Yes

 

your r52 engine is far superior to the N12 engine in your potential new purchase. They drink oil and rattle the chain

 

and get condensation in the top of the head if low mileage use, rusting the camshafts, putting the eml on, needing a cam sensor too I recall.

 

Not what I was expecting.. well I kind of was.

After seeing the condition of car we didn't bother test driving. And realised how tidy our 05 plate car is!

Just thinking of something more practical as a daily car.
Mainly as the clutch is a bit to heavy for her to enjoy it.

They had a 54 plate r52 s, I had a sit in that and the clutch wasn't as heavy?? I was under the impression they were all pretty heavy?

 

No they're not, well many are but they're not meant to be, you need to get it changed before it accelerates wear on other parts imo

 

stick a new luk clutch kit in the 52, amazing the difference, we fit them for a lot of customers where nothing is mechanically wrong with clutch apart from it being heavy

 

The car is on 69k miles so I guess it'd be a good idea to put a new flywheel on too? Any other bits need doing at the same time or is it all in a clutch kit?
Best get looking into labour cost to fit a clutch kit.

Apart from being heavy (not stiff if that makes sense) it seems to work ok.

Is this a job for any garage or a specialist job?

 

I'd change the rear main, also change the input seal, bearing guide and bolts, upper and lower fork bushes and both shaft side seals, use a genuine rear main seal too. Any garage can do it, preferably the one using the correct tool for placing the rear main in, or at least a respectable method! (BMW 2 year warranty invalid if they fit it wrong) These leak reasonably often so it's worth having the peace of mind of a two year guarantee at any BMW centre in the U.K. for parts and labour. You won't get it anywhere else, but the catch is you have to authorise stripping and they have to accept it was fitted correctly. Anyway, that's what I did. The reason for changing the guide and bushes is for the benefit of the lightest pedal, the bushes go brittle and gum up, with little value in cleaning. The guide can form a step hindering bearing movement.

Fit an LUK clutch kit, flywheel if required, you won't know until checked for play/condition. LUK only make clutches, and are in this case, the OE supplier to BMW except the release bearing, if you want OE here, go buy one to use with the LUK kit and ebay the LUK one maybe. Both are ok, but the OE is SKF, the LUK is something else.

All garages will take a short cut they think will help them beat the book time, you can't avoid this, but you can discuss it, but my point is there is a risk things don't go back quite how they should always.

Only my 2p. Don't leave a heavy clutch, so many do, often not noticing from daily use that it is getting stiff, and will be unaware of consequential damage that can occur over time. Sorry if more info than required.

 

No not too much info at all!
Really appreciate this as I'd really not have much of a clue.

Reason I ask about any garage being able to do it, a mate of mine is a mechanic and I can give him the parts and pay him for the labour.
But wouldn't gof down this route if it was anything out of the ordinary if you know what I mean. But it is handy if I know exactly what parts I need and literally tell him to change what I give him.

Out of interest/lack of understanding, What sort of damage can be caused by the stuff clutch?

I'm amazed mini didn't mention the clutch on its service last August.. Thought they'd be bang on it, if it was worth a few quid!