Mike.Gayner

Creaver - does that existing headunit work well? Would you sell it? Thanks.

My E34 has had squeaky steering at the wheel since I've had it. I've tried a couple of things that have been suggested on online forums with no success. Today I was getting ready to pull off the airbag/steering wheel when I couldn't find my torx driver Anyhow, I had a look at the back of the steering wheel while I had the cowl off and saw a copper ring attached to the wheel, and some sort of brush/sensor touching it. I gave the wheel a turn, and it was apparent immediately that it was this that was causing the squeak. I gave it a quick grease and all gone. Here's the procedure - less than five minutes all up. 1. Remove the lower cowl below steering wheel. After removing the single screw holding it on, use a flat head screw drive to separate the upper and lower halves. The upper one doesn't need to be removed. 2. Spot the ring in question, as per the picture. Clean up the crud as much as you can, and apply a small amount of grease. 3. Reassemble. edit: So does anyone know what this thing actually does?

That's precisely what I mean when I say business owners ought worry more about customers who don't kick up a fuss than those who do. They won't notice I'm gone. Or the next person, or the next, until their business is worth nothing. I'm not cutting contact with them vindictively or from spite, but because they're not worth the effort. I've just learned an important lesson about sticking with people you trust, even when it costs a few dollars more.

I obviously wasn't clear enough in my first post - the problem was eventually fixed after the worker realised I wasn't going to go away. If it were worth my time, I would go back and make a complaint to the owner, but it's not frankly. So what is it, Greg, that annoys you so much about me making a post about my experience?Breaden - why is it "only fair" for me to take more time out of my day to go back to this workshop again? What business owners should fear is not the customer who comes back to make a complaint, or the one who demands more and more of you. What they should fear is the customer who simply doesn't return. The customer who gave you a second chance by returning to get the problem fixed and was dissatisfied with your belligerent and dismissive attitude. I owe the proprietor nothing, and that's what I intend to give him.

I've bought it up in the past during my short time on this forum, but I wish admins weren't so heavy handed with post deletion. I would rather have had a chance to address peoples' issues with my post than to return to the thread to see your post, Penry. For the record my initial post was not thoughtless and my emotions hadn't had the better of me - I expressed my genuine position on the subject. Zenetti - no he wasn't the owner, he was just a typical grease monkey employee. As it happens, I know the owner on a fairly casual basis, and I know he wouldn't tolerate this type of work. The owner was around when the tyres were fitted (he sold them to me), but not when I returned to complain. I'm not going to bother returning again to see him, I'll just take my future business elsewhere. And you're right, not all tyre shop workers are as dense as this guy, just most of them. As it happens, there is one tyre shop in this city who I trust - Tyre Master Elizabeth Street. I made the foolish mistake of choosing the other group on the basis that they quoted $30/tyre cheaper - never again.

I refuse to go to Firestone 2nd Ave as long as they're still hocking that nitrogen BS. Telling grandmas that they will save money by spending $5/tyre on nitrogen is NOT cheap, professional, friendly or helpful.

Torque sticks should only be used in conjunction with a torque wrench, not as a replacement. They're just not accurate enough.

In my view, this is not just good practice, it's the only acceptable practice. No professional mechanic would tighten cylinder head studs without a torque wrench, and no tyre shop worker should use the rattle gun to save 2 minutes.

This is to people working in tyre shops with single digit IQs, which appears to be about 99% of all tyre shop workers. Please learn to use your tools properly. Your incompetence is illustrated when I spend $500 having two tyres fitted, then a couple of weeks later when I'm working on my car I can't get the wheel nuts off. Here's a handy tip - if I can't get them off with a power bar, they're too f**king tight. What am I supposed to do if I get a flat tyre? By the way, Mr Tyre Shop Idiot, the correct response when I arrive at your workshop to complain about this is to say "Wow, sorry sir, you're absolutely right, that was a stupid thing to do. Let me quickly whip those off for you and refit them correctly.". The correct response is not to belligerently roll your eyes and tell me you're too busy to do it now, so leave it with me. It is certainly not appropriate to tell me they're fine and I should stop complaining. Signed, The last customer of Summit Tyres, Waihi Rd, Tauranga.

Surely this is a troll post? "My car is overheating and I'm getting an oil pump error, so I replaced my battery"? No way.

My OBC keeps telling flashing these warnings: Lic. Plate Light Tail Light Dip Beam But all of these things are working fine. What would cause this? Thanks.

OK fixed. Why did it happen? It occurred suddenly on two different computers.

Confirmed my car has a sword type resistor - interestingly on a short trip to replace the T20 wrench I lost, the heather started working correctly again, albeit with a strong burning smell. The smell leads me to believe that a failing sword is a potential fire hazard, so it's worth replacing as soon as possible.

Is there a reason the posts in Bimmersport now show up as that retarded annoying old BBS style tree rather than the normal forum style it was a few days ago?

Now I'm very confused I'll look at it tonight if I get a chance, though it's looking like another late night in the office

Thanks, I'll have a look tonight when I get home. Just had a play with the car in my lunch break, and the symptoms are unfortunately deteriorating. The fan speed control now doesn't work at all, giving about 75% air volume over the whole scale, except for the top detent which increases air flow to 100%. Turning the heater/AC off now leaves the fan blowing at about 75%, with the vents closed casuing the loud whistling noise. If it makes any difference, the chassis number on my car is GF21213. Thanks. edit: Phoned Coombes Johnston, they want over $1,000 for the "sword". Ridiculous.

According to this website: http://www.bmwe34.net/E34main/Maintenance/...rical/Sword.htm I have a different type of resistor - anyone know anything about this? Thanks.

Is that price correct? $517.82

I'm having trouble locating the right part on Realoem - can someone please advise me of the part number I need? Thanks.

Thanks guys. Glen - it sounds like it's on very high speed, but I'm pretty sure it's actually on the lowest speed setting, but forcing air through closed vents, hence the noise.

Yes the heater is otherwise fine.

Yesterday I was using the heater in my car as usual, and when I pulled into the driveway I switched it off, but it didn't switch off. What appears to be happening is that the fan stays on but all the vents close, so the air is forced through a small gap in the windscreen vent, creating quite a loud, high pitched (almost whistling) noise. Otherwise the heater/AC is working fien - the fan and temperature variables are working in good order. Is this is known issue? Anyone know a simple fix? Thanks. Attached is a picture of the same heater that's in my car.

So have I - but only when I needed the tool to get the job done. Edited by Bravo: Antagonising remark removed. Keep it clean. You have been warned.

If I were servicing 50 cars a week, I would invest in the tool. Spending $50+ on a tool for a home service is a bit silly when there's such a well known, easy technique for resetting the light yourself.

Are you sure you'd fry your computer by getting it wrong? That seems incredibly implausible to me - having had a fair bit of experience with building and fixing electrical circuits, I cannot see why it would be designed such that bridging the wrong terminals would result in a short circuit with a high enough voltage/current to do any damage. It's just an inspection port, isn't it? edit: Also, looking at those pictures, you'd have to be retarded to get it wrong. It would require more than a slip of the hand - it would require a total absence of thought.