William's 330Ci ZHP Maintenance and Project Thread

[BMWCurves]

I dropped the car off on monday to sort out why the passenger M3 seat wouldn't release the air in the side bolster bladders. The side bolster bladders will fill, but when you try and release it, there is a click and then nothing. I had previously replaced the button since it was damaged, but that did not fix my problem, so to the shop it went.

My mechanic identified it as a failing solenoid in the lumbar valve unit (part no. 67668385631). Since there isn't a single one of these parts currently in the U.S., it'll have to be shipped in on a stock order. It's cheaper to order through ECS, so I'm doing that. In the mean time, my mechanic jerry-rigged a T-valve setup so that the side bolsters will work and I can have the car back.

[Vas]

How much is that part?

[BMWCurves]

~$200 from the dealer, ~$115 from ECS.

[Vas]

Was expecting alot worse

[BMWCurves]

Yeah, it's not terrible. I'm willing to wait to save the $80-90 anyways.

[Sockethead]

at least you can still get the part

[BMWCurves]

at least you can still get the part

Precisely why I'm getting it. If part of the valve is failing now, I figure the other part isn't long behind.

[Sockethead]

yep... it's a BMW...

[BMWCurves]

Received my non-BMW BMW hub caps from Amazon yesterday and installed them today. Fit and finish is pretty good for around $11 shipped. They are plastic caps with a painted round metal logo bent over the plastic cap.

Unfortunately, I had already put in the APEX hub caps in my APEX wheels while I waited for these to arrive. I say unfortunately because the cap itself is seated below the plane of the wheel's center, so it's nearly impossible to get something in between the wheel and the cap and get enough leverage to pop out the old cap. Fearing I would scratch the finish on the wheels, I opted to remove each wheel, pop out the APEX hub cap, and install the new hub cap. Did it on all four wheels and I think it looks pretty good. The BMW caps fit securely and would not spin, despite lacking the metal spring/ring to keep the cap's tabs pushed out against the wheel. I wouldn't know they were knock offs unless someone told me.

Purchased them here: http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B00...ilpage_o01_s00

A little more discussion on them here: http://www.zhpmafia.com/forums/showt...583#post480583

Pics:

[FungShui]

Looks good and the price is right.

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