I own a classic 1975 BMW 2002 that I drove coast to coast. The car is a lot of fun to drive and it performed flawlessly other than an oil filter that may not have been installed correctly. On the journey back from Florida, I began to note irregular problems with the starter. With the help of kind strangers, I managed to get from New Orleans to Amarillo, Texas, yesterday by popping the clutch after a helpful push or a downhill drift. By the time I arrived in Amarillo I also had difficulty shifting gears. After checking into a hotel and getting some much needed sleep, I attempted to pop the clutch to start the car early this morning, but I could not get the transmission into first gear. Based on the research I did, I had AAA tow the car to Panhandle Eurotech after a brief conversation with one of the owners, Chris. I told Chris that I was certain that the starter was bad. I also told him about the difficulty shifting gears. Chris said he would look the car over and get back to me soon as he was aware that I was anxious to return to northern California. He had Trevor, his quality assurance staffer, drive me back to my hotel. About an hour later I got a call from Chris. His initial diagnosis was that the starter was fine after tightening connections. He also explained that an oil change was necessary because the filter was ruined. As to the clutch, Chris had not driven the car yet to have a more informed view. I okayed the oil change and encouraged Chris to drive the car. Later today Chris explained that the problem shifting was due to either a faulty master cylinder or slave. It would take three days to get the parts in. I did not want to wait. Chris explained that it was possible that the work he did would get me back to California, but he also said it was unpredictable and it was possible that the problem could recur sooner. I appreciate the time Chris took to explain the risk as well as his efforts to quickly get me back on the road. One other unique experience for me was the role of the quality assurance staffer. Before I was contacted to pick up the car, Trevor made sure that the problems I noted as well as his own check list were addressed. In that process additional fine tuning was done. What I will note is that shifting is much smoother. In addition, the heat and vent controls are functioning much better. Before handing the keys to the car back to me, Chris explained the work he did and then showed me how he wanted me to check the oil filter while on the road. I did not mention to Chris the previous incident with a failed filter until then. Chris pointed out the potential causes and emphasized the importance of checking the filter with every gas fill. He even had rags and rubber gloves given to me to make it easier. The trip continues at 6am tomorrow.
January 17, 2016: I arrived home to northern California on Thursday the 14th as originally planned. Halfway during the 9 hour drive from Amarillo to Texas the difficulty shifting began to recur. A Yelp search of Flagstaff vintage BMW mechanics led me to call Ken's Import Service. I told them that I was on my way from Amarillo and would arrive just before they closed for the day. I shared Chris' diagnosis and an emergency overnight order of the clutch slave cylinder was completed after verification that the cylinder was leaking. The part arrived the next day, was installed, and I left for California the following morning. I did stop at the Grand Canyon first, meaning another 15 hour drive to test the car as well as my judgement. Chris called me on Friday and asked me about the journey. I told him that his diagnosis was spot on as were his concerns about when the problems with the clutch would recur. I appreciate Chris' follow-up and concern and I thanked him. If his shop was in California I would be a regular customer. The money he saved me by not having to purchase a remanufactured starter and installation paid for the diagnostics, oil change, and bleeding of the clutch. By putting the risk I was taking in continuing to Flagstaff in context, I was able to develop a contingency plan that saved me another day of travel time. I am a very satisfied customer. The follow-up call was a complete surprise, but is an indication of how thorough Panhandle Eurotech Automotive is. Beyond that, I was impressed by Chris' knowledge of the more than 40 year old E10 series given how young he is. A 2002tii (a rare and desirable BMW) was parked in front of the shop when I arrived. Chris explained that there are a healthy number of the cars in Amarillo. The 02 (and probably all import) owners in Amarillo are fortunate to have such a resource. Chris also had a set of recommendations that I intend to pursue. I want to drive this car its next 40 years. read more