My BMW E46 330i Sport
Discussion
Time for a little update. I've now done roughly 3500 miles in the car, and have averaged 23.4mpg which isn't as good as I'd like, but its all down to to my right foot.
Fuel hasn't been the only expense though, it's drunk two litres of oil during that time too, which seems to be quite common on the M54 engine. I also noticed a little while ago that the coolant level was always a little low despite me topping it up. So this combined with all the other things I knew it needed doing I booked it in to see BMW Specialist Andy Walker. Despite a sensor being broken the PDC suddenly started working so I'll just get the sensor off eBay at some point.
So my list for Andy to sort was the suspected coolant leak, brake fluid change (not had one in 6 years according to the book!)
Also to diagnose and fix the airbag light, replace the auxiliary belt and a noisy tensioner and finally diagnose why the passenger mirror wasn't working.
He phoned me the day after I dropped it off to say he had found the source of the leak and the radiator would need replacing. He then informed me the whole mirror needed replacing too, if I wanted new it would be £200+ purely because having the rare option of a sport saloon with memory seat/mirror functions made the the mirror hard to find and different from cars with manual seats, so we both agreed I would keep an eye out for a salvage one. The brake fluid was straight forward as was the tensioner and belt. However the airbag was not, his diagnostics equipment could not get any response from the airbag ECU, he warned me he needed to get to it physically to inspect it because it appeared to be dead and it could be £300 for a new one. Sadly used ones are incredibly hard to get to work on a different car. Braced for a big hit to the wallet I said to continue. He phoned the next day to say I didn't require a new ECU there was simply a lose connection from it which then revealed the infamous fault from the passenger seat occupancy sensor was present too. So all in all I think a bill of £500 isn't too bad.
Had it fully valeted and machine polished the other day, came out amazing, looked like a brand new car bar a few scuffs here and there, best of all the chaps cleaning it were placing bets about how much I paid for it. £5-6k was the general consensus which I was rather chuffed with. As for the future of the car, no real plans as yet, wheels need a refurb, but I'm toying with the idea of some BBS LMs for it, haven't got the money yet and having been quoted £30 a rim for a refurb I don't think I can turn that down. I'll get some more pics up soon now I have my yellow smileys on it. Also need to book a trackday soon methinks!
Fuel hasn't been the only expense though, it's drunk two litres of oil during that time too, which seems to be quite common on the M54 engine. I also noticed a little while ago that the coolant level was always a little low despite me topping it up. So this combined with all the other things I knew it needed doing I booked it in to see BMW Specialist Andy Walker. Despite a sensor being broken the PDC suddenly started working so I'll just get the sensor off eBay at some point.
So my list for Andy to sort was the suspected coolant leak, brake fluid change (not had one in 6 years according to the book!)
Also to diagnose and fix the airbag light, replace the auxiliary belt and a noisy tensioner and finally diagnose why the passenger mirror wasn't working.He phoned me the day after I dropped it off to say he had found the source of the leak and the radiator would need replacing. He then informed me the whole mirror needed replacing too, if I wanted new it would be £200+ purely because having the rare option of a sport saloon with memory seat/mirror functions made the the mirror hard to find and different from cars with manual seats, so we both agreed I would keep an eye out for a salvage one. The brake fluid was straight forward as was the tensioner and belt. However the airbag was not, his diagnostics equipment could not get any response from the airbag ECU, he warned me he needed to get to it physically to inspect it because it appeared to be dead and it could be £300 for a new one. Sadly used ones are incredibly hard to get to work on a different car. Braced for a big hit to the wallet I said to continue. He phoned the next day to say I didn't require a new ECU there was simply a lose connection from it which then revealed the infamous fault from the passenger seat occupancy sensor was present too. So all in all I think a bill of £500 isn't too bad.
Had it fully valeted and machine polished the other day, came out amazing, looked like a brand new car bar a few scuffs here and there, best of all the chaps cleaning it were placing bets about how much I paid for it. £5-6k was the general consensus which I was rather chuffed with. As for the future of the car, no real plans as yet, wheels need a refurb, but I'm toying with the idea of some BBS LMs for it, haven't got the money yet and having been quoted £30 a rim for a refurb I don't think I can turn that down. I'll get some more pics up soon now I have my yellow smileys on it. Also need to book a trackday soon methinks!
lazystudent said:
Looks smart! I see you've studiously ignored questions about it so far 
, but where are the original pictures taken? Is it an airfield?
I'll let it out now, I just didn't want everyone to know about it, that was until Ron Howard decided to build a set on it for some F1 film called "Rush" that everyone is harking on about. , but where are the original pictures taken? Is it an airfield? 
But yes it's an abandoned runway at an small airport not too far from me.
petrolveins said:
I'll let it out now, I just didn't want everyone to know about it, that was until Ron Howard decided to build a set on it for some F1 film called "Rush" that everyone is harking on about.
But yes it's an abandoned runway at an small airport not too far from me.
...and this airfield has limited public access? I was recently asked to leave my usual playground, but then again, 7 of us turned up with a covered trailer with rally car in the back... But yes it's an abandoned runway at an small airport not too far from me.
petrolveins said:
Needed to start somewhere. Hoping to hoard enough pennies by the time I'm 21 for ...RS6 ...
Don't you be stealing my car. Whilst I'll be 22, (207s too new to just fob off quite so soon) I've been thinking about running one for a year, just to get it from my system before I need to buy a house, though my Discovery itch is strong...petrolveins said:
Needed to start somewhere. Hoping to hoard enough pennies by the time I'm 21 for either an M5 or RS6 or possibly an XJR.
XJRs are unbelievably cheap to insure relative to the performance.Just so you have an idea, at 23 with 3 years NCB, the best quote I can find for an M5 is a shade under £1700, good luck with that at 21!
XJR was about £900 though.
Patrick Bateman said:
XJRs are unbelievably cheap to insure relative to the performance.
Just so you have an idea, at 23 with 3 years NCB, the best quote I can find for an M5 is a shade under £1700, good luck with that at 21!
XJR was about £900 though.
Already got some quotes a 21yo me. M5 would be similar to what I pay now, and the RS6 in Saloon Guise would be around £1300 and the Avant £1800. Just so you have an idea, at 23 with 3 years NCB, the best quote I can find for an M5 is a shade under £1700, good luck with that at 21!
XJR was about £900 though.
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