[JDMDreams]

Yea I wonder what happened to Mazda they were zooming now they kinda build average cars for higher prices. Mazdas we're such values for what you got back in the day. Sun roof, leather.

[68style]

Mazda looks ready for the capital rally race :D

[AstulzerRZD]

Yea I wonder what happened to Mazda they were zooming now they kinda build average cars for higher prices. Mazdas we're such values for what you got back in the day. Sun roof, leather.

Were they? GX trims didn’t get tachometers, no option for upgraded audio on mid trim (Toyota offered JBL as option on base 4Runner) …

my impression is they’ve always been like BMW - stingy with equipment but you got a nice drive

[supafamous]

Yea I wonder what happened to Mazda they were zooming now they kinda build average cars for higher prices. Mazdas we're such values for what you got back in the day. Sun roof, leather.

I don't think things have changed much for Mazda over the years - my Protege 5 back in the day felt nicer than a Civic but the tradeoff was a shit engine and so-so engines have always been part of the Mazda brand in exchange for nicer interiors and much better driving dynamics. The first gen Mazda 3 was the same way - nicer interior, better dynamics, terrible fuel economy (relatively).

Today, the drivetrains are outdated (6 speed autos?), the packaging is not great, the infotainment is meh but the dynamics are still great and the interiors are better than ever.

Feels like same old Mazda to me - quirky, limited R&D budget, going down their own path.

[Great68]

I wouldn't know about the leather seats, they weren't an option for the Speed, nor were the sunroofs (only on the regular 3's ) :p

[Great68]

Mazda looks ready for the capital rally race :D

You know, if I wasn't going camping that week I'd probably do it.

[JDMDreams]

Protege drove great, Mazda 3 was more of a pig, but it was still a big upgrade from the protege, and feels pretty fast for 160hp. Had aux too!

[TopsyCrett]

Cat & rear muffler delete + spoon style exhaust tip for the W201 !

https://scontent.fyvr3-1.fna.fbcdn.net/v/t1.15752-9/450794188_1014679040051593_2149440975055465631_n.j pg?stp=dst-jpg_s2048x2048&_nc_cat=106&ccb=1-7&_nc_sid=9f807c&_nc_ohc=ThW7lJQlis0Q7kNvgEYO1u7&_nc_ht=scontent.fyvr3-1.fna&oh=03_Q7cD1QEEEW0DQuzMC7sCPxLALCIO3GSge2ML6Wi98Flx Cd3SZA&oe=66BA4ECE

[trollface]

Monoblocks

[JDMDreams]

How does that sound

[Badhobz]

how da fack did you reverse up that tiny ramp!? you're incredibly brave!

[bcrdukes]

Replaced the cabin and engine air filters on the Boxster (no picture of cabin filter)
https://i.imgur.com/CqF0Upi.jpg

[EvoFire]

I washed both cars, the briefly turned white, no pictures

[Badhobz]

Replaced the cabin and engine air filters on the Boxster (no picture of cabin filter)
https://i.imgur.com/CqF0Upi.jpg

If you put in a fram filter we are no longer friends.

The hankooks on a Porsche was already a bridge too far….

[bcrdukes]

No, it's not Fram. It's SuperTech from Walmart. :derp: (I wish, though.) :okay:

Just kidding. It's a WIX filter. But it turns out Mann+Hummel acquired them some years ago (as with Purolator, and I did not know this.) Oddly enough, Mann+Hummel and the Mann Filter part number is printed on the side of the filter, while the WIX part number is printed on the other side as an afterthought.

Knowing this, I probably won't pay the premium for Wix anymore, and just get Mann replacement pieces since it's cheaper. The cabin filter is also by Mann+Hummel. The previous air filter is also orange, and is by Hengst. I wouldn't be surprised if the air filter in your hitlerbox is also orange (probably a Fram.) :troll:

I washed both cars, the briefly turned white, no pictures

We need to set up a GoFundMe to get you eye surgery. :D

[Badhobz]

You’re my hero dukes. No porsche weenie I know would be caught dead with a non oem filter. They wouldn’t even know how to open the hood. They probably think the engine is in the front.

[bcrdukes]

Don't tell anyone, but I use SuperTech synthetic oil for track days. :shhh:

[underscore]

You're the hero we need.

[TopsyCrett]

How does that sound

Like shit

[hud 91gt]

Don't tell anyone, but I use SuperTech synthetic oil for track days. :shhh:

Wouldn’t you want the cheap on for the daily, and the good oil when your beating the crap out of it? Or your super tech all the time? Thats ok with me. Lol

[bcrdukes]

I use SuperTech for track days and Motul for daily. :troll:

Just kidding. :D

I use Mobil 1 or Motul, or whatever is cheap and on sale. I don’t have the guts to run SuperTech on the Boxster yet. I do know a few Porsche club track rats who use it exclusively in their cars for well over five years straight. They do used oil analysis and the results are impressive.

[Traum]

Don't tell anyone, but I use SuperTech synthetic oil for track days. :shhh:
SuperTech synthetic is fine for track days~ I've used all manners of brand name and house brand synthetic oil on my beater Civic and M2 for track days in the past, and the engines still feel perfectly fine afterwards.

I will say though that anecdotally, Pennzoil Platinum and Ultra Platinum feel more "durable" than other brands of oil in the sense that the engine doesn't feel as coarse after a track day if it is running on PP or PUP, compared to many other brands. But of course, I am too cheap to spend $$$ to do a proper oil analysis.

[Tapioca]

What are you replacing it with?

I replaced it with an OE INA one, which is plastic. It'll likely fail sometime in the future, but we basically got 7 years out of the old one (started leaking last year) and we may not keep the car for another 7. INA makes the OE pumps and there have been several revisions over the years because of this problem.

Metal pumps and thermostat housings sound better in theory, but I didn't want to go with a metal pump from a third-party manufacturer. At least with the OE part, the torque specs and the tolerances will be more or less on the money.

Funny enough, I took the Sportwagen on a road trip the Rockies with the family last week. About 15 minutes outside of Kamloops, I got an EPC code on the highway. The car lost boost, so I pulled out the OBDEleven and found the code - turbo underboost. I managed to limp the car to Kamloops and had to call around a few shops to see if they could take a look. I popped open the hood once we got to our hotel and found that the boost pipe to the throttle body was half-way off the threads on the throttle body. I guess what happened was that I didn't tighten up one of the bolts on the boost pipe, which allowed the pipe to eventually come loose from the throttle body. I found a shop and they took in our car the next day and they were able to re-tighten the boost pipe. Our car did just fine for the rest of the trip.

[Tapioca]

I can't wait until I sell this thing and get back into a Miata one day. Or maybe I would've been better off with an older E46, or fun car-less for a while.



Yep, E46 all the way. BMW problems for sure (leaking oil and degrading plastic/rubber), but everything is much more accessible for the shade tree mechanic with simple hand tools.

[EvoFire]

I mean I didn't technically do it, but I paid for it.

Stealth hitch install, now you see it.
https://scontent.fcxh3-1.fna.fbcdn.net/v/t39.30808-6/451822624_10159745968592032_8611197162171661519_n. jpg?_nc_cat=105&ccb=1-7&_nc_sid=f727a1&_nc_ohc=kzo_HEqFFbkQ7kNvgFY0iTQ&_nc_ht=scontent.fcxh3-1.fna&oh=00_AYBfMD7sUHO_dIKEabPhIAFd4tIkjvMhg5v0ixujJqXF GQ&oe=669FC965

Now you don't.
https://scontent.fcxh3-1.fna.fbcdn.net/v/t39.30808-6/452041348_10159745968617032_985639367169968353_n.j pg?_nc_cat=100&ccb=1-7&_nc_sid=f727a1&_nc_ohc=Crj4PRZDKz0Q7kNvgEt21sP&_nc_ht=scontent.fcxh3-1.fna&oh=00_AYAkm0Imn-WBaiaHasLqJf36H5DDZ4PAotfuI8L5Medtng&oe=669FCA72

The installer actually wraps cars, but details and does these builds and things on the side, so the school bus was also detailed and ceramic'ed
https://scontent.fcxh3-1.fna.fbcdn.net/v/t39.30808-6/452023315_10159745968637032_3835388352803466252_n. jpg?_nc_cat=105&ccb=1-7&_nc_sid=f727a1&_nc_ohc=NK7BjBqDx2sQ7kNvgFrBolM&_nc_ht=scontent.fcxh3-1.fna&oh=00_AYBnN_eCbKcWTmQHCXH_yaSvzSnmZ9BS409lQHijzxqH 0w&oe=669FD8AD

[radeonboy]

Mind sharing how much the detail and ceramic cost you?

[EvoFire]

About 2k. He's using a a product called SystemX. He's the same guy that PPFed the M3 and it's been 6 years.

[Badhobz]

2k for essentially a wax ?!?!? Holy fuck

You know that ceramic coating is piss easy to apply and since your school bus is essentially new …there isn’t much, if any, paint correction needed. You basically giving him free money. You can buy a bottle of CSL for like 120 bucks and we could have done it in like an hour.

That crystal shifter has gone to your head

[EvoFire]

I buy into the ceramic thing, and this included a full detail. The car's paint was actually in poor shape despite being only 2.5 years old. The M3 has had it's ceramic done at the same time the wrap was done and it's held up the 6 years, so I'm drinking the coolaid.

The brand/quality of the ceramic and quality of the work matters as well. I've had some less stellar experiences with the X3

[supafamous]

2k for essentially a wax ?!?!? Holy fuck

You know that ceramic coating is piss easy to apply and since your school bus is essentially new …there isn’t much, if any, paint correction needed. You basically giving him free money. You can buy a bottle of CSL for like 120 bucks and we could have done it in like an hour.

That crystal shifter has gone to your head

Hard disagree on this. Most new cars have terrible paint quality from the factory and it's even worse when the dealer's shop boys have taken their hard bristle brushes to them for a PDI wash. For example, Burrard Acura apparently takes their cars through the automated wash next door - that's just abuse and it'll take a 2 stage polish to get it right. I got a wash from Brian Jessel Pre-owned once and it was so bad I made them paint correct my car due to the damage.

The $2k gets you two things that you otherwise can't get when you DIY:

1. Pro level paint correction. I can get 80% of the way on my own but it's hard work and the pro's have the gear to get to all the hard to reach spots and small spots that I can't get to or can't do well.
2. Pro grade coatings. The pro grade stuff is a lot more durable than the consumer grade stuff and performs better in terms of self cleaning and beading qualities. CSL is one of the few exceptions for durability for a consumer grade product.

It's not worth $2k to everyone (just like I wouldn't get PPF) but with the right detailer it's way better than anything DIY.

[Badhobz]

you should have spent 4k more and put on PPF or a wrap. yeah ceramic coating makes washing easier, but so does a bottle of ceramic spray wax and reapplication every time you wash.

at least with ppf / wrap you get rock protection. this tiny bottle of ceramic coating always feels like such a huge rip off. especially when they charge you like 1k for the ceramic coating and no detailing.

[supafamous]

you should have spent 4k more and put on PPF or a wrap. yeah ceramic coating makes washing easier, but so does a bottle of ceramic spray wax and reapplication every time you wash.

at least with ppf / wrap you get rock protection. this tiny bottle of ceramic coating always feels like such a huge rip off. especially when they charge you like 1k for the ceramic coating and no detailing.

I think PPF is great but my car isn't worth enough for PFF and it's not driven enough for it either. If I had a $125k car I would consider it but even then I'd only do it if I was going to drive it a lot or track it.

Ceramic spray wax gets you only some of the benefits of a pro coating - they both are easier to wash but one stays cleaner for longer, resists bird shit way better, has much better gloss, and resists paint damage (swirls etc) far longer. I'm 5 years in and my coating has kept the paint at showroom quality (other than few dings). It's not possible to do that with a ceramic spray.

re: $1k for a coating with no detailing - anyone doing that is stupid or getting ripped off. The money spent on getting a pro to do the coating is in the paint correction and prep - the good ones will spend 8-10 hours on that. Applying the coating is the easy part.

Considering the time it takes to DIY paint correct and the quality I get from it versus a pro the $2k for a coating is minor stuff - I can't justify spending 12 hours of my own time to do it.

[EvoFire]

you should have spent 4k more and put on PPF or a wrap. yeah ceramic coating makes washing easier, but so does a bottle of ceramic spray wax and reapplication every time you wash.

at least with ppf / wrap you get rock protection. this tiny bottle of ceramic coating always feels like such a huge rip off. especially when they charge you like 1k for the ceramic coating and no detailing.

The pro level coatings and consumer grade coatings are not the same, nevermind the spray wax BS.

On top of that, I don't have time to dedicate to it nor do I have the machine, my polisher broke and I never replaced it. I used to detail on the side during school so I'm also super picky about shit and this guy is worth my money.

He polished the X5 before coating it. I was actually going to PPF it, but he looked at it and told me, I want to make your money, but it's not going to be great because the X5 was from Langley and lived it's life on the highway, there's enough pitting and chips to make PPF not make sense.

[Badhobz]

Ohhh if it’s already chipped then yeah no point.

[68style]

The pro level coatings and consumer grade coatings are not the same, nevermind the spray wax BS.

On top of that, I don't have time to dedicate to it nor do I have the machine, my polisher broke and I never replaced it. I used to detail on the side during school so I'm also super picky about shit and this guy is worth my money.

He polished the X5 before coating it. I was actually going to PPF it, but he looked at it and told me, I want to make your money, but it's not going to be great because the X5 was from Langley and lived it's life on the highway, there's enough pitting and chips to make PPF not make sense.

Maybe I missed it but which guy you go to?

Do you do anything special to upkeep the finish on your own? Like do you still do extra steps such as 2 bucket wash etc... or just sponge and soap or... shudder... automatic car washes???

[EvoFire]

Maybe I missed it but which guy you go to?

Do you do anything special to upkeep the finish on your own? Like do you still do extra steps such as 2 bucket wash etc... or just sponge and soap or... shudder... automatic car washes???

All of those things lol.

For the first two years I sent it back to the original detailer for the coating for a refresh. He closed shop and moved away and I haven't done anything to the car since.

Zero upkeep on the M3. If I have time I'll single bucket wash the car with a grit guard. If I'm strapped for time or lazy then I'll just foam it and spray it off. If I really don't want to do it then I'll take it to Mobil1 on No5 and Bridgeport.

The guy that did the X5 did the PPF on the M3, now he does coatings as well so I sent him the X5 for inside/outside. He also does installs so he installed the hitch and he arranged for it to be tinted as well. He also removed the rear fender flare and sent it off to get painted because my wife shaved off the paint against our parking gate. Obviously all extra cost.

[supafamous]

Maybe I missed it but which guy you go to?

Do you do anything special to upkeep the finish on your own? Like do you still do extra steps such as 2 bucket wash etc... or just sponge and soap or... shudder... automatic car washes???

Not EvoFire but I have 3 types of washing I do to upkeep my ceramic coated car that might be useful for consideration:

1. Twice a year coating maintenance wash and deep clean - strip wash with CarPro Descale, decontamination with IronX, foam cannon soak and then 1 bucket wash with 4-5 mitts. Tires are cleaned with Retyre, wheels get the IronX treatment. Ceramic topper as part of drying process on everything. I'll also clean out the engine bay and do all the door frames etc with a soft bristle brush. This is a 3-4 hour job.

2. Summer wash is a foam cannon soak followed by a 1 bucket with 4-5 mitts wash (dirty mitts go into another bucket). Wheels first - they're ceramic coated too I use the same cleaner but in a separate bucket. This is a 1 hour job most days.

3. Winter wash is an ONR wash with a big red sponge. I'll do this during the summer if the car isn't too dirty or I'm lazy as I can bang it out in less than 20 mins if needed. I will use a touchless car wash if the car is really dirty and then do the ONR wash after.

I would love to have the time put the whole car up on the jacks and take the wheels off so I can clean all the wheel wells and suspension parts properly.

[red kryptonite]

also just sharing how i upkeep my cars

daily driver, parked outside, dying ceramic coat:
hand wash twice a month using 1 bucket no grit guard and 10+ microfiber towels. foam cannon presoak followed by washing each panel with a clean towel. wheel spokes are fat enough that i dont have to worry about cleaning the barrel and brake calipers. then dry using a leaf blower. takes about an hour.

2-3 times a week im taking a pressure washer to spray off bird shit and pollen/dust. takes 5mins max.

summer car, garage kept, freshly detailed no coating
the plan is to just pressure washer spray whenever needed then deep clean before fall storage.

[noclue]

Man you guys are detailed (no pun intended)
I just use whatever cleaning products on sale at Costco in the automotive aisle lmao

[trollface]

What kind of shower gel do you guys use in the shower? Any coating recommendations?

2-3 times a week?

[Acura604]

best place to get a battery nowadays? all this AGM crap has totally increased prices - is costco still a good deal? may attempt DIY .

Acura OEM AGM battery $450.

[68style]

I always like Edmonds Batteries in Burnaby, bought probably 10 of them for my own and other people's cars over the years, no complaints

[bcrdukes]

is costco still a good deal?

How dare you even ask!?!??!?!

Paging Badhobz!

[AstulzerRZD]

What kind of shower gel do you guys use in the shower? Any coating recommendations?

2-3 times a week?

LMAO I have the Le Labo, Aesop, etc all that

My fav is the Harry's Redwood body wash - it smells exactly like Le Labo's Hinoki but has a really nice/soft/thicc lather compared to the very lightweight feeling gel from Le Labo.

[supafamous]

You guys use stuff other than bars of Irish Spring?

[Badhobz]

best place to get a battery nowadays? all this AGM crap has totally increased prices - is costco still a good deal? may attempt DIY .

Acura OEM AGM battery $450.

Omg omg omg !!! You run the battery for however long. Go return it when it dies and you get your money back (pro rated)

What do you mean is it a good deal ?!?! You find me another AgM for that price

[JDMDreams]

Speaking of ppf, do your detailers do minor paint repairs, like chips, dents? Minor touch ups. There's no point of fancy ceramic or wrap if the paint has some damage but not to a point where you need full repaint.

[trollface]

LMAO I have the Le Labo, Aesop, etc all that

My fav is the Harry's Redwood body wash - it smells exactly like Le Labo's Hinoki but has a really nice/soft/thicc lather compared to the very lightweight feeling gel from Le Labo.

Do you have a good soap guy?

[supafamous]

Speaking of ppf, do your detailers do minor paint repairs, like chips, dents? Minor touch ups. There's no point of fancy ceramic or wrap if the paint has some damage but not to a point where you need full repaint.

My guy doesn't advertise that he does minor paint repairs though I'd bet he can handle stuff like applying touchup paint as the process is inline with paint correction work anyways. I don't believe he does dent repairs though. (https://www.rdidetailing.ca)

[AstulzerRZD]

Do you have a good soap guy?

Ya he goes by target,

[Oshiguru]

LMAO I have the Le Labo, Aesop, etc all that

My fav is the Harry's Redwood body wash - it smells exactly like Le Labo's Hinoki but has a really nice/soft/thicc lather compared to the very lightweight feeling gel from Le Labo.

Oh good rec i'll look into the Redwood. I use Aesop and Byredo myself. Considering the Diptyque exfoliating soap next

Onto car stuff:
I went to connect my M3 to the trickle charger and found out the new owner of the apartment who has the two stalls to my right like to hug the pillar between our two cars and their passenger seems to enjoy kicking their door open as i noticed about 3 new door dings. Now that a trickle is on im considering hard wiring my dashcam but aiming it to the right

[AstulzerRZD]

Oh good rec i'll look into the Redwood. I use Aesop and Byredo myself. Considering the Diptyque exfoliating soap next

Onto car stuff:
I went to connect my M3 to the trickle charger and found out the new owner of the apartment who has the two stalls to my right like to hug the pillar between our two cars and their passenger seems to enjoy kicking their door open as i noticed about 3 new door dings. Now that a trickle is on im considering hard wiring my dashcam but aiming it to the right

Idk why but the Aesop exfoliaters just feel better
Huge fan of byredo scents tho

[trollface]

Let's have an RS spa day. Let's exfoliate bros

[68style]

Does anyone know electronics or stereo wiring well? I have my E30 BMW 325 back and the previous owner put this gigantic subwoofer in the trunk with thick gauge cabling. I am pretty sure it's the cause of the battery draining every 3-4 days, so I want to rip it out but this sort of electronics is not exactly my forte... never installed an amp or sub in any car I've owned lol

[!Aznboi128]

Does anyone know electronics or stereo wiring well? I have my E30 BMW 325 back and the previous owner put this gigantic subwoofer in the trunk with thick gauge cabling. I am pretty sure it's the cause of the battery draining every 3-4 days, so I want to rip it out but this sort of electronics is not exactly my forte... never installed an amp or sub in any car I've owned lol
Best way to test if it's draining you can always remove the power fuse to the amp. They SHOULD have put a fuse near the battery. Maybe also remove the remote wire from the amp, it's just a signal wire from the headhunt to the amp to turn on.

[underscore]

Do you want the long version to get the sub working properly or the short version to be able to remove it without wrecking anything?

[!Aznboi128]

There should be a fuse that looks like this

https://img.philkotse.com/2020/02/29/M0X5kvOS/audio-amplifier-fuse-in-the-car-blew-up-ff1f.jpg

Wouldn't need to remove the mini fuses in your fusebox

[68style]

Do you want the long version to get the sub working properly or the short version to be able to remove it without wrecking anything?

I don't want it in there, my fuckboi years are long past lol

There should be a fuse that looks like this

Wouldn't need to remove the mini fuses in your fusebox

Thank you! I am positive I've seen that on the wiring.

[underscore]

Remove the big fuse or the positive cable from the battery terminal, then unhook the cables from the amp. There should be a small wire, blue if they did it right, cut the end off and then wrap it with heat shrink/tape/something so it doesn't short to ground. Then remove the cables later at your leisure.

[SSM_DC5]

Could he just find the fuses on the amp itself and pull those, then go back later to remove wiring?

[trollface]

Three cables.

Big fat red one goes to positive on battery
There is gonna be ground/brown in my case from your amp to somewhere close grounded to chassis
There is a thin blue one that's the remote/trigger that goes to your head unit.

Just do what under said and remove the positive form battery. If there was a drain it's not even getting power anymore.

[OriginalJC]

https://i.imgur.com/FjWKtP9.jpg

Installed the PRL Intake that's been sitting in my garage for 4 months. Now I make loud Pssssssssshhhh sounds FeelsGoodMan

[OriginalJC]

https://i.imgur.com/7teTK9C.jpg

https://i.imgur.com/VuR7lAn.jpg

https://i.imgur.com/NUeUSbo.jpg

Did these DIY rock guards this morning without busting any of the plastic push retainer clips

[red kryptonite]

looks clean

[headhunt3r]

I just need a place to vent, so if you don't want to read somebody bitch and moan, please skip.


I had a Miata that I enjoyed a lot, and then my family size grew by one. My criteria for a replacement car was that it had to be manual, RWD, convertible, and seat at least 3. I ended up with a BMW N52 E88. I've never owned euro before because of its reputation for being unreliable and costly to fix. Nevertheless, my choices were extremely limited and here I am. I also like to work on my own cars. It keeps the costs down, and since I work a desk job, working with my hands and taking care of my own car is something that I enjoy, or at least so I thought.

When I bought the car, there were some normal maintenance items due, and everything on this car has just been more frustrating or annoying than I'd like. Oil pan gasket requires dropping the subframe, and I didn't have an engine brace, so I paid somebody to do that. Might as well throw in some new M3 control arms since the bushings were going on them anyways. Of course, this means needing an alignment. I take it to the shop - sorry buddy, your tie rods are seized and we don't carry any in stock. Fine, I'll limp home and replace them myself first before I bring it back.

The mechanic that replaced my oil pan gasket says the starter is probably the top of the list next. I get through this, but not before dealing with a dozen+ different kind of connects and terrible placement of brackets holding a spaghetti of hoses and wires throughout. That back PCV hose clip was the worst.

Next, I'm thinking I'll take care of the valve cover next, but discover the PITA process to remove the valvetronic motor. What the fuck BMW. Okay I'll put this on pause to do more homework and learn about it. Nope. CEL light time. I pull the code, and it's now complaining about the downstream O2 sensor. Fine, I'll order all 4 cuz the others are probably not far behind anyways. Then, after a few days, the light goes away by itself. God damn it, I'll do the downstream ones anyways. I get to spraying the sensors with penetrating fluid, and while I'm down there, I get greeted with a new control arm with some fluid on it. I look up, and the front left strut is leaking. Of course that's not the only leak, one area of the valve cover is leaking more than I thought and I've lost some new oil already because why not.

After ordering around $500 of O2 sensors, I placed another order for a Bilstein B12 Pro Kit and a bunch of other smaller related items. My wallet hurts, but I guess a suspension overhaul is what's next. I can't wait until I sell this thing and get back into a Miata one day. Or maybe I would've been better off with an older E46, or fun car-less for a while.


Since the last vent seemed to engage some folks, I'll share more since this last post.

After watching some videos on the downstream O2 sensor replacements, i figured since I'm close enough to the transmission, I'll do a drain and fill since I don't know the state of the oil inside. After some research, I decided to go with Redline MT-LV. With all the parts that I ordered now having arrived and taking up precious floor space in boxes at home, I set out to get to work. First was to take care of the O2 sensors that briefly gave me a code. A friend of mine has a quickjack, and I shared a short review of that in a different post somewhere. That thing is great. Changing the downstream O2 sensors was actually not too bad. It probably helped that I blasted penetrating fluid on them a couple days before doing the actual work. Because of the tight quarters, sensor sockets didn't end up working super well. Good thing I managed to get it cracked using an adjustable wrench and a deadblow mallet. On to the MT fluid.

Crack loose the fill plug first, just in case the oil is dumped from the drain plug and the fill plug can't be removed. No problem. Drained all the oil, and now it's time to reinstall the drain plug. What's the spec? 35Nm. No problem, set the digital torque wrench to 35Nm and away we go. 15...20... 25... 30... crack. The fuck?
https://i.imgur.com/FQ0XF4O.jpeg
https://i.imgur.com/jSmCaYx.jpeg
This little bitch decided to nope out of the job, and it's a Saturday. Great. I call BJ BMW and of course it's not in stock. And in typical fashion, it's aluminum, so the parts guy recommends I replace both drain and fill plugs on service. I ask him how much the plugs are... $30 a plug? This car is death by a thousand cuts. And stupid BMW has a dealer price and online price, so if I want it for $25 a plug, I have to place the order online even if it's a pick-up order at BJ BMW. Thankfully the parts guy took pity on me, saved me the hassle, and gave me the online price over the phone. I guess I'm going to hog my friend's garage space for the next few days while it's got no oil in the transmission. The rest of the job goes fine - plugs go back in, and most DIY videos just hand tight the plugs, and I wasn't going to play chicken with these plugs anymore, so hand tighten and we're back in business.

While I was under the car, I noticed more oil from what I suspect is likely the VCG. I already ordered a replacement valve cover because it's plastic and everyone says you have to replace the whole thing and not just the gasket. Now I have to decide which to do first. VCG or suspension. I elected to ask for help for my suspension replacement from a friend, and we knocked out all 4 corners in a day. A very long day. The first strut was so hard to remove because it was stuck on that I had to make a run to Princess Auto to pick up a small bottle jack to separate it. Bavarian Motor Works ain't got nothing on redneck engineering. The first strut took the most time, then the rest was just getting through it. Not much to write about.
https://i.imgur.com/2KhKGnP.jpeg

Final boss for this year... the valve cover. I watched the FCP DIY video a bunch and paid attention to the valvetronic motor steps, and finally get to work. I figured while I was there, I'll do the upstream O2 sensors too, and spark plugs cuz they were on closeout from RockAuto. I'm getting a bit more used to working on this car, so disassembling everything was not too bad. Here's the car with the valve cover off, and O2 sensors replaced.
https://i.imgur.com/1g8W8Ob.jpeg
Installing everything back was a whole 'nother story. I'm already trying to be more careful with this car, but shit still went bad. As I'm hand tightening this back corner bolt on the VC, it gets stuck half way. I swear it looked straight from where I was on the passenger side of the car. I walk around to the driver side and I can clearly see an angle. Shit. I cross threaded this little shit.
https://i.imgur.com/RduFZ3A.jpeg
Tap anyone? I went to the same friend that helped with the suspension replacements since he's got most of the tools as an ex-auto mechanic to borrow a tap, but no way the world was going to make it easy on me. This bolt was M7x1 and his taps goes M6 to M8 because fuck me. At this point I'm stressing because I know this head is made of soft aluminum shit and the bolts were steel. I was seeing others had similar or worse problems with this job and needing to helicoil. My mind was spiraling. Thankfully, my friend came through and helped find a M7x1 tap, came over, ran it through to fix the threads and stuck around to get all the bolts started. He's probably tired of cleaning up my shit at this point, but is just too nice to say so. We're in the clear, right?

Ya right. I followed the valvetronic motor reinstallation steps from FCP, and also tried a different video's method (of just pushing against the spring and not using the worm gear to pull in the motor), and both methods left me with a mis-aligned bolt hole for the bottom of the motor.
https://i.imgur.com/72BdDBn.jpeg
Fucking hell. Aluminum bracket and steel bolt again. Fool me once, shame on you. Fool me twice, shame on me. (or was it "you can't get fooled again" - Bush). I don't try to just power it on, take my time trying over and over and over again to get this to line up. No go. It just wouldn't line up. I even tried asking the BMW mechanic that did the oil pan gasket for me for advice, and his instructions and tips had the same result. I cannot convey the state of agony that I'm in at this point. I had no cards left in my hand, but then the universe sent me a roofer that I chatted with that happened to be a mechanic as well, and he suggested I just loosen the bolt on the bracket first to get the bolt in, before re-tightening the bracket bolts.
https://i.imgur.com/Rfy364p.jpeg
You mean those ones that say "DO NOT OPEN"? Fuck it, let's go. In reality, I took them off the old VC first to see what the fuss was, and didn't see anything special. It was just holding down another bracket, and I couldn't see a reason why I shouldn't. Thankfully I had the security bits to work these bolts. I asked the BMW mechanic and he says he's never had to do this, has no torque spec for me for retightening, and good luck. YOLO! It worked. So what if the sun had set already. I've now got my second wind. Let's goooo. It's 11pm now by the time the car is back together. Moment of truth - I go throught the valvetronic motor re-learn procedure of turning the ignition to the second position and waiting. Did it thrice for good measure. Started the car and the car was alive again. Thankfully the DIY videos warned me of the smoke from the engine bay as a result of the oil that drips on the exhaust manifold during this job, so I wasn't caught by surprise.

Took the car for a quick rip around the block, and these Bilsteins with the Eibachs are great. I was worried it was going to be too stiff, but because my front struts were completely toast when I replaced them, these ended up being more comfortable. Less body roll and it rides great.

I'm going to try and just enjoy the car for the rest of the summer... Enjoy it while I can before I attack the maintenance list next year. Already, I have the water pump, diff fluid, and power reservoir leak on next year's list.

[Traum]

Note to self -- never get a pre-owned BMW, let alone an older BMW.

Gosh I swear my old VW stories seem waaaay less dreadful than your BMW ones.

[bcrdukes]

This is my only reaction :pokerface:

[Badhobz]

German stuff…. You know you like abuse

[headhunt3r]

I guess the alternative is that I pay for all these jobs and save myself the headache, but where's the fun in that. Even though I'm saving money by doing my own work, I'm into this car way more than I'd like. If I paid for everything at a non-dealer shop like Nixon's or something, to have all this done, I'd probably be in for nearly $30k for this 16 yr old car, which is nuts. I could be in a used ND2 or gen 2 GR86 for that money.

[EvoFire]

I just send it all the shop. I don't have time for it with two kids.

The M3 is actually at the shop right now getting a new driveshaft, because I got shafted when I ordered the car. The last 6 months production on the F80 lost the CFRP driveshaft, I got one from a guy parting out and it's going in right now.

[Badhobz]

whats wrong with the non carbon fibre one? fragile?

[EvoFire]

whats wrong with the non carbon fibre one? fragile?

There is a difference on how it drives, and I'm just extra like that :badpokerface:

[Badhobz]

you sound like an ideal Ferrari/Maserati/Alfa owner.

[bcrdukes]

Deep down inside, he wants the carbon fibre driveshaft from the Alfa Romeo Giulia Quadrifoglio. :fuckyea:

"hai gaiz, my Alfa is red." - EvoFire
"bruh, it's white." - buncha losers from stock and noob meet

[EvoFire]

you sound like an ideal Ferrari/Maserati/Alfa owner.

I don't know, Porsche GT fanatic sounds more like it cause I actually track it vs the Ferrari which would blow up at track. And yes I'd go for the little bits and pieces.

[bcrdukes]

the CGT would explode too...when you crash. :pokerface:

[68style]

Why waste time blowing up pieces of the car when you can just blow up the entire car in one go!

[bcrdukes]

Rest In Peace, Paul Walker

[JDMDreams]

Clearly you don't watch hoovies garage, 911 engine blows on track, ls swaps, ls swap blows up on track, f355 catches on fire :pokerface::lawl:

[68style]

I don't watch Hoovie cuz he's fuckin annoying lol

[OriginalJC]

https://i.imgur.com/0tiGScJ.jpg

Typs S Adaptive Damper Module installed. Stock tuning was actually not as bad as I expected, based on all of the reviews for the FL5.
But this definitely addresses the bouncy-ness in +R mode, and Comfort mode is more comfy than my RDX

[EvoFire]

https://i.imgur.com/0tiGScJ.jpg

Typs S Adaptive Damper Module installed. Stock tuning was actually not as bad as I expected, based on all of the reviews for the FL5.
But this definitely addresses the bouncy-ness in +R mode, and Comfort mode is more comfy than my RDX

How much is the module? We do similar shit like that in the BMW world, but it's all hidden in the menus that can only accessed with a special cable.

[OriginalJC]

Was $600 at Acura. I believe if I tried to buy it in the states, I could have saved a few hundred. Sounds like they are getting harder to acquire, with back orders and dealerships requiring a Type S VIN to attach the order to

[bcrdukes]

Nothing as cool as OriginalJC, but we finally hit 120,000KM on the Corolla iM. It's trash now, so time for a new car. :pokerface:
jk too poor :fuckthatshit:
https://i.imgur.com/vFZ7nym.jpeg

[Badhobz]

Did you hold the dot button to try and reset it ? trololololol

P.s. that’s too hot. Throw the city in the trash too and move to a more temperate climate….. say bangouver!?

[bcrdukes]

Oh, the dot resets the measurement for how many litres of fuel consumed per 100KM. I've been doing a lot of city driving lately so it's been total crap. It's normally 7.5L/100KM when mixed with city and highway. All highway it hits 6.5L/100KM. I've gotten it down as low as 5.5L/100KM before.

[red kryptonite]

lol 120k... so just broken in, in toyota world :accepted:

my parents rolla cross does 6.0L/100km city
my tundra does 21L/100km city
my m3 does 27L/60km highway :fulloffuck::lawl:

[JDMDreams]

Yea after whipping courtesy Corollas they don't seem that efficient for the echo box it is. Around 8l per 100 km. It does rev super low on the highway due to the cvt, but you're driving the cheapest of the cheap soulless tin can for that mpg

[AstulzerRZD]

Yea after whipping courtesy Corollas they don't seem that efficient for the echo box it is. Around 8l per 100 km. It does rev super low on the highway due to the cvt, but you're driving the cheapest of the cheap soulless tin can for that mpg

Up until this year, the base 1.8 came with a much less efficient CVT.
2024+ come standard with 2.0 and a CVT that had the launch gear and shifts nearly istantlt, much more efficient in city.

[EvoFire]

lol 120k... so just broken in, in toyota world :accepted:

my parents rolla cross does 6.0L/100km city
my tundra does 21L/100km city
my m3 does 27L/60km highway :fulloffuck::lawl:

When I picked up the F80 in Germany, I've seen as low as 9l/100km on the autobahn. We averaged 10.5l/100km throughout the whole Europe trip. It's about 14 in Vancouver all city.

The X5 tells me I'm doing 3.3l/100km right now because we did two longer trips and burned a tank of gas.

One thing I've noticed about the X5 45e is, it discharges quite a lot while sitting, and if you enter and exit the car a lot it also drains a lot because it's pulling power from the hybrid batteries.

[supafamous]

When I picked up the F80 in Germany, I've seen as low as 9l/100km on the autobahn. We averaged 10.5l/100km throughout the whole Europe trip. It's about 14 in Vancouver all city.

The X5 tells me I'm doing 3.3l/100km right now because we did two longer trips and burned a tank of gas.

One thing I've noticed about the X5 45e is, it discharges quite a lot while sitting, and if you enter and exit the car a lot it also drains a lot because it's pulling power from the hybrid batteries.

I'm jealous.

I'm doing 18L/100km on my last two tanks on my RDX - lots of remote start due to the heat and exclusively short city trips. It's brutal, the thing is such a hog for 272hp. On the highways I might see 9.5L/100km.

[EvoFire]

I'm jealous.

I'm doing 18L/100km on my last two tanks on my RDX - lots of remote start due to the heat and exclusively short city trips. It's brutal, the thing is such a hog for 272hp. On the highways I might see 9.5L/100km.

The beauty of the BMW setup, the climate systems run off the hybrid battery and I can precondition the car.

My brother's NX450h+ apparently still has the AC belted to the engine, so it cannot have AC on without the engine on.

[JDMDreams]

^^ hmm I thought the older Toyota hybrids can run AC off hybrid and it just kicks the engine on like 10 min per hour to charge the battery.

[Badhobz]

yup. my dad's RX400h (2008) does that. it literally sits there for like 30-40 minutes with the ac on and engine off. when the battery runs low, it'll pop on the engine, charge the battery, and then turn itself off in about 10 minutes of engine run.

[EvoFire]

^^ hmm I thought the older Toyota hybrids can run AC off hybrid and it just kicks the engine on like 10 min per hour to charge the battery.

That I'm not sure because I've not owned a Toyota hybrid before, just what my brother told me about his car.

[JDMDreams]

Yea, I recall they were great for camping cuz you just leave the car on and you have ac. Or the Japanese racing drivers just sleep in their Alphards with AC on between races.

[red kryptonite]

yup, the new toyota hybrids kicks on the engine when preconditioning.
cold start during summer the engine stays on for a minute then switches over to the battery. when there is some temp in the engine it switches over pretty quickly. cold starts during winter takes a little long before it switches over. i assume it has something to do with the turbos.

[OriginalJC]

https://i.imgur.com/puIA3xw.jpg

Got rid of one of the 3 resonators :ilied:

[RCubed]

Finally got my NT03s powdercoated in BMW shadowchrome.
https://i.imgur.com/VH0Yfau.png
https://i.imgur.com/HrCNdy9.jpeg

[68style]

Who did your powdercoating? Most shops don't want to powdercoat wheels.

[RCubed]

Who did your powdercoating? Most shops don't want to powdercoat wheels.

Daves in Langley. Hes done 5 sets for me so far

[OriginalJC]

Nice. What’s it cost to get a set of wheels done?

[RCubed]

Nice. What’s it cost to get a set of wheels done?

$500 and up depending on prep, color and finish. I got my OEMs done in basic white for $500. These are gonna cost a pretty penny cuz the wheels came in chewed up. Custom color and we tested using a cerakote clear

[trollface]

That's a good price

[red kryptonite]

I’ll have to keep that in mind for my next visit. I want to get my TE’s refinished. Here on the island powder coating starts at 1000

[77civic1200]

I was confused by the dual valve stem holes so I had to look it up

"The NT03+M also features a racing twin valve design which allows for accurate monitoring while adjusting the pressure."

[red kryptonite]

Those dual valve stem wheels seems gimmicky to me. How many race cars do u see running them.

[red kryptonite]

afters months of looking ive finally decided on a lip. imo this is the perfect blend of oem+ and track. now the wait begins......

https://thebuildjournal.com/wp-content/uploads/2019/10/rs-future-lm-wing-carbon-fiber-3.jpg

https://thebuildjournal.com/wp-content/uploads/2019/10/buildjournal-aero-program-e46-m3-aw-4.jpg

https://thebuildjournal.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/09/quick-release-splitter-rod-shock-buildjournal-1.jpg

[68style]

That lip will look amazing slicing pieces off of parking blocks and speed humps... that's how that works right? The concrete loses those encounters? :troll:

[trollface]

Missing headlight = fast af

[JDMDreams]

How do you even do that? Do you literally cut up the head light and try to diy seal it back up.

[trollface]

Looks like a drill kit.

https://thebuildjournal.com/wp-content/uploads/2019/03/e46-m3-headlight-duct-2.jpg

[red kryptonite]

That lip will look amazing slicing pieces off of parking blocks and speed humps... that's how that works right? The concrete loses those encounters? :troll:

im a sucker for splitters with non visible stablizing rods, perfect for plowing snow hahaha

take a trip with me down memory lane

https://f80.bimmerpost.com/forums/attachment.php?attachmentid=3035760&stc=1&d=1668751030

https://f80.bimmerpost.com/forums/attachment.php?attachmentid=3060489&stc=1&d=1671598291





How do you even do that? Do you literally cut up the head light and try to diy seal it back up.

Looks like a drill kit.



ya they sell the headlight snorkel and youll have to mod your headlights :denied:

[underscore]

I put new low beam bulbs in the Grand Cherokee and it finally rolled out of the garage today, nothing fell off after a quick zip down the street so time to book an alignment. The only sketchy part is I'll have to go down the highway to get to the good 4x4 shop so we'll see how that goes lol.

Of course the Celica picked up on this and decided to want attention now too. The random overboost code I had been chasing and thought I'd fixed came back. This time though I got what may be a hint, the speakers started going nuts with popping and squealing even with the volume turned to 0. It was almost comical moving it around to get it into the driveway today, slamming the door and pulling the steering wheel down made the speakers pop lol. So I'm assuming there's a ground issue somewhere. I've got 6 weeks to get it sorted before it has to be able to make it to Campbell River for the Coast to Coast TSD.

[Acura604]

FOR YOU DIYers ' CDN tire sale on MOBIL 1

https://www.canadiantire.ca/en/pdp/mobil-1-advanced-fuel-economy-0w20-synthetic-engine-motor-oil-4-73-l-0289453p.html?rq=mobil+1

[immorality]

Not bad. I recently bought a pair of jugs of Royal Purple. I would never have bought it otherwise, but it worked out to $23/5L.

[Klondike]

Crappy tire doesn't carry Mobil1 euro 5w-40. They have Castrol 5w-40 (which is what the adolfmobile recommends). Right now Pennzoil and Castrol are cheaper at walmart

https://www.walmart.ca/en/search?q=5w-40&facet=fulfillment_method_in_store%3AIn-store%7C%7Css_seller_name%3AWalmart

https://i.imgur.com/DCqFkoR.png

But Costco has the cheapest price for Castrol right?

[bcrdukes]

In short, I think yes, Costco generally has the cheapest unit price for Castrol. Cross shop with Canadian Tire, but I think Walmart (based on the screenshot you shared) has the lowest unit price at the moment.

You are right that Canadian Tire doesn't have Mobil 1 5W-40. I think it's a dying oil weight, and Mobil 1 has not carried it in a while. If you can hold out, Walmart will drop the prices a tad more on Pennzoil 5W40 later on.

If you feel like ballin' out, Napa Canada has Motul 5W40 on sale for I think $57.99 per jug. My next oil change on the Boxster is Walmart SuperTech 5W40. :pokerface:

[Traum]

If you feel like ballin' out, Napa Canada has Motul 5W40 on sale for I think $57.99 per jug. My next oil change on the Boxster is Walmart SuperTech 5W40. :pokerface:
Is SuperTech 5W40 A40-compliant though?

I'm not sure what the consequences might be to use non compliant oil in your 987, but at least in the engine department, I'd trust them Porsche engineers. (N-spec tires, on the other hand, can kiss my a$$.)

[westopher]

With all the bore score issues in those eras, I don't think I would trust the Porsche engineers TBH. Buy some oil you like and change it often.

[headhunt3r]

I wish Kirkland had a euro oil. Finding LL-01 oil is pretty annoying if I wanna save a dollar.

[bcrdukes]

Is SuperTech 5W40 A40-compliant though?

I'm not sure what the consequences might be to use non compliant oil in your 987, but at least in the engine department, I'd trust them Porsche engineers. (N-spec tires, on the other hand, can kiss my a$$.)

With all the bore score issues in those eras, I don't think I would trust the Porsche engineers TBH. Buy some oil you like and change it often.

Funny enough, the label shows it's A40 compliant, but I don't think it has true approval. Regardless, I kind of stopped caring whether the oil is compliant or not for a few reasons.

1. It's a 986 (not 987) and it's got rock chips, scratches, dents, and dings. it's not a show car and it will never reach 993 God status. From 10 feet away, it looks great. Up close, most people run the other way.

2. It spends most of its running hours these days doing track duty, so hitting the rev limiter is nothing short of a surprise. I had an engine compression and leakdown test to see what's going on and surprisingly, a very healthy engine at 150,000KM. This is a car I agreed with my wife that if I wreck it at the track or the engine blows up, it's perfectly okay. Heck, most people's "beater" cars here on RS are worth more. :lol

To westopher's point: I don't put enough mileage on the car in a year (no more than 5000KM) so I change out the oil every 3 or 4 track weekends. Using SuperTech, that's a bit over $60 in oil per year. On the Corolla iM, I change it out every 6000KM and that's on 0W20.

Castrol stopped paying the fees to Porsche to get their oils approved but a lot of shops buy in bulk from Wakefield Canada for the shop. Pfaff, whose oil sponsor is Motul, runs on Castrol. :peek:

N-spec tires - I run Hankooks and Badhobz had a heart attack. :fuckthatshit:

[red kryptonite]

not really a DIY guy anymore, but my m3 came with a bunch of mann filters. so i guess its time to watch a couple youtube videos and brush up on my oil knowledge hahaha. what are RS's bmw guys using?

[westopher]

5w40 liquimoli on the s52, 15w50 motul on the s14. Again, I ignore the intervals. When I ran 8k intervals on the s52 I'd have to top up a quart every 1500km on the s52 after 5k. If I do an oil change at 5k, I never burn anything at all. Oil level is near max when it's drained.
S14 I change once a year which is like 1k miles. Maybe overkill, but fuck $100 every year isn't a worry so keep it fresh. Especially if it's sitting.
I believe 10w60 is recommended for s54. Like I said though, type matters much less than intervals. Once it starts breaking down it makes things much worse quickly.

[jing]

Motul 10W60 for the S54 here. May change to Liquimoly instead from FCP in the future.

[yray]

y'all should buy oil by the pail :troll:

one pail can last me a year for each truck and I change at 5k intervals

[bcrdukes]

Oh yeah, Porsche has “classic” oil for the 986/996 which is a 5W50. So few companies make that and it’s expensive as hell, so Porsche can suck it.

yray - In your defence, you drive a Land/Range Rover, so the pail makes sense. :lol

[underscore]

Not to mention that engine would've been designed about 30 years ago now (I had to look it up, that design was really ahead of the curve) and I would hope that in that time even meh oil now is going to be pretty good compared to what was good oil back then.

I don't drive anything enough to hit mileage intervals so the Celica and Rav get fresh oil every year and the Grand Cherokee when I remember. I think that engine traces back to the 1950s or something so not exactly rocket appliances in there.

The Rav was getting really bad VVTI rattle after sitting overnight, I changed the oil since that cleared it up last time but no bueno so I ordered the strainers and the gaskets and crush washers to change them. Sure enough by the time the parts arrive the rattle has cleared up. I'm still going to change them soon since I have the parts now anyways.

The Celica is going strong with its problem child status. I spent a bunch of time to try and properly diagnose why the fuel pump safety circuit stopped working (I bypassed it), everything tested fine and the car started right up which makes no sense. I went to change the drivers headlight bulb since the low beam died and the low beam had actually melted the plug around that pin which also makes no sense. I replaced my temporary alt conversion harness with the proper one I made on the off chance that helps with the fucky electrical. I also added another main ground since the end of the original one has some corrosion showing in the wire at the end. Tore the amp apart and no visual clues but the amp has already been internally repaired once so who knows. I know I've flip flopped on selling this car a lot over the years but I'm hitting a point where I'm not sure it's viable for me to keep a car that needs a lot more time than I have to give it trying to chase intermittent issues when I sometimes take it hundreds of km from home. Surprisingly it has never left me stranded but it's been limped home a few times over the years so I'm probably pushing my luck.

[yray]

Oh yeah, Porsche has “classic” oil for the 986/996 which is a 5W50.

LOL, Most rover v8 guys just run diesel oil to make up for the lack of zddp in modern oils. I had to run 20w50 this summer as my usual 10w40 was thinning out during those super hot days.

[RabidRat]

Not to mention that engine would've been designed about 30 years ago now (I had to look it up, that design was really ahead of the curve) and I would hope that in that time even meh oil now is going to be pretty good compared to what was good oil back then.

I don't drive anything enough to hit mileage intervals so the Celica and Rav get fresh oil every year and the Grand Cherokee when I remember. I think that engine traces back to the 1950s or something so not exactly rocket appliances in there.

The Rav was getting really bad VVTI rattle after sitting overnight, I changed the oil since that cleared it up last time but no bueno so I ordered the strainers and the gaskets and crush washers to change them. Sure enough by the time the parts arrive the rattle has cleared up. I'm still going to change them soon since I have the parts now anyways.

The Celica is going strong with its problem child status. I spent a bunch of time to try and properly diagnose why the fuel pump safety circuit stopped working (I bypassed it), everything tested fine and the car started right up which makes no sense. I went to change the drivers headlight bulb since the low beam died and the low beam had actually melted the plug around that pin which also makes no sense. I replaced my temporary alt conversion harness with the proper one I made on the off chance that helps with the fucky electrical. I also added another main ground since the end of the original one has some corrosion showing in the wire at the end. Tore the amp apart and no visual clues but the amp has already been internally repaired once so who knows. I know I've flip flopped on selling this car a lot over the years but I'm hitting a point where I'm not sure it's viable for me to keep a car that needs a lot more time than I have to give it trying to chase intermittent issues when I sometimes take it hundreds of km from home. Surprisingly it has never left me stranded but it's been limped home a few times over the years so I'm probably pushing my luck.

:p

[EvoFire]

I think Overdrive puts Liquimoly in the M3. I don't really care because I get a change once a year and it's less than 5k. I typically change it after my annual track day so I have fresh oil for the year.

The X5 is going to be an interesting one. It's still scheduled for annual changes but the engine barely gets used. I'm more concerned about it running cold all the time than it having bad oil. Changing the oil after maybe actually driving the engine for about 1000km a year seem like such a waste.

[bcrdukes]

@underscore - lol at “when I remember” for the Jeep

[bcrdukes]

So just for some Sunday morning laughs...

SuperTech European Formula Full Synthetic 5W40..."Meets the requirements of" is open to your own interpretation. :D
https://i.imgur.com/eGDGdGc.jpeg

Full disclosure: I use SuperTech 0W20 almost exclusively on my Toyota Corolla iM since after factory warranty expired, and SuperTech 5W40 in the Boxster since 2022. In situations where Mobil 1 is on sale (like it is right now) I will use Mobil 1. Having said that, use at your own discretion and risk, change your oil frequently, and most importantly, enjoy your cars!. :D :peek:

[underscore]

@underscore - lol at “when I remember” for the Jeep

I mean it's a tractor engine that covers maybe 1000km/yr, almost entirely at just above idle lol. Plus if it blows up I have an excuse to put a stroker in.

[red kryptonite]

went to crappy tire but they dont carry anything in 10w60. walmart has liquimoly for $125/6L. guess ill have to price compare a few more places. diy oil changes isnt that much cheaper than a shop.

edit: amazon has liquimoly 4pack of 5L for $330

[Badhobz]

https://germanparts.ca/

Same for ze Hitler box. I just bought a crap ton of oil from this website. They often have sales and it works out quite a bit cheaper than anywhere else.

[headhunt3r]

Any suggestions for a place to have an inspection done on a MB sprinter van?what's the Nixon's equivalent for MB? Asking for a friend and they're based out of Surrey.

[bcrdukes]

Re: German Parts - If you guys are patient, they often will have surprise sales on oil like Liquimoly. The savings can be up to 20%, so keep an eye out.

A few years ago, I stocked up on Motul 5W40 and it was about $50/5L jug, but those days are gone now.

[red kryptonite]

I’ll keep an eye out, oil still looks pretty clean

[BIC_BAWS]

Re: German Parts - If you guys are patient, they often will have surprise sales on oil like Liquimoly. The savings can be up to 20%, so keep an eye out.

A few years ago, I stocked up on Motul 5W40 and it was about $50/5L jug, but those days are gone now.

Pro tip... FCP Euro all of this LOL.

[headhunt3r]

Disagree. Shipping used oil back to them is a pain in the ass and it's not cheap.

[donk.]

went to crappy tire but they dont carry anything in 10w60. walmart has liquimoly for $125/6L. guess ill have to price compare a few more places. diy oil changes isnt that much cheaper than a shop.

edit: amazon has liquimoly 4pack of 5L for $330

What car is this for?

[bcrdukes]

I think that's for his E46 M3.

Pro tip... FCP Euro all of this LOL.

Disagree. Shipping used oil back to them is a pain in the ass and it's not cheap.

I'm on the disagree side of things. Time, packing, cost to ship it all back, nevermind the drive to the US to make it all worthwhile, is a no-go from an economic standpoint. However, if the math works for you, then it's okay.

[red kryptonite]

What car is this for?
I think that's for his E46 M3.


:thumbs:

[westopher]

I'd rather dump my oil in the ocean than send it on a plane so I could save $28. It's probably better for the environment that way.

[bcrdukes]

Carbon offsets, anyone? :peek:

[underscore]

I could probably put your used oil in my Grand Cherokee without any problems.

[BIC_BAWS]

However, if the math works for you, then it's okay.

The math works out for me. I returned brake pads and SRF. Yes, I had to drop it off in Blaine, but it was $18.76 CAD to ship it LOL.

If u combine the return with a bunch of other stuff its worth it. So do all your fluids in one return. They apply credit to your account anyway.

I'll update my shipping cost when I send back the Motul 300V after VIMC next Sat.

[red kryptonite]

is dropping off used oil at canadian tire or one of those oil change places not a thing anymore??
kinda different scenario: i was cleaning out my shed and all the random car parts(mufflers, suspension, spoilers, tail lights, random spare tires) i wasnt able to sell i just dropped it off at toyota and they took it.

[bcrdukes]

BIC BAWS - serial polluter.

I think Canadian Tire ended their agreement to take in old oil a while ago. You can typically drop it off at your municipality's waste yard, but check before you go.

I think Toyota took your stuff as an obligation, not because they wanted to. :lol

[radeonboy]

Do you guys have recommendations on where to take an out-of-warranty BMW SUV (i.e. current model X5 / X7) for service in the Richmond area?

Asking for a coworker who might need his front brake pads replaced soon along with general maintenance moving forward. Sounds like he's tired of paying dealership rates - I wanted to suggest CG Motorsports but I don't have any personal experience with them.

[noclue]

Do you guys have recommendations on where to take an out-of-warranty BMW SUV (i.e. current model X5 / X7) for service in the Richmond area?

Asking for a coworker who might need his front brake pads replaced soon along with general maintenance moving forward. Sounds like he's tired of paying dealership rates - I wanted to suggest CG Motorsports but I don't have any personal experience with them.

I used performance one owned by autowest and they’ve been good at a lower price. I heard of juan auto and overdrive but havent used them to form an opinion.

[68style]

Honestly brakes and fluids? Anyone can do that stuff... you don't need a specialty shop.

I would suggest Aria Automotive in Richmond.

[Traum]

Do you guys have recommendations on where to take an out-of-warranty BMW SUV (i.e. current model X5 / X7) for service in the Richmond area?

Asking for a coworker who might need his front brake pads replaced soon along with general maintenance moving forward. Sounds like he's tired of paying dealership rates - I wanted to suggest CG Motorsports but I don't have any personal experience with them.
If it is just doing brakes, any reputable indie shop would be able to do that. My personal recommendations would be HBL Autosports or Overdrive Auto Tuning as I have had excellent 1st hand experience with them. Aria Auto Service, and Drivehard Performance also have good reputations among the enthusiast circles.

[jing]

No personal experience with CG but a lot of people in the local E46M group are not fans. Things might be better under new ownership?

[EvoFire]

I send both my BMWs to Overdrive. Other than occasional wanting specific parts for the M3, I just give them the car and let them figure it out.

[bcrdukes]

No personal experience with CG but a lot of people in the local E46M group are not fans even after new ownership.

Who are the new owners? What happened to the previous owner?

[JDMDreams]

Story time, I never went to them either.

[bcrdukes]

I have my own story, but it won't resonate with the majority so I'll leave it at that.

[jing]

Who are the new owners? What happened to the previous owner?

Chris retired over the summer and sold CG to Will who was one of the shop guys. Not sure how things are under new ownership actually so I will edit my last post.

[bcrdukes]

BOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO!!!!!!

[headhunt3r]

I have my own story, but it won't resonate with the majority so I'll leave it at that.

If I wanted to be in an echo chamber I wouldn't be here. Share your story!

[bcrdukes]

I will share the story if you guys make a donation to the BC Children's Hospital and can share evidence of it. :hotbaby:

[underscore]

is dropping off used oil at canadian tire or one of those oil change places not a thing anymore??
kinda different scenario: i was cleaning out my shed and all the random car parts(mufflers, suspension, spoilers, tail lights, random spare tires) i wasnt able to sell i just dropped it off at toyota and they took it.

It used to be a legal requirement that anywhere that sold oil had to take used oil back but since that's gone almost nobody takes it. The Great Canadian Oil Change is the only place near me that still takes it afaik but I think it varies between each franchisee.

Random scrap parts I just take to the metal recyclers, I never have enough to bother getting it weighed and there's one place with a pallet to drop it off after hours which is super convenient.

[headhunt3r]

I will share the story if you guys make a donation to the BC Children's Hospital and can share evidence of it. :hotbaby:

https://i.imgur.com/isLVkrW.png

[bcrdukes]

Holy shit. Wow.

[RabidRat]

ok i halp too :)

https://i.imgur.com/VF6Pqdo.png

[bcrdukes]

https://i.imgur.com/zY1M9IR.jpeg

[bcrdukes]

I didn't think this would gain traction, but wow, thanks everyone who made a donation! I have a friend who works for the BC Children's Foundation and just saw this, and is ecstatic (she is on RS but won't reveal her username so let's leave it at that.) :D

[Tapioca]

is dropping off used oil at canadian tire or one of those oil change places not a thing anymore??
kinda different scenario: i was cleaning out my shed and all the random car parts(mufflers, suspension, spoilers, tail lights, random spare tires) i wasnt able to sell i just dropped it off at toyota and they took it.

Use this search tool to find a location to drop off used oil and coolant:

https://interchangerecycling.com/find-a-recycling-centre/

[underscore]

A woman? On the internet? Yeah right.

https://i.imgur.com/O9RxNFE.jpeg

[Badhobz]

I didn't think this would gain traction, but wow, thanks everyone who made a donation! I have a friend who works for the BC Children's Foundation and just saw this, and is ecstatic (she is on RS but won't reveal her username so let's leave it at that.) :D

Excuse me, there are no actual girls on this website okay. Unless you’re a tranny cop or something but no female at birth girls okay

First of all I typed this jumbled mess into Google and it still came out
https://i.postimg.cc/vHJZ9rNt/IMG-2430.png
https://i.postimg.cc/mrwL002m/IMG-2431.jpg

Plus I don’t even like kids. I don’t know why the fuck I’m trying to save them

I rather kick them in the face for being little retards

[roastpuff]

https://i.ibb.co/Lhx1Ggp/image.png

[red kryptonite]

fail.... clicked the wrong link.

https://tnstatic.net/attachments/screenshot-2024-09-11-213453-png.1035139/

https://tnstatic.net/attachments/screenshot-2024-09-11-214144-jpg.1035143/

[yray]

https://i.imgur.com/VF45egj.jpeg

They seriously need a new ER waiting room, I was there recently from 9pm to 7am and it made st Paul's look great

[Badhobz]

Psshhh aren’t you a little old to be going to children’s for your manly problems ?!

[bcrdukes]

I love how red kryptonite donated to a Toronto hospital. :lol

Thank you sir. Sick Kids Hospital does amazing work.

[red kryptonite]

:lawl: im glad u had a good laugh

[BIC_BAWS]

I like how headhunter called the bluff. And it resulted in 8 total donations. Good job everyone!

This was very heartwarming and goes to show it only takes one person to start a chain of good.

Sent from my SM-G781W using Tapatalk

[donk.]

Honestly brakes and fluids? Anyone can do that stuff... you don't need a specialty shop.

.

Just dont take it to tireland on main st KEKW

[headhunt3r]

Thanks y'all for joining me. While it's easy to find bad news with doom and gloom, it's uplifting to see random acts of kindness.

[Badhobz]

This isn’t random. It’s fuelled purely out of desire to hear dukes stories.

Oh and some crap about kids …. Yada yada

[bcrdukes]

I lied to all of you. I have no stories. But keep the donations coming. :troll:

[Qmx323]

Man these guerilla marketing tactics are crazy now

[underscore]

I just assumed dukes either made or lost a bet and wanted us to bail him out.

[Badhobz]

He’s secretly on the board for children’s hospital. This plays well into his year end fund raising figures (all of 200 bucks)

It’ll pay for 10 minutes of mri maintenance

[yray]

He’s secretly on the board for children’s hospital. This plays well into his year end fund raising figures (all of 200 bucks)

It’ll pay for 10 minutes of mri maintenance

it'll pay for their valet service :badpokerface:

https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/p/AF1QipNLE-bMNi2onkf2-PvBcajHgFV-EyoxaUq-bEbX=s680-w680-h510

[bcrdukes]

SO GAIZ WAHT DID YOU DO TO YOUR CARZ TODAY?!?!?! :pokerface:

[trollface]

awfoaofnaopfaf

[Badhobz]

This is a total troll. No date. No name. Issued in Toronto…. wtf is this ?!

[trollface]

Nope

[bcrdukes]

lol nub

[Badhobz]

Does anyone here know where I can get my headlights refinished / plastics replaced ?!

I tried everything under my own power to get the yellow out and it’s no bueno. I think it’s time for some shmoe to heat it up in an easy bake oven and replace the plastic cover.

I saw the plastic covers on aliexpress for 15 bucks but I don’t know anyone who would do such a job.

[bcrdukes]

trollface

[jcmaz]

Does anyone here know where I can get my headlights refinished / plastics replaced ?!

I tried everything under my own power to get the yellow out and it’s no bueno. I think it’s time for some shmoe to heat it up in an easy bake oven and replace the plastic cover.

I saw the plastic covers on aliexpress for 15 bucks but I don’t know anyone who would do such a job.

Privatemodder :fuckyea:

You have to wet sand, orbital polish with cut and polish compound, then clear with 2k clear coat.

Imo you're better off looking for headlights on Rockauto than to pay for all that labour to swap lenses. Privatemodder can't guarantee leak free headlights!

[underscore]

Paying the labour to put on $15 AliExpress lenses seems like a bad idea. What car is it for? OEM or OE supplier off RockAuto is probably your best bet for it actually lasting. Plus then you can screw around testing stuff on your old ones with no concerns.

[EvoFire]

Whatever you do, don't buy TYC lights, they'll yellow and scale within a year.

[Badhobz]

It’s for my 2010 Lexus es (Camry). The headlights are disgusting.

[underscore]

Looks like OEM is 700-1100 per light depending on which option you have which is a heck of a lot.

[Badhobz]

Anything wrong with the cheapie ones ? Looks like I can get a set for 370 usd.

My ES came with halogens but I threw in an LED bulb since the housing is the same as the xenon equipped ones and it’s been working perfectly for the past 3 years. Oem prices are ridiculous

[EvoFire]

Anything wrong with the cheapie ones ? Looks like I can get a set for 370 usd.

My ES came with halogens but I threw in an LED bulb since the housing is the same as the xenon equipped ones and it’s been working perfectly for the past 3 years. Oem prices are ridiculous

It'll yellow and peel in a year.

[underscore]

You can get them cheaper, RockAuto with their usual 5% off codes is $416 CAD delivered for DEPOs.

Sure they won't last as long as OEM but you can buy nearly 4 pairs of them for the same price. I'm pretty cheap so I'd just consider them consumables and change them every few years when they get shitty again. That said I've never used them myself and depending on where it's stored that might not take very long. Or you can just go buy another new car from an Axis power instead lol.

[Badhobz]

What if I put on an anti UV film ? You think it’ll last ?

[JDMDreams]

Can't you just a real detailer to fix. Unless the plastic is cracked internally, usually detailers or body shop can fix it good.

[JDMDreams]

You can try the China acetone method

https://ae01.alicdn.com/kf/S34475b613c244b5a943c48f39c677856M/Acetone-Vapor-Headlight-Coating-Car-Headlight-Repair-Fluid-Car-Light-Polishing-Set-Headlight-Atomization-Atomizing-Cup.jpg

[EvoFire]

It'll do better, or you know just sand it down and redo the coating on the original pair. I did it on my Miata

Before:
https://scontent.fcxh2-1.fna.fbcdn.net/v/t31.18172-8/21640705_10154701702622032_1710269792660301996_o.j pg?_nc_cat=101&ccb=1-7&_nc_sid=f798df&_nc_ohc=4tqDDvXzolsQ7kNvgFv8wG6&_nc_ht=scontent.fcxh2-1.fna&_nc_gid=Atf1HqWuk0lGKdMugiu2w36&oh=00_AYCUbYNEhHP943C7THZz7nXoaX9SgH3A5ANlp1BVzJ2O Ag&oe=670B4694

After:
https://scontent.fcxh2-1.fna.fbcdn.net/v/t31.18172-8/21743479_10154701702607032_3802963743211207033_o.j pg?_nc_cat=107&ccb=1-7&_nc_sid=f798df&_nc_ohc=IN5vJ1rE8SsQ7kNvgF6tneg&_nc_ht=scontent.fcxh2-1.fna&_nc_gid=A5RhbSXXy6lT5ALbTMeRn8J&oh=00_AYAwynysSdV-F70u9qk3GLEOFE0NqVUuX1QWIdS_O96t0w&oe=670B3058

[Suprarz666]

It depends how faded it is. I've recleared multiple sets of headlights for friends but sometimes even the inside starts yellowing/fading, it will clean up the exterior nicely but the inside stays the same.

[immorality]

I used the Sylvania headlight restoration kit on my 350z and it's worked wonders. Still good 6 months later.

[bcrdukes]

Do Lexus headlights have any special coatings on them? (I assume no.) I know for some European manufacturers (Porsche in particular) they apply a special coating on the lens so if you polish it or use a kit against it, that coating is gone forever.

[EvoFire]

Just add your own coating. Urethane is tested to be good for at least 5 years even when parked under the sun. Much better than TYC or DEPO where it yellows and peels after a year.

[BIC_BAWS]

battery died in the Krispy Kreme parking lot today

Got jump started 3x today. I left work at 40km and dropped off 4 Krispy Kreme boxes around Richmond. I got to the body shop and told myself not to turn off the car, and turned off the car fml. I kept the car running every where else but man what a crazy day.

trash honda batteries

[bcrdukes]

Ouch. Given the battery/car is six years old, I think it's due for a replacement any way. Is it the original factory battery? I presume it's made by Panasonic?

The factory Toyota/Panasonic battery on our Corolla died in 5 years, but that's over years of harsh winters in the GTA. By chance, Canadian Tire had a promotion for their credit card holders and we picked up a replacement for cheap (DIY'd.) I let Badhobz down that day for not buying the replacement from Costco because it was literally just down the block. He was pissed. :D

[Badhobz]

JOOO better be buying that battery from costco BIC BAWS!

[red kryptonite]

speaking of batteries dying, my key fob battery died after only a year. i tried to warranty it and was told it wasnt covered and it was gonna cost $10 :fuckthatshit:
this really didnt sit well with me. they cant replace a battery that proabably cost them $1 on a brand new car?!?! :facepalm:
just ordered a pack of 4 for $8 off amazon.

[Badhobz]

Toyota is cheapening out on everything nowadays. It’s pretty much down to the same level of quality as Honda in the 90s or maybe even… Nissan in the 90s.

Vw has fallen to Hyundai accent levels of quality so I guess Toyota is still doing better than most.

[JDMDreams]

VW sounds like they are going broke from gov and unions

[radeonboy]

I think the cost cutting is across the board - I was at AutoWest earlier this week and noticed their $110K+ X5 doesn't have keyless entry sensors on the 2nd row doors.

[westopher]

battery died in the Krispy Kreme parking lot today

Got jump started 3x today. I left work at 40km and dropped off 4 Krispy Kreme boxes around Richmond. I got to the body shop and told myself not to turn off the car, and turned off the car fml. I kept the car running every where else but man what a crazy day.

trash honda batteries

Battery died on my 5 year old golf a couple weeks ago too. I mean, I haven't changed the battery on my e36 in 8 years so seems kinda stupid.
But yeah, new car quality for the price is a fucking laugh. 100k gets you a worse built 50k model from 10 years ago

[noclue]

I think the cost cutting is across the board - I was at AutoWest earlier this week and noticed their $110K+ X5 doesn't have keyless entry sensors on the 2nd row doors.

Manufacturers still using supply chain issues as an excuse for cost cutting. Im embracing boomerism and hate modern cars with no buttons, nightclub ambient lights, passenger display screens, synthetic engine noises through the speakers, subscription as a service.

[EvoFire]

You guys need to keep in mind that new cars have a lot more parasitic draw. All new cars come with proximity key now, and those all have an implicit draw because they are always active. Older systems will draw down a battery if the car sits for 2-3months even when new.

[westopher]

I have all those things in mind and they are still stupid. Agree 100% with what noclue says above. These features are all stupid and I hate them. My 27 year old car does everything my 5 year old car does, but better in every single aspect other than a warranty and safety (which I'll admit is the one awesome part about new cars is not dying in a fender bender.)

[red kryptonite]

You guys need to keep in mind that new cars have a lot more parasitic draw. All new cars come with proximity key now, and those all have an implicit draw because they are always active. Older systems will draw down a battery if the car sits for 2-3months even when new.
of course, but 1yr is ridiculous, and not warrantying a $1 part is outrageous hahaha
im sure you havent replaced ur f80 fob in 3yr :badpokerface:

[jcmaz]

JOOO better be buying that battery from costco BIC BAWS!

I would double check with Honda parts for battery pricing. Sometimes they are even cheaper than Costco!

[EvoFire]

I have all those things in mind and they are still stupid. Agree 100% with what noclue says above. These features are all stupid and I hate them. My 27 year old car does everything my 5 year old car does, but better in every single aspect other than a warranty and safety (which I'll admit is the one awesome part about new cars is not dying in a fender bender.)

Not dying in a fender bender is a pretty big one for me, especially now that I have two young kids.

I'd argue our X3 is significantly better than my Highlander at being a mall crawler. Heated seats, big sunroof, built shades, traction control, bluetooth.

of course, but 1yr is ridiculous, and not warrantying a $1 part is outrageous hahaha
im sure you havent replaced ur f80 fob in 3yr :badpokerface:

Replaced the fob battery twice already for the F80, once by the dealer and once recently by myself. Two batteries in 5 years isn't that bad considering the convenience of a proximity key.

None of my 4 BMW products had need a new car battery though. I do hope I don't have to for the M3 considering it's lithium battery is like $1200. The X5 has two 12V batteries though...


I do find that typically Japanese car batteries all die around the 5-6 year mark. On my Highlander it died year 7, my MS3 died at year 6. The MS3 Panasonic battery is known to only last for about 5 years so I won with 6 years?

[BIC_BAWS]

Ouch. Given the battery/car is six years old, I think it's due for a replacement any way. Is it the original factory battery? I presume it's made by Panasonic?/QUOTE]

True, but I expect better from Honda. Not sure if Panasonic, I'll check tmr. I checked battery life in it - it said "REPLACE". 189/450 CCA lol

Pics attached below.


[QUOTE=red kryptonite;9149116]speaking of batteries dying, my key fob battery died after only a year.

Yeah my key fob battery needs replacing every 6mo-yr. Pro tip: don't do it in the middle of nowhere, like Tulameen, while on a road trip. Whole damn thing fell apart harder than an E36 glove box.


Battery died on my 5 year old golf a couple weeks ago too. I mean, I haven't changed the battery on my e36 in 8 years so seems kinda stupid.
But yeah, new car quality for the price is a fucking laugh. 100k gets you a worse built 50k model from 10 years ago

Yeah on my first E46, original battery lasted 16 years.

My 27 year old car does everything my 5 year old car does

Careful... Your age is showing LOL. Agreed except, my modern car is significantly faster.

I would double check with Honda parts for battery pricing. Sometimes they are even cheaper than Costco!

Glenn @ Marv Jones Honda


https://uploads.tapatalk-cdn.com/20240915/eabb759fc67c11ea68cc8c5a1028ecec.jpghttps://uploads.tapatalk-cdn.com/20240915/d2ac95d6d0b30ff4fa5dc53d33efd483.jpg

Sent from my SM-G781W using Tapatalk

[red kryptonite]

Replaced the fob battery twice already for the F80, once by the dealer and once recently by myself. Two batteries in 5 years isn't that bad considering the convenience of a proximity key.

i never had to replace mine in the 4yrs i had it, same with the e90.

[bcrdukes]

True, but I expect better from Honda. Not sure if Panasonic, I'll check tmr. I checked battery life in it - it said "REPLACE". 189/450 CCA lol

If it makes you feel any better, I think the factory Toyota battery's rated CCA is something in the 300s. It was pretty wimpy, but it survived a solid 5 years and harsh winters before it gave out. I never had any issues until it hit -20 during the winter and that's when it decided to go, "Nope. Not today." :accepted:

[AstulzerRZD]

I think the cost cutting is across the board - I was at AutoWest earlier this week and noticed their $110K+ X5 doesn't have keyless entry sensors on the 2nd row doors.

I don't think it even has it on the passenger door

[JDMDreams]

Doesn't your key get charged when you stick it in the BMW hole?

[Badhobz]

Lawl. You’re a bmw hoe

[EvoFire]

I think the cost cutting is across the board - I was at AutoWest earlier this week and noticed their $110K+ X5 doesn't have keyless entry sensors on the 2nd row doors.

I don't think it even has it on the passenger door

X5 has proximity access now where you don't have to touch the handle to lock/unlock. It's suppose to lock and unlock as you approach the door/leave the car.

It would explain why they would cost cut the handles since most ppl don't use them anymore.

Doesn't your key get charged when you stick it in the BMW hole?

That hasn't existed since the F chassis generation.

[GIZZ]

Patched a big nail type of hole in my silverado, I'm guessing the nail came out once it was flat. Flat 10 ply tire was loud, survived a couple blocks driven on flat, tire was hot but not visibly damaged. I got the flat friday afternoon in the bad rain, stopped to put on spare in front of a firehall. I hoped nobody would come out, nobody did. I was thinking I would probably help somebody if they had a flat in front of my place.

Also changed a front bearing in the TSX today, the bearing was fine but the magnetic encoder failed. Figured I better do this before the bad weather starts. Fixed a side skirt rattle while it was in the air. Best beater ever.

[coneZONE]

If it makes you feel any better, I think the factory Toyota battery's rated CCA is something in the 300s. It was pretty wimpy, but it survived a solid 5 years and harsh winters before it gave out. I never had any issues until it hit -20 during the winter and that's when it decided to go, "Nope. Not today." :accepted:

Lol it was an arbitrary 382 CCA or something like that
Even a 51R battery for a Civic was 410 CCA

[RabidRat]

Also changed a front bearing in the TSX today, the bearing was fine but the magnetic encoder failed. Figured I better do this before the bad weather starts.

Something went out on an Acura? I don't believe you.

[supafamous]

Something went out on an Acura? I don't believe you.

Specifically on a TSX too. If it was a 1G TSX then it's fake news indeed. Stuff that JD Vance would say.

[OriginalJC]

Installed these Suma blindspot mirrors. Pretty impressed with them

https://i.imgur.com/2wbsc6a.jpg

https://i.imgur.com/NyJexg5.jpg

Also did this a few weeks ago, Aliexpress find (sunglass holder replacing the grab bar)

https://i.imgur.com/YI9gBlm.jpg

[red kryptonite]

The sunglasses holder is a cool find.

[radeonboy]

^They're like a few bucks on Aliexpress - cheap and practical for cars that don't have dedicated holders otherwise. I first had them as an Volvo OEM accessory and got hooked.

[Badhobz]

Did you say aliexpress ?!?!? Ohhhhh yeeeahhhhhh

Since when do you have an FL5 type r ?!?!?!?me ——> Jealous

[Klondike]

Euro style blind spot mirrors is a great quality of life mod. Came from factory on my SAAB but not on the Mexican Golf.

Bought a driver's side blind spot mirror from AliExpress and my only complaint is the heating coils inside don't get as hot as the factory ones.

https://i.imgur.com/5ZsS812.jpeg

[OriginalJC]

Did you say aliexpress ?!?!? Ohhhhh yeeeahhhhhh

Since when do you have an FL5 type r ?!?!?!?me ——> Jealous

Been a few months now. If my allocation didn't come through, was actually cross shopping between the Integra Type S and LC500.

[bcrdukes]

Wow, you two could have been brothers from another mother! (re: LC500)

[68style]

How does one cross shop a $60k sport sedan and a $140k luxury grand tourer?

[bcrdukes]

:ahwow:

[Badhobz]

How does one cross shop a $60k sport sedan and a $140k luxury grand tourer?

both have 4 wheels DUH!!!!
https://media.tenor.com/2BM9MICNhwUAAAAM/black-girl.gif

[OriginalJC]

How does one cross shop a $60k sport sedan and a $140k luxury grand tourer?

To be fair, I would have been looking at the used market for the LC :-P

If it wasn't the FL5 to keep for the long-haul, it would have been the NA V8

[Badhobz]

WE COULD HAVE BEEN GREAT TOGETHER!!!! FeelsBadMan

[JDMDreams]

I wonder what will hold values better type r or lc?

And yes didn't you know everyone here has type r for daily beater and lc for weekend car. We're responsible for buying up the type r gr stock :troll::joy:

[bcrdukes]

LC for sure. But what good is the value hold going to be? It's not going to hit Ferrari or LFA status anytime soon. Or ever. (Sorry Badhobz)

Type R is dime a dozen and lower cost of entry.

[AstulzerRZD]

Specifically on a TSX too. If it was a 1G TSX then it's fake news indeed. Stuff that JD Vance would say.

Really?

A/C compressors and 6MT front axles went out pretty regularly on the 1G

Not to mention front rotors and control arm bushings