Messages

1

Engine + Driveline / Factory Catalytic Converter NLA

« on: February 26, 2013, 09:53:15 PM »

so the car(in SoCal) finally needs a cat, only to find they're NLA through the dealer. Also had Steve at Blunttech try to run one down and he couldn't find in north america or germany.

anyone got a lead on a new, factory cat? this is more than a simple WTB; looking for any info regarding tracking one down or others with the same experience. Steve was surprised, i'm wondering if it is a deliberate plan by BMW AG.

tia,
robert w.

p.s. turner aftermarket also not available currently and i know about the magnaflow universal.

2

WTB/WTT / WTB- brillantrot hood, RF fender & valance SoCal

« on: January 12, 2012, 06:04:54 PM »

hey,

road rage incident left me needing above for an e30 318iS. if not the correct color, that's O.K., just need to be local to orange county/san diego.

thanks,
robert w.

3

WTB/WTT / wtb factory bra

« on: May 30, 2011, 01:33:32 PM »

looking for the full coverage factory leather bra. like this one, except for '88-'91 facelift cars.

http://orangecounty.craigslist.org/pts/2394783382.html


tia
robert w.

4

WTB/WTT / WTB mass air sensor

« on: January 29, 2011, 09:09:53 AM »

i have one, make me an offer

what is the history of the unit? these things have a lifespan- where is it in its life?

5

WTB/WTT / WTB mass air sensor

« on: January 27, 2011, 06:02:30 PM »

looking for a unit (also known as maf) from a low mileage car-mileage has an inversely proportional effect on value. please respond to ROQNTGAATYAHOO.com  -my pm function is disabled to prevent spam, this address is also encoded. the actual address is lower case throughout. or respond to this post.

thanks in advance,
robert w.

6

Engine + Driveline / club membership

« on: November 06, 2010, 10:05:47 AM »

...But I tend to agree in your thought about the Idler and tensioner.   $100 for the tensioner alone though...ouch.

you don't have to pay that much. pelican sells german aftermarket tensioners for $40. if you join bmwcca you can get real discounts on parts from the dealer. i just last week got a discount from $107 'list' to $55 'your price' with club discount. that's enough to pay for a years' membership.

hth

robert w.

7

Exterior / iS lip- body color or black?

« on: November 04, 2010, 05:45:21 PM »

opinions and photos sought. thanks,

robert w.

8

Engine + Driveline / M42 issue

« on: August 13, 2010, 06:11:20 PM »

http://http://www.unofficialbmw.com/all/engine/all_m42_profile_gasket_faq.html

first article of a google search.

also, the car you want to buy will have receipts/records of it having been replaced. good luck.

hth

robert w.

stupid link won't work. just google to read it.

9

For Sale / FL Mixture of Parts and Lots of Them

« on: July 15, 2010, 12:42:37 PM »

1

10

Suspension / 15" tire size

« on: June 30, 2010, 05:41:07 PM »

thanks everybody- the pics and info helped my decision- 205-55, probably kumho asx tires.

i suffered enough with staggered fitment on my wife's e28- never again. as i age, i find more value than i used to in conservative, less than 10/10ths mods. kinda makes me want to pull the h&r's and bilstein sports off my tii.

robert w.

11

Suspension / 15" tire size

« on: June 23, 2010, 06:25:51 PM »

been running 205/60-14 sumitomo htr200's on stock basketweaves and am really satisfied with the performance and fuel economy. they are somewhat sensitive to hydroplaning, which i blame on the 'huge' contact patch and vehicle lightness.

now that i've upgraded to 15" wheels, i'm plexing on size. to retain overall diameter i can go 205/55-15 or 225/50-15. the sumitomos are not available in 205/55, and the general exclaim uhp's, which are my second choice are on 6-8 week backorder.

from experience, i would like to hear what to expect with 225/50-15 sizing. rubbing anywhere? how does that size help/hurt fuel economy? i would think such a larger contact patch would hurt fuel economy, in comparison. and, how about hydroplaning? we had very heavy rains this year in socal, and i found i couldn't exceed 65-70 for fear of skipping over the freeway like a flat rock.

photos of your car with 225/50 would be cool.

thanks,
robert w.

12

Off-topic discussion / Ugh... Big O manhandles wheels, accuses me of fraud

« on: March 27, 2010, 03:00:04 PM »

pardon, but i can't resist mentioning a few counterpoints.-

having done it myself, i understand the lure of providing tires to be mounted. however, the tire store doesn't make much on mounting and it is reasonable to expect a lesser commitment to quality service. he could be mounting tires he sold instead of yours, providing quality service to the customer who provided a decent profit.

as a sophisticated piece of machinery, a M-B deserves the highest quality technicians. big-o aint it, unless you are talking about the store in murrieta which comes recommended by tire rack. it could be called the exception that proves the rule, since the service you got i would classify as to-be-expected from big-o. you may say it was only tires/alignment but they are the critical interface in determining the performance of the suspension in coping with the roadway.

let me apologize for pontificating, i really do feel/have felt your pain.good luck with solving your problem. it sounds as if you should start thinking about small claims. in spite of all my devils' advocacy, that store sounds 100% liable for your damages. i promise they will respond to a subpeona.

robert w.

13

Engine management / Oxygen sensor replacement

« on: March 11, 2010, 03:48:00 PM »

What is the OE length of the sensor wiring?

800 mm

14

Site and club discussion / end times

« on: February 21, 2010, 08:47:45 AM »

When the site is done as a hobby/enthusiast and they don't have 24 hours and a team of people to devote to operations it can be a lot more difficult to keep the spam down.

there is a bmw site that is able to run without any spam. i've been a member at this 2002 site since the beginning in january 2002 and have never gotten any spam. it is run by ONE person and has ten times the volume of this site.

while i am reluctant criticize the operation of any free site it is apparent to me the spam problems here ARE the result of a lack of skill or work ethic by the moderators.

this site has provided some very helpful info but the threatening spam makes me regret my membership. the worm has destroyed the apple.

robert w.

15

M42 Buyer's Guide / What is the curb weight of a 318i vs.318is?

« on: February 07, 2010, 11:42:38 AM »

my sway bar is 14.5 mm

and im pretty sure ALL american 318is had a 4.10 LSD

mine has AC (not for long)

your right about them having different options but i also work at a european car shop and if we work on a 318is compared to a 318i the suspension numbers are different and all the 318is that i have worked on have bigger suspension stuff than the 318i maybe its an american thing? IDK but all the IS's ive worked on had the 14.5 mm sway bar and stuff...

my car, purchased from the original owner, has a/c, sunroof, 12 mm rear sway bar and open 4.10 diff. (LSD waiting for me to get around to install)

purchased from Century BMW, Los Angeles in march 1991