BMW Thread: this is the bmw thread. we drive blue cars

krysmopompas · # ¿ Apr 1, 2008 07:15

It looks like I've been bit on the rear end by the "Stick rests at 5th when cold" problem. I thought it was just worn tranny mounts, but some more research confirmed that it's quite a bit worse.

Has anyone else had to deal with this yet? Doing the labor myself isn't really an option either

Worst case scenario, I've got a while before the gates disappear entirely and I get to do the UUC flywheel/clutch combo while I'm at it.

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krysmopompas · # ¿ Apr 2, 2008 03:11

Mad Dragon posted:

've worked on a few Z3s with that problem. It's a pain in the rear end.

Any idea how many hours of labor it should add on to a clutch+flywheel job?

The giant 700 page/6 year old Bimmerforums thread on it ranges anywhere between 4 hours, 12 hours, and eleventy million billion hours.

krysmopompas · # ¿ Apr 4, 2008 07:20

My grandpa always used to tell me that the best way to know how a car was treated is to look at the seats.

This one looks like a rape victim. If he was duct taping seats together, I don't even want to imagine how irresponsibly he treated the rest of the maintenance issues. If you could get some pictures of the car around the time he first bought it, you should have a clearer picture.

krysmopompas · # ¿ Apr 30, 2008 19:54

KS posted:

It has every option on earth, white with maroon interior and black softtop. They want $42k. I imagine that is too high considering the incentives BMW was pushing last year.

You could have practically bought a new one for 42k last fall. Dealer asking prices in Wisconsin for sub-10k mile '06 Z4Ms are around 38k, so unless you're paying in California dollars that's way too much.

"Every option on earth" isn't much on a Z4. You can get the gps, radio options, seat crap and that's about all that is notable; you can't really rack up 15k in options like you can on a 3 series.

krysmopompas · # ¿ Jul 7, 2008 06:15

andrzejpw posted:

What's the general opinion on AWD BMWs? My dad is apparently considering buying a 2005 330xi sedan with an automatic. I know BMW isn't known for their AWD system, but it's not junk, is it? Also, is the automatic that bad?

Subaru and Audi are going to stomp all over it in the most extreme situations, but I drove a 325xit on all seasons in one of the worst snowstorms we had in Wisconsin last year, and it handled it like a champ.

e46 automatics aren't bad at all. There really aren't many other autos I'd consider.

krysmopompas · # ¿ Aug 7, 2008 15:13

gjh posted:

The Z4M Coupe is all but dead.

Dead as we know it, but rising from the ashes with the M3's V8.

krysmopompas · # ¿ Aug 7, 2008 22:15

snugglz posted:

Wait, what? They're discontinuing it? I couldn't find any info on this...

http://www.motorauthority.com/cars/bmw/bmw-z4-production-coming-to-end-next-month/

Ceasing production in Spartanburg, moving to Germany for the new model due out in 2010. It'll probably be a while before we see a coupe version though.

krysmopompas · # ¿ Nov 2, 2008 09:14

BraveUlysses posted:

Any M Coupe (99-02) owners? I'm thinking of picking one up in the next few months since this recession has really turned this into A buyers market. The main problem I'm seeing is that I'm not sure how well I'll fit in one and there are none nearby for me to sit in at a dealership. Anyone able to compare the driver's occupancy to that of a e36 sedan?

I fit into an e36, helmet on, with room to spare and I own a '99 M coupe.

I'm 6'1" and I can't track it since there's not enough headroom for a helmet. My legs fit pretty nicely, but the seats are fully back and any more length would be uncomfortable.

An average American waistline will present a problem as well.

krysmopompas · # ¿ Nov 14, 2008 03:04

Xenoid posted:

Taken from M5Boardcom. The following is the carbon build-up due to Secondary Air System (SAS) on an E39 M5 and the pictures are of a BMW Master Tech removing it. 400+ hours of work. Be afraid, be very afraid. I'm tempted to rebuild my engine just after looking at these pictures...

Link Here

He said it was just 40+ hours, but that's still pretty bad. I'm going to give my baby an Italian tuneup and pour out a can of Seafoam for its dead homie.

krysmopompas · # ¿ Jun 25, 2011 21:21

Kenshin posted:

I need to replace the Mass Air Sensor on my '99 M3. So, I went to the junk yard, and bought one. What I didn't realize is that my car is using a different size than is standard--probably because it has a Dinan Air Intake.

The Dinan MAF system is a separate part from just the intake. You probably have it since the purported stock-compatible sensor didn't fit, but it never hurts to double check.

Dinan apparently made the dick move of never selling replacement sensors on the claim that they were "custom" to the size and shape of the pipe. I've never seen an authoritative answer, but the e39 crowd found that a VW sensor (part #06A 906 461 032) works for their version of the MAF system. I have no idea if it works in the kit made for our engines, but it might be worth a shot since it's fairly cheap.

krysmopompas · # ¿ Jun 25, 2011 21:43

Yeah, I really want to know if that part works or not. Do you have Dinan software as well?

The jackass PO of my car put an oiled filter in and almost killed the sensor. The local "Bosch experts" shop couldn't find one that didn't run rich or throw some code, but cleaning it for the third time magically brought it back to life.

krysmopompas · # ¿ Jul 1, 2011 21:20

AlternateAccount posted:

That E34 wagon is awesome, how much are they wanting for it?

Only 12k: http://forums.bimmerforums.com/forum/showthread.php?t=1637457

krysmopompas · # ¿ Jul 2, 2011 05:33

Lowclock posted:

Out of any engine I could swap into an e34, an s52 would probably be my last choice.

I'll never understand the s52 ambivalence.

It's not a lot of work to maintain, parts are common since it's not that much different from the m52, it makes decent power for it's weight (better than the s38 at least) and about the worst issue you'll run into would be the vanos tick (in the US at least, no nikasil ones came here.)

It's not sexy, but it's hard to beat the performance + reliability combo.

krysmopompas · # ¿ Jul 20, 2011 20:33

I'm tempted by this, but the paucity of info regarding the h6s makes it hard to tell if it's worth the price.

What all did Hartge modify and how does it compare to the m6? Even bigcoupe.com doesn't have much, most threads with Hartge content are just about the heads or bodykit.

krysmopompas · # ¿ Jul 26, 2011 01:09

CornHolio posted:

Sorry it took so long. I hope it's at least somewhat readable. Couldn't find my good camera.

I got what I needed out of it, thanks. Ultimately, it seems like pursuing a m6 would be a better use of time and money.

krysmopompas · # ¿ Aug 6, 2011 23:30

The suspension was probably shot; they weigh as much as the moon so the suspension has a really short lifespan, even for BMWs. If you found one with a sports package it would be a bit better, but not great. I tried out a fairly pristine 740i sport package, and even that felt rollier than a plain 5 series.

I'm in a similar situation. The 5 series is really the best for me, but I'd feel guilty with an auto in it. After considering all the other luxo-barges, I've resolved to track down a '95-'97 or '02 Jag XJR, or XJ6. It's a much lighter car, so it feels much, much better than an e38 or e65 while providing just as much passenger space.

krysmopompas · # ¿ Aug 6, 2011 23:53

DigitalMocking posted:

Your only problem with the jag is that unless you do everything yourself, the costs are pretty outrageous.

Possibly true, good Jaguar shops are hard to come by. I hadn't thought about that since I'll be still be going to the same shop that already does all my BMW work. Other than parts, it shouldn't be terribly different.

krysmopompas · # ¿ Aug 18, 2011 02:15

The Scientist posted:

I wonder if I can arrange a test drive. How rich do I need to make myself look? It wouldn't be too outlandish, I guess.

You'd probably have to put a deposit down on the 1m to get a test drive considering the demand and insane markups...unless they were really, really bored or nice or insane. But that doesn't matter, I think most people would argue that if you really wanted to experience a BMW I6 in all it's glory, you'd want to find an e46 m3 or anything with a s54 stuffed in it.

MrChips posted:

I...I don't know if I can like any of you guys now.

The Clownshoe is the best BMW ever, apart from the 3.0 CS. I almost bought an S54-powered example before I remembered that I was looking for a daily driver.

We really need a Clownshoe Anti-Defamation League.

krysmopompas · # ¿ Aug 25, 2011 06:01

I just want to give a big shout out to the Bentley manuals. Even if you're not going to do the work yourself, it's in your best interest to read the drat thing. A while back the dealership wanted to drain the fuel tank, drop the exhaust and remove the fuel tank to just diagnose an annoying problem possibly related to the fuel level sender.

The first problem is that you don't have to drop the fuel tank; not now at least. The second problem is that it would probably be smart to start with checking the resistance on the fuel level sender itself, which you can get to just by pulling out the passenger seat and pulling back some carpet. If that checks out, then the gremlin is elsewhere, and if it doesn't then you didn't do any extra work because you have to do all that anyhow to get at the pump.

Before, I had the attitude that I'd just use them for "the hard stuff" and the indy shop for everything else; but I don't think I'm going to go back for anything after this. So, thank you Bentley.

krysmopompas · # ¿ Sep 4, 2011 21:09

Keyser S0ze posted:

Yeah, it's pretty much 5w-30 for all the Non-M cars I believe.

And anything that is an M car with an s52.

krysmopompas · # ¿ Jan 6, 2012 04:15

This is a terrible request, but is there a decent E53 pre-purchase inspection checklist anywhere out there? Everything I find close to the subject is somewhere between brain dead and useless.

I need a vehicle to tow a clownshoe to racetracks, if that helps me maintain my dignity somewhat.

krysmopompas · # ¿ Jul 9, 2012 06:55

Tab8715 posted:

How do you all you guys feel about CPO BMWs? Worth it?

For an n54, yes.

Between the complete replacement of both turbos, reprogram, and the vanos solenoid within the first 3 weeks of my purchase, the $50 out of pocket for what would have been over 5k of parts and labor seems to have paid off.

krysmopompas · # ¿ Jul 9, 2012 18:35

Nitr0 posted:

Well it's pretty ingenuine to say that $50 is all you're paying when the difference is $3k in your purchase price of a CPO vs non CPO.

Yeah, you're right. I have nothing to benchmark it against since 535 tourings are extremely rare around here, and my motivation lies more with the convenience rather than the cost.

So maybe I should restate: I got new turbos, I didn't have to deal with any bullshit, I got to play around with an f30 demo for a few days and in the end I gave them $50, so it seems to be worth it.

krysmopompas · # ¿ Aug 13, 2012 03:28

Crustashio posted:

The seat sliding is a known issue, google m coupe seat bushings. That said, it sounds pretty beat though. The 2.8 is pretty anemic in the e36, I doubt it'd be all that much better in a clownshoe.

It doesn't sound beat at all, really, it just sounds like it's been driven 150k miles and needs a refresh. If it's mechanically solid, has records it sounds like a decent deal.

A clownshoe of any kind, with a clean title, for less than 9k is pretty drat rare. Go far enough north and you rarely even find plain old Z3s for that price. They generate enough interest that if you cleaned it up a bit it wouldn't be hard to put it right back on the market for the same price if the 2.8 isn't enough for you.

krysmopompas · # ¿ Aug 13, 2012 03:38

Cojawfee posted:

Being in Texas, the lack of a cover for the sunroof would almost be a deal killer for me. I almost burned myself the other day because I touched my door for too long.

They never came with sunroof covers in the first place, the only option is to pick up a shade from LeatherZ or somewhere.

krysmopompas · # ¿ Aug 13, 2012 04:53

Crustashio posted:

The clownshoe sunroof is pretty pointless anyway, as it can't actually slide back. It can only tilt.

Not at all - it's great parking ventilation for a hot day without worrying about encouraging someone to try and break in, plus it helps stop buffeting when you've got the windows down.

It could have easily been a metal piece and achieved the same effect, but I think the glass is more aesthetically pleasing. It helps keep the price of sunroof delete clownshoes up too

krysmopompas · # ¿ Jan 31, 2013 20:45

BraveUlysses posted:

99's had shift detent problems too.

Everything with a zf 320 had the shift detent problem, so almost everything with an m52 '96+. It's not really a big deal since it only happens in the cold at first, then most people seem to get 20k miles out before they start to lose gates or lean more frequently.

If you're already breaking it open for the clutch or something, which seems likely for high mileage track toy, it's an easy thing to go ahead and take care of.

krysmopompas · # ¿ May 23, 2013 18:38

Yeah, I did that on accident to my z3m years ago after the spring broke - it just felt so much better without it, so I never fixed it.

The pedal weight _might_ act on the thrust bearing slightly, but in my case the pedal is so drat light that it's really hard to believe that the back-pressure wouldn't be sufficient. I can't think of why they felt they needed such a firm spring in the first place.

krysmopompas · # ¿ Jun 2, 2013 01:06

THE BLACK NINJA posted:

I'm 600 miles from home with SES lights on and a motor pic with a slash thru it. It is amber and the manual says I can keep driving, just at reduced speed. Pulled P3090 and P124E along with cyl 2 and 5 misfire. I feel sure the HPFP is going to die, but I'm in BFE, no rental cars till tomorrow at ten, and I'd be leaving the 2007 335i here till next weekend.

Do I risk the drive? There are some really remote areas between here and there. Day two with this car, gently caress me.

2008 535xi here and had the same happen to me recently too. I had a rough idle and inconsistent idle speed in addition to those codes - the SES corrected itself after a few days of driving too.

It took a couple months of attempted fixes before they finally gave up and just replaced all the coilpacks and injectors with the newer revisions. The HPFP wasn't at fault. My gas mileage was worse than usual, but it never left me stranded in that time period, so you're probably in OK shape if it's the same thing.

krysmopompas · # ¿ Jun 25, 2013 00:23

Popete posted:

Haha good point, I probably should of spent more than a glance at it. The thought was more an e36 instead of an e46 that had be intrigued and I may have to think about it some more. I was budgeting around $17k for an e46 but the thought of having a fun and significantly cheaper e36 is definitely a possibility.

If you're trying to stay around Wisconsin, you're not going to find an e46 for 17k that isn't salvage, equally beat to hell, SMG, or from one of those shady as hell Chicago dealerships...you might be better off with an e36 that needs some work and some repair money in the bank.

There's some good ones out there in that price range. I think this is a BMWCCA member's car that I met a while back - http://madison.craigslist.org/cto/3873198888.html

krysmopompas fucked around with this message at 00:27 on Jun 25, 2013

krysmopompas · # ¿ Jul 18, 2013 21:11

Ziploc posted:

What bad things happen to an E46 around 100k miles?

Also, secondary air injection system problems - cracked/clogged plumbing, stuck valve, dead pump.

krysmopompas · # ¿ Aug 13, 2013 08:03

Das Volk posted:

Just my 2c Dinan stuff is for conservative types who want to mod their cars but are paranoid about warranty coverage.

I think there's a few reasons:

The SCCA case - some Dinan mods leave you in stock, but the same part from UUC (for example) will bump you up a class. The Z3 M differential reinforcement kit from Dinan keeps you in stock, last I checked.
The resale case - consider the premium on established tuner cars from the 80s like Alpina. Are a few random mods from a bunch of different vendors going to stand up to the same test of time? There already seems to be a bit of a premium on Dinan equipped cars from the 90s, whereas the individually tuned cars seem to be at the bottom of the price spectrum.

But if you're just driving the thing and not expecting to treat it like a show piece, than yeah - it's obviously not worth it.

krysmopompas fucked around with this message at 08:06 on Aug 13, 2013

krysmopompas · # ¿ Aug 13, 2013 08:05

ugh. my first edit != quote.

krysmopompas · # ¿ Aug 13, 2013 17:58

BlackMK4 posted:

Where did you hear that?

Steve Dinan :/

It was his response to the question about why the reinforcement kit looked so wimpy. I had my car in at Kelly Moss, and we were trying to figure out diff mount options since they were skeptical of the Randy Forbes solution, and the owners talk with him pretty frequently.

krysmopompas · # ¿ Aug 13, 2013 18:21

BraveUlysses posted:

Randy Forbes fix really is the way to go.

A Z3M will never be competitive in stock class autocross, don't bother caring.

Autocross wasn't the issue - their concern was that it was just going to transfer the torque to a different part of the frame and cause much more severe damage over time. If that's the case, you're better off letting the diff mount fail since you can actually fix it without too much drama.

Nobody really knows though. Dinan didn't, their motivation was more towards reducing the problem and not being too invasive.

krysmopompas · # ¿ Sep 1, 2013 04:31

Negromancer posted:

Definitely gonna take it to the independent bmw shop I take my e30 to to get a PPI if I am serious, but anything to check the car for besides the normal stuff? I have heard about the drains for the panoramic sunroofs getting blocked and causing water to pool in the spare tire well.

I have this exact car, 10k miles less but a year older.

Look for rust around the rear window hatch - on the piston and under the plastic shroud at the bottom. Moisture can also build up in the storage bins next to the rear wheel wells if it's parked outdoors (there's a little first aid kit on the passenger side, the condition of which might be a good indicator of this.) If the injectors haven't been replaced in the past year, they're the old design and will probably die soon. It's about the right age to start needing coil packs as well. Look for a recent water pump as well - mine died at 64k. The battery doesn't seem a like a big deal, but it was $450 to get that drat thing replaced. Fuel pump also - that went at 63k.

I'm not usually big on warranties, but having a CPO in this case probably saved me over 14k in the space of a year. So, I'd recommend it.

As much of a pain in the rear end as the car has been, I don't think I could have driven anything more comfortable, that could also fit a month's worth of necessities, all the way from Madison to San Francisco.

krysmopompas fucked around with this message at 05:12 on Sep 1, 2013

krysmopompas · # ¿ Sep 1, 2013 04:56

Galler posted:

Jesus gently caress does it use a lithium-ion battery? If not an Odyssey battery, which is easily as good if not better than whatever BMW uses, is $370.

I think the bigger problem is that it needs to have software configured so the system sees the thing and doesn't freak out. It was $600 or so for the battery, add a bunch of cables they apparently also have to change out, and then add 2 hours of labor.

They just made it way harder than it ever needs to be.

krysmopompas · # ¿ Sep 1, 2013 05:17

Galler posted:

bmw.txt

They do so many things so well and then so many other things in the most way possible.

Nevermind, I'm just confused - it was only $450. They charged me for something that should have been covered under the CPO, so it's a bit confusing to look at the bill since the correction is on a different piece of paper.

The battery itself was only $290. But still, it was a bit shocking coming from a land of $175 batteries at the high end.

krysmopompas · # ¿ Sep 1, 2013 23:19

Negromancer posted:

Thanks for the info. I have been looking for 2009's since they have the newer iDrive system, and from everything I have heard you really want the new one since the old version is a pain in the rear end to deal with. How do you like the iDrive in yours?

It's not something I use very much - I set up my air vent settings twice a year, check the oil level occasionally, but other than that I'm just bouncing between nav and iPod integration, or just pressing the puck to accept a call. It's a pretty well done system when you get used to it.

Old iDrive nav is still miles better than any other factory nav systems I've used. Even Audi's new MMI is pretty awful since it's so laggy and you have to keep your eyes on the interface the whole time.

Negromancer posted:

These cars have the electric water pumps, right? What does the replacement cost look like for those? It seems like it would be a cheaper replacement than normal ones, but more expensive parts.

No clue since it was covered under CPO, the Internet says $500 for the pump and $1200 of labor. I dropped my car off at 8 and it was done by 3, so at least part of it would have to be a 2 person job if that's true.

Adbot · # ¿ Apr 26, 2024 18:35

krysmopompas · # ¿ Jan 17, 2014 05:05

Plus, go and drive a 740i sport (without the SLS) before you even consider a non-sport LWB. That's the one that might actually be worth the e38 headaches.