wheel bearings I think

["Gary Frick" <gfrick@xxxxxxxxxxxx>]

I'm new to the list so I hope that you will forgive me if there is an answer
to this somewhere else.  Any I have a '92 325is.  Recently I have been
noticing a groaning/whining noise that seems to be associated with wheel speed
and not associated with engine or transmission activity.  The sound is only
noticeable when the windows are closed. The location of the noise is
undecernable.  I have been unable to hear a difference when turning right or
left because by the time I'm making a turn I'm either not moving fast enough
or I'm starting up from a dead stop.  I don't feel anything in the steering or
any vibration.  The car has 98,000 miles.  My suspicion is wheel bearings, but
I can't be certain.  Furthermore I don't know if it is coming from the rear or
the front.  This leads me to the following questions:

1).  What is the best method of determining whether or not this is actually
wheel bearings gone bad.

2). I generally do all my own mechanical work when possible.  But as I have
come to find, BMWs aren't do-it-yourself friendly without substantial
investment in special tools.  Also working on rear or front wheel bearings are
generally different.  Can this job be reasonably done by myself or am I at the
mercy of a service center/dealer?

3). What are the costs associated with either a do-it-yourself and a service
center/dealer?  Some already told be to expect to fork out $250 per wheel.
This can't be right.   They are only wheel bearings for crying out loud.

4). If this is a do-it-yourselfer, where is a good place to buy parts (tools
too, if required)?

5). What else might I be looking for if this isn't a wheel bearing problem?

Also, I live in the northern Virginia area, so if you have any recommendations
for parts, tools, dealers, service centers, friends, contacts as they relate
to any of the above, I would appreciate it.

Thanks
Gary

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