[LivNLearn]

Hello All,

Last month I bought a one owner 2016 M235i convertible with 62k miles on it. I noticed a vibration that starts at about 40MPH then decreases over 60MPH. Also hearing noise from the right front of the car when going over any road imperfections at all. Sounds like a bad sway bar link.

Took it back to the dealership that I bought it from and they said the front end is tight, the left front wheel is bent. Said they had a company that straightens them. Waited two weeks for the appointment and they had the car for a week to straighten the wheel and replace the heating element in the driver's seat base.

Got the car back and the heated seat works great but the vibration and noise are still there. Read a bunch on here and went out to my garage with the car shut off and when I move the steering wheel back and forth I hear clank, clank, clank, clank as clear as can be coming from the passenger side of the car. Apparently they didn't test drive the car or they would've noticed the vibration and noise.

Thinking it may be the steering rack bushing I called back to see about getting it back in the shop. Told them what I'd read and they said they thought the repair would take more than a day so now i have to wait two weeks for them to have a loaner available.

As a result I have a few questions at this point:

1. Does the M235i steering rack use the bushing toward the passenger side like some of the other series do?

2. Does clanking when moving the steering wheel typically end up being a bad bushing or steering rack if it doesn't use it?

3. Are there any known issues with this model that would cause the vibration?

4. Are the BMW dealerships typically pretty good or are they typically sloppy. I used to ride Harleys and learned that I could usually fix my Harley much better than they could so wondering if this is the same.

I was a mechanic in a past life so if it weren't so cold I'd jack the car up and look to see if it has the bushing or not and fix it myself if it has it.

The only benefit to this is they put me in brand new loaners. I had a new 230i X-Drive loaner for a week in the ice and snow while my car sat safely in their parking lot.