The special tools for the camshaft locators and the press tools for loading unloading the camshafts in the head are no joke. You do need them I've seen a frined of mine crack the cams because he thought he could get away without using them. Also the alignment tools for the vanos system are a must or you'll never have the thing timed right. I've probably done 10 or more I6 bmw heads and never had a problem but I always made sure I had the right tools. The set of tools to do a bwm dual vanos head will set you back an easy $1000 or more.