My brave pill: E92 BMW 335i with the infamous N54 engine

[d_a_n1979]

Court_S said:

d_a_n1979 said:

Yeah; it's lashing it down here pal; but sunny/dry this morning so got the cars contactless washed and had to do a full in-depth clean in the back of the touring as I'd got coal dust everywhere and then loaded the wood boxes with firewood; so that was me ruined for the afternoon

More rain…just what we need after yesterday!

I’m getting too old he be rolling around under cars on a cold damp drive! That’s it for this year now.

Yeah I get that... It was annoying enough the other weekend sorting the headlights out in the Racing Jazz and swapping the wheels round... I was piss wet through and filthy after just that...

My pal reminded me they shut for Christmas on 22nd Dec. So think I'll borrow his workshop and ramps that weekend to get the suspension built up (unless I find time to do it in my garage beforehand) and then it's ready to be shoved onto the car...

We've no road trips planned until late Jan 2024 so may get the F31 stripped of all it's suspension whilst his ramps are free and leave it in there to do it bit by bit over the Christmas / Nea Year break...

I'll have nowt better to do

[Court_S]

Pretty uneventful in the world of my 335i still. It’s been used a lot recently whilst the 330i was out of action and due to the weather, I’ve not touched it for over three weeks and it was looking pretty grotty. After the 330i being a bit of a pain in the arse, I’ve had a break from pissing about with cars but today we wanted to sort my car out.







Snowfoam doing its thing, breaking down the filth







Looking a whole lot better after a clean.











It’s due an oil service in 4,000 miles, so at least the weather will be better! The rear discs and pads will need doing in the spring too.

[Court_S]

MOT day today and it passed with no advisories.

Looks like front tyres will be on the menu soon due to wear on the inner edge (I’m guessing the extra camber I’m running isn’t helping). They’re not an advisory but I was told to keep an eye on them. Rear pads will nemeses soon too but I know that (6k according to the computer).

[KPB1973]

Still looking good Sam. Post-Z4 (and surgery) I was tempted with a 335i, especially having seen yours in the flesh. None of them quite worked out but I did pick up one of its competitors - a leggy B8 S5 4.2 - for sub £5k which will be a good project over the winter.

What tyres do you think you'll go for?

[Court_S]

KPB1973 said:

Still looking good Sam. Post-Z4 (and surgery) I was tempted with a 335i, especially having seen yours in the flesh. None of them quite worked out but I did pick up one of its competitors - a leggy B8 S5 4.2 - for sub £5k which will be a good project over the winter.

What tyres do you think you'll go for?

Thanks, it’s currently in a good car phase!

That S5 sounds like a lot of car for the cash. They make a good noise too.

I’ll probably go Asymmetric 5’s again. They’re really good value from Asda Tyres and I’ve not had any issues with them for the last two years.

[Court_S]

Had the front tyres changed today; there was still plenty of meat left in them but the inner edges were pretty worn. Rather than ignore it / drag it out until cords were exposed I bit the bullet.

19 inch tyres are bloody expensive compared to when I bought the car. Even a pair of Falken FK529’s to match the rears were punchy. In the end I found a local place that had Good Year Asymmetric 5’s for the same price as the Falkens so I opted for a pair of them.

When I clean the car this weekend, I need to remove the front wheels to line the centre badges with the M badge. Dunno why these places can’t just put things back as they were

[B'stard Child]

Court_S said:

When I clean the car this weekend, I need to remove the front wheels to line the centre badges with the M badge. Dunno why these places can’t just put things back as they were

I thought that was just me that did that............. I should have know other petrol heads would have itchy teeth about misaligned wheel badging

[Court_S]

B'stard Child said:

I thought that was just me that did that............. I should have know other petrol heads would have itchy teeth about misaligned wheel badging

It really grates on me….I can see my car as I eat lunch and the misalignment badges are very upsetting! It’s one of those things that once you notice it, you can’t stop seeing it.

[B'stard Child]

Court_S said:

B'stard Child said:

I thought that was just me that did that............. I should have know other petrol heads would have itchy teeth about misaligned wheel badging

It really grates on me….I can see my car as I eat lunch and the misalignment badges are very upsetting! It’s one of those things that once you notice it, you can’t stop seeing it.

I also put the locking wheel bolts (when I use them) aligned closest to the tyre valve

This is because in the dark with a puncture and needing to change the wheel I can easily know where the locking wheel bolt is to put the key on it and remove it rather than having to try every wheel bolt before I find it.............. Last time I got a puncture was 4 years ago - before that maybe 12 - 15 years ago - It's probably completely daft but I've always done it

[Court_S]

B'stard Child said:

I also put the locking wheel bolts (when I use them) aligned closest to the tyre valve

This is because in the dark with a puncture and needing to change the wheel I can easily know where the locking wheel bolt is to put the key on it and remove it rather than having to try every wheel bolt before I find it.............. Last time I got a puncture was 4 years ago - before that maybe 12 - 15 years ago - It's probably completely daft but I've always done it

I did similar too when I still had locking wheel nuts. Car nerdery at its finest.

[d_a_n1979]

Badges must aline otherwise my OCD starts to cry inside

[KPB1973]

B'stard Child said:

I also put the locking wheel bolts (when I use them) aligned closest to the tyre valve

This is because in the dark with a puncture and needing to change the wheel I can easily know where the locking wheel bolt is to put the key on it and remove it rather than having to try every wheel bolt before I find it.............. Last time I got a puncture was 4 years ago - before that maybe 12 - 15 years ago - It's probably completely daft but I've always done it

Great idea. Wish i'd thought of that myself.

Sam - agree on the prices of tyres. I'm trying to find some decent 21's for the Cayenne (it came with 4 x Triangles, 2 of which have slow punctures) and I may as well have added £1k+ to my buying budget and got a car with better rubber.

[Court_S]

KPB1973 said:

Great idea. Wish i'd thought of that myself.

Sam - agree on the prices of tyres. I'm trying to find some decent 21's for the Cayenne (it came with 4 x Triangles, 2 of which have slow punctures) and I may as well have added £1k+ to my buying budget and got a car with better rubber.

Yeah it’s nuts. The next fun battle will be insurance will still seems to be a pisstake judging the mood on forums etc.

[KPB1973]

Court_S said:

Yeah it’s nuts. The next fun battle will be insurance will still seems to be a pisstake judging the mood on forums etc.

I had a weird one with the S5. Confused.com were returning approx £500pa (3k miles p/a with 5 yrs NCD on my second policy) but I did the same quote on comparethemarket.com and the same cheapest supplier (Sterling) was only £260. Same details, variables etc...I suppose I just got lucky.

But yeah, one of the reasons to swap my Disco 4 for the Cayenne was the fact that my insurance trebled on it.

[Court_S]

KPB1973 said:

I had a weird one with the S5. Confused.com were returning approx £500pa (3k miles p/a with 5 yrs NCD on my second policy) but I did the same quote on comparethemarket.com and the same cheapest supplier (Sterling) was only £260. Same details, variables etc...I suppose I just got lucky.

But yeah, one of the reasons to swap my Disco 4 for the Cayenne was the fact that my insurance trebled on it.

I can never understand how insurance companies arrive at their figures; my 335i costs a decent chunk less than my wife’s 330i to insure despite the mods. Bizarre.

[Fermit]

Hi Sam. If it helps you with your badge OCD, when I've had my wheels restored (the next big job, within 2 months) I'll be buying a set of these

https://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/175603749513?epid=60335...

May seem a tad extreme, but have decided mine is a keeper, and want to make it as good as can be.

[Court_S]

Fermit said:

Hi Sam. If it helps you with your badge OCD, when I've had my wheels restored (the next big job, within 2 months) I'll be buying a set of these

https://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/175603749513?epid=60335...

May seem a tad extreme, but have decided mine is a keeper, and want to make it as good as can be.

I’ve thought about it, but I’m happy as long as the badges line up with the M stickers on the wheels when it’s static.

[Court_S]

After a week of salted roads and damp(ish) conditions my car was looking pretty grotty being covered in a film of black.





Obligatory snow foam shots



It was various obvious today that the snowfoam was breaking down the dirt.







And rinsed off



And all done









Next up was sorting this…



Why, just why!

Getting the wheels off proved to be tough because the tyre fitters had got very carried away with the ugga dugga gun; my breaker bar was bending as I was trying to get the nuts u done. God knows why using a torque wrench is too much to ask.

Whilst the wheels were off I got rid of the residue form the wheel weights which was a real pain in the arse. God knows what they’re stuck on with but it’s bloody hard to get off.

If I’m honest, I was having thoughts about selling it in the spring and having a year in a sensible dad wagon like an F11 530d which seem much better value for money than an F31. But when I see it all cleaned up, I change my mind again.

Edited by Court_S on Sunday 14th January 18:21

[Mr Tidy]

Court_S said:

If I’m honest, I was having thoughts about selling it in the spring and having a year in a sensible dad wagon like an F11 530d which seem much better value for money than an F31. But when I see it all cleaned up, I change my mind again.

Edited by Court_S on Sunday 14th January 18:21

If you change I think you need an M3 - you've got the 330i Mummiewagon after all!

[Court_S]

Mr Tidy said:

If you change I think you need an M3 - you've got the 330i Mummiewagon after all!

I was more thinking about having a year of cheaper motoring to help top up my V8 fund.