still do something rad with it regardless.

[willis]

Happy to be on board. Good luck with the yacht.

Your threads inspire me to actually put effort into my build threads again like I used to. I used to be able to get a boner. Neither look promising for a comeback.

[DER E30]

Pics of this bent pillar?!?!?!? I can't picture it THAT bent, the car looks decent! Need a pic of both sides plz

[Frode D]

Damn, that sucks.

Can you talk to the previous owner about it?

[Matt]

holy shit

[Pauluzz]

Every LCG thread, bullets everywhere...