gjm

It's a convincing argument... Except for one teensy thing. Mrs M can't drive stick. Well, she can, but a back injury means I'd have to lift her out of the car afterwards. Then I might have a back injury, too.

Been doing some research into the 'sealed for life' (yeah, right... Short life, then?) automatic gearbox fitted to my car. It is the BMW A5S390R, aka the GM 5L40E. It's used in the E46 328i, 328Ci, 330d and 330Cd (coupe, convertible, saloon and touring), E39 525d and 530d, E83 X3 3.0D with four wheel drive, and E53 X5 3.0D with four wheel drive. Maybe others, too. BMW also built/supplied the A5S360R, but as far as I can tell the only significant difference is the torque handling capacity - A (automatic) 5 (five) S (speeds) XXX (maximum torque rating) R (Manufacturer: R=Hydramatic/GM Z=ZF). Curiously, the GM designation appears to remain unchanged regardless. The attached doc is specifically for the E39, but contains a lot of useful information specific to the 360 & 390 series transmissions too. It shows the location of the plugs and gives some info regarding what is expected during the change procedure. If you're looking for details of the change procedure itself, start here. Fluids... Lots of misdirection around this. The current consensus seems to be to stick with Dexron VI, and you'll be fine. This has been used in several countries, and over tens of thousands of kms without any reported issues (that I have found). At least, no issues directly related to the choice of fluid. Lots of discussion around oil manufacturer, but that's another matter. BMW did supply a fluid, which was superceded by a different BMW part number, and then (it seems) discontinued. Latest advice is to use Dexron VI, although some older Dexron specs including III would probably suit. When changing the fluid, change the filter (and transmission sump gasket). Expensive from BMW, cheaper elsewhere (of course) but check carefully the part number as there are two or three different types. Again, these may correlate to the 360 or 390-series gearboxes, but I have no confirmation of this (yet). Not sure on the procedure for draining all fluid from the transmission system; the gearbox itself holds about half of the fluid, witht he rest in the cooler, pipework and torque converter. Many torque converters also have a drain plug, so I'll see if this is true of the GM 'boxes. BMW_E39_Transmission_Fluid_Information.pdf

I did look at an E39 540i a while back, before I bought the Merc - a white (allegedly) M-sport one. The seller was claiming all sorts of hostory for it and to be fair it really did look the part, and gave every impression of being pampered and looked after. However, when pressed for any sort fo evidence that various things had been done, he went very, very quiet, ending with 'it is what it is' and 'come on - it is over 10 years old' type comments. I may have missed out. Or I may have dodged a bullet. Dunno. Regardless, it's good to know that a balance is being maintained. Driving economically and hearing how many kms per litre someone gets is hardly page-turning, edge-of-the-seat stuff, but for me (at the moment) it is a fact of life. With fuel prices going the way they are, I may not be in such a minority for long!

I'm up for that test! Given the condition of the tyres, we may (need to) find out sooner rather than later. As for your last tag... I think the closet door is open.

Actually, I've done ~400 miles and... etc, etc. But that's possibly the main reason why I bought it! I was getting a bit fed up buying lots of petrol 2 or 3 times a week; buying diesel once seems much more reasonable. Of course, enjoying driving is also important.

Not quite the magnificent weekend of achievement I'd hoped for, but I have done some stuff. Replaced the intake air filter. I think we can agree that was a job that needed doing. Also replaced the cabin air filter which provided a very similar comparison. Replaced the oil separator. Probably didn't need doing as it was running the later 'vortex' type, but I now know it'll be good for quite some time. I think these can actually be cleaned, anyway. Sadly, that's all the good stuff. Didn't get the inlet manifold off, or the engine oil changed. Haven't got a transmission filter and gasket yet, so that's not sorted either. Did get time for some more swirl-flap related research and it is quite possible the flaps were removed and nothing else done - no blanking plates, no remap. And I've found that there has been a 'knock' at some stage - the offside front wing is pressed against the leading corner of the bonnet, causing a very slight deformation to the bonnet. The wing looks fine, but close inspection shows the indicator doesn't quite fit properly. More investigation needed. Other than that, all good. Must get the drivers' door check strap sorted as the door has tried to bite me a couple of times today. And we've just passed 640km on this tank of fuel, with an easy 300km, possibly 400km, to go before fill up (depending on how I drive). Less economical than planned, but it was warm and we've been using the aircon pretty much full-time. The aim is to get 1000km between fill-ups.

Thanks for letting us know the outcome. I too have a squeak from somewhere towards the back of the car, bu I've no idea what it is! (Yet.)

"could have been traveling in excess of 113mph" <gasp> When I moved here I was astonished at reports of police chases with vehicles travelling in excess of 120km/h. Let's see... That's less than 75mph. Anything less than 85mph on a clear motorway, and the UK police are unlikely to look up from their newspapers. At the moment I like the low speed limits as they fortuitously coincide with an excellent speed for economy. I can see it getting very boring, very quickly though! As for the 'ring taxi, well, it had to happen sooner or later. How many taxis have crashed? I have no idea. This can't be the first time! I wonder if they paid the bill for any damage?

I'm thinking more of getting off the mainstream and looking at the RNs from BBS... I kinda like the radial designs, but they've been done a couple of times, Maybe more. Yes, they look good, but I really like different!

Needs 4 more cylinders! (OK - I love the 928. It's a problem I'm trying to deal with.) Back on topic though, 944s are a massively under-rated car.

Michelin Pilot Sport 3 on the front, same size and load rating on both sides. Michelin Primacy on the back. Same sizes, but one is a 91V, the other a 91W. Not really an issue. However, on close inspection they're all a bit sad. One is well worn (tread) but all have some serious marks to the sidewalls. If the sidewalls are weakened, it could contribute to the fidgeting I'm experiencing. Oh dear... Does this mean I need to bring forward the potential larger rim purchase?

New vacuum cleaner? I've got one wife... (I'm so brave when milady isn't looking over my shoulder!) The lowering/springs/shocks thing is something I've thought about long and hard. Larger diameter rims tend to look odd on a standard height car, but I definitely don't want a slammed in the weeds look. Just something that's 'right', like this: BBS RN 17x8 et15s. Yup - very careful about that. This oil. I get the impression that a lot of diesel oil can be used in petrol engines, but not vice versa. Anyway, this one is BMW Longlife 04 approved. This is where decision time is required. I really like the BBS RNs (above) but they seem expensive (to me). Radials are seemingly easier to find and I like them too, but... Do I like them as much? I saw some "titan grau" RNs in Germany and they looked gorgeous. Would suit the blue paintwork, too. Why are BMW rims so heavy? At the other end of the scale (please excuse the pun) I bought a set of original Mercedes rims for the W201. These were fitted as standard, out of the factory, to the 1998-2000 CLK320, and weigh under 12lbs each. Yes - 14lbs (p/n 208 401 0002). I kid you not - you can hold one of these, by the edge, at arms length. Whatever. Any thoughts re RNs vs radial spokes?

Mmm... I love the smell of Castrol R in the morning! I bought the Penrite engine oil today. Got a reasonable deal on 2x5 litres (needs 5.5 ) but I've had good experience with Penrite before. It's good oil so I'll see how it goes. I can always change back to Castrol later. As it is a UK import, I did check the speedo against my phone (which may not be that accurate, either). It's pretty close... 65mph, or 104km/h, showed as 101-103km/h on my phone. Hardly a scientific test, of course. Vaguely related to the speedo accuracy, I got looking at tyres earlier. (Bear with me!) One (on the car) does need replacing soon, and another will follow fairly soon. Two tyres. Buy good ones... Easy $200+. Hmm. Maybe I should consider those 17" rims a little sooner? 225/45-17s are a tiny bit larger in rolling diameter, which should mean the speedo is more accurate than at present. At least, that's the justification I'll use to Mrs M.

I wonder what it would do if I tried driving economically! Doing a longer trip at constant speeds, as I am, makes an enormous difference.

I saw some mention of sunshine... We'll see. It's raining here at the moment. (But fingers crossed for a change.) I don't trust either the service computer, or the economy one, but it's taking so long to get through a tank of fuel I've had no chance to see how accurate it is! But yes - the oil may not be cheap, but it is cheaper than the alternative. Incidentally, the PO appears to have been using Castrol Edge Sport 10W-60.

I really want to change the engine oil this weekend as I suspect that by my personal reckoning, it's overdue. The computer says otherwise, but... And I don't have the oil level sensor yet. Can a failing sender cause any other problems? Here's to hoping it stops raining, and I have a chance to get under the car tomorrow.

Well, that's what the title of the web page says! It does look to have an enormous number of styles, and lots of fitment information and specifications. http://www.bmwstylewheels.com/

I've not been through the area in the E46 yet - tomorrow, perhaps. May see if I can find Brent, too.

A little background: I drive from just outside Clevedon (east of Papakura, south of Auckland) to work in Hamilton. Around 120km each way, so we'd been looking for an economical, practical, reliable and yet potentially fun to drive car, for as little money as possible. I was almost resigned to a Peugeot 406HDi when I was told about a friend of a friend who knew someone who was selling something like this: It is the high-mileage (very nearly 225,000 miles, 360,000km) ex-UK 320d Touring in Topaz Blue (Topasblau) Metallic that was listed on TradeMe - it looks very much like the one shown above, with the obvious exception of having the steering wheel on the right... Interior is an Anthracite Jacqaurd cloth which looks pretty good without rips, tears or holes. (Curious how the steering wheel is in the right place in this pic, from the same source.) The seller is a really nice guy, very helpful. There is a whole heap of history with it, including many invoices for work carried out at UK BMW franchised dealers before expatriation. WoF expires in April next year. As far as I can tell, very little if anything by way of modification has been done. Standard wheels are still fitted, for example, and there are no 'extra' holes in the dash or any interior panels. It does have a towbar, which according to an NZ receipt was a custom fit. It drives well, doesn't smoke, and is currently returning just over 62mpg (about 4.5 litres per 100km, or 22km per litre) on my commute. The economy was a major consideration, so these numbers are a Very Good Thing. There are some marks on the paintwork but nothing significant. No obvious major repairs, no sign of any crash damage. The interior is a bit grubby but not terribly so. Nothing to write home about. There are some unknowns, such as the status of swirl flaps. In the maintenance forum I mentioned that one of the NZ invoices details glow plug replacement, and comments on one of the inlet flaps being missing. In the interests of ensuring I'd not missed anything significant, I took it to a BMW specialist for a PPI - post purchase inspection. I used Greg Hantz Autos in Hamilton who have the huge advantage of being about 5 minutes walk from work, so very convenient. Nice bloke, seems to know what he is talking about. The results: Needs new rear pads and discs Engine oil level sender (the yellow oil can occasionally displays on the dash) r/f window regulator noisy: the window is very slow to wind up A/c belt is cracked (it is a 4PK-968; I'll try a belt wholesaler) r/f door check strap not working: the door doesn't stay open Original battery fitted l/r tyre worn almost to limit Front brake hoses beginning to crack Undertray held with cable ties (isn't that normal for a 10+ year old car, assuming it still has an undertray? ) rear diff bush beginning to perish transmission oil leak (appears to be from sump) slight damage to l/f bumper support (probably caused by a steep kerb or similar impact) oil leakage noted in r/f intercooler pipe Couple of fault codes cleared: exhaust gas recirculation (do I need the EGR?) rail-pressure monitoring on engine start Most of this I had identified (except hoses and diff bush) and I plan to change the ATF ASAP. I also noticed the centre console sliding cover is broken (might be p/n 51167039184), and there is a smooth noise from either a rear wheel bearing, or from the diff. All in all, a good result. I've bought 2 litres of Castrol 75W-90 full synthetic gear oil for the diff (it needs about 1.1 litres), and visited the local BMW franchise to get a couple of washers for the diff fill and drain plugs. While there, I picked up a new oil separator (vortex type), set of manifold gaskets, and a dealer-only service kit (fuel filter, air filter, micro filter and oil filter). Very helpful (as you'd hope, but is so often not the case) and gave me a good discount. I'm sure there could be some savings by shopping around, but having the items quickly was the aim. And, of course, there are no postage costs involved. And so, tomorrow is Saturday. I have diff oil, and will replace that first. And remove/refit the inlet manifold to see what is (or isn't) in there. Is it possible that the swirl flaps were removed, but no blanking plates fitted? I need to check the gearbox to find which filter/sump gasket I need as there appear (according to RealOEM) to be two types, possibly differentiating between the A5S360R and A5S390R GM transmissions. Regardless, I think BMW has ceased production of 'their' ATF and that Dexron VI should be used - I was thinking of using Penrite ATF DX-VI Full Synthetic. Other servicing will follow. Engine oil, brake fluid flush (when I change the rear discs and pads, and front hoses), power steering fluid flush (can I use the DX-VI for that, too?), and working my way through the list above. I'll probably look for a good part-worn tyre to replace the worn one to begin with. Curious as to why one tyre should be worn... Alignment? Anyway, I may look at fitting 17" rims later and get a full suspension alignment done at that time. Or when I put new tyres on all 4 rims. Driving... Steering seems perhaps a tiny bit 'notchy' around straight ahead, but given the car has done 32000km per year, it has probably spent a lot of time on a motorway. It's really not an issue, and I only mention it because I'm struggling to find fault. Sometimes it seems to fidget a little when on the road. Road surface issues, or alignment? One, the other, or both? I'll find out in due course. The transmission fluid needs changing and so might the gearbox thermostat - it's a bit sluggish off the line, and there can sometimes be a slight rise in engine revs without any appreciable increase in rate of forward motion. Under harder acceleration, there is a sound from the engine that in a petrol car I would attribute to pinking or pre-ignition. In a diesel...? Dunno. It's not what I would describe as a usual diesel 'knock'. Hopefully it isn't a swirl flap, flapping! Lots of maintenance has been done, including replacement of the engine thermostat, lower front arms and so on. I suspect oil changes haven't been frequent enough (for me) and have been done according to the oil change indicator. That'll change. The indicator shows around 10000 miles and I think they typically start at around 20000, so it's probably already overdue (in my opinion). I'm thinking of using Penrite Enviro+ 5W40, a BMW LL04 compliant fully-synthetic. 5.5 liters... Do manufacturers deliberately require a tiny bit more oil than you can buy in one container? So a bit of servicing, a wash and interior shampoo, and let's see how we get on! Any thoughts and advice would be very welcome. It's our first E46. Cheers, Graham

I wanted a few bits'n'pieces for the E46, and went to BMW. Ended up paying less than I might have elsewhere (thanks to some discounting - be nice to them, it helps!) and had the parts in my hand there and then.

I'd hoped to try sourcing manifold gaskets today, but it was not to be - far too busy. I'l try again tomorrow. Don't really fancy pulling the inlet manifold and then finding the gaskets are torn or otherwise damaged!

No-one will know I'm looking! Interesting on the kms vs miles bit. I knew of RUC, and built a spreadsheet to help me (being from the UK) convert between mpg, km/litre and liters per 100km, for petrol and diesel engines with appropriate fuel-associated costs. It's a bit academic, but clearly shows substantial savings by using an economic diesel over even a moderately reasonable petrol-engined car. I estimate I'm saving $60 per 1000km (less than one weeks' driving!), even after RUC is accounted for.

The RUC payment is a potential concern. I've not yet been through the RUC payments to see what has been paid, how much and when. Probably should make that a priority, right behind changing ATF and diff oil.

Thanks Ray.

It was well over 2 years ago, quite possibly more than 3. If it's still running now, and returning 4.5l/100km (the computer suggests over 64mpg, but may be a little optimistic), I'm guessing whatever happened wasn't terminal. Or it was fixed, and I don't have the receipts for the work. I may try giving the workshop a call but whether they'll remember after all this time is questionable. Ho hum. Frankly I'm amazed at the receipts I do have. They go back to sometime before the car left the UK.