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EvilMoFo posted:miss kittin had one on her laptop ... you might want to look into that that bitch 
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May 16, 2009 05:06
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My 2006 MINI Cooper, Astro Black/ White DDMworks intake, Cooper S rear sway, rear seat delete, and a few small cosmetic things. I love the little thing. Loads of fun to drive. Coilovers, all the little suspension bits, and exhaust in the plans. Hopefully someday I can have a real BMW with more than 115 hp.
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May 16, 2009 05:31
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meatpimp posted:What do I need to know when looking at a '97 540i manual with 110k miles? I'm comfortable with performing any servicing needed, are there certain problem areas to look for / check out? Cooling system. Like other BMWs of that era, every part of the cooling system (water pump, radiator, hoses, expansion tank, fan, fan clutch, thermostat) like to fail in their own special ways. Replace it ALL if you can't find records proving it was done. Additionally, the V8 had issues with the valley pan gaskets leaking coolant. It's a bitch of a job, but you can DIY. More info here: http://members.cox.net/rlacm/IntakeIndex.htm Intake gaskets also like to leak on the V8. Actually, pretty much all gaskets on that engine are prone to leaking at one point or another, so just look for leaks of any kind.  '97 was the first model year for the E39 and, as such, probably has all the E39 gremlins that got fixed later in production: squeaky door seals, auxiliary fan issues, dead pixels in the displays ($$$), sunroof rattles, window regulator problems... check this page for more info: http://www.540i6.com/probsfixes.htmlHaving owned an E39, would I buy another one? Probably. But it would either be another I6 or I'd go whole hog and get an M5.
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May 16, 2009 14:37
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meatpimp posted:What do I need to know when looking at a '97 540i manual with 110k miles? I'm comfortable with performing any servicing needed, are there certain problem areas to look for / check out? Also, I believe that is squarely in the Nikasil era. Make sure compression is OK.
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May 16, 2009 16:22
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I highly doubt any of the nikasil engines haven't been replaced by now.
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May 16, 2009 16:43
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BraveUlysses posted:I highly doubt any of the nikasil engines haven't been replaced by now. I just saw one replaced 6 months ago...but it was a low mileage 8 series. As has been said, take off the engine cover and look carefully with a flashlight for coolant around the valley pan. Replacing the pan is possible at home but it's a difficult enough job that I doubt many home mechanics are up to it. I personally would stay away from early 540s. Too many problems and all of them very expensive. Great car to drive though. Edit: VVVV You are correct, e39 540s were only fitted with m62 and m62tus, never the m60. Ethelinda Sapsea fucked around with this message at 00:38 on May 17, 2009 |
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May 16, 2009 18:19
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SlapActionJackson posted:Also, I believe that is squarely in the Nikasil era. Make sure compression is OK. No E39's have Nikasil engines. At least not in the US.
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May 17, 2009 00:28
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peterjmatt posted:I just saw one replaced 6 months ago...but it was a low mileage 8 series. E39s are great cars. They have the common BMW little buggy things like electronics, windows, door seals, door squeaks, etc etc etc The V8s are awesome and reliable except for the common valve cover leaks (seriously they're pretty loving common I think my 6/96 build 540 has had the valve covers replaced 3 or 4 times under warranty) but it's just a small price to pay I suppose. But no there are not "lots of problems" with early 540s, though I'd probably get a 2000+ considering the kinks being worked out and I'd definitely get the 6MT.
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May 17, 2009 00:52
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I'm a tech at a dealership which gives me a rather good view of what BMWs require more service than others. I was recently in the market for a new car and seriously considered an e39 540 since I'm a big fan of the styling and driving experience but decided that due to the common failures of engine gaskets and the expense of suspension components it wasn't a great idea. I could easily buy discounted parts and install them myself, but I was looking for a reliable daily driver that wouldn't cost much over 10k for the life of the car. A 540 doesn't meet that requirement, despite its other appeals. This is not to say that there aren't plenty of people who are willing to put the time and money into a good car, it's just not what I was looking for...and it didn't sound like what the OP was looking for either. Similarly I would also caution potential buyers about e53 x5s and e38 7s. We're just getting to the point where the age of these cars makes ownership very expensive. Even for techs.
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May 17, 2009 01:15
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peterjmatt posted:I was recently in the market for a new car and seriously considered an e39 540 since I'm a big fan of the styling and driving experience but decided that due to the common failures of engine gaskets and the expense of suspension components it wasn't a great idea. I could easily buy discounted parts and install them myself, but I was looking for a reliable daily driver that wouldn't cost much over 10k for the life of the car. A 540 doesn't meet that requirement, despite its other appeals. Cool, so just out of curiosity, what did you end up buying?
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May 17, 2009 01:51
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Lusso posted:Cool, so just out of curiosity, what did you end up buying? Hah, good question. I went out of my way to avoid a project car and ended up buying an E30 since the price was too good to resist. Now I have several thousand dollars sunk into an engine swap on my reliable daily driver. So maybe I shouldn't be the one giving advice.
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May 17, 2009 02:01
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 2005 330ci ZHP I flew out to Sacramento and signed papers on this beaut today. Could not take delivery as my credit union is not hip on a six-day workweek. So next week, god(s) willing, I get to roll her down the 5 to Venice! This is one of the most heavily optioned whip I have seen for a long time. Only thing lacking is the parking distance control. -ZHP -NAV -PREMIUM -COLD WEATHER etc. What is great about this car is that everything I would want to do to is is already done. The top even drops via the remote keys. All I want really is a xm receiver stealth-installed, but I can hold off on that. I gotta say that Colby & company at Luxury motorcars in Sacramento are pretty awesome. I got picked up from the airport in an M5, got to play around with the car for an hour and ended with a fair deal. I probably could have negotiated harder but it was hard to given how well equipped the ride was. They are also comping my flight out next week to pick her up. My only question so far is what gives with playing mp3s on the head unit? I brought a few mp3 ceedees and they did not work.
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May 17, 2009 06:10
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that Jeep does not fit in very well.
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May 17, 2009 15:41
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CornHolio posted:that Jeep does not fit in very well. It's a luxury Jeep?
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May 17, 2009 16:21
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Zeinin posted:My only question so far is what gives with playing mp3s on the head unit? I brought a few mp3 ceedees and they did not work. I was told that only late 04 (october?) and newer head units are mp3 compatible; is it possible your car was built before then but not registered until 05? Mine's an 04/04 and doesn't play mp3 cds, but plays most audio cd-rs ok. Congratulations, that's a beautiful car.
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May 17, 2009 16:28
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BossTweed posted:It's a luxury Jeep? A Grand Cherokee I could maybe understand, but thats a wrangler. I know you can load them up but its still a wrangler, a cheap off-road warrior, not a luxury car like the Porsche and BMW in the showroom with it. I dunno, just not the kind of vehicle I'd expect to see in a luxury cars showroom, thats all.
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May 17, 2009 17:19
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CornHolio posted:A Grand Cherokee I could maybe understand, but thats a wrangler. I know you can load them up but its still a wrangler, a cheap off-road warrior, not a luxury car like the Porsche and BMW in the showroom with it. They have expanded their business due to economic hard times. They were selling a black new beetle next to a Ferrari (some racing edition , one out of 400). Some guy was checking out that jeep when I was there.
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May 17, 2009 21:14
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I finally finished rebuilding my calipers and painting them, and putting on new rotors, new pads, and new brake lines. Problem is, after flushing my brake fluid with Motul RBF 600, the pedal is mushy. Clearly, this indicates air somewhere in the system. I took the car out for a spin, and while it is drivable, I don't really feel safe until I correct the problem. When I flushed the fluid, I used a Motive Powerbleeder. However, I did not have anyone pump the brake pedal while bleeding after reading reports indicating that this is not necessary. After I got the mushy pedal, I checked my Bentley and saw that it is recommended to use the Powerbleeder AND have someone pump the pedal  .Does the following sound like a good plan of action? 1. Take car out for a drive to activate ABS. Apparently this ensures that there is no air in the ABS circuit, which there could be considering I left brake hoses without calipers attached for over a month. 2. Buy another half liter of Motul RBF 600. Is this enough for a bleed job? Side note: where can I get this in person? Most stores don't seem to stock it. 3. Bleed system using Powerbleeder and a friend to pump the pedal. 4. Pray I didn't gently caress my master cylinder somehow. Is there anything else I am missing that could contribute to mushy pedal feel? For instance, is there some way to activate the ABS on jackstands instead of while driving? I read something on BF.c about shorting some pins, but I can't find the actual procedure. Other info: the car is a 1999 M3, there are no leaks anywhere that I can see, and prior to this brake project, the pedal was not mushy, although it was not as firm as when I first got the car 4 years ago. Assuming this process doesn't fix the problem, will an actual dealership or shop bleeding the brakes fix it, or should I assume the master cylinder is dead? edit: Importantly, I forgot to ask: do I bleed the brakes with the engine on or off? While the engine is off, the pedal does not seem that mushy. But when on, it's much worse. My first (unsuccessful) bleed was with the engine off. Pissingintowind fucked around with this message at 04:13 on May 18, 2009 |
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May 18, 2009 04:10
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I've bled my former e36 several times with a motive power bleeder--you definitely need to pump the brakes and you don't need the car on to do it. If you are hard up for quality fluid try using ATE super blue/gold it's a bit more available.
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May 18, 2009 06:58
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As I was driving to work this morning, I noticed my digital odometer wasn't working. The numbers were there, it just wasn't lit up. After searching google, I just have some burnt out bulbs. Looks like I'll be removing my instrument cluster this weekend. I just ordered $20 worth of bulbs from Pelican (two for the odometer, three for the main dials just because I'll have everything open, and five for the random lights. I'll replace the turn signal lights, plus the airbag light and ebrake light because I know those don't work, and I should have one left over). Why is it necessary to disconnect the battery?
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May 18, 2009 14:41
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Taymar posted:I was told that only late 04 (october?) and newer head units are mp3 compatible; is it possible your car was built before then but not registered until 05? It shouldn't be, I think I might have the latest possible 2004 model and mine was built 6/04 IIRC. The switch-over to MP3 head units was earlier in 2004, I think around February. At any rate my 2004 plays MP3s... it might be different with the Navi head unit though. Great looking car!
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May 18, 2009 17:45
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CornHolio posted:Looks like I'll be removing my instrument cluster this weekend. Because there may be things you will be disconnecting that are powered full-time.
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May 18, 2009 18:12
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BraveUlysses posted:I've bled my former e36 several times with a motive power bleeder--you definitely need to pump the brakes and you don't need the car on to do it. Well, I tried again with the remainder of my fluid. It was pretty close, but I didn't run out. The mushy pedal is much better now, but not quite as good as I want it to be. I'm going to run this fluid until the pads are broken in (about 500 miles), and then I'll perform a full flush with Super Blue (which I still cannot find locally). Thanks for the pumping tip, I think it did the trick.
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May 18, 2009 22:45
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for $150 you can get the DICE module and just plug in your Ipod and have full display support and be able to use the steering wheel controls. Check Bimmerfest forums, etc..... nice freaking ZHP! great car, hopefully you got a great deal too. Zeinin posted:
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May 19, 2009 01:07
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Car noob here, looking at a 2000 323i I found on Craigslist (and a '99 323is). Googling has revealed some individuals saying that many of the '99-'00 3-series models suffered from transmission and chassis issues, often around 100k miles. Incidentally, said car has 104,000. Are these statements legitimate? Should I be concerned? I'm asking the owner if I can take it in to have it inspected as I have no idea what to look for personally. STAT1C_X fucked around with this message at 01:33 on May 19, 2009 |
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May 19, 2009 01:28
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find an independent shop and have a PPI (pre purchase inspection) done and Bimmerfest.com E46 forum is your new friend....go check the wiki first. STAT1C_X posted:Car noob here, looking at a 2000 323i I found on Craigslist (and a '99 323is). Googling has revealed some individuals saying that many of the '99-'00 3-series models suffered from transmission and chassis issues, often around 100k miles. Incidentally, said car has 104,000.
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May 19, 2009 01:40
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the ideal way to bleed the brakes are to have all 4 wheels off and bleeder screws open and dripping into bottles...pour the fluid in, pump brakes, wait for bubbles to stop at the bleeder lines and you are set I have also done it one wheel at a time, pump the pedal, cap line, move on to next one. Keep fluid in the reservoir. You can also bleed the clutch line too since it's on the same system. While you are down there rip out the CDV valve, which blows. Pissingintowind posted:Well, I tried again with the remainder of my fluid. It was pretty close, but I didn't run out. The mushy pedal is much better now, but not quite as good as I want it to be. I'm going to run this fluid until the pads are broken in (about 500 miles), and then I'll perform a full flush with Super Blue (which I still cannot find locally).
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May 19, 2009 01:43
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KeyserSoze9999 posted:find an independent shop and have a PPI (pre purchase inspection) done Thank you Edit: The 2000 323i sold today 
STAT1C_X fucked around with this message at 03:45 on May 19, 2009 |
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May 19, 2009 01:51
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STAT1C_X posted:Car noob here, looking at a 2000 323i I found on Craigslist (and a '99 323is). Googling has revealed some individuals saying that many of the '99-'00 3-series models suffered from transmission and chassis issues, often around 100k miles. Incidentally, said car has 104,000. My 2000 323i has been great. Make sure the PPI checks for subframe tearing. Control arm and trailing arm bushings might need changing.
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May 19, 2009 02:59
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Potentially stupid question but is there a way of telling whether or not your AC uses R134a? I'd like to recharge a '93 325i, and the best Googling I can come up with says that BMW made the switch to R134a "in 1993." Edit: Hell while I'm at it I might as well list the rest of the repairs I plan on doing soon and see if anyone has any insight to add. -Instrument panel doesn't work half the time, would like to replace it with a new one but I don't know how to get the proper mileage to display -Left window won't go down even though the motor still works, I'm 99% sure it just needs a new one of these -Replace the arm rest, but finding a new old stock online seems impossible and all the used ones are in worse shape than mine Mr. Onslaught fucked around with this message at 06:36 on May 19, 2009 |
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May 19, 2009 06:32
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I started typing up an ad to sell my E30 but I just can't bring myself to sell the drat thing even though I haven't gotten it to start in over a month now Christ, I just can't figure this one out 
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May 19, 2009 21:06
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I sorta want to buy this as my daily driver even though I don't know anything about E30's. 1991 E30 M52/S52 cams, OBD1, E46 M3 6MT http://forums.bimmerforums.com/forum/showthread.php?t=1220750 What are the pros and cons of buying that vs. buying a ~100k mile E36 M3 sedan? Either would be my daily driver and both would cost the same. I would doing as much maintenance and repairs as possible myself. BossTweed fucked around with this message at 21:58 on May 19, 2009 |
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May 19, 2009 21:55
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BossTweed posted:I sorta want to buy this as my daily driver even though I don't know anything about E30's. I will vote for that E30, just because holy poo poo is it a gorgeous car. Everything looks like it was done professionally, too. Just be aware that its completely nothing like stock, and you better be VERY mechanically inclined to buy a car like that. I bet its faster than poo poo, too.
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May 19, 2009 22:09
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Wow, what a gorgeous E30. I would price that closer to 10k than 13.5, but clearly this is the owner's baby. I think that six speed is really driving up the price and it's honestly not worth $3500 for an extra cog. That being said, I personally would pick an immaculate and documented motor swapped E30 over a mystery E36 M3 any day of the week. Just make sure that you'll be able to get hold of the previous owner after you buy it- on a franken-car like this you're not going to be able to just take it to a shop or look on the internet for advice. And yes, 200+ WHP in a car weighing 2800lbs at the most is more than enough to get you into trouble. I'm sure it's as fast or faster than a stock e36 m3.
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May 20, 2009 01:22
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I recently bought a 1985 E30 325e in rather good condition, it's got 212k miles on it but the engine was recently rebuilt, I think it has 30 or so miles on it... Anyway, my dumb question is this: the e-brake in the middle is button-less. I mean it, there's no button there, I have to press in with a pen or the key to get it out of park. I've been looking online for a replacement part but I don't know what it would be called...do one of you guys know what they call it, or should I just go to a salvage yard? edit: Found it on eBay, a place called Bavarian Auto Recycling. Hope they're legit. hey fuck you fucked around with this message at 15:57 on May 20, 2009 |
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May 20, 2009 15:49
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hey gently caress you posted:I recently bought a 1985 E30 325e in rather good condition, it's got 212k miles on it but the engine was recently rebuilt, I think it has 30 or so miles on it...  It looks like you need the following parts: 3 - rubber washer - BMW 34414045712 $1.00 4 - compression spring - BMW 34411150662 $1.00 5 - push button - BMW 34411152393 $2.50 Clicky for the link on PelicanParts.com
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May 20, 2009 16:34
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Hey thanks a million, I'm ordering them now. I'll post pictures of the car here when I can...my other vehicle is a 97 automatic T-100 and it's been a long time since I've driven stick, but I'm confident this car'll be great. Is there anything I should be looking out for as far as things breaking or design quirks? I won't be too angry if something breaks, I bought the car for $2000 and some programming assistance.
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May 20, 2009 17:06
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Do NOT buy anything from Bavarian recycling. Terrible rep, check bimmerforums.
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May 20, 2009 17:45
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1998 e36 M3 My engine is idling low. When i start it up and take off, ill give it gas, but the engine lags for about a second and then it will respond. After i get up to speed and drive for a few minutes the lag goes away, but the low idle remains. This normally only happened when it was cold outside, but now i can leave it in the sun, and it will still happen. My guess is its a bad O2 sensor. Any ideas?
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May 21, 2009 03:06
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Arwox posted:1998 e36 M3 A bad O2 sensor should throw a code, or even make the car shake at times. Check for codes? I'd guess spark plugs.
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May 21, 2009 03:14
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