jeffbebe

Camera Doctor probably has it right... http://www.bimmersport.co.nz/forums/index....st&p=476954

All good here.

Got familiar with E39 comfort seats this weekend. Have had an airbag light for some time which wouldn't clear. First time I scanned was with knock off scanner and the fault code indicated that it had the wrong seat module. I'd swapped the driver's seat for one with working lumbar support but it didn't have the electronic steering column adjustment - so I'd assumed this was the problem. Tom - M3_Power - helped me out and we discovered the issue was actually a faulty driver's side seat belt tensioner. With a warrant due I had to sort it out quick smart. Anyway, got the seat and took it and the original seat apart. I swapped the back from the one with working lumbar support and fitted to the original base with electronic steering wheel adjustment and swapped the lumbar support motors just to be sure. Put everything back together including new plastic trim and hey presto... Fault cleared!! Great result and also know what I'm doing with the seats now for when I finish the recolour so I can fit new leather and driver's cushion. Warrant first though...

Saw a few very nice cars over the weekend: Followed a blue E36 convertible M3 on the northern motorway from the harbour bridge to Upper Harbour Highway. Plate C00LM3 - and it was absolutely mint. An E92 (??) M3 outside Ponsonby Central, plate SLP1. And a couple close to home - a really nice white E30 this morning on Richmond Road with full tech 2 kit and this: Pretty certain the guy who lives here also has an immaculate E24 635 csi and a TVR (Cerberus or Chimera... Not sure which).

Shiny! You can't go wrong with clay bar and Tech 2.0 wax! Reminds me I really ought to give mine another wax treatment... The last one has just lasted so long and so well!

From memory there's a button on the top right of your MID that says "AUDIO" if it's non-DSP or "AUDIO DSP" if it's with DSP. I'll dig out a link to the place where I got mine - and any other better offers I find as I got mine a while ago!! DSP's a bit of a pain in the ass if you're swapping units (straight plug and play for non-DSP) so fingers crossed you don't have it. EDIT: This is the one I bought - http://www.a-sure.com.hk/products/car-dvd-...x5-e38-642.html - I think the price is in USD. If you add built in Digital TV antennae and reverse camera it'll be a bit more expensive. From memory shipping was under $100. Here's one on their eBay store (bit safer buying that way I guess): eBay - Not sure why it's more expensive, maybe it includes TV antenna.

I think Josh (hybrid) put in a Dynavin unit in his E39 - it looks absolutely mint! I couldn't afford it so picked up a rip off version from China. I've had it installed for the best part of a year now and it's been great. All up cost $500-600 from memory including shipping and is plug and play with non-DSP MID unit. Looks like this (sorry about the shite phone pic): Bluetooth works well and has iPod, aux, digital TV, DVD, VCD, USB and SD inputs. Also great factory look and feel. Might not be a Dynavin and functionality not quite as good (e.g. you can't use Playlists on iPod) but otherwise it's great and cost less than half the price of the Dynavin unti. Got mine from eBay but I think there are other similar units on TM.

Great looking car.

Who will paint a car for $3K?! I need their number.

Yeah, avoid him. I bought some tail lights from him. They were really cheap looking when received - that wasn't the issue though: I asked to returned them and he agreed then took 3 months to refund me. In the end I had to drive to frickin' Kelston and demand my cash in person.

so that 'YOU WONT MISS IT!!!'

Nice! It's a good looking machine... Not a fan of the wheels though but if you love 'em, keep 'em and if not that's an easy fix.

Agreed... Finish looks great but I was quoted $500 for a pro to restore the whole interior (door cards and F+R seats). I'm not sure a litre would be enough (??) so $245 for a DIY job does seem pricey.

Very cool. Will you be able to test single vanos M52B28? I've been toying with the idea of replacing the seal but would love to do it because I know it will improve power delivery instead of hoping that it might. I'm prepared to pay for this kind of service but not the kind of sum BM workshop want for it.

That sounds pretty cheap... I seem to remember another thread about this (can't remember if it was on here or elsewhere) saying that $2-3K was the norm.

Yep, he can... And I can have an opinion and share it, if I want to.

Man after my own heart... I'm also a stickler for condition and am gradually restoring my E39 to as close to mint as I can get (for a 16+ year old car). Meguiar's Tech 2.0 is the best wax I've found. I restored my BBS RSIIs but didn't repaint the inside of the wheel. Planning to take them off and clean the insides when I change the brake pads. What do you use to clean yours - I'm imagining I'll need a serious agent to remove years of grime but don't want anything that will damage the polished aluminium lip on the outside. Recolour rather than replace - you can get a good DIY kit for around NZ$200 but you will need a spray gun for a good finish and it'd probably cost not much more to get a pro to do it. I've got a guy helping with recolouring me seats - will let you know how they turn out. I got a secondhand M sport wheel from Brent - restoring the leather was relatively easy (same process as seats) but had to colour the stitching black. Don't think there's a way you can restore the stitching colour and the leather. It's around $500 to recover and stitch the wheel, so a bit cheaper than a new wheel.

Or just leave it the way BMW intended... It's hard enough keeping a black car clean, matte black would be a nightmare.

I'm just going off what the guy in the video says... That the bolts in the newer FL version are different (and presumably tougher).

No idea... But I can't imagine they'll guarantee it for much over 12 months.

Jesus, that's a bit scary. Would you get any warning that these bolts had worn or would it just pop? Guess it should be on the list of things to do at 100,000 kms for any PFL E46 M3.

Most professional signwriters will do good job of full wrapping a vehicle - particularly those that work with/sponsor any racing teams. Seriously though, don't do it (unless you're going to clear wrap to protect your paint). Matte vinyl wrapped cars look sh*t and cheap and the vinyl doesn't last nearly as long as you might think, there are just two many curves and panels on a car. It's probably okay on a weekend cruiser but on your daily driver that wrap will be peeling within a couple of years... At some $3K to full wrap a car that doesn't sound like a good investment to me.

Cheers, the previous owner/s must've really looked after it and kept it garaged it's entire life. I've made a few aesthetic mods and the usual E39 repairs... Apart from that I just really like keeping it clean!

First coat of colour on spare leather skins went on today. Going to finish off and install next weekend - at the same time going to hopefully fix airbag light fault (dodgy seatbelt tensioner) and restore the original driver's seat base so the steering column adjustment works. Also cleaned inside and outside plus gave the engine a good spruce up.

Thanks. Yes, was after injectors were cleaned and resealed (professionally not by me). No visible fuel leak and today when I cold started barely detectable smell - which is weird as it's been really strong on other days. Couldn't see any leaks though there was a small amount of residue around injector 1. I've cleaned up the engine and will see if it shows up again.