Howdy, Stranger!
It looks like you're new here. If you want to get involved, click one of these buttons!
Quick Links
See Official Rules for eligibility and other requirements.
It looks like you're new here. If you want to get involved, click one of these buttons!
Comments
MODERATOR --Need help with anything? Click on my name!
Share Your Vehicle Reviews Here
Me either; the one the E39 guys use is the "Sensa-Trac". Another good shock is the Sachs Super Touring.
Mine: 1995 318ti Club Sport; 2014 M235i; 2009 Cooper Clubman; 1999 Wrangler; 1996 Speed Triple Challenge Cup Replica Wife's: 2015 X1 xDrive28i Son's: 2009 328i
I agree with you about Bilsteins---I never regretted paying a bit extra for them.
MODERATOR --Need help with anything? Click on my name!
Share Your Vehicle Reviews Here
For many of you on the board with a long history of tail light problems, be sure to save your receipts.
:lemon:
This was on another board, but it looks like you can get your money back once the recall starts. Better is the fact that BMW might actually stop having us fix our own cars with parts from Radio Shack . . . . Geesh, have they no shame?
It's time to stop with the "homemade" fixes. This is a serious safety defect and BMW knows it. The post below is a cross post--read and heed:
Just a quick update on this problem. Among my circle of friends we have five post-update E46 sedans. Four of them have had tail light, turn signal, brake light failures all caused by BMW's screw up when they updated the tail lights: not enough grounding wire(s). See the BMW service bulletin SI B 63 03 06 on this at the link below:
http://www.bmwtis.com/tsb/bulletins/...p/B630306g.htm
Since the ne'er-do-wells at "Screw The Damn Customer" BMW HQ Customer Service (what an oxymoron) have never heard of Ralph Nader, we're giving 'em a little help. The nice folks over in Washington D.C. have these things called Federal Motor Vehicle Safety Standards, and EVERYONE selling cars here has to meet them for ten years after a car or truck is built. That means if our lights have design defects (they do), BMW is under potentially criminal liability to fix the things with a safety recall at NO cost.
BMW's service bulletins basically say, "Only fix the cars under warranty; screw everyone else for whatever you can get away with so you can buy a bigger boat." WRONG ANSWER BMW!
The ball is in motion on this; more later. For now, BE SURE TO SAVE ALL YOUR RECEIPTS IF YOU HAD YOUR STEALER RAPE YOU FOR $400 (per side) TO FIX BMW'S LIGHTING SCREW UP.
I expect to see something in a few weeks so hang in there.
:lemon:
Excuse me for being impatient, but I know someone out there has the ability to answer this one. I would be glad to return the favor someday and pay it forward.
DIY oil change is just a complete nuisance to me. I'd rather spend the time and effort fixing something that translates into real dollars (like when I replaced some bulbs in my dashboard--that saves a lot of labor).
But you are right, if you aren't careful or don't know your shop, you can get oversold during oil changes.
MODERATOR --Need help with anything? Click on my name!
Share Your Vehicle Reviews Here
I won't be doing the swap until later Spring sometime, but maybe I'll give documenting it a shot. I would make a video, but when things start going badly, I tend to curse and throw things... :blush:
I'm thinking you missed the point (a couple of points actually):
1) As far a I know, every BMW sold in the United States since the dawn of the E46 has required at the very least 6.5 quarts of oil (my 1999 328i and my 2002 530i both took 7 quarts to bring the level up to the upper hash mark on the dip stick).
2) I'm finding it extremely difficult to believe that Advance Auto is selling oil that meets the required BMW LongLife-01 oil specification for less than $5.00 per quart. FWIW, just because an oil is "synthetic" in no way means that it is acceptable to use in a late model BMW (or Audi, or VW, or Mercedes-Benz... you get the idea).
The fact of the matter is, that now, here in 2009, it will be the rare situation indeed where someone can buy the proper oil and filter for a late model BMW for much under $60.00.
Best regards,
Shipo
Mine: 1995 318ti Club Sport; 2014 M235i; 2009 Cooper Clubman; 1999 Wrangler; 1996 Speed Triple Challenge Cup Replica Wife's: 2015 X1 xDrive28i Son's: 2009 328i
MODERATOR --Need help with anything? Click on my name!
Share Your Vehicle Reviews Here
Mine: 1995 318ti Club Sport; 2014 M235i; 2009 Cooper Clubman; 1999 Wrangler; 1996 Speed Triple Challenge Cup Replica Wife's: 2015 X1 xDrive28i Son's: 2009 328i
BMW also replaced the Brake Pad Wear Sensor - which to me indicates that the wear was below minimum and the sensor should have warned of a brake job?
Now on other cars I have always been told that pads and rotors have to be changed in tandem or you dont get a perfect fit - ie scoring on the rotors will screw up the new pads.
Whats the minimun thickness for rotors? And if the fronts were changed at 2mmm surely 4mm for the rears is so close that they should have also been done at the same time? Whats the new thickness on pads? :mad:
1) While I don't know the exact thickness of the friction material for new pads, my bet is that they're roughly 12mm.
2) The brake pad wear sensor will correctly indicate a brake job is needed if (and only if) the pads on that wheel (only 1 wheel per axle gets a sensor) is straight and true. As one or more sets of pads on both of my BMWs have worn in such a way as to cause the caliper to tilt and the brake pads to wear at an angle (as viewed from top to bottom), it is very possible to have either the inner or the outer edge of the metal brake pad backing plate come into contact with the rotor well before the wear sensor indicates the brakes are needing to be done.
3) Technically speaking, if a rotor isn't down to minimum specs (the minimum thickness is physically stamped on the rotor itself), it doesn't need to be changed. I change my rotors at every brake job, many folks don't; personal choice.
Best regards,
Shipo
What's truly amazing is how excited everyone got about the subject of an oil change, but couldn't dig into the wealth of their knowledge to answer a simple question that might truly be of worth to someone. You're attitudes are no better than of those who have forgotten what the true worth of a dollar is anymore--let's just talk millions and billions. Your disregard for the new guy on the block is no different than the elitists shunning the average "joe" out there. So, to shipo and Mr. Shiftright and the others in your click group; why not get back to trying to help someone in between your impressive comments and opinions of how much this or that costs?
For me personally, the $50 extra I spend once every 5,000 to have a trusted mechanic go over the car with me on a lift is well worth it. And he recycles for me.
No muss, no fuss.
I'm sorry but I'm having a hard time equating a desperate poverty level with BMWs. Something doesn't compute with that. This IS the BMW topic, right?
Really now, if you can't spend $50 on a BMW, the car is doomed, don't you think?
I LOVE to stretch a buck. But not in that particular way. For you, this might be your method of doing so. And we'd be glad to help you with that. Me, I go to Costco and save $50 that way on food. So much easier than laying on my back in a cold driveway.
MODERATOR --Need help with anything? Click on my name!
Share Your Vehicle Reviews Here
Mine: 1995 318ti Club Sport; 2014 M235i; 2009 Cooper Clubman; 1999 Wrangler; 1996 Speed Triple Challenge Cup Replica Wife's: 2015 X1 xDrive28i Son's: 2009 328i
Rule #1: If you're poor, you shouldn't be driving a BMW. While they aren't necessarily all that much more expensive than other marques to own and operate (on a per mile basis), they do demand periodic maintenance with quality products, and if you cannot afford that maintenance, buy a Chevy or a Toyota or something else of that ilk.
"I guess when you're making $100.00 or more an hour, and so smart that you can change out entire engines, why bother, huh?"
No comment on how much I make (or don't make as the case may be), however, by not maintaining a car in a manner prescribed by the manufacturer, you are most certainly more likely to be required to change out an entire engine compared to folks who do follow the OEM maintenance schedule. It sounds like you're the one with money to burn. Oh, wait! You're poor right?
"And while you're at it, why not everyone know how silly it is to worry about such a trivial thing."
Worrying about proper maintenance is "trivial"? You heard it first here folks.
"What's truly amazing is how excited everyone got about the subject of an oil change, but couldn't dig into the wealth of their knowledge to answer a simple question that might truly be of worth to someone."
Can't help you on where the fuse is located, I'm not rich enough to own a convertible BMW. That said, you're the one that stated that you could do an oil change for $35 on a BMW, a claim that is, at the very least, HIGHLY suspect.
"You're attitudes are no better than of those who have forgotten what the true worth of a dollar is anymore--let's just talk millions and billions."
Do tell. It seems that you're the one who has forgotten the true value of money as you can afford to improperly maintain your cars and then put new engines in when they fail due to your negligence.
"Your disregard for the new guy on the block is no different than the elitists shunning the average "joe" out there."
There was no disregard or disrespect intended, more likely we were being kind as we were trying to save you from yourself.
So, to shipo and Mr. Shiftright and the others in your click group; why not get back to trying to help someone in between your impressive comments and opinions of how much this or that costs?
I'm more than happy to help. Advice: Spend the necessary dollars to buy the proper oil and filters for your car, that way you won't need to buy new engines for them when they prematurely fail. As for the fuse, sorry, I still don't know where it is.
Best regards,
Shipo