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I've actually noted an improvement in assholes out on the road since I got mine. I drove an MX-3 previously and I constantly had dudes in pickup trucks running me off the road just for kicks, probably once a week or so. Since I've gotten the E36 it's just the usual inattentive drivers that have caused any problems. Of course, an E36 looks a lot less expensive than most BMW's, it kind of just blends in. I never could figure out why people would get so angry at my MX-3 though. It was only SUV and pickup drivers that ever caused a problem, but it was a constant thing to get ran off the road on my way to work. I actually stopped taking the interstate altogether because of it. EDIT: Just remembered, during the time I owned the MX-3 I had TWO local cops run me off the road and into the shoulder because they weren't paying attention (at least I hope). revmoo fucked around with this message at 17:52 on Dec 21, 2009 |
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Dec 21, 2009 17:47
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I too was on the recieving end of much misplaced roadrage when I had my e36, but now that I'm driving an e30 318iS nobody gives a poo poo.
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Dec 21, 2009 18:04
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Jerk McJerkface posted:I'm not sure why, but ever since having a BMW, two very distinct things have happened: Where the hell do you live? Does everyone not driving a jacked up F250 Dually Diesel get treated the same?
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Dec 21, 2009 18:36
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Ran the shark out of gas the other day. Any general precautions I should take before extended driving? (e24/m30/Motronic)
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Dec 21, 2009 22:16
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Clockwork Sputnik posted:Ran the shark out of gas the other day. Any general precautions I should take before extended driving? A lot of people recommend having the injectors cleaned, and running some fuel system cleaner through it. The reasoning being that you suck up all the sledge and what not when you drain the tank out. But those fuel cleaners are all snake-oil anyways, right?
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Dec 21, 2009 22:26
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Jerk McJerkface posted:A lot of people recommend having the injectors cleaned, and running some fuel system cleaner through it. The reasoning being that you suck up all the sledge and what not when you drain the tank out. But those fuel cleaners are all snake-oil anyways, right? That's what the fuel filter is for. If you want to bother, swap the fuel filter, but nothing should have reached the injectors.
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Dec 21, 2009 23:59
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Jerk McJerkface posted:A lot of people recommend having the injectors cleaned, and running some fuel system cleaner through it. The reasoning being that you suck up all the sledge and what not when you drain the tank out. But those fuel cleaners are all snake-oil anyways, right? I've always been leery of this whole "sludge from the bottom of the tank" thing. The pickup is near the bottom of the tank, so, in theory, it should always be sucking up the sludge, right?
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Dec 22, 2009 01:49
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I can't comment about an e24 tank design, but newer pumps sit in a swirl pot so they're slightly isolated from the rest of the tank.
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Dec 22, 2009 02:12
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Brock Landers posted:I've always been leery of this whole "sludge from the bottom of the tank" thing. The pickup is near the bottom of the tank, so, in theory, it should always be sucking up the sludge, right? Typically the nozzle to draw fuel out of the tank isn't a hole in the bottom of the tank, there's a little stand-pipe so it draws fuel from a half inch up. I assume there's a lot of water in the very bottom of gas tanks that would be very bad to draw up. I used to sump small airplanes everyday, and I was always surprised at how much water I would get out.
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Dec 22, 2009 02:36
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If my E36 heater core were leaking, how would I check it? Which panels would I remove? That might be where my coolant is going, since I only get low on coolant in the winter. It seems like its starting to get worse so I'd like to find the leak if there is one. If I did have a leak, is there a quick, cheap solution (ie, any special-made tape I could put over the tube)? edit: I still think my coolant's seeping past my head gasket a little bit, though. Like the gasket isn't seating 100% when it gets real cold out. CornHolio fucked around with this message at 15:31 on Dec 22, 2009 |
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Dec 22, 2009 15:11
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Jerk McJerkface posted:... I haven't noticed much related to #1, but #2 sure does happen. Last week while parking at the mall, another person pulled into the spot next to mine at almost the exact same time. Then reversed out, and moved over 1 spot. When we both got out, they said, 'too nice of a car, man, don't want to ding it!'. I didn't know what to say. Just smiled and said thanks. No one ever did that for my altima 
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Dec 22, 2009 19:00
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King-Kong posted:I haven't noticed much related to #1, but #2 sure does happen. Last week while parking at the mall, another person pulled into the spot next to mine at almost the exact same time. Then reversed out, and moved over 1 spot. When we both got out, they said, 'too nice of a car, man, don't want to ding it!'. I didn't know what to say. Just smiled and said thanks. No one ever did that for my altima I had a non-car guy friend actually say how nice my E36 looked a few days after I cleaned it up real nice. He about poo poo himself when I said it was a '92.
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Dec 22, 2009 19:18
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Doctor Grape Ape posted:I had a non-car guy friend actually say how nice my E36 looked a few days after I cleaned it up real nice. He about poo poo himself when I said it was a '92. Back when I had some insurance adjusters look at hail damage on my E36, they thought it was at least five years newer than it was.
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Dec 22, 2009 19:39
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King-Kong posted:I haven't noticed much related to #1, but #2 sure does happen. Last week while parking at the mall, another person pulled into the spot next to mine at almost the exact same time. Then reversed out, and moved over 1 spot. When we both got out, they said, 'too nice of a car, man, don't want to ding it!'. I didn't know what to say. Just smiled and said thanks. No one ever did that for my altima Man, my E30 does not get anything like that kind of respect at work. I have had to start parking at the edge of the parking lot so I can park on the painted line without taking up two spots. Already have 4 dents from rear end in a top hat coworkers.
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Dec 22, 2009 19:46
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Dyscrasia posted:Man, my E30 does not get anything like that kind of respect at work. I have had to start parking at the edge of the parking lot so I can park on the painted line without taking up two spots. Already have 4 dents from rear end in a top hat coworkers. E30s look "dated" to most people. Even though I think they are one of the best looking cars, most people see them as 80s beaters and don't care about them. If you took the roundel off you could probably get away with telling most people it isn't even a BMW.
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Dec 23, 2009 00:02
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CornHolio posted:If my E36 heater core were leaking, how would I check it? Which panels would I remove? If it's bad enough, you'd probably have coolant dripping from the evap drain lines near the rear of the transmission. Or you'd have a nasty coolant smell in the car when you turn on the heat. Or possibly a smeary mess on the windshield when you use the defroster. And no, there's no quick fix for a leaky core, same as there's no quick fix for a leaky radiator. Or rather, there are quick fixes, they just suck. Whatever you do, don't use stop-leak. That stuff is a nightmare. It's very unlikely that weather is effecting your head gasket. Are you blowing coolant out of the tailpipe?
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Dec 23, 2009 01:13
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peterjmatt posted:It's very unlikely that weather is effecting your head gasket. Are you blowing coolant out of the tailpipe? Nope. Exhaust smells like, er, exhaust.
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Dec 23, 2009 02:03
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Deeply obscure E36 question: what size and threadpitch is your lower alternator bolt? I have an M10-1.25 bolt that won't thread into a 140A Bosch reman alternator, P/N AL0739X (BMW P/N 12311744567, from the shop that diagnosed the bad alternator). Can anyone confirm a Bosch AL746X 140A alternator uses a M10-1.25 thread for the bottom mount bolt? Backstory: The unit I removed was a Valeo, with a Bosch cooling fan blade behind the pulley. It seemed to be fitted with OEM quality mounting bolts and had the pulley had several spacers on the shaft to align it correctly with the belt. It is obviously non-original as it is a reman unit. To complicate matters, there are apparently three options for alternators in my car, one of which is a Valeo but which doesn't resemble the alternator I pulled off the car: http://www.autohausaz.com/search/pr...2412@Alternator RealOEM and BMWfans.info list that BMW P/N along with an M10x1.25 bolt as one of the possibilities for my make and model. I suspected I was sent the wrong part, since there seems to be some ambiguity with the BMW P/N, but both Pelican and AZ Autohaus list a Bosch part with that particular P/N.   
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Dec 23, 2009 07:18
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sanchez posted:This is enough to scare me off owning one to a certain extent. I wonder if it's any better for Audi or any worse for Mercedes. One think I enjoy about Mercedes drivers. When we go on a trip I can count on one to speed up, not let me pass and lead the way. I'm fine with that and let them be the State Trooper bait. Other behaviors I like. My wife's car is an E39. If I'm using her car I sometimes get checked out by women. Sort of a doublecheck that I'm financially viable. If I'm in my E30 M3 I get the look of "grow up already" from women.
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Dec 23, 2009 16:20
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random logic posted:If I'm in my E30 M3 I get the look of "grow up already" from women. They're obviously not very good catches then. 
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Dec 23, 2009 16:27
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Sterndotstern posted:RealOEM and BMWfans.info list that BMW P/N along with an M10x1.25 bolt as one of the possibilities for my make and model. I suspected I was sent the wrong part, since there seems to be some ambiguity with the BMW P/N, but both Pelican and AZ Autohaus list a Bosch part with that particular P/N. It wouldn't surprise me if someone had a store bought unit installed at some point. We deal with the same things on the E46 for the Alternators and Starters, 2 different ones with different electrical connections which you can only figure out by yanking the existing one. Both were used on the same model year cars. I would actually call Turner or Pelican and talk to them, they may be able help sort it out for you. Also check the dedicated E36 boards.
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Dec 23, 2009 17:57
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I have encountered the issue where my AC/Heater fan only works on 4. 0,1,2 and 3 are all off. So it sounds like I need a new blower resistor. Now, there are two part numbers for the blower resistor for a 1991 318IS(M42) on Pelican Parts Blower Resistor for A/C(64-11-1-468-521-M6) and Blower Resistor for Automatic Heater Regulator(64-11-6-912-633-M6). My car does have A/C, so does this mean I should get the Blower Resistor for A/C? I assume there is just one Blower Resistor and it is just a matter of whether the car has A/C or not. Am I correct in this assumption?
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Dec 23, 2009 18:01
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Dyscrasia posted:I have encountered the issue where my AC/Heater fan only works on 4. 0,1,2 and 3 are all off. So it sounds like I need a new blower resistor. I checked on RMeuropean, and they also show the two different part numbers. I'd pull the resistor you have and check the part number on it (if its anything like my E36, it'll be easy to get to). Or call Pelican or RMeuropean, they've always been very helpful for me.
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Dec 23, 2009 18:05
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Can anyone recommend good shocks for an E38? I'm due for some suspension work and have about 100k on the OEMs.
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Dec 23, 2009 23:53
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Sterndotstern posted:Deeply obscure E36 question: what size and threadpitch is your lower alternator bolt? If it isn't M10x1.25, then it should be M10x1.5. Measure the bolt, go to a local hardware store and grab a coarse thread M10 bolt the same length. I highly doubt alternators are mounted using any special type of bolt that you couldn't get at a hardware store.
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Dec 24, 2009 00:14
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OrangeFurious posted:Can anyone recommend good shocks for an E38? I'm due for some suspension work and have about 100k on the OEMs. Bilstein makes shocks for the E38. Not sure if they are in keeping with the character of the car, but they are high quality and will last as long as you own the car. Nothing wrong with going with the OEM Sachs shocks.
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Dec 24, 2009 18:32
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Brock Landers posted:Bilstein makes shocks for the E38. Not sure if they are in keeping with the character of the car, but they are high quality and will last as long as you own the car. Nothing wrong with going with the OEM Sachs shocks. It's a bit of an apples-to-oranges comparison, but I just put Bilstein HD shocks on my E36. It's a stiff ride, but the feel is amazing. Miraculously, there are also far fewer rattles and squeaks to the ride after switching out the old shocks. Also, not sure if the E38 chassis has the same issue with the suspension mounts, but if you're going to stiffen up your ride it wouldn't hurt to put in the reinforcements if they're available.
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Dec 24, 2009 19:20
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I have Bilsteins on my E30. I love them, but if you are looking for a comfortable ride, keep looking.
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Dec 24, 2009 20:53
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i replaced the ones in my e36 m3 with sachs and it's been very good so far, stiff but not harsh
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Dec 24, 2009 21:53
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Dyscrasia posted:I have Bilsteins on my E30. I love them, but if you are looking for a comfortable ride, keep looking. Agreed. I have HDs on the front (PO) and sports in the back (myself) and the ride is pretty harsh. It wasn't really bad until I put polyurethane RTABs in, though. I wish I had known.
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Dec 25, 2009 01:40
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I have Bilstein Sports, H&R springs, UUC SwayBarbarians and the more solid M3 bushings on my E36 and I wish it was a little more stiff. Hmm, project for tomorrow, set the SwayBarbarians at full stiff and see how it rides.
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Dec 25, 2009 02:37
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Brock Landers posted:Bilstein makes shocks for the E38. Not sure if they are in keeping with the character of the car, but they are high quality and will last as long as you own the car. Nothing wrong with going with the OEM Sachs shocks. I'm not looking to change the ride of the car - I don't want to autocross a 740il. From the comments it sounds like the OEM Sachs may be the way to go. The shocks I have now are original with about 95k on them. Would I see a comfort improvement by replacing them? I've been recommended shock replacement intervals ranging from every 50k to never. I've had the car about 8k miles so I don't have new vs now experience for a comparison.
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Dec 25, 2009 05:28
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OrangeFurious posted:I'm not looking to change the ride of the car - I don't want to autocross a 740il. From the comments it sounds like the OEM Sachs may be the way to go. The shocks I have now are original with about 95k on them. Would I see a comfort improvement by replacing them? I've been recommended shock replacement intervals ranging from every 50k to never. Before my dad got rid of his 528iT I helped him swap out the rear shocks for OEM Sachs and it felt like a brand new BMW. It was a '98 with 115k mostly highway miles, and the ones that came off were shot. After the shocks were swaped the car felt a lot more planted and like it just rolled off the showroom floor. Shocks on BMWs are, for the most part, easy to take out and examine for proper function. If you go with the OEM Sachs I would take them off after 50k miles of service and check them out, if they seem sketchy, order another pair. I would honestly go with Bilstein HD all around. They are about the same price, last longer, and are able to be rebuilt. The are slightly stiffer, but I personally think they ride better than the Sachs. The car feels a little firmer, but it will still soak up all the bumps in the road. It's really the best of both worlds.
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Dec 25, 2009 05:46
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It's about time to replace the stock 18" RFTs on my e90. So it's either: -Spend ~$1400 to replace the whole set -Keep trunk space -Keep Harsh ride -Safety benefits or: -Save $600 bucks to replace with non-RFT all-weather tires (looking at Continental DWSs) -lose trunk space -better ride I've driven the Continental DWSs, so I know what to expect - the 50,000 treadwear mile warranty is nice, and I could almost replace the set twice for the cost of the RFTs. The loss of trunk space just kills me though. Argh, anyone have tips? SuperCaptainJ fucked around with this message at 20:10 on Dec 25, 2009 |
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Dec 25, 2009 20:06
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SuperCaptainJ posted:It's about time to replace the stock 18" RFTs on my e90. Are you getting rid of your wheels too? Cause if you are, I may be interesting in buying them.
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Dec 25, 2009 22:57
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SuperCaptainJ posted:It's about time to replace the stock 18" RFTs on my e90. Lots of people on bimmerfest with z4s like to replace the RFTs with non runflats and then just buy an M Mobility Kit that came standard with the e46 m3s...It's basically a little pump and some fix a flat. That way you get the better performance and lower cost of non RFTs with some peace of mind.
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Dec 26, 2009 02:34
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havelock posted:Lots of people on bimmerfest with z4s like to replace the RFTs with non runflats and then just buy an M Mobility Kit that came standard with the e46 m3s...It's basically a little pump and some fix a flat. That way you get the better performance and lower cost of non RFTs with some peace of mind.
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Dec 26, 2009 02:37
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hedge posted:This is what I did with my MINI and I am very happy with the non-runflat tires. Plus, I have AAA just in case. New Premium Package BMWs force you to buy a few years of BMW Assist as well, so you might as well use that if it applies.
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Dec 26, 2009 03:36
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My E90 is having a rough Crimmus. It's abandoned on the highway where it got stuck in the blizzard, with fresh battle damage on the driver's side rear quarterpanel. I managed to Tokyo-driftu right into a state trooper while trying to make a turn. The 3-series is a perfect car for most of the year, but just leave it at home when there is ice on the roads.
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Dec 26, 2009 03:55
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Jerk McJerkface posted:Are you getting rid of your wheels too? Cause if you are, I may be interesting in buying them. sorry dude hedge posted:This is what I did with my MINI and I am very happy with the non-runflat tires. Plus, I have AAA just in case. Cool, think I'll go this route - have roadside assistance through insurance AND credit card. That's enough peace of mind for me.
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Dec 26, 2009 09:56
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