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Quite surprised to hear a 5-year-old car to already wear its rotors out when there's heaps of 20-year-olds still kicking about on stock ones. Sure enough the newer cars are getting heavier and heavier but damn! I'd say it's definitely worth getting into the DIY habit if you want long-term BMW-ownership to be even remotely financially viable, and as others have noted, a brake job is just about the easiest first step on that journey. For starters, I'd get this tool kit, currently on sale and is great value. I've found that it packs all you need and more for 90% of the jobs you're likely to take on. Might not be pro quality stuff but there's lifetime warranty on most bits in there. My set is now 4 years old and the 3/8 in ratchet decided it doesn't want to ratchet anymore the other week, took it in and got it replaced, no questions asked. Throw in a jack and some jack stands and you're pretty much set for a lifetime DIY goodness for less than $400. For your particular car I think you'll also need 6mm & 8mm hex sockets, and probably a torque wrench but just gut'n'tight should work as well. Then go to RealOEM, put in the last 7 digits of your VIN and look up the part numbers. Put those into FCP Euro, they're pretty reliable for telling you the OE manufacturer of the parts. Then look up the same parts on Spareto (they stock a heap more different manufacturers but I'd stick to the OE brands wherever possible). Compare stock availability, prices between the two and off you go. Purchase date to delivery has mostly been about a week, sometimes 10 days. Also keep in mind that (at least for now) Spareto lists prices with European GST included but takes it off when you go to checkout and put in the shipping address, so assume another 20% off the prices when looking up the parts. Once you get the parts, just dig into it. I've found Youtube to be invaluable, especially when starting off and you can always ask on here if you run into trouble. Here's a great video on a brake job on the F30 platform which should be very similar if not identical to your F36 so you won't be going into it blindly. It does seem prohibitive and more complicated than it actually is when first starting off but once you knock out one or two jobs you start to realize that it's hardly rocket science and most jobs are very much doable with very minimal tools and prior experience. The more you do, the easier it gets. Good luck!

Well, looks like we're onto a winner. Blue Loctite 243 seems to have done the job. Thoroughly cleaned the threads and sat it in just a mm in from flush. At the same time did the same on the old engine as a test. Took it out the next morning to check and it looks to have set pretty well. Compare that to the Permatex 59235 that got completely washed out and didn't set at all. Anyway, ran the engine for a couple of minutes last night and so far so good. Haven't put it under any real load yet but previously the oil began dripping down within seconds. Removed the flywheel and didn't find any other signs of leaks, everything is bone dry. Happy days. Video Started putting everything back together now and hoping to finally go for a longer drive over the weekend. Jumped on and reset the self-adjusting pressure plate. Looking at the before and afters, it doesn't look to have made much of a difference so it hadn't gone out of whack by much, but good to make sure anyway. Did it by bolting it down onto a piece of ply laid over a pallet instead of using jaw pullers, similar to this video. Before During After Also made up a couple of tidy plugs for the O2 sensor wiring out of old sensors. These will properly clip into the brackets and keep the wires from rattling around under the beauty covers. Might later remove the redundant wiring altogether. Will just have the ABS light trifecta to clear away from the cluster after everything is back together. I suspect it's just a matter of going through the steering angle sensor calibration procedure as I did play around with it a bit. Will see how she goes.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kkxqv_IyI24

Time for a bit of an update... The OxfordG 525 turned out very nice and has now been sold to a lucky recipient, excluding my labour I even turned a very rare $299 profit lol... If it weren't for the fact that the X3 is the ideal daily for my work/play at the moment it would not have gone anywhere... Being rather time poor I farmed out the painting of the Topaz 540 to a mate of a mate who did come well regarded... the result was OK, but there is a bit of orange peel correction to be done at some point. It has been assembled, a replacement windscreen fitted, WOF'd and the a/c regassed. Lots of other stuff has been done when assembling such as rear parcel tray re-dye and interior clean, rear windscreen trim, side trims, M5 mirrors. Things to do include repairing an assembly scratch on the rear bumper I just can't unsee, perhaps alloy wheel refresh and new tyres maybe. I can't make up my mind which 540 msport to sell so I just may advertise both and see which one goes first... As a refresher this 2002 topaz one has had a fair bit done, just review this thread... timing chain guides and all stuff in there is the main feature (as is with the Biarritz too), and now the paint and interior. If anyone is interested now in either the 99 Biarittz Individual 540 or the 02 Topaz 540 then please message me. Prices negotiable and will depend on how much more I throw at these cars.... and I can fully expand on the extensive work done... The dark M5 style 65 wheels on Biarittz will not be sold, which ever car sells will come with style 66's as pictured. Oh yeah.. in other news, a 2000 e38 740i Msport has found its way here... much to be done in the e39/8 rescue centre... although my business model /community service of "buy cheap / spend heaps / sell for a massive loss" I realise is unsustainable... just ask the missus... 😂

I have enjoyed reading this and to be fair, I think its time for another BMW and an E46 is on the cards. To be fair my old E46 was a very sharp handling car, sharper than my e92 or E36 (All 5 of them). Plus my daughter who will be of driving age in a year or so and usually never talks about cars said, "Dad I don't want a boring car, and I want a manual, can I drive your Purple BMW (E34540is)?" I said no you cant. "She said what about your old Blue BMW could I get one of those?". Maybe......

Picked it up for $7500. clocks reset and its showing "Increased Battery Discharge" message in idrive. had the battery on a charger for 2 hours so far. its a Century DIN55ZLAGMF, 500 CCA 55Ah seems under what ive seen on the internet so far suggesting 70Ah or more replacement recommendations?

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At least it doesn't bang on about a "sunroof delete" anymore.

Don't think M539 would touch something like this with a 10 foot pole 😄 Personally, I would avoid due to the shoddy state of the paint (on the rear bumper at minimum) and the electrical troubles - two types of issues I least enjoy dealing with. Could be a good project if you're that way inclined, although at the end of the day, you'd still be left with a 4-pot nightmare driving it. Would be a keen subscriber to your build thread if you do take it on though.

Ewww raisins

Date: 11 Jan 2023 Distance: 205,567 kms 1. Maintenance Replaced leaking water pump (weeping - was just over two years old) - this time went with GRAF. Last time was HEPU, same as previously. Refilled cooling system with fresh BMW coolant and distilled water at 1:1 ratio Replaced vacuum bungs on inlet manifold 11611437560 and 11611727176 Replaced High Pressure Fuel Line clamp 13311716049 Transmission Service with ZF kit (24152333915), filter, machine flushed/refilled with Lubeguard Complete full synthetic ATF. Front Brake Pads replaced with Hawk Performance HPS Rear brake calipers replaced with rebuilt units; rear brake pads replaced with Hawk Performance HPS Full brake system flush and bleed with DOT4 brake fluid Road tested Observed the previous service agent had used gasket cement on the Auto Trans oil pan and stripped one of the bolts. BIG shout out to Begley Motor Worx in Marton for exceptional care. 2. Next steps: replace windscreen wipers and rear wipers rebuild front calipers source and fit replacement touring rear caliper carriers new headlight lenses diff seals (input, both outputs), replace diff oil back box replacement (slow corrosion at top) Fit new sunroof seal (precautionary replacement) I really enjoyed the drive home last night. Trans is shifting like butter. Brakes offer much faster retardation with better feel than the old Akebono Euro that (finally) wore enough to be replaced.

There will be a somewhat random and tangental listing on this thread as I recall or dredge up adventures/maintenance/experience with this vehicle. Broadly: Transmission shat the bed in late Dec 2012. Jan 2013 it was left with a local specialist for a couple of weeks while we holidayed abroad. The trans was fully rebuilt by Hutt Automatics, and a bunch of remedial maintenance addressed at the same time (the standard valve cover gasket, oil filter housing to block etc) Full set of coils. Sump gasket, engine mounts, trans mounts. Full suspension refresh (stock) with Sachs shocks. Revised suspension refresh (thanks again @Herbmiester) with MSport ARBs, e9x style 194 rims and e46 msport tyre setup MD stereo swapped for factory CD stereo. Sunroof slider repaired. Vacuum issues resolved - PCV system replacement and brake booster replaced after diaphragm contaminated by oil in the PCV system. A couple of cooling system refreshes (including metal pulley) Touch wood, it's never needed to be towed. More detail later. also replaced scrennwash pump a couple of times; then replaced the whole reservoir tank. Despite a diet of exclusively BMW screenwash for about 7 years, the tanks break down and produce a kind of white snot that clogs the pump. No issues since replacing pump and tank together. Replacement (heated) washer nozzles still await fitting.