(WOB - Long) Buying parts from Germany

[b2otto2@xxxxxxx]

Hi, digesters and BMWCCA members,

I just want to relay an experiance purchasing parts for my 88 E30 M3
direct from Germay.

It may or maynot be of interest to you, but if you are interested in
saving some money on your next major parts purchase, read on, if not
just skip down.

Three weeks ago the release bearing went out on my M3, so i decided i
was going to up grade the flywheel and clutch, along with replacing the
rear main seal and pilot bearing, etc.  I thought about an Alumminum
Flywheel, but decided on using Orginal BMW Motorsport parts instead, so
i went  with the Flywheel as used on the EVO II and III, along with a
Sachs Sport Clutch Kit.

I began, calling and emailing about a dozen or so parts suppliers here
in the states, the majors amd minors, Korman, Bavarian Auto, Turner,
etc. With the exception of Barvarian Auto, no one had a sport clutch kit
or Evo flywheel in stock to ship. In most cases it was going to be a
three week delay on the Clutch kit and 7 - 14 days on the flywheel, they
said they would have to order from Germany. Prices were anywhere from
$439 - $650+ for the EVO flywheel to $449 - 795 for the Sachs Sport
Clutch Kit.

So, i thought to myself, why can't i just order from Germany, also. I
never done it before, so i began checking to see what kind of pricing i
could receive by going to a parts supplier there. The first place i
started to look was the Roundel, found an advertiser and fellow BMWCCA
member in the back pages, called Speed Autoteile, Berlin, looked up his
web site, damm!, all German, i can't read German, so i emailed him with
what i wanted and asked for pricing and shipping cost. 
A gentlemen emailed me back by the name of UWE K KUETHER
Speed8467@domain.elided. Wow!, he floored me with his prices, $327.00  for the
flywheel and $322.00 for the sport clutch kit, along with $65 for German
ground mail, 8 day delivery, for a total of $714.  So i order the parts
from hin. UWE had to wait aprox. 7 days on a part of the clucth kit to
come in, so last friday when he shipped the parts he sent them FedEx,
with no extra charge, Got the parts today, Monday, 2 day delivery, if
you don't count sunday. Great Service.  

I would defineitly consider this gentlemen when you need parts,
expecially if you can't get them over here at a reasonable price or they
are on a long backorder. I feel i saved close to $200 - $300 or more by
doing so.

Bradley Otto
jacobsburg, OH
740 686 2230
88 M3
bmwcca 88261

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