[Zero_09]

Been having trouble startin my car lately and brought it BMW dealer to check it out. I bought a battery from them last year so the warranty should be cover for 2 years. They tested the battery and the battery is fine. Told me it might be the starter and to take it in when it goes. Problem is when it was -30 degree celsius my car sputtered twice and shutdown. Tried a third time and it started no problem and it's been fine since. This was about a week or two ago.


Just wonder how much it would cost to replace the starter at an Indy shop and could there be any other reason I'm having trouble starting the car.

I do have a misfire code that comes up sometimes and I'm pretty sure I need to change one of the coil pack. My local shop scanned it and said it was a misfire on cylinder 6 so I'm going to do to when it gets warmer.

The starter seems like a big job so what's the avg price to do a job like this and how much is the part?

I have a 07 328i RWD 6MT

[mike3000fl]

I think mine was around 150 at autozone with a lifetime warranty.

The job isn't too bad, pull off the intake manifold and it lives underneath. There one bolt on the back of the starter against the firewall that sucks to get too, but that was about the only trouble I had. (except figuring out how to remove the intake manifold the first time around).

[Zero_09]

I checked the DIY and not really comfortable taking off the intake manifold. Seems like a lot of work and I think I'll have a shop do it instead.

Thanks though.

[mlifxs]

I had a BMW dealer replace mine.

~$900 US

I would have preferred to DIY but mine completely quit and I couldn't spend the time on it. Sometimes you need a car for work (or need to work).

[StereoSteve]

I'll chime in and say I had this same problem on my 07 328i. Darn cold weather. Took a couple of tries to start then was fine, but died that day while at work. Towing and the shop set me back about $900.

Good luck!

[PichaDis11]

190 from ecstuning... Send your now dead one back and they'll refund you a cover charge of 60...

[stormtrooper7]

Originally Posted by Zero_09

Been having trouble startin my car lately and brought it BMW dealer to check it out. I bought a battery from them last year so the warranty should be cover for 2 years. They tested the battery and the battery is fine. Told me it might be the starter and to take it in when it goes. Problem is when it was -30 degree celsius my car sputtered twice and shutdown. Tried a third time and it started no problem and it's been fine since. This was about a week or two ago.


Just wonder how much it would cost to replace the starter at an Indy shop and could there be any other reason I'm having trouble starting the car.

I do have a misfire code that comes up sometimes and I'm pretty sure I need to change one of the coil pack. My local shop scanned it and said it was a misfire on cylinder 6 so I'm going to do to when it gets warmer.

The starter seems like a big job so what's the avg price to do a job like this and how much is the part?

I have a 07 328i RWD 6MT

Before you go ahead and replace the starter, have you tried to install a battery blanket? Keeping the battery warm helps A LOT.

-30 C is cold, we get that here often... but I thought my starter was going too until I installed a battery blanket. What a huge difference. I just have it plugged in 3 to 4 hours before using the car (use a timer) and it starts up like nothing.

[Zero_09]

Originally Posted by stormtrooper7

Before you go ahead and replace the starter, have you tried to install a battery blanket? Keeping the battery warm helps A LOT.

-30 C is cold, we get that here often... but I thought my starter was going too until I installed a battery blanket. What a huge difference. I just have it plugged in 3 to 4 hours before using the car (use a timer) and it starts up like nothing.

never used or heard of one before until now. I don't know if I want to keep it plugged in. I park my car outside usually and don't have access to an outlet or would rather not have it plugged in.

I'm not sure how you guys wire it. The battery is in the trunk so where are you guys routing the extension cord?

[stormtrooper7]

Canadian Tire usually have them for about 50 bucks I think. But all you do is wrap the battery with it. The cord is short so it stays in the trunk. But to plug it in your extension cord will have to obviously come out of the trunk. Just close the lid on the cord.

Up to you. But it's <$100 plus 20 minutes of your time compared to hundreds of dollars for a starter. I get it if you don't have access to an outlet, but if you do...something to consider.

[mike3000fl]

Originally Posted by stormtrooper7

Canadian Tire usually have them for about 50 bucks I think. But all you do is wrap the battery with it. The cord is short so it stays in the trunk. But to plug it in your extension cord will have to obviously come out of the trunk. Just close the lid on the cord.

Up to you. But it's <$100 plus 20 minutes of your time compared to hundreds of dollars for a starter. I get it if you don't have access to an outlet, but if you do...something to consider.

If your starter was actually going out, a blanket to warm the battery isn't going to do anything for the starter. The starter doesn't car if the battery is warm or cold, just like if the starter was dead it wouldn't care if you put a brand new battery in (warm or not), it still won't start.

If the blanket fixes your problem, then you just had a weak battery when the temperature is cold out, there must not have been a starter problem to begin with.

But if you truly have a starter problem, you will end up facing it eventually one morning when you hit start, blanket or not.

[Zero_09]

The past few days the car been starting no problem. Only that one time when it was -20 to -30 degrees Celsius I had problems. The battery is brand new I got from last year and was tested and the BMW dealership said it was fine.

[stormtrooper7]

Get the battery blanket if you have access to an outlet. Not sure what else you're supposed to do at this point since it's definitely not the starter. I suppose you could not drive the car on the extremely cold days...

[Zero_09]

Originally Posted by stormtrooper7

Get the battery blanket if you have access to an outlet. Not sure what else you're supposed to do at this point since it's definitely not the starter. I suppose you could not drive the car on the extremely cold days...

The dealership did say it was the starter and told me to come back when it goes. Is there a reason why you think it's definitely not the starter? I'm not sure what else can it be...