What did you do to your other car(s) today?

General conversations about BMW E28s and the people who own them.
Mike W.
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Location: California Whine Country

Re: What did you do to your other car(s) today?

Post by Mike W. »

I wouldn't say the E39it has been unreliable, but it does seem needier than it should be, but maybe it's just what happens trying to stay ahead of the curve at 245K on a car with lots of plastic in it.

An alignment, first in 120K, front was close, rear was out on both camber and tow, fortunately they did align it and didn't tell me to replace the worn parts. :laugh:

An alternator, new since a regulator is more than a brand new one. A new P/S filter, valve cover gasket, plugs, which did look real tired, I mean WTF they only had 100K on them. :laugh: And hatch struts for the tailgate. Again. These lasted less than 4 years, maybe I should complain to the Parts Pimps former employer. Or maybe just save my breath.

Most importantly I found my coolant leak, the damned electric thermostat. I replaced the last one premptively since they are weak and it had almost 100K on it, but this one is at less than 40K and leaking. Crap. My M and R cost per mile skyrocketed this past week from $.040 to $.046/mile. Tires mostly, even cheap 235/45-17's aren't cheap.
TSMacNeil
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Location: Phoenix, Arizona

Re: What did you do to your other car(s) today?

Post by TSMacNeil »

Well...my brothers' '62 was the ride for the week. I hoped it would be "good"


Image

...and the Lord said it was good.
And it was.
OcCoupe
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Re: What did you do to your other car(s) today?

Post by OcCoupe »

This happened today:

https://plus.google.com/photos/10880643 ... 0707728615

I know it isn't a "running" engine but it is ready for the next step.
davintosh
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Re: What did you do to your other car(s) today?

Post by davintosh »

The daughter's little red Compact hit a mileage milestone today:

Image

Since it's one of the cars for which I am responsible, I feel I can take some credit for that. :cool:
But I guess I'm also responsible for that stupid CEL that doesn't want to stay gone. :evil:

The dust on the dash though... that's all hers.
slammin_e28
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Re: What did you do to your other car(s) today?

Post by slammin_e28 »

Pulled the entire memory harness from a parts e34.

I have the seats. Waiting to get the mirrors.

Then I got 90% of the side marker harness......what a RIDICULOUS setup. The side markers go to the BACK of the car, and have splices that go forward to a yellow connector under the dash. SO I cut it with plenty of slack to wire them into the front markers.
cddallara
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Location: Lagunitas, Ca

Re: What did you do to your other car(s) today?

Post by cddallara »

Drove it the other day and realized my obc readout and SRS light are the only ones that seem to be working in the dash.
:laugh:
mgoblue
Posts: 185
Joined: Dec 11, 2013 9:20 AM
Location: N Arlington, VA

Re: What did you do to your other car(s) today?

Post by mgoblue »

oops, wrong thread
w0014170
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Joined: Nov 12, 2007 12:24 AM
Location: Deep South

Re: What did you do to your other car(s) today?

Post by w0014170 »

Loaded up the trunk with old boat manifolds, outdrives, Mercedes twin cam v8 heads, and searched out a dumpster to challenge the hydraulics of the lift truck...SUCCESS!!!
1st 5er
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Re: What did you do to your other car(s) today?

Post by 1st 5er »

tig
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Re: What did you do to your other car(s) today?

Post by tig »

Lovely day for a drive in the 911 to go see another 88 911. Now it's all wiped down and under the car cover for a winter nap (well, at least until we get some more nice weather around here).
davintosh
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Re: What did you do to your other car(s) today?

Post by davintosh »

Got a couple of nagging problems sorted out today; first was on the daughter's 318ti. She had mentioned that the brake lining warning light would intermittently blink. It never did it when I drove the car. I remembered the sensors looked fine when I last had the wheels off, just a month or so ago, but checked them out when mounting the snow tires today, and found the one on the front left was cracked. Picked up a fresh one (Adv. Auto actually had them!) and all is well. Then on the X5 the ABS/DSC/BRAKE lights would come on intermittently. I finally got around to hooking the Romanian diagnostic software up to the thing and it told me the left front ABS sensor had lost contact. The sensor is only a year or so old, so I checked it out & found that the crappy cracked connector in the wheel well had slipped loose. I had already ordered a replacement connector, so I slipped the contacts out of the old one and into the new, and done. No more Christmas lights on the dash. I love it when things come together like that.
cddallara
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Re: What did you do to your other car(s) today?

Post by cddallara »

Went to smog it yesterday only to have my worn out pedal bushings bite me. The test was aborted because neither the tech, nor I could get it to/keep it at 25 for long enough.
Of course there was no feedback as to how it did at 15, emissionswise. Oh well, I need to change them and the throttle cable bushings anyway.
DanOKC
Posts: 294
Joined: Jun 15, 2006 4:30 PM

Re: What did you do to your other car(s) today?

Post by DanOKC »

I installed a new seatbelt latch/buckle/thingy that you plug the seatbelt into on the 318is, and a new hood hydraulic support. I cut the pipes off the since departed 528e's catalytic convertor to sell it, and did the same with an extra used cat I got with my 535is. I'll sell those cats & retire with the cash I get. :laugh:
davintosh
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Re: What did you do to your other car(s) today?

Post by davintosh »

Added to the fleet; 2001 e46 325i. A nice little car that will likely replace my daughter's 318ti. 114k on the clock, very decent paint, near perfect interior... She will really appreciate the leather seats, cruise control, and 6-cylinder engine, all of which are missing on her Compact.
slammin_e28
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Re: What did you do to your other car(s) today?

Post by slammin_e28 »

Got my PS finally plumbed up on the Rover.....just need a belt now.

....and I'm having rounds with Lucas and a mysterious battery draw via the dome lamp circuit....this should be fun.
davintosh
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Re: What did you do to your other car(s) today?

Post by davintosh »

Image

One of the things I noticed about the car was the mismatched tires front to back. Then this morning I found that the full-size spare had about a foot long leak in the sidewall. My tire guy didn't think he could fix that ;) so it's getting two new tires on the front to match the tires on the back (they are less than a year old.)

Dang I like this car. I may have to rethink my e32 ownership & shop for another e46.
rmiddendorf
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Re: What did you do to your other car(s) today?

Post by rmiddendorf »

davintosh wrote:I may have to rethink my e32 ownership & shop for another e46.

Dang... too bad I've decided that I can only use one E32 in my business or I'd buy yours!

I see a Ford Transit in my business future in the next two or three years.
slammin_e28
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Re: What did you do to your other car(s) today?

Post by slammin_e28 »

rmiddendorf wrote:
davintosh wrote:I may have to rethink my e32 ownership & shop for another e46.



I see a Mercedes Sprinter in my business future in the next two or three years.
Fixed.
rmiddendorf
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Re: What did you do to your other car(s) today?

Post by rmiddendorf »

slammin_e28 wrote:
rmiddendorf wrote:
davintosh wrote:I may have to rethink my e32 ownership & shop for another e46.



I see a Mercedes Sprinter in my business future in the next two or three years.
Fixed.
That won't fit in my garage- or else it would be true!!!
JSmoove
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Location: Oakdale, MN

Re: What did you do to your other car(s) today?

Post by JSmoove »

davintosh wrote:Image

One of the things I noticed about the car was the mismatched tires front to back. Then this morning I found that the full-size spare had about a foot long leak in the sidewall. My tire guy didn't think he could fix that ;) so it's getting two new tires on the front to match the tires on the back (they are less than a year old.)

Dang I like this car. I may have to rethink my e32 ownership & shop for another e46.
I really do like my 2003 E46. I might have to sell it next spring, because being a construction site inspector and showing up on site with BMW doesn't lend yourself to many friendly conversations with construction workers. Also need more room for my survey equipment.
slammin_e28
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Re: What did you do to your other car(s) today?

Post by slammin_e28 »

rmiddendorf wrote:
slammin_e28 wrote:
rmiddendorf wrote:
davintosh wrote:I may have to rethink my e32 ownership & shop for another e46.



I see a Mercedes Sprinter in my business future in the next two or three years.
Fixed.
That won't fit in my garage- or else it would be true!!!
So.....you're telling me you just need to build a bigger garage.....may as well build it to fit ALL your cars then.... ;) ;) ;)
tig
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Re: What did you do to your other car(s) today?

Post by tig »

My wife may have traded it (2008 135I vert) in for a Q5. I only know this because when I came home last night there was a new white Q5 in the garage.
adrian in florida
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Re: What did you do to your other car(s) today?

Post by adrian in florida »

I took of my hood bra
slammin_e28
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Re: What did you do to your other car(s) today?

Post by slammin_e28 »

Rover has power steering now!!

Feels like a totally different beast. love it.

Now to get it inspected....
davintosh
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Re: What did you do to your other car(s) today?

Post by davintosh »

Watched the X5's new owner drive it away. Happy trails, Randy!
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