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The Pirelli tires have a nickname amongst porsche owners - squirellis. Some have found it exceedingly difficult to balance. So much so that my new turbo came with Pirellis and i'm looking at dumping them for Michellins
nevertheless, enjoy!
1. What kind of maintenance should I do before winter if anything?
2. When getting an oil change, should I go to a BMW dealership? What difference is there?
3. I have snow tires and I've been told these cars are good in the snow with the DSC. So, are they decent in the snow?
4. What routine maintenance should I have done and when?
2. Oil changes are a dead simple 30 minute DIY job. If you still don't want to tackle it, use a dealer or a good independent shop that specializes in BMWs. NEVER take a BMW to a quickie lube shop. Use BMW filter elements and a good BMW approved synthetic such as Mobil 1 0W-40.
3. If you have true winter tires-indicated by the "Snowflake on the Mountain" Symbol-you should have no problems.
4. Follow the service schedule in the owners manual. However, even though BMW doesn't call for it, I would change the transmission and final drive fluid at 60K-100K intervals.
I am writing for advice.
Today suddenly while driving some smoke started coming out of engine. And battery indication light came ON.
I stopped the car and will be towed to some place for fix. I am not sure what had happened. ANy clue?
After reading manual it seems something to do with V-Belt. It advices not to drive the car at all. I am not sure how much $$$ I am looking at it for repairs.
I am in mountain view, ca area. ANy suggestion for the repair shop will also be very helpful.
Thanks.
-jaj
Take long? Run into any problems?
Thanks
I own a 2003 325i Auto and have had quite a few problems with it. I have one recurring, undiagnosed issue with the dsc light coming on for no apparent reason. It seems if I stop the car for just a few minutes, for example, re-fueling, getting a cup of coffee, etc. and then start the car and drive off, the dsc light will start to blink and leave me with no accelerator pedal. I'm wondering if anybody else has had this issue or am I just lucky.
Any thoughts or ideas are welcome...
Can anybody help?
I have a 1995 3 series 1.6i. My battery recently ran down and I was forced to open the door without using the central locking. Since then my alarm sets off everytime I open the door, it no longer makes a beeping noise to sync with the central locking and more importantly when using the remote to lock the car it locks and then reopens itself within 10s needing me to then lock again.
Help me!!!!
I took it to local BMW repair shop. ALternator, Belt, Water pump and reservoir needed replacement.
Two questions...
1- how many miles do you have on the car?
2- how much did this cost?
I was thinking of doing this [waterpump] at around 90K, but sounds like I ought to reconsider.
The guy told me that around 60-70K water pump should be checked for any problem.
BMW NA Customer Relations
Previously when turning the ignition key from 0-position to 1 (=electricity ON to radio etc...)(running position being #2 and ignition position being #3) the pump filled gasoline ready for the ignition - after which it stopped. Then I did some repair work to my 320i and after that gas pump stopped from working completely – the repair was not related to the pump.
My assumption is that there is a “collision crash switch”, which will stop the oil pump in the case of accident. So when repairing my car, I might have made that switch to activate and therefore pump gets no electricity anymore.
I already changed the gas pump relay but that did not help (Benzinpumpenrelais 1286727, 12v, 5WK2 221). After then I forced the gas pump to be always on by connecting electricity wires so that pump is pumping always, when the car key is in any of the positions 1-3. On the long run this is no good, since many times car is not running and pump could run the battery low.
My BMW model is: 320i, -1987 (before Sept), 6 cylinder, injection model
My questions are:
1. Do you have any ideas how I could get the gas pump back to normal?
2. Could the problem be this collision crash switch and if yes where is it?
3. Or would you have an “electricity wiring map” which I could use myself to check alternative solutions?
Thanks!
Bad ground connection in trunk area
Damaged and/or oxidized tail lamp bulb socket(s)
Damaged tail lamp wiring harness
Brake lamp switch(unlikely, assuming the problem only started after the accident)
Also, are you using good quality silver base bulbs such as those manufactured by Osram? Do you apply a thin coat of dielectric-AKA "bulb"-grease to the bulb bases prior to installation?
My 1997 E39 had a problem with phantom bulb warnings, so I cleaned all the sockets with contact cleaner, replaced the generic bulbs with Osrams, their bases sparingly coated with dielectric grease. End of problem.
Would have been nice to have received it before my car died and had to be flatbedded to the dealer.
Too much broke stuff on mine. Car handles great but what a P-I-T-A. No way I was keeping this car past warranty so it goes back to the dealer. Bought a 4runner to keep me going.
I agree with you on the responsibility BMW has often shown for their cars. My son owns a '98 318TL. He received a letter from BMWNA in 2002 telling him that they have extended the warranty of the catalyst convertor on that car to 100,000 miles and 10 years from 8 simply because a small number of this model experienced premature failure. I would think that is what "standing behind your products" means. He never has experienced such said problem. We are very impressed particularly to compare the way Toyota has handled the well-known engine sludge issue. And so many toot the super "reliability" of that co.
-Does the 4yr, 50,000 mi. full maintenance warranty include oil changes?
-How often does the oil require changing?
-Is 87 octane okay to use in this vehicle?
Thanks!
original message
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I am planning on buying a used (obviously) 2003 330ci...anyone willing to share some general problems they've experienced? The car I'm planning on buying has 20K mi. on it. Upgrading(?) from an '02 Honda Accord EX V6 coupe. Thanks in advance for your help!!!
Yes.
"-How often does the oil require changing?"
Every 15,000 miles or so. The On Board Computer (OBC) will tell you when to take your car in to have the oil changed. I've had mine recommend an oil change after as few as 13,500 miles (lots of urban driving in and around NYC), and as long as 18,000 miles (lots of highway driving between New Hampshire and the NYC area).
"-Is 87 octane okay to use in this vehicle?"
Okay? In a pinch when you cannot find Premium, yes it's okay. Okay on a regular basis? No, that's just dumb. Regular fuel will rob a 330i of both power and fuel economy. Kind of fits the old saying, "Penny wise, pound foolish."
Best Regards,
Shipo
http://cgi.ebay.com/ebaymotors/BMW-Hood-Emblem-Roundel-X5-E30-M3-325-E46-E34-E21_W0QQcmdZV- iewItemQQcategoryZ33643QQitemZ8017298991QQrdZ1
When was the last time you heard of a Toyota owner being stranded? Unless it was an axe murderer pretending.
>>i wouldnt say it to loud that you gaveup a bmw for a toyota ,in my parts at least
As if I care. The difference I am saving could pay for like, ten minutes at Choate.
Hmmm, how about a cinnamon role from Ann Sather's. Please. ;-)
Best Regards,
Shipo
The holes are on the rounded, top part of the door by the window. Is that area even leather?!? Thanks in advance!
As a suggestion, you might want to inquire about the cost of a new inner door panel from your local parts department. I needed to buy two new fender liners for my 530i before lease end (my wife was used to plowing through the snow plow induced berm at the end of our driveway in her minivan, unfortunately when she did it in my 5er, she destroyed both front wheel fender liners), and I was surprised to find that they were only something like $25 per side.
Should buying a new door panel prove too costly then you might want to search your friendly neighborhood bone yard. Many of them have the ability to ask around at other yards for requested parts, and the cost is usually a quarter to a half of price tag assigned to the new part.
Best Regards,
Shipo