[ryan stewart]

Originally Posted by nsjames

well there are no more wagons, so I guess I'll be buying another volvo, or an audi.

I hate VAG cars too.

why have you forsaken me Bavaria?

Not just you man.

Although Bavaria still has wagons, they just hate americans... /s

You can even get a 330i RWD wagon you can row yourself.

[nsjames]

Originally Posted by ryan stewart

Not just you man.

Although Bavaria still has wagons, they just hate americans... /s

You can even get a 330i RWD wagon you can row yourself.

well technically they don't hate americans, they just build what americans want and are willing to pay for, and that's sport activity vehicles.

[fastboatster]

Originally Posted by mecheng77

How much was that repair? Does it also affect the B8.5? Do you still have the car?

Paid about 15 hrs labor at Indy shop to get it done, don't have a total for the sensor and parts since I bought the parts myself over the course of a month. Sensor was slightly less than 300, plus a bunch of one use bolts, exhaust gaskets and seals. As for whether that affects b8.5, you be the judge. Both b8 and b8.5 have tsb for that sensor and I heard about a few b8.5 people who had it fail. That sensor is a sneaky bastard, one guy drove a few hours from the dealer on the highway and all was well. When he started to drive the car in stop and go, it started to act up. Luckily for him since this is a dealer, he was able to return the car. In all fairness, seems like it is a lot better with b8.5 but they still can surprise you. In my case, the sensor did not show up until a drove quite a few miles on the streets. I.e., drove maybe 15 miles and then just as I was getting back from the Autozone being very happy with myself how I totally stole this car for 61 hundred, an error message saying I have a gearbox malfunction but I can continue driving popped up and selector lever position lights were not lit up. I.e, even though the lever was in D, D was not lit. Next stop light, it just would not move until I restarted it. Had to restart it at every stop light to get it going. That's how I realized it wasn't such a sweet deal. The biggest problem here is not the issue itself, the problem is that's it's very easy to miss. If the car doesn't start then there's no way to find out until much, much later. Anyway, I still have that car, it's pretty much a training instrument for me to learn how to do some more advanced repairs before I move on to things with more potential like 335i. I just replaced the dual clutch friction and steel plates as well as front transmission clutch cover as I only had the indy tech replace the friction plates when I had the sensor done. Have no fear of regular clutch jobs anymore and not afraid of doing turbos on the n54 either. So yeah, I decided to squeeze some juice out of this lemon and learn a few things.

[JWT4700]

Currently we have an e90 and an e46, I don't intend on moving on from either of them... the e90 has been a money pit and isn't even paid off yet and the e46 was a cheap car we got as a much needed back up car lol.
My wife wants an X5/X7 diesel
I want and M3 or a 335

[rick100]

Subaru sti.
It just checks almost all the boxes for my life style and i can still have money left for my other hobbies.

4 doors
Fun
Awd
Sporty
Aggressive looking
Can be use off road . I like going to parks and gravel roads are big part of it


Its not the best interior but neither is bmw. Its bad on gas but so is my current cars. Its an old engine but who cares , i had the most fun driving this car out of all the other cars i had test drive.

Im too old to really care what others thing...

[tlow98]

Originally Posted by nsjames

well technically they don't hate americans, they just build what americans want and are willing to pay for, and that's sport activity vehicles.

Exactly. They love the dumbest Americans that just so happen to love debt.

It’s smart. Damn them.

[B6T]

I know this thread is about E9x.... but can E8x be involved as well? I owned a Lemans Blue 6-speed 135i M-Sport and sold it to purchase a baby-compatible vehicle since we were expecting at the time.

It was a last minute decision to sell that car and keep the 986 Boxster S I also had at the time (ie track-prepped basically, but only ~260hp). I regret selling the 135, I should have sold the Boxster instead. One of the biggest ragrats of my life haha. The Boxster was a decent car but the 135 was so much more straight line fun. I ended up selling the 986 a few months later after the little one had arrived.

Originally Posted by freakystyly

I like the B8.5 S4, last generation of Audi manual supercharged V6. I've driven a tuned one and they are quick and handle relatively well, they just seem so disconnected from the road compared to the e90.

How was it to wrench on? I heard there are many things you can't access without taking the engine out?

When I was looking for another project car to fill the void in my life I was verrrrrry close to pulling the trigger on a pre-owned manual B8.5 S4, and then I realized I'm paying $30k for a vehicle which is much less of a car than the E90 335i. So I picked up a mint RWD 6-speed E90, a pretty rare spec these days, for only $7,400.

Fast forward to this year and I'm balls deep in an engine replacement due to a spun rod bearing, and looking at B8.5 S4 ads again... all while driving my Ford Focus EV and dying a little bit more inside each time I do.

In all honesty, I think the E8x and E9x cars are hard to beat in terms of value and moddability, even the non-turbo, non-M variants are great cars.

If I replaced my E9x it would be with an B8.5 S4... prices have come down... and that DCT trans is fucking awesome.

[NGEE]

Originally Posted by B6T

...and that DCT trans is fucking awesome.

I'm with you on the E8x. My 135is DCT is a ton of fun, and the DCT is exactly as you describe.

[Insidious]

Maybe R34 GTR or e30 M3... can't choose

[mecheng77]

Originally Posted by B6T

I know this thread is about E9x.... but can E8x be involved as well? I owned a Lemans Blue 6-speed 135i M-Sport and sold it to purchase a baby-compatible vehicle since we were expecting at the time.

It was a last minute decision to sell that car and keep the 986 Boxster S I also had at the time (ie track-prepped basically, but only ~260hp). I regret selling the 135, I should have sold the Boxster instead. One of the biggest ragrats of my life haha. The Boxster was a decent car but the 135 was so much more straight line fun. I ended up selling the 986 a few months later after the little one had arrived.

When I was looking for another project car to fill the void in my life I was verrrrrry close to pulling the trigger on a pre-owned manual B8.5 S4, and then I realized I'm paying $30k for a vehicle which is much less of a car than the E90 335i. So I picked up a mint RWD 6-speed E90, a pretty rare spec these days, for only $7,400.

Fast forward to this year and I'm balls deep in an engine replacement due to a spun rod bearing, and looking at B8.5 S4 ads again... all while driving my Ford Focus EV and dying a little bit more inside each time I do.

In all honesty, I think the E8x and E9x cars are hard to beat in terms of value and moddability, even the non-turbo, non-M variants are great cars.

If I replaced my E9x it would be with an B8.5 S4... prices have come down... and that DCT trans is fucking awesome.

Originally Posted by B6T

I know this thread is about E9x.... but can E8x be involved as well? I owned a Lemans Blue 6-speed 135i M-Sport and sold it to purchase a baby-compatible vehicle since we were expecting at the time.

It was a last minute decision to sell that car and keep the 986 Boxster S I also had at the time (ie track-prepped basically, but only ~260hp). I regret selling the 135, I should have sold the Boxster instead. One of the biggest ragrats of my life haha. The Boxster was a decent car but the 135 was so much more straight line fun. I ended up selling the 986 a few months later after the little one had arrived.

When I was looking for another project car to fill the void in my life I was verrrrrry close to pulling the trigger on a pre-owned manual B8.5 S4, and then I realized I'm paying $30k for a vehicle which is much less of a car than the E90 335i. So I picked up a mint RWD 6-speed E90, a pretty rare spec these days, for only $7,400.

Fast forward to this year and I'm balls deep in an engine replacement due to a spun rod bearing, and looking at B8.5 S4 ads again... all while driving my Ford Focus EV and dying a little bit more inside each time I do.

In all honesty, I think the E8x and E9x cars are hard to beat in terms of value and moddability, even the non-turbo, non-M variants are great cars.

If I replaced my E9x it would be with an B8.5 S4... prices have come down... and that DCT trans is fucking awesome.

The s4 dct is great when it is running right, see fastboasters post above

[freakystyly]

Agreed, I've driven a buddy's early B8 with a failing DCT. Not sure what the repair bill was but I'm pretty sure he got rid of it. It was tuned to high 11s on the strip but it had no soul like most VAG cars.

I prefer more of a non turbo / manual type deal. Already know the E90 platform, and I'd feel like a POS to ruin a M3 with salty roads in the winter.

[oVeRdOsE.]

I'll be stuck with old cars...

Hard time to get a manual , awd, fun car. And space for kid.

The only ''newer'' option is the Mk7 sportwagen with a is20 turbo swap (300bhp) .

Porsche Cayenne GTS can be a nice option, be they are old now...


I probably will never own a automatic fuel car, I'll jump right away into EVs.

[n55Ronin]

Don't post much on forums but saw this one as I was updating my FS post for my E90 parts. I did end up parting ways with my E90 I thought I was going to keep it. It became a money pit once it hit 100k. I had a hard time finding a replacement that was 4 door, room for the kids, 300 hp or more, and utility something I missed with my previous daily driver GTI (Still have but wont past Smog). I ended up with a Golf R. Checked all the boxes. Better radio (had the base radio) room in the back was surprisingly roomier then the E90, better gas, AWD (Yes FWD biased), most of the same tech the E90 had just more modern. Insurance drop significantly too that was a another plus. Some one mentioned DSG, it is awesome for and auto and DCC makes it nice on the twisties. Next car will be a Porsche for a weekend car. I do miss the e90 and at some point I might look and M car if the Porsche doesn't work out. M2 maybe?

[cabmwdrive]

E90 a lovely car just requires a lot of maintenance.

[fastboatster]

Originally Posted by n55Ronin

Don't post much on forums but saw this one as I was updating my FS post for my E90 parts. I did end up parting ways with my E90 I thought I was going to keep it. It became a money pit once it hit 100k. I had a hard time finding a replacement that was 4 door, room for the kids, 300 hp or more, and utility something I missed with my previous daily driver GTI (Still have but wont past Smog). I ended up with a Golf R. Checked all the boxes. Better radio (had the base radio) room in the back was surprisingly roomier then the E90, better gas, AWD (Yes FWD biased), most of the same tech the E90 had just more modern. Insurance drop significantly too that was a another plus. Some one mentioned DSG, it is awesome for and auto and DCC makes it nice on the twisties. Next car will be a Porsche for a weekend car. I do miss the e90 and at some point I might look and M car if the Porsche doesn't work out. M2 maybe?

Not all DSGs are the same, there are overlaps between VW DSG, Audi S-tronic and Porsche’s PDK. Well, there are no VW dsgs used in Porsche’s, but Audis DL501 is used in Macan which many people seems to recommend on this forum.
Anyway, your golf R has dq500 I believe, it’s a gearbox for transverse engine configuration. It’s a lot smaller than longitudinal DL501 which also takes 2 fluids, one for hydraulic and another for mechanical part. DQ500, or DQ250 or latest DQ382 are a lot easier to repair because they weigh less and they don’t have any sensors not accessible without splitting them apart. DL501 is so tall, one person I know was barely able to get it from under the car on Quickjacks at max height. And it weighs about 300 lbs with center of mass not near the oil pan.
Also, transverse VW dsg parts a cheaper and there’s a lot more information about repair and tuning

[n55Ronin]

Originally Posted by fastboatster

Not all DSGs are the same, there are overlaps between VW DSG, Audi S-tronic and Porsche’s PDK. Well, there are no VW dsgs used in Porsche’s, but Audis DL501 is used in Macan which many people seems to recommend on this forum.
Anyway, your golf R has dq500 I believe, it’s a gearbox for transverse engine configuration. It’s a lot smaller than longitudinal DL501 which also takes 2 fluids, one for hydraulic and another for mechanical part. DQ500, or DQ250 or latest DQ382 are a lot easier to repair because they weigh less and they don’t have any sensors not accessible without splitting them apart. DL501 is so tall, one person I know was barely able to get it from under the car on Quickjacks at max height. And it weighs about 300 lbs with center of mass not near the oil pan.
Also, transverse VW dsg parts a cheaper and there’s a lot more information about repair and tuning

Yes this was something I considered as going auto was on the list (Wife would need to drive it in emergency). Cost of repair after warranty period but one that would take some power upgrades, and easy Maintenance. Doing the fluid change is easier. The Subaru WRX was on the list but had CVT which I can't stand (Wife has Impreza) and can't take more than 300hp. PDK in Porches are phenomenal, super quick closes to manual in feel. Well hoping on keeping this one for a while, maintenance certainly will be cheaper.

[B6T]

Originally Posted by mecheng77

The s4 dct is great when it is running right, see fastboasters post above

Absolutely. The DCT is wicked. But when it’s not running right it’s a 3,800lb paper weight with an insane repair bill. Last I checked a few years ago it was a couple thousand to rebuild the mechatronic unit.

[Soden82]

Originally Posted by B6T

Absolutely. The DCT is wicked. But when it’s not running right it’s a 3,800lb paper weight with an insane repair bill. Last I checked a few years ago it was a couple thousand to rebuild the mechatronic unit.

My friend beat the snot out of his old B8 S4 and needed a new mechatronic sleeve after 100k miles. He works at audi and it still cost him over 2k to do it himself.

After the install his DSG was still missing shifts and slipping on hard acceleration.

He sold it a year later for a new RS3

[fastboatster]

Originally Posted by Soden82

My friend beat the snot out of his old B8 S4 and needed a new mechatronic sleeve after 100k miles. He works at audi and it still cost him over 2k to do it himself.

After the install his DSG was still missing shifts and slipping on hard acceleration.

He sold it a year later for a new RS3

Not sure about mechatronic sleeves, sounds like he had to replace the entire mech unit judging by the price. But yeah, bad mech kills the clutches very quickly. If it's not taken care of quickly, failures will cascade.
I kind of had an idea while having the trans out to try to bolt up a zf8 trans instead. Should bolt right up and it came with the same engine in the a6. The most likely snag here would be component protection, though.

[Soden82]

Originally Posted by fastboatster

Not sure about mechatronic sleeves, sounds like he had to replace the entire mech unit judging by the price. But yeah, bad mech kills the clutches very quickly. If it's not taken care of quickly, failures will cascade.
I kind of had an idea while having the trans out to try to bolt up a zf8 trans instead. Should bolt right up and it came with the same engine in the a6. The most likely snag here would be component protection, though.

Would you need a new TCU for that set up as well?

[rothwem]

Originally Posted by hassmaschine

Modern BMWs huge and bloated, completely unreliable, practically unrepairable (unless you are a dealer), only come with automatic/turbo, and have horrible resale value. You'd have to be either independently wealthy, completely clueless or insane to buy a new BMW imo. And I haven't driven anything else for 20 years.

Then you get to subjective stuff like buck tooth kidney grilles, complete lack of feel and no options for manual control (you know, "ultimate driving" type stuff). Those teeth, yeesh.

The ANGER here!

Honestly, though, you sound a lot like the E30 guys when the E36 came out, or the E46 guys when the E90 came out. I really like my E91, like a lot. I can see myself owning this car for a long time.

With that said, my sister in law just got a brand new X5 and its fucking awesome. Its not as fun to drive as my E91, but its easily the best larger SUV I've ever driven. Engine/transmission calibration is fantastic, and they nailed the ride/handling balance--hers even has the normal non-adaptive shocks. Basically, BMW has realized that people don't buy cars anymore, so they've thrown a lot of resources behind making the best crossover/SUV on the market. I'm personally not an SUV guy, but I am impressed at the engineering they've done to make a 5000 pound vehicle handle like something much smaller and lower and still get 26 mpg on the highway.

[fastboatster]

Originally Posted by Soden82

Would you need a new TCU for that set up as well?

Nope, its all in the trans. Mechatronic = tcu + valve body. That said, I'm not likely to do this anytime soon or ever. Lots of more interesting and engaging cars which deserve the attention. I'm not done with e90 platform yet, want to enjoy the n54 aka "the German 2jz" lol