My 2005 BMW 330Ci ZHP
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Has your wife driven it yet?
Originally Posted By: LT4 Vette
Has your wife driven it yet?
Actually, have you seen your wife since you bought this car? Remember to spend more time with her than the car!
Has your wife driven it yet?
Actually, have you seen your wife since you bought this car? Remember to spend more time with her than the car!
Originally Posted By: Quattro Pete
Originally Posted By: crazyoildude
Be real nice to that motor that is super expensive to fix some of those BMW engines cost over $15,000 to rebuild...Im in the business and i would not own a car like that...Dont get me wrong its a nice car but just the thought of something major out of waranee is too much to worry about
The engine itself is pretty reliable. It's the cooling system that leaves much to be desired. It's all plastic and tends to crack and leak over time, exposed to all the heat under the hood. If you don't catch it in time, you could potentially overheat the engine and cause some serious damage. I just ordered parts to do a complete cooling system overhaul on mine.
Congrats! Just watch out for the cops and speeding tickets.
BTW, there is a vendor called Zionsville Radiator or something that manufactures and sells 100% aluminum radiators. it's quite pricey but the Z3 guys highly recommend it.
The temperatures in these engine bays run very high, especially when there is the so called "spirited driving" (with a bimmer, you are supposed to have "spirited driving", hopefully with a big grin on your face).
Originally Posted By: crazyoildude
Be real nice to that motor that is super expensive to fix some of those BMW engines cost over $15,000 to rebuild...Im in the business and i would not own a car like that...Dont get me wrong its a nice car but just the thought of something major out of waranee is too much to worry about
The engine itself is pretty reliable. It's the cooling system that leaves much to be desired. It's all plastic and tends to crack and leak over time, exposed to all the heat under the hood. If you don't catch it in time, you could potentially overheat the engine and cause some serious damage. I just ordered parts to do a complete cooling system overhaul on mine.
Congrats! Just watch out for the cops and speeding tickets.
BTW, there is a vendor called Zionsville Radiator or something that manufactures and sells 100% aluminum radiators. it's quite pricey but the Z3 guys highly recommend it.
The temperatures in these engine bays run very high, especially when there is the so called "spirited driving" (with a bimmer, you are supposed to have "spirited driving", hopefully with a big grin on your face).
Originally Posted By: CivicFan
BTW, there is a vendor called Zionsville Radiator or something that manufactures and sells 100% aluminum radiators. it's quite pricey but the Z3 guys highly recommend it.
Yeah, that thing is like $700 compared to about $150 for the plastic OEM radiator.
The thing is, radiator is just one of many potential points of cooling system failure, so even if you get an aluminum radiator, you still have a bunch of other plastic pieces there such as the expansion tank (mine just [censored] itself), water pump, etc. Although, I think you could upgrade these components to aftermarket ones too which should theoretically last longer.
Anyway, I am just going to replace everything with OEM... I figured the original stuff lasted me 8 years and 70K miles, so if the replacement stuff lasts me another 8 years and 70k miles, then I'm good to go as I'm not planning on keeping this car longer than that.
97tbird, sorry for taking your thread OT. Enjoy your new toy!
BTW, there is a vendor called Zionsville Radiator or something that manufactures and sells 100% aluminum radiators. it's quite pricey but the Z3 guys highly recommend it.
Yeah, that thing is like $700 compared to about $150 for the plastic OEM radiator.
The thing is, radiator is just one of many potential points of cooling system failure, so even if you get an aluminum radiator, you still have a bunch of other plastic pieces there such as the expansion tank (mine just [censored] itself), water pump, etc. Although, I think you could upgrade these components to aftermarket ones too which should theoretically last longer.
Anyway, I am just going to replace everything with OEM... I figured the original stuff lasted me 8 years and 70K miles, so if the replacement stuff lasts me another 8 years and 70k miles, then I'm good to go as I'm not planning on keeping this car longer than that.
97tbird, sorry for taking your thread OT. Enjoy your new toy!
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Originally Posted By: Nick R
Hah, good ol BMW automatic there. Do a fluid change (with whatever bmw uses) and your good to go.
It's not a BMW automatic, it's a ZF.
http://www.articlesbase.com/cars-articles/bmw-no-reverse-transmission-problem-274672.html
Hah, good ol BMW automatic there. Do a fluid change (with whatever bmw uses) and your good to go.
It's not a BMW automatic, it's a ZF.
http://www.articlesbase.com/cars-articles/bmw-no-reverse-transmission-problem-274672.html
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Wife hasn't driven the car yet - I only drove it a bit; needs to get it registered, insured etc etc.
- I am very lucky to have a wife that supports me in my quests; she did a lot for the process of getting it - I want her to drive the car asap - as long as she doesn't drop peanut butter/jelly inside
QP: it isn't taking my topic OT: It's a related issue and I welcome any advice from current/previous BMW owners...
ECS Tuning sells a complete cooling system overhaul kit, I think. highly recommended by enthusiasts...
Take a look at all the sponsors on Bimmerfest and E46 fanatics - they have some good stuff at competitive prices for the members.
I have already located a good BMW specialized indie shop in Cary, NC. The owner is a former BMW tech who actually worked for BMW in Germany, and relocated to the USA.
- I am very lucky to have a wife that supports me in my quests; she did a lot for the process of getting it - I want her to drive the car asap - as long as she doesn't drop peanut butter/jelly inside
QP: it isn't taking my topic OT: It's a related issue and I welcome any advice from current/previous BMW owners...
ECS Tuning sells a complete cooling system overhaul kit, I think. highly recommended by enthusiasts...
Take a look at all the sponsors on Bimmerfest and E46 fanatics - they have some good stuff at competitive prices for the members.
I have already located a good BMW specialized indie shop in Cary, NC. The owner is a former BMW tech who actually worked for BMW in Germany, and relocated to the USA.
Originally Posted By: crazyoildude
Be real nice to that motor that is super expensive to fix some of those BMW engines cost over $15,000 to rebuild...Im in the business and i would not own a car like that...Dont get me wrong its a nice car but just the thought of something major out of waranee is too much to worry about
Any oil Recc's?
Be real nice to that motor that is super expensive to fix some of those BMW engines cost over $15,000 to rebuild...Im in the business and i would not own a car like that...Dont get me wrong its a nice car but just the thought of something major out of waranee is too much to worry about
Any oil Recc's?
Originally Posted By: 97tbird
QP: it isn't taking my topic OT: It's a related issue and I welcome any advice from current/previous BMW owners...
ECS Tuning sells a complete cooling system overhaul kit, I think. highly recommended by enthusiasts...
Thanks. I just looked. Good prices, although I will actually be replacing more stuff than their kit includes - things like rollers/pulleys and tensioners (A/C and water pump). Their kit also does not include the radiator itself - I guess they offer it separately so that you can choose whether you want to get the OEM plastic again or something aftermarket such as Zionsville mentioned previously. I got my parts from Autohausaz - they're very price competitive and offer free shipping on orders above $50. Lastly, 1 gallon of antifreeze is not enough if you plan to mix it at the recommended 50:50 ratio. The whole cooling system capacity is over 10 quarts.
Quote:
I have already located a good BMW specialized indie shop in Cary, NC. The owner is a former BMW tech who actually worked for BMW in Germany, and relocated to the USA.
That's great. It's important to have someone nearby that knows these cars. Just be careful. I found one such guy who claimed to have been trained at BMW in Germany and had all kinds of certificates on the wall of his shop. The guy turned out to be quite a rip-off. Tried to talk me into very expensive repair which was in fact not needed as the problem lie elsewhere.
As for oil recommendations, anything carrying the LL-01 spec should serve you well.
QP: it isn't taking my topic OT: It's a related issue and I welcome any advice from current/previous BMW owners...
ECS Tuning sells a complete cooling system overhaul kit, I think. highly recommended by enthusiasts...
Thanks. I just looked. Good prices, although I will actually be replacing more stuff than their kit includes - things like rollers/pulleys and tensioners (A/C and water pump). Their kit also does not include the radiator itself - I guess they offer it separately so that you can choose whether you want to get the OEM plastic again or something aftermarket such as Zionsville mentioned previously. I got my parts from Autohausaz - they're very price competitive and offer free shipping on orders above $50. Lastly, 1 gallon of antifreeze is not enough if you plan to mix it at the recommended 50:50 ratio. The whole cooling system capacity is over 10 quarts.
Quote:
I have already located a good BMW specialized indie shop in Cary, NC. The owner is a former BMW tech who actually worked for BMW in Germany, and relocated to the USA.
That's great. It's important to have someone nearby that knows these cars. Just be careful. I found one such guy who claimed to have been trained at BMW in Germany and had all kinds of certificates on the wall of his shop. The guy turned out to be quite a rip-off. Tried to talk me into very expensive repair which was in fact not needed as the problem lie elsewhere.
As for oil recommendations, anything carrying the LL-01 spec should serve you well.
Thanks...that leaves me with:
BMW HP 5-30 synthetic, and these are alternatives:
* Castrol Syntec European Formula SAE 0W-30 (This is GC, no?)
* Mobil 1 SAE 0W-40
* Pennzoil Platinum European Formula Ultra SAE 5W-30
* Valvoline SynPower SAE 5W-30
Yeah about the BMW indie shop: I am gonna speak to him in German if I ever need his services and that might be prove if he's really from Germany or not
BMW HP 5-30 synthetic, and these are alternatives:
* Castrol Syntec European Formula SAE 0W-30 (This is GC, no?)
* Mobil 1 SAE 0W-40
* Pennzoil Platinum European Formula Ultra SAE 5W-30
* Valvoline SynPower SAE 5W-30
Yeah about the BMW indie shop: I am gonna speak to him in German if I ever need his services and that might be prove if he's really from Germany or not
WOW! That's a beautiful BMW. Don't do anything to the grill, that car looks just great the way it is. Is this the one that was in Minneapolis?
Congrats.
Congrats.
Originally Posted By: 97tbird
Thanks...that leaves me with:
BMW HP 5-30 synthetic, and these are alternatives:
* Castrol Syntec European Formula SAE 0W-30 (This is GC, no?)
Yeah, that's GC.
Quote:
* Pennzoil Platinum European Formula Ultra SAE 5W-30
Ultra Euro 5w-40 is what carries LL-01 spec. Ultra Euro 5w-30 carries LL-04 - you don't really want that unless you'll be running very short oil change intervals. The problem with Ultra Euro grades is that it's still practically impossible to find. One place on-line carries it and that's about it. No retail stores carry it and trying to order it through local SOPUS distributors is like pulling teeth. SOPUS sent me some free Ultra Euro 5w-40, so I am going to use it next, but if availability continues to be an issue, I may go back to GC.
Quote:
* Valvoline SynPower SAE 5W-30
It's the SynPower HST 5w-40 that officially carries the LL-01 approval. I think there was a mistake on the BMW recommended oil list, and BMW never corrected it, despite being told of the mistake.
There are also some Euro oils sold at places like ECS Tuning that carry the spec... LubroMoly, Total, Quartz, Motul, etc.
Thanks...that leaves me with:
BMW HP 5-30 synthetic, and these are alternatives:
* Castrol Syntec European Formula SAE 0W-30 (This is GC, no?)
Yeah, that's GC.
Quote:
* Pennzoil Platinum European Formula Ultra SAE 5W-30
Ultra Euro 5w-40 is what carries LL-01 spec. Ultra Euro 5w-30 carries LL-04 - you don't really want that unless you'll be running very short oil change intervals. The problem with Ultra Euro grades is that it's still practically impossible to find. One place on-line carries it and that's about it. No retail stores carry it and trying to order it through local SOPUS distributors is like pulling teeth. SOPUS sent me some free Ultra Euro 5w-40, so I am going to use it next, but if availability continues to be an issue, I may go back to GC.
Quote:
* Valvoline SynPower SAE 5W-30
It's the SynPower HST 5w-40 that officially carries the LL-01 approval. I think there was a mistake on the BMW recommended oil list, and BMW never corrected it, despite being told of the mistake.
There are also some Euro oils sold at places like ECS Tuning that carry the spec... LubroMoly, Total, Quartz, Motul, etc.
One beautiful car! I am jealous
Originally Posted By: Quattro Pete
Anyway, I am just going to replace everything with OEM... I figured the original stuff lasted me 8 years and 70K miles, so if the replacement stuff lasts me another 8 years and 70k miles, then I'm good to go as I'm not planning on keeping this car longer than that.
You have very low standards! I expect my vehicles to have NO unscheduled maintenance (or at least very little) for its first 10years/150K miles.
Replacing entire cooling system or fancy fuel pumps or alternators or starters or exhausts are NOT considered to be regular maintenance items in that period.
- Vikas
Originally Posted By: Quattro Pete
Anyway, I am just going to replace everything with OEM... I figured the original stuff lasted me 8 years and 70K miles, so if the replacement stuff lasts me another 8 years and 70k miles, then I'm good to go as I'm not planning on keeping this car longer than that.
You have very low standards! I expect my vehicles to have NO unscheduled maintenance (or at least very little) for its first 10years/150K miles.
Replacing entire cooling system or fancy fuel pumps or alternators or starters or exhausts are NOT considered to be regular maintenance items in that period.
- Vikas
Originally Posted By: Vikas
You have very low standards! I expect my vehicles to have NO unscheduled maintenance (or at least very little) for its first 10years/150K miles.
Replacing entire cooling system or fancy fuel pumps or alternators or starters or exhausts are NOT considered to be regular maintenance items in that period.
Owning a BMW isn't cheap. Nobody here is claiming otherwise. I didn't say that I like it. I am just learning from other people's mistakes and being proactive. Cooling systems on these vehicles are known trouble spots, and I'd rather take care of it when it's convenient for me, not when I'm forced to when I'm stranded on the side of the road with an overheated engine. No unscheduled maintenance for 10years/150k miles is unfortunately not going to happen on a BMW. You either factor this into your buying decision or you buy a Toyota instead.
You have very low standards! I expect my vehicles to have NO unscheduled maintenance (or at least very little) for its first 10years/150K miles.
Replacing entire cooling system or fancy fuel pumps or alternators or starters or exhausts are NOT considered to be regular maintenance items in that period.
Owning a BMW isn't cheap. Nobody here is claiming otherwise. I didn't say that I like it. I am just learning from other people's mistakes and being proactive. Cooling systems on these vehicles are known trouble spots, and I'd rather take care of it when it's convenient for me, not when I'm forced to when I'm stranded on the side of the road with an overheated engine. No unscheduled maintenance for 10years/150k miles is unfortunately not going to happen on a BMW. You either factor this into your buying decision or you buy a Toyota instead.
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Originally Posted By: Quattro Pete
Originally Posted By: Vikas
You have very low standards! I expect my vehicles to have NO unscheduled maintenance (or at least very little) for its first 10years/150K miles.
Replacing entire cooling system or fancy fuel pumps or alternators or starters or exhausts are NOT considered to be regular maintenance items in that period.
Owning a BMW isn't cheap. Nobody here is claiming otherwise. I didn't say that I like it. I am just learning from other people's mistakes and being proactive. Cooling systems on these vehicles are known trouble spots, and I'd rather take care of it when it's convenient for me, not when I'm forced to when I'm stranded on the side of the road with an overheated engine. No unscheduled maintenance for 10years/150k miles is unfortunately not going to happen on a BMW. You either factor this into your buying decision or you buy a Toyota instead.
It's probably cheaper to be proactive on the cooling system maintenance rather than having it fail and taking the engine with it.
Originally Posted By: Vikas
You have very low standards! I expect my vehicles to have NO unscheduled maintenance (or at least very little) for its first 10years/150K miles.
Replacing entire cooling system or fancy fuel pumps or alternators or starters or exhausts are NOT considered to be regular maintenance items in that period.
Owning a BMW isn't cheap. Nobody here is claiming otherwise. I didn't say that I like it. I am just learning from other people's mistakes and being proactive. Cooling systems on these vehicles are known trouble spots, and I'd rather take care of it when it's convenient for me, not when I'm forced to when I'm stranded on the side of the road with an overheated engine. No unscheduled maintenance for 10years/150k miles is unfortunately not going to happen on a BMW. You either factor this into your buying decision or you buy a Toyota instead.
It's probably cheaper to be proactive on the cooling system maintenance rather than having it fail and taking the engine with it.
I've been adamant about the cooling system in mine but it looks like brand new at 98k miles. I think there is more space for heat dissipation under a Z4 hood than any of the other models with its mid-engine design. My preventative maintenance is limited to annual coolant change. At $30 per gallon, it's not a bad investment.
I've had plastic radiators go on Hondas before at around 130k miles.
I've had plastic radiators go on Hondas before at around 130k miles.
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