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CornHolio posted:Hate to say it, but yes to all. My OBD II sedan is yes to everything on that list except #1.
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May 16, 2008 13:32
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hedge posted:It's a safety thing for the US market but you can get a Euro market switch that does auto close. ah hah, so mine isn't broken, its just a dumb safety feature! Is it only the switch that would need replacing?
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May 16, 2008 13:34
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I suspect my clutch may be going (original, Im pretty sure, at 144k miles) cause it seems like its slipping. It still passes the fifth gear test though, so I may have some time. Car is a 1997 328i. Anyway, I did some looking online at clutch kits, and Im not sure which one to get. I'd prefer an OEM one, since I don't exactly race the car or anything, but Im open to options. I've been looking at the following two: http://tinyurl.com/4mxtsl Pelican Parts super clutch kit, $415.75 (no url available) Bavarian Autosports clutch kit p/n CK M52 EARLY, $404.95 "Our kit contains: an alignment tool, clutch disc, pressure plate, throw-out bearing, rear engine seal, pilot bearing, all transmission seals, exhaust gaskets, and a pivot pin" My concern is that the two kits come with a lot of different parts - the bavauto kit comes with tools and stuff, while the pelicanparts.com kit comes with a new slave cylinder and hose... I know I need the tools, but will I need a new slave cylinder? Also, how hard a job is this? I've never done anything this in-depth, but it seems pretty straightforward, just time consuming.
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May 16, 2008 14:43
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CornHolio posted:My concern is that the two kits come with a lot of different parts - the bavauto kit comes with tools and stuff, while the pelicanparts.com kit comes with a new slave cylinder and hose... I know I need the tools, but will I need a new slave cylinder? You don't really need a new slave cylinder until the one you have fails. They're stupid easy to replace so I wouldn't bother with the pelican kit. Have you tried piecing together all the BavAuto parts on https://www.rmeuropean.com Might be a little cheaper. And you're pretty much correct in the "how difficult is it?" It's not "hard" just really time consuming. A few AI Bimmer people have changed clutches on an E36 and they all were successful, so, take that as you will.
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May 16, 2008 15:44
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CornHolio posted:Hate to say it, but yes to all. I know this is supposed to be like that. Thanks for doing the tests for me. There is some aftermarket company that makes a switch for this, and yes, the switch is the only thing that would need to be replaced. hedge posted:My OBD II sedan is yes to everything on that list except #1. Did it ever open in the unlocked position before? It seems that Cornholio's does. Also, did both of you guys test both sides? I'm 75% sure that the lights should not come on when you lift the passenger does handle. What could be causing my issues? I'll be taking out my door panels to deaden them for an audio project, so I'd like to tackle this at the same time.
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May 16, 2008 22:18
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Doctor Grape Ape posted:And you're pretty much correct in the "how difficult is it?" It's not "hard" just really time consuming. A few AI Bimmer people have changed clutches on an E36 and they all were successful, so, take that as you will. Would someone be able to complete it in one weekend? I have 146k miles on my 94 E36 and the owner I bought it from said the clutch was never replaced, although it feels perfect, which leads me believe the previous ownner was a dipshit or the car was babied like a mother fucker.
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May 16, 2008 22:40
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Pissingintowind posted:Also, did both of you guys test both sides? I'm 75% sure that the lights should not come on when you lift the passenger does handle. This probably isn't any help, but on my e34 the interior lights were activated by the drivers door handle, but not the passenger side handle. They then went off again when the drivers door was opened, which they shouldn't have. I never got it fixed but it was diagnosed as a faulty body control(?) module.
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May 16, 2008 22:51
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Hi, I've got a question about 3-series and 5-series reliability. I was looking at E36s, E46s, and E39s (straight six models). About how do they compare with regards to reliability and expected maintenance/repair costs? Is there a difference between the different engines? I know that the 540i's V8 is a lot more needy than the six-cylinder versions 'lower' in the lineup. Furthermore, would any of these cars count as relatively reliable by most standards? Thanks!
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May 16, 2008 23:10
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Taymar posted:This probably isn't any help, but on my e34 the interior lights were activated by the drivers door handle, but not the passenger side handle. They then went off again when the drivers door was opened, which they shouldn't have. I never got it fixed but it was diagnosed as a faulty body control(?) module. Hmm. I think in E36's it's called a microswitch. I can hear a little switch click when I raise the drivers' door handle to the point where it used to activate the lights. The passenger door, however, has no such click, and I can't recall it ever activating lights. But someone here said otherwise, so I'm waiting for them to verify.
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May 17, 2008 00:39
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CornHolio posted:I'd be interested in some pictures of the car... did you get the 128i or the 135i? It's a 135i. I only have this one picture, so I will try to get some more up tommorow.
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May 17, 2008 21:58
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David Corbett posted:Hi, All of those cars are very reliable, barring a few very common problems they all share. Poor cooling systems and window motors come to mind. I would also be concerned about struts after 100k miles or therebouts. Clutches and brakes as well. As with any BMW, ensure you have a good service record with the car. If it doesn't have consistent records I wouldn't buy it. The V8 isn't unreliable in my opinion. I got one because the price difference wasn't that bad and why not have a V8? They had problems with the earlier ones I'm told, but I think any problems would have manifested by now. I did the clutch job on my 540 and the only rust on the car was the header collector bolts. As such, they all cross threaded with the original nuts and bolts and I have to replace them. I'm lazy, so I haven't, and there are only 2-3 bolts in. Because of that, the car sounds like a huge hemi Cuda or something..pretty sick..but my highway mileage seems to have suffered. City is still 17-20 depending on my foot, but my highway is only around 24mpg when it was 30mpg before. Could this be the reason? Could I also be losing power? I haven't driven the car in a long time but I think it seems weaker.
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May 19, 2008 21:02
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I have decided to purchase my dream car and grab an E39 M5. I can grab a 2001-2003 with between 40k and 60k miles on it for the price range I'm in. Now, I have heard some nightmarish stories about reliability on the E39 540i from close friends. Can one assume the M5 will be even worse? I have wanted this car since it came out... but not if I'm going to be driving, an engine light come on once a month, taking it in and finding out it's some carbon fiber super tuned m-racing part that is going to cost a couple thousand to replace. -Any years to avoid? -Things to check when I'm shopping? -Parts that are known failures? Price of said parts? and my favorite because you guys would know: -The absolute most tragic thing that could break on an E39 M5 and how much it would set me back? (And the likelihood of said breakage and how to avoid it)
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May 20, 2008 02:00
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FastBurner posted:It's a 135i. I only have this one picture, so I will try to get some more up tommorow. I really hate the look of the 1-series, it looks like a fat old man.
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May 20, 2008 07:56
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Nermal. posted:I have decided to purchase my dream car and grab an E39 M5. I can grab a 2001-2003 with between 40k and 60k miles on it for the price range I'm in. Now, I have heard some nightmarish stories about reliability on the E39 540i from close friends. Can one assume the M5 will be even worse? I have wanted this car since it came out... but not if I'm going to be driving, an engine light come on once a month, taking it in and finding out it's some carbon fiber super tuned m-racing part that is going to cost a couple thousand to replace. Read the post above yours that I wrote. Read M5Forums, Bimmerforums, and Bimmerfest. They have checklists. It's all common stuff. You could just use a list for an E46 and it would read the same. Cooling system, window motors, MAFs, and wear items like clutch/brakes/struts after higher mileage. Prices for parts are a fair bit more on an M5 over a 540. Labour is where you get killed on these cars. If you can do your own work, some of the most expensive jobs I could imagine would be a clutch and flywheel ($1200 in parts maybe? compared to $700 on my 540) or all 4 struts I suppose. Window motors are expensive and so are some trim pieces. Aftermarket is also expensive but you can get good deals with the forum vendors. If you don't get a car with perfect service records you deserve whatever you run into. Even then, wear items are going to break. Budget for more than what it takes to get the car. Assume the tires are poo poo and you want new ones soon, budget for insurance, budget for some repairs if something comes up that you don't find out about until 1 or 2 months into ownership. This is not a Toyota Corolla here. It's up in the realms of sports/super cars but I have a feeling you know that if you're getting into a used M5. But if I had the cash I would have gotten an M5 over my 540. It's one of my favorite cars that I would buy along with a 997 Porsche. unknown poster posted:I really hate the look of the 1-series, it looks like a fat old man. Xenoid fucked around with this message at 09:19 on May 20, 2008 |
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May 20, 2008 09:14
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unknown poster posted:I really hate the look of the 1-series, it looks like a fat old man. I didn't at first, but its really grown on me after seeing some in person. If it ends up being the only BMW left untainted by iDrive, then it'll be the only BMW I'll buy new.
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May 20, 2008 13:36
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CornHolio posted:I didn't at first, but its really grown on me after seeing some in person. If it ends up being the only BMW left untainted by iDrive, then it'll be the only BMW I'll buy new. Here's a fixed one, which someone here on the forums photoshopped. It's amazing how much difference removing that stupid droop makes. The Prong Song fucked around with this message at 14:18 on May 20, 2008 |
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May 20, 2008 14:15
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Sigma X posted:Here's a fixed one, which someone here on the forums photoshopped. It's amazing how much difference removing that stupid droop makes. But then it wouldn't be 'flame surfaced' 
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May 20, 2008 16:05
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Sigma X posted:Here's a fixed one, which someone here on the forums photoshopped. It's amazing how much difference removing that stupid droop makes. Wow I actually like the car with the droop and never thought about it not being there. But after seeing that I actually like the real car less than before.
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May 20, 2008 16:14
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unknown poster posted:I really hate the look of the 1-series, it looks like a fat old man. Thank you for that very insightful post no one asked for. I happen to like the way it looks, which is why I bought it.
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May 21, 2008 19:29
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Xenoid posted:All of those cars are very reliable, barring a few very common problems they all share. Poor cooling systems and window motors come to mind. I would also be concerned about struts after 100k miles or therebouts. Clutches and brakes as well. Thanks for the reply. So the tips are: a) If I were to buy a BMW, I should only buy one with a rock-solid service record. b) If I were to buy a BMW, I should look into the cooling system. c) If the BMW has a manual, I should look into the clutch. d) If I were to buy a BMW, I should look into the brakes. e) Struts
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May 22, 2008 02:06
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Nermal. posted:I have decided to purchase my dream car and grab an E39 M5. I can grab a 2001-2003 with between 40k and 60k miles on it for the price range I'm in. Now, I have heard some nightmarish stories about reliability on the E39 540i from close friends. Can one assume the M5 will be even worse? I have wanted this car since it came out... but not if I'm going to be driving, an engine light come on once a month, taking it in and finding out it's some carbon fiber super tuned m-racing part that is going to cost a couple thousand to replace. I have a 2003 E39 M5 that I've had for a little over a year now. I wanted to echo a few of Xenoid's comments and add some of my own. There is a considerable amount of difference between the 540 and the M5. The M5 (E39 and now E60) was/is the fastest 4 door sedan made today. It's a highly complex, very expensive piece of engineering. And due to that, repairs can get awfully expensive very quickly. Financially you need to be prepared for that. This isn't a car you "squeak" into and not leave yourself some overhead cash available for fixes. I do 90% of my own work on the car for consumables (brakes, suspension, bushings, etc, etc.), but there's also a lot on this car you can't really do yourself - specifically engine related issues - that you'll have to visit a dealer for. There's definitely an "M Tax" on the M5. For example, I had a front caliper piston rusted out. Boot was cut from a previous owner and the caliper wouldn't push in for new pads. Here's the 540 price for a replacement front caliper:  Here's the M5 price:  This is similar in many many M5 parts. Way more so that the difference for the parts for my E36 M3. The only other common failure area outside of the ones Xenoid listed include failing cam position sensors ($100+labor). Nothing horrible, but annoying to replace. All in all, it's the best car I've ever owned. It's incredibly fun. Very fast. Makes a fantastic noise. And in my opinion still is one of the best looking BMWs (and best looking sedan period).
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May 22, 2008 15:32
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I just wanted to let everyone know that http://rmeuropean.com is a fantastic place to get BMW parts. Free shipping for $65+, the more you spend, the faster it is ($400+ is overnight free). Their prices for all OEM equipment are the lowest I could find on the web.
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May 22, 2008 15:58
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Pissingintowind posted:I just wanted to let everyone know that http://rmeuropean.com is a fantastic place to get BMW parts. Free shipping for $65+, the more you spend, the faster it is ($400+ is overnight free). I use autohausaz.com and usually ends up being cheaper but only by a few bucks (on a $200 order...)
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May 23, 2008 00:43
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two_beer_bishes posted:I use autohausaz.com and usually ends up being cheaper but only by a few bucks (on a $200 order...) I use both, but I like Rocky Mountain's shipping. Those are the two best places to get things, overall. Also, for anyone following along or having the same non-locking gas cap problem I wrote about before, check in your trunk. If it was like mine, the lock rod simply fell off track.
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May 23, 2008 01:08
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Where is the hood light switch located on an E36? Mine goes on while the trunk is being opened, but after about 30° it goes off again. Very annoying.
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May 23, 2008 04:31
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CornHolio posted:Where is the hood light switch located on an E36? Mine goes on while the trunk is being opened, but after about 30° it goes off again. Very annoying. This might not be the switch. Read this.
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May 23, 2008 05:36
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Pissingintowind posted:This might not be the switch. Read this. oh god I hope its not this... definitely will check it out though.
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May 23, 2008 13:40
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So who needs savings? Well I do, but apparently my dad doesn't. Today he took delivery of a UK Spec 2008 BMW M3 Coupe (E92)    (In these photos I am driving it  , albeit veeerrryyy gingerly)It is absolutely staggering. It has semi-slick tyres on it which grip to levels around roundabouts that should by the laws of physics having him facing the wrong way (or at least I think they should) and it is currently limited to 5500 RPM for the first 1200 miles, rather than the full 8,900. I think my eyes will fall out of my head when it gets anywhere near that! I can't wait to get my hands on it when it's passed the 1200 mile mark.
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May 23, 2008 18:30
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Daveh posted:I can't wait to get my hands on it when it's passed the 1200 mile mark. That should take what, 2-3 days? (It would take 2 if I bought one). Anyway, congrats on your dad's great looking car, steal it as often as possible.
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May 23, 2008 22:23
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Daveh posted:
Don't forget the post break in oil change before you go too wild...
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May 23, 2008 23:25
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Daveh posted:So who needs savings? Well I do, but apparently my dad doesn't. Man, that car looks weird with a black roof and a dark/shadow background. In those pictures it looks like it has two white rails along the side and no windows at all.
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May 24, 2008 01:03
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ynotony posted:Man, that car looks weird with a black roof and a dark/shadow background. In those pictures it looks like it has two white rails along the side and no windows at all. The roof is carbon fiber to cut down weight and lower the center of gravity (really).
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May 24, 2008 02:02
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Daveh posted:That is awesome. I'm jealous. In other news, while trying to adjust something in my sunroof, I managed to knock it off the tracks. Now I get to take out the entire interior and headliner and see what the hell I broke. gently caress me  .
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May 24, 2008 02:37
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Not as impressive as Daveh's dad's M3, but I got rid of my stock tail lights and installed some M3-style LED units today. Before:  After:   I think it really cleans up the back of the car, plus LEDs are just nice. The wheels I want are backordered until July, so that moved up the CarPC in my priorities. As soon as my USB->I-Bus interface gets in I'm starting work on that.
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May 25, 2008 05:36
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So, E36 Motor Mounts. Is there any difference between the M3 and non-M mounts? ie. are they stiffer? Because for only $4 more a side...
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May 25, 2008 19:05
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wolrah posted:Not as impressive as Daveh's dad's M3, but I got rid of my stock tail lights and installed some M3-style LED units today. Now you need to get rid of the Carmax sticker and license plate frame. That should have been your first order of business. Those things are tacky as hell.
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May 25, 2008 22:11
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Guinness posted:Now you need to get rid of the Carmax sticker and license plate frame. That should have been your first order of business. Those things are tacky as hell. I know, I keep thinking that when I look at the pictures, but when I'm actually working on the car it never hits my mind. e: With the help of a heat gun, the stupid carmax sticker is gone, license plate frames too. wolrah fucked around with this message at 03:06 on May 27, 2008 |
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May 25, 2008 22:27
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I saw a beautiful E39 M5 the other day with a 'Ring sticker on it. Kind of tacky E36 M3-ish but I'm tempted to get one for my E39 540i. Also bumping this. I guess I'm going to fix the bolts either way today, I'm just very lazy. Xenoid posted:I did the clutch job on my 540 and the only rust on the car was the header collector bolts. As such, they all cross threaded with the original nuts and bolts and I have to replace them. I'm lazy, so I haven't, and there are only 2-3 bolts in. Because of that, the car sounds like a huge hemi Cuda or something..pretty sick..but my highway mileage seems to have suffered. City is still 17-20 depending on my foot, but my highway is only around 24mpg when it was 30mpg before. Could this be the reason? Could I also be losing power? I haven't driven the car in a long time but I think it seems weaker. Also I've been reading Bimmerforums/Bimmerfest and it looks like there might be a decent chip for the 540. http://www.powerchipgroup.com is their website. They claim, for $490 to get 282 hp -> 298 hp 324 lb.-ft -> 343 lb.-ft Funny thing is, those are the quoted stock numbers for flywheel power. They're notoriously underrated on the 97 540i because of pre-Vanos. I'm looking at about 270rwhp / 285 rwtorque stock on this car. http://forums.bimmerforums.com/forum/showthread.php?t=1009941 This is the thread for the vendor on Bimmerforums. It also seems that deleting the resonator and/or silencer will dramatically kill the power on this car. Source is this. He basically gains minimal power at the very top end, at the expense of having a "curve". Normally the curve just goes straight up to max power at 2600rpm and peaks around 4400rpm. Why anybody would do this after seeing the dyno results is beyond me... http://forums.bimmerforums.com/forum/showpost.php?p=13127263&postcount=68 Anybody in here an E39 540 driver other than me? I figured I'd put this up here because it's extremely useful info for this car..and it's hard to find anything other than HIDZ and RIMZZZ and MTECH BUMPERZ when it comes to this car.
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May 25, 2008 22:52
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Didn't see this posted yet (or sorry if I missed it). 'Shark Edit', due to be released next month for OBDI cars & July for OBDII, sounds quite interesting. From my limited understanding, it sounds like you'll be able to have your specific car tuned to best make use of any modifications, vs. having to pick an off-the-shelf chip or software. official info - pdf's of fliers from bimmerfest I believe. http://www.bonnevillemotorwerks.com/sharkedt/
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May 26, 2008 01:14
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wolrah posted:Not as impressive as Daveh's dad's M3, but I got rid of my stock tail lights and installed some M3-style LED units today. Are these OEM? or ebay ones? I ask not to knock on you, because I've seen great results from ebay lights for BMWs (no sarcastic). Because the price of the OEM LED lights plus the equipment you need to allow the electric connectors to work with the LED lights, the price exceeds $600. The ebay ones, by comparison, look high quality and are a fifth of the price. I just never new anyone who bought e46 LED ebay tail lights and could attest to their quality. They look great either way. It's either those, or the regular bulb ones that are just red and white, I really don't like the amber on my otherwise greyscale car.
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May 26, 2008 01:50
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