A weak point for an article, yes, but something nonetheless that we should address. As new, enthusiastic owners buy up BMWs, we often like to do a little maintenance. Replace some trim here, a shift knob there, et cetera. After years of use, the somewhat-cheap rubber knobs really deteriorate. They look scuffed, and feel slushy. Replacing them can improve the feel of your radio and navigation system!
Objective: Refresh navigation display with fresh, new knobs.
Is your alarm going off randomly? In most cases, your culprit is a small hood security switch in the engine bay that takes no more than a few minutes to replace!
Depending on which BMW model you own, you may have a ‘clown nose’ red light on your rear-view mirror. When you lock your car, this light should flash, every ~3 seconds or so. If the car thinks there is a fault in the alarm system (hood sensor failure) the light will flash rapidly, maybe 2 times per second or more immediately after locking.
Up till now, Tesla has had the market for high-end electric cars pretty much to itself. But that first-mover advantage is ending. BMW has just rolled out the i8, a plug-in supercar that will test just how much big spenders are willing to pay for a racer with a green badge. This real-life Batmobile starts at about $140,000, but availability is limited for now, and some sellers are asking well over $200,000 for the car.BMW says production should ramp up by next year. The i8 isn’t a full electric like the Tesla Model S, but a hybrid that has both an electric motor and a three-cylinder, twin-turbo gasoline engine.
I’ve attended nearly ten consecutive showings of the Cleveland Auto Show, held at the International Exposition Center in Cleveland, Ohio. Only last year did we decide to hit the Detroit show too, known as NAIAS, or North American International Auto Show. We took my Dad’s 2008 X530is, and it ended up being a really nice show. BMW showcased the F30 3-series in each of the three trims, the F10 M5, and i3 and i8 concept vehicles.
As an automotive enthusiast, I am never content with the M5. There will always be a car that is more comfortable, there will always be a car more reliable, there will always be a car that is faster, and there will always be a car that is just better. However, at the price point E39 M5’s are at, it is a great do-it-all car. And that is why I keep it around.
How do you get high intensity lighting for under $200 $50? Easy, peasy, lemon squeeze: all you need to do is retrofit your stock plastic lens E36 headlights with bi-xenon projectors. With some modification from a Dremel, razor blade, and a pry tool, you too can have HID lighting without resorting to a eat-ramen-every-night college-esque budget.
DIY on Andrew’s Channel
Lesson Learned – Do Not Overfill the Cooling System. I described my experience changing the thermostat housing on my 1997 528i, but I did not describe the problem (a result of my mistake) that followed. As background, all the cars I previously worked on were older, and used a more antiquated cooling system design. “Back in the day”, the cooling system was filled directly into the radiator, and the radiator cap has a pressure relief valve built into it. Excess pressure and (important for this discussion) excess coolant vented from the system through a tube to either the ground or an atmospheric reservoir.
I was experiencing a slight shimmy whenever I braked hard at speeds in excess of 40mph. It felt like brake judder, but was intermittent, not at low speed. When I jacked up the car, I could move the front left wheel toe-in/toe-out about a quarter of an inch. An inspection from underneath while my wife moved the wheel showed that the ball joint into the left knuckle was worn and moving. Figuring that if the left one was bad, the right one probably would fail soon, I replaced both.
Lesson Learned: at least on my 1997 528i sedan, the radiator shroud can be removed, and replaced, with the fan still installed on the fan clutch. I had to replace a leaky thermostat housing/radiator hose connector on my 1997 528i sedan. RealOEM.com indicates that two different radiator options were available on this vehicle. Mine is the one with the separate overflow tank on the passenger side of the radiator.
Today I installed replacement cup holders into my E39 540i/6. The following is a quick tutorial on how to do the same to your E39!
Objective: Replace broken cup holders which no longer stay closed.
Applicable Vehicles:
1996-2003 BMW E39 5-series: 520i, 523i, 525i, 528i, 530i, 535i, 540i, M5.
Parts required: 51168190205
Cost: $30-$100
Difficulty: Very Low
Time Required: 5-10 minutes.
Procedure: To see how to do this for yourself, watch the embedded video below!
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