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Thanks for the tips. I'll be doing my first auto-x this year so I'll get a better idea what how stiff I want the front end then. For now I'm just gonna pull the front swaybar out until I get time to order new links and maybe a new bar.
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Mar 13, 2014 15:57
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Really, don't do that. Leave the bar in until you decide what to replace it with. it's not a tough thing to swap out at a later time. you should look at getting adjustable endlinks when you do find a new bar though.
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Mar 13, 2014 17:28
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What is the issue with not getting adjustable end links? I called Ground Control and asked them and they recommended replacing the links but said it would work with the original. Does it just not fit the best and places more stress on certain parts?
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Mar 13, 2014 17:43
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You have an M3 correct? the swaybars will mount to the struts at fixed points if you do, if you have a non-m they attach to the control arms. When you lower the car you will end up changing the distance between the end of the swaybar and where it connects to via the endlink. Ideally, you want your swaybar to not be preloaded in any way when it's installed and sitting on the ground. It should be about horizontal with the ground and not angled up or down. If you're using stock links and lower the car you might find that it's extremely difficult to connect the two without a ton of preload.
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Mar 13, 2014 18:39
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Since Mini's are allowed to play here too, does anybody know of an mpg gauge add on for the R53? I do mostly country driving to work and I'm still in the process of figuring out what gears are better for what speeds, etc.
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Mar 13, 2014 21:19
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keykey posted:Since Mini's are allowed to play here too, does anybody know of an mpg gauge add on for the R53? I do mostly country driving to work and I'm still in the process of figuring out what gears are better for what speeds, etc. I'm not 100% sure as it depends when your car was made, but if you have the Chilli pack installed (or if it was selected on its own), you should have an onboard computer that will show your average mpg along with another option to tell you what gear to be in. There should be a button at the end of your left ancillary, try pressing it a few times and seeing what options it gives you. Only thing to bear in mind is the fuel consumption on the R53 Cooper S wasn't very good at all, so you might be a tad disappointed. I've got an R56 Cooper S, and I've found so far that my car's engine and fuel consumption seems happier along these rough lines: 0-10mph - 1st 10-20mph - 2nd 20-30mph - 3rd 30-40mph - 4th 40-50mph - 5th 50mph+ - 6th My typical average mpg around town is about 35mpg, and when I'm cruising out on the A roads I typically get about 45-50mpg. Speaking of Mini's being allowed to play here too, I attended the preview event for the 2014 Cooper model tonight at my local dealership and snapped a few photos if anyone was interested. Two examples of the classic Mini. The red one is a 1960s Austin Mini Cooper S with quite the rallying pedigree, and the blue one is a 1990s Rover Mini belonging to the wife of a work colleague of mine.  Going from right to left we have a first generation BMW Mini Cooper S, can't say I'm overly keen on the colour, then we have a black 2nd generation BMW Mini Cooper Inspired by Goodwood, and then in the background we have the new 2014 Mini Cooper.  I had to get a better look at the Goodwood Mini, especially given this would have retailed for £41,000 when new. The exterior itself is pretty classy on its own.  The interior is sickeningly luxurious. Can't say I care much for that automatic gearbox though.  The diesel version of the 2014 Mini Cooper.  Sitting inside the above Cooper. The ignition is that big red switch in the bottom middle of the centre console, and it has a red glow around it that pulses on and off.  The 2014 Cooper S model. Unfortunately people kept walking in front of it, so this was the best shot I could get.  Interior of the Cooper S. The mood lighting in this version of the Cooper S is considerably more noticeable than in my R56 Cooper S. Was also delighted to see it has a manual transmission.  Overall quite impressed after having a good poke around in the new models, although I can't say that the almost tweed feeling of the cloth seat fabric appealed to me at all, but the cloth in the Cooper S was basically like the old models, so it might be a case of just choosing what you want. Still prefer mine though, these interiors might be nice, but they aren't red.
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Mar 13, 2014 23:29
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I drove my friends Mini Cooper recently and it was a fun car, quick and feels very agile. But man that center circle dash display is tacky as hell, it made me feel like that must be what the inside of a VW Bug is like.
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Mar 14, 2014 00:38
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rscott posted:Some people find BMWs aesthetically pleasing and don't really care so much about pressing down a pedal every time they change gears who would have guessed? You know what other companies originally made their reputation with sporty, youth-appealing cars and then gradually softened them up and made them less sporty and more plush to appeal to the same people as they got older until the only people who bought them were coming onto the lot in walkers? Buick and Oldsmobile. Look how well softening up their cars to appeal to older people worked out for them. Nobody in this thread wants to see BMW turn into the next Olds. And if that means championing a transmission option that will keep octogenarians away in droves and bemoaning the BMW minivan and all it represents, then that's what us spergs is gonna do.
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Mar 14, 2014 09:14
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HotCanadianChick posted:You know what other companies originally made their reputation with sporty, youth-appealing cars and then gradually softened them up and made them less sporty and more plush to appeal to the same people as they got older until the only people who bought them were coming onto the lot in walkers? Buick and Oldsmobile. Really? I can't think of a single model from those two that could be considered sporty by any metric.
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Mar 14, 2014 09:18
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dissss posted:Really? I can't think of a single model from those two that could be considered sporty by any metric. You've never heard of a Grand National?
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Mar 14, 2014 09:54
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Or a 442? Back in the 1950s, the fastest, most powerful cars you could get were generally Olds, thanks to the original Rocket V8. One of Olds' earliest models, the Limited, was famous in the 1920s for winning a race against a train. The fact that you don't remember any fast cars from those marques is a testament to the pitfall of chasing the older buyer market too heavily. Instead of softening up their smaller, entry level sports sedans, BMW would be better served by upselling older buyers or those looking for something softer into a lux-trim 5er, instead of bloating their entry level sport sedans down with unnecessary gadgets.
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Mar 14, 2014 10:23
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HotCanadianChick posted:The fact that you don't remember any fast cars from those marques is a testament to the pitfall of chasing the older buyer market too heavily. Or maybe I'm just not North American. Muscles cars and sports cars are very, very different things elsewhere in the world.
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Mar 14, 2014 10:34
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BMW (M cars aside), on the whole, despite sporting pretentious, are not sports cars. They are run of the mill cars, that drive a bit better, and are a bit more luxurious than the equivalent Ford or GM. They have a fancier badge, and matching price tag. At one point the 3 series outsold the equivalent Ford Mondeo in the UK. The majority of people buying them don't care about transmissions. I'd wager even in Europe the higher sales of manuals in 3 series is more down to buyers inertia and cost rather than it being the "better" choice. Being manual and rear wheel drive is not a factor to the majority if people who make up BMW's profit margins. Secondly, the benefits of a manual such as performance and economy are no longer the case with newer automatics. New car buyers (ie. leasers) are unlikely to be fazed by the lower reliability of an auto, which will likely not be an issue until the second or third owner. Yes, a lot of people prefer manuals, and I'm not saying that is without good reason, but the manual is dying out, it is unlikely go completely extinct in enthusiast cars, but the average BMW is not that. This isn't the fault of buyers being idiots, or manufacturers being shortsighted, it is because automatics are getting better. I get it, and agree, driving a manual can be an important part of the driving experience. But when both performance and economy are improved by losing the third pedal I do have to wonder are we all just kidding ourselves about how important a manual is, in a car that will be equally fast, with or without? If we really wanted to have to work for our speed, and feel a sense of achievement for doing it, should we all be driving around in old underpowered cars on skinny tyres instead of fretting about manuals on new driving appliances? Edit: The arguments for manuals are disappearing rapidly, soon the only reason will be "I like doing extra work for no performance gain because it is fun" Which is fine, and I agree, but it is a very weak reason for volume cars to still be made with them, or of non enthusiasts to buy them. For clarification, by autos I mean anything with two pedals, i.e. DSC, flappy paddles, whatever. stump fucked around with this message at 12:45 on Mar 14, 2014 |
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Mar 14, 2014 12:36
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You're also forgetting cost. You can put 500k on a manual transmission with fluid and clutch changes.
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Mar 14, 2014 14:06
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HotCanadianChick posted:You know what other companies originally made their reputation with sporty, youth-appealing cars and then gradually softened them up and made them less sporty and more plush to appeal to the same people as they got older until the only people who bought them were coming onto the lot in walkers? Buick and Oldsmobile. Look how well softening up their cars to appeal to older people worked out for them. And then some other brand is going to come along and fill that niche if there is money to be made in it. And if there isn't money to be made in that niche anymore then blame your peers because that's how the market works. I drive a BMW for the qualities of the car, not the badge so if BMW stops making cars that I like then I will stop driving BMW cars! Pretty simple.
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Mar 14, 2014 14:12
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rscott posted:I drive a BMW for the qualities of the car, not the badge so if BMW stops making cars that I like then I will stop driving BMW cars! Pretty simple. Or you will begin to hoard the ones you like along with all of the associated pieces to keep it running forever  as a recently returned bmw owner I find myself romanticizing the idea of keeping my current car until it dies and if needs be finding a donor chassis in the future to transplant all of the goods onto, but more keeping it forever because why not? It's not like its worth much in the market and I really like it but would also like to own another flavor and different kind. It's really a sickness.
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Mar 14, 2014 14:31
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Right I mean I drive a beat to poo poo eta and don't really have an interest in owning anything much newer than a 95 or so but all this moaning about how BMW is getting away from its roots and poo poo doesn't make sense. The times, they are a changin'. BMW makes cars to make money, not to serve the platonic ideal of the "Superior Driving Machine" or whatever the gently caress marketing thing they're doing. Now you can say that that might not be a good business decision but like I said before, if it isn't, some other company will fill that niche.
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Mar 14, 2014 14:50
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revmoo posted:You're also forgetting cost. You can put 500k on a manual transmission with fluid and clutch changes. Totally agree, but people who worry about such things as transmission life outside of the warranty or lease period aren't of interest to car manufacturers, and don't buy a large proportion of new cars. And purchase cost isn't an issue if manuals aren't readily available, or available at all with particular models, trim levels or engines, and I think that is already the case in the US, and will become more common in Europe over time. I would personally prefer every car did cone with a manual option (and all the other features that appeal to enthusiasts), and that it would forever stay that way, but that isn't going to happen. These things are going away, not because of any level of idiocy, laziness, lack of foresight, overegulation or dumbing down, but because of improvements in technology and the resulting market forces.
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Mar 14, 2014 14:51
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Somewhat Heroic posted:Or you will begin to hoard the ones you like along with all of the associated pieces to keep it running forever I've started a stockpile of good and NOS E21/E30/M3 parts when I see them at good (or reasonable for the M3) prices. Damnit I'm going to drive old BMW's forever.
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Mar 14, 2014 16:27
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I'd bet that 75% of new BMW buyers lease and turn and burn for 3 yrs like an appliance - so they could give exactly zero fucks if the car is still alive at 300k miles, let alone still want to be driving it. BMW will always have an enthusiast market that takes care of and loves not only the newer M's but also the older more classic cars (that mkt now includes E46). Be thankful there are aftermarket parts now, Indy shops all over and interwebs availability as keeping old cars running was a loving nightmare back in the 1980's when I first owned a 1600. Plus all the millenial twats are too busy twitterin' and facebookin' to do any shifting for themselves for God's sake. Get off my lawn. 
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Mar 14, 2014 16:58
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Popete posted:This is the Ground Control coilover setup I ordered, I'm trying to get a list of other suspension parts I'll need on top of whats in the kit. I know someone previously mentioned replacing the control arm bushings I think. Any thoughts, or does the kit cover what I'll need? The control arm bushings are pretty optional, unless they're disastrously worn (ovaled out) you're not going to gain much by replacing them. However, the BIG suspension bushings are definitely wear items and will certainly improve handling if you replace them: the front control arm bushings (FCABs) and rear trailing arm bushings (RTABs). There are lots of choices on the market for both, I personally prefer OEM M3 RTABs and urethane FCABs. For autocross, I would definitely talk to someone with a good-handling E36 if you want setup tips (alignment, bars, etc). Setting up for autocross is quite different than setting up for street driving or road racing.
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Mar 14, 2014 17:32
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So driving home today in the e46 I got the traction control and handbrake warning light up but in orange, not "you left the handbrake on" red. ABS sensor I'm guessing? If so how do I find which one is bad?
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Mar 14, 2014 18:16
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Cakefool posted:So driving home today in the e46 I got the traction control and handbrake warning light up but in orange, not "you left the handbrake on" red. ABS sensor I'm guessing? If so how do I find which one is bad? Have you driven it again since? Because mine has come come on twice in the past 67k, both times it has cleared as soon as I restarted the car.
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Mar 14, 2014 20:08
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Stardotstar posted:The control arm bushings are pretty optional, unless they're disastrously worn (ovaled out) you're not going to gain much by replacing them. However, the BIG suspension bushings are definitely wear items and will certainly improve handling if you replace them: the front control arm bushings (FCABs) and rear trailing arm bushings (RTABs).
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Mar 14, 2014 20:44
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stump posted:Have you driven it again since? Because mine has come come on twice in the past 67k, both times it has cleared as soon as I restarted the car. I had a similar thing happen to me once ('04 E46). The lights came on, stayed on for a couple of power cycles over a couple of days, and then eventually turned themselves off. They haven't come back since, and my ABS/TC/DSC all work normally.  Perhaps totally coincidental, but it happened after getting new tires and a full alignment. Maybe some wacky one-time reading triggered some code in the system and it took some time for it to clear. Guinness fucked around with this message at 21:05 on Mar 14, 2014 |
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Mar 14, 2014 21:02
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I haven't done any work on it recently and it's still on after a couple of power cycles. There's no opportunity to fix it for a couple of weeks anyway so I'll see. Thanks.
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Mar 14, 2014 21:08
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Ludicro posted:I've got an R56 Cooper S, and I've found so far that my car's engine and fuel consumption seems happier along these rough lines: That's pretty much what I'm doing already. Rev to 3500, shift, repeat until I hit 70 since I take country roads to work and back. I'm averaging 29mpg, but I imagine that's because it isn't a perfect commute, there are probably 10 lights inbetween. I guess a secondary question would be, besides ebay motors what is another fairly reasonably priced place to get mini parts? The nearest dealer is about 90 miles away from me.
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Mar 14, 2014 21:51
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Ziploc posted:I'm also looking at picking that up as well. I've come to the same conclusions as you. So I actually went through with it and installed mine a week ago. Took me about three hours, the official do-it-yourself installation instructions are basically useless (especially for my wagon) and recommend laying the cable on the floor, I did it properly, removed the seats and got it jammed in with the rest of the wiring under the trim and carpet or whatever. Works as advertised. It's seriously awesome to have audio input and controls on my fifteen year old BMW's stock head unit working with my three month old iPhone, all over bluetooth so I don't even have to take it out of my pocket. Siri works much better too now that's it's running through a microphone mounted in my visor. The display doesn't work, probably because I didn't read the instructions and flip the switches to the correct position, but I prefer it that way because the constantly scrolling audio info would just drive me crazy.
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Mar 14, 2014 22:24
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NOTinuyasha posted:~Cool poo poo.~ CD43? Or C33?
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Mar 14, 2014 23:07
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keykey posted:I guess a secondary question would be, besides ebay motors what is another fairly reasonably priced place to get mini parts? The nearest dealer is about 90 miles away from me. Ebay, Amazon and Rock Auto make up probably 80% of my online parts purchasing, with PartsGeek, FCP, Car-part, and the other assorted online BMW retailers making up the rest. I've had really good luck with Amazon's "warehouse deals" or some poo poo, I can't remember exactly what they call it. The item shows up as "used" in the Amazon Warehouse, but (at least in my experience) it's been a new item with a dented or non-original box. At less than half the Amazon cost of the new part.
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Mar 15, 2014 00:31
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I think the distinction is a uniquely American one. If you look at options, engine sizes, and standard equipment here vs the EU member countries you realize that the states get better BMWs than the rest of the world. As a result the BMW equivalent of a J body doesn't exist to US buyers - we never got the really poverty spec versions of the cars because BMW knew the perception of German engineering could be used to their advantage in the states. Same with Merc and Audi. The brand reputation BMW has in the US is in fact based on its reputation as a fast, good handling car that's comfortable and well equipped. Keep in mind that Cadillac saw the folly of the thinking that led them into being an old man's brand, and adopted the German approach to shed their image as a vendor of FWD hearses for the not-quite-yet-deceased.
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Mar 15, 2014 00:40
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I'm buying a Motive power bleeder; do any of you know which adapter type do I need for my E46? Is it 1109?
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Mar 15, 2014 02:28
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1100 or 1109.
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Mar 15, 2014 02:43
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Ziploc posted:CD43? Or C33? C33, I think.
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Mar 15, 2014 04:26
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Ugh, so at my mechanic's behest, I replaced the injectors on my 335i - been experiencing stumbling under hard acceleration, mainly in third gear right around 3000 RPM. Same problem still occurring - and I programmed the new injectors using the INPA software, so it's not a matter of miscalibration. Ideas? I'm guessing (and hoping) that it's spark plugs, given that the car has 88,000 km on what I'm pretty sure are its original plugs.
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Mar 15, 2014 05:03
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TeamIce posted:Ideas? I'm guessing (and hoping) that it's spark plugs, given that the car has 88,000 km on what I'm pretty sure are its original plugs. Wait.....you replaced INJECTORS before plugs? And nobody is going to be able to give you a qualified answer as to what you should do without live data taken during the stumbling.
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Mar 15, 2014 05:17
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Motronic posted:Wait.....you replaced INJECTORS before plugs?
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Mar 15, 2014 05:50
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Yeah, beginning to think I was given some lovely advice by him in this case...guess I'll do plugs next since they're cheap, and just mentally justify the injectors as "preventative maintenance" given that apparently these cars have considerable injector problems anyhow. Ugh. Live and learn.
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Mar 15, 2014 05:58
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Plugs are rated to 75,000km on the N54, and I'd consider even that a lot of km's for an engine like that. If those plugs are original they're way overdue. Your symptoms mirror what I've seen from a few cars with a really large spark plug gap or damaged electrode.
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Mar 15, 2014 07:18
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Started doing my shocks today, got the pass. side apart and discovered the strut top bearing is shot. Put it back together with the new shock but left the other 4 till I have new strut tops. Bugger, at least I'm going to be very familiar with my front suspension by the end of this! Edit: Quick question: does the bump stop just sit on the shock without any other attachment? stump fucked around with this message at 20:32 on Mar 15, 2014 |
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Mar 15, 2014 20:29
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