Hey guys, here are the facts:
'06 E90. There are two different cooling system indicators in this car: a yellow one and a red one. I believe the yellow one is supposed to say your level is low/you're slightly overheated and the red one is basically 'stop immediately before you fuck up your engine'
Sometime August/September, I was driving along I-40 and the yellow light hit, followed by the red one. I basically parked on the shoulder and walked a mile to the previous exit and got some distilled water. Sure enough, the level was really low. I remember it taking like half a gallon of water. I was baffled that the level had gotten so low before the car detected something wrong, but whatever. No problems until...
Today, after getting my battery swapped (see other thread), I turned the car on in the parking lot and was on the phone. Five minutes later, the yellow light went on. I pulled out of the lot and hadn't driven 1/4 mile before the red one hit. I immediately pulled over and turned the car off. Then started it back up and headed back to the shop where I got the battery fixed. Mechanic at the shop said E90 water pumps fail all the time and sometimes intermittently fail. I learned my lesson from the summer and I keep BMW coolant with me in the trunk. Waited for the car to cool down and popped the hood - the level was at the 'min' - so not nearly as low as before but still low. Added enough to get it up to the max (probably less than a pint) and went on my way. No sign of trouble.
Background:
I used A/C more this summer than I've used in the first 5 years I owned the car combined
Do I have an intermittently failing water pump? A leak somewhere? Or just a really shitty thermostat?
Water pump job is over $1k. If that's the case, I think it's time to sell this car. I don't want to, but I've already dropped over $2k in the past 12 months or so on random things like this.
I'd have the system pressure tested to start.
Dye in the coolant could help find any leaks as well.
+1... pressure tests. If it comes out through a crack in the block, then new car time!
If nothing else, pressure tests make it very obvious where the leak is coming from!
Quote from: HotRodPilot on December 18, 2011, 12:05:50 AM
+1... pressure tests. If it comes out through a crack in the block, then new car time!
Heh if that's the case I think I'd rather not know... :lol:
Being down a pint or even half a gallon down on coolant isn't the make or break between operation or destruction. The real indicator is engine coolant temp and I'm guessing you didn't get any actual signs of overheating.
Usually when a pump goes it's the internal seals or otherwise the pump loses the ability to circulate coolant. I'm at a loss how this would lead to a low coolant signals unless of course when E90 water pumps go "bad" they crack and leak fluid.
I'm going to go with bad coolant level sensing. If you are losing coolant I'm going with bad head gasket.
I'm going to guess it's a radiator or thermostat gasket leak.
I'm going to guess it's a problem that only $500 at the BMW dealer will diagnose, and another $4000 (for a simple coolant change) will fix.
Quote from: GoCougs on December 18, 2011, 12:58:06 AM
Usually when a pump goes it's the internal seals or otherwise the pump loses the ability to circulate coolant. I'm at a loss how this would lead to a low coolant signals unless of course when E90 water pumps go "bad" they crack and leak fluid.
I've heard a few stories about the pump seizing. Although that usually ends up with a broken serpentine belt and overheating (if you don't shut the car off quick enough), not just a dash light.
-Turn the heater on- does it smell sweet? (easy way to tell if the heater core is busted)
-Run the car, look under, see if you see any loose or swelling hoses or coolant dripping anywhere.
-Look at the exhaust, it will be smokier than usual if you're burning coolant.
-If you can, let the car sit for a while (few days) then Don't run it and drain the oil... Coolant would come out FIRST as it's heavier than the oil. -If you have some kind of block or headgasket leak?
[/amateur hour]
So I had a 1990 "SLO" taurus, seemed to be leaking coolant, I drove it to the garage and right as I put it in park the waterpump assploded and antifreeze dumped all over the parking lot..
How many miles?
Might be time for a belt and pump job?
Otherwise, that sounds pretty terrible for a "new" BMW.
It will take an infrared temp sensing gun to diagnose this properly. A bad water pump will leave the radiator cool and the engine hot, as will a bad thermostat. If the car overheats at low speed, check the radiator fan operation. A chemical block test, which detects CO in the coolant, would test the head gaskets. If the oil looks like coffee with creamer then it's going into the crankcase.
If the problem is intermittent, it's probably not the head gaskets. It may also just be a bad coolant temp sender. :huh:
Quote from: 2o6 on December 18, 2011, 04:11:46 PM
How many miles?
Might be time for a belt and pump job?
Otherwise, that sounds pretty terrible for a "new" BMW.
65k. 6 years. Apparently these water pumps are notorious for sucking.
More info:
The signal, at least yesterday was for high temp. I don't believe there's a check coolant level light, though I could be wrong. I'll double check that when I get back to NC.
When it starts overheating you can feel it - the car basically starts shutting down on you.
FWIW over the last week or so I've noticed my idle feels a little lower and rougher than it used to be, and my HVAC seems to cut out intermittently.
I really don't know WTF to do. I was planning on driving down to Ft Lauderdale but I'm not sure I trust the car at this point. Getting stranded in bumfuck, SC would SUCK. My dad is telling me it's time to get rid of it. I don't really want to, and as soon as I entertain the thought it goes to "well even if I did WTF would I get to replace it?" A used car may cause the same problems and I don't really like new cars in general. Is shit like this more DIY on older cars? E90s are a bitch to do anything on.
And on top of that I'm worried now about the fucking battery blowing up (see $500!? thread)
Bring it to a local repair shop, and just as them for a pressure test. Just tell them that if they find something that you won't get it fixed there, you just want to pay them to test it and give you the result... you'll get it fixed at the dealer if they find a leak.
That way they won't try and rip you off with finding and repairing a leak that wasn't there
Buy a used Miata. Reliable as all get out.
Get a BRZ.
Quote from: HotRodPilot on December 18, 2011, 08:29:43 PM
Buy a used Miata. Reliable as all get out.
So tempted to do this. Only thing is they're not great long-distance cars, are they...
What would $10k buy me?
See if I could chose anything it'd be an older E46 cabrio but that solves like zero of my problems. sigh ... German cars and their fucking habits.
Great in what sense? They're super reliable, just a wee bit fatiguing...
Chimp drove his from Seattle to Blowhio and back.
Quote from: 850CSi on December 18, 2011, 09:36:49 PM
So tempted to do this. Only thing is they're not great long-distance cars, are they...
What would $10k buy me?
See if I could chose anything it'd be an older E46 cabrio but that solves like zero of my problems. sigh ... German cars and their fucking habits.
I guess I'm a masochist, but I pulled off 11,000 miles in 45 days around the country last year. I'm more comfortable in it than the Mustang :huh:
Quote from: Laconian on December 18, 2011, 09:57:37 PM
Great in what sense? They're super reliable, just a wee bit fatiguing...
Chimp drove his from Seattle to Blowhio and back.
That, really. Especially transitioning from such a great long distance car. Also, I'm 6'3". I've driven a Miata before and I remember fitting OK (and I had a fucking
blast, but I'm not sure how I'd feel about a 4 hr drive in there.
Quote from: 850CSi on December 18, 2011, 08:21:46 PM
FWIW over the last week or so I've noticed my idle feels a little lower and rougher than it used to be, and my HVAC seems to cut out intermittently.
Oh, and there seems to be a bit of a rattling noise coming from the engine, almost like it's a really quiet diesel. Whirring might be a better way to put it. Might just be my ears playing tricks on me but there's definitely something not totally usual.
I hate this I fucking love this car. Fucking BMW. If you're going to make your cars have shitty reliability, at least make them somewhat self-serviceable. Or don't put your shitty water pump in a place that guarantees replacing it costing over $1k.
http://www.e90post.com/forums/showthread.php?t=620327
Seems like the water pumps suck.
Question: could this in any way be caused by someone programming the battery wrong?
How does one "program" a battery?
They program it by it's a BMW.
Quote from: 850CSi on December 18, 2011, 09:36:49 PM
So tempted to do this. Only thing is they're not great long-distance cars, are they...
What would $10k buy me?
See if I could chose anything it'd be an older E46 cabrio but that solves like zero of my problems. sigh ... German cars and their fucking habits.
What do you call long distance. We've taken ours on 500 mile per day road trips and felt perfectly fine. There's enough room in the boot for whatever two people need for a week. Check Autotrader, but 10K ought to get you anything up to about 2005 with about 100,000 miles down here. Or older with less miles.
Quote from: 850CSi on December 18, 2011, 10:05:37 PM
Oh, and there seems to be a bit of a rattling noise coming from the engine, almost like it's a really quiet diesel. Whirring might be a better way to put it. Might just be my ears playing tricks on me but there's definitely something not totally usual.
I hate this I fucking love this car. Fucking BMW. If you're going to make your cars have shitty reliability, at least make them somewhat self-serviceable. Or don't put your shitty water pump in a place that guarantees replacing it costing over $1k.
That could be the car's death rattle.
Sounds like it could be a water pump going bad.
Quote from: 850CSi on December 19, 2011, 12:26:18 AM
http://www.e90post.com/forums/showthread.php?t=620327
Seems like the water pumps suck.
Question: could this in any way be caused by someone programming the battery wrong?
Quote
dealt with this issue twice in the past two months. the first was due to a bad water pump....so i had the pump and thermostat replaced. then recently same overheating issue again....i'm thinking did i get a bad pump. it turned out to be a bad power distribution block on top of the battery...the bad connection caused the built-in fuse to blow which powers the water pump. they replaced the power distribution block and the water pump was operating just fine.
I suppose that's a possibility in your case as well.
True story- my 1983 15yr old Civic had a "rattle" at idle- it sped up with engine speed.
Took it to a little backyard alley shop (who ALWAYS had tons of cars waiting)- they said it was the waterpump. I asked if the guy wanted to come out and listen to it, he came out, I started it up, he said "it's your waterpump".
$150 later no rattle, new waterpump.
------------------------------------------------------
Even if it's more money to get it fixed on your car- if you keep it and fix it, that's one component you shouldn't have to replace again.
So even if you have to spend $1k the next few months on repairs, that's only like 3-4 car payments.
3-4 car payments' worth of fixes vs. 36-50months of payments for a new car.
Too many people get caught up in the "oh noes! it's starting to break down!" and sell it. Someone else buys it, fixes a few things and resells it at profit.
But there's a pretty big difference between $1000 worth of repairs on a Honda Civic and $1000 worth of repairs to a BMW.
Even today a Civic's water pump is only a few hundred bucks. If it's an older one with a timing belt, you pay a little more and have that taken care of at the same time. Farris is looking at ~$1200 just for the water pump. Never mind diagnostic costs if there's something else causing the water pump to fail, like faulty electrics.
I don't think the pump itself is very expensive. It's just that it's in a really shitty spot and so apparently takes 9+ hrs of labor.
Quote from: MiataJohn on December 19, 2011, 06:29:44 AM
Check Autotrader, but 10K ought to get you anything up to about 2005 with about 100,000 miles down here. Or older with less miles.
That's another thing. Would I really want to trade my car for an older Miata with more miles and only pocket ~3kish in the process?
Quote from: 850CSi on December 19, 2011, 11:41:53 AM
I don't think the pump itself is very expensive. It's just that it's in a really shitty spot and so apparently takes 9+ hrs of labor.
That's another thing. Would I really want to trade my car for an older Miata with more miles and only pocket ~3kish in the process?
Yes. It's nice having a car you can get serviced pretty much anywhere with no issues. I've been down the road of having a fairly unique (in my case the MINI, in yours technologically advanced BMW) car that I didn't feel comfortable bringing to most shops.
Quote from: SVT_Power on December 19, 2011, 12:27:13 AM
How does one "program" a battery?
Not the battery itself, the car's adaptive charging system. First, if it's had a wet cell battery and you're switching to an AGM, it needs to know because AGMs are easily ruined if overcharged. Same goes if you're just switching CCA. Even if you're switching to the same type/specs it needs to be reset to adjust to a new battery from a worn out one.
My dad is pushing hard for me to get a new car - says this is my last chance before Obamacare kicks in and his salary gets cut in half. :lol:
Some things have happened that have made it less likely I'm doing any long distance driving this winter, though. So for now, plan of action is to go back to NC and have a pressure test done, then figure things out. If the water pump needs replacement or there's another major repair in the works, my hand might be forced because at the end of the day it's my dad footing the bill for repairs at this point.
But I really don't want to sell this car. The only cars that I want are older than it. Unless someone can convince me that E36s are more reliable/much easier to work on/cheaper to repair...
How much $ would your dad want to shell out?
Quote from: CALL_911 on December 20, 2011, 12:15:33 AM
How much $ would your dad want to shell out?
He'd be willing to buy me a brand new 3er. (I'm not willing to accept that. It was probably kind of wrong IMO when I was in HS and It's probably wrong-er now given the fact that I'm hopefully less than 16 months removed from making more money than he did until he was like 35) If I end up having to change the car I really wouldn't feel comfortable taking more than $5kish MAX on top of the value of the current car from him. The irony is that my car breaking down would probably annoy me less if it wasn't his money I was using to fix it...
TL;DR:
1) My car is annoying me, but (2) I'm attached to my car partially for sentimental reasons but also because it's basically perfect for me, thus (3) I don't want to sell my car, and (4) even if I did I wouldn't know WTF to buy.
Quote from: 850CSi on December 20, 2011, 01:11:37 AM
He'd be willing to buy me a brand new 3er. (I'm not willing to accept that. It was probably kind of wrong IMO when I was in HS and It's probably wrong-er now given the fact that I'm hopefully less than 16 months removed from making more money than he did until he was like 35) If I end up having to change the car I really wouldn't feel comfortable taking more than $5kish MAX on top of the value of the current car from him. The irony is that my car breaking down would probably annoy me less if it wasn't his money I was using to fix it...
TL;DR:
1) My car is annoying me, but (2) I'm attached to my car partially for sentimental reasons but also because it's basically perfect for me, thus (3) I don't want to sell my car, and (4) even if I did I wouldn't know WTF to buy.
Most young men would be thrilled to death if their dad bought them a new BMW 3 series. Why wouldn't you be too?
Quote from: MiataJohn on December 20, 2011, 06:11:15 AM
Most young men would be thrilled to death if their dad bought them a new BMW 3 series. Why wouldn't you be too?
Because he's one smart guy knowing it's not what you have that make you feel good, it's earning what you have that makes you feel good (= being spoiled is a curse).
Quote from: GoCougs on December 20, 2011, 09:00:04 AM
Because he's one smart guy knowing it's not what you have that make you feel good, it's earning what you have that makes you feel good (= being spoiled is a curse).
I hope you are right and the reason isn't that he thinks he deserves his dad to buy him more than a new 3. It's hard to tell from his post.
Quote from: MiataJohn on December 20, 2011, 09:08:23 AM
I hope you are right and the reason isn't that he thinks he deserves his dad to buy him more than a new 3. It's hard to tell from his post.
QuoteIf I end up having to change the car I really wouldn't feel comfortable taking more than $5kish MAX on top of the value of the current car from him.
[cougs]Reading comprehension fail [/cougs]
Quote from: MiataJohn on December 20, 2011, 06:11:15 AM
Most young men would be thrilled to death if their dad bought them a new BMW 3 series. Why wouldn't you be too?
Cause I already feel like a dick having one my dad bought me. :lol:
(I only "earned" this car by coming through on my part of a bet based on standardized test scores [so I didn't really earn it]. My dad was going to get me a car to replace the A4 as my HS graduation present but I don't think he otherwise would've spent this much. I'm definitely spoiled and if I sold this thing would ideally want to actually pocket some money and put the difference right back into my tuition for next semester)
Shop called, said I was right about the Battery and that they'll swap in a World Source One AGM once I get back to NC. I trust them for being up front about this so I'll probably just have them do a pressure test on it as well while I'm there.
Quote from: 850CSi on December 20, 2011, 10:23:03 AM
Cause I already feel like a dick having one my dad bought me. :lol:
(I only "earned" this car by coming through on my part of a bet based on standardized test scores [so I didn't really earn it]. My dad was going to get me a car to replace the A4 as my HS graduation present but I don't think he otherwise would've spent this much. I'm definitely spoiled and if I sold this thing would ideally want to actually pocket some money and put the difference right back into my tuition for next semester)
Shop called, said I was right about the Battery and that they'll swap in a World Source One AGM once I get back to NC. I trust them for being up front about this so I'll probably just have them do a pressure test on it as well while I'm there.
I was hoping that's what you meant. Makes perfect sense now, thanks for clarifying.
And I know the feeling. My parents bought me a very nice car when I was in high school and all I wanted was a $100 beater like a 57 Ford Fairlane or something.
Quote from: HotRodPilot on December 20, 2011, 09:36:21 AM
[cougs]Reading comprehension fail [/cougs]
True, it's not a new 3er but $5k + residual is still having someone else buy your car. :huh:
Quote from: GoCougs on December 20, 2011, 12:16:27 PM
True, it's not a new 3er but $5k + residual is still having someone else buy your car. :huh:
This matters because...?
Quote from: MiataJohn on December 20, 2011, 10:38:35 AM
And I know the feeling. My parents bought me a very nice car when I was in high school and all I wanted was a $100 beater like a 57 Ford Fairlane or something.
:lol:
If you have a guilty conscience, I know of a really good deal on a beat to shit old Hyundai that would make you feel great! :lol: :ohyeah:
Quote from: CJ on December 20, 2011, 12:26:05 PM
This matters because...?
[cougs]Reading comprehension win[/cougs]
What about getting a new 3er, and then paying him back $10k of it or something when you get a job?
Or what about the new Toyotabaru?
Quote from: MrH on December 20, 2011, 08:49:21 PM
What about getting a new 3er, and then paying him back $10k of it or something when you get a job?
Or what about the new Toyotabaru?
Just sell him your Miata so you can get the Toyobaru. :huh:
Quote from: MrH on December 20, 2011, 08:49:21 PM
What about getting a new 3er, and then paying him back $10k of it or something when you get a job?
Or what about the new Toyotabaru?
Eh he wouldn't let me do that.
I really don't want to take the depreciation hit on a new car, either.
Thread:
http://www.carspin.net/forums/index.php?topic=26347.msg1636230#new
Anyone know how much a pressure test should reasonably run?
On most cars, about $3. On yours, $300?
Quote from: 850CSi on December 20, 2011, 10:23:03 AM
Cause I already feel like a dick having one my dad bought me. :lol:
(I only "earned" this car by coming through on my part of a bet based on standardized test scores [so I didn't really earn it]. My dad was going to get me a car to replace the A4 as my HS graduation present but I don't think he otherwise would've spent this much.
What do you mean you didn't earn the car? I'm a firm believer that in this world, standardized tests play a role in a person's future (whether it is right or not), and clearly for your father, your future was way more important than the price of a BMW to him. If he didn't want to take the bet, then he wouldn't have taken the bet. You winning the bet and thus the BMW was not only your desired outcome, but also his desired outcome as well. He never wanted to "win" his bet. You winning is totally win win. I went to a high school with a lot of rich kids that got a lot of free BMW's and I was jealous at the time, thinking they didn't earn their cars. Now I realize that if I had children I'd much rather them "earn" nice cars from me with academic accomplishments in school rather than "earning" them by trying to work 2 jobs at the Gap and letting academics slip. You have an accomplished father that cares about your future, you did well on a test that aids your future, and you got a bitching car, that's like the trifecta of awesome. Don't let the presumed jealously of less intelligent kids with less accomplished fathers spoil that. Despite what they claim, they would all trade their Mcdonalds money POS for your SAT money BMW in a heartbeat.
Quote from: 565 on December 25, 2011, 07:50:07 AM
What do you mean you didn't earn the car? I'm a firm believer that in this world, standardized tests play a role in a person's future (whether it is right or not), and clearly for your father, your future was way more important than the price of a BMW to him. If he didn't want to take the bet, then he wouldn't have taken the bet. You winning the bet and thus the BMW was not only your desired outcome, but also his desired outcome as well. He never wanted to "win" his bet. You winning is totally win win. I went to a high school with a lot of rich kids that got a lot of free BMW's and I was jealous at the time, thinking they didn't earn their cars. Now I realize that if I had children I'd much rather them "earn" nice cars from me with academic accomplishments in school rather than "earning" them by trying to work 2 jobs at the Gap and letting academics slip. You have an accomplished father that cares about your future, you did well on a test that aids your future, and you got a bitching car, that's like the trifecta of awesome. Don't let the presumed jealously of less intelligent kids with less accomplished fathers spoil that. Despite what they claim, they would all trade their Mcdonalds money POS for your SAT money BMW in a heartbeat.
All very true. My parents bought me a very nice car in my senior year of HS (I also went a HS where there were a lot of 'free' BMWs and Benzes for kids) because I did well and got into a good college. I got the car shortly after I was accepted to my #1 choice school.
There were some kids who "earned" their pricey cars by absolutely killing themselves working three jobs. Most of them did relatively poorly in school. They got by, but not well, and because they didn't want to give up the money they got accustomed to making (or because they had a gigantic car payment) they wound up "taking a couple courses" here and there and never completed their college degrees. Most of them, at least from what I can glean off Facebook, would have done far better if they made some different choices. Truth be told, I'm not a very big proponent of kids having jobs during the school year. Their job is to be a student. Summer employment is one thing, but even then I'd rather see some type of an internship or something that would be educational rather than working on the boardwalk or at a jet-ski rental stand.
I always tend to think that I'll "return the favor" someday, if I ever have a child, by making sure that they'll have a cool car to drive to school in as well. ;)
Now that we're sufficiently diverted from the topic of the cooling system on the E90 3-Series, carry on...
***UPDATE***
There is nothing wrong with the car's cooling/HVAC system, according to the shop. I took it back there to get the new battery swapped in and had them check out the cooling system. The pump isn't shooting off error codes and there are no visible leaks. Engine sounds normal to them as well. I'm happy because it would've been really easy for him to BS me about the pump - he knew I was in a bit of a bind.
He told me he could pressure test it, but the problem was he doesn't stock hoses and that a pressure test might make an existing [tiny] leak worse, with the chance that it wouldn't be fixed until Tuesday (I NEEDED my car today). I figure it's either burning off coolant or that there's a leak - either way it's happening at a very slow pace because it overheated literally 3 months apart and when I filled it up last it probably took less than a quart of coolant (it took a good half gallon of water when it overheated the first time). I've been checking the level every morning and it's at the max.
I've driven around 500 miles since it last overheated (450ish over the last 24 hours, and it's been driven hard in some twisties during that time period) and it's running like a champ. I've got distilled water and coolant along with my spare tire in the trunk, so if anything goes wrong I'll just let her cool down and fill her back up - even if any existing leak gets a bit bigger I shouldn't be too far/more than 1-2hrs drive from a BMW shop at any point during this trip.
The water pump is going to fail eventually, and I want to figure out what I'm going to do in advance. The water pump + tstat goes for around $600; labor is typically another $4-500. I wanna DIY this (apparently it's not too complicated and I've got to start working on this car myself if I don't want it to cost me an arm and a leg long-term), and apparently the dealers mark up the price a lot so I figure I might be able to DIY this for $500ish.
Are there any aftermarket water pumps available that might be more reliable?
Quote from: hotrodalex on December 31, 2011, 12:11:15 AM
Are there any aftermarket water pumps available that might be more reliable?
No. That's the question everyone asks me when I mention it, and there aren't any. The [bullshit] reason it's so expensive is that it's an electronic pump - it's not belt-driven.
http://www.e90post.com/forums/showthread.php?t=587943
Water pumps have apparently always been a maintenance item on BMWs.
Actually, now I'm thinking of buying an extended warranty if I can find a decent one. But like I said I think I'd rather start working on the car myself, especially since I don't think I'm going to be living in an apartment anymore starting this summer.
ETA: looks like I have approx 10 months / 15k miles left during which I can still buy a BMW extended warranty. Might be worth calling some dealers and seeing who will give me a decent deal. there's a 3yr/36k mile one that I would jump on for like $2-3k - that's basically peace of mind + water pump + clutch, no? Though I doubt the clutch will fail before 150k unless I really suck at driving and I don't know it.
I would just do everything yourself. It's good to learn.
I'm trying to convince my friend to let me replace the crank bearings on his car... :lol:
Yeah, I'd like to do things myself. The problem is, I really won't have time to - especially after I graduate. Though there's an argument to be made then for buying another car with the $2-3k and hope they don't break down at the same time. :lol:
Quote from: 850CSi on December 31, 2011, 12:21:58 AM
ETA: looks like I have approx 10 months / 15k miles left during which I can still buy a BMW extended warranty. Might be worth calling some dealers and seeing who will give me a decent deal. there's a 3yr/36k mile one that I would jump on for like $2-3k - that's basically peace of mind + water pump + clutch, no? Though I doubt the clutch will fail before 150k unless I really suck at driving and I don't know it.
I don't think an extended warranty should be THAT high. I was quoted $1,900 for a 3/36 bumper to bumper on my LR2, which I may end up buying. The thing is, you can buy it up to 50K miles and mine came with 39K on the clock. So I'm probably going to end up waiting 'til I'm at the max so I can stretch the warranty out, conceivably, til 86K.
Quote from: thecarnut on December 31, 2011, 02:42:32 AM
I would just do everything yourself. It's good to learn.
I'm trying to convince my friend to let me replace the crank bearings on his car... :lol:
It's good to learn, but by the time you buy equipment, diagnostic software, etc., you're in the hole for a handsome amount. Even if you know what you're doing, if you have to bring the car back to the stealership after performing maintenance or repairs, it's a big hassle. If you want to avoid that and buy the software yourself, it's probably over a grand right there.
Quote from: 850CSi on December 31, 2011, 12:21:58 AM
No. That's the question everyone asks me when I mention it, and there aren't any. The [bullshit] reason it's so expensive is that it's an electronic pump - it's not belt-driven.
http://www.e90post.com/forums/showthread.php?t=587943
Water pumps have apparently always been a maintenance item on BMWs.
Actually, now I'm thinking of buying an extended warranty if I can find a decent one. But like I said I think I'd rather start working on the car myself, especially since I don't think I'm going to be living in an apartment anymore starting this summer.
ETA: looks like I have approx 10 months / 15k miles left during which I can still buy a BMW extended warranty. Might be worth calling some dealers and seeing who will give me a decent deal. there's a 3yr/36k mile one that I would jump on for like $2-3k - that's basically peace of mind + water pump + clutch, no? Though I doubt the clutch will fail before 150k unless I really suck at driving and I don't know it.
Bear in mind that if the water pump is considered a "maintenance item", it is likely not covered by any extended warranty plan. You'd be surprised how little some of these plans cover. Even "factory" plans from the manufacturer. My brother had a Neon which he sold to our cousin. It was still under its 7 year factory powertrain warranty when the transmission cooler failed (pumping tranny fluid into the adjacent radiator and thus into the engine). Guess what Dodge didn't include in its powertrain warranty? The transmission cooler.
Likewise, looking at the warranty on my Mustang, for 3/36 everything but wear items (clutch, brakes, wipers, belts...) are covered. It also has a 5/60K powertrain warranty, but this doesn't actually cover everything and anything in the powertrain. It only covers certain engine and transmission parts. Basically, the parts that would only fail due to major manufacturing defects like the engine block, crankshaft or camshafts.
Quote from: TurboDan on December 31, 2011, 09:33:30 AM
It's good to learn, but by the time you buy equipment, diagnostic software, etc., you're in the hole for a handsome amount. Even if you know what you're doing, if you have to bring the car back to the stealership after performing maintenance or repairs, it's a big hassle. If you want to avoid that and buy the software yourself, it's probably over a grand right there.
Not sure what exactly he'd need to buy, but most of the equipment you need are a good set of wrenches, torque wrench, and a jack and stands. You may also need some specialized tool for a particular job, but all that is a fixed cost anyways. Once he has the tools (which will still cost far less than the $2-3k he'd have to pay for the warranty), working on his car will only cost him his time and the parts he's replacing.
Quote from: TurboDan on December 27, 2011, 04:54:48 PM
All very true. My parents bought me a very nice car in my senior year of HS (I also went a HS where there were a lot of 'free' BMWs and Benzes for kids) because I did well and got into a good college. I got the car shortly after I was accepted to my #1 choice school.
There were some kids who "earned" their pricey cars by absolutely killing themselves working three jobs. Most of them did relatively poorly in school. They got by, but not well, and because they didn't want to give up the money they got accustomed to making (or because they had a gigantic car payment) they wound up "taking a couple courses" here and there and never completed their college degrees. Most of them, at least from what I can glean off Facebook, would have done far better if they made some different choices. Truth be told, I'm not a very big proponent of kids having jobs during the school year. Their job is to be a student. Summer employment is one thing, but even then I'd rather see some type of an internship or something that would be educational rather than working on the boardwalk or at a jet-ski rental stand.
I always tend to think that I'll "return the favor" someday, if I ever have a child, by making sure that they'll have a cool car to drive to school in as well. ;)
Now that we're sufficiently diverted from the topic of the cooling system on the E90 3-Series, carry on...
I disagree with you wholeheartedly. Even excluding the money, my high school job was very valuable in helping me prepare for college, interviews, and, I'd imagine, professional life.
Interestingly enough, if I hadn't worked as hard and much as I did during high school, my parents almost certainly would not have supported me in going to my first choice college.
It's all about balance.
Personally, I don't think it's the best idea for parents to buy nice cars for their kids, but it is also downright stupid to take on significant car payments as a high school student.
Quote from: thecarnut on December 31, 2011, 05:32:50 PM
Not sure what exactly he'd need to buy, but most of the equipment you need are a good set of wrenches, torque wrench, and a jack and stands. You may also need some specialized tool for a particular job, but all that is a fixed cost anyways. Once he has the tools (which will still cost far less than the $2-3k he'd have to pay for the warranty), working on his car will only cost him his time and the parts he's replacing.
I think I'm going to try to figure out exactly what that warranty would cover and go from there. When I said water pumps were "maintenance" I meant it in the sense that they are
expected to fail at some point and do so fairly uniformly. I know that I'll have to change it - it's just a matter of "when"
My hood isn't closing right now - latch on the driver's side isn't clicking. Some WD-40 should hopefully take care of it.
Quote from: thecarnut on December 31, 2011, 05:32:50 PM
Not sure what exactly he'd need to buy, but most of the equipment you need are a good set of wrenches, torque wrench, and a jack and stands. You may also need some specialized tool for a particular job, but all that is a fixed cost anyways. Once he has the tools (which will still cost far less than the $2-3k he'd have to pay for the warranty), working on his car will only cost him his time and the parts he's replacing.
Yea but then he runs the risk of damaging something else. Plus he might value his time more than his money, which is legit.
The only people who should get into doing their own work on cars are the people who enjoy it & have a mechanical knack... not the people who are just trying to save some $$$. I could do my own maintenance on my bike, and I will prob do my own oil changes and all that... but for example, with changing my forks, to me it made more sense to just take it to an expert and let them deal with it than to try to do it on my own and possibly kill myself or destroy the bike. Plus even if he can physically replace parts, he doesn't have the experience to make a quick diagnostic, which could end up in him spending money needlessly. Bottom line at this point in the game it's prob just best for him to eat the costs and let a shop take care of it, rather than trying to reinvent the wheel.
Quote from: sportyaccordy on January 03, 2012, 12:48:01 PM
Yea but then he runs the risk of damaging something else. Plus he might value his time more than his money, which is legit.
The only people who should get into doing their own work on cars are the people who enjoy it & have a mechanical knack... not the people who are just trying to save some $$$. I could do my own maintenance on my bike, and I will prob do my own oil changes and all that... but for example, with changing my forks, to me it made more sense to just take it to an expert and let them deal with it than to try to do it on my own and possibly kill myself or destroy the bike. Plus even if he can physically replace parts, he doesn't have the experience to make a quick diagnostic, which could end up in him spending money needlessly. Bottom line at this point in the game it's prob just best for him to eat the costs and let a shop take care of it, rather than trying to reinvent the wheel.
Yeah, if he doesn't enjoy it or values his time more than the money needed to fix the car, then definitely get it fixed by someone else.
I was just telling him what I'd do. And I like working on cars and have all the time in the world. :lol:
Quote from: sportyaccordy on January 03, 2012, 12:48:01 PM
The only people who should get into doing their own work on cars are the people who enjoy it & have a mechanical knack... not the people who are just trying to save some $$$.
Disagree- I started working on my car to save $$$ and the more you work on them, the more you understand and can fix in the future. I should stay away from anything dealing with timing belts and seals, but accessories or axles are fairly easy. I even changed the clutch on a FWD sideways mounted-engine SHO. (PITA!!!)
Quote from: TurboDan on December 31, 2011, 09:33:30 AM
It's good to learn, but by the time you buy equipment, diagnostic software, etc., you're in the hole for a handsome amount. Even if you know what you're doing, if you have to bring the car back to the stealership after performing maintenance or repairs, it's a big hassle. If you want to avoid that and buy the software yourself, it's probably over a grand right there.
There's a lot of general maintenance you can do without expensive specialized equipment and diagnostic devices.
Exhaust
Wheel bearings
shocks and struts
brakes
cooling system
oil and other fluid changes
battery replacement
alternator replacement
belts
hoses
etc.
I started out with some hand-me-down wrenches, an $8 3/8" Craftsman socket set (which I still have), a pair of pliers and some screwdrivers. Everything fit in an old plastic tackle box. I acquired other tools, and larger tool storage, as I needed them.
I'll tackle anything except the innards of a transmission or differential or complex electronics.
You guys would have a fun time with some of the shit I have to do. Let's just say they make cars easy to build, and screw the poor bastard that has to fix them.
Well, the water pump is gone. I have a barely functional car sitting in the parking garage.
I was on the way to DC. After about 40 miles of driving, I pulled off to pick up some food from a drive thru. As I was hit the on-ramp I felt my engine go into limp mode, saw the dash temperature warning light up, and started smelling coolant. Pulled over, and sure enough it was leaking coolant and the reservoir had overflowed. Managed to turn it back on and back it up the ramp and into a parking lot. Had it towed home. Something weird happened during this sequence - as I backed up the ramp I accidentally disengaged and hit 3rd gear (stupid instinct to shift), though I realized what I was doing and never let go of the clutch. I ended up stopping and the car turned off. Can't remember how, my guess is I let go of the clutch and it stalled. It then lit up indicating some type of electric failure and wouldn't start. Tried again, and it had trouble starting but started. But then it was perfectly fine... Managed to drive it into the lot, and when it was towed home, I managed to drive it into the garage. Totally normal at that point other than the clutch stinking like hell but that was probably because the tow truck driver had to drive it up a hill and I'm pretty sure he didn't really know what he was doing. Anyways...
Option 1: Take it to an indie
Option 2: Buy repair manuals, scan tool, other tools, ramps, and fix it myself.
Either way, it's likely to cost me at least around $800ish. If I can get a shop to do it for under $850, I'll probably just do that. Water pumps are a maintenance item on these cars so it was bound to happen at some point, though from what I'm finding, 70k is on the low end. It's at 72k. I want to keep this car, though my dad wants me to get rid of it and buy something new.
Water pump is pretty close to the deep end of the pool in terms of difficulty. I'd say indie, but I also think, just from my own German car experience, that $800 is kind of low.
Quote from: Rupert on March 18, 2012, 08:12:38 PM
Water pump is pretty close to the deep end of the pool in terms of difficulty. I'd say indie, but I also think, just from my own German car experience, that $800 is kind of low.
From what I'm reading on E90 post, it's actually not that bad. I have no doubt I could do it if I got my hands on the service manual. I'm just not sure it's worth the trouble/time/potential pitfalls.
I remember telling an indie that was somewhat expensive in my experience that they typically did it for $1000. The parts are under $600 and I've heard that an experienced mechanic can typically swap the pump in about an hour, though they typically charge 2-3 hours for it. I dunno, I'm going to look around and see what I find.
Good luck with the repairs, as you say, the water pump was bound to fail. It has been that way with the BMW inline 6 for a while, the E46 is the same and I think the E36 too. There are aftermarket water pumps that are better than the BMM OEM one that last a lifetime as well. But I guess you won't keep the E90 more than another 70k miles, but if that is not the case maybe the investment in a better pump may be worth it.
Well, I got the impression that you don't have any experience wrenching. If so, I would start a little more slowly. Like, with an oil change. :lol:
Quote from: Rupert on March 18, 2012, 10:05:05 PM
Well, I got the impression that you don't have any experience wrenching. If so, I would start a little more slowly. Like, with an oil change. :lol:
Yeah, ideally that's what I'd do. But I guess I gotta start somewhere, and like I said it doesn't seem to be that bad.
Quote from: MexicoCityM3 on March 18, 2012, 10:02:26 PM
Good luck with the repairs, as you say, the water pump was bound to fail. It has been that way with the BMW inline 6 for a while, the E46 is the same and I think the E36 too. There are aftermarket water pumps that are better than the BMM OEM one that last a lifetime as well. But I guess you won't keep the E90 more than another 70k miles, but if that is not the case maybe the investment in a better pump may be worth it.
Yeah, except they were relatively cheap because they were belt-driven! 2006 was apparently a particularly bad year for the electric water pump in the E90s. And apparently there are no aftermarket ones.
Good luck, then!
Definitely take it to a shop. Imagine the the issues and pitfalls that you might expect, and times it by 100.
I wouldn't do an indie shop - if there's a problem a BMW dealership is far more apt to correct the issue. They should also provide a service loaner/rental. Sure you'll pay way more but it'll be worth it IMO.
Right. Fixing shit is never as easy and pleasant as undo a few bolts, install a few bolts. Shit gets stuck, it's hard to reach, a tool falls into the depths of the engine bay, some fluid gets spilled all over you and the floor, you can't figure out how to lift the car, instructions are shitty, something won't adjust right....
Quote from: Rupert on March 19, 2012, 12:04:03 AM
Right. Fixing shit is never as easy and pleasant as undo a few bolts, install a few bolts. Shit gets stuck, it's hard to reach, a tool falls into the depths of the engine bay, some fluid gets spilled all over you and the floor, you can't figure out how to lift the car, instructions are shitty, something won't adjust right....
You can level up your skills and do it yourself, or you can blow 800 gold and pay someone else to do it. :huh:
Yeah, if it was me, I might level up and do it myself, but I have years of experience doing a lot of mechanical stuff, however minor on average. If 10 takes professional experience, the pump is 5, and I'm 4, then 850 is 1.
As a bonus, you also get +3 Intellect
Nah, intellect is +1. Perseverance and patience are +1, combined. General mechanical understanding is +2. But if we're giving bonus points, then the water pump gets +3, because it's his first mechanical job.
Quote from: Rupert on March 19, 2012, 12:20:41 AM
Nah, intellect is +1. Perseverance and patience are +1, combined. General mechanical understanding is +2. But if we're giving bonus points, then the water pump gets +3, because it's his first mechanical job.
Aquiring a good tool set could yield +10 Agility.
Water pump as a first job = not recommended IMHO. Do oil & brakes first.
Quote from: Eye of the Tiger on March 19, 2012, 12:30:16 AM
Aquiring a good tool set could yield +10 Agility.
+9; tiny hands on long arms is another +1. :lol:
Trying to do a water pump as the first mechanical job is like trying to learn how to ride a liter superbike without knowing how to ride a bicycle.
Start smaller.
Hell, I've worked on lots of cars and have taken auto shop, and do all my own oil changes and whatnot, and swapping my suspension was a somewhat irritating experience. Things always seem to take far longer than you expect, stuff gets mixed up or lost, parts don't fit like you expect or take forever to figure out how to install, etc. The worst thing you can do is disassemble everything, get stuck, and then have a totally undrivable (hell, unmovable) car that you can't even take to a mechanic.
I also dropped by on a friend changing his water pump + timing belt on his Passat. That was not a pretty sight. I don't know if I'd attempt that now, myself.
Methinks it will vary wildly how hard it is to change the water pump depending on how the engine is designed. An electrical pump might actually make it a lot easier as opposed to, say, my car where the water pump is driven by the timing belt.
Hmm I guess I accidentally locked this topic at some point?
Called a local place with decent reviews, said he'll do it for $700ish w/o the t-stat (so $800ish with the t-stat). I'm probably just going to take it there. Place is 4 miles away, question is whether I can just drive the car there. I don't think I'm going to try, though.
Quote from: 850CSi on March 19, 2012, 11:53:44 AM
Hmm I guess I accidentally locked this topic at some point?
Called a local place with decent reviews, said he'll do it for $700ish w/o the t-stat (so $800ish with the t-stat). I'm probably just going to take it there. Place is 4 miles away, question is whether I can just drive the car there. I don't think I'm going to try, though.
Don't drive it.
Just dropped it off. No problems whatsoever, though the fan was running after I turned the car off for a while. Got it there quick enough/kept my RPM low enough that I didnt get a warning.
As for the shop... wow. Let's just say I've never seen so many 928s. ever.
That's a good sign. :lol:
The place where I take the 944 is full of old Rollers and Jags. Last time I was there, he had a Ferrari 355 in. Makes ya feel like a boss.
Heh, I figured. He showed me an '87 on a lift with the engine bay open/parts everywhere and said he was almost done rebuilding the engine. Looked brand new.
He more or less talked me through some stuff about my car that clearly demonstrated he's worked on a lot of these things before (explained to me why BMW went with the electric pump) and seemed generally like a real upstanding guy. He also had a B7 S4 wagon and M3 inside, along with an E31 5er, E38, and 996 outside.
First shop I called (which I've had decent experience with in the past) quoted me like 5 hrs labor, this guy said "I can get the pump swapped in just under an hour, but I also have to flush the system, bleed air, reset codes, etc. so I charge 2 hrs labor for it." This was generally consistent with what I've read on the E90 forums as to what an experienced indie should be able to do, so I went right for it. Plus he's close. I have a rental until Friday, so I told him to take his time with it, but it'd be nice to get it back soon.
Water pump is really one of the few major well-known issues with NA E90s, so I'm hoping this is my last repair in a while. VANOS will apparently fail at some point, but there don't seem to be any horrendous like $3k repairs that are typically required of these cars. I'm still tossing around the idea of a $2k fun car (and I still really want an E36), but at this point I'm thinking of just buying something like an auto ~2004ish Protege or Civic.
Quote from: Rupert on March 18, 2012, 08:12:38 PM
Water pump is pretty close to the deep end of the pool in terms of difficulty. I'd say indie, but I also think, just from my own German car experience, that $800 is kind of low.
Really? My Passat's timing belt was done for closer to $700, and that includes a new water pump, right?
Quote from: Rupert on March 19, 2012, 09:38:25 PM
That's a good sign. :lol:
The place where I take the 944 is full of old Rollers and Jags. Last time I was there, he had a Ferrari 355 in. Makes ya feel like a boss.
Got a garage like that in my area where my family has taken all our European cars. The parking lot outside is like an auto show with all the rare/cool cars people bring to him.
Owned by a guy from Germany named Guenther. How could ya go wrong? :lol:
Quote from: TurboDan on March 20, 2012, 03:59:17 PM
Really? My Passat's timing belt was done for closer to $700, and that includes a new water pump, right?
Your Passat was a People's Car. :lol:
I had a timing belt done on my old Ranger for, like, $250. Same was something like $1200 for the 944. :confused:
Fixed. She's running like a charm.
He was talking to me about oils, and apparently the BMW branded one is crappy. He recommended another brand, can't remember what it was. Said it was French and that I'd be just fine running 6-10k or even 15k intervals on that.
Quote from: 850CSi on March 20, 2012, 08:38:06 PM
Fixed. She's running like a charm.
He was talking to me about oils, and apparently the BMW branded one is crappy. He recommended another brand, can't remember what it was. Said it was French and that I'd be just fine running 6-10k or even 15k intervals on that.
Doesn't BMW recommend Castrol? I know the one I test drove recently had a Castrol logo somewhere with a "BMW recommends using Castrol oils," or something like that.
Anywho, this might be the French company he was talking about. It's popular with VW/Audi peeps. I've never used it, personally.
http://www.motul.com/us/en-us
Quote from: Rupert on March 20, 2012, 06:47:58 PM
Your Passat was a People's Car. :lol:
I had a timing belt done on my old Ranger for, like, $250. Same was something like $1200 for the 944. :confused:
Ouch, $1200, huh? Apparently it was more of a People's Car than I thought! I shudder to think what the LR2's eventual timing belt replacement will cost. Somebody said around $1100, though the car didn't come out 'til '08 so few people have that many miles on 'em yet.
Yeah, repairs and parts for that thing hurt. If you buy Porsche brake pads, it's $320 for a full set. High-end aftermarket pads were $169. I just keep telling myself that I don't drive it that much, so it's OK.
And 850, IMO, it's fine to play around with which oil you use, but I wouldn't go much past the recommended oil change interval. Oil is pretty cheap (unless you're buying really "special"-- read, expensive-- oil, in which case you're wasting your money). Roy knows lots about it; ask him before you change your routine.
^I've switched to ceramic pads all around. I love them. No dust, and no disadvantages I can discern. But I assume my car is not as picky as a Porsche.
BMW recommends Castrol (and the BMW-branded stuff is rebadged Castrol), but I specifically asked him about VANOS failure and he mentioned the negative side effects he's seen from Castrol oil.
TBF, BMW has no incentive to recommend the best oil on these cars - they're providing it when the car is serviced when average oil won't hurt and not beyond that. Makes sense to go cheap.
I don't remember the name being Motul. I remember it beginning with a 'P' but it just totally skipped my mind and I can't find anything. He recommended using 5W-40. I normally don't follow what mechanics tell me just because, but this guy really seemed to know his stuff about these cars.
BTW, he had a silver E36 M3 in for service today. It looked pristine. Apparently it's had a single owner. :praise:
I've never really had a set 'routine'. I used to go at 15K intervals (which is what is recommended) when the car was under warranty. At some point last year I went 17k between changes, but then got changed like 5-6K after that. It's been 6Kish since then. He mentioned the oil being around $10/qt but being worth it.
I'm worried about lifter ticking, which would apparently become a huge job if it ever creates a real problem, but whether or not that happens is up for debate... Shop didn't seem very concerned about it.
Ok, I remembered the name. It was German, not French. He recommended Pentosin.
Quote from: 850CSi on March 21, 2012, 09:19:44 AM
Ok, I remembered the name. It was German, not French. He recommended Pentosin.
Pentosin is good (albeit expensive) stuff. I have a can of their synthetic power steering fluid in my garage. The Passat liked to drink it near the end...
Quote from: TurboDan on March 21, 2012, 09:36:22 AM
Pentosin is good (albeit expensive) stuff. I have a can of their synthetic power steering fluid in my garage. The Passat liked to drink it near the end...
Seems to be about $10/liter from the local O'Reilly Auto, which is really only about $2-3 more than the BMW/Castrol stuff. Might be worth it.
Latest dealership lulz...
There's some sort of extended warranty-type thing on the passenger side seat mat in my car. The mat is basically a weight detector and shuts the airbag off when no one's in the seat. It's known to malfunction in these cars.
I got an appointment to drop my car off at the stealership and get it taken care of. Service advisor tells me there's a $145 "diagnostic" fee in case it turns out to be something in the seat other than the mat. I complain, he looks at me and goes "I'm not about to ask my guys to work for free." I asked for my key back and went on my way.
I can buy a fucking scanner for $150 to read the error codes. Better yet, I can probably go to autozone and get the reading done for free if they're OBD codes (but I'm almost sure they aren't). $145 to get someone to connect a fucking scan tool to the car and extract the error codes - a process that will take 2 minutes? This was the same sleaze of a service advisor that tried convincing me I needed an OEM BMW battery to power my car's electronics and that $500 to get it done was a good deal. :nutty: (recall: I ended up getting an AGM battery installed for half of that)
I'm going to take my car to my indie to get the oil changed and the CDV removed sometime within the next couple of weeks. Going to ask him to just see what error codes there are so I can make sure the stealership is going to be forced to fix it for free. Then I'll take it right back.
No hurry on the mat - the warranty is for a decade and unlimited mileage, and it seems like in the meantime the car has chosen to keep the airbag permanently on.
I mentioned it in passing in the previous post. CDV removal: yay or nay?
http://www.zeckhausen.com/cdv.htm
I'm super tempted, but I'm worried because I've gotten so used to the damn thing. But I think it'll make the car a lot more fun. While I'm there, I'm going to ask him how much it'd cost to stiffen up my suspension with some new parts. I've regretted not getting the sport suspension on my car since day 1. I'm leaving town for a month this summer and I'm considering putting together a list of things I want done to the car and just leaving it there.
I'm guessing a slight lowering and some stiffening can be done for <$500. I'm just not sure how much work it requires. It doesn't look too bad from the DIY's I've seen. A [used] OEM one can be had for <$250 but I don't want to do that.
Take your car to another dealer. If there'a an extended warranty on the part, they get paid regardless.
Quote from: 850CSi on April 03, 2012, 10:32:20 PM
Latest dealership lulz...
There's some sort of extended warranty-type thing on the passenger side seat mat in my car. The mat is basically a weight detector and shuts the airbag off when no one's in the seat. It's known to malfunction in these cars.
I got an appointment to drop my car off at the stealership and get it taken care of. Service advisor tells me there's a $145 "diagnostic" fee in case it turns out to be something in the seat other than the mat. I complain, he looks at me and goes "I'm not about to ask my guys to work for free." I asked for my key back and went on my way.
I can buy a fucking scanner for $150 to read the error codes. Better yet, I can probably go to autozone and get the reading done for free if they're OBD codes (but I'm almost sure they aren't). $145 to get someone to connect a fucking scan tool to the car and extract the error codes - a process that will take 2 minutes? This was the same sleaze of a service advisor that tried convincing me I needed an OEM BMW battery to power my car's electronics and that $500 to get it done was a good deal. :nutty: (recall: I ended up getting an AGM battery installed for half of that)
I'm going to take my car to my indie to get the oil changed and the CDV removed sometime within the next couple of weeks. Going to ask him to just see what error codes there are so I can make sure the stealership is going to be forced to fix it for free. Then I'll take it right back.
No hurry on the mat - the warranty is for a decade and unlimited mileage, and it seems like in the meantime the car has chosen to keep the airbag permanently on.
Couple points on this:
1) Don't mess with anything having to do with airbags. My old Passat's airbag sensor went haywire (under warranty) and caused the car to literally come to complete stop on the highway. Get this part fixed. Period. But go to a different dealer. Better yet, call BMWUSA and have THEM schedule the appointment. My neighbor (during the summer) is a marketing person for BMWUSA and they take care of their customers big-time when they call the corporate bosses. Take advantage of this. But seriously, don't mess around with airbag sensors!
2) Indies are almost ALWAYS more honest. It helps that my local German/European car mechanic knows that I'm a member of the press, but not really. Guenther, an automotive genius who learned from Guenther Sr. (an equally automotive genius) has no impetus to upsell you or screw you over. He wants to fix your car and he wants to fix you car the next time it breaks. He fixed my dad's old VWs and Audis from the 70s to the 80s to the 90s to the 2000s and he's fixed ALL of my cars since I was 17 years old. Timing belt in the Passat was done for $600 as compared to $1000 at the stealership. Dealers just want to make money. I have a buddy who is employed at an MB dealership... I've heard ALL the stories. Stick with the indy, big time!
Quote from: CJ on April 04, 2012, 07:06:01 AM
Take your car to another dealer. If there'a an extended warranty on the part, they get paid regardless.
Seriously. Any dealership that would try to "warn" you about extra to be paid on a WARRANTY or RECALL item is a scumbag operation. Period. Honestly, I'd call BMWUSA and report those type of antics.
Quote from: TurboDan on April 06, 2012, 02:32:29 AM
Seriously. Any dealership that would try to "warn" you about extra to be paid on a WARRANTY or RECALL item is a scumbag operation. Period. Honestly, I'd call BMWUSA and report those type of antics.
If it is a warranty issue, not extended warranty, but a service bulletin that allows the dealer to repair it, the independent will not have access to BMW's payment plan and a dealer would have to do it.
Any dealer or garage that doesn't warn you of possible charges is a scum bag. Consultants and parts/service directors "suggest" you don't say anything on the theory that a majority of customers will not pull a car when they get the phone call that something not covered is wrong....and most people will not.
If there is a warning lamp on and another sensor is the failure, not the seat pad sensor, he will get the call that further diagnosis is required...at his expense. I've been through it too many times with independents. They begin working on airbag systems and find out that a scan tool will not diagnose the problem correctly. All they can get is a code, while the dealership can pinpoint resistance to a single airbag and/or sensor and determine if it is within OEM range. You guys would be amazed at how many independent customer's cars end up at the dealership anyway with the garage paying the dealership for a diagnosis, then hide the repair cost in their bill to the customer...with some elaborate story about a short in the wiring...and it took like five hours to fix, but they will only charge you half that giving you a big discount. And people believe that crap.
I've had to hide cars for independent garages while they are being worked on by the dealership because they fear customers may happen by and see the dealership working on their car.
Word. I would never go to an independent shop.
Quote from: JWC on April 06, 2012, 09:05:03 AM
If it is a warranty issue, not extended warranty, but a service bulletin that allows the dealer to repair it, the independent will not have access to BMW's payment plan and a dealer would have to do it. ...
Only going to get it diagnosed by my indie. I don't trust the dealership because quite frankly there is
nothing stopping him from repairing it under warranty and telling me it was something else and charging me for it. Again, this is the same prick that blatantly lied to me about the car's need for a "big powerful BMW battery!!!" $150 to plug a fucking scan tool into a car for 30 seconds and read the codes is absurd when I could do it
myself for that much. I should not have to gamble with the dealership to access an extended warranty.
Quote from: GoCougs on April 06, 2012, 12:21:14 PM
Word. I would never go to an independent shop.
notsureifsrs.jpg
http://www-odi.nhtsa.dot.gov/cars/problems/defect/relatedDefectsSummary.cfm?RCL_ID=08V384000&defectIdlist=EA08001&ModuleType=Vehiclestype=VEHICLE
http://nhthqnwws112.odi.nhtsa.dot.gov/acms/docservlet/Artemis/Public/Recalls/2008/V/RCDNN-08V384-5007.pdf
BMW must be behind the times. At Ford we used laptops that activated sensors and tested them. In the last two or three years I worked at Ford, no one used a "scan tool".
I spend the extra for a Ford battery for my cars, even the VW. The warranty is good anywhere in the U.S. and Canada...and they tow for free.
Quote from: JWC on April 06, 2012, 02:58:44 PM
BMW must be behind the times. At Ford we used laptops that activated sensors and tested them. In the last two or three years I worked at Ford, no one used a "scan tool".
I spend the extra for a Ford battery for my cars, even the VW. The warranty is good anywhere in the U.S. and Canada...and they tow for free.
I've used the Ford laptops. You can basically take over every function that is electronically controlled. Also, I think the software and laptop configuration is much easier to use than a scan tool with a bunch of clunky buttons and impossible menus. It just needs an oscilloscope and various other attachments to make it complete.
Quote from: Eye of the Tiger on April 06, 2012, 03:13:35 PM
I've used the Ford laptops. You can basically take over every function that is electronically controlled. Also, I think the software and laptop configuration is much easier to use than a scan tool with a bunch of clunky buttons and impossible menus. It just needs an oscilloscope and various other attachments to make it complete.
It will allow you to run the engine and observe cylinder functions and misfires.
http://www.motorcraftservice.com/vdirs/retail/default.asp?pageid=wds_retail&gutsid=wds&kevin=rules
Quote from: JWC on April 06, 2012, 03:18:27 PM
It will allow you to run the engine and observe cylinder functions and misfires.
http://www.motorcraftservice.com/vdirs/retail/default.asp?pageid=wds_retail&gutsid=wds&kevin=rules
Ah, cool. My poor community college only had the VCM's. Old, used, donated stuff.
Quote from: JWC on April 06, 2012, 02:58:44 PM
BMW must be behind the times. At Ford we used laptops that activated sensors and tested them. In the last two or three years I worked at Ford, no one used a "scan tool".
I spend the extra for a Ford battery for my cars, even the VW. The warranty is good anywhere in the U.S. and Canada...and they tow for free.
I'm assuming they just hook it up to a computer and read the error codes to diagnose the problem. It might even be shooting off OBD codes but those aren't always reliable. If It was an OBD thing I could go to Autozone and get it done for free - that's how I found out it was the coil on cylinder no.3 when my engine was misfiring. They can only scan the OBD stuff but the code had enough information in it to specify that cylinder.
I would be shocked if there is anything the dealer can do as far as scanning/clearing codes that my indie can't.
It depends on how much he wants or can invest.
The "Ford specialist" down the street from my old dealership used to come down and pay us to run diagnostics on some vehicles when his tools couldn't get a definite diagnosis or his guys had replaced enough parts that didn't fix it that they gave up. We gave him a "vendor" price so he could make a little something on it.
It has been that way at every dealer I've worked for.
Quote from: JWC on April 06, 2012, 02:58:44 PM
BMW must be behind the times. At Ford we used laptops that activated sensors and tested them. In the last two or three years I worked at Ford, no one used a "scan tool".
I spend the extra for a Ford battery for my cars, even the VW. The warranty is good anywhere in the U.S. and Canada...and they tow for free.
BMW is able to hook up laptops as well, or at least a lot of owners have done so. Just need the right cable.
Quote from: TurboDan on April 06, 2012, 02:27:04 AM
1) Don't mess with anything having to do with airbags. My old Passat's airbag sensor went haywire (under warranty) and caused the car to literally come to complete stop on the highway. Get this part fixed. Period. But go to a different dealer. Better yet, call BMWUSA and have THEM schedule the appointment. My neighbor (during the summer) is a marketing person for BMWUSA and they take care of their customers big-time when they call the corporate bosses. Take advantage of this. But seriously, don't mess around with airbag sensors!
I was getting dicked around by the Kia dealership's service department for a warranty radio replacement, and after a couple of months of BS I got fed up and just called the Kia customer service line or whatever. They took my info and situation, told me they'd call the dealership and sort it out. Not even half an hour later, the dealership manager called and told me they're gonna bring the part in that week and that I can schedule to come in whenever I want.
After getting the warranty work done, I haven't been back to that dealership since. I have no clue why the service department was dicking me around, but a call from Kia Canada seemed to sort things out real fast.
Quote from: 850CSi on April 06, 2012, 01:52:02 PM
notsureifsrs.jpg
Yep, serious. Worked a LOT on cars, and granted most of it wasn't on modern ECU/FI cars, but between that past experience and my career with control systems and machines, I grok that there is tremendous nuance/technique/experience/knowledge/etc., needed to properly fix a modern automobile. That talent will be hit and miss with independents, and impossible to verify. Going to dealership is a virtual guarantee that you're getting the best talent.
Also, in the slight chance that something goes bad, a dealership is far more capable (and willing IMO) to make amends.
Car has been dropped off to my indie. He'll diagnose it for me so the dealership cant screw around... Either its under warranty or it isnt. Also getting an oil change and finally removing the CDV. Excited to see how it drives.
Wait, what's going on?
-oil change
-CDV removal (next time I guess... he didn't have the part in stock)
-and re: seat mat issues on the previous page, i got him to read the error code for me so the dealership can't screw around.
Dealership has replaced the mat and recoded the system under the warranty. It was VIN and error code-specific, and my car qualified. I'll be getting it back tomorrow. Driving a 128i coupe loaner in the meantime - the experience is completely ruined by the transmission, and my car is a better drive to begin with.
Oh? What about the transmission is bad?
Quote from: Laconian on August 14, 2012, 12:31:54 AM
Oh? What about the transmission is bad?
I'm assuming since it's a loaner, it's an automatic.
Quote from: Raza link=topic=26324.msg1763750#msg1763750 date=1344942567
I'm assuming since it's a loaner, it's an automatic.
Yeah. I've driven so many variations of the BMW straight six and the slushbox just completely ruins it for me. Every time. The throttle response just isn't the same.
But again I'm surprised that my car drives noticeably better than the 1. That was true for the 120i hatch in Europe and this 128i here. It's hard to describe, but while the 128 might be just a little bit more toss-able and rolls less, my steering is much more communicative and my car feels more balanced.
If I didn't know better, I'd think I somehow got an especially 'good' 3er by chance because I have yet to drive another BMW made in the last decade that was nearly as fun as mine to drive. That's probably because they've almost all been AWD and/or auto. The 120i was fun but the instant I got back in my car I realized there was an enormous difference between the two. I even drove an E36 M3 a few weeks ago and I felt my car was a better drive. That said, I'm sure that car needs some work because the best handling characteristics I've ever seen belonged to a '93 E36 325i. That car was a go-kart.
Anyways, indie told me that E90s are fairly reliable in his experience and there aren't any huge major issues to watch out for. At this point I'm just worried about another damned wheel bearing failing because it sounds like the front left one is starting to act up...
Quote from: 850CSi on August 14, 2012, 08:27:37 AM
Yeah. I've driven so many variations of the BMW straight six and the slushbox just completely ruins it for me. Every time. The throttle response just isn't the same.
See, this is what I thought everyone meant when they started to use throttle response as a synonym for turbo lag.
Automatics tend to think about your input before adjusting the throttle, so there is a delay in response from your input. Turbo lag just means the engine isn't making as much power until it's on boost. Two different things in my book. When I hit the gas my car reacts immediately, but differently depending on whether I'm in boost or not. That's turbo lag. The way my dad's car decides whether or not I should be given the privilege of accelerating when I hit the gas, that's slow throttle response.
Quote from: Raza on August 16, 2012, 05:11:49 AM
See, this is what I thought everyone meant when they started to use throttle response as a synonym for turbo lag.
Automatics tend to think about your input before adjusting the throttle, so there is a delay in response from your input. Turbo lag just means the engine isn't making as much power until it's on boost. Two different things in my book. When I hit the gas my car reacts immediately, but differently depending on whether I'm in boost or not. That's turbo lag. The way my dad's car decides whether or not I should be given the privilege of accelerating when I hit the gas, that's slow throttle response.
With a lot of automatics, it not so much the throttle as it is the transmission that makes it feel less responsive. In the interest of fuel economy, automatics will tend to seek out the highest gear they can get away. For instance, if you're traveling at 35 mph and the transmission is perhaps in 3rd gear and then you lift from the throttle to coast down a hill, the gearbox will promptly upshift. When you first tip into the throttle, they initially try to accelerate in gear, then will downshift, which means there's some lag between when you tell the car to acceleration and when you actually get some meaningful acceleration.
Manual modes help with this to some regard in that the car will hold the gear you put it in.
Quote from: MX793 on August 16, 2012, 06:53:14 AM
With a lot of automatics, it not so much the throttle as it is the transmission that makes it feel less responsive. In the interest of fuel economy, automatics will tend to seek out the highest gear they can get away. For instance, if you're traveling at 35 mph and the transmission is perhaps in 3rd gear and then you lift from the throttle to coast down a hill, the gearbox will promptly upshift. When you first tip into the throttle, they initially try to accelerate in gear, then will downshift, which means there's some lag between when you tell the car to acceleration and when you actually get some meaningful acceleration.
Manual modes help with this to some regard in that the car will hold the gear you put it in.
Some manual modes. My dad's Lexus upshifts secretly if it thinks you shouldn't be in that gear. Totally useless in that car.
Quote from: Raza on August 16, 2012, 05:11:49 AM
See, this is what I thought everyone meant when they started to use throttle response as a synonym for turbo lag.
Automatics tend to think about your input before adjusting the throttle, so there is a delay in response from your input. Turbo lag just means the engine isn't making as much power until it's on boost. Two different things in my book. When I hit the gas my car reacts immediately, but differently depending on whether I'm in boost or not. That's turbo lag. The way my dad's car decides whether or not I should be given the privilege of accelerating when I hit the gas, that's slow throttle response.
Trust me, I know the difference. My first car was a 1.8T with a manual. My dad's Countryman 6MT has noticeable turbo lag. It has decent throttle response, but then you get this unexpected [for me, because I'm used to N/A] burst of acceleration.
You're right, though. They're definitely two different things.
Alright, since I gave up a while ago on integrating an Android tablet, I need a music solution. My iPod classic's hard drive appears to be fried and I'm tired of plugging in my iPhone to play music (plus it's almost as dangerous as texting to change tracks so there's a safety/responsibility issue as well). As I see it, there are really only two options. I want to do this for under $200:
-Fix my iPod/get another mp3 player.
Pros: click wheel makes it much easier to go through 40+ GB of music
Cons: no integration with car, still just using an external device through aux line-in
-Aftermarket flash drive solution. Basically installs into the car as a CD changer interface.
Pros: can use steering wheel buttons to change tracks, no external device or line in cable to mess with
Cons: have to scroll through 40+GB of music on a two-line display:
(http://img67.imageshack.us/img67/9858/picture001sk4.jpg)
The one feature I really like about the Sync system in my car is that I can load a flash drive with several gigs of music and can play an artists, song, album, or playlist by voice command rather than having to scroll through hundreds of songs or browse folders to find what I want. It's a shame nobody offers an aftermarket device that can do that (maybe they do, I haven't looked).
Quote from: 850CSi on August 16, 2012, 02:09:00 PM
(http://img67.imageshack.us/img67/9858/picture001sk4.jpg)
Should've gotten iDrive.
J/K.
Sync is awesome, I'd love something like that.
Yeah, I definitely wish I had iDrive now. I absolutely loved it in the 120i I had in Europe, and that didn't even have English!
Quote from: Raza link=topic=26324.msg1764981#msg1764981 date=1345115509
See, this is what I thought everyone meant when they started to use throttle response as a synonym for turbo lag.
Automatics tend to think about your input before adjusting the throttle, so there is a delay in response from your input. Turbo lag just means the engine isn't making as much power until it's on boost. Two different things in my book. When I hit the gas my car reacts immediately, but differently depending on whether I'm in boost or not. That's turbo lag. The way my dad's car decides whether or not I should be given the privilege of accelerating when I hit the gas, that's slow throttle response.
No, that's stupid transmission. If I'm below ~3500 RPM in my 944 and I push the throttle, there is a slight delay before the engine catches up (due to the large cylinders and the old style air-fuel meter taking its time to figure it out), and
that is slow throttle response.
Quote from: MX793 on August 16, 2012, 06:53:14 AM
Manual modes help with this to some regard in that the car will hold the gear you put it in.
You haven't ever needed a "manual mode" to keep an auto transmission in a lower gear, you just need to shift it into the lower gear.
Quote from: Rupert on August 20, 2012, 03:40:30 PM
You haven't ever needed a "manual mode" to keep an auto transmission in a lower gear, you just need to shift it into the lower gear.
Some newer AT cars that don't have manual modes do not allow you full manual access to every gear. The Impala I rented last week had a 6 speed transmission, but the gear selector only had PRNDL. Not even an L1 and L2, just "L" (and heck if I know which gear "L" actually was). No overdrive lockout button either. Current Mustangs have 1, 2, 3, and D on the gear selector. There's also an overdrive lockout button, but that still means there's one gear you can't manually select in any way.
Fair enough.
Alright, going to take my car back to my indie for the CDV delete. Parents are around for the next couple of weeks so that'll make it much easier to get a ride.
Looking forward to actually driving a real manual again... :lol:
Will also have him take a look at my oil filter gasket. Stealership said it was leaking and would need replacement. Might just do it myself, but I want to see if it's an actual issue first.
Quote from: 850CSi on October 13, 2012, 02:04:38 PM
Alright, going to take my car back to my indie for the CDV delete. Parents are around for the next couple of weeks so that'll make it much easier to get a ride.
Looking forward to actually driving a real manual again... :lol:
Will also have him take a look at my oil filter gasket. Stealership said it was leaking and would need replacement. Might just do it myself, but I want to see if it's an actual issue first.
Quote from: 850CSi on October 13, 2012, 02:04:38 PM
Alright, going to take my car back to my indie for the CDV delete. Parents are around for the next couple of weeks so that'll make it much easier to get a ride.
Looking forward to actually driving a real manual again... :lol:
Will also have him take a look at my oil filter gasket. Stealership said it was leaking and would need replacement. Might just do it myself, but I want to see if it's an actual issue first.
You don't get a new oil filter gasket with every new oil filter?
Should be a canister filter.
Quote from: Soup DeVille on October 13, 2012, 10:49:57 PM
You don't get a new oil filter gasket with every new oil filter?
I'm not sure, they may have been talking about the housing. They may have also been totally full of shit, as they often are. Either way, I'll have him look at it.
My indie claims that in his own experience the OEM BMW [Castrol] stuff isn't very good, and that using Pentosin has helped folks avoid VANOS failure.
There are only 3 long-term issues I'm aware of that tend to pop up on E90s:
-VANOS failure
-wheel bearings
-lifter tick
None of these things are catastrophically expensive to take care of, and people don't really seem to know if the lifter tick can actually cause a mechanical problem or just an aesthetic thing - mine aren't very loud. My indie claims that using Pentosin helps with the tick and VANOS issues. I feel like my left wheel bearing is going to fail at some point, but it hasn't acted up lately. I'll probably have to replace the water pump when it inevitably fails again in like 80k miles. Other than that, seems like E90s are fairly reliable long-term. I just need mine to not drive me cra$zy next year; after that I'll be fine. Going to make an offer to my dad tomorrow. I don't expect my parents to take anything for it, but I'll try.
Quote from: 850CSi on October 14, 2012, 12:00:27 AM
I'm not sure, they may have been talking about the housing. They may have also been totally full of shit, as they often are. Either way, I'll have him look at it.
My indie claims that in his own experience the OEM BMW [Castrol] stuff isn't very good, and that using Pentosin has helped folks avoid VANOS failure.
There are only 3 long-term issues I'm aware of that tend to pop up on E90s:
-VANOS failure
-wheel bearings
-lifter tick
None of these things are catastrophically expensive to take care of, and people don't really seem to know if the lifter tick can actually cause a mechanical problem or just an aesthetic thing - mine aren't very loud. My indie claims that using Pentosin helps with the tick and VANOS issues. I feel like my left wheel bearing is going to fail at some point, but it hasn't acted up lately. I'll probably have to replace the water pump when it inevitably fails again in like 80k miles. Other than that, seems like E90s are fairly reliable long-term. I just need mine to not drive me cra$zy next year; after that I'll be fine. Going to make an offer to my dad tomorrow. I don't expect my parents to take anything for it, but I'll try.
I almost bought an E90 last year (it was my "car option" versus the SUV) and none of these little bugs would bother me. Every car has a couple things prone to breaking over long-term ownership. People complain about the water pump going 90K-ish, but isn't that when you do a timing belt replacement anyway that includes the water pump?
As for oil, my LR indie said the same thing WRT Castrol (which LR recommends officially and according to him is overrated), and recommended Total Oil. Personally, I'd throw any synthetic in there and drive away happy. Oil brand differences don't mean much to me.
As far as VANOS, this seems like an easy DIY fix: http://webcache.googleusercontent.com/search?q=cache:rKXIotCuJBwJ:www.e90post.com/forums/showthread.php%3Ft%3D486201+&cd=1&hl=en&ct=clnk&gl=us&client=firefox-a
Maybe I'm jaded, but wheel bearings, CV joints/boots etc. go all the time around here since I live on an island and we get flooded with salt water a few times a year. It's par for the course and no big deal.
I'd keep the E90 for the long haul, personally. At the end of the day it's an awesome car that has no more or less stumbling blocks than any other car, including Japanese cars. And you get one of the best driving experiences in the world to boot. ;)
The fact that the long running thread about your car is in "The Garage" section speaks volumes about BMWs :lol:
Quote from: MrH on October 17, 2012, 01:17:34 PM
The fact that the long running thread about your car is in "The Garage" section speaks volumes about BMWs :lol:
lol you ass :lol:
Really though, she's been just about as reliable as anything else I would've considered. Most of the money I/dad have spent on her in the past few years has been on general maintenance stuff (oil/brakes/rotors/etc.).
But wow... I'm over 80k now. I've put almost 20k miles on her in the past 10 mos. or so... :mask:
Ever since the coolant/battery shens last year, she's been perfect. Like I said earlier, money will be a little tight next year, but not after that, so maintaining the E90 won't be a problem. She's here to stay. She just desperately needs an interior/exterior detail.
I'll hopefully drop her off next week at my indie, get him to
-Do the CDV removal
-Check the oil filter gasket housing thing
-Check my e-brake - it's pretty weak, probably needs adjustment
-See if he can do my emissions test so I can renew my plates back home
Quote from: TurboDan on October 14, 2012, 12:43:52 AM
I almost bought an E90 last year (it was my "car option" versus the SUV) and none of these little bugs would bother me. Every car has a couple things prone to breaking over long-term ownership. People complain about the water pump going 90K-ish, but isn't that when you do a timing belt replacement anyway that includes the water pump?
I believe the timing chain is a lifetime part.
Water pump really isn't that bad, but it quit on me at a bad time. I was on my way to D.C. Luckily I was only an hour out from home - had I been in bumfuck, VA it would've been much more inconvenient.
QuoteAs for oil, my LR indie said the same thing WRT Castrol (which LR recommends officially and according to him is overrated), and recommended Total Oil. Personally, I'd throw any synthetic in there and drive away happy. Oil brand differences don't mean much to me.
That's what I always thought, and Pentosin isn't cheap, but it isn't super expensive anyways.
QuoteAs far as VANOS, this seems like an easy DIY fix: http://webcache.googleusercontent.com/search?q=cache:rKXIotCuJBwJ:www.e90post.com/forums/showthread.php%3Ft%3D486201+&cd=1&hl=en&ct=clnk&gl=us&client=firefox-a
Maybe I'm jaded, but wheel bearings, CV joints/boots etc. go all the time around here since I live on an island and we get flooded with salt water a few times a year. It's par for the course and no big deal.
Thanks for that. Was under the impression VANOS was a bigger deal than that.
I've already had a wheel bearing replaced, it cost like $700 because I had it done at the stealership. I need to figure out how to do these things myself.
QuoteI'd keep the E90 for the long haul, personally. At the end of the day it's an awesome car that has no more or less stumbling blocks than any other car, including Japanese cars. And you get one of the best driving experiences in the world to boot. ;)
Yeah, I'm planning on keeping it until it dies. I just can't think of anything I'd rather have. I'm going to want a toy at some point, but that'd be an addition.
I asked my dad if I could buy it off of him yesterday. He looked at me and scowled. I'll try again. But I appreciate the generosity. :lol:
Wheel bearings are a bitch
And IME I haven't been able to get an out of state inspection/test done. But it only matters if it's out of date when you get back in your home state.
Quote from: HotRodPilot on October 18, 2012, 04:58:58 AM
Wheel bearings are a bitch
And IME I haven't been able to get an out of state inspection/test done. But it only matters if it's out of date when you get back in your home state.
Car's registration needs to be renewed, the IL people told me I just have to take it to any local testing center and send them the results the shop would normally send to NCDOT.
IME? Independent medical exam?
Quote from: 850CSi on October 17, 2012, 04:03:56 PM
I asked my dad if I could buy it off of him yesterday. He looked at me and scowled. I'll try again. But I appreciate the generosity. :lol:
LoL. Since my Mom traded in her Durango for a VW SUV (and will NOT allow a tow hitch lol), the LR2 has been the only vehicle with a tow bar in my family. Hence, I wake up a few mornings a week to my dad having "stolen" the Land Rover to deposit trees, branches, etc. at the county recycling center.
My dad was pretty much decided on a 3er or a GTI for his next car, but he's now seriously considering his own MY13 LR2. :lol:
Taking her in this week to have some minor stuff looked at, and the CDV removed. I also broke a window switch and now the whole thing needs to be replaced - trying to do that myself. The interior bits on the E9x, at least my year's, aren't that great.
Also going to ask him while I'm there how much it'd cost to do a 330i conversion. You apparently lose almost nothing in fuel economy.
Not sure you'll be able to do it yourself, with BMW's electric programming.
Also, I wouldn't want to take apart the interior of a modern high-end car. I think it would be tough to get back together right and without squeaks.
I don't think there's any coding, and apparently taking the side panel off in these cars is really easy. I might not even have a choice, though, because I'm thinking my indie is probably going to be able to get a better deal on the part than I am.
Quote from: Rupert on February 03, 2013, 02:31:03 PM
Also, I wouldn't want to take apart the interior of a modern high-end car. I think it would be tough to get back together right and without squeaks.
And scratches and cracks and broken fasteners and...
Quote from: GoCougs on February 03, 2013, 06:40:45 PM
And scratches and cracks and broken fasteners and...
Especially in a newer BMW. 1/10. Would not attempt.
Might try just crazygluing the damn thing back together. Have nothing to lose. Otherwise looks like I'll have to go through my indie.
Your indie... rock band? Do you get off on not taking your BMW to the dealer? ;)
:lol: