Car Enthusiast Club [Now Motorcycle friendly!] - First thread to 150k! ¯\_(ツ)_/¯

[bcredeur97]

2 hours ago, iDeFecZx said:

Agreed. Shame general maintenance items on them are stupidly expensive. Set of tyres on this one was just shy of £2k!!!

-snip-

This is partly why I want base model 18” wheels.

 

tires are way cheaper and also there’s more sidewall... this trend of having Almost no sidewallneeds to die

[iDeFecZx]

5 hours ago, bcredeur97 said:

This is partly why I want base model 18” wheels.

 

tires are way cheaper and also there’s more sidewall... this trend of having Almost no sidewallneeds to die

Yeah, these were 21s on "low profile" runflats.

[aDoomGuy]

8 hours ago, 711jrp said:

Probably these or Bosch aero https://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/NEU-1-Satz-Scheibenwischer-FLAT-AERO-5-er-BMW-E39-1995-2004-Neuheit/261006828788?ssPageName=STRK%3AMEBIDX%3AIT&_trksid=p2057872.m2749.l2649

Yeah exactly those, thanks a lot buddy!  

 

Hopefully the customs wont rip me off more than the dealership..

7 hours ago, iDeFecZx said:

Agreed. Shame general maintenance items on them are stupidly expensive. Set of tyres on this one was just shy of £2k!!!

Wait.. you buy tires from BMW? Maintenance is pretty cheap if you do it yourself and you don't mind other parts than OEM. Remember that BMW use companies like Bosch for a lot of stuff in their vehicles.

 

I've given the E39 new front control arms, new stabilizer links and new shock absorbers on both sides. Also done oil change, brake fluid change and topped up the fluids. I even reset the service interval dash lights and my buddy put on Tectyl underbody coating at his garage. I dunno, around €300 for parts. The only thing that's done at a garage is the underbody coating, brake fluid change and final adjustment to the parking brake. Ready to rip out tire spikes this winter, I think I already did some today.   

[iDeFecZx]

Just now, aDoomGuy said:

Yeah exactly those, thanks a lot buddy!  

 

Hopefully the customs wont rip me off more than the dealership..

Wait.. you buy tires from BMW? Maintenance is pretty cheap if you do it yourself and you don't mind other parts than OEM. Remember that BMW use companies like Bosch for a lot of stuff in their vehicles.

 

I've given the E39 new front control arms, new stabilizer links and new shock absorbers on both sides. Also done oil change, brake fluid change and topped up the fluids. I even reset the service interval dash lights and my buddy put on Tectyl underbody coating at his garage. I dunno, around €300 for parts. The only thing that's done at a garage is the underbody coating, brake fluid change and final adjustment to the parking brake. Ready to rip out tire spikes this winter, I think I already did some today.   

No lol I work for JLR. Was one of our trade ins. Needed tyres all round and the bill came to about £1900 lol

[vetali]

8 hours ago, iDeFecZx said:

Agreed. Shame general maintenance items on them are stupidly expensive. Set of tyres on this one was just shy of £2k!!!

I would run em till they are torched and then replace them for non RFTs. Tires for my Honda are nearly 200 a piece and I want to replace them because the OEMs get loud AF after like 5k miles... they are terrible tires.

 

The maintenance wasn't that bad. I researched it all on FCPeuro. The common thing on those are control arms needing replacement. They are cheap enough and I do my own work so not a huge issue. The worst thing I saw was front diff fluid. They wanted to use the BMW G2 fluid, which is like crazy expensive. I think plain 70-90 works instead... at least I think thats what I put in my parents X3 when I did timing chains.

 

I don't mind working on BMWs so much anymore unless its interior stuff or their higher performance stuff like v8s. Germans like making v8s needlessly complicated.

[aDoomGuy]

1 minute ago, iDeFecZx said:

No lol I work for JLR. Was one of our trade ins. Needed tyres all round and the bill came to about £1900 lol

I see lol. I got me some used (1 winter) 17" complete wheels for €200 xD. They work well, gonna put summer tires on those rims after the winter and put new winter tires on the rims I got summer tires on now (16" also need new rubber). Both sets of rims original BMW I think. As you can see.. Winter came... Damn you Jon Snow! *shakes fist*

[PandaCopyRight]

22 hours ago, bcredeur97 said:

I knew it had to be good and most of the stigma is from the earlier models. 

audi's/VW's since like 2010ish are actually more reliable than ppl think it seems, just because of the poor reputation through the 2000's

yep, i mean even in the 2000s they were reliable if you got the correct engines and correct vehicles

but yeah .. their reliably got quite a bit worse once they started using letters in the model names and got better after 2010 

[bcredeur97]

7 hours ago, vetali said:

I would run em till they are torched and then replace them for non RFTs. Tires for my Honda are nearly 200 a piece and I want to replace them because the OEMs get loud AF after like 5k miles... they are terrible tires.

 

The maintenance wasn't that bad. I researched it all on FCPeuro. The common thing on those are control arms needing replacement. They are cheap enough and I do my own work so not a huge issue. The worst thing I saw was front diff fluid. They wanted to use the BMW G2 fluid, which is like crazy expensive. I think plain 70-90 works instead... at least I think thats what I put in my parents X3 when I did timing chains.

 

I don't mind working on BMWs so much anymore unless its interior stuff or their higher performance stuff like v8s. Germans like making v8s needlessly complicated.

This. Run flats suck. You’re not the only one I’ve seen say this. 
 

I wouldn’t understand how a specific diff fluid would break a diff. So I can’t blame you there. Especially if it’s not under hard use... And if it’s a clutch type limited slip just make sure it has additive for it? 
 

I find parts on German cars to be expensive but ever since whatever happened in 2010 or so they like figured out how to make stuff more reliable than in the 90’s and 2000’s. (Not for everything but a lot). So basically still costs a lot for repairs but at least it’s not as constant one thing after another as it used to be. But the stigma is still there so they depreciate like mad
 

I do have trouble with their electrical connectors though. Man if someone had a all inclusive guide for Different brands of electrical connectors a How to for each one ID PAY FOR IT. This needs to exist. It just sucks when you’re so scared of breaking it but you really need to get it apart and can’t figure out how.

[bcredeur97]

For the new civic prototype they toned down the design so much lol... they also made it bigger so it not only looks like accord it’s probably close to the size of one lol

[vetali]

38 minutes ago, bcredeur97 said:

This. Run flats suck. You’re not the only one I’ve seen say this. 
 

I wouldn’t understand how a specific diff fluid would break a diff. So I can’t blame you there. Especially if it’s not under hard use... And if it’s a clutch type limited slip just make sure it has additive for it? 
 

I find parts on German cars to be expensive but ever since whatever happened in 2010 or so they like figured out how to make stuff more reliable than in the 90’s and 2000’s. (Not for everything but a lot). So basically still costs a lot for repairs but at least it’s not as constant one thing after another as it used to be. But the stigma is still there so they depreciate like mad
 

I do have trouble with their electrical connectors though. Man if someone had a all inclusive guide for Different brands of electrical connectors a How to for each one ID PAY FOR IT. This needs to exist. It just sucks when you’re so scared of breaking it but you really need to get it apart and can’t figure out how.

Depends. Like the N20 has clear design flaws. Whats weird is with a similar setup on the N55, there isn't issues like on the N20.

 

BMW electrical connectors are pretty traditional. Its VWs I sometimes struggle with. Best tip is to use a pocket screwdriver to loosen stubborn lock tabs that wont disengage. Gotta be careful because they break easy.

3 minutes ago, bcredeur97 said:

For the new civic prototype they toned down the design so much lol... they also made it bigger so it not only looks like accord it’s probably close to the size of one lol

New civic looks terrible. Clear Jetta copy. Wouldn't even consider it.... very disappointing.

[bcredeur97]

@vetali now what about Mercedes? Kind of the elephant in the room do they make anything good now? 

[AlwaysFSX]

11 minutes ago, bcredeur97 said:

@vetali now what about Mercedes? Kind of the elephant in the room do they make anything good now? 

Status symbols for broke bitches.

[bcredeur97]

1 minute ago, AlwaysFSX said:

Status symbols for broke bitches.

Ur not wrong lol..

[vetali]

26 minutes ago, bcredeur97 said:

@vetali now what about Mercedes? Kind of the elephant in the room do they make anything good now? 

As far as repair?  We don't get any in really. You can do the brake pads on the electric parking brake ones without a scan tool quite easily.

 

For owning? Meh.... the basic C class is like a civic. I'm sure the higher up stuff and AMG stuff is great. Only used cars we get are C classes though.

[Bitter]

I think I have PTSD still from trying to park this dentist's  S63 AMG that didn't have the cameras or parking sensors. Fucking thing was so big and front bumper corner visibility was zero. I think I did a 20 point turn to get that thing into a parking spot between his other AMG Mercedes (a CLK) and one of his patients BMW's (like a 750) in these narrow parking spots in a single lane parking lot. He's a good customer so we were dropping it off to him at work (near the shop) because he was too busy to come get it. I'm getting anxious just remembering it.

[aDoomGuy]

3 hours ago, bcredeur97 said:

 now what about Mercedes? Kind of the elephant in the room do they make anything good now? 

Nobody makes anything good anymore and I doubt they ever will

 

I needed roadside assistance yesterday. The BMW started driving very slowly and just as I pulled over at a bus stop the engine died. Apparently the fuel gauge shows 15L when empty after my spouse ran the car dry of juice... The tow truck was assisting the police with a crash so I waited for an hour until someone I know can with some gasoline. I need to figure out why the gauge now display 15L when empty...

[iDeFecZx]

4 hours ago, Bitter said:

I think I have PTSD still from trying to park this dentist's  S63 AMG that didn't have the cameras or parking sensors. Fucking thing was so big and front bumper corner visibility was zero. I think I did a 20 point turn to get that thing into a parking spot between his other AMG Mercedes (a CLK) and one of his patients BMW's (like a 750) in these narrow parking spots in a single lane parking lot. He's a good customer so we were dropping it off to him at work (near the shop) because he was too busy to come get it. I'm getting anxious just remembering it.

Seems a bit odd a car like that not having parking sensors. Unless they werent working

[Bitter]

5 hours ago, iDeFecZx said:

Seems a bit odd a car like that not having parking sensors. Unless they werent working

This was 10 years ago at least and it was a at least 6 years old at that point. Or I wasn't even getting close enough to set off the sensors!

[3 Lions]

 

[TVwazhere]

Going to look at a 2005 F150 with 180k on the motor tomorrow. Owner notes that the power steering isnt responsive "you have to steer it back into place if that makes sense" 

 

I'm no Bitter or Vetali, but from what I can tell online, it's either low on power steering fluid or the pump itself is dying. It doesnt look like the power steering pump replacement is too bad to replace DIY either. 

[AlwaysFSX]

39 minutes ago, TVwazhere said:

Going to look at a 2005 F150 with 180k on the motor tomorrow. Owner notes that the power steering isnt responsive "you have to steer it back into place if that makes sense" 

 

I'm no Bitter or Vetali, but from what I can tell online, it's either low on power steering fluid or the pump itself is dying. It doesnt look like the power steering pump replacement is too bad to replace DIY either. 

Why a 2005????

[vetali]

3 hours ago, TVwazhere said:

Going to look at a 2005 F150 with 180k on the motor tomorrow. Owner notes that the power steering isnt responsive "you have to steer it back into place if that makes sense" 

 

I'm no Bitter or Vetali, but from what I can tell online, it's either low on power steering fluid or the pump itself is dying. It doesnt look like the power steering pump replacement is too bad to replace DIY either. 

Or just worn suspension components. If it is power steering related those old fords used teflon seals on the power steering fittings that you have to replace when you open a line.

[TVwazhere]

29 minutes ago, vetali said:

Or just worn suspension components. If it is power steering related those old fords used teflon seals on the power steering fittings that you have to replace when you open a line.

So I would need more than just a pump, meaning new high pressure line? 

[vetali]

16 minutes ago, TVwazhere said:

So I would need more than just a pump, meaning new high pressure line? 

most the time the parts will come with the needed seals. The issue isn't acquiring them, its installing them without tearing them

[Bitter]

Lack of steering return when driving is almost always a binding suspension part like a ball joint or tie rod. Less commonly it's the steering rack or steering gear. When it's a joint it's usually a lack of lube issue which may mean they're badly worn and in need of replacing.