[Chappers 71]

Cars booked in for next Tuesday at my favourite Indy to have the valve cover gasket replaced at a very reasonable cost of £240, provided the valve cover isn't cracked. My guy says there's no reason why it should be cracked as its never been taken off before but they won't know until it's stripped down. Hopefully it won't be as a new valve cover from BMW is an additional £340.

As for the sump gasket he's told me that the occasional drop of oil I've noticed on the garage floor could just be the oil from the leaking VCG running down & even if the sump is leaking as long as it's not pissing out he's said not to worry about it. Refreshing for a garage to not want to get as much money out of you as they can.

[Shanusascarabus]

Mines cost me £25 for a elring ofhg set so now no more leaks, and 286 for a set of ATE brake discs and Textar pads..... I heard this was possibly the original setup.... oh a set of handbrake shoes included in that price too.
2 tyres for £120 (Michelin pilotsport 3 )
Hunter alignment at about £80

I didn't realise I'd spent so much till I added it up ffs

[Chappers 71]

Originally Posted by Shanusascarabus

Mines cost me £25 for a elring ofhg set so now no more leaks, and 286 for a set of ATE brake discs and Textar pads..... I heard this was possibly the original setup.... oh a set of handbrake shoes included in that price too.
2 tyres for £120 (Michelin pilotsport 3 )
Hunter alignment at about £80

I didn't realise I'd spent so much till I added it up ffs

I had my ofhg done a few thousand miles ago, if I yours has been leaking you've most likely gotten oil onto the serpentine belt, worthwhile replacing it if it has been contaminated.

How many miles has yours done? If the ofhg has failed it'll most likely not be long before the vcg goes, that's what happened with mine

[Shanusascarabus]

Originally Posted by Chappers 71

I had my ofhg done a few thousand miles ago, if I yours has been leaking you've most likely gotten oil onto the serpentine belt, worthwhile replacing it if it has been contaminated.

How many miles has yours done? If the ofhg has failed it'll most likely not be long before the vcg goes, that's what happened with mine

Mines on about 84k now.... 11 years old, the belt looked ok tbh but as a preventative measure I do plan on changing it soon.. probably when i replace radiator.
Again I'm half expecting the vcg at some point but till I know it's leaking it's staying put... at a guess it will be a 500 quid job

[Chappers 71]

VCG done & mot'd today with no advisorys other than a small chip in the windscreen.

Had a EML light come on a couple of days ago. Had this checked while car was with my Indy & it was low fuel pressure, the low fuel warning light had come on about a mile prier to the EML & I had just put my foot down going up a big hill, my Indy is saying it's due to low fuel & to top up when I get to a third of a tank. He cleared down the codes & said it's quite common for this to happen.
The tech that worked on my car remarked on how clean & mechanically good my car is, he also noted how clean the injectors are, maybe it's the Shell V Power.

Total cost £291

[AD18]

Originally Posted by Chappers 71

Finally fitted the EBC red stuff rear pads & pagid sensor I bought back in April.
Pads were £74 & £14 for the sensor, I didn't charge myself for the labour

Would like to ask you about your brakes. I had yellow stuff and Motul 600 installed during summer with new discs. I seem to have a soft pedal feel near the top, 1-2". I think the pads when they do bite are great but wanted to see whether you had something similar. I was expecting the new fluid to firm up the pedal much more...

[Chappers 71]

Originally Posted by AD18

Would like to ask you about your brakes. I had yellow stuff and Motul 600 installed during summer with new discs. I seem to have a soft pedal feel near the top, 1-2". I think the pads when they do bite are great but wanted to see whether you had something similar. I was expecting the new fluid to firm up the pedal much more...

Can't say I've noticed a soft pedal. The red stuffs are very progressive fast road pads, yellow stuff are more track oriented according to EBCs bumpf, maybe that initial press is lack of 'bite' until the pads get some heat in them. The next time I use the car I'll pay attention & let you know how the pedal feels.

[AD18]

Originally Posted by Chappers 71

Can't say I've noticed a soft pedal. The red stuffs are very progressive fast road pads, yellow stuff are more track oriented according to EBCs bumpf, maybe that initial press is lack of 'bite' until the pads get some heat in them. The next time I use the car I'll pay attention & let you know how the pedal feels.

Cool yeah let me know when you get a chance. I find it very strange as sometimes its much more firm right from starting the car and others it really goes soft and feels like half the pedal is soft. Can't work it out.

[Chappers 71]

Originally Posted by AD18

Cool yeah let me know when you get a chance. I find it very strange as sometimes its much more firm right from starting the car and others it really goes soft and feels like half the pedal is soft. Can't work it out.

Oh mine does that, yes mostly when I start the car the pedal is very firm but sometimes the pedal travels a bit further & feels softer. Mines done that for the five years I've had it. Soon as the engine starts the brakes feel normal.
I don't think there's an issue, when you drive the car & use the brakes the pedals never as firm as when you first put your foot on the brake to start up. If there was a brake pressure issue I'm sure I'd have found out by now & my 35i & I would have been in a ditch or worse

[mjn77]

Originally Posted by Chappers 71

Oh mine does that, yes mostly when I start the car the pedal is very firm but sometimes the pedal travels a bit further & feels softer. Mines done that for the five years I've had it. Soon as the engine starts the brakes feel normal.

Same for me.

[AD18]

Originally Posted by mjn77

Same for me.

Originally Posted by Chappers 71

Oh mine does that, yes mostly when I start the car the pedal is very firm but sometimes the pedal travels a bit further & feels softer. Mines done that for the five years I've had it. Soon as the engine starts the brakes feel normal.
I don't think there's an issue, when you drive the car & use the brakes the pedals never as firm as when you first put your foot on the brake to start up. If there was a brake pressure issue I'm sure I'd have found out by now & my 35i & I would have been in a ditch or worse

Oh well maybe it is normal. With the yellow stuff it did seem like after getting some heat into the brakes then the pedal would firm up. The first few stops, especially in the rain are rather spongy.

[Smokey33]

This month:

Wiper blades- £17
Forge Motorsport Diverter Valves £225
2 full tanks V-Power £140
Dyno run -£75
Coil pack £57

[Shanusascarabus]

2 more Michelin pilotsport3 tyres and Bosch wiper set, so add that £167 to the £511.... £678 in total this month

[Arch Stanton]

Flew through an MoT today, no advisories. Tester popped his head in to say what a nice motor it was. Proud daddy.

[mjn77]

If i'm not mistaken, other than diesel, nothing for October!

I'm hoping November and December follow the same pattern.

[BMW335iSport]

It's been too quiet the last couple of months, only spending money on fuel.

That said, it looks like the battery and turbos are on the way out so got to prepare the wallet.

[Chappers 71]

Cost for October was £291 for having the VCG replaced & a mot which it passed with no advisorys. So not to bad considering I haven't had to pay out on repaires or maintenance for a while.
Car does seem to have a leaking sump gasket though, my Indy has said not to worry about it to much. Quote to sort it was £450, bloody Germans why would they design a car in a way that so much work is needed just to change a sump gasket

[Shanusascarabus]

Mine flew through it's MOT.... almost,It failed on 2 cracked alloys, had that sorted and got them to replace brake fluid... grand total 185 quid

[Chappers 71]

Originally Posted by Shanusascarabus

Mine flew through it's MOT.... almost,It failed on 2 cracked alloys, had that sorted and got them to replace brake fluid... grand total 185 quid

Do you have run flats? Rides a bit harsh on them & they contribute to cracked alloys as the side walls are so stiff.

It's a good result when your car sails through its mot, espesically when like mine it starts to get a bit old.

[Shanusascarabus]

Originally Posted by Chappers 71

Do you have run flats? Rides a bit harsh on them & they contribute to cracked alloys as the side walls are so stiff.

It's a good result when your car sails through its mot, espesically when like mine it starts to get a bit old.

No the tyres are Michelin PS3's so standard tyres.. maybe at some point it had rft tyres.... I think I'd like to change them for 18" alloys at some point as I hear they are a little less harsh and handling isn't compromised.
My cars 11 years old so all in all a great result

[Chappers 71]

Brake fluid flush & change today, £40 at my local branch of STS. I have been coming here for tyres since I passed my driving test back in 1987 when it was called Man on Wheels, the faces have changed over the years but the service has remained consistently good.
Back in the day the guys that worked here were well into BMWs, two of them owned E28 M535is & another one had a E24 M635CSI & I had my 105bhp 67 beetle, ahh those were the days

[texasjohn]

Missed this thread somehow...

Sub enclosure £90
JL Audio Subwoofer £16
Kenwood X501 amp £149
Technic PNP harness £100 ish