1979 E 36 cabriolet rattle

[Andy P]

Greetings All, I have a rattle coming from the left rear of my car when driving over slightly rough roads. it sounds as if there is a bunch of washers being shaken on a metal rod, there was an old link but I cannot find it. There is also creaking from the front but found that is caused by rubbish spot welding by BMW, again I cant find that link either.
Help please.

[lealan38]

I'd say shocks and/or anti roll links mate. Also check exhaust over if you can.

[Andy P]

Thanks lealan 38 will look.
Have had the car on a ramp nothing seen and unable to induce the noise also on the ground, parked unable to hear the noise. local mechanic thinks it is the exhaust although I am not convinced as there is no 'blowing' and hitting it (while attached to the car) does not make it rattle. The hunt continues.

[Andy P]

greetings All,

rattle turned out to be a spring, so both were changed along with the shocks, gaiters etc. frankly I think the spring design is strange and possibly will always break.

thanks to all
Andy P

[318is coupe]

I have I coupe and as the doors are as long as yours the ends of the doors can be behind you so this is just a suggestion. I had a rattle simerler to the one you describe I removed the door trim and the plastic mounting plates had become unbounded so the clips all rattled. So I bonded the montings back on and the rattle disopeared.
Sorry if this is no help

[jitsjaf2009]

I appreciated this. It goes to show how we sometimes tend to look for complicated (often expensive) problems and they turn out to be simple. That why many many years ago I learned from my Father...start from the simple, basic and work from there. (i.e. light doesn't work even after changing the bulb...Oh! its unplugged!!!!