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

[Esteban]

Originally Posted by low135

It's oem Cinnamon leather color. I do think there's a but of saturation in his pics but I'm told it should be 99% match to oem.

For the rest of the interior I bought a set of spare tan rear seats and door cards with tan inserts. I'm in the process of dyeing those pieces with oem Cinnamon color as well.

It'll look nice. Any plans to change the exterior color?

[low135]

Originally Posted by Esteban

It'll look nice. Any plans to change the exterior color?

Yup, it's getting some bodywork now before we start the new wrap. I'll just say it's clean and classic for now

[Esteban]

Originally Posted by low135

Yup, it's getting some bodywork now before we start the new wrap. I'll just say it's clean and classic for now

Hmmm... white?

[Gray_Panther]

I bought the seat belt holders from ebay and they arrived today from Latvia, $40 shipped.

I should have bought these 8 years ago! I will try and post pics tomorrow.

[iamroddy]

Originally Posted by bmw1racer

I thought I read somewhere that you weren't supposed to mix coil brands...?

I bought the car recently and did a sparkplug change. 3 coils were Bosch (OEM and dated 04/10), the other 3 were Delphi. All 6 are Bosch now.

[krhodes1]

Finished driving from Maine to Florida. Left Maine Tuesday at 1pm, drove to Edison, NJ to spend the night. From there to Baltimore for a work engagement yesterday, onsite for 2.5hrs. Left Baltimore at 3:30 and drove until I couldn't anymore and got a hotel at 11pm - made it to Lumberton, NC, about 20 miles north of the South Carolina line. Today, the final 652 miles home to my winter place in about 10hrs.

No issues at all, 1581 miles total, 66mph average speed and 27.5mpg per the computer for the trip. I'm glad I only do this every few years - long boring drive. I usually fly. But the car is now in it's new permanent home, joining my GTI. Which I was too tired to get out of my neighbor's garage. Tomorrow...

I might have to find another one to keep in Maine!

[Gree125]

Today I replaced the old angel eyes bulb with a new set of LED bulbs. No more orange rings! But my god what a pain those rear headlight covers are!!!! 🤬

[iamroddy]

Picked up trans fluid/filter/gasket (it's the 6L45 transmission), oil & filter for the engine (Redline 0W40), and gear oil (Redline 75W90) for the differential.
I'm hoping to get at it this weekend and have my first good look under the car.

[gjm120]

Originally Posted by iamroddy

Picked up trans fluid/filter/gasket (it's the 6L45 transmission), oil & filter for the engine (Redline 0W40), and gear oil (Redline 75W90) for the differential.
I'm hoping to get at it this weekend and have my first good look under the car.

Don't take this wrong - are you sure and comfortable with what needs to be done for the AT fluid & filter change?

Only asking because a few times on here people didn't know what to do and didn't get the right fluid amount in. Also, if you're using jackstands, it's a bit scary.

[iamroddy]

Originally Posted by gjm120

Don't take this wrong - are you sure and comfortable with what needs to be done for the AT fluid & filter change?

Only asking because a few times on here people didn't know what to do and didn't get the right fluid amount in. Also, if you're using jackstands, it's a bit scary.

I thought about using jackstands, but I'm too old to be crawling around on the floor...getting down is ok, but getting up hurts, lol. My neighbor has a couple of hoists in his garage, so I'll shoot over there and 'borrow' one for a couple of hours.
I've been working on cars at the hobby level for 30+ years, and have done fluid and filter changes on numerous automatics. I will admit though, this is the first one that doesn't have a flippin' dipstick...
I appreciate your concern...it never hurts to give a heads-up.

[gjm120]

Originally Posted by iamroddy

I thought about using jackstands, but I'm too old to be crawling around on the floor...getting down is ok, but getting up hurts, lol. My neighbor has a couple of hoists in his garage, so I'll shoot over there and 'borrow' one for a couple of hours.
I've been working on cars at the hobby level for 30+ years, and have done fluid and filter changes on numerous automatics. I will admit though, this is the first one that doesn't have a flippin' dipstick...
I appreciate your concern...it never hurts to give a heads-up.

That's great you get to avoid jackstands. I put off the ATF job for months just thinking about having to be on my back under a running car. Truth is, by the time I got the fluid drained, dropped the pan and fought that o-ring, I was so covered in ATF didn't care about the hot exhaust and running car above me.

The no dipstick is almost funny. I have old Brit bikes and remember thinking how it was quaint that you got the gearbox fluid level out by it running out of a hole. Didn't expect 'quaintness' with a modern car .

Sounds like you're getting the car in good order. Let me know whether you reset transmission adaptations or not. I didn't and all is fine.

[Afam28]

I see pure turbos in my future...

[Mandinca]

I have a question about headlights.
A few months ago I was backed into which broke the headlight housing in the back. I was able to "fix" it by gluing a piece of plastic over the hole and got the light working again. However, some moisture must have got into it because the adaptive part stopped working. As another "fix" I have been driving it with my headlight in the on position, AHL off. I also coded out the AHL with protools.
Fast forward to a couple of weeks ago and my headlight suddenly got a lot of condensation inside it, and I mean a lot. It was running down the inside of the lens in multiple places. Then the low beam HID went out. The "upgraded" angel eye still worked, as did the turn signal.
So I bought a used headlight on ebay and put it in yesterday.
The headlight had a few drops of moisture in it so I ran a hair dryer into it on warm for about an hour to dry it out.
When I hooked everything up the low beam flickers and the turn signal doesn't work - double time blinking. I also get an error light on the dashboard.
So I took everything apart again (why oh why BMW do you insist on me taking the bumper off to do this, especially with headlight washers).
I noticed that some of the wiring was bare copper inside the lamp unit so I taped it up as well as I could. Put everything back together and now the turn signal works but the low beam still flickers. I also swapped ballasts over while I was doing it so I know it's not the actual ballast per se, maybe the connection though ?
Also, maybe worth noting that it only flickers when the engine is running, not when its KOEO. I also noticed that those metal prongs that sort of wrap around the square block of the bulb....some were missing but there were still plenty making contact, if that's important.

So, does anyone have any idea why my light flickers ?
And, more importantly, how the F do you replace bulbs without removing the bumper. I have nothing like the amount of space, that I see in all the how to's, behind the lamps to remove that back cover that's kidney shaped and if I succeed it's practically impossible to locate the two tabs back where they need to go, blindly, with not enough space for a ten year old's hands, never mind mine. I've had to resort to removing the bumper and anyone who has headlight sprayers will applaud that I have done this three times since yesterday.
I have been looking through the threads and there are literally hundreds on headlights. Having looked at maybe 50 various posts across ten pages....with no luck so far....was just wondering what everyone's thoughts are in here.

2008 E88 with upgraded angel eyes.

Thanks.

[iamroddy]

Originally Posted by gjm120

That's great you get to avoid jackstands. I put off the ATF job for months just thinking about having to be on my back under a running car. Truth is, by the time I got the fluid drained, dropped the pan and fought that o-ring, I was so covered in ATF didn't care about the hot exhaust and running car above me.

The no dipstick is almost funny. I have old Brit bikes and remember thinking how it was quaint that you got the gearbox fluid level out by it running out of a hole. Didn't expect 'quaintness' with a modern car .

Sounds like you're getting the car in good order. Let me know whether you reset transmission adaptations or not. I didn't and all is fine.

This didn't turn out as planned...both of his hoists have equal length arms, and wouldn't close enough to get on the jacking pads. I've got it on stands at home...guess I'll have to do it the painful way.

The under-panels are all off...This car has seen a few salty Canadian winters, and most of the heat shielding above the exhaust is beat. I'll likely end up having to scrap a good bit of it.

This job just got longer.

[BMWCCA1]

Replaced a sticking driver-side rear caliper on my '13 128i M-sport 6MT today. Had to park the car for about week waiting for part and time. The 35-year-old E28 535i became the daily driver—once again!

BMW NA had no calipers in the US, and no one else did, either. Couldn't even get a rebuild kit quickly. Thought maybe I'd just upgrade to the Performance Brake kit if they had that, but none in the BMW NA inventory, either. I didn't feel like paying over $1,800 from the usual suspects if I could just order it through our parts department for around $1,400, but no go.

In the end, O'Reily Auto Parts had a rebuilt caliper in Ohio. I paid around $60 plus $6 to ship it here. Took two-days. It was a rebuilt original. Still said BMW and ATE on the casting. Complete with "new" carrier, pins, clip, etc. Not a difficult repair even using a jack in a gravel driveway. Test drive shows everything as cool as a cucumber!

Feels good to be back in the driver's seat in time for Foundation Fest in Greer, SC, next week.

[gjm120]

Originally Posted by iamroddy

This didn't turn out as planned...both of his hoists have equal length arms, and wouldn't close enough to get on the jacking pads. I've got it on stands at home...guess I'll have to do it the painful way.

The under-panels are all off...This car has seen a few salty Canadian winters, and most of the heat shielding above the exhaust is beat. I'll likely end up having to scrap a good bit of it.

This job just got longer.

That's too bad. Just be careful. In reality I think it's nearly impossible for the car to shake off the stands, but, just a little unnerving being underneath with the noise and heat.

[ShocknAwe]

New wheel speed sensors and the last M suspension parts, 1M end links. Fit the geometry of the E9xM3 dampers much better. The end link tabs are different.

Photos of the carnage below. PS the pictured Meyle HD links suck. Don't buy them. OEM Lemforder FTW.

[Jeb_]

Finally got around to installing the oil pressure sensor I've had sitting on the workbench for months.

[Ygrene]

I'd installed an Ultimate Clutch Pedal several months ago and completely took for granted that it came with an adjustable clutch stop. So, I finally dialed it in and I should have done this a long time ago lol. Such an easy mod to improve the shift experience.

[1and1]

Serp belt flaked out on me today.

bah humbug.

Haven't looked at it yet, but have ordered a belt kit with a Conti belt and the tensioner and idler pulleys. At 100K miles, I probably need to grab a set of motor and trans mounts mounts and another power steering pulley depending on what I find when I dive in.

Hopefully I don't find shreds of belt sticking out of my front main seal! I really really don't want to pull the VC and OP again to fix all that!!

[dtla1]

Originally Posted by 1and1

Serp belt flaked out on me today.

bah humbug.

Haven't looked at it yet, but have ordered a belt kit with a Conti belt and the tensioner and idler pulleys. At 100K miles, I probably need to grab a set of motor and trans mounts mounts and another power steering pulley depending on what I find when I dive in.

Hopefully I don't find shreds of belt sticking out of my front main seal! I really really don't want to pull the VC and OP again to fix all that!!

Depending on how much effort you want to expend, this might be your opportunity to install one of this front main/crank seal protection plate thingys.

[gjm120]

Originally Posted by dtla1

Depending on how much effort you want to expend, this might be your opportunity to install one of this front main/crank seal protection plate thingys.

I was going to suggest the same.

Can't find where anyone has done it to gauge how difficult to install or how effective, but, make good sense in theory