|
Those glovebox cup holders are not quite as good as the wine glass holders in a Porsche 944 glovebox.
|
#
?
Feb 14, 2011 12:16
|
|
|
|
| # ? May 28, 2024 03:02 |
|
|
See, as the driver, I really don't need any cupholders. My passenger usually uses the ones in the front. I just find it odd that BMW would put two 'trays' between the two seats in the rear, rather than two molded cupholders. I mean, what are they going to put in those trays?
|
|
#
?
Feb 14, 2011 14:23
|
|
|
Cigarette packs, I assume.
|
|
#
?
Feb 14, 2011 15:46
|
|
|
Das Volk posted:If I recall correctly your E46 doesn't hit peak torque until 3500, you better go trade it in right now for a CTS-V so you have enough displacement that you can lug the engine everywhere you go. Umm, I wasn't being sarcastic. And yes I hardly ever let the tach drop below 2000 or so while driving, which is why I don't really understand the need for peak torque at 1200 rpm. Maybe you misread my post? I was agreeing with you.
|
|
#
?
Feb 14, 2011 16:00
|
|
|
ozziegt posted:Umm, I wasn't being sarcastic. And yes I hardly ever let the tach drop below 2000 or so while driving, which is why I don't really understand the need for peak torque at 1200 rpm. Maybe you misread my post? I was agreeing with you. It's not a need, but it's nice with the right kind of engine. Have you ever driven a modern American-style V8? A 6MT Camaro or Corvette is spinning somewhere in the low 1000s in 6th at legal speeds, but they can still go when you get on the pedal. I kind of miss that from my old Fords, being able to cruise at 70 and barely hear the engine rather than the 3200 RPM drone my 325 gives me. Regardless, if the car is tuned for the power delivery of the engine and you're in the right gear it shouldn't matter. My 325 does a top gear 60-80 just as fast (by the rear end dyno) as my Thunderbird did even with the completely different power curve because it's geared for what the engine likes.
|
|
#
?
Feb 14, 2011 21:47
|
|
|
I have two cup holders that pop out above the glovebox. I thought they would be crap, but they can hold a giant Whataburger cup just fine.
|
|
#
?
Feb 14, 2011 22:13
|
|
|
8ender posted:You bastards should be thankful you even have cupholders up front. The most BMW was willing to do with the E34 was "the trough". I can fit a small Tim Hortons coffee in there safely: Maybe BMW sells cupholder modules that fit in the trough? Some later e36's have a similar trough designed to hold various modules (cupholder, coin dispenser, ash tray). You can shuffle them around, which is kind of neat. Naturally, the cupholders are still completely useless.
|
|
#
?
Feb 15, 2011 00:33
|
|
|
My buddy's X3 has these awesome little things in the dash that you press and the cup holder pops out. I annoy the poo poo out of him because I end up poking them for the entire car ride, but they are really convenient since you don't have to have them taking up space unless you need them. Did any of the E46s come with those?
|
|
#
?
Feb 15, 2011 01:09
|
|
|
8ender posted:You bastards should be thankful you even have cupholders up front. The most BMW was willing to do with the E34 was "the trough". I can fit a small Tim Hortons coffee in there safely: Lucky. The e30 doesn't even get the trough. I learned to drive with one hand, switching from steering wheel to shifter when necessary. Luckily my commute is 99% highway after the tim hortons.
|
|
#
?
Feb 15, 2011 01:20
|
|
|
In a few weeks it will be summer (I live in Texas) and I am the proud owner of a black 1998 BMW with Black Leather that spent most of it's time in SoCal. I picked up some of those Meguiar's leather "cleaning and conditioning" wipes at the auto parts store for $10 which are ok, but the actual seating surface of the driver's seat is getting to the point where it looks like it might be forming a crack and/or start chipping in 6-8 months time, especially given Texas' weeklong 100+ in the shade June-September. What's the skinny on leather care? When I google for Real Information, google just returns a bunch of lovely sites with people trying to sell me magic Is there some magical, 9 step, 3 week leather conditioning process from Zaino I need to know about? I don't think it's possible to return them to factory condition, but I might have a chance at factory condition + 5 years. And B) Who still makes real, quality car wax? All I can find around here is carwax goo. It seems a hard wax like traditional turtle wax would be more durable. My dad used to use that stuff all the time but he passed away and now I can't find it locally anymore. I guess the goo is just that much easier to use?
|
|
#
?
Feb 15, 2011 03:29
|
|
|
Not much of a detailer, but you could try reading around here: http://www.autopia.org/forum/guide-detailing/ or one of the other subforums on there, you should be able to find some good information.
|
|
#
?
Feb 15, 2011 03:40
|
|
|
Hadlock posted:
Leatherique. End of story.
|
|
#
?
Feb 15, 2011 06:09
|
|
|
wallaka posted:Leatherique. End of story. This is truth. Spend the $60 or whatever and get the rejuvenation and cleaning kit. Personally, I'd recommend getting 2x as much cleaner as rejuvenator as you'll be using it more often. Detailing 101: The difference between a wax and a polish: a wax is something you put on top of your paint to protect it from the elements and bring out its natural depth and luster; a polish is something you do to correct scratches and swirls before you wax. On black cars especially, it is absolutely necessary to polish (preferably with a machine) to get a black, reflective shine. Now let's talk about "waxes". If you live in Texas, wax won't do you much good. A black car in the sun can easily heat up to over 200* surface temp, and the wax will absolutely break down and lose adhesion to your paint at those temperatures, thus failing to provide protection against the elements (like bird poo poo). What you need is called sealant. Sealant is a polymer that has a tighter bond between the paint and the protective layer. Good ones are made by reputable companies including Klasse, Jetseal, and many others. Many will claim to help "eliminate" scratches and swirl marks, but that's bullshit: only a machine polish can do that. What these do is sorta fill the fine scratches for a couple of days (or maybe even one wash cycle). Sealants can be built up in layers, basically forming another clearcoat on your paint if you're super anal about your car. Finally, you can wax over sealants, but not the other way around. Sealants provide a baseline of protection against UV, bird poo poo, hard water, and any number of other loving menaces to a good looking black car. Here's an example of a decent detailer doing a thorough job: http://www.autogeekonline.net/forum/show-n-shine/19229-petrucci-detailed-1999-bmw-cosmos-m3.html That poo poo takes all weekend (2.5 days) to complete by someone who has done dozens of them with thousands of dollars in specialized equipment. If you don't want to pay $250-300 for that kind of detailing (which will include an interior cleaning as well), I highly recommend you find a local detailer, ask what their rate for a machine polish and sealant is, and take a weekend to do the interior yourself. It is far easier to be thorough with cheap tools (basically water, microfiber and Invisible Glass with maybe some vacuuming thrown in) on the inside rather than the outside. Sterndotstern fucked around with this message at 06:47 on Feb 15, 2011 |
|
#
?
Feb 15, 2011 06:44
|
|
|
Hey guys, I hope to be entering the exciting world of BMW ownership soon. I've long lusted after the E36 models specifically, but made the mistake of settling for a Lexus SC300 instead. Now I am getting rid of that car and I am searching for E36 M3's. I scanned through a few pages of the thread here and there, but can anyone point me to things that should make me run away from an M3? I know the cooling systems could be somewhat temperamental if not maintained, and some of the suspension bushings can prematurely wear, so besides that. I'm basically only looking at 96-99 5 speed, two door, hard top models. I'm not opposed to light modding (I am probably going to do a race pipe, intake manifold swap, CAI, and tune) if that helps.
|
|
#
?
Feb 15, 2011 06:58
|
|
|
CamH posted:Hey guys Start here: http://www.edgemotorworks.com/index.php?option=com_content&task=view&id=24&Itemid=55 Learn to use your fingernail to inspect a brake rotor. Bring a jack to any car you're serious about, get one corner up in the air and inspect the shocks (leaking = bad) and control arm bushings (unless they're polyurethane [usually red or purple] or the owner has receipts showing replacement, they're bad). Listen to the engine carefully, if it rattles it might need Dr. Vanos. Next time I go shopping for another car, I'm going to create a photoessay: "How to inspect an E36-E46 BMW in 30 minutes in a parking lot" I'd really, really consider going in with $1500 (minimum) set aside for post-purchase refresh. EDIT FOR CONTENT FROM LATER IN THE THREAD: --------------------------------------------- Sterndotstern posted:My rule of thumb when considering any used BMW, especially E36s is: tack on no less than $1500 for parts to refresh the car post purchase. http://edgemotorworks.com/index.php?option=com_content&task=view&id=24&Itemid=55 Sterndotstern posted:
Sterndotstern fucked around with this message at 07:09 on Feb 15, 2011 |
|
#
?
Feb 15, 2011 07:06
|
|
|
Sterndotstern posted:Start here: Thank you! This is exactly what I needed. Now I have a list of things to look for to get some bargaining points while I'm out shopping.
|
|
#
?
Feb 15, 2011 07:22
|
|
|
Sterndotstern posted:Learn to use your fingernail to inspect a brake rotor. Listen to the engine carefully, if it rattles it might need Dr. Vanos. Where were you when I bought mine? Admittedly I've loved learning how to do control arms/bushings and the cooling system but it would have been good to look for. A lip on the rotor edge means you need new rotors right? Or does it mean something else. Also as far as the vanos goes, what kind of rattle are we talking about? How insane of a job is Dr. Vanos if you're fairly handy and have a Bentley.... E: I should clarify I'm in a '99 e46 328i Deceptor101 fucked around with this message at 08:35 on Feb 15, 2011 |
|
#
?
Feb 15, 2011 08:05
|
|
|
Crustashio posted:Lucky. The e30 doesn't even get the trough. I learned to drive with one hand, switching from steering wheel to shifter when necessary. Luckily my commute is 99% highway after the tim hortons. Well the trough is the luxury you can only get with a high priced E34 5 series. Too bad about your E30, try not to burn yourself. 
|
|
#
?
Feb 15, 2011 08:10
|
|
|
Deceptor101 posted:A lip on the rotor edge means you need new rotors right? Or does it mean something else. Also as far as the vanos goes, what kind of rattle are we talking about? How insane of a job is Dr. Vanos if you're fairly handy and have a Bentley.... As you drag your fingernail along the rotor from inside to out, you'll feel for any undulations in the rotor that indicate heavy wear, especially anything at all jagged. As your finger approachs the outer edge of the rotor, you'll feel the lip created where the pad material doesn't abrade disc material away. You can easily gauge how deeply worn the rotors are, a significant lip is ~3mm. M3 rotors can't be machined, they must be replaced. I don't know the specifics of the rattle, no car I've ever owned exhibits it but I've heard it at the track. It's distinct from lifter tick, but if you don't compare them side by side it's tough to describe the difference.
|
|
#
?
Feb 15, 2011 09:56
|
|
|
I own one of these puppies so I figure I'll chime in.CornHolio posted:While my car is getting fixed, the dealer gave me a 2011 128i as a loaner, for free. Some notes: It's pretty good as a daily with the stick. Honestly, most of my commute is highway so it's not like I feel that I'm missing out on the power with the 135, and torque is available pretty low and the engine likes to rev. The 6sp manual is nice. CornHolio posted:- The car is very comfortable though the ergonomics are a little odd. Some of the buttons on the steering wheel are not clear as to what they do (though this woulod be solved by reading the user manual, of course) and the cruise control stalk cannot be seen behind the steering wheel without craning one's neck. Minor nitpickings, though. I don't have an issue with the steering wheel buttons (I think you'd get adjusted to that in about a day), but I agree with the cruise control stalk. Some controls are difficult to see and hard to operate by feel. Also, in my typical driving position, the little light on the wiper stalk that tells you the rain-sensing wipers are on and off is screened by the wheel, so I have to crane my neck to see. Wouldn't be a problem if they handled snow better, but when it snows they sometimes don't work. CornHolio posted:- No cupholders in the backseat. I can understand only two in the front, but backseat passengers like to have cupholders. Instead there's large trays in the middle for phones or something. Only one of the cupholders up front is actually functional, as well. The rear one is screened by the center armrest and is impossible to fit anything in. I use it for change and dirt storage. TheThirdMan those little pop out holders are the most annoying thing on earth and they break if you look at em wrong.
|
|
#
?
Feb 15, 2011 15:08
|
|
|
The cruise control is easy to use once you get used to it. There have been several times when I've meant to slow down and end up flashing my brights. You just have to get used to it. I agree on the wipers though, it's annoying having to move my head around to see if the auto wipers are on.
|
|
#
?
Feb 15, 2011 16:47
|
|
|
CamH posted:I scanned through a few pages of the thread here and there, but can anyone point me to things that should make me run away from an M3? This guy spends about 30 minutes going over the e36 m3 and what to look for when buying one (there are three parts). Definitely worth the time to watch if you are looking at buying one. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=k4Z7WrN-tSE
|
|
#
?
Feb 16, 2011 01:31
|
|
|
Xy Hapu posted:Maybe BMW sells cupholder modules that fit in the trough? (e34) When I bought my e34 540i, it came with like every accessory BMW made for it, including the CD changer, door pocket change holder, alarm, telephone, and cup holder. The cup holder just slides over the little lip on the console around the shifter on the left or right side of it and is held pretty much just by gravity. It doesn't stay on for poo poo the way it comes stock, but if you put a piece of velcro on the long side of the cupholder and the side of the console it works great. E: This thing, BMW 82 11 1 468 721. 
Lowclock fucked around with this message at 01:45 on Feb 16, 2011 |
|
#
?
Feb 16, 2011 01:37
|
|
|
Cojawfee posted:I have two cup holders that pop out above the glovebox. I thought they would be crap, but they can hold a giant Whataburger cup just fine. I have the same thing in my E60, but I can't stand them. They feel flimsy, and let the drink flop around way too much.
|
|
#
?
Feb 16, 2011 02:16
|
|
|
I took my E46 cupholders out for a eurotray years ago and haven't missed it. I drink coffee at home and when at work and don't drink Big Gulps and other poo poo I've seen in people's cupholders and have a bottle of water in my backpack if I am suddenly dying of thirst on the interstate. I will admit to having placed the occasional afternoon coffee in the tray in a pinch (with no problems I might add) - though with a 5 speed you have to be careful and slamming into it even WITH the
|
|
#
?
Feb 16, 2011 02:30
|
|
|
squash86 posted:I have the same thing in my E60, but I can't stand them. They feel flimsy, and let the drink flop around way too much. The ones in my E90 feel solid enough. And nothing can really flop around.
|
|
#
?
Feb 16, 2011 02:41
|
|
|
I think the e36 cupholders are probably the best ones I've seen on a BMW - the spring loaded clamps work pretty well and the cups don't get in the way of the shifter. I've definetely seen worse - the ones on my 98 civic really hated any acceleration. One day they decided my footwell wanted a sip of coke.
|
|
#
?
Feb 16, 2011 03:15
|
|
|
My E46 cupholder is really nice. I say cupholder because although there are two, the aft one is blocked by the armrest. It fits a small coffee cup just fine though, allowing the armrest to come down. Great for a backup cup of coffee. v  vOh, and there are no cupholders in the back. The armrest that flops out of the seat doesn't have any. WTF, BMW?
|
|
#
?
Feb 16, 2011 04:12
|
|
|
Mark Larson posted:My E46 cupholder is really nice. I say cupholder because although there are two, the aft one is blocked by the armrest. It fits a small coffee cup just fine though, allowing the armrest to come down. Great for a backup cup of coffee. v My E82 has 1 cupholder under the armrest so it is useless, the one in front of that was replaced with the idrive knob. They included a cupholder that snaps into the center console to the right of the gear lever but it broke after its second use.
|
|
#
?
Feb 16, 2011 04:45
|
|
|
Sterndotstern posted:This is truth. Spend the $60 or whatever and get the rejuvenation and cleaning kit. Personally, I'd recommend getting 2x as much cleaner as rejuvenator as you'll be using it more often. This is what my driver's side seat looks like. 12 years old and 156,000 miles. The other three seats, I'm pretty sure have 8 hours of use between the three of them combined and otherwise the entire interior looks brand new. Does this look salvageable?  Sterndotstern posted:Detailing 101: You live in Texas, What you need is called sealant. My car's paint is pretty flawless, however there are some light scratches that show up on the driver's side under direct light. Is this something sealant can help with? If they can make the car look as good as in the link you posted for $300, where do I sign up?? Does he do headlights too?  And here's a reminder to myself why I dump money into this pit  :
|
|
#
?
Feb 16, 2011 07:33
|
|
help "eliminate" scratches and swirl marks
|
Hadlock posted:Does this look salvageable? Hadlock posted:My car's paint is pretty flawless, however there are some light scratches that show up on the driver's side under direct light. Is this something sealant can help with? If they can make the car look as good as in the link you posted for $300, where do I sign up?? Does he do headlights too? Sealant can't help cover scratches (at least not much), but a couple layers of sealant around the door handles can prevent scratches. To get rid of the scratches will take a machine polish (a dual-action polisher or orbital polisher) and some polish. There are dozens of brands of polish, each with several different levels of cut and finish, so it's best to leave all of this to a pro unless you want to spend a lot of time doing trial-and-error somewhere inconspicuous. The guy I posted is just one of the local Phoenix-area detailers. I would strongly recommend taking an afternoon and driving around to a couple of local detailers to get quotes, or let your fingers do the walking and call them to discuss their process and pricing.
|
|
#
?
Feb 16, 2011 16:36
|
|
|
Sterndotstern posted:As you drag your fingernail along the rotor from inside to out, you'll feel for any undulations in the rotor that indicate heavy wear, especially anything at all jagged. As your finger approachs the outer edge of the rotor, you'll feel the lip created where the pad material doesn't abrade disc material away. You can easily gauge how deeply worn the rotors are, a significant lip is ~3mm. M3 rotors can't be machined, they must be replaced. I'm not going to touch vanos then. After reading up on it, I'm not experiencing symptoms, although at 168k I should be according to Besian. As far as brakes go, does anyone have any advice on rotors and pads to buy? I love them, but half the e46fanatics community is so concerned with aesthetics that everyone recommends cross drilled. Once (If?  )I deal with my rear diff mounts I will be tracking the car, so I'd like rotors that can handle it. There's a million companies who make rotors though. I'm actually measuring my rotors today, but I have a feeling I need to replace them.
|
|
#
?
Feb 16, 2011 17:22
|
|
|
Deceptor101 posted:As far as brakes go, does anyone have any advice on rotors and pads to buy? Zimmerman or brembo blanks. Crossdrilled rotors are only good for hard parking, not really so much for the track (they tend to crack). For pads, you sorta have to decide between changing pads for the track (recommended) or having pads you can daily drive and drive to the track. Dual purpose pads DUST. A LOT. Street pads can be delivered in a nearly dust-free compound; search the forums for recommendations.
|
|
#
?
Feb 16, 2011 17:30
|
|
|
Just got a '05 530i and I live in the fine state of Massachusetts. I've never lived in a police state that requires front plates and the car doesn't have holes for them. Is it worth taking to the dealer and getting holes drilled or should I just zip tie to the mesh under the bumper for the inspection and deal with it later? I've seen the plate mounts that go on the tow hole but my OCD says they look terrible off center.
|
|
#
?
Feb 16, 2011 19:01
|
|
|
Yeah I'm going to avoid cross drilled like the plague. Whats the thoughts on slotted? Only good if you have tons of money to burn? Better to spend the money on pads? What's the consensus on bimmerbrakes.com's stuff. Their blank rotors are much cheaper than I've been able to find zimmerman or brembo's. Perhaps I'm not looking at the right sites. I'm definitely going to go with changing pads at the track too, it takes so little time. e: Revmoo's idea is much better. Deceptor101 fucked around with this message at 20:41 on Feb 16, 2011 |
|
#
?
Feb 16, 2011 19:03
|
|
|
Waroen posted:Just got a '05 530i and I live in the fine state of Massachusetts. I've never lived in a police state that requires front plates and the car doesn't have holes for them. If it's anything like my car, you can buy a replacement trim strip that will have the proper holes. I can't imagine yours is any different. Check Realoem.com.
|
|
#
?
Feb 16, 2011 19:23
|
|
|
Waroen posted:Just got a '05 530i and I live in the fine state of Massachusetts. I've never lived in a police state that requires front plates and the car doesn't have holes for them. #27
|
|
#
?
Feb 16, 2011 22:15
|
|
|
Waroen posted:Just got a '05 530i and I live in the fine state of Massachusetts. I've never lived in a police state that requires front plates and the car doesn't have holes for them. I live in Illinois and my car was originally from Florida. It has no plate holes on the front end and I've never once been harassed by police for front license plates. It may really depend on how strict Massachusetts State Police or your local police are. I've never been bothered for them nor license plate covers. Chances are if you are bothered it'll be a fix-it ticket or a non-moving violation one that can be solved by buying the proper piece and mounting the plate, going to court, showing proof you fixed it, then getting it dropped. That's the absolute worse case scenario.
|
|
#
?
Feb 16, 2011 23:49
|
|
|
You could always just stick the license plate on the dash.
|
|
#
?
Feb 17, 2011 04:36
|
|
|
|
| # ? May 28, 2024 03:02 |
|
|
I live in Springfield, MA and literally hundreds of people drive around with the front plate in the windshield. The police here are generally chill though... if you're white.
|
|
#
?
Feb 17, 2011 04:45
|
|
