What did you do to/for your 1er today?

[YearOneOne]

Can we all agree the pre-lci side mirrors look better. To be on topic I drove it sinces a been a couple weeks.. Need to put her up it's getting super cold. Was a little weak at start

[MightyMouseTech]

Originally Posted by YearOneOne

Can we all agree the pre-lci side mirrors look better. To be on topic I drove it sinces a been a couple weeks.. Need to put her up it's getting super cold. Was a little weak at start

Ugh, no. Installed LCI mirrors on my pre LCI E90. Much better.

[Esteban]

Originally Posted by YearOneOne

Can we all agree the pre-lci side mirrors look better. To be on topic I drove it sinces a been a couple weeks.. Need to put her up it's getting super cold. Was a little weak at start

Had an '08 135i with the small mirrors. Visibility was not as good as the bigger mirrors in my current 2011 135i. Don't really care what they look like. For me it's about function.

[________]

Originally Posted by MightyMouseTech

Ugh, no. Installed LCI mirrors on my pre LCI E90. Much better.

To each their own for sure. Had a pre-LCI E90 and the mirrors just look so much better to me. The new ones are like Mickey Mouse ears... same with 1er.

Opposite with the F25. YMMV
Cheers

[Gangplank]

Originally Posted by YearOneOne

Can we all agree the pre-lci side mirrors look better. To be on topic I drove it sinces a been a couple weeks.. Need to put her up it's getting super cold. Was a little weak at start

Nope. I prefer the 1M > LCI > dinky pre-lci

[Divbetic]

Originally Posted by iminhell1

Anyone have a part number for the screw cover on the right side of the center console (the one that's hidden by the seat)?
schwarz

I looked through realoem but I couldn't find a number for it. Probably overlooked it.

Should be PN: 51169110445

[MrKevinRosales]

Went to a cars and coffee this morning and then started winter prep

[Gangplank]

Drove to brunch...

[a4nut]

Winter moded the 135 and my son's e90. Also installed lux angel eyes. They look great.

[chris_flies]

I went to the last NASA track event this season; "Fall Finish Line" at Summit Point Main circuit. I managed over a 4-second improvement (according to Harry's) from March, getting my best down to a 1:30.81, down from a roughly 1:34.9 (my historic laps were deleted). Pretty happy, as the only changes to the car have been the LSD and some slightly better tires, and 4 seconds over such a (relatively) short course is pretty awesome.

Car was a little loose in the first sessions, but a quick adjustment of the shocks in the front to full firm fixed that, and actually made the ride quality better (less bounce) for the drive home. I got a bit of sideways action going-on, but it was easy to catch, and mostly enjoyable. A Lotus in front of me didn't have as fun an experience with sideways-ness as I did, and ended up in a pretty dramatic tank-slapper right in front of me. (The worst thing you can do is to abruptly lift the throttle when the rear steps out, apparently) Car crossed 181k miles at the end of this weekend, which is yet another step towards the grand ol' 200k that I'm aiming-for.

The car really needs more top-end power, and more/better engine sound. It just feels like it's falling on its face after 5k, and the sound is character-less (totally stock), dull, and mostly inaudible. I also had an odd, intermittent smoking issue (plumes coming out from cowling and in through HVAC vents) in very specific but unknown circumstances that worried me at first, but nothing became of it. I think a combination of a better tune, possibly ITB's and velocity stacks, and maybe a little bit of an exhaust mod will fix all of those gripes, and make for a fantastic, complete package to drive every day, and enjoy every minute doing so.

I am slightly miffed, though. A Yellow C5 Z06 Corvette driver passed me at the beginning of the last session, without a point-by, in a spot that I was uncomfortable giving a point-by in (he was 6-ish car lengths behind at my self-defined point-by point of no return, and not gaining particularly quickly, so I waved him off). As we were told in classroom, I pulled into the pits afterward to let the grid workers know, but didn't ever see/notice an eye-searing Yellow big-winged Z06 sitting in the pits, driver being screamed-at by our super awesome Chief of Instruction. He did the exact same thing in an earlier session to my dad, passing a train of four cars, without a single point-by. For those that do HPDE's, don't do this. It's reckless, it's insensitive, and it's just stupid. Wait for that point-by, if it doesn't come in a reasonable amount of time (2 laps), then pit-in and complain, don't just pass, because you don't know how one will react (I, unlike him, was being predictable). Thanks.

I'll get a video linked up here as soon as it uploads to YouTube. Tomorrow, the winter wheels go on, racing brakes come off, and I get used to having much less grip, with an over-zealous differential turning the rears . I also got a new bearing for the A/C Compressor pulley; there's a whine that I've been chasing since getting the car (haven't thrown any parts at it until now), and I've seen a good few E90 guys replacing the bearing vs replacing the whole compressor and having success; $25 bearing vs $300+ compressor.

LONG post, but there's a lot on my mind

[olds350]

Originally Posted by chris_flies

I am slightly miffed, though. A Yellow C5 Z06 Corvette driver passed me at the beginning of the last session, without a point-by, in a spot that I was uncomfortable giving a point-by in (he was 6-ish car lengths behind at my self-defined point-by point of no return, and not gaining particularly quickly, so I waved him off). As we were told in classroom, I pulled into the pits afterward to let the grid workers know, but didn't ever see/notice an eye-searing Yellow big-winged Z06 sitting in the pits, driver being screamed-at by our super awesome Chief of Instruction. He did the exact same thing in an earlier session to my dad, passing a train of four cars, without a single point-by. For those that do HPDE's, don't do this. It's reckless, it's insensitive, and it's just stupid. Wait for that point-by, if it doesn't come in a reasonable amount of time (2 laps), then pit-in and complain, don't just pass, because you don't know how one will react (I, unlike him, was being predictable).

If the corvette had pulled that in our club, he would have been out after the 2nd in fraction. I'm assuming at this point he didn't have in instructor in the car either, the instructor should have pitted him. Not sure what class you drive in, but the point by's are an necessary part of driving to make sure the driving session is safe. Simply put, that was a bone head move on the part of the driver.

[rowsdower]

I agree that a point by is necessary since that’s the protocol for cars, and the most important thing for safety is predictability. On a bike, there are no point bys. It is up to the person making the pass to do it safely in a reasonable spot on the track. The groups I used to run with would call out specific no-passing zones and passing rules that had to be followed but then it was up to each rider to pass safely. I never felt it was unsafe or a big deal. I’m actually surprised car groups are so adamant about point bys.

Also, I think this is the first time I’ve heard the term “tank slapper” used to describe something car-related. On a bike, it’s when the handlebars oscillate wildly and you lose control. In a car, is it just sliding one way, then the other?

[1and1]

Fresh oil for the diff and engine. I also swapped in a fresh set of intercooler o-ring seals since mine were cracked and leaking, probably the originals. The new hot side o-ring was a snot to get installed because it's a cheap aftermarket piece and the diameter is just the slightest bit too large.

After fighting with that stoooopid thing for way toooo long I decided to simplify things by pulling the hose and installing it with the IC sittingon the bench, and I'll just leave it installed. It's much easier to deal with a hose clamp on the aluminum hot side than fight with the OE fitting in that tight area, and transitioning to a hose clamp was something I'd planned on doing for a while. I was surprised at how easy the original one time use clamp came off after reading about the problems so many have had removing it.

Next up is diff fluid on the X1 and brake fluid on both the 1 and X1...

Oh, and while I was pumping the new fluid into the diff I got a good look at those factory dents in the exhaust piping- inboard side is to clear the diff, outboard side is to clear the suspension.

[tjswarbrick]

Winterized / 100k detail.
Wash, clay bar, polish, wax:

[chris_flies]

Originally Posted by rowsdower

I agree that a point by is necessary since that’s the protocol for cars, and the most important thing for safety is predictability. On a bike, there are no point bys. It is up to the person making the pass to do it safely in a reasonable spot on the track. The groups I used to run with would call out specific no-passing zones and passing rules that had to be followed but then it was up to each rider to pass safely. I never felt it was unsafe or a big deal. I’m actually surprised car groups are so adamant about point bys.

Also, I think this is the first time I’ve heard the term “tank slapper” used to describe something car-related. On a bike, it’s when the handlebars oscillate wildly and you lose control. In a car, is it just sliding one way, then the other?

Yeah. I think it's a combination of the cars carrying way more energy down the straights, the drivers not being able to abandon ship before it crashes, and the higher average cost of cars vs. bikes. (Plus the lower skill for entry in driving cars) A Tank slapper is when you slide one way, overcorrect, then slide the other way, and overcorrect again, repeating over and over until you hit the brakes and stop, or hit a wall and stop less gently.

[Matticus91]

Originally Posted by xQx

what's this internal only system of which you speak?

There's a few new kits out there but I'm not sure how well they work and they're usually hood-specific since you need a certain internal structure for mounting. But, they basically work like a regular hood latch with cables that reach to the center grille to release the latches. Worth looking into if you hate the look of latches, but at $20 for a genuine set of AeroCatch latches I was happy to go that route.

[1and1]

The Seibon hood w/ AC latches is, I think, a good combination- add the rep bumper you end up with just the right aggressive, purposeful look. Heck, the stock hood could actually use a set considering how much it lifts/flexes at high speeds.

Not that any of us upstanding individuals would exceed posted speed limits or anything

[chris_flies]

Originally Posted by 1and1

The Seibon hood w/ AC latches is, I think, a good combination- add the rep bumper you end up with just the right aggressive, purposeful look. Heck, the stock hood could actually use a set considering how much it lifts/flexes at high speeds.

Not that any of us upstanding individuals would exceed posted speed limits or anything

I wouldn't...

[Gangplank]

Originally Posted by chris_flies

I wouldn't...

Not, never ever...

[Zombie_Head]

Originally Posted by Gangplank

Nope. I prefer the 1M > LCI > dinky pre-lci

I am considering the 1M/M3 mirrors as a future replacement, i like them.

Old threads about this, was a mixed bag. Some called it "elephant ears", some hated them and some loved them.....i think they look great.

[chris_flies]

Originally Posted by Zombie_Head

I am considering the 1M/M3 mirrors as a future replacement, i like them.

Old threads about this, was a mixed bag. Some called it "elephant ears", some hated them and some loved them.....i think they look great.

For me, it depends on the car itself (mostly color). I like the pre-LCI mirrors on my car, but I think the LCI mirrors look better on the non-metallic colors for some reason...

Winter wheels and tires are on the car, brake pads are back to regular R4-S', and the brakes have been flushed of some very burnt-looking fluid, and feel great again. I've missed how close the clearance is between the stock wheels (with 5mm spacers) and the F30 brakes up front. I can't wait until it snows, it's going to be a lot of fun...

[iminhell1]

Bought a new-to-me low mile rear subframe. Much easier to do bushings in one out of car vs in.
And after the undercar video I seen of how much the differential moves, I better get bushings done.


... and diff movement probably contributes to a noisy center bearing.