Working on e46 (sort of rant)

I have found that in my two years with my 2000 323ci that it is a very easy car to work on. I have also found that "BMW" specialty shops are not always the best resource to work on your car. I have a local guy who specializes in Ford/Chevy and he works on my car for half the cost of an indy shop and far cheaper than the dealer and his work is top notch. I am sure that some things might need to go to a specialized mechanic but most problems don't.



Example:

Front Wheel Bearing:

DIY: $100(ish) cost of the hub/bearing

Local Guy: $200-$300

Indy Shop $400-$480

Dealer: ?? Never checked



Just my 2 cents.