So I'm young and stupid, bought an 04 GP GT N/A(FIRST CAR!!!!) for way too much little over a year ago and the dealership's warranty just ran out. Now I'm looking at a lot of little problems that I don't want to grow into big expensive problems, which become bigger and even more expensive considering I'm an expat in Germany for about another year. I've been here for two years already, learned a lot more than I thought I would, and now I need to learn much, much more. I fell in love with this car at the first turn of the key and I'm stubborn as flippers about making things work. So now that introductions are out of the way, I'll jump right into it.

#1: I can't toot my own horn.
When I bought her, she had a hole cut into the lower dash with a big, ugly black button. Right where my knee usually touches when I get in and out. That button led to a homebuilt harness and an aftermarket horn, with an entire relay, straight off the battery and grounded to the strut tower. Naturally, I hate jury-rigging that is not my own creation and I like it when I can hear if my car is actually locking when I press the button. So it went bye-bye within 15 minutes of me seeing it. So I started crawling through the car to find the offending fault and...still looking. I can hear a click every time I hit the steering wheel, that sounds like it's getting to the horn relay, but from the relay to the horn.......no idea. and the black & green wires that seemed to be in the proper place had been cut. Or chewed. So I can't be for sure that those wires are for my horn.

#2: I like it smooth. Not bumpy.
The front end has given me trouble since the beginning of this little love affair. Right off the bat the front passenger side wheel bearing needed replaced, which the dealership has one shop that their warranty is valid through. And this being Germany, the mechanics know their BMW's and nothing else. So I don't know what damage they did, and I didn't have the money or the time to do anything myself. Again, young and stupid, kicking myself, etc. So front passenger wheel bearing, transmission fluid(just fluid, no filter as I found out later), and rear driver's side brake caliper rebuilt. My baby runs fine, gets me to work and back, and doesn't complain...Until a month after the warranty expires. So now the transmission is shifting hard into first when I slow down, or second when I go again; the rear caliper is leaking(again), and my ABS/Trac light is yelling at me. In the span of two months I've replaced: All brake pads, front stabilizer links, ball joints(factory rivets are a PAIN to remove!) tie rod ends, wheel bearings/hubs, and a CV boot(me being a derp).


So if someone can point me in a direction, or tell me where I went stupid, it would be amazing.



p.s. I tend to be very passionate, so if I talk too much... I'm sorry.