MyE28.com

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.

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. 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.

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




...and the Lord said it was good.
And it was.

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.

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



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

The dust on the dash though... that's all hers.

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.

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.

oops, wrong thread

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!!!

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).

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.

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.

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.

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.

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.

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.

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.

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.

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!!!

davintosh wrote:

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.

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....

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.

I took of my hood bra

Rover has power steering now!!

Feels like a totally different beast. love it.

Now to get it inspected....

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