The Story of SKETCHI - 05 ZHP Sedan

[slater]

I've heard many married men say happy wife equals happy life :biggrin

those are truthful words!! :)

you need to make sure the vehicle that carries your loved ones is reliable and safe.

[Vas]

Man, you've been replacing a lot of parts lately


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I know :( But the thing is alot of the stuff is not preventative maintenance. It is stuff that needs to be done since the previous owner just did not care.


Example: The rear brakes on the car. When I was doing suspension work, I noticed the brake clips that are on the calipers were installed wrong. So I installed it correctly on both sides. Then got a weird noise from the rear of the car. Came to find out, that the brake pads got worn at an angle due to the clip being installed wrong.

So now the pads are not making full contact with the face of the rotor.


Yeah... and STILL no updates on his own car. :shifty

What do you mean? I just did an oil change on it. :P


I've heard many married men say happy wife equals happy life :biggrin

True and also knowing that the wife is not going to call me and say the car needs to be towed because something broke.

[danewilson77]

That "anti-rust" coating is very temporary, BTW... the braking surface will still rust when it gets wet.
Of course. The coating is for non wear portions.

S7 Edge, out

[Vas]

New tires got delivered yesterday. Getting them mounted today and a state inspection.

[Vas]

New tires mounted and VA state inspection passed.

Car is at 140,100.

Brake rebuild up next.

[Vas]

Front tire

http://uploads.tapatalk-cdn.com/20160510/8feae522a6e15447da1164e589317ac3.jpg

[Sockethead]

Tread pattern is definitely different than the last generation of that tire.

http://uploads.tapatalk-cdn.com/20160511/911b942edb952608189f7501785bfb22.jpg

[Vas]

Pretty different for sure. How long have they lasted for you?

Conti dw lasted 17k lol. It's nice to have new tires. Wife says the car is soo quite now.

Plus the tires feel stiffer right away as far as the sidewall. Not mushy like the conti.

[Sockethead]

I'm not sure... they were on my wife's 135 before she got Michelins. They've been on my car for maybe two years now? I haven't driven much in the last two years though. The back ones will be done soon due to negative camber

[rkneeshaw]

I've been very happy with the stoptech street pads, but make sure you bed them. They need a bedding process. I went through a set of rotors because I was thinking they woudln't need it and that caused the rotors to "warp" (pad material transferred unevenly). Do ten 60-5mph stops on the verge of lockup and then make sure you do plenty of cooldown driving. Might only need to do that full process once or twice. You'll know when you get a light grey hue across the rotor surface.


Plus the tires feel stiffer right away as far as the sidewall. Not mushy like the conti.

I can't believe I drove for so long on those mushy conti DW's. I'll never go back. I love the new Michelin PSS. After you break in those Hankooks a bit let us know how you like them.

[Vas]

I was going off this article for bedding the pads in.

Rotors should be here this week and then I will order the pads. Probably from tirerack.

http://www.stoptech.com/technical-support/technical-white-papers/bed-in-theory-definitions-and-procedures/stock-brake-system-bed-in

As far as the tires, I will have the wife put some miles on them and then report back. But for sure not going back to conti dw either.

I considered the pilot ss but they were out of my budget this time. These Hankooks ran me $452 shipped plus $60 to mount and balance them on a road force machine.

[fredo]

Car is at 140,100.



Mine is 2005 also, and I crossed 141,000 miles this week.

[Vas]

Mine is 2005 also, and I crossed 141,000 miles this week.
Hopefully another 100k to go.

[Sockethead]

Lol Mine is an '05 and I'm at 141,330

[Vas]

Seems like we are all close in Mileage.

[bimmergofast]

'05- just over 150,000 here

[Vas]

'05- just over 150,000 here
Long ownership for you.

[Vas]

http://uploads.tapatalk-cdn.com/20160528/bf9b43c223c770f0dcac07382980e764.jpg

[ELCID86]

Nice shot (and car!)


---
"ZHP is a garbage option anyway- just some cosmetic upgrades with a different cam and diff to claw back some of the performance lost fitting those hideous and heavy wheels. Any 330 with a 3.46 diff will smoke a ZHP every time. The whole Mafia thing reeks of childish behavior." - anonymous

[BMWCurves]

Looking good.

[Vas]

I took the car to a local cars and coffee meet this morning. On the way pulled over and took that picture

[az3579]

I'm sweating just thinking about how hot SKETCHI is getting while sitting outside. lol

[Vas]

I'm sweating just thinking about how hot SKETCHI is getting while sitting outside. lol
Lol.

Wife is suggesting window tint for it. She says it is really hot with the leather and the black car.

[Sockethead]

Yea mine's black on black too. I have 15% in the back and 35% on the front windows... It's still hot as hell!

I love that shot BTW, perfect with the meandering road and pond!

[Whammy]

http://uploads.tapatalk-cdn.com/20160528/bf9b43c223c770f0dcac07382980e764.jpg

Very nice!

[bimmergofast]

Lol.

Wife is suggesting window tint for it. She says it is really hot with the leather and the black car.

Do it! I've suffered through 8 Summers with black leather. So far this year dramatic difference- went with some fancy carbon upgrade.. Didn't really pay attention to the pitch, just stuck my hand in front of the heat lamp demo and said 'take my money'.

[Vas]

Bought an a/c tensioner assembly that comes with a new pulley, a/c belt and main engine belt that is used with the Turner Motorsports pulley kit.

[Vas]

Getting ready to take the car on a beach trip with the wife and family at the end of the month. So going over any potential items that were not covered or could leave the car broke on the side of the road.

Couple of items I did not touch when I did the cooling system was both belts and the a/c tensioner with pulley.

So this evening I replaced all 3 items. Pretty simple and quick job.

http://uploads.tapatalk-cdn.com/20160609/783af96e52c0d8d3709b23b58fe15121.jpg

http://uploads.tapatalk-cdn.com/20160609/430b4e38a4a40b279a9250cec6ec5af3.jpg

The old pulley was dead and noisy. Belts were still okay but I figured to just replace them.

Only other thing that I probably should replace is the fuel pump. Not sure if it is the original one or if it has been done. But for the peace of mind I will end up ordering one. Iirc they are $130 for a VDO pump.

Mileage to date 141,610

[Johnmadd]

I hope you're going to obx

[Vas]

I hope you're going to obx
I actually am going to obx. Staying at some airbnb place vika found in nags head. June 23-26th.

[Johnmadd]

That's a "real" beach, it's not a tourist trap like va beach. Good decision :)

[Vas]

Ha VA beach is a tourist trap just like Myrtle Beach.

Looking forward to it though and putting some miles on the car. It's been a while since vika and I taken a long road trip.

[fredo]

Cool. How many miles round trip ?

[Vas]

Cool. How many miles round trip ?
A little over 600 to get there and back. Plus another 100 driving around. Want to visit a lighthouse that's at the south end of obx.

Not a crazy about of miles but it sure beats the short trips on a daily basis

[anandoc]

Only other thing that I probably should replace is the fuel pump. Not sure if it is the original one or if it has been done. But for the peace of mind I will end up ordering one. Iirc they are $130 for a VDO pump.

Mileage to date 141,610

If it has never been replaced before then the fuel pump is close to its end of life. Also make sure to purchase the fuel pump gasket for another $20

https://www.ecstuning.com/BMW-E46-330i-M54_3.0L/Engine/Fuel/Pump/ES35936/

[slater]

A little over 600 to get there and back. Plus another 100 driving around. Want to visit a lighthouse that's at the south end of obx.

Not a crazy about of miles but it sure beats the short trips on a daily basis

yeah, but those are good miles... enjoy them! :)



If it has never been replaced before then the fuel pump is close to its end of life.

i've gotta disagree here, anando... i think some folks here are at 200K+ miles on the original pump. the major variable is how low you run the fuel tank, as the fuel helps cool the pump.

[Vas]

Guess I can remove the back seat and take a look at the top of the pump.

[Vas]

Oil filter and door clips purchased to fix a rattle.

[rguti153]

oooopps sorry vas
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[Vas]

oooopps sorry vas
Sent from my SM-G935V using Tapatalk

No big deal.

[Vas]

Went to adjust the shocks today to make them a tad bit softer.

They were set at 1.5 turns from full soft before.

Made the front at 1 turn from full soft. Then got to the rear to realize that one shock won't adjust.

I pushed the shock shaft down, felt it bottom out and then adjusted it to full soft. It came up pretty quick back up. Adjusted it 1 turn and it came up at the same speed. Then turned it full stiff and it came back up at the same speed as it was at full soft.

The other shock at full stiff took a significant more time fully come up.

Kinda bummed since they barely have any miles on them. Not sure what happened with the adjuster inside the body. Going to contact Koni and see what the warranty is on them.

[Sockethead]

They swapped out my rear shocks no questions asked but you need your receipt. The problem with mine was pitting on the shafts.

[Vas]

They swapped out my rear shocks no questions asked but you need your receipt. The problem with mine was pitting on the shafts.

Talked to Koni USA this morning and they stated that the shock is fine. Basically they said if you can feel the adjuster click and adjust internally, the speed that the shock shaft comes out does not determine the softness or the stiffness of that shock.

Does that make sense? I though if it was at full soft the shock shaft would rebound at a quicker speed then if it was at full stiff.

[slater]

Talked to Koni USA this morning and they stated that the shock is fine. Basically they said if you can feel the adjuster click and adjust internally, the speed that the shock shaft comes out does not determine the softness or the stiffness of that shock.

Does that make sense? I though if it was at full soft the shock shaft would rebound at a quicker speed then if it was at full stiff.

this is what i have assumed as well. hmmm. might be worth a second opinion.

[Vas]

this is what i have assumed as well. hmmm. might be worth a second opinion.

Apparently it is called seal drag which is what slows down the speed of the shock shaft from coming up. It is not a direct correlation to the internal valving of the shock.

If there is alot of seal drag, the shock shaft does not naturally extend from the internal gas pressure because there is more drag then pressure.

I need to remove the rear shocks and adjust them again. Currently I turned them all the way clockwise which puts them at full stiff.

[Vas]

Took the rear shocks off this evening and adjusted them to 1 turn from full soft.

Gave the car an overall check before the trip this Thursday.

[Vas]

Made it. Smooth drive to the beach house

http://uploads.tapatalk-cdn.com/20160623/67326b34a26ad6b9841cf26b07d46d85.jpg

[Sockethead]

lookin' good ;)

[san]

^ +1


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

[Johnmadd]

+2

[Vas]

http://uploads.tapatalk-cdn.com/20160624/77ffeb191e4deeb46fe64b4c7004fa21.jpg

[RUS_ZHP]

Paint looks amazing!!! Love this shot

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[Whammy]

Vas, what tires did you put on your car?

[johnrando]

Paint looks amazing!!! Love this shot

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+1

[Vas]

Vas, what tires did you put on your car?
Hankook ventus v12 evo2. Longest name ever for a tire lol.

Soo far roughly 2500 miles on them. No complaints. And for the price, I would go again with them.

[Vas]

645 mile trip complete. This was the first trip that covered a good amount of distance since it was purchased.

Car drives really nice and eats up the miles with ease.

Only issue that happened was the rear right window regulator decided to make a crunchy noise and the window would not go up or down unless I manually raised it. So going to order a new window regulator.

[squashman702]

Looks really good, Vas!

[Vas]

Looks really good, Vas!

Thanks Dave.

Did you ever sell your sedan or still have it?

[Vas]

Ordered the M3 fuel pump baffle and fuel pump gasket.

Next up is the fuel pump before a road trip in early august.

[squashman702]

Thanks Dave.

Did you ever sell your sedan or still have it?

Still have it. Probably will be going back up for sale once the M3 gets closer to being done. I really do like the car, but I don't think I'll need two sporty BMW's.

[BMWCurves]

Still have it. Probably will be going back up for sale once the M3 gets closer to being done. I really do like the car, but I don't think I'll need two sporty BMW's.

"Need" is irrelevant here. Listen to the inner want.

[squashman702]

"Need" is irrelevant here. Listen to the inner want.

I also kind of want a 1998-2000 4Runner with an Elocker because I feel the need to get back out into the woods with something. The wheeling itch is getting stronger.

[Vas]

VDO fuel pump ordered as a preventative replacement today from FCP Euro

[slater]

VDO fuel pump ordered as a preventative replacement today from FCP Euro

nice. M3 baffle too? probably not needed on this car, right?

[Vas]

nice. M3 baffle too? probably not needed on this car, right?

I bought a m3 fuel baffle as well since it was under $20. More likely not needed but the part is fairly cheap. I also got the fuel pump o-ring with the pump.

No signs of the pump being bad but rather not have it die while we take the car on a road trip next month.

[slater]

I bought a m3 fuel baffle as well since it was under $20. More likely not needed but the part is fairly cheap. I also got the fuel pump o-ring with the pump.

No signs of the pump being bad but rather not have it die while we take the car on a road trip next month.

i'm not sure if my 'failure mode' was normal - it was performing fine, but it was making some 'dentist drill' noises sporadically at 25% or more throttle.

peace of mind is always nice.

make sure you run the tank down as low as possible, it just makes it cleaner. total job was under an hour for me. also make sure you have a new clamp (OE or good fuel system clamp) for the rubber hose connection to the pump, as the OE clamp is not reusable.

[Vas]

i'm not sure if my 'failure mode' was normal - it was performing fine, but it was making some 'dentist drill' noises sporadically at 25% or more throttle.

peace of mind is always nice.

make sure you run the tank down as low as possible, it just makes it cleaner. total job was under an hour for me. also make sure you have a new clamp (OE or good fuel system clamp) for the rubber hose connection to the pump, as the OE clamp is not reusable.

You got lucky then since you knew it was going to fail soon. I am more concerned of it just going dead and the car won't start. 143k on the original pump

Thanks for the advice :)

[slater]

You got lucky then since you knew it was going to fail soon. I am more concerned of it just going dead and the car won't start. 143k on the original pump

Thanks for the advice :)

no prob - i was about to unscrew the stock hose clamp and noticed it was the crimp-on kind, and went "oh crap!" because i was in my in-law's garage at the time - no access to the plethora of clamps i have at home. had to run out and get one.

my car has the same mileage... but, to be honest - in 21 years of driving and 30+ cars, this is the first fuel pump i've ever had to replace. weird.

definitely a good idea to do before a big trip. :)

[Vas]

For those that are planning on doing a fuel pump overhaul, here is what I got.

http://uploads.tapatalk-cdn.com/20160726/c199801675945f1c32dcd50b71b2a7bd.jpg

http://uploads.tapatalk-cdn.com/20160726/03e1fc5b39b3bef06a00ef4e92d7e583.jpg

http://uploads.tapatalk-cdn.com/20160726/2dacb073c6b1c356613bc6033f952b58.jpg

Going to wait until the tank is closet to empty though before installation.

Now this is totally preventative replacement but I rather do it now then have to get a call from the wife saying her car won't start.

[anandoc]

For those that are planning on doing a fuel pump overhaul, here is what I got.



The M3 baffle is optional...unless you are tracking the car or taking very hard corners on low fuel, leading to potential fuel starvation. Unless I am mistaken...

Oh and what about the fuel pump relay?

[johnrando]

Yup. And don't forget the part where you take out the fuse and hit the start key to drain extra fuel. To me the baffle is "why not do it?" GL.

[Vas]

The M3 baffle is optional...unless you are tracking the car or taking very hard corners on low fuel, leading to potential fuel starvation. Unless I am mistaken...

Oh and what about the fuel pump relay?

Correct about the m3 fuel pump bafffle. It is optional but it's also a cheap part.

I did not order the fuel pump relay.

[rkneeshaw]

Winning.

For as cheap as the baffle is, throw it in!

[anandoc]

Awesome! Fortunately, replacing the fuel pump is extremely easy and only took me about 45 mins. Then again, one should not need to replace a fuel pump as part of regular PM.

[az3579]

Then again, one should not need to replace a fuel pump as part of regular PM.

I disagree. A bad fuel pump will leave you stranded like it has done to me at 19x,000 miles and Charlie in his M3 when we went on a long road trip.

[anandoc]

I disagree. A bad fuel pump will leave you stranded like it has done to me at 19x,000 miles and Charlie in his M3 when we went on a long road trip.

I think I worded my statement poorly. I agree that the fuel pump must be replaced on our cars or we risk its failure at an unfortunate time. What I meant to say was something like a fuel pump should last much longer and should not need replacing so soon.

I was trying to imply that BMW should have selected a better supplier for the fuel pump on the E46 or Siemens/VDO should have done a better job designing the fuel pump to extend its longevity.

[az3579]

I think I worded my statement poorly. I agree that the fuel pump must be replaced on our cars or we risk its failure at an unfortunate time. What I meant to say was something like a fuel pump should last much longer and should not need replacing so soon.

I was trying to imply that BMW should have selected a better supplier for the fuel pump on the E46 or Siemens/VDO should have done a better job designing the fuel pump to extend its longevity.

Gotcha. That is a true statement - the pump should be a longer wearing item.
I don't think there's anything wrong with the pump's design though. I would bet that premature failures are due to owner neglect. You're not supposed to run a car down to the gas light, or anywhere close to it, on any sort of regular basis. There are lots of people who do that, and little do they know that they are potentially damaging their fuel pumps.

I can only give you two real-life examples, and isn't scientific by any stretch of the imagination, but Charlie and I have both owned our cars since a relatively low mileage and have driven a shit ton of miles, him on his M3 and me in my ZHP. Mine failed at 191,958 miles. I can count on one hand how many times I've driven it below a quarter (indicated) tank, and usually fill up between 1/4 and 1/2 indicated. Even that is lower than I'd like...
Charlie's pump died well into the 100k's. His M3 has over 150k, and I believe the pump failed past this point. I believe he follows similar fill-up practices. 150k for a pump is totally reasonable.

I'd say anything above 120k is a reasonable number for a fuel pump, depending on the car's usage. Heavy track use will shorten the lifespan, of course, but I got lucky with mine in that is lasted 191k and went bad right before a rest stop on the highway, so I had a safe place to pull over. I had the new pump in the trunk just in case - when I ordered it, I had "that feeling", so ordering prematurely paid off. :)

[slater]

Gotcha. That is a true statement - the pump should be a longer wearing item.
I don't think there's anything wrong with the pump's design though. I would bet that premature failures are due to owner neglect. You're not supposed to run a car down to the gas light, or anywhere close to it, on any sort of regular basis. There are lots of people who do that, and little do they know that they are potentially damaging their fuel pumps.

exactly. the fuel helps cool the pump.

my old 1996 audi S6, which i sold at 326K miles, was still on the original fuel pump.

[Vas]

A bad fuel pump will leave you stranded on a long road trip.

This is what I am trying to avoid. Covering my bases before taking the car next week to South Carolina.

I would have probably still put more miles on the original pump if a replacement pump was really expensive. But buying a new pump from fcp euro with lifetime warranty that they offer is cheaper then having the car towed somewhere, diagnostic time, parts and then labor.

[Sockethead]

Well if you break down in South Carolina, we're in Charleston, we'll come to the recue :)

[Vas]

Well if you break down in South Carolina, we're in Charleston, we'll come to the recue :)

Well thanks :)

If the weather sucks in Hilton Head Island and its raining, we might drive up to Charleston to visit the city and meet you and your family. Shawn and Daniel both had positive things to say about it.

[Sockethead]

We love it here! So much to do... We're about 7 miles from downtown Charleston and about 20 minutes from the beaches. We have boat ramps 10 minutes from our house and Charleston waterfront is a few minutes down river by boat. Lots of good food too.
If you like boats and water, I suggest Shem creek in Mount Pleasant, just over the Ravenel bridge. You can eat /lunch or dinner and watch the boats go by. They have a fleet of shrimping boats there too and a board walk that goes along the waters edge for about a 1/4 mile

[TheFinanceGuy]

Nice job Vas.

I now feel the need to go to SC beaches. It has been 14 years since I've been down that way.

[Sockethead]

c'mon down to the lowcountry :)

[slater]

c'mon down to the lowcountry :)

my sister lives about 5hrs east of charleston... we've been wanting to go visit her, likely in the fall or spring. my wife wants to go back to charleston (we were there about 10 years ago), check out the beaches, etc. :) we'll have to look you guys up!

[Sockethead]

Definitely! Well take the boat for a spin...

[Vas]

Got the new pump installed this evening.

Mileage is at 144,204k

Pics below.

http://uploads.tapatalk-cdn.com/20160728/6df90da9ff81d753b9ef5365d0ecb5c7.jpg

No baffle

http://uploads.tapatalk-cdn.com/20160728/85c32c6183502f3ce7b4da8dd177a4c6.jpg

M3 baffle installed

http://uploads.tapatalk-cdn.com/20160728/5d95358c01efe037c44cad8c809a1486.jpg

Pump pictures

http://uploads.tapatalk-cdn.com/20160728/48b4c674a13646c1d44f3e140db9b58b.jpg

http://uploads.tapatalk-cdn.com/20160728/375c8e893b3919c25848d3f1a47c4a45.jpg

http://uploads.tapatalk-cdn.com/20160728/1d1f3fadd3dd7befd3dffd201681e191.jpg

New O-Ring

http://uploads.tapatalk-cdn.com/20160728/84d836ba01d90ffbac6dc5c2eb8e3a50.jpg

Installed and back together

http://uploads.tapatalk-cdn.com/20160728/000d72dfccb95ece02c5c0bd16de17f3.jpg

http://uploads.tapatalk-cdn.com/20160728/3ae694c00d0dc0f1e1fa6b0b97899881.jpg

Fuel pump primed and car started. Checked for leaks and a drove it. All good.

[slater]

good work, vas. yeah, the M3 baffle is likely overkill, but at least it's peace of mind in hard cornering. :)

[az3579]

You can send me the baffle if you don't want it... lol
I have fuel starvation issues on track. :(

[slater]

You can send me the baffle if you don't want it... lol
I have fuel starvation issues on track. :(

buy a baffle! they're like $20!

[az3579]

buy a baffle! they're like $20!

Too lazy lol
In all honesty, it's just going to sit for a long time before I ever get around to installing it, so it wouldn't have mattered if Vas sent it to me or not!

[Sockethead]

BP will install no mod before its time

[TheFinanceGuy]

How did you get the black rubber hose so clean? Did you replace it?

[Vas]

How did you get the black rubber hose so clean? Did you replace it?

Somebody noticed. :)

I took some wd-40, sprayed it on a towel and wiped it.

[johnrando]

Nice werk

Sent from my SM-G935V using Tapatalk

[TheFinanceGuy]

Somebody noticed. :)

I took some wd-40, sprayed it on a towel and wiped it.

Nice. I'll steal this trick.


Sent from my iPhone 6s using Tapatalk

[Vas]

Oil change this morning.

Mileage 144,277

Also replaced the two O-Rings on the oil filter housing cap. Finally was able to find the part number thanks to Bruce.


http://uploads.tapatalk-cdn.com/20160730/7d94b81c1ebdc4f8c93e55daa04817e4.jpg

[BMWCurves]

The little green guys?

[Vas]

The little green guys?
Yeah those are the ones. I remember back in the day they used to come with the oil filter but not anymore.

[Sockethead]

What's the part numbers for those? I've never replaced them and they are getting pretty flat

[BMWCurves]

11427549573

[Vas]

http://uploads.tapatalk-cdn.com/20160730/188a16a9783ed0fabe7efa15091c332d.jpg

[Sockethead]

thanks!

[Vas]

Overall check up of the car is done and now it's packed. Heading out tomorrow early morning.

Fingers crossed nothing goes wrong.

[BMWCurves]

Overall check up of the car is done and now it's packed. Heading out tomorrow early morning.

Fingers crossed nothing goes wrong.

*knocks on wood*

[Sockethead]

Sticks lucky rabbits foot in pocket

[Vas]

Covered almost 600 miles to Hilton Head island SC on Sunday.

Made the trip down with no issues to report. Been driving the car on the island, sitting in some traffic with 95 plus degree weather and the cooling system in on point. Goes to show how robust a maintained bmw cooling system is.

Will report back when I head back home on Friday.

Have a great week everyone.

[Sockethead]

It was 102 here in Charleston on Saturday

[Vas]

Traded Sketchi for this....

http://uploads.tapatalk-cdn.com/20160802/9ddbf36a455075c80a37fc444e65fbbd.jpg

[san]

Traded Sketchi for this....

http://uploads.tapatalk-cdn.com/20160802/9ddbf36a455075c80a37fc444e65fbbd.jpg

They threw in some flip flops too! Very good trade [emoji12]


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[Sockethead]

Eeww! used flip flops

[johnrando]

:)

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[Vas]

Back home. 1189 miles round trip. No issues.

[Sockethead]

good news!

[Vas]

Took Sketchi to check out my mom's new house. She submitted an offer and the seller accepted. So hopefully soon I will have access to a garage. Best part is that it's 30 minutes from my house so it won't be too far of a drive when I need to do car stuff that can't be done at my place in the driveway.

Specs on the house are

3 bed
3 bath
2,426 sqft
5.18 acres of land

Driveway is pretty flat and the house has a 2 bay garage that is oversized.

http://uploads.tapatalk-cdn.com/20160807/b778e4f20eb2adc78a58e85909db4560.jpg

http://uploads.tapatalk-cdn.com/20160807/157efe5bf62af3fea028ccf764d79f76.jpg

[Johnmadd]

Damn that's nice Vas.

[fredo]

+1. Congrats to your Mom !

[Vas]

Some more images

Backyard and the mountain views

http://uploads.tapatalk-cdn.com/20160807/987ccfbfa0ba21c68b2bfa364395f10e.jpg

Deck that goes from one corner to the other corner of the house. Brand new installed this may.

http://uploads.tapatalk-cdn.com/20160807/9074df01b0e336f860cb926bae86ebb2.jpg

In front of the garage so enough space to host a zhp meet maybe?

http://uploads.tapatalk-cdn.com/20160807/9687b2f2a965e33624762aabfe0e143b.jpg

[Johnmadd]

Now we're talkin!

[BMWCurves]

Awesome!

[Vas]

Now we're talkin!
I would love to host a maintenance day for the folks that are willing to make the drive. Plus then there are ready plenty of good driving roads in the area.

As far as the car, I got the interior cleaned up today after the trip. Vacuum, wipe down and cleaned the Alcantara wheel and armrest.

[ELCID86]

I would love to host a maintenance day for the folks that are willing to make the drive. Plus then there are ready plenty of good driving roads in the area.


I'm in!

[Sockethead]

That's pretty sweet... what a view and that deck...

[bimmergofast]

I would love to host a maintenance day for the folks that are willing to make the drive. Plus then there are ready plenty of good driving roads in .

Count me in, should be able to swing that drive! :)

[3ZHPGUY]

Nice place. Luv the back view. What town or city is it near?


Sent from my iPhone 6S using Tapatalk

[ELCID86]

Nice place. Luv the back view. What town or city is it near?


Sent from my iPhone 6S using Tapatalk

He's not too far from Harrisonburg, VA.

[Vas]

The house is in Timberville Virginia which is about 20 minutes North from Harrisonburg Virginia aka the Friendly City.

Looks like my mom will be closing in October due to the current owners and the bank situation.

[Vas]

Mounting the roof rack, putting two kayaks on top and heading to a lake tomorrow.

Who said a zhp can't be practical.

[3ZHPGUY]

Mounting the roof rack, putting two kayaks on top and heading to a lake tomorrow.

Who said a zhp can't be practical.

Have fun! I was Just thinking about that for the open time at the reunion. There's a bunch of kayak & canoe rental places close by. You've got the choice of rivers and lakes close by.


Sent from my iPhone 6S using Tapatalk

[bimmergofast]

Mounting the roof rack, putting two kayaks on top and heading to a lake tomorrow.

Who said a zhp can't be practical.

Which rack do you have? Thinking about getting one for mine...

[Vas]

Which rack do you have? Thinking about getting one for mine...
I bought the factory bmw rack. It is just the two cross bars but they fit and work great.

If you need to borrow them, let me know. Milt had used them before on his zhp with a huge box and liked them.

[Vas]

http://uploads.tapatalk-cdn.com/20160814/2b4185fe7b4f7ded1652786888b19630.jpg

[Sockethead]

LOL cool! Looks like a BMW commercial...

[slater]

love it, vas!! who says a sports sedan can't have utility? that's what i love about these cars.... they can do so much.

:cheers

[BMWCurves]

http://uploads.tapatalk-cdn.com/20160814/2b4185fe7b4f7ded1652786888b19630.jpg

Love it.

[Vas]

Also car rolled over to 146k

[ELCID86]

Also car rolled over and it floats!

Fixed

[Johnmadd]

Fixed

:rofl

[Vas]

Cleaned and vacuumed the interior today. And then sat on my porch and thought of what's next.

Plan of attack:

1) purchase passenger rear window regulator. Window no longer goes up or down
2) purchase EBC red brake pads (front and rear) and install them with the Zimmermann brake rotors I have.

Also anybody replace the Guido and center carrier bushing on the driveshaft? Wondering if that is a preventative type of thing and at what Mileage.

[NoVAphotog]

Cleaned and vacuumed the interior today. And then sat on my porch and thought of what's next.

Plan of attack:

1) purchase passenger rear window regulator. Window no longer goes up or down
2) purchase EBC red brake pads (front and rear) and install them with the Zimmermann brake rotors I have.

Also anybody replace the Guido and center carrier bushing on the driveshaft? Wondering if that is a preventative type of thing and at what Mileage.

I don't think that is preventative. If it starts shaking and all, and looks worn...replace it. Car won't blow up or die.

[Sockethead]

If I had a Guido, I'd send him back to Jersey

[Vas]

Lol I set myself up for that one

[az3579]

CSB's don't typically go bad, as long as everything else is in decent shape. If the guibo shows wear, I'd replace that as soon as you can because it will eventually transfer some vibration through your driveline. If you can replace the CSB though, it doesn't hurt, but not entirely necessary if it's fine.

[Vas]

Cool. No vibrations are felt currently.

Those nuts on the exhaust where the headers meet look like a PITA to remove.

[san]

Cool. No vibrations are felt currently.

Those nuts on the exhaust where the headers meet look like a PITA to remove.

You definitely need to heat them up with a torch from what I've seen rob do on my car...


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

[az3579]

Cool. No vibrations are felt currently.

Those nuts on the exhaust where the headers meet look like a PITA to remove.


Those little boogers love to rust.

[Sockethead]

Yea heat is your friend when it comes to those bolts. I was able to save the studs on San's car by heating the nuts cherry red and then slowly backing them off. If I remember right, one of them I had to heat twice. Another issue is if the end of the stud beyond the nut has rusted there may not be enough threads left for a good bite on reassembly . Of course, if your going to put headers on then you're going to need new studs anyway.
Be prepared for sticker shock when you buy the studs, nuts and gaskets. It was about $75 at the dealership even with Kristen's discount.

[RUS_ZHP]

I changed my Guibo at 139k. My original had a very small cracks and I decided to change. I didn't touch CSB since it was fine.

Sent from my SM-G900V using Tapatalk

[RUS_ZHP]

Vas,
Did you get OEM window regulator? I already replace two of them and seems like front driver side will be dead soon. I am wondering if there are other good alternatives to OEM.

Sent from my SM-G900V using Tapatalk

[Vas]

Why not replace the studs and nuts with some Stainless Steel bolts and nuts? Or is that not an option? Last time I looked at them, it seemed like they would snap as soon as I would try to remove them.

As far as the regulators, I replaced both fronts because the previous owner replaced them with Vaico units. Those did not last very long so I bought original BMW regulators from fcp euro. So if they fail again, I will just utilize the warranty from them. So I will order the rear unit from them as well.

[Sockethead]

You can replace those bolts with whatever you think will work. The OEM ones appear to be copper infused to make them easier to remove. What ever you use, use a copper based antisieze compound when you install them. I did this a couple of years ago when I put my Corsa on. When I remove it recently, those nuts came right off with a hand ratchet

[Vas]

Took a small road trip yesterday for Labor day and ended up covering a little over 500 miles.

However the drivers side rear window regulator decided that it had done enough work in its lifetime. Something crunched, snapped and the glass dropped halfway and would not stay up.

So new part ordered.

[ELCID86]

And no one was using it??


---
"ZHP is a garbage option anyway- just some cosmetic upgrades with a different cam and diff to claw back some of the performance lost fitting those hideous and heavy wheels. Any 330 with a 3.46 diff will smoke a ZHP every time. The whole Mafia thing reeks of childish behavior." - anonymous

[Vas]

Nope. The window was all the way up. Maybe I hit the button though ?

Oh well. E46 problems.

[Johnmadd]

Nope. The window was all the way up. Maybe I hit the button though ?

Oh well. E46 problems.

Wow, that's crazy. You must have hit the button :dunno

[Sockethead]

I hit the button for the rear windows in our MDX when I lean on the armrest a certain way...

[ELCID86]

Do you have the two on order?

[Vas]

Just ordered 1 for now. Other one is broken but hanging on for dear life

[Vas]

Zimmerman blank rotors and EBC Red pads on all 4 corners.

Anybody ran this combo?

http://uploads.tapatalk-cdn.com/20160907/34d029a04a5e025156052452bfa8f15d.jpg

[az3579]

Zimmerman blank rotors and EBC Red pads on all 4 corners.

Anybody ran this combo?

http://uploads.tapatalk-cdn.com/20160907/34d029a04a5e025156052452bfa8f15d.jpg
Just the EBC Reds. Loved them for street driving. I got great performance out of them for spirited driving, as well as super low dust. I could go two weeks and the wheel would look the same as a few hours after cleaning with OE pads.

Sent from my VS990 using Tapatalk

[Vas]

Just the EBC Reds. Loved them for street driving. I got great performance out of them for spirited driving, as well as super low dust. I could go two weeks and the wheel would look the same as a few hours after cleaning with OE pads.

Sent from my VS990 using Tapatalk

Great to hear.

The current set-up is some autozone brand that the po installed.

[Vas]

1 broken window regulator.

http://uploads.tapatalk-cdn.com/20160910/47fa82c93eefc909b606f7badb0b6333.jpg

[rkneeshaw]

Time for URO Premiums. Updated design and lifetime warranty

[Vas]

Time for URO Premiums. Updated design and lifetime warranty
What's updated on them? Just the plastic pulley ?

I just went with the genuine bmw units since they lasted this long.

[Whammy]

Good choice.

[Vas]

Thanks Jeff.

[Sockethead]

I have to do my drivers door regulator. I've had the part for weeks. It's just not one of those fun things to do...

[Vas]

I have to do my drivers door regulator. I've had the part for weeks. It's just not one of those fun things to do...

Not at all. Still got the rear right to do but that can wait.

[rkneeshaw]

What's updated on them? Just the plastic pulley ?

I just went with the genuine bmw units since they lasted this long.

Pulley's are updated with bearings. And, lifetime warranty. URO has been taking point in addressing the high failure rate of the OEM e46 window regulators.


https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=co_n1ooc6_k

[Vas]

Nice to know. Thanks for sharing

[Sockethead]

Pulley's are updated with bearings. And, lifetime warranty. URO has been taking point in addressing the high failure rate of the OEM e46 window regulators.


Damn, I wish I knew that a couple of weeks ago...

[az3579]

Pulley's are updated with bearings. And, lifetime warranty. URO has been taking point in addressing the high failure rate of the OEM e46 window regulators.


https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=co_n1ooc6_k

I was about to exhale deeply because FCP doesn't sell them (really wanted a lifetime warranty on these known failure parts) but then I watched the video and was pleasantly surprised to hear about the URO lifetime warranty through the manufacturer. I think I will be buying two new front regulators to swap out at the Reunion, because I'm tired of hearing mine creak. They've been really slow and creaking for years ​now - I'm shocked they haven't failed yet. They were replaced once already under CPO while one of the PO's owned the car.

[slater]

Pulley's are updated with bearings. And, lifetime warranty. URO has been taking point in addressing the high failure rate of the OEM e46 window regulators.


https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=co_n1ooc6_k

wow - those are nice! love the amp graph. will definitely use those when the time comes.

[Vas]

So busy weekend.

Mileage just hit 148k.

I been putting together a cost effective brake upgrade for the car and finally installed the parts.

Front and rear set of Zimmerman e-coat blank rotors-$250
Front and rear set of EBC red brake pads - $130
Ecstuning ss rotor screws, centric brakes pad sensors, and centric brake hardware kit - $100

I tackled the install on Saturday and did a rear parking brake adjustment on Sunday.

Manufacturer says to take it easy for the first 500 miles then bed the pads in after that.

Overall quality of the products is nice considering the price.

We shall see how they feel and the car stops. But overall I am pleased to take off the previous rotors and pads. No clue what brand they were.


http://uploads.tapatalk-cdn.com/20160918/e2b66687df3da89fdcfaccb6a0b02628.jpg

http://uploads.tapatalk-cdn.com/20160918/e364602988417825bd6b1c1f745024ec.jpg

http://uploads.tapatalk-cdn.com/20160918/cca2be60570e97aebf69c7f1dd087b3d.jpg

http://uploads.tapatalk-cdn.com/20160918/3d77c5c7989cdf89c5b42ed375a5aa63.jpg

[Whammy]

Very nice Vas!

[Vas]

Mileage update. 150,000 miles.

[///Mvious]

Good stuff..I've got a break overhaul in the near future...did you use the Bently manual instructions on the ebrake adjustment? Pretty straightforward?

[ELCID86]

Congrats. Vika driving her?


Sent from my iPhone with TaT.

[Vas]

Good stuff..I've got a break overhaul in the near future...did you use the Bently manual instructions on the ebrake adjustment? Pretty straightforward?

The adjustment is pretty straightforward but kinda a pain since you have to adjust the tension through a wheel bolt hole.


Congrats. Vika driving her?


Sent from my iPhone with TaT.

Yup. She drives it daily and has been racking up the miles.

[Vas]

Coming up on an oil change so ordered the following

(10) Quarts of Castrol Edge 0w-40 Oil
(1) Mann Cabin Air Filter
(1) Mann Oil Filter
(1) Mann Air Intake Filter

Decided to switch it up and go with Castrol on this oil change instead of the usual Mobil 1. Mostly because the Mobil 1 no longer meets the BMW standard of LL-01.

Price for 5 quarts via amazon at $22.97 so just as much as the Mobil 1.

[san]

Mobil 1 / castrol is so much cheaper than the BMW shell oil. Makes me want to try it again but when I ran mobil 1 last year, the engine didn't feel as smooth as it did with BMW shell oil...


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

[BMWCurves]

Coming up on an oil change so ordered the following

(10) Quarts of Castrol Edge 0w-40 Oil
(1) Mann Cabin Air Filter
(1) Mann Oil Filter
(1) Mann Air Intake Filter

Decided to switch it up and go with Castrol on this oil change instead of the usual Mobil 1. Mostly because the Mobil 1 no longer meets the BMW standard of LL-01.

Price for 5 quarts via amazon at $22.97 so just as much as the Mobil 1.

When did this change?

[holyc0w]

It's been about a year or so. I would guess the oil should still be fine, especially if you're not running towards 15,000 miles. But I've bought Castrol since I got the car considering the price on Amazon is pretty low.

[Vas]

It has been about a year iirc.

I stick to 7500 mile interval changes for the oil and filter.

[ELCID86]

Mobil 1 / castrol is so much cheaper than the BMW shell oil. Makes me want to try it again but when I ran mobil 1 last year, the engine didn't feel as smooth as it did with BMW shell oil...


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

In your head? :dunno

[san]

In your head? :dunno

Most likely [emoji14]


Sent from my iPad using Tapatalk

[Vas]

Completed an oil change, air filter and cabin filter.

Mileage is 151,326.

[johnrando]

Always good to do the little things that count for a lot

Sent from my SM-G935V using Tapatalk

[Vas]

Mobil 1 / castrol is so much cheaper than the BMW shell oil. Makes me want to try it again but when I ran mobil 1 last year, the engine didn't feel as smooth as it did with BMW shell oil...


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

I will report back when more miles are put on the Castrol oil vs the Mobil 1. Also will be sending out some for oil analysis

[Vas]

Been tempted to return the car back to amber lights vs the euro clears.

Thoughts?

[fredo]

Do it ! I believe the stock tail lights and corner lights is the way to go on IR.

[Vas]

Do it ! I believe the stock tail lights and corner lights is the way to go on IR.
Car is black.

[fredo]

My bad. I thought you refer to your car. I still say go for it. :thumbsup

[johnrando]

Pics of both options?

Sent from my SM-G935V using Tapatalk

[Johnmadd]

Clears on black >ambers

[Sockethead]

Put them in and see how you like it.... it's not that time consuming to switch them back if you don't like it

[Vas]

Mileage 151,775 - added 1 bottle of Redline SI-1 complete fuel system cleaner.
http://uploads.tapatalk-cdn.com/20161204/1ea51bc5716267241e4c264cfda1f59a.jpg

[Vas]

Winter setup up installed at Mileage 151,908.

[derbo]

Whats winter? :)

[johnrando]

Winter is when it can dip into the low 60s during some days, and some evenings even get into the 40s overnight.

Sent from my SM-G935V using Tapatalk

[Vas]

Last night was a low of 17 and today a high of 35.

I do miss California and the bay area.

[Sockethead]

It's 50 here... went down to the upper 30s last night but it warms up during the day

[Vas]

It's 50 here... went down to the upper 30s last night but it warms up during the day
That sounds pretty good right about now.

How is the progress on the new house going?

[Sockethead]

The builders are still waiting for the plats to be approved by the City of Charleston. No houses can be started until that's done so it's a waiting game. Hopefully they'll start construction after the holidays. The streets are all done, road signs in place, utilities done...

[derbo]

Winter is when it can dip into the low 60s during some days, and some evenings even get into the 40s overnight.

Sent from my SM-G935V using Tapatalk

Today forecast is an all time low of 45. :)

[Vas]

http://uploads.tapatalk-cdn.com/20161210/fc1458c39ee5166c0c76f7bb205c6c37.jpg

[derbo]

http://uploads.tapatalk-cdn.com/20161210/fc1458c39ee5166c0c76f7bb205c6c37.jpg

I dig it. :D

[Vas]

Am I insane for considering this?

MODEL ARC-8
WHEEL DIAMETER 19"
WHEEL WIDTH 8.5"
OFFSET ET35
FACE PROFILE Profile 1; shallow concavity
BOLT PATTERN 5x120mm
CENTER BORE 72.56mm
WEIGHT 20.45 lbs

$184 for each wheel - total $736 - Free Shipping

[BMWCurves]

Not a bad price at all, are they used? I bought my whole set for $850 new through the group buy.

[Vas]

Not a bad price at all, are they used? I bought my whole set for $850 new through the group buy.

Brand new wheels from Apex. They have a sale on all 19" wheels right now till the end of the month

I was always leaning more towards 18's but the cost of these is very tempting.

[san]

I am personally not a fan of 19" on a Zhp and I think whatever you save on the rims, you will end up spending on tires and make the ride harsh...


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

[NoVAphotog]

I am personally not a fan of 19" on a Zhp and I think whatever you save on the rims, you will end up spending on tires and make the ride harsh...


+1

[Vas]

I just need to wait for a group buy on 18's then.

[BMWCurves]

Agreed with San and Daniel, 19"s would be too harsh for my taste, but maybe your preferences are different. I really like my 17s (way more comfortable and compliant than my 135s, although that's also affected by tire compound, and tires are comparatively cheaper), but 18s would be fine I'm sure.

APEX seems to be doing a fair amount of group buys now so it shouldn't be too long before 18" ones to come around.

[ELCID86]

I am personally not a fan of 19" on a Zhp and I think whatever you save on the rims, you will end up spending on tires and make the ride harsh...


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

This.

[Vas]

Year start: 135,830
Year end: 153,090

Miles driven in 2016: 17,260

[Vas]

Apex arc8 are still on my mind for when the winter wheels come off.

Can't make my mind up though as far as width.

18x8.5 front and rear et38
18x9 front and rear et42
18x8.5 front et38 and 18x9 rear et42

I will be installing the current summer tires on them which are factory sizing and are almost brand new.

Also I do not plan to run a 245/35/18 tire size on this car and do not mind the stagger sizing even if I cannot rotate them. Keep in mind that 3 out of the 4 seasons the car is on summer tires and then winters are installed for 3-4 months of the year.

Also is the 9" wide rim too wide for the front?

Thoughts?

[holyc0w]

Personally, I like the idea of the 18x8.5 all around with 245/35 tires in the future. That's what I would do, but I'm holding off on this for probably at least a year. I don't do too many miles, but the rotation would be a nice plus anyway along with the increase in grip up front.

I think with the staggered setup, one set of concave wheels would be cool.

[hcbeck2689]

Apex arc8 are still on my mind for when the winter wheels come off.

Can't make my mind up though as far as width.

18x8.5 front and rear et38
18x9 front and rear et42
18x8.5 front et38 and 18x9 rear et42

I will be installing the current summer tires on them which are factory sizing and are almost brand new.

Also I do not plan to run a 245/35/18 tire size on this car and do not mind the stagger sizing even if I cannot rotate them. Keep in mind that 3 out of the 4 seasons the car is on summer tires and then winters are installed for 3-4 months of the year.

Also is the 9" wide rim too wide for the front?

Thoughts?

9" is totally doable in the front. Apex has a page of an s54 swapped ZHP with 9 x 10 staggered figment. That car is lowered with coilovers too

My problem with staggered is 1: the handling is not as good, but 1/2" isn't that much. 2: any warranty on the tire gets cut in half or voided if they are staggered.


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

[slater]

18x8.5 front et38 and 18x9 rear et42?

i would do this combo. and go with stock tire sizes. the 245/35/18's i run are just too little sidewall.

[ELCID86]

9" is totally doable in the front. Apex has a page of an s54 swapped ZHP with 9 x 10 staggered figment. That car is lowered with coilovers too

My problem with staggered is 1: the handling is not as good, but 1/2" isn't that much. 2: any warranty on the tire gets cut in half or voided if they are staggered.


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

What? How would they know? Does the shop tattle on you to the manufacturer?

[hcbeck2689]

What? How would they know? Does the shop tattle on you to the manufacturer?

They know by the receipt and warranty paperwork I reckon. I should clarify, it effects warranty if tire sizes are different. In my mind it's the same thing bc I would never run the same size tire on two different size wheels. I have never understood that logic. It only negatively effects performance.


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

[Vas]

i would do this combo. and go with stock tire sizes. the 245/35/18's i run are just too little sidewall.

This is what I am leaning towards at this point.

Plus a 245 section width on the front also has its downsides.

Any other opinions anyone?

[danewilson77]

i would do this combo. and go with stock tire sizes. the 245/35/18's i run are just too little sidewall.
Combated with 245/40/18's I run.

Sent from my Pixel XL using Tapatalk

[BCS_ZHP]

Wheel ideas Vas, how could you pass up this look, so sexy on black??? And 19's didn't ride harsh, the Conti DWS softer sidewalls made it the same ride as 18 Michelins.

http://www.zhpmafia.com/forums/showthread.php?12750-2006-Sparkling-Graphite-330ci&highlight=Graphite

[Vas]

Wheel ideas Vas, how could you pass up this look, so sexy on black??? And 19's didn't ride harsh, the Conti DWS softer sidewalls made it the same ride as 18 Michelins.

http://www.zhpmafia.com/forums/showthread.php?12750-2006-Sparkling-Graphite-330ci&highlight=Graphite
Bruce. What size tires were on the car?

[BCS_ZHP]

235/35R19 & 265/30R19. Somewhere in one Preston's or Brett's old project thread is the offsets and widths of those wheels.

[Vas]

235/35R19 & 265/30R19. Somewhere in one Preston's or Brett's old project thread is the offsets and widths of those wheels.
Gotcha. That's going to be tight to make these fit on a sedan.

[BCS_ZHP]

These exact wheels and tires were on Jon Estella's orient blue TS2 sedan. They were tight but they fit.

[Vas]

These exact wheels and tires were on Jon Estella's orient blue TS2 sedan. They were tight but they fit.
Trip down memory lane with that car.

[Vas]

Mounted the style 135 wheels with the summer tires back on the car today.

[Vas]

Slightly annoyed and ticked with c-ville bmw.

Called them on Friday asking if they have the parts for the drivers side airbag recall. They confirmed it was in stock and made an appointment for Saturday.

Did the 45 minute drive just to be informed that they ran out of airbags the day before. They did mention the car still had the tail light recall open and they would do that instead. (Even though I had a diy fix on it ) but I figured might as well have them complete it officially.

Also the dealer stated they have no time frame to when new airbags will arrive but when they do they will call me

I'm tempted to leave them an honest review because that's terrible customer service in my book.

[az3579]

Don't be surprised if they don't do anything with your taillight recall either.

My connector was melted but had a DIY fix in place. When they did the recall on mine, they said they completed it but it was the same exact way as when I delivered it.

Sent from my Pixel using Tapatalk

[ELCID86]

That's so frustrating. I don't know how they stay in business with such poor performance.

[Vas]

Don't be surprised if they don't do anything with your taillight recall either.

My connector was melted but had a DIY fix in place. When they did the recall on mine, they said they completed it but it was the same exact way as when I delivered it.

Sent from my Pixel using Tapatalk
I'll check it when I get back home.

That's so frustrating. I don't know how they stay in business with such poor performance.
Yeah for sure. Not even an apology from them.

[Sockethead]

Don't blame the service advisor, blame the parts dept. They probably never told the advisor they didn't have any In stock
Something similar happened to us with the X1 and Kristen works there! Turns out they sent the bag to the wrong dealership and the idiots that run the parts department (and they are idiots) didn't even know.

[Vas]

Don't blame the service advisor, blame the parts dept. They probably never told the advisor they didn't have any In stock
Something similar happened to us with the X1 and Kristen works there! Turns out they sent the bag to the wrong dealership and the idiots that run the parts department (and they are idiots) didn't even know.
Yeah I figured as much. The service department guy was not a bright cookie.

Well the tail light ground recall is done and is correct.

Hopefully I get the airbag replaced soon.

[BCS_ZHP]

That's so frustrating. I don't know how they stay in business with such poor performance.

It's the old supply & demand equation -- the demand is there since no other BMW dealer within 60 miles, they supply customer service that's lacking, customer has a choice of dealing with mediocrity or driving 100 miles to next dealership. It's obvious they haven't seen a drop off in business due to their mediocrity, so they're wrongly presuming business is good.

Luckily we have 5-6 dealers around the D.C. Beltway beating each other up to get our business, it keeps them humble and continually striving.

[Vas]

It's the old supply & demand equation -- the demand is there since no other BMW dealer within 60 miles, they supply customer service that's lacking, customer has a choice of dealing with mediocrity or driving 100 miles to next dealership. It's obvious they haven't seen a drop off in business due to their mediocrity, so they're wrongly presuming business is good.

Luckily we have 5-6 dealers around the D.C. Beltway beating each other up to get our business, it keeps them humble and continually striving.
If I don't hear back from them I will make the trip up north on the weekend. Make a day trip with the wife.

[BADCLOWN]

I'd leave an honest review too: they should have called you to reschedule.

[BCS_ZHP]

If I don't hear back from them I will make the trip up north on the weekend. Make a day trip with the wife.

And if you do that, stop on by and test drive the 335is.

[Lorenzo]

And if you do that, stop on by and test drive the 335is.

I've never driven 335is. I'd like to see yours too.

[Vas]

Road Trip Prep List Below:

Drain/Refill Diff Fluid
Drain/Refill Trans Fluid
Brake Fluid Flush
Oil Change ( Potentially replace oil pan gasket )
Mount and Balance 4 new tires
Do an inspection and see what else needs attention

[fredo]

Hey, Vas. How many miles will you drive ?

[Vas]

Hey, Vas. How many miles will you drive ?

At least 1500 miles but might be a bit more.

[Vas]

New tires are mounted and balanced.

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[Vas]

And they on the car at - Mileage 158,718

https://uploads.tapatalk-cdn.com/20170608/919ec1835a9d291d9b70ba069db8f6e4.jpg

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[RUS_ZHP]

New tires are mounted and balanced.

https://uploads.tapatalk-cdn.com/20170607/7f8098fc6a3cb725f08b0e472727d129.jpg

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Nice! Hey, which car is that? It looks like a wagon.
About one month ago I did the longest trip on ZHP, approximately 1700 miles round trip. Man it was nice!!! Car was chewing all those miles.

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[Vas]

Nice! Hey, which car is that? It looks like a wagon.
About one month ago I did the longest trip on ZHP, approximately 1700 miles round trip. Man it was nice!!! Car was chewing all those miles.

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I wish it was a wagon but I needed something 4wd with some ground clearance that could tow.

2001 infiniti qx4

Where did you road trip? Wife and I are heading south at the end of the month.
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[RUS_ZHP]

I didn't know that you have third car. It's nice to have something big to haul things around.
Early May me and my wife went to explore Research Triangle in NC. We had a stop in Alexandria VA, but on the way back drove non stop back to Boston.
I was surprised to see that some traffic on I95 in NJ moves at 85-90 mph. It was a very cool blast and I had a chance to step on the gas for a bit-:)
Which area are you going to travel?

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