BMW DIY advice, and the occasional critique of the company
Recently I completed a relatively minor but satisfying DIY on my 2006 BMW E46 M3. This one was a cosmetic repair rather than mechanical. I replaced the C-Pillar trim pieces on both sides, the interior trim between the side rear glass and the rear windshield. It’s a known issue on the E46 model 3-Series BMWs, […]
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 […]
My neighbor Martin just bought a new BMW. He did his research, knew exactly what he wanted, and walked away from an initial poor BMW dealership experience. He went with a custom order, and will be having the aftermarket boost the conservative tune of his stock BMW turbocharged engine. How he went about it […]
BMW has released sales numbers through June of this year. BMW brand sales (not including Mini) are up 7.1 percent over the first six months of 2014. That’s a healthy increase, but a bit off the 9.8 percent growth BMW accomplished in 2014. BMW and Mercedes are again wheel to wheel in the race to […]
This past week I took care of some needed items on my 2006 E46 M3. Since I purchased the car late last year, I’ve looked forward to getting the front bumper repainted and a few other cosmetic issues attended to. The front bumper needed to be repainted because it had rock chip pitting, clear coat […]
Late last year I purchased a 2006 E46 M3. It was maintained extremely well, but there were a few things I looked forward to doing on the car. Now that the long winter season is over, it’s time to get to work. This weekend I changed the oil, swapped the tires side to side, checked […]
Good question – why are they? This was the title of a conversation thread started recently on Bimmerfest.com. The conversation crystallizes perfectly the gulf of understanding between old school BMW enthusiasts and the majority of new BMW purchasers today. The original poster (OP in forum lingo) cannot fathom why anyone would be excited about an […]
Things have been quiet on the BMW M car front for me lately. That’s a very good thing to be able to say, but it hasn’t left me much to write about on the Wheels front. Last week a small issue surfaced that reminded me some DIY fixes can be very simple. The driver side […]
BMW November sales numbers for North America have just been released. Month to month sales were down 2.3 percent, though year to year BMW sales are still up 9.7 percent. It’s been a good year for BMW but sales have definitely cooled since I looked at the March and May sales numbers. Looking behind the […]
The rubber window trim around the front and rear windshields of BMWs can cause owners heartburn. Sometimes called molding or gaskets, the rubber can dry up and deteriorate quickly, seemingly faster than on other cars. Here’s a long and passionate thread via Bimmerfest that stretches back to 2006 on the topic. The window trim doesn’t […]
Earlier this month I wrote about selling my 1999 M3, after almost 11 years of ownership. Here’s the car that made that happen — my “new” 2006 Interlagos Competition Package E46 M3. The purchase happened quickly, and involved a lot of serendipity. I wasn’t in the market for an E46 M3, which is the BMW […]
A personal era closed out this past weekend. After almost 11 years of ownership, I sold my 1999 BMW E36 M3. It only has 62,500 miles, and is in pristine condition. Not only was it in great shape with loads of preventative maintenance, but over the years I made incremental improvements — performance software, exhaust, […]