Many people desire to have their BMWs restored to peak condition. Although many reputable companies can do this, it’s important to know the right questions to ask and what red flags to look out for when choosing a restoration shop. Additionally, I’ll discuss time and cost, and I’ll share my experience with the BMW restoration near me.
Map of BMW Restoration Near Me
For “BMW Restoration Near Me”, see the map below…
How Does the BMW Restoration Near Me Work
The first step is to make an appointment with the restoration business. You’ll need to provide them with basic information about your car, such as its year, make, and model. They will also require information on the condition of the vehicle and what you want done.
Once you have made the appointment, they will give you a date to bring the vehicle in.
If your car isn’t running, some resto companies will come to where it’s parked to take a look. Otherwise, you could pay an auto transport service bring the vehicle to and from the shop for you.
The BMW restoration near me process typically takes about two weeks. However, this can vary depending on the severity of the damage and the company’s workload. When you drop off your car, they will do an initial assessment to determine the extent of the work that needs to be done.
After they’ve had a look at the automobile, they’ll give you a list of suggestions and alternatives, as well as a list of necessary parts. They will then give you a free estimate of the time and cost involved in the restoration. Once you have approved the work and provided a deposit, they will begin the process.
Ordering Parts and Beginning the Process
They will begin working as soon as your money is received, and they’ll search for parts at the same time. Depending on what you require and the age of your BMW, parts may come from specialized Bimmer salvage yards or even from the manufacturer. The source of the components might also be influenced by whether you’re doing a full restoration or a resto-mod.
The restoration process begins when the technicians at the BMW restoration shop receive all of the parts for your car. They will disassemble your vehicle and clean every part before they start repairing rust, straightening the frame, applying paint, making customizations (if requested), and fixing anything that is broken. Once they finish all of those steps, they will put your car back together and tune it.
The final step is to drive the car to ensure that all of the equipment is functioning properly and working according to the agreed-upon specs.
Important: Original Restoration vs Resto-Mod
There are two main types of BMW restorations: original restoration and resto-mod.
With an original restoration, the goal is to make the car look and function exactly as it did when it left the factory. All of the parts must be period-correct, and nothing can deviate from the way that it was originally made.
A resto-mod, on the other hand, takes a bit more liberties. In a resto-mod, the car can be modified to look and function however the owner wants, as long as the changes don’t alter the original structure of the vehicle. This means that you can add features such as Bluetooth or a backup camera, as long as they don’t require any structural changes.
Which type of restoration you choose is up to you, but it’s important to discuss your options with the BMW restoration near me company before making a decision. Your decision here will impact the overall value in the eyes of a collector. The restoration shop should be able to help you understand the future value in the eyes of a buyer based on the changes they make.
What to Expect in Terms of Cost and Time
BMW restoration is not a cheap process, and it can take several weeks to several months to complete. The total cost will depend on the severity of the damage, the company you choose, the number of modifications you request, and other factors. The age of the vehicle impacts time and cost because the parts can be much harder to source.
If your BMW is in good condition but just needs a few cosmetic changes, you can expect to pay around $4,000 to $10,000. For a vehicle in poor condition and needs more extensive restoration, you can expect to pay around $15,000 to $25,000. If you’re doing a full restoration or resto-mod on a classic BMW, the cost could be even higher.
The time required for the restoration will also vary depending on the severity of the work that needs to be done. BMWs that just need a few cosmetic changes can usually be completed in 4-8 weeks. BMWs that need more extensive restoration can take 12-16 weeks. Classic BMWs can take even longer, sometimes up to a year.
What Are the Steps Involved in a BMW Restoration?
Depending on the needs of your BMW, the process for restoring it will vary. However, every complete restoration project goes through these general steps:
- Disassembly of the car. During this stage of the restoration process, the Bimmer is dismantled and all parts are labeled and accounted for.
- The cleaning of all parts. They will remove the engine block, inspect it, and possibly rebuild or remanufacture it. Chrome parts will be triple-plated if needed. Upholstery will be fixed and potentially reupholstered.
- Repairs and Replacements. The shop will check the frame for rust and levelness and fix it if needed. They will also focus on replacing any BMW parts with OEM (original equipment manufacturer) parts.
- Source parts. Finding parts is a time-consuming process. Parts may come from BMW, European, or import junkyards, specialized second-hand part merchants, and worse case fabrication of parts if all else fails.
- Sandblast the frame and all other parts. This will eliminate any rust or corrosion.
- Paint the frame, body, and all other parts. This will make your car look brand new again. Shops can find the original colors of your vehicle and match them perfectly.
- Reassembly of the car. Some parts will be replaced, and others that can still be used will simply be reinstalled.
- Test drive and tune the car. They will verify that the car performs according to expectations and satisfies the customer’s requirements.
What Questions Should I Ask the BMW Restoration Near Me
One of the key questions you should ask any potential BMW restoration company is whether they have experience working on your model of car. This is for a variety of reasons: each Bimmer model needs different care due to German engineering changes over time.
- What type of BMWs do you specialize in?
- Do you have experience with my specific model or era of Bimmers?
- What is your process for restoration?
- How much will it cost to restore my BMW?
- How long will it take to restore my BMW?
- Are you able to provide a warranty on your work?
- Where will you source parts from and what will you do if you can’t find the parts you need?
- How will your work impact the value of the vehicle?
- Can you provide a list of references?
- Do you have any before and after photos of previous BMW restoration projects?
How to Choose a BMW Restoration Near Me
There are a few key factors to keep in mind when choosing the right BMW restoration shop for your needs.
Experience
First, you’ll want to make sure that the company you choose specializes in BMWs. There are many general restoration companies out there, but not all of them will have the specific knowledge and experience necessary to restore your BMW properly.
References and Reviews
Second, you’ll want to ask for references and look at before and after photos of the company’s previous restoration projects. This will give you a good idea of the quality of their work.
You should also seek out independent reviews (not reviews or testimonials on their website). Google My Business and Yelp are good places to start for real customer reviews.
Warranty
Finally, you should make sure that the company offers a warranty on their work. This will protect you in case something goes wrong with the restoration process.
My Experience Getting a 1976 BMW 2002 Restored
I had a nice junkyard find of a ’76 2002 that I bought with a salvage title for $1,200. The car was complete but in need of some serious work. I found a BMW restoration company near me that had experience with this specific model and era of Bimmer.
I was looking to go resto-mod since it appeared the previous owner had already made some modifications to it. The company was able to source all the parts I needed and they did an excellent job restoring the car. The entire process took about six months and cost around $15,000
BMW Restoration Near Me – Conclusion
If you’re in need of BMW restoration, it’s important to choose a company that has experience with your specific model and era of BMW. You should also ask for references, look at before and after photos, and make sure that the company offers a warranty on their work.
I had a great experience getting my ’76 2002 restored by a BMW restoration company near me. The end result was a beautiful car that I’m able to enjoy driving for many years to come. That’s what I have learned from the BMW restoration near me.