hotwire

OEM batteries (calcium) are common to last that long, I have seen many, and sometimes longer. Also, a lot of the replacements are calcium too - at around that price

My 99 Jap E39 still has the originals on. Still working quite OK but nearly ready for replacement. I can get refills cheap as chips through work but I will probably go OEM. I have never had after market blades work or last as well on other cars. Just come back from the Show/shine today at MT Maunganui with the E12 - raining on the way home -the blades are shot. Tridon metal back, about 3yrs old, hardly used & never really seen the sun. As below - good point on fitting blades - if not fitted correctly - the rubber will retract

Have you sorted it yet? Cant recall offhand whether the Touring has two park lamps either side (one in corner, one in tail gate)? How many on other side? Anyway, are both fronts going? Park lights are individually fused each side. I guess you have checked the obvious - the bulb, otherwise - maybe a broken wire through the hinge conduit

Safe enough to trickle charge it from under the bonnet, but equally, not hard to charge at the battery

If wheel cylinder is leaking fluid - IT will require replacing or at least rekitting (but rekitting usually not viable). The shoes on that side are probably saturated & if they cannot be properly cleaned of fluid contamination, they will need replacing. Shoes are sold in a set - both wheels. In this case the drum will simply be contaminated & easily cleaned. If it is worn, depending on the amount - they can be machined. If this is the case & new linings are also required, it would make sense to replace cylinders on both sides, along with shoes & drum machining. Both sides for even braking. Or - a disc rear end conversion...

Yup... & some 320's

Yep, and consider BMW spent zillions on R&D for best setup. Unless you get serious with cold air intake (CIA) as mentioned above, then revert to stock with an OEM filter. Bound to be quieter too...

Welcome. Car looks great, love the black/white contrast. Steering wheel on the wrong side though ... unless of course an E30 M3

Yep as with everyone above, thanks for the great service you have provided us all & good luck with your new venture.

Hello & welcome And before someone else says... pics of the car

HB John

Not meaning to be a smartass, but as has been mentioned - these retrofits are NOT correct, are illegal & should be policed as such. I have seen them coming towards me - they are a major distraction. They could easily cause an accident to an inexperienced or inconfident driver 35w has no bearing - the HID rating differs from standard bulbs. The projected pattern is the issue. Put them on a beamsetter & compare pattern against the correct version - they are miles off. As Simon mentioned above - to have them so the glare is not too excessive - they need to be set low - meaning the range is crap.

A piece of wire, a terminal & a screw & a bloody scotch lock Best to solder the link wire if possible. Or - a 5 min job for an Auto Sparky...

I think everyone above has confrimed my view too Sounds as though youv'e seen the light though

Yup, thats it. Buggered without one though. Did you get the old one out? Yes to key on acc, this position is needed before the release tab in the barrel is able to be depressed -with a pin inserted down into the face slot. A tip cleaner or similar high tensile pin is ideal for this. Acc position is common for this - means that the barrel cannot be removed without the key - stops unauthorised access, well that's the idea. If you cannot get the key onto acc, it is a bitch of a procedure, I have had a few that I have had to drill/die grind the barrel out as they have either just spun or jammed on ign position. If you haven't yet got it out, once you receive the replacement - you will see how it works.

Very well put Elmarco, Simon & Matt - my thoughts exactly!! Me not wanting to sound like kill joy either but I wish to hell these aftemarket HID lights got pinged by ALL WOF inspectors. They are illegal for a specifice reason, & rightly so - they do NOT project light at the correct controlled pattern (for reasons stated above) but project a dangerous bright glare to oncoming traffic. A factory option HID, (or "complete" aftermarket lamp) while bright & white, is a specifcally controlled beam pattern, which does not create a blinding effect on oncoming vehicles.

^^^^ ok stand corrected. Obviuosly I never looked at the booster in the brief time I had an E28

Yep, my suggestion further back was booster hose but also meant to suggest booster itself:-

And I might add, not usually overly into this style of car

Paul, I have had a lot of experience with Mongoose over the years. They make a very good product & it IS reliable & cost comparitive. The reason that the one you mention will be false alarming will more likely than not be a setting f%## up ... or a crap install - & I have seen plenty of these over the years. ANY alarm is only as good as the install/setup. They should NOT false alarm & don't when set correctly. That said, I can't say I have always had that sucess with Uniden. There are plenty of quality alarms out there, AVS, Dynatron etc , & Mongoose probably no better than these. Where they have an advantage is that they have good backup facilities, unlike some others. Adding to - they have all the other upgrade options you mention re AVS

I would not go Uniden, although most of their product is good, their alarms are not their own but a rebranded unit & from experience - not as good as others. AVS, not had a lot to do with & not sure of their backup. Mongoose would be my pick, also good after sales support if required

Good write up And good result on retrieval of rogue gasket part. I know the feeling with this type of thing - an easy job... turns to sh*t

Common problem, need to get the key into acc position & insert a pin into the slot on the barrel face to release the tab & pull the barrell out. News to me they are NLA. They are ordered ex BMW AG from the VIN of the car. I just replaced one at work a few months back. I suggest you remove it BEFORE it fails completely - they are then a real B%#@H to remove - been there done that too

Booster hose leaking?

Great initial write up Ashkan. Await updates with anticipation