The obvious question is "is it under warranty"? I will assume that it is just barely not, that you bought it in the fall of 2001. Assuming it just left warranty, and considering that you are a girl I recommend this strategy: Go to the dealer and say "There is a problem with my car. I think there were some BMW parts installed in it by mistake". When they ask why you think that say, "because they broke". If they think this is funny enough then they might fix them for you for free. My GF got her BMW cup holder fixed this way, by saying she thought that a Mercedes part hed been installed accidentally (my idea). By the way, that number is bigger than the national debt.

Mike

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1998 C230 330,000 miles (currently dead of second failed EIS, yours will fail too, turning you into the dealer's personal human cash machine)
1988 F150 144,000 miles (leaks all the colors of the rainbow)
Previous stars: 1981 Brava 210,000 miles, 1978 128 150,000 miles, 1977 B200 Van 175,000 miles, 1972 Vega (great, if rusty, car), 1972 Celica, 1986.5 Supra