The Car Thread ... !

[Brettka7]

The car that I loved the most and miss the most. Bought CPO, immediately replaced the front bumper with brand-new OEM and replaced the windshield to make it feel new. Replaced the curbed stock wheels with wider M3 reps. Added carbon mirrors, replaced the worn steering wheel with a full Alcantara M2 wheel. Stock engine blew up under warranty despite being a B58, so I decided I can’t keep it.

And the current DD. These new BMW interiors are something else, especially if you get them in color. I went with Cognac and open-pore light wood decor.

 

[Flamingdeathbolts]

its always surprising to me when i hear an old bmw working just fine. dealership prices are ridiculous !

My dad still daily drives his 2002 325i and just crossed 300k miles earlier this year. Does all his own maintenance. Still on original engine and transmission.

This photo is a few years old. But she still looks the same.

 

[sjsharksfan12]

I have a Honda Accord EX 2017 and I hate the radio interface on this car. Car Play does not work (Android Auto does but even that has become hit and miss) but the worst thing is how small it is and the glare is really really bad. Crutchfield says I can't replace the radio, but is that true? I've been thinking maybe replace the car but it might be more cheaper and advantageous to just replace the radio entirely. Maybe I lose the top screen, but is replacing the radio actually doable? I would have someone else do it and it would be cheaper than buying a new car but I'm just wondering if this is the route I end up going. I am approaching 70000 miles on it, so getting rid of it mid-life seems like a dumb decision, even despite gas prices going up as much as they are.

 

[Apple fanboy]

I have a Honda Accord EX 2017 and I hate the radio interface on this car. Car Play does not work (Android Auto does but even that has become hit and miss) but the worst thing is how small it is and the glare is really really bad. Crutchfield says I can't replace the radio, but is that true? I've been thinking maybe replace the car but it might be more cheaper and advantageous to just replace the radio entirely. Maybe I lose the top screen, but is replacing the radio actually doable? I would have someone else do it and it would be cheaper than buying a new car but I'm just wondering if this is the route I end up going. I am approaching 70000 miles on it, so getting rid of it mid-life seems like a dumb decision, even despite gas prices going up as much as they are.

Radios are replaceable. If you look on YT there will be how to videos. You will probably need some specialist tools to remove the existing kit.

But you can also get someone to do it for you.

 

[sjsharksfan12]

Radios are replaceable. If you look on YT there will be how to videos. You will probably need some specialist tools to remove the existing kit.

But you can also get someone to do it for you.

I was planning to get someone to do it because I don't know how to do it myself. I was just wondering if it's possible.

 

[AlaskaMoose]

hmmm...thats a steal price. everytime i ask about lease its always similar to installments. Which website calculator is this? the official chevrolet one?

looks like the lease option is better when you plan to change cars every 4-5 years, basically a rental model. $450 is a fair amount for securing transportation (i am assuming you have not to pay for anything else).

How is the chevy when it comes to breaking down? no offense, but i gave up on american cars because they break too often and their price plummet unlike a japanese toyota. I also heard prices extremely skyrocketed recently with American SUVs prices reaching $100K+ . need to double check on that.

I had a 2001 Silverado (325 engine) that was very reliable and Solomon needed expensive engine, alternator, drive belts, and so on repairs of any kind. Nearly gave it free to a friend at the 200,018 miles of driving in 2023. He's still driving it long distances. The last time I asked he said that he had already pu around 15,000 miles on it.

Mow, about the new Chevy, and GM engines aren't made the way they used to. The same for the new 4-Cylinder and 6-cylinder Toyota engines. That's one of the reasons why we (wife and I) chose for her a new (not driven) 2023 Tacoma TRD Off Road with the normally aspirated V6 motor., but it cost nearly as much fas the same model 2024 Tacoma with the turbo 4. I would have liked to buy a 2023 4-Runner instead, but settled on the Tacoma as a present for her (that's what she wanted). 😄

 

[Alameda]

its always surprising to me when i hear an old bmw working just fine. dealership prices are ridiculous !

There are many things to know about BMW.
First: Lots of people buy them and drive them like race cars. You don’t want to buy a used car that’s been driven hard. If you buy used, look for something a few years old, maybe a low mileage lease return. You either have to know the seller or check the car carefully.

Second, when it’s out of warranty, buy parts from FCP Euro.

Third, for what you cannot do yourself, you need to find an independent BMW specialist. Join or meet up with a local BMW owners group and they’ll tell you who the good independent shops are. You need a shop that understands BMWs and understands how to program their computers. They’re definitely out there.

Last, check FCP’s YouTube channel to learn about common failure points with your model, and address them proactively. Things like the thermostat, water pump and certain gaskets need proactive replacement at around 80-100K miles.

Even though I do my own work, I take the car to the independent shop once a year to thoroughly inspect. They are happy to do it and they figure they’ll get me sooner or later. Last time they estimated $6,000 in work and I paid them over $1,000 for a set of tires and alignment. But I did the rest myself.

 

[danb1979]

There are many things to know about BMW.
First: Lots of people buy them and drive them like race cars. You don’t want to buy a used car that’s been driven hard. If you buy used, look for something a few years old, maybe a low mileage lease return. You either have to know the seller or check the car carefully.

Second, when it’s out of warranty, buy parts from FCP Euro.

Third, for what you cannot do yourself, you need to find an independent BMW specialist. Join or meet up with a local BMW owners group and they’ll tell you who the good independent shops are. You need a shop that understands BMWs and understands how to program their computers. They’re definitely out there.

Last, check FCP’s YouTube channel to learn about common failure points with your model, and address them proactively. Things like the thermostat, water pump and certain gaskets need proactive replacement at around 80-100K miles.

Even though I do my own work, I take the car to the independent shop once a year to thoroughly inspect. They are happy to do it and they figure they’ll get me sooner or later. Last time they estimated $6,000 in work and I paid them over $1,000 for a set of tires and alignment. But I did the rest myself.

I sort of agree and disagree with that

Buying a BMW that's been used and driven hard isn't a no-no; buying one from an unknown source is; but an enthusiast owned BMW, one that's been serviced, maintained and cared for is always going to be a good buy, more so if they're OCD like myself and plenty I know, where every invoice/receipt etc is kept and a running project, like we use here in the UK, on Pistonheads, is used; as you've literally a running diary of its life then

But the rest; the same here for the UK - Autodoc, eBay UK and local motorfactors for parts, using RealOEM as the parts catalogue etc - There are plenty of companies that specialise in BMW parts, both OE spec and aftermarket (and a good few that need to be avoided too); plenty of BMW indy mechanics etc

And then forums like Pistonheads, Bimmerforums / Bimmerpost, FaceBook (if you're into the social media side of things etc)

 

[Alameda]

I sort of agree and disagree with that

Buying a BMW that's been used and driven hard isn't a no-no; buying one from an unknown source is; but an enthusiast owned BMW, one that's been serviced, maintained and cared for is always going to be a good buy, more so if they're OCD like myself and plenty I know, where every invoice/receipt etc is kept and a running project, like we use here in the UK, on Pistonheads, is used; as you've literally a running diary of its life then

But the rest; the same here for the UK - Autodoc, eBay UK and local motorfactors for parts, using RealOEM as the parts catalogue etc - There are plenty of companies that specialise in BMW parts, both OE spec and aftermarket (and a good few that need to be avoided too); plenty of BMW indy mechanics etc

And then forums like Pistonheads, Bimmerforums / Bimmerpost, FaceBook (if you're into the social media side of things etc)

I watched the Indy 500 once. Half the cars failed due to mechanical failure.
Cars with brand-new engines, with titanium parts, assembled by the best mechanics in the world.

Drive a car hard enough, and it won't last 500 miles.

 

[Weaselboy]

I watched the Indy 500 once. Half the cars failed due to mechanical failure.

Was this a long time ago? I do remember in the 1970's even 80's it was pretty common for half the Indy cars to break down, but more recent years it seems fairly rare... maybe only a car or two break.

 

[MacBH928]

Stock engine blew up under warranty despite being a B58

thats the bmw that i know!

 

[MacBH928]

just crossed 300k miles earlier this year.

🤯 Thats beyond Toyota numbers

I have a Honda Accord EX 2017 and I hate the radio interface on this car. Car Play does not work (Android Auto does but even that has become hit and miss) but the worst thing is how small it is and the glare is really really bad. Crutchfield says I can't replace the radio, but is that true? I've been thinking maybe replace the car but it might be more cheaper and advantageous to just replace the radio entirely. Maybe I lose the top screen, but is replacing the radio actually doable? I would have someone else do it and it would be cheaper than buying a new car but I'm just wondering if this is the route I end up going. I am approaching 70000 miles on it, so getting rid of it mid-life seems like a dumb decision, even despite gas prices going up as much as they are.

how reliable is the car? I always heard Honda's are more fun to drive than a toyota. Can you comment?

 

[sjsharksfan12]

🤯 Thats beyond Toyota numbers


how reliable is the car? I always heard Honda's are more fun to drive than a toyota. Can you comment?

It's very reliable. I pretty much like it except for the infotainment system.

 

[MacBH928]

Last time they estimated $6,000 in work

is that $6K in labour or labour+parts? because i am wondering how much you saved on your own.

EDIT: Sheesh, i am looking at FCP and break kits are like $600 compared to $200 for hondas. how much are they in dealership?

 

[Alameda]

is that $6K in labour or labour+parts? because i am wondering how much you saved on your own.

EDIT: Sheesh, i am looking at FCP and break kits are like $600 compared to $200 for hondas. how much are they in dealership?

BMW brake rotors are way bigger than Hondas.
There are carbon fiber rotor sets that cost $10,000 for the really exotic cars.

 

[danb1979]

I watched the Indy 500 once. Half the cars failed due to mechanical failure.
Cars with brand-new engines, with titanium parts, assembled by the best mechanics in the world.

Drive a car hard enough, and it won't last 500 miles.

That's the biggest amount of bollocks I've heard in a long time...

I've had BMWs since 2008; first one was an E38 728i with the M52 - it was looked after well enough; but it was much better maintained when I had it and I did my usual and overhauled it to ensure it was future-proofed... Same with all my E39s; none of them under 20 years old...

A mix of M54 30i and M62 4.4i and they all got drive hard once they were fully up to temp etc - none of them had any issues; in fact they ran much better and smoother after a good hard run; the Italian tune up does a world of good...

Exactly the same with my E81 130i LE with the N52 30i - not to mention the diesel BMWs I've had inc. x2 730d and out current F31 325d M Sport - they all get serviced to within an inch of their lives; they get driven with mechanical sympathy when cold etc and once warm and where able; they got / get pushed hard - zero issues

 

[Alameda]

That's the biggest amount of bollocks I've heard in a long time...

I've had BMWs since 2008; first one was an E38 728i with the M52 - it was looked after well enough; but it was much better maintained when I had it and I did my usual and overhauled it to ensure it was future-proofed... Same with all my E39s; none of them under 20 years old...

A mix of M54 30i and M62 4.4i and they all got drive hard once they were fully up to temp etc - none of them had any issues; in fact they ran much better and smoother after a good hard run; the Italian tune up does a world of good...

Exactly the same with my E81 130i LE with the N52 30i - not to mention the diesel BMWs I've had inc. x2 730d and out current F31 325d M Sport - they all get serviced to within an inch of their lives; they get driven with mechanical sympathy when cold etc and once warm and where able; they got / get pushed hard - zero issues

I still wouldn’t buy a used car from you.

 

[Alameda]

is that $6K in labour or labour+parts? because i am wondering how much you saved on your own.

EDIT: Sheesh, i am looking at FCP and break kits are like $600 compared to $200 for hondas. how much are they in dealership?

I went back and looked at my records. The shop estimated $5,500 for the work, including a new set of tires. I had them replace the tires (Hey, I had to give them something!) and I did the rest myself. (A dealership might charge nearly double for this work, perhaps?)

They wanted $4,032 for:

• Oil pressure sensor ($46.49)
• Oil filter housing gasket ($55.72 + $28.68 + 35.09)
• Oil pan gasket ($262.14 + 53.99 + 174.58)
• Spark plugs ($78.10)
• Rear diff fluid ($62.26)
• Transmission fluid ($192.72)

The prices in parenthesis are what I paid for the parts, NOT the shop estimate. Where there are more numbers it is because I bought additional parts above and beyond. For example, when I replaced the oil filter housing gasket, I also replaced all of the intake manifold gaskets and the serpentine belt. When I replaced the oil pan gasket, I replaced the windage tray and the oil level sensor. And my parts costs all include the one time use bolts, and there were about 100 of them. Most people do not replace the one time use bolts. That is why the oil pan gasket parts were $262.14, even though the gasket itself was only about $50. Plus it included motor oil and a filter, cause you can’t remove the oil pan without an oil change. And while I had it apart, I replaced the turbo charge pipe ($340.90).


It cost $697 for the parts used for $4,032 in maintenance. But I spent $1,330.67, because I replaced many more parts. On top of that, I had the tires replaced and aligned. I didn’t do that myself and it came out to about $1,500.

Since you ask about the expensive brakes — I replaced my brake pads and rotors a few years back. Here is what my brakes and rotors look like. It’s nothing like Honda. Not by a long shot! Those are four-piston Brembos with drilled/slotted rotors. Big.

I am not average. I replace parts which have not broken. I replace one time use bolts because the spec says so. And I have a car that’s like new. We’ll take it a few thousand miles on road trips this summer, with the top down and tunes blaring.

 

[diamond.g]

I went back and looked at my records. The shop estimated $5,500 for the work, including a new set of tires. I had them replace the tires (Hey, I had to give them something!) and I did the rest myself. (A dealership might charge nearly double for this work, perhaps?)

They wanted $4,032 for:

• Oil pressure sensor ($46.49)
• Oil filter housing gasket ($55.72 + $28.68 + 35.09)
• Oil pan gasket ($262.14 + 53.99 + 174.58)
• Spark plugs ($78.10)
• Rear diff fluid ($62.26)
• Transmission fluid ($192.72)

The prices in parenthesis are what I paid for the parts, NOT the shop estimate. Where there are more numbers it is because I bought additional parts above and beyond. For example, when I replaced the oil filter housing gasket, I also replaced all of the intake manifold gaskets and the serpentine belt. When I replaced the oil pan gasket, I replaced the windage tray and the oil level sensor. And my parts costs all include the one time use bolts, and there were about 100 of them. Most people do not replace the one time use bolts. That is why the oil pan gasket parts were $262.14, even though the gasket itself was only about $50. Plus it included motor oil and a filter, cause you can’t remove the oil pan without an oil change. And while I had it apart, I replaced the turbo charge pipe ($340.90).


It cost $697 for the parts used for $4,032 in maintenance. But I spent $1,330.67, because I replaced many more parts. On top of that, I had the tires replaced and aligned. I didn’t do that myself and it came out to about $1,500.

Since you ask about the expensive brakes — I replaced my brake pads and rotors a few years back. Here is what my brakes and rotors look like. It’s nothing like Honda. Not by a long shot! Those are four-piston Brembos with drilled/slotted rotors. Big.

I am not average. I replace parts which have not broken. I replace one time use bolts because the spec says so. And I have a car that’s like new. We’ll take it a few thousand miles on road trips this summer, with the top down and tunes blaring.

View attachment 2627589

Are the drill and slots supposed to go all the way through?

 

[MacBH928]

I watched the Indy 500 once. Half the cars failed due to mechanical failure.
Cars with brand-new engines, with titanium parts, assembled by the best mechanics in the world.

Drive a car hard enough, and it won't last 500 miles.

That's the biggest amount of bollocks I've heard in a long time...

I've had BMWs since 2008; first one was an E38 728i with the M52 - it was looked after well enough; but it was much better maintained when I had it and I did my usual and overhauled it to ensure it was future-proofed... Same with all my E39s; none of them under 20 years old...

A mix of M54 30i and M62 4.4i and they all got drive hard once they were fully up to temp etc - none of them had any issues; in fact they ran much better and smoother after a good hard run; the Italian tune up does a world of good...

Exactly the same with my E81 130i LE with the N52 30i - not to mention the diesel BMWs I've had inc. x2 730d and out current F31 325d M Sport - they all get serviced to within an inch of their lives; they get driven with mechanical sympathy when cold etc and once warm and where able; they got / get pushed hard - zero issues

when you say drive a car hard what do you mean? i do not assume reaching the highest speeds. maybe you mean run it over bumpy roads in higher speeds? or not doing maintenance? because i do not assume people drive at 170km/100miles as its both dangerous and illegal afaik.

 

[MacBH928]

t cost $697 for the parts used for $4,032 in maintenance. But I spent $1,330.67, because I replaced many more parts. On top of that, I had the tires replaced and aligned. I didn’t do that myself and it came out to about $1,500.

so they charged you $3500 for labour?

 

[Alameda]

so they charged you $3500 for labour?

They wanted to, yes.
Oil pan gasket on an N55 is no walk in the park.
And... they have to pay payroll taxes, rent a facility, pay for the lift, the tools, insurance, and all that stuff that I don't have to pay for when I do it in my own garage.

 

[Alameda]

Are the drill and slots supposed to go all the way through?

No. That is how they are designed.

 

[Pezimak]

So, 2 new electric sport saloon cars, fascinating interview this one with Ive and Ferrari's chief designer too, which one is right though?

One tries to imitate a combustion engine car, one embraces what it is, as an electric car. I mean if you had the money you could buy both, but what would you choose to get in and drive?

 

[diamond.g]

So, 2 new electric sport saloon cars, fascinating interview this one with Ive and Ferrari's chief designer too, which one is right though?

One tries to imitate a combustion engine car, one embraces what it is as an electric car. I mean if you had the money you could buy both, but what would you chose to get in and drive?

The AMG GT does look pretty slick.