Over the past couple of weeks I’ve handled a few issues with my E39 M5. I replaced the drive belts, fixed an issue with the center console and added an ABS heat shield. DIY events through the CCA chapter are back! Long-time club supporter Craftsman Auto Care hosted us at their Fairfax location. It was […]
Recently my wife and I returned from a week away and the battery in my E39 M5 was totally dead. This was disappointing because the battery was less than two years old and I had charged it prior to us leaving. The dead battery was an Interstate MTP-95R. I’ve had good experiences in the past […]
Last week I did an old school oil change in my driveway. I use that term because I’ve become very used to handling DIY work at the events organized by the local National Capitol chapter of the BMW Car Club of America. But of course COVID-19 changed all that and there hasn’t been an event […]
Things have been slow on the BMW maintenance front due to the corona virus and sheltering in place. Club DIY events were canceled in March and there is no update on when they will restart. Fortunately neither of my cars require any scheduled maintenance at the moment and I’m putting fewer miles on them than […]
In January I replaced my E39 M5 spark plugs. Over the past few months I’ve given the car a complete tune up, minus an oil change it doesn’t need yet. In BMW lingo this equates to an Inspection II, which would have cost $1,200 or more at a dealer or independent shop. Last summer I […]
Mike Miller is a subject matter expert on BMW technical and maintenance information. Mike is the long-time staff member and technical editor for Roundel and formerly for Bimmer magazine (sadly killed by its publisher). He’s a former mechanic, and holds a Master’s of Environmental Law degree from Vermont Law School. Mike is essentially a mentor […]
This past weekend I assisted on a fairly common BMW procedure. I helped my friend Duane replace the valve cover gasket on his 2002 530i. I had never seen an E39 valve cover gasket replaced, and sometime down the road may need to replace on my M5. The National Capital Chapter DIY event was hosted […]
This weekend was the first BMW CCA National Capital Chapter (NCC) DIY date that worked for me this year. BMW of Sterling hosted the club on Saturday and I was able to do some simple maintenance on my E46 M3. I changed the oil and the coolant. To drain the coolant the traditional way in […]
This weekend I replaced the front brake rotors and pads on my 2006 BMW M3. None of the components were totally worn and the brake sensor warning was not illuminated, but the rotors were original to the car and the pads were at least five years old. By my DIY standards front brake rotors and […]
I’ve been a BMW enthusiast for 15 years, but I had never joined the BMW Car Club of America (BMWCCA). The main reason was I did not associate BMWCCA membership with DIY work. A fellow owner who works out at my gym recently showed me otherwise. He told me DIY educations was the main reason […]
Recently my 2006 E46 M3 started throwing a code signifying a problem with one of the oxygen sensors in front of the catalytic converter (pre-cat). The S54 engine in the E46 M3 has four oxygen sensors, two in front of the catalytic converter and two behind. Initially I thought this was a chance for a […]
This Labor Day weekend I devoted some time to my 2002 E39 M5. I changed the oil, the cabin air filters and I gave the car a general checkup. I’m fortunate to have access to a lift, and took advantage of that to inspect the suspension and other areas under the car. Bavarian Auto has […]