Last weekend I replaced some original sensors in my 2002 BMW E39 M5. Scandinavian Import Servicenter in Rockville, MD kindly invited the DIY program back into their beautiful facility. Last year I replaced my power steering hoses and reservoir at the same location. This time I needed to replace some sensors that were original to […]
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 […]
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 […]
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 […]
This weekend I gave my 1999 M3 a thorough checkup. The car is running great but it also turned 15 years old this month. In performing the inspection I was greatly aided by these excellent videos from Bavarian Autosport. An important area I wanted to focus on was the suspension bushings. Bushings connect the suspension […]
My 13 year old M3 is approaching 60,000 miles. In BMW vernacular, that means the car should receive an Inspection II service. An Inspection II involves a large number of things getting inspected (hence the name), but when you look at the work actually done it boils down to a general tune-up. Spark plugs, air […]
When an issue pops up on an older BMW, there is no reason to be in the dark as to the cause. There are many resources to help you diagnose the problem on your car, and as the expression goes knowledge is power. Even if you don’t intend to try and fix the problem yourself, […]
It’s past time for another wheel post, but (thankfully) neither the M3 or the 530 have given me much to write about lately. So I called up my good friend Rich this weekend to meet up and take a look at the black 2007 335i he purchased back in May with about 40,000 miles and […]
This weekend my 2001 530 got a lot of attention. It was a very productive day — a vibration issue related to new rims purchased in late April was finally resolved, and I replaced both front ABS/speed sensors. Before I dive into the details, a word about owning a BMW out of warranty. Unless you […]