Re: Recommend a mechanic? I'm in Brooklyn, NY. (archive)

I too live in Brooklyn and have an e28. There are two competent shops in the area - both in Queens. The first is the Little Garage in Woodside - call Matt at 718-446-3670. The other is Ultimate Car Service on Northern Blvd. Call Gert at 718-361-9515. I prefer the Little Garage - better bed side manner. They have a website www.littlegarage.com. Tell Matt I sent you.

I have not found anybody in Brooklyn with whom I would trust my car.

Hey all. Going back and forth on buying a 1986 528e auto with 102K from a 3rd owner for $3400 (he's firm at that price). Exterior (bronzeit) is very clean, and the interior is even better (with the exception of two tiny cracks in the dash). The guy seems pretty conscientious: the engine and fluids (oil, trans fluid and coolant) look clean and have been changed regularly for the 2+ years the guy has owned it. He doesn't have records going back farther, unfortunately. He's had a tune-up, cleaned the fuel injectors, and changed the tires (non-metric alloy wheels--no TRXes), heating/AC blower motors, timing belt, o2 sensor, water pump, distributor rotor and starter--all very recently with receipts to prove it. No rust in the trunk, although there are some rust holes at each of the four jacking points developing. He doesn't know if the trans has been rebuilt ever, but it shifts well--if somewhat sluggish off the line--and there's no forward creep when the car is put in neutral. There's some slight whistling on braking, but there's no "brake shake" at high or low speeds. The cruise control is out, and the (original) radio will need to be replaced as the cassette player is kaput.

I took it to some regular-joe grease monkeys at a local mechanic and put it up on the lift. The rubber boots on the rear axles are dry and rough, so they said the axles therefore needed to be entirely replaced (the logic of which I didn't entirely follow), and there was some slight play in the front tie rods (which, of course, they wanted to replace too). There's also some slight oil leakage from the bushing of what I believe to be the oil sensor under the car near the filter.

Anyhoo, these guys struck me as somewhat underqualified and interested in sticking either him or me with an uterly inflated bill for axle and tie rod replacement, and their inspection of the engine and tranny was rather perfunctory. I'd like to have the car looked over by someone slightly more expert, but whom I can trust.

So my question is two-part: (1) anyone know a reliable, non-snooty mechanic who can give this car a good once-over before I plunk down what seems to be a reasonable sum of money for the car; and (2) is what seems to be a reasonable sum of money for this car in fact a reasonable sum of money?

Sorry for the long post, but I'm a horrible cheapskate and thought I'd avail myself your sizeable collective brain for free through the miracle of Al Gore's internet.

Thanks in advance.

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