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

[Gray_Panther]

@low135
I don't have the headlight parts anymore. Sorry man I threw them out during the move.

[chris_flies]

Got some new sticky-icky's. First impressions: LOUD and STIFF. Downsized to 225/45-17's again. Also ordered F30 backing plates to protect my on-the-way Öhlins, I don't want them to be damaged by heat and caked in brake dust.

[hunginator]

Originally Posted by chris_flies

Got some new sticky-icky's. First impressions: LOUD and STIFF. Downsized to 225/45-17's again. Also ordered F30 backing plates to protect my on-the-way Öhlins, I don't want them to be damaged by heat and caked in brake dust.

you'll be able to hear the stick from those RE71R's when going over lane markings/lines. it sounds and feels like the tire is ripping the paint off the road!

[Gray_Panther]

Replaced a bulb in the tail light. I think I will wash it today even if it rains because it is filthy.

[dmcM2C]

Forgot to post yesterday but got some new wheels and tires mounted

[Gray_Panther]

A nice bath today and also applied powerlock+. Tomorrow morning will be collinite 845.

[1and1]

Got some 845 in my near future as well, along with some clean windows and smooth paint

[Gray_Panther]

Originally Posted by 1and1

Got some 845 in my near future as well, along with some clean windows and smooth paint

Great minds think alike. I am not sure if it will help any but I did an alcohol wipe down before applying my paint sealant. I figure it might provide a better bond.

[minirips2]

Originally Posted by Gray_Panther

Great minds think alike. I am not sure if it will help any but I did an alcohol wipe down before applying my paint sealant. I figure it might provide a better bond.

The best thing I've found for cleaning paint prior to waxing or coating is McKee's or Pinnacle Black Label surface prep polish. An isopropyl wipe is definitely faster though. CarPro makes a prep liquid also, but that might be just a bottle of iso.

[1and1]

Originally Posted by Gray_Panther

Great minds think alike. I am not sure if it will help any but I did an alcohol wipe down before applying my paint sealant. I figure it might provide a better bond.

Originally Posted by minirips2

The best thing I've found for cleaning paint prior to waxing or coating is McKee's or Pinnacle Black Label surface prep polish. An isopropyl wipe is definitely faster though. CarPro makes a prep liquid also, but that might be just a bottle of iso.

I'm gonna put a quick wash on it with Dawn dish soap after using the clay bar, and apply the McKee's while drying with a MF...

Couple of days for it to cure, then the 845 goes on.

[hunginator]

Originally Posted by 1and1

I'm gonna put a quick wash on it with Dawn dish soap after using the clay bar, and apply the McKee's while drying with a MF...

Couple of days for it to cure, then the 845 goes on.

How would you guys compare the collinite stuff to a consumer grade coating?

I know that the collinite stuff is considered a sealant so it shouldn’t really be compared but it’s supposed to last way longer than a typical sealant?

[Gray_Panther]

Originally Posted by hunginator

How would you guys compare the collinite stuff to a consumer grade coating?

I know that the collinite stuff is considered a sealant so it shouldn’t really be compared but it’s supposed to last way longer than a typical sealant?

Great question! I applied gtechniq coatings on my 1er twice and each time lasted 2 or 3 years (no salty winters however) and it was great. But soooo time consuming to prep. My paint is in amazing shape for its age so I believe washing your car every week or two and proper wash techniques is key.
I no longer have the time to prep for coatings and now that I have my own garage it feels good to just spend time on the car and waxing by hand is cathartic to me.

Having said that, laying down a paint sealant like mckees or powerlock and following up with collinite lasts up to 6 months with proper maintenance. Collinite is great but not by itself. It needs an underlying ally to really pump itself up.

[Gray_Panther]

Finished product!

[chris_flies]

Spent yesterday afternoon driving in the rain. These RE-71R's are excellent; much better than the FFI500's even when those were new. The steering feel is much better; it's much much lighter, and weights-up more quickly (much stiffer sidewalls). The ride quality is still...communicative, but I think dropping the tire pressures will help that (Costco put them at BMW pressures for a 205/50 RFT). They aren't the comfortable or quiet tires that the FFI500's were, they are much more hardcore, more alert, and much more excitable.

I just put my tuition deposit in for LeTourneau University today! I guess I'll be road trippin' to Texas in August...


EDIT: Also signed up for HyperFest (a while ago), and Mid-Ohio with PCA in June (did that today).

[iminhell1]

Originally Posted by chris_flies

Spent yesterday afternoon driving in the rain. These RE-71R's are excellent; much better than the FFI500's even when those were new. The steering feel is much better; it's much much lighter, and weights-up more quickly (much stiffer sidewalls). The ride quality is still...communicative, but I think dropping the tire pressures will help that (Costco put them at BMW pressures for a 205/50 RFT). They aren't the comfortable or quiet tires that the FFI500's were, they are much more hardcore, more alert, and much more excitable.

I just put my tuition deposit in for LeTourneau University today! I guess I'll be road trippin' to Texas in August...


EDIT: Also signed up for HyperFest (a while ago), and Mid-Ohio with PCA in June (did that today).

What are you going to school for?

*edit
I don't think they'd like me there ...

[chris_flies]

Originally Posted by iminhell1

What are you going to school for?

*edit
I don't think they'd like me there ...

Mechanical Engineering. It's a very hands-on program; first years learn machining and welding. I'll be able to make car parts lol

[HyeWarrior]

Dropped my car off at the shop to take care of some horrendous cold start squeak (probably the alternator). He also gave me a good price to install my Koni yellows and Dinan springs that have been sitting in the garage forever, so I'm excited to pick it up on Thursday!

(PA school gives me absolutely zero time to wrench on anything myself)

[Gray_Panther]

Originally Posted by HyeWarrior

Dropped my car off at the shop to take care of some horrendous cold start squeak (probably the alternator). He also gave me a good price to install my Koni yellows and Dinan springs that have been sitting in the garage forever, so I'm excited to pick it up on Thursday!

(PA school gives me absolutely zero time to wrench on anything myself)

Yeah but once you are done you will be rolling in it!

[crowtrobot]

Busy weekend prepping the car for a weekend at WGI at the end of the month. Oil change, swapped pads/rotors, and rebuilt the BMWP calipers with RB Stainless pistons and hi-temp boots.

Job wasn't too bad, but took a while as the old dust boots were pretty well stuck in place. Used a compressor at around 50psi and a block of cardboard to pop the pistons out one at a time. Used a ton of brake cleaner and towels to keep the brake fluid away from the hi temp seals, apparently brake fluid and silicone don't mix.

The kit:


Cruddy old caliper:


Banged up piston and melted boot:


Old and new 28mm piston:


The final assembly:


Bled the brakes with a pressure bleeder afterwards, but still have a lot of light travel in the pedal before it starts to firm up. Will try the INPA bleed method later this week, hopefully that clears it up.

[xQx]

Yesterday I got to drive the car in torrential rain for the first time since installing the new hood (with vents) and using NCS Expert to update my DSC settings to match that in a 1M.

Specifically:

UEBERSTEUERN_MUE_0 // Understeer Friction Coefficient 0
1M:   wert_00
UEBERSTEUERN_MUE_1_2 // Understeer Friction Coefficient 1 2 [DATA<128 
1M:   wert_00 
UNTERSTEUERSCHWELLE // Understeer Threshold
1M:   wert_00

So, I can report the 'anti-water' measures I made to the vents worked exactly as planned... so yay

.. and now I can see why people rate the 1M entirely differently on test drives on the track compared with the 135i, because with those DSC settings and a mechanical LSD in a 135i.... HOLY CRAP.

With DTC set to the single-push setting, it'll stop you from lighting up the tires around a tight corner from a standstill, but if you try to step the back out at 25mph in 2nd it won't stop you. ... seemingly, at all. ... I don't know where it intervenes to pull you back in, because I run out of balls (and probably road) well before that point. (even in the dry)

It'll also let the back wiggle like a worm without intervening if you're exceeding rear-wheel traction in a straight line.

I'm honestly not sure if it's too much for my skill level on public roads in this car ... or if I just have to work harder on 'modulating the throttle' and fork out for mods to tighten up the suspension

[chris_flies]

Originally Posted by xQx

.. and now I can see why people rate the 1M entirely differently on test drives on the track compared with the 135i, because with those DSC settings and a mechanical LSD in a 135i.... HOLY CRAP.

With DTC set to the single-push setting, it'll stop you from lighting up the tires around a tight corner from a standstill, but if you try to step the back out at 25mph in 2nd it won't stop you. ... seemingly, at all. ... I don't know where it intervenes to pull you back in, because I run out of balls (and probably road) well before that point. (even in the dry)

It'll also let the back wiggle like a worm without intervening if you're exceeding rear-wheel traction in a straight line.

I'm honestly not sure if it's too much for my skill level on public roads in this car ... or if I just have to work harder on 'modulating the throttle' and fork out for mods to tighten up the suspension

That was easily the biggest difference-maker for the day-to-day enjoyability of the car for me. It's a "goldilocks" setting for putting around town.

[xQx]

Originally Posted by chris_flies

That was easily the biggest difference-maker for the day-to-day enjoyability of the car for me. It's a "goldilocks" setting for putting around town.

Well, I can say, when I was doing the coding I had my doubts that the settings were going to make any difference, and I wasn't entirely sure if they'd applied correctly using NCS Expert... and those doubts were well-and-truly put to rest!