Re: e30 glovebox fix

[Louie Rendek <ljr7@xxxxxxxxxxx>]

Mike,


I just did this on my e30.  When mine broke, these were some of the
responses I received from fellow digesters:


<paraindent><param>left</param>Thank you very much! Without your email
message I would have paid a

mechanic $40/hr to rip the thing open, but with your help, I ripped it
open

myself. We had it open within 10 minutes. All you do is break the latch

open, with a screwdriver helps, then you drill the screws, and it 
should

open right up. Then all you have to do is get a new latch. Not too 
hard,

and saves a lot of money. Hope this helps. And thank you again.

- --Justin


The drill bit size was 5/8. But I didn't see anyway to unscrew the

screws in there, so we used the drill. It was ver easy, and but put

something under the glovebox so you don't have to pick out little 
pieces

of metal out of the carpet. But it is crude, and you really don't have

to be careful. 

Good Luck

Justin


</paraindent>I didn't drill out the screws because with enough force, the
whole thing broke off.  No damage was done to the glovebox itself in my
case.  Do what you think is best for your situation and what you feel
comfortable with.  Drilling out the screws is not a bad idea either.  I
bought the latch from the local dealer for around $45 I think.  You could
probably get it cheaper.  The new latch comes with a new lock and a new
key.  If your key works with the existing lock on the latch, be very
careful in taking the latch off, so you don't damage the lock mechanism. 
I've heard that you could take both to a mechanic and for little or no
money, they could swap the two so you can use your original key.  My
latch in my car must have broken once already, because the key I had
didn't work on the existing latch/lock.  Good luck.



Louie Rendek

1987 325e 133k miles

BMWCCA #144328

Case Western Reserve Univ.

PhD candidate; Chemistry Dept.

email:  ljr7@domain.elided

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