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BMW 3-Series 2005 and earlier

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Comments

  • locke2clocke2c Member Posts: 5,038
    I'd turn it off any time you are driving spiritedly, so long as you have the skill and sufficiently cool head to do so safely.

    DSC's Hand Of God doesn't let you do anything-- no yaw, no wheelspin, no nuttin'. If it even THINKS you're having fun or about to, it whomps you back into BoringLand.

    But during daily driving, sure you should probably leave it on.

    -Colin
  • riezriez Member Posts: 2,361
    postoak... My wife's '00 323iA has the tilt reverse for passenger side mirror. But her car has premium package. Can't remember whether this is standard or part of package on sedans. My '98 540i6 also has it.

    I find it disturbing in most cases and have it turned off in both. You just slide the mirror adjustment selector knob to the right so as to be able to adjust the passenger side mirror and this feature is "off". It is "on" when the selector knob is set to adjust the driver side mirror.
  • dave330idave330i Member Posts: 893
    is a part of the premium package. Quite useful when parallel parking.
  • brave1heartbrave1heart Member Posts: 2,698
    automatic basic stuff? LOL...
  • postoakpostoak Member Posts: 537
    When I was reading the manual about DSC, another type of traction control was mentioned. It was either ATC or ASC. The manual seems to be a one-size-fits-all affair. What is this other type of traction control and who gets it and who doesn't?
  • kominskykominsky Member Posts: 850
    AST (All Season Traction) controls rear wheel spin during acceleration. It is part of the DSC system... you have it.
  • dax9dax9 Member Posts: 7
    The best way to safely remove brake dust and road grime from aluminum alloy rims? Anyone?
  • kdshapirokdshapiro Member Posts: 5,751
    Okay no laughing now! I found the best rememdy to remove brake dust is:

    1. pail of lukewarm to hot water.
    2. sprinkled liberally with Palmolive to make lots of suds.

    I do have to go into every nook and cranny of the wheel with the sponge, but after I wash the wheel off, it sparkles, like I just drove it out of the showroom. I don't even think though it takes more than 1 minute per wheel. That's a few precious seconds to spend making our bimmers look sharp.
  • kominskykominsky Member Posts: 850
    keeping a coat of wax on your wheels is recommended. if you wash with palmolive, you'll want to rewax.
  • kdshapirokdshapiro Member Posts: 5,751
    I just can't get into waxing the wheels. All the cars I've owned with alloy wheels come squeaky shiny clean after the wash. The clearcoat that is put on the wheels nowadays really seems to protect them from getting grey from the brake dust.

    If you wax it, can you wash the brake dust off with a garden hose. To me that would be the deciding factor.

    Thanks.
  • riezriez Member Posts: 2,361
    The price we pay for having so much fun driving such a great car. I just tell myself it is because I drive her a bit hard 'cause she is so fun to drive hard. Seems like a small price to pay!
  • kominskykominsky Member Posts: 850
    Hosing off would be nice, but it doesn't work that well. They are easier to clean than unwaxed but, more importantly, there is a layer of protection against the nasty stuff that likes to eat away at the clear-coat (salt, etc).
  • postoakpostoak Member Posts: 537
    I pulled out my manual again -- it's ASC+T: Automatic Stability Control plus Traction and you're right, I do have it! Oh, boy! Apparently this is the base upon which DSC is built. It's all explained in the "Technology Manual", which I had forgotten about. You get so many manuals when you buy a BMW you're sort of overwhelmed with information.
  • andrew001andrew001 Member Posts: 10
    Hi Guys! Newbie here! I will get my first BMW 2003 325XI in a month. So excited! my question is, when can i start waxing the car to protect the paint and how often should i wax my baby?
    Thanxs guys
  • kdshapirokdshapiro Member Posts: 5,751
    I would do it before it leaves the dealer:). Seriously I'm sure you going to get varied answers. Because I thought the dealer prepped it well, I didn't wax it for about 3 months. As a matter of fact because of the water restrictions, I can't even wash it now. Every month I take it to the car wash.

    But the paint is put on very well, and the clearcoat is top-notch. You don't need to "over" take care of it, unless that's what you want to do.

    But bug and tar remover is a must, and read up on the differences between the cleaner/abrasive wax polish and the carnuba wax without clearners. Klasse seems to be a favorite on this forum, it's a synthetic. You have to decide what works best for you, but the short answer is, taking car of the exterior/interior with some common sense will yield years of enjoyment from the finish. In the long run whatever cleaning regimen you decide to use is the best for your car.
  • mpynempyne Member Posts: 120
    about waxing our car

    your paint is cured at the factory so you can wax ASAP


    secondly if you care about your cars paint tell the dealer not to "prep it" unless you like swirl marks or worse in your clearcoat


    (check out the link below to see the damage a dealer can do to a nice new BMW)


    http://bimmer.roadfly.org/bmw/forums/detailing/forum.php?postid=863752&page=1


    next go buy a micro fiber wash mitt and some micro fiber towels and some Klasse All In One and Klasse High Gloss Sealant Glaze. Then spend a weekend Detailing your car. Post you pics on autopia.ws and let them oohhh and ahhh at your car


    check out this site for car care tips


    http://www.properautocare.com/index.html

  • andrew001andrew001 Member Posts: 10
  • mpynempyne Member Posts: 120
    hopefully the advice was helpful


    i think it should be a prerequisite for furture BMW owners to view this link before they have their dealer prep their shiny new BMW.


    http://bimmer.roadfly.org/bmw/forums/detailing/forum.php?postid=863752&page=1

    because a dealer porter boy WILL swirl you car to hell(not maybe he will), what they do is put a glaze on when they prep it so you cant see it until you wash the car, so owners beware!!!

  • kdshapirokdshapiro Member Posts: 5,751
    I don't know what that is, but the dealer did a great job on my car, no swirl marks no nothing. The dealer may not have done that to that car, some dealers contract to have the work done. But that's just as bad. But I would hate to generalize just because a person had a problem. After all, if someone says, I brought my car to the dealer and they messed up on the repair. Nobody is going to say, don't let the dealer touch your car again.

    I don't believe in babying the car, but using a common sense approach to the car. I'm very fanatical about the ways the cars look, but I can only do what I can do. Everything else is out of my hands.
  • leenelsonmdleenelsonmd Member Posts: 208
    Spent a week up in Colorado and had a blast -Aspen, Co Springs, Denver, Boulder, Estes Park. Not many bimmers there compared to Houston. I drove all over the place in a 2002 Maxima and drove it pretty hard. I like Colorado and I am thinking about moving up there. FWIW I have also though about moving out to the Sacramento area -- I saw a post above comparing Austin to Sacramento.

    I agree about the overwhelming talk about snow tires. If it snows enough where you live then get a set -- this would apply to any make of car IMO.

    Here is the latest on my M3 order. About 4 weeks ago I ordered one from Momentum here in town and paid MSRP. I really liked my salesperson and we had a good relationship. The car was going to be ready by late January. I stopped by to visit him a couple of weeks after the order and a used M3 (1800miles) was just dropped off and traded by the previous owner. It was not prepped for sale or anything and I asked to drive it. We (me and my salesperson) approached the General Manager of the used car lot and he refused to let me drive the car saying that it was his policy never to let anyone drive an M car without purchasing it. I was dismayed and so was my salesperson. I left disappointed and a couple of days later I called BMW North and told them about it and they laughed and said I could come drive an M3 that day and that they would be happy to change my order for me. I drove up there and ordered an M3 --December delivery -- and drove an M3. My salesperson has volunteered to call me anytime another M3 is available so that I can stop by to drive it. I cancelled the order with Momentum. My experience at BMW North was terrific in every respect. When I placed the order, the General Manager actually came out to meet me and shake my hand, which I though was a nice touch, especially compared with Momentum.

    I thought the story might be helpful for anyone buying a bimmer in the Houston area. I have a number a friends who have had similar stories.
  • mpynempyne Member Posts: 120
    just trying to help, this happnes allot more than you think. it depends how much you worry about a cars paint.
    most people dont take very good of their paint finish. maybe its the detailer side of me and the fact people spend so much on a car and end up scratching it to hell.
  • ccotenjccotenj Member Posts: 610
    mine visits the detailer every 6 months... other than that... i've found the wax lasts longer if you never wash the car... :)

    -Chris
  • brave1heartbrave1heart Member Posts: 2,698
    "depends how much you worry about a cars paint." - I worry about it every time I wake up and every night when I go to bed. I think to myself "How would I live with myself if I scratch my car to hell? Would the satan burn my alive? Will I burn for eternity?"
  • ccotenjccotenj Member Posts: 610
    ROFL!!! good 'un!

    -Chris
  • brave1heartbrave1heart Member Posts: 2,698
    A guy at the autoX on Saturday asked me what the torque specs were for the lug nuts and I told him that according to the manual, they are 100 Nm or 72 lb/ft. He said he rememebered reading that these numbers were bumped up in one of the Roundels early this year. Can anyone confirm this? What are the new specs? What issue of Roundel was that published in - I've somehow missed that part.
  • dave330idave330i Member Posts: 893
    I vaguely remember something about that. I believe the author was recommending applying some sort of lubricate on the threads and torquing them higher.
  • brave1heartbrave1heart Member Posts: 2,698
    http://www.technoscout.com/general/product/product.asp?product=185&Prod_Name=Phazer_II_Radar_Jammer&site=85515
  • brave1heartbrave1heart Member Posts: 2,698
    From the article above - "The Phazer sends one signal that tells the radar the car is going 15 m.p.h. and another signal that the car is going 312 m.p.h." Can anyone tell me how that's legal in most states?!?
  • ccotenjccotenj Member Posts: 610
    it's not. in any state. i'm SURE there is something in very fine print in their literature that says that it's not legal for roadway use, thus covering their rear ends...

    -Chris
  • locke2clocke2c Member Posts: 5,038
    "Best of all, unless you are a resident of California, Minnesota, Nebraska, Oklahoma, Virginia, Utah or Washington D.C., using the Phazer is completely within your legal rights."

    For the first year they pay for tickets up to 30% over the limit or 15mph, whichever is less.

    Only 15 over... feh. I usually drive only 5-10 over, but when I speed, I SPEED! ;-) Labor Day I paced a Bentley Arnage on I-35 for about an hour at 90-100 mph. Posted 70, in theory.

    -Colin
  • ccotenjccotenj Member Posts: 610
    i can't believe that it's legal in other places... i'm shocked...

    15 over ain't speeding... 15 over is merely keeping yourself from getting run over from behind... :)

    -Chris
  • locke2clocke2c Member Posts: 5,038
    maybe on the NJ turnpike...

    on I-35 between Oklahoma City and Wichita there's traffic for sure, but there's plenty of room to manuever on the (mostly) dead-straight road and the average person is doing the limit or 5 over.

    so when you're doing 30 over, you're a little atypical. not sure why I was following a $150,000-200,000+ vehicle at those speeds... like that guy cares about speeding tickets! LOL

    -Colin
  • rogerabrogerab Member Posts: 29
    I have had so many silver & black cars with leather upholstery and am now thinking of Alpine White with the Anthracite or Grey Jacquard fabric.

    Any suggestions would be appreciated.
  • ccotenjccotenj Member Posts: 610
    on the turnpike, i generally go about 5-10 over, and i can drive for miles and miles and miles without ever having to leave the right hand lane... traffic in the middle lane tends to move about 15 over... traffic in the left lane can get quite hairy, especially if someone is deciding to play traffic cop and goes 5 under in it...

    yea, i hear you on tickets... last thing i want is a ticket for going in a straight line...

    -Chris
  • hgeyerhgeyer Member Posts: 188
    Refer to the August 2002 Roundel, Tech Talk, page 110.

    "Lug-bolt torque for all BMWs has been revised by the factory. BMW-specified lug bolt torque for all models except the E53, E65 and E66 is now 120 +/- 10 Nm. For the E 53, E65 and E66, the BMW-specified lug bolt torque is 140 +/- 10 Nm."
  • brave1heartbrave1heart Member Posts: 2,698
    Thanks!!! 120 Nm is quite a difference from 100 Nm. Wondering what prompted such a significant change. Maybe some lawyers?!?
  • brave1heartbrave1heart Member Posts: 2,698
    The most recent issue of Automobile mag had a very interesting article from one of this year's Gumball participants. Most of those participants are driving triple-digits with some cruising at 150 mph on the highway. One of them had racked up 6 speeding tickets in one day. Most participants are wealthy foreigners who don't have or care about a driving record in the U.S. I am amazed that they still haven't outlawed this event...
  • mpynempyne Member Posts: 120
    boy you sure are funny!!!!

    typical moronic response.

    i bet you felt really good when you wrote that.
    next time you insult me please make sure you check your spelling before you post.

    ccotenj- yes he really showed me, boy do i feel stupid. wtf does "good un" mean?
  • locke2clocke2c Member Posts: 5,038
    mike,

    I think you're overreacting just a bit. I don't feel brave1heart meant anything more than light-hearted humor.

    Show me where he insulted you? Yet you don't hesistate to launch your own...

    The thread you linked to originally talking about swirl marks and scratches does show images of a real problem for that person, no doubt, but to think that is typical of a BMW dealership is wild fantasy. My 7 year old M3 has no swirl marks and is always white-glove immaculate when I get it back from the dealer.

    -Colin
  • lokkilokki Member Posts: 1,200
    http://www.escortstore.com/jammer.htm


    Passive means just that.


    I once had quite a debate with a kid who was using one in his Integra. He said that he'd had it for a month and hadn't gotten a speeding ticket once, so it was working.


    I tried to explain to him that not having gotten a ticket might be totally unconnected to having his passive jammer. When I explained that I hadn't gotten a ticket in the last month -without a jammer- he said that I was just lucky.


    So, if you decide to buy one, I hope you're one of the lucky ones.

  • locke2clocke2c Member Posts: 5,038
    Loki, do you suspect perhaps technology has changed since your 1996 source article?

    Not saying the guns haven't kept up with the jammers, but just asking a question.

    -Colin
  • mpynempyne Member Posts: 120
    do you know if it was light hearted humor?

    I took it as condescending

    I was only trying to help someone who is buying an expensive car and seemed like they wanted to take care of it.

    As far as your car,
    I will bet you if you look at your car in the sunlight or under streetlight you will see swirls (micro scratches)

    Im sure your response will be like who cares etc etc,…

    But when someone asks for advice im not going to give them a half [non-permissible content removed] answer im going to offer the best advice I can. So if a person wants to know how to detail their car im going to give good advice. Im sure people here would tell them to go buy a good brush and wash their car with dish soap.
  • ccotenjccotenj Member Posts: 610
    look. i have a BLACK 325iC. ok? BLACK. it doesn't come back from the dealer swirled. ok?

    you came out with a blanket statement that implied that EVERY dealer will swirl EVERY car. that's incorrect. could it have been pointed out in a more gentle way? perhaps. but the tone of your post wasn't very good, and that's probably what prompted brave's response and my laughter in agreement with him.

    chill.

    -Chris
  • nyccarguynyccarguy Member Posts: 16,417
    Last night my best friend's sister took delivery of a 2002 325i Alpine White, Black Leather, PP, SP, & Steptronic (we begged her to go for a stick, but she wanted to hear nothing of it). The White with Black inside looks sharp. I love the SP wheels! She went for the 2002 over the 2003 because the lease on a 2003 was higher. I guess maybe BMW is backing the leases on any remaining 2002 models. The dealer said if she waited until October that the residuals are going up (I guess they dropped slightly in September), but the value of her trade would go down. She traded in a 2000 Acura 3.2 TL with 70,000 miles and the transmission had been replaced at 30K and according to her was starting to slip again, so she didn't want to wait to get rid of it.

    Chris: I agree with you that it is quite pleasant to cruise 5-10mph over on the Turnpike. The middle and left lanes are always clogged. When there's no traffic, you can really move though. My friend and I made it down to Atlantic City (for a boat show) 2 weeks ago from my apartment in the city in an hour and a half. Of course it took us 3 and a half hours to get back!

    2001 Prelude Type SH, 2022 Highlander XLE AWD, 2022 Wrangler Sahara 4Xe, 2023 Toyota Tacoma SR 4WD

  • dave330idave330i Member Posts: 893
    I get to experience the joy of driving on the NJ Turnpike next sat, and was just wondering if it's worse than 5 years ago? I'm guessing it it, but just wanted to make sure.
  • ccotenjccotenj Member Posts: 610
    actually, i find the turnpike to be one of the best highways to drive on. it's big and wide and straight, and VERY well maintained...

    of course, i drove 100 miles a day on it for years, so my viewpoint may be colored...

    when you gonna be here? maybe we can hook up for a beer?

    -Chris
  • kdshapirokdshapiro Member Posts: 5,751
    Try the @#$ Garden State...by the Raritan Tolls
  • ccotenjccotenj Member Posts: 610
    i'm don't live in "toxic jersey"... i live in beautiful south jersey... :) i'll agree though, that area up in northern jersey is a BEAR to get around in... actually, so is central jersey, i worked in piscataway for a long time, and 287 is NO bargain at all...

    -Chris
  • nyccarguynyccarguy Member Posts: 16,417
    Chris used beautiful and jersey in the same sentence:) I thought that was an oxymoron. CHis knows I'm just bustin' chops. I'd actually like to live in Jersey one of these days. Highest average HH income in the entire country. Lots of BMWs in Jersey (see, I'm staying on topic). There are parts of North Jersey that aren't toxic like Alpine, Montvale, & Saddle River:) SOuth Jersey would be a bit too far of a commute into the city for me though.

    2001 Prelude Type SH, 2022 Highlander XLE AWD, 2022 Wrangler Sahara 4Xe, 2023 Toyota Tacoma SR 4WD

  • locke2clocke2c Member Posts: 5,038
    mike,

    okay I understand you now. it is not that my car has great paint for its age and has always been well-cared for; instead I'm incapable of noticing swirl marks that in fact do exist.

    and all dealers scratch cars. orbital polishers cannot be safely used by anyone.
    ____

    *that* is condescending and sarcastic. you might be offering good advice on how to detail your own car properly, but that doesn't mean you are right to tell others they should fear anyone besides themselves detailing a car.

    and why are you so sure what anyone will say back? let go of a little anger, relax. or you can be angry somewhere else if that works better for you.

    -Colin
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