BMW DIY advice, and the occasional critique of the company
My E36 M3 turned 12 in April, and is going as strong as ever. It was a busy month on the car front for me, with me purchasing a beautiful 2002 M5 and putting my 2001 530 on the market. Neither of those things lessen my appreciation of the M3, however. In the past I’ve […]
I’m currently selling my 2001 530i private party, and I recently bought a 2002 M5 the same way. When it comes to cars, if convenience is paramount to you and you don’t mind spending more when purchasing or losing money on a trade-in, stop reading this post now. But if you can devote just a […]
This past weekend I swapped out the fog light bulbs in my new (to me) E39 M5. I had hoped my first post after purchase would be detailing how I adjusted the PSS9 suspension. But I don’t have all the answers I need, so that will have to wait. The stock fog light bulbs on […]
Last week I bought an amazing car, a 2002 BMW M5. I had been thinking about picking one up for about six months, and keeping my eye on the used M5 market. But I was in no hurry — it had to be the right one and until I found it, my 2001 530 was […]
My post last Friday questioning whether there is a future for BMW enthusiasts struck a nerve. To date the article has been viewed over 500 times, and there have been numerous comments made in online forums. Here’s a sampling of what I’m hearing from fellow enthusiasts. Many agreed with me, but some thought I was […]
I’ve been a subscriber to Bimmer Magazine for a long time. I really like their coverage of all things BMW. In the most recent issue I read an article that in my opinion spelled out bad times coming for BMW enthusiasts in the U.S. First I should define what I mean by enthusiast. It doesn’t […]
This Saturday I got some simple upkeep done on my 2001 BMW 530. The oil filter needed changing, and I needed to fix the corner of the passenger side headlight assembly, which somehow got pushed slightly out of position. The oil filter change is very straight-forward, but of course you need the right tools. In […]
Here’s a rare Wheels post that doesn’t talk BMWs. This past weekend my wife Gabriele and I purchased a brand new 2011 Toyota Highlander. Readers of this blog will know I’m no believer in buying new cars. My view is let someone else take the new car depreciation hit. But as I explain below, the […]
I have so much to be thankful for this year, including items in the three categories of this blog. So on Christmas Eve, here are some Work, Wine and Wheels highlights from 2010. In the work realm, 2010 was a great year. A lot of what Strategic Communications Group accomplishes for clients doesn’t become public […]
BMW M — that’s a term that means a lot to auto enthusiasts. It’s a term that connotes a car that is the epitome of its class, the absolute sporting pinnacle of that particular style of car. Ever since BMW put the twin turbo, 300HP N54 engine in it’s 1 Series car, there was speculation […]
One of the first things you should do if you own a BMW out of warranty is find a good independent mechanic. On this blog I talk about the DIY things I’ve accomplished, but the big stuff needs a professional. Gary Martin at Martin Motorsports is an enthusiast who I can trust to maintain my […]
A couple of recent events have reinforced for me the complexity that comes with BMW ownership. Much of this seems unnecessary, and BMW often does a poor job of communicating problems to owners. Last week an old friend of mine asked for some advice. He drives a 2007 E93 328 convertible, and had a daytime […]