When you say the first light will come on around 15k, are you referring to an oil service visit or an inspection I visit? I am thinking that the inspection I service vist would be later on.
I had the same problem in that I only put 6,000 miles on my car in the first year. Though I'm driving it more now I will only have about 24,000 miles at three years. You are allowed an oil change at one year intervals regardless of the mileage. At the the first oil change, I had the dealer reset the indicator. I had another oil change at the 2 year mark, but did not have the interval indicator reset - dealer seemed fine with that. Now I'll get the inspection I with the next oil change prior to the three year limit. Make sense?
I was referring to the initial oil service visit. The manual, by the way, says (page 144) that "even those who drive only short distances--significantly less than 6,000 miles annually--should have the engine oil changed at least every two years since oil deteriorates over time, regardless of use."
So, no matter how lightly the car is driven in the first three years, I should be able to get two free oil changes, and one Inspection I service at a minimum during that time, right?
snagiel, how about changing the oil filter only not oil change every 5-6 months (piece of mind)? I am thinking that the oil filter is cheap and it will help to clean out contamination from the oil for sure. Can we change oil filter ourself? Hnn
That is correct. The third oil change cannot come until after the 3 year birthday, so you pay for that one. My dealer gave my 4 free oil change coupons for after the free maintenance, so I think I'm set for a long time (if I don't move).
To get to the filter, I think you have to get under the car, so draining the oil at that point wouldn't be much more of an effort. I haven't done it myself, but here's instructions for a 540 (should be similar with a 525/530, only less oil). I also think I'd prefer "peace" of mind, not "piece" of mind!
I just check to be sure that my 530i has its filter in the same general place as my 328i did. Confirmed, at least for the six-bangers, the oil filter is located on the top of the engine, so, no crawling around under the car is needed to change it. That said, maybe it is just me, but why would anybody go to all of the trouble of changing a filter and not change the oil while they were at it? After all, as a filter ages, it actually becomes MORE effective, that is, right up to the point where it clogs (which in a modern engine running Synthetic Oil isn't likely until somewhere well north of 20K miles). As such, replacing a filter in the middle of an oil-change cycle can actually cause more engine degradation than leaving the thing alone and running the car for the full 1-year/15K-miles interval.
I haven't had any indicators appear on my 01' 530 telling me to take my car in for the intial service. I'm at app. 10,000 miles (mainly weekend driving). However, the oil light came on a few weeks ago so I brought the car in for an under warranty oil change. I was a little concerned that the light came on indicating that the reserve was low. My dealer told me this is common and it means that I was down about a quart or so. However, I must admit that I'm suprised at how long you can drive the car (up to 15K) before you need to bring it in for the first check up. I had my 00' Maxima in at 7,500.
I had almost the same experience as you. I have a 2001 530i as well. Oil light came on twice before I hit 12K and a quart of oil or so needed to be added. Now I keep a spare oil bottle on hand to add myself if needed. Had the first inspection/oil change at about 12K. Now I am at about 14K with all indicator lights showing green. I don't expect to go in for a second service for a very long time. I really am enjoying the hassle free ownership of this car!
I have just purchased a 1999 540i with about 50,000 thousand miles on it. The car is in excellent shape. What kindof extended warranties are there, and do you recommend them. I was also looking to up grade the navigation system with some new cd's, but for my area(Green Bay, WI) they do not have a detailed map yet-maybe late this year. I will be doing some traveling to the east coast in a couple of weeks. Is there anyway to get the cd's at a better rate than the $125 per cd. Are they able to be burned? Any help would be greatly appreciated.
I'm with Shipo; BMW has upgraded their specs for the M52 oil filter insert to ensure that it functions properly with the extended oil change intervals.
To stay on topic for a sec, I was in the Washington, DC Metro area (Bethesda, MD, Vienna, VA, & Leesburg, VA) and saw tons of BMW (3s & 5s). I thought there were a lot running around here. WOW! The numbers I saw over the weekend seemed to rival Southern California. I just wanted to say to any board members in DC that you are about the most courteous bunch of drivers I've ever encountered. There were quite a few times where I made a wrong turn or had to get over and I never once had to fight my way into a lane.
2001 Prelude Type SH, 2022 Highlander XLE AWD, 2025 Camry SE AWD
You said earlier that you're moving to NH. What general area? Have you had a chance to research the BMW dealerships that you'll have access to for service?
It looks like I will be using Tulley BMW in Nashua, as they are only about 12 miles from my new house (in Windham), and I have heard reasonably good things about them from a service point of view.
Its the feeling of wheel imbalance, a "shaking" felt in the steering or chassis. Many of the people at bimmer.org say it can be cured by torquing the wheel lugs to spec, but it could be a wheel that needs re-balancing.
Shipo/Div2, I was following up with conversations of oil change by others and thought that since Synth. oil is still good around 6K why not just changing the oil filter.
Shippo, can you explain more on why changing oil filter in mid of the cycle will "actually cause more engine degradation than leaving the thing alone". I am not questioning you but just curious to learn. Thanks. Hnn
Factoid: The reason an oil filter "Improves with age" (to a sharp and very well defined point, after which, it is completely worthless) is that fresh out of the factory, a new oil filter is fairly porous. As the filter ages (meaning that it is holding a growing amount of particulate matter in its filter medium), the “Holes” that the oil flows through become smaller and “fewer and farther between” (on a relative basis), effectively filtering the oil better as time goes on.
Assuming that the above is true (and I believe it is as I assimilated the above knowledge from the MB engineers that would float through the building that I used to work in back in the days when I worked for MBUSA), if one was to change their oil filter at the 7,500 mile mark into a 15,000 mile oil change cycle, you would in essence be putting a more porous filter into the oiling system just as the oil was starting to gradually (ever so gradually in the case of synthetic oil) slide down the slope of acceptable protection for the moving parts of the engine. In other words, just as your oil is starting to need better filtering, you would then be putting in a filter that provides the worst possible filtering this side of a completely clogged filter (ie. no filtering at all).
In my case, I am inclined to use the full 15,000 miles allowed by the engineers who designed our engines. Were it that I was to decide that my current oil was not up to snuff for some reason (ie. after having just driven through a sand storm or some such), and was going to muck with the oil filter anyway, I would just go right ahead and do the oil as well.
From http://schedule.2wglobal.com/GLWebApps.AppTracking, it looks like my car was "discharged" 7/25 and "delivered" today. I assume that means that BMW just got it so it still has to go through the prep center and then to my dealer. bmwusa.com has 7/31 as an estimated delivery date, but that seems soon given this timing. In any case, I wanted to give some highlights of my ED pickup and driving. It was a while ago, but I have not had a chance.
After ED delivery (after waiting about an hour given it was a Monday morning), we toured the BMW museum and Olympic site. With the rest of the afternoon, we thought we would take a ride by the Oktoberfest site (Theresienwiese). This ended up being circling Munich during rush hour, which is in full swing by 4pm. This gave me much practice with the clutch. Luckily, my girls slept through most of this, so I guess the back seat is comfortable enough.
I am used to a long throw, so the 5 did not seem long to me. Throws like an MB C240 seem very short. The clutch engage point was lower, so I stalled a few times the first day but got used to it.
The Autobahn from Munich to Salzburg was uneventful, and I hit 101 mph. On the return, we went from Salzburg through Miesbach, Oberammergau, and Linderhof on our way to Fussen. The ride from Linderhof to Fussen is a nice test of mountain driving. A fair bit is in Austria. The climbs/descends are not that steep, but there are plenty of curves. After a while, with my 10-year old feeling car sick and my wife being concerned about the speed, I took it easier. The locals really move, and it was somewhat depressing getting passed by a Ford. Still, I really liked the handling of my non-SP 5. I always felt in control, and it never felt it leaning. If anyone does ED, I would recommend this road from Linderhof to Fussen as a good driving test.
From Fussen to Stuttgart, I opened her up. I had only 325 miles, but with a manual, I was going on the 4500 rpm/no speed limit for 650 miles, 5500 rpm for 850 miles break-in limits told me by BMW ED. I hit 116 mph @ 4400 rpm. Going 100 or so was all too easy. Above that, the car felt fine, but I got somewhat nervous. Going over 100 is quite useful for passing. Over 110 was a bit taxing for me as I am not used to anything near this.
Once, traffic bunched up some getting by a few slower cars. The left lane slowed to about 95-100. At this speed, things can happen quickly. Cars bunched up and the small van right in front of me hit the brakes, skidded, and slammed into the car in front of it. I do not think either fully stopped. The front of the van was crushed in and the engine was smoking. Both drivers seemed okay and they pulled over to the side.
I had hit the breaks and easily went from around 95 to 20. The ABS kicked in. The brake pedal vibrated but not too harshly, as described to me in other cars. Luckily, my 5 (and the car behind me) had the breaks to handle Autobahn speeds, stopping cleanly with no pulling in any direction.
From a short stop in Stuttgart, we went down to Oberkirch in the Black Forest. The next day, we took the Autobahn to Freiburg and then the more famous Black Forest roads back up. This was another fun test drive. First, some nice climbs and curves without much traffic. Then "better" (straighter) roads but more traffic. At this point, you see the road signs such as "29 dead, who's next?" Despite these and other warning signs about passing, it is allowed. I picked my spots and did so a few times. The power of the 530 was appreciated.
From Oberkirch to Reims to Paris, the ride was pleasant. With a 130 kmph speed limit, I set the cruise to about 140 (88 mph) and relaxed, despite some rain. The traffic was light, and you could usually pass the trucks keeping it on cruise. Driving on French highways was a pleasant change after the demands of the roads I took in Germany.
Then there was Paris... What an experience driving there! But enough for now. If there is interest, I'll give more tourist experiences vs. the driving experiences above. This is a car board not a travel board, but there seems to be interest in various facets of ED.
By all means continue the travelogue. I've enjoyed yours so far (brought back good memories) and I'll bet others have too. Accounts such as yours help spread the word about about what a great experience ED is, and may inspire others to try it, especially new members reading about it for the first time.
On the tourist side, we all enjoyed the trip. We left Newark, NJ Saturday night, went through London, and hit Munich just after noon on Sunday. We carried all our luggage on the S-Bahn from the airport to the Marianplatz and then the U-Bahn (U6) up to our hotel, the Munich Marriott.
The Munich Marriott may be a bit pricey for 1 or 2, but at 160 euro for two double beds in 1 room, it was reasonable for 4. It is also conveniently located just off a U6 stop between the BMW factory and the Marianplatz. It is also 2-3 stops north of the Englischergarten. Okay, it may cater more the business travelers and does not have the Gasthof feel, but it was fine for a first stop. After checking in and a rest, we hit the Englischergarten Biergarten Sunday evening. That first "ein Mass Bier" in Germany tasted great after the long travel.
Monday we had breakfast at the BMW Center. During the 1-hour wait, I picked up maps and a nice key-chain in the shape of a "5". The BMW Museum was interesting but not overly impressive. I did see a nice 1930's roadster in a bluish silver that I thought would look great next to my Blue Water 530 in the driveway.
The Olympic site is near the BMW Museum. The best part is the view from the tower. There is a restaurant at the top, but it was only open for dinner weekdays. We were done by 2:30pm with all of this. We should have quit, but experienced Munich rush hour instead. The Oktoberfest site is just a big open area with not much to see off season.
The next day, we left the car at the Marriott and took the U-bahn to the Marianplatz and center Munich. There were crowds in front of TVs watching the semi-finals of the World Cup. Afterwards, there was much celebrating in the streets, singing "Fi-nal-ee, Oh-o". Later, we walked by a large street party celebrating the win just west of the Englishergarten.
If you are tight on time, about 1.5 days for car pickup and the museum and the historic center of Munich is fine. Getting around only knowing English is easier in Munich than most other places we visited. We stayed 3 nights, not knowing how jet-lagged we would be.
I'll continue in another post, going through the rest of the trip quicker.
I'd love to see an unbiased authoritative source substantiate the hypothesis that a 50 percent "used" oil filter traps particles better than a new one.
If true, sign me up for the class action lawsuit against FRAM, Motorcraft, AC Delco, etc. as well as the automakers for knowingly selling a product that "harms" the engine when new, installed properly, and fully functioning. If true, they should design and build new filters that worked like "used" ones. And if they weren't, someone else would (build a better mousetrap).
Think there are too many assumptions in shipo's analysis and no supporting data.
Isn't the point of an oil filter to trap particles? A new filter has the maximum area in which to trap particles. A "used" filter has used up some of its area. Those "used" portions cannot trap particles or do so less effectively. Once it is completely "used" up, then it can no longer trap any particles.
Also, what happens to oil pressure and temperature over time as the filter traps particles?
Anyone know any authoritative unbiased source(s) that use(s) longitudinal scientific studies?
Yes yes yes, keep going on your story. The more details the better. For some it's a good reminiscence; for some, a planning guide; for others, part of a vicarious life. And, like pap5 noted, it spreads the word.
I'd love to see an unbiased authoritative source substantiate the hypothesis that a 50 percent "used" oil filter traps particles better than a new one
As a Manufacturing Engineer at Fleetguard-Nelson, a filter manufacturing company owned by Cummins Engine Co, I'll chime in here as an authoritative, if not unbiased source on the subject: Shipo is correct, a new filter will have a lower "efficiency" than a used filter, that is the amount of particulate trapped by the filter will increase with age. The restriction to flow of the filter will go up with age, however.
Most filter media is made up of a bunch of fibers (synthetic or paper based) laid together like spaghetti. Smaller particles may pass through the maze of fiber when the filter is new, but larger particles get trapped. After some time, the smaller particles become trapped as well.
If true, they should design and build new filters that worked like "used" ones
Good luck! Designing a filter media with higher initial (new) efficiency would require the media to be more tightly packed, among other things. The result would be higher restriction when new and higher yet when used. The capacity or life of the filter would be lower as well.
Bottom line, there are tradeoffs in the design of a filter. A new filter shouldn't harm your engine, but it will work better after some use. There is no good reason to change it before it's time.
So the next time the guy at Jiffy Lube pulls out your air filter to show you the dirt that's accumulated, tell him that it's just starting to work well!
Nice job, but I'd love to see/hear more detail about the front license plate strip. Can you provide information on the part number, the cost, whether you had to paint it, and any installation notes? You can email me this information if you'd like.
As for the rear cupholders, nice job as well. I did the same thing and created a page about the process, located at http://home.att.net/~snagiel/cupholder.html. I, too, used and semi-mocked Chris' armrest page, since many regard the cupholders as flimsy and have actually upgraded FROM the cupholders TO the storage bin (since BMW made the switch in 2000).
I am not an expert on oil filters, but I am a PhD chemist, albeit in theoretical chemistry a long time ago, not in organic. Lately, I have been a software/system engineer. Still, I learned a few things about filters in chem lab.
A given filter is rated at a given size, say 20 microns. It may trap 90% of particles this size or larger, but still let larger particles through. A better 20 micron filter will trap most everything above 40 microns; a lesser filter may let some particles up to 60 microns through.
Now, any filter has only so many "holes" that will get "filled" with particles. When the holes are mostly filled, the filter is clogged and flow slows/stops. Larger particles can form a barrier preventing even the clean oil from passing.
Now, in the poor filter above, there are only so many 20-59 micron holes. As time goes on, the 59 micron holes fill with particles 60 or larger, the 40 micron holes fill with particles 41 or larger, etc.
Over time, the proportion of open holes may change. If the 20 micron holes fill faster than the 59 micron holes, a poor filter could get worse. A larger proportion of 40-60 micron particles will pass than the desired 20 micron or less. There are more particles that will fill a 20 micron hole than there are that will fill a 39-59 micron hole.
A very good filter with uniform 20-30 micron holes and a small number up to 40 would fill more uniformly and may even improve as the 30-40 micron holes fill but many <30 micron holes are left to pass oil and particles too small to worry the engine.
In either case, the max. flow rate is being reduced.
Now, let's assume BMW uses "good" filters. There should be a small number of larger holes relative to those of the desired size. This should mean that there is this slight improvement in filtration (as these small number of larger holes fill) over a short time period followed by a longer period of stable filtering.
So, the "poorer" service of a new, quality filter should level out quickly. The filtering performance of a quality filter at 50% or 90% of its expected lifetime may be no better than one at 10% of its expected lifetime. The impedance to flow will increase over time.
Now, this is not the definitive study riez asked for, but I got to go on a long rant :-)
Now, any filter has only so many "holes" that will get "filled" with particles
The filters used in a chem lab may differ from air and oil filters used in cars, but I don't like the "hole" analogy for filters.
I agree that a filter can only hold so much particulate before it's clogged. Under a microscope, filter media doesn't have holes but rather a bunch of loosely gathered fibers many layers thick.
Think of a scattered pile of hey; you may be able to pour sand through the hey, but some of the grains will get lodged between the strands. There are many, many paths for the sand to find it's way through the maze of hey. As the larger grains fill the large paths, the smaller grains have a harder time getting through. Given enough sand and time, all of the paths will be filled.
Contrast this to a fine mesh screen. At best, the screen can "hold" or trap only one layer of sand on the surface before it's clogged while the hey example can trap much more sand deep inside before clogging.
Yes, I'm sure you're finding the lack of choice around here. I live in Nashua and own an E-Class. I have to drive to Manchester for service. The service I receive there is APPALLING. Only alternatives are to drive much much farther.
I wish you luck with Tulley. I nearly blew a blood vessel w/them servicing my Mazda. Office mate's X5 experiences have been luke warm as well.
Patelli, Like Snagiel I would like to know the answer to his questions about the part number, the cost, whether you had to paint it, and any installation notes?"
Anyone got any hard scientific data? Longitudinal studies?
Are the proponents of the "'used' oil filter performing better than a new oil filter" theory in agreement that this thesis holds true for air filters, gasline filters, etc?
And do proponents want to hypothesize about what percentage of use makes the "used" filter optimal and over what range of miles will it outperform a new filter?
Unless and until I see unbiased, authoritative, longitudinal scientific studies from an unbiased and reputable source, I'm not buying the thesis.
some would suggest getting a life, but I'd never do that, since it's "negative." Oil filtration is only of interest to people who continue to possess a vehicle well beyond 100K miles. How many here (besides myself) fall into that group? As has been pointed out by others, if you're only leasing the thing for a few years, what possible difference could the oil (let alone the filter) make. Now, for the three of you who bought the car and intend to own it until it's pushing 200K miles, read on.
If you want the total package in oil filtration, do what the Class 8 trucks do -- combine a full-flow filter with a bypass filter (luberfiner). The concept is that all the oil goes through a filter with a fairly large size rating, while some of the oil is directed to a filter that takes out "everything."
These things are big. Really, really big. No one who owns a BMW wants to even consider how big. However, it appears some of you might sign up.
Unless and until I see unbiased, authoritative, longitudinal scientific studies from an unbiased and reputable source, I'm not buying the thesis
Maybe you didn't read my post-I design these filters and the equipment to make them. What exactly do you consider a "reputable source"?!? This is not some thesis, as you call it, but a phenomenon that I've seen under a microscope and proven by data gathered in the labs where I work. I could spend my day at work tomorrow gathering the data from these "scientific studies" that you demand, but I'm not going to waste my time! Obviously, you will believe whatever you want to regardless of what I post here. I suggest you go to the library and look up the studies yourself.
"During the mid-life period as the filter collects soot, metal and carbon the pores of the filter media trap and plug the tiny spaces with in the fabric. As a result the filter becomes less permeable, it flows just a little less oil for the same pressure and temperature, but it does a better job of filtering out the very fine sub 20-micron particles that cause the most wear. The filter is in the sweet spot. SPF and, capacity are both acceptable."
Hmmm, I know the internet isn't a good source of " unbiased, authoritative, longitudinal scientific studies", but this guy seems to say pretty much the same thing I did a couple of posts back! You can do your own research from here.
Looking at my receipt from the dealer, the part number for the guard that replaces the front license piece is 51-11-7-005-985 for a 2001 530i. It comes primered and needs to be painted to match your car's color. It cost me just under $25 for the part but close to $50 for the paint job. Dealer popped out the old frame piece and popped in the new guard in seconds. Hope this helps anyone who doesn't like the look of the front license frame.
After Munich, we stopped in the Chiemsee area for a few hours on the way to Salzburg. This part of Autobahn A8 does go unlimited for a time but traffic limited speed to around 100 mph for most of us. Schloss Herrenchiemsee is on an island reachable by a short boat ride and worth the stop. As you approach Salzburg, A8 has more curves and I didn't want to push it with just a few hours Autobahn experience.
Salzburg is something of a tourist trap. Almost as many speak English as in Munich. My family enjoyed the Sound of Music bus tour. It's a little corny, has some historical sites but some just famous as movie locations, and there is a fair amount of driving, although the countryside is nice. The Salzburg fortress was quite interesting. There are many nice shops (catering to the tourists) and restaurants. I would highly recommend "Die Weisse", which had good Weissbier, naturally, and great roast pork, but you may want to make reservations.
On our return trip, we diverted through Miesbach via B472 off of A8. We also toured Oberammergau and Linderhof before reaching Fussen. It was a full day, ending with the fun drive through part of Austria I previously mentioned. We had a nice hotel in Hopfen am See, Fussen, which looked out over a lake with the Alps in the background. The castles were nice, but I actually enjoyed the older Hohenschwangau the best (over Herrenchiemsee, Linderhof, Neuschwanstein, and even Versailles) since it gave more of the traditions and lour of the family and region and seemed more a family home than the others which were overly grand.
The next treck was mostly Autobahn, briefly stopping at Stuttgart on the way to Oberkirch in the Black Forest. The Fussen to Stuttgart portion is where I opened up to 116 mph. A large crowd was watching the World Cup Final in the Daimler Stadium. We stopped at the Mercedes museum, which was relatively empty during the game. Just as we got back to the stadium, the game was finished with Germany losing to Brazil, so people were not partying as they were a few days before.
I'll pick up again in a third (and final?) installment next week, as I am going away for the weekend.
I posted this on the sports wagon board but got no nibbles so I was hoping the general board could help me out...
DW and I are thinking about grabbing a '99 528IT w/ around 30K miles for about $24K. Since it would be our first BMW purchase we have a couple of newbie questions. The car is still under the new BMW warranty period (4yr/50Kmi) so I was wondering how the warranty is transferred to the new owner especially when/if it's a private party sale. Is this a hassle or is it pretty straightforward?
Also, while reviewing all the 5 series boards here and elsewhere on the net, I was wondering what specific things I should be looking out for on this model, other than the published factory recalls and TSBs, especially any electrical or tranny gremlins.
I stopped by my local dealer to pick up the piece (thank Patelli for the part number!), who had no problem gouging me with the full MSRP ($15 and change).
At any rate, I called the body shop they deal with (Magnum Collision in Marietta, GA), and spoke with one of their reps, Curtis. After describing the piece briefly, he said: "Sure I know it...gosh, it's so small, I hate charging you anything for [painting] it. I'll tell you what, if you don't mind waiting until we get a car here in your color, I'll just have them spray the piece for you, no charge. If you need it in a hurry, the charge will be very little: maybe $20 or $30."
It's nice to see some places out there still care about customer service.
I'm ready to buy a certified 1999 528i, 4sp auto with sport premium pkg. The vehicle has ~34K miles on it. What things I should look for? I requested dealer to show me all items has done to the car and they fax me the following.
Certificaton: 1. Changed all fluids, break pads, rotors, filteres, and tires. 2. Airbag light on - replaced SRS control unit. 3. Noisy Aux fan - replaced aux fan. 4. Power steering leaking - replaced leaking return line. 5. Bad compressor (no AC) - replaced compressor.
The dealer tried to show me the service history and it shows bunch defect code with the repair date with mileage. Some of the dates are pertty close... 01/18/2000, 8234 miles, 2 defact codes 06/14/2000, 13343 miles, 2 defact codes 06/05/2001, 23082 miles, 5 defact codes 09/04/2001, 25187 miles, 2 defact codes (only 2105 miles between vists) 11/09/2001, 27666 miles, 4 defact codes (only 2479 miles between visits) 12/10/2001, 28241 miles, 1 defact code (only 515 miles between visits) 06/17/2002, 31575 miles, 1 defact code
Should I be worried? I'm trying to have the dealer to translate all codes for me, but not sure if they will. I did notice that one of the code is same as the ABS light code listed under the certification. Anyone has had the ABS light on twice?
It seems to me that this car might have lots problems. I'm not sure if I should get it. The sales person insist that all problems are fixed.
Took day of vacation to do the Ultimate Drive for the Susan B. Kosman Foundation. What a great time. They had about 17 or so different cars and SUVs to drive. This is the "silver fleet" covering the midwest and west. You could drive as many as you wanted. They had it set up on a 10.7 mile "course" of city streets. You followed the same route on every drive. Speed limits ranging from 25 mph residential, 35 & 45 mph light industrial, 55 mph 2-lane county, and small stretch of 65 mph 4-lane divided. Couple nice twisty stretches. Even a set of RR tracks to go over.
Was a blast to drive all the different cars. I drove everything from Z3 2.5 to 745i to X5 4.4. And they even had two manual transmission cars (a Z3 3.0 and a 530i). There were two Z3 and two convertible 3 Series. No Ms. Most of the cars had Sport Pkg, even a couple of the Touring. The most "boring" car was a 325i Touring non-Sport. If you were willing to drive whatever they had at the time, you could drive all day long. But you could also sign up to drive specific cars. There were lists and waits for the popular roadsters, convertibles, and 745i. The tourings were always the old maids.
Driving all the other cars and also the new 745i pointed out what seem to me to be the 745i's flaws. Horrible shift lever. Weird placement of buttons (e.g., seat controls in center console, door lock button on dash). I found the I-drive to be quite confusing at the start. But the wood trim was exquisite and the 745i corners like a serious sport sedan. And quite powerful, though didn't seem as quick as my 540i6.
I ended up driving for almost 4 hours. They even provided breakfast, lunch, and beverages all day. You can't beat it. Have fun and raise money for breast cancer research.
mschukar... Looked at the SHO Club information. Who is Tim Wright? There are no citations for any of the charts or as relates to text you linked us to.
Given the amount of pseudo-science BS that floats about the internet as "gospel", I think the prudent person relies on scientific studies from reputable, authoritative sources. For example, papers published in journals. Got anything from API, ASE, research or testing organizations, engineering groups, etc? Or even studies cited by major filter manufacturers?
I can appreciate your concern. If you're comfortable with the CPO program and coverage, then you might take the plunge with the knowledge that even if things come up, you're under warranty. Then again, if you need a highly reliable car (i.e. can't afford to lose work) and/or plan on keeping it for a while beyond the CPO warranty, you might consider an alternative. Personally, I don't know what the asking price is, but I would probably prefer a newer 330 for the same money.
I've read many postings here discussing steering feel and response issues between the 525i, 528i, and 530i rack & pinion steering to the 540i recirculating ball steering. At the Ultimate Test Drive I deliberately drove a 525iA Sport and a 530i5 Sport. Focused pretty heavily on the steering issue while driving both. Maybe others can feel it more than I can, but it didn't seem to be noticeable to me when I compared both to my 540i6. Drove both at speeds up to 74 mph as well as in parking lot and numerous turns from stoplights as well as curves/corners. I really like the steering response and feel from all 3.
Comments
Best Regards,
Shipo
Sam
2001 Prelude Type SH, 2022 Highlander XLE AWD, 2025 Camry SE AWD
BigRob.
Best Regards,
Shipo
BTW, I did some more driving through some hilly
roads over the weekend, I can only say, the more
I drive the car, the more I like it.
I am almost through my break-in (1200 miles) in less than 3 weeks.
regds
hssahu
Shippo, can you explain more on why changing oil filter in mid of the cycle will "actually cause more engine degradation than leaving the thing alone". I am not questioning you but just curious to learn. Thanks. Hnn
Assuming that the above is true (and I believe it is as I assimilated the above knowledge from the MB engineers that would float through the building that I used to work in back in the days when I worked for MBUSA), if one was to change their oil filter at the 7,500 mile mark into a 15,000 mile oil change cycle, you would in essence be putting a more porous filter into the oiling system just as the oil was starting to gradually (ever so gradually in the case of synthetic oil) slide down the slope of acceptable protection for the moving parts of the engine. In other words, just as your oil is starting to need better filtering, you would then be putting in a filter that provides the worst possible filtering this side of a completely clogged filter (ie. no filtering at all).
In my case, I am inclined to use the full 15,000 miles allowed by the engineers who designed our engines. Were it that I was to decide that my current oil was not up to snuff for some reason (ie. after having just driven through a sand storm or some such), and was going to muck with the oil filter anyway, I would just go right ahead and do the oil as well.
I hope this helps. ;-)
Best Regards,
Shipo
After ED delivery (after waiting about an hour given it was a Monday morning), we toured the BMW museum and Olympic site. With the rest of the afternoon, we thought we would take a ride by the Oktoberfest site (Theresienwiese). This ended up being circling Munich during rush hour, which is in full swing by 4pm. This gave me much practice with the clutch. Luckily, my girls slept through most of this, so I guess the back seat is comfortable enough.
I am used to a long throw, so the 5 did not seem long to me. Throws like an MB C240 seem very short. The clutch engage point was lower, so I stalled a few times the first day but got used to it.
The Autobahn from Munich to Salzburg was uneventful, and I hit 101 mph. On the return, we went from Salzburg through Miesbach, Oberammergau, and Linderhof on our way to Fussen. The ride from Linderhof to Fussen is a nice test of mountain driving. A fair bit is in Austria. The climbs/descends are not that steep, but there are plenty of curves. After a while, with my 10-year old feeling car sick and my wife being concerned about the speed, I took it easier. The locals really move, and it was somewhat depressing getting passed by a Ford. Still, I really liked the handling of my non-SP 5. I always felt in control, and it never felt it leaning. If anyone does ED, I would recommend this road from Linderhof to Fussen as a good driving test.
From Fussen to Stuttgart, I opened her up. I had only 325 miles, but with a manual, I was going on the 4500 rpm/no speed limit for 650 miles, 5500 rpm for 850 miles break-in limits told me by BMW ED. I hit 116 mph @ 4400 rpm. Going 100 or so was all too easy. Above that, the car felt fine, but I got somewhat nervous. Going over 100 is quite useful for passing. Over 110 was a bit taxing for me as I am not used to anything near this.
Once, traffic bunched up some getting by a few slower cars. The left lane slowed to about 95-100. At this speed, things can happen quickly. Cars bunched up and the small van right in front of me hit the brakes, skidded, and slammed into the car in front of it. I do not think either fully stopped. The front of the van was crushed in and the engine was smoking. Both drivers seemed okay and they pulled over to the side.
I had hit the breaks and easily went from around 95 to 20. The ABS kicked in. The brake pedal vibrated but not too harshly, as described to me in other cars. Luckily, my 5 (and the car behind me) had the breaks to handle Autobahn speeds, stopping cleanly with no pulling in any direction.
From a short stop in Stuttgart, we went down to Oberkirch in the Black Forest. The next day, we took the Autobahn to Freiburg and then the more famous Black Forest roads back up. This was another fun test drive. First, some nice climbs and curves without much traffic. Then "better" (straighter) roads but more traffic. At this point, you see the road signs such as "29 dead, who's next?" Despite these and other warning signs about passing, it is allowed. I picked my spots and did so a few times. The power of the 530 was appreciated.
From Oberkirch to Reims to Paris, the ride was pleasant. With a 130 kmph speed limit, I set the cruise to about 140 (88 mph) and relaxed, despite some rain. The traffic was light, and you could usually pass the trucks keeping it on cruise. Driving on French highways was a pleasant change after the demands of the roads I took in Germany.
Then there was Paris... What an experience driving there! But enough for now. If there is interest, I'll give more tourist experiences vs. the driving experiences above. This is a car board not a travel board, but there seems to be interest in various facets of ED.
Is there such a thing, locally?
Probably falls into the same category as cup holders.
Or not.
The Munich Marriott may be a bit pricey for 1 or 2, but at 160 euro for two double beds in 1 room, it was reasonable for 4. It is also conveniently located just off a U6 stop between the BMW factory and the Marianplatz. It is also 2-3 stops north of the Englischergarten. Okay, it may cater more the business travelers and does not have the Gasthof feel, but it was fine for a first stop. After checking in and a rest, we hit the Englischergarten Biergarten Sunday evening. That first "ein Mass Bier" in Germany tasted great after the long travel.
Monday we had breakfast at the BMW Center. During the 1-hour wait, I picked up maps and a nice key-chain in the shape of a "5". The BMW Museum was interesting but not overly impressive. I did see a nice 1930's roadster in a bluish silver that I thought would look great next to my Blue Water 530 in the driveway.
The Olympic site is near the BMW Museum. The best part is the view from the tower. There is a restaurant at the top, but it was only open for dinner weekdays. We were done by 2:30pm with all of this. We should have quit, but experienced Munich rush hour instead. The Oktoberfest site is just a big open area with not much to see off season.
The next day, we left the car at the Marriott and took the U-bahn to the Marianplatz and center Munich. There were crowds in front of TVs watching the semi-finals of the World Cup. Afterwards, there was much celebrating in the streets, singing "Fi-nal-ee, Oh-o". Later, we walked by a large street party celebrating the win just west of the Englishergarten.
If you are tight on time, about 1.5 days for car pickup and the museum and the historic center of Munich is fine. Getting around only knowing English is easier in Munich than most other places we visited. We stayed 3 nights, not knowing how jet-lagged we would be.
I'll continue in another post, going through the rest of the trip quicker.
I did the following projects:
1- Installed the no front license plate bumper strip.
2- Installed a solid Napa leather armrest.
3- Remedied the E39's cup holder issues.. and got a drink cooler to boot.
See all the details at http://members.cox.net/ehstone/e39
Enjoy!
If true, sign me up for the class action lawsuit against FRAM, Motorcraft, AC Delco, etc. as well as the automakers for knowingly selling a product that "harms" the engine when new, installed properly, and fully functioning. If true, they should design and build new filters that worked like "used" ones. And if they weren't, someone else would (build a better mousetrap).
Think there are too many assumptions in shipo's analysis and no supporting data.
Isn't the point of an oil filter to trap particles? A new filter has the maximum area in which to trap particles. A "used" filter has used up some of its area. Those "used" portions cannot trap particles or do so less effectively. Once it is completely "used" up, then it can no longer trap any particles.
Also, what happens to oil pressure and temperature over time as the filter traps particles?
Anyone know any authoritative unbiased source(s) that use(s) longitudinal scientific studies?
Yes yes yes, keep going on your story. The more details the better. For some it's a good reminiscence; for some, a planning guide; for others, part of a vicarious life. And, like pap5 noted, it spreads the word.
Thanks for your effort to date,
PoorRichard
There really isn't much room in there. I dont think an XM radio would fit. In my try there is just enough room for my cell phone, wallet and keys.
-Patelli
As a Manufacturing Engineer at Fleetguard-Nelson, a filter manufacturing company owned by Cummins Engine Co, I'll chime in here as an authoritative, if not unbiased source on the subject: Shipo is correct, a new filter will have a lower "efficiency" than a used filter, that is the amount of particulate trapped by the filter will increase with age. The restriction to flow of the filter will go up with age, however.
Most filter media is made up of a bunch of fibers (synthetic or paper based) laid together like spaghetti. Smaller particles may pass through the maze of fiber when the filter is new, but larger particles get trapped. After some time, the smaller particles become trapped as well.
If true, they should design and build new filters that worked like "used" ones
Good luck! Designing a filter media with higher initial (new) efficiency would require the media to be more tightly packed, among other things. The result would be higher restriction when new and higher yet when used. The capacity or life of the filter would be lower as well.
Bottom line, there are tradeoffs in the design of a filter. A new filter shouldn't harm your engine, but it will work better after some use. There is no good reason to change it before it's time.
So the next time the guy at Jiffy Lube pulls out your air filter to show you the dirt that's accumulated, tell him that it's just starting to work well!
-murray
Nice job, but I'd love to see/hear more detail about the front license plate strip. Can you provide information on the part number, the cost, whether you had to paint it, and any installation notes? You can email me this information if you'd like.
As for the rear cupholders, nice job as well. I did the same thing and created a page about the process, located at http://home.att.net/~snagiel/cupholder.html. I, too, used and semi-mocked Chris' armrest page, since many regard the cupholders as flimsy and have actually upgraded FROM the cupholders TO the storage bin (since BMW made the switch in 2000).
Oh, there's room:
My XM satellite radio installation.
A given filter is rated at a given size, say 20 microns. It may trap 90% of particles this size or larger, but still let larger particles through. A better 20 micron filter will trap most everything above 40 microns; a lesser filter may let some particles up to 60 microns through.
Now, any filter has only so many "holes" that will get "filled" with particles. When the holes are mostly filled, the filter is clogged and flow slows/stops. Larger particles can form a barrier preventing even the clean oil from passing.
Now, in the poor filter above, there are only so many 20-59 micron holes. As time goes on, the 59 micron holes fill with particles 60 or larger, the 40 micron holes fill with particles 41 or larger, etc.
Over time, the proportion of open holes may change. If the 20 micron holes fill faster than the 59 micron holes, a poor filter could get worse. A larger proportion of 40-60 micron particles will pass than the desired 20 micron or less. There are more particles that will fill a 20 micron hole than there are that will fill a 39-59 micron hole.
A very good filter with uniform 20-30 micron holes and a small number up to 40 would fill more uniformly and may even improve as the 30-40 micron holes fill but many <30 micron holes are left to pass oil and particles too small to worry the engine.
In either case, the max. flow rate is being reduced.
Now, let's assume BMW uses "good" filters. There should be a small number of larger holes relative to those of the desired size. This should mean that there is this slight improvement in filtration (as these small number of larger holes fill) over a short time period followed by a longer period of stable filtering.
So, the "poorer" service of a new, quality filter should level out quickly. The filtering performance of a quality filter at 50% or 90% of its expected lifetime may be no better than one at 10% of its expected lifetime. The impedance to flow will increase over time.
Now, this is not the definitive study riez asked for, but I got to go on a long rant :-)
The filters used in a chem lab may differ from air and oil filters used in cars, but I don't like the "hole" analogy for filters.
I agree that a filter can only hold so much particulate before it's clogged. Under a microscope, filter media doesn't have holes but rather a bunch of loosely gathered fibers many layers thick.
Think of a scattered pile of hey; you may be able to pour sand through the hey, but some of the grains will get lodged between the strands. There are many, many paths for the sand to find it's way through the maze of hey. As the larger grains fill the large paths, the smaller grains have a harder time getting through. Given enough sand and time, all of the paths will be filled.
Contrast this to a fine mesh screen. At best, the screen can "hold" or trap only one layer of sand on the surface before it's clogged while the hey example can trap much more sand deep inside before clogging.
I know this is nitpicking
-murray
I wish you luck with Tulley. I nearly blew a blood vessel w/them servicing my Mazda. Office mate's X5 experiences have been luke warm as well.
Regards,
BigRob.
Appreciate your help.
-Patelli
Are the proponents of the "'used' oil filter performing better than a new oil filter" theory in agreement that this thesis holds true for air filters, gasline filters, etc?
And do proponents want to hypothesize about what percentage of use makes the "used" filter optimal and over what range of miles will it outperform a new filter?
Unless and until I see unbiased, authoritative, longitudinal scientific studies from an unbiased and reputable source, I'm not buying the thesis.
If you want the total package in oil filtration, do what the Class 8 trucks do -- combine a full-flow filter with a bypass filter (luberfiner). The concept is that all the oil goes through a filter with a fairly large size rating, while some of the oil is directed to a filter that takes out "everything."
These things are big. Really, really big. No one who owns a BMW wants to even consider how big. However, it appears some of you might sign up.
Maybe you didn't read my post-I design these filters and the equipment to make them. What exactly do you consider a "reputable source"?!? This is not some thesis, as you call it, but a phenomenon that I've seen under a microscope and proven by data gathered in the labs where I work. I could spend my day at work tomorrow gathering the data from these "scientific studies" that you demand, but I'm not going to waste my time! Obviously, you will believe whatever you want to regardless of what I post here. I suggest you go to the library and look up the studies yourself.
On the other hand, check out http://www.shoclub.com/lubrication-oil/lubrication-oilpart4.htm
"During the mid-life period as the filter collects soot, metal and carbon the pores of the filter media trap and plug the tiny spaces with in the fabric. As a result the filter becomes less permeable, it flows just a little less oil for the same pressure and temperature, but it does a better job of filtering out the very fine sub 20-micron particles that cause the most wear. The filter is in the sweet spot. SPF and, capacity are both acceptable."
Hmmm, I know the internet isn't a good source of " unbiased, authoritative, longitudinal scientific studies", but this guy seems to say pretty much the same thing I did a couple of posts back! You can do your own research from here.
-murray
After Munich, we stopped in the Chiemsee area for a few hours on the way to Salzburg. This part of Autobahn A8 does go unlimited for a time but traffic limited speed to around 100 mph for most of us. Schloss Herrenchiemsee is on an island reachable by a short boat ride and worth the stop. As you approach Salzburg, A8 has more curves and I didn't want to push it with just a few hours Autobahn experience.
Salzburg is something of a tourist trap. Almost as many speak English as in Munich. My family enjoyed the Sound of Music bus tour. It's a little corny, has some historical sites but some just famous as movie locations, and there is a fair amount of driving, although the countryside is nice. The Salzburg fortress was quite interesting. There are many nice shops (catering to the tourists) and restaurants. I would highly recommend "Die Weisse", which had good Weissbier, naturally, and great roast pork, but you may want to make reservations.
On our return trip, we diverted through Miesbach via B472 off of A8. We also toured Oberammergau and Linderhof before reaching Fussen. It was a full day, ending with the fun drive through part of Austria I previously mentioned. We had a nice hotel in Hopfen am See, Fussen, which looked out over a lake with the Alps in the background. The castles were nice, but I actually enjoyed the older Hohenschwangau the best (over Herrenchiemsee, Linderhof, Neuschwanstein, and even Versailles) since it gave more of the traditions and lour of the family and region and seemed more a family home than the others which were overly grand.
The next treck was mostly Autobahn, briefly stopping at Stuttgart on the way to Oberkirch in the Black Forest. The Fussen to Stuttgart portion is where I opened up to 116 mph. A large crowd was watching the World Cup Final in the Daimler Stadium. We stopped at the Mercedes museum, which was relatively empty during the game. Just as we got back to the stadium, the game was finished with Germany losing to Brazil, so people were not partying as they were a few days before.
I'll pick up again in a third (and final?) installment next week, as I am going away for the weekend.
I posted this on the sports wagon board but got no nibbles so I was hoping the general board could help me out...
DW and I are thinking about grabbing a '99 528IT w/ around 30K miles for about $24K. Since it would be our first BMW purchase we have a couple of newbie questions. The car is still under the new BMW warranty period (4yr/50Kmi) so I was wondering how the warranty is transferred to the new owner especially when/if it's a private party sale. Is this a hassle or is it pretty straightforward?
Also, while reviewing all the 5 series boards here and elsewhere on the net, I was wondering what specific things I should be looking out for on this model, other than the published factory recalls and TSBs, especially any electrical or tranny gremlins.
Thanks in advance.
At any rate, I called the body shop they deal with (Magnum Collision in Marietta, GA), and spoke with one of their reps, Curtis. After describing the piece briefly, he said: "Sure I know it...gosh, it's so small, I hate charging you anything for [painting] it. I'll tell you what, if you don't mind waiting until we get a car here in your color, I'll just have them spray the piece for you, no charge. If you need it in a hurry, the charge will be very little: maybe $20 or $30."
It's nice to see some places out there still care about customer service.
Certificaton:
1. Changed all fluids, break pads, rotors, filteres, and tires.
2. Airbag light on - replaced SRS control unit.
3. Noisy Aux fan - replaced aux fan.
4. Power steering leaking - replaced leaking return line.
5. Bad compressor (no AC) - replaced compressor.
The dealer tried to show me the service history and it shows bunch defect code with the repair date with mileage. Some of the dates are pertty close...
01/18/2000, 8234 miles, 2 defact codes
06/14/2000, 13343 miles, 2 defact codes
06/05/2001, 23082 miles, 5 defact codes
09/04/2001, 25187 miles, 2 defact codes (only 2105 miles between vists)
11/09/2001, 27666 miles, 4 defact codes (only 2479 miles between visits)
12/10/2001, 28241 miles, 1 defact code (only 515 miles between visits)
06/17/2002, 31575 miles, 1 defact code
Should I be worried? I'm trying to have the dealer to translate all codes for me, but not sure if they will. I did notice that one of the code is same as the ABS light code listed under the certification. Anyone has had the ABS light on twice?
It seems to me that this car might have lots problems. I'm not sure if I should get it. The sales person insist that all problems are fixed.
Thanks
Was a blast to drive all the different cars. I drove everything from Z3 2.5 to 745i to X5 4.4. And they even had two manual transmission cars (a Z3 3.0 and a 530i). There were two Z3 and two convertible 3 Series. No Ms. Most of the cars had Sport Pkg, even a couple of the Touring. The most "boring" car was a 325i Touring non-Sport. If you were willing to drive whatever they had at the time, you could drive all day long. But you could also sign up to drive specific cars. There were lists and waits for the popular roadsters, convertibles, and 745i. The tourings were always the old maids.
Driving all the other cars and also the new 745i pointed out what seem to me to be the 745i's flaws. Horrible shift lever. Weird placement of buttons (e.g., seat controls in center console, door lock button on dash). I found the I-drive to be quite confusing at the start. But the wood trim was exquisite and the 745i corners like a serious sport sedan. And quite powerful, though didn't seem as quick as my 540i6.
I ended up driving for almost 4 hours. They even provided breakfast, lunch, and beverages all day. You can't beat it. Have fun and raise money for breast cancer research.
Given the amount of pseudo-science BS that floats about the internet as "gospel", I think the prudent person relies on scientific studies from reputable, authoritative sources. For example, papers published in journals. Got anything from API, ASE, research or testing organizations, engineering groups, etc? Or even studies cited by major filter manufacturers?