Door Handle Broke on BMW 320D

mama79

Hi

Hoping someone can point me in the right direction with this. I have a 2000 BMW 320D and the inner driver door handle has broken. It didn't come away in my hand or anything but it seems as if something inside the panel (maybe a spring or something?) broke. I've been given the name of one or two guys who can fix this (originally posted this query in November) but between work and having a baby I didn't get around to it. Anyways so the problem is still there except now the electric window has seized up on me. This is the window I used to roll down to open the driver door when the original problem of the door handle started :mad:

Anyone have any ideas as to how much this is going to cost me to fix? I rang a place this morning and they won't say how much its going to cost until they remove the door panel. While I understand this, I wouldn't mind getting a ballpark figure as once a place starts opening it up i'll probably be obligated to get them to continue the job and I just don't want to be fleeced.

I'm living near Kinsale but on maternity leave at the moment so I'd be pretty flexible in terms of where to take it...

Any advice much appreciated ...

Cheers

MetzgerMeister

It seems like a handy job but it depends on how long it will take to remove the panel.

Ask what the mechanic's hourly rate is and base the cost on that.

mama79

Thanks for that. I'm thinking about ordering the parts online and getting someone to fit them for me..or is that sort of thing frowned upon by mechanics ?

ants09

MetzgerMeister wrote: »

It seems like a handy job but it depends on how long it will take to remove the panel.

Ask what the mechanic's hourly rate is and base the cost on that.

That panel can be taken off in around 5 minutes

mama79 wrote: »

Thanks for that. I'm thinking about ordering the parts online and getting someone to fit them for me..or is that sort of thing frowned upon by mechanics ?

How do you know what parts you need !

2012 Rio

Thanks for that. I'm thinking about ordering the parts online and getting someone to fit them for me..or is that sort of thing frowned upon by mechanics ?

That's more likely to cost you more since you won't be able to get the trade discounts that the garage can get. If you do save anything, it'll hardly be worth the hassle of it.

mama79

@ Ants09 - When I rang one garage today the guy on the phone gave me the names of the parts I'd need...

I'll keep checking anyways..thanks for all your replies.

dharn

how can he tell what parts you need until he sees whats broken behind the pane,l it might just be a operating rod that has come off the handle, the window could just be a fuse or it could be the window motor, big difference

MetzgerMeister

ants09 wrote: »

That panel can be taken off in around 5 minutes

True but don't some mechanics have a basic rate once they start a job i.e. 15 minutes work will still cost the same as an hour or something like that?

Nforce

I replaced the driver's electric window mechanism (~€100 from the dealers,iirc) in my own 320d last year in around an hour. Be careful that you don't damage the weather seal barrier foam behind the door panel.