Just bought a 2005 BMW 330D :-) need some advice

[Bluejmc2005]

Hi all! Just bought a 2005 330d and I love it. I do have 2 questions for you wonderful people, and please do excuse my clear ignorance

1 - it needs a service, do i have to go tio a specific dealer to have the service thing on the computer reset? If i do an oil and filter change it wont register I assume? if sop, I am in Gloucester if anyone can recommend a good mechanic/garage

2 - it needs 2 new front tyres, rears are ok - I think tracking needs doing. Do any of you have any decent recommendations (price is an issue at mo car has skinted me!) and would you suggest i change all 4 at same time?

Thanks all!

[pointedstarman]

Most decent garages should be able to reset your service indicator. You can do it yourself you - how to videos available on YouTube. As for tyres you don't say whether the tyres you need are run flats? Either way tyrereviews.co.uk is a useful starting point when researching tyres. For recommendations it's worth giving some indication of budget.

[bearman68]

Well done on the 330.

If it's not too far, Paul Jarrads in Monmouth are very good. They have one of those hawk eye laser alignment jobbies there, and is a great tool.
They also do tyres (in fact they have been doing tyres before doing anything else), and are good and cheap.
Service reset is not so tricky - a combination of buttons while doing a head stand normally.

Best of luck.

[helix402]

1. Anyone can reset the service (CBS) indicators by pushing buttons on dash. This works 90% of the time.

2. Tyre recommendations, Michelin Pilot. Well worth changing them at 3mm to avoid aquaplaning. They're not cheap, but neither is going into a ditch/tree.

[Bluejmc2005]

helix402 said:

1. Anyone can reset the service (CBS) indicators by pushing buttons on dash. This works 90% of the time.

2. Tyre recommendations, Michelin Pilot. Well worth changing them at 3mm to avoid aquaplaning. They're not cheap, but neither is going into a ditch/tree.

Blimey! Running bridge stones right now, not run flats. Rears look ok, so might just change front. Wear is uneven so I think getting alignment/balancing done is a good idea too

[f1nn]

If you can run to it I would change all four, and get an alignment done as these cars seems to be very sensitive to tyre alignment.

I had 4 Pirrelli P zeros put on for about £450 from Quick fit mobile, and Inthink the 4 wheel alignment was about 75 quid from my local quick fit.

[mhocking]

Just had 4 Continental Sportcontact 5's on my 330d. Seem very good compared the previous Goodyear F1's I had before which only lasted 10k miles. They do like tyres! Well worth getting the alignment done properly.

[gizlaroc]

Be careful mixing different tryes front and rear, some tread mixes can make the BMWs very, very twitchy.

You can reset the service computer yourself, search you tube/google etc.

[to3m]

I've got 2 x Vredestein Ultrac Cento on the front of mine, though my car is a bit older (2001). They might not be the greatest you can possibly buy (I recently had the rears replaced with Michelin PS3s due to a puncture, and they're definitely better), but the price was reasonable when I bought them, and they're definitely not awful or anything. In particular, they are excellent at not twitching when you hit water.

(It's not the sort of experiment I try to run deliberately, but a few months ago I hit an unexpected pool of water on an A-road at 75mph, and the car just went straight through it, barely even slowing down.)

Edited by to3m on Sunday 13th September 00:59

[gizlaroc]

What you find is the traction coming on in the wet when you floor it on roundabouts etc. when they are mismatched far quicker than it should.

When they are really bad it just doesn't feel really planted like it should.