new front end... wow!

[tim eh?]

Well this weekend I got a little closer to the real driving experience.

After replacing the tie rods, centre link and the idler arm I took it to my favourite garage for new arms, shocks and coils on the front.
(not to mention driveshaft servicing and an injector cleaning... chA chING!)

wow what an awesome car! I used to drive a little slower because of all the clunks - and I used to have to admit I still didn't know what it is like to drive a real bimmer.
... cool ... I don't care how much it costs anymore this car rules even if it torments me with error messages.

just wanted to share - on the downside my abs crapped itself.

[repenttokyo]

dude i really feel for all the problems you are having with the car

[tim eh?]

dude i really feel for all the problems you are having with the car

thanks for your sympathies Ben!


Yeah it was a mistake to buy this particular e34 but I think it still could be a mistake I can be glad I made. I just hope it lasts once all the work is done because the body and interior are in pretty nice shape (now) and the motor is only 20,000 km old. I'm putting nice parts on so they ought to last a while.

I think the abs is sensor related b/c they had to remove the sensors to do the shocks. The abs light went on about 30 seconds after I picked it up and I drove it straight back to the garage where we wiggled the sensors around a bit. The light didn't come on when I drove away the second time but the abs was behaving stry. It would kick in at really odd times like when i was gently braking at very low speeds. Then today the light came back on and it's not working at all again (which I prefer to the strangeness). Anyway, I'm hoping they can look at it while I am there late one afternoon - I already had to leave the car an extra couple of days because their supplier sent the coils to BC.

*** - it broke down only once on me because the 20 year old water pump failed... it didn't even break down i'm scared to think how hot i could have let it get. otherwise it has been very reliable and has always taken me from point a to point b in safety and comfort (a/c would be nice) with even the odd look from a cute (or not) girl or two on the way. I am however working overtime b/c of this car.

[Ferret]

Yeah it was a mistake to buy this particular e34 but I think it still could be a mistake I can be glad I made.

Think of it as a big, friendly learning curve. I sincerely doubt you'll ever be ripped off by a garage for minor jobs, or them talking ********, again in your life :P

E34's are awesome cars to get your 'mechanical' feet wet - it's why I had three in the end - and have gone back to something from the same era.

Interestingly the E31 has almost identical front suspension to the E34 M5 (sans the EDC) so I'm about to do the same job as above... just need to save up first because the E31 front shocks are horrifically priced

Dealer wants £500 (825USD) a side for the shocks and noone has old stock available for 3rd party units. Bilstein however, still make upgraded shocks at £200 a side. Half dealer price I'll take

[Gene in NC]

Tim eh, check the link on Berryman B-12. How does the effect compare to injector cleaning.

http://www.bimmernut.com/forum/showthread.php?t=41987

[BMWDriver]

My hats off to you for doing this job. I had it done a while back at the mechanic. It is true the ride feels much better once that's done. No more clunks, just a beautiful comfortable ride and nice tight curves...

[tim eh?]

Tim eh, check the link on Berryman B-12. How does the effect compare to injector cleaning.

http://www.bimmernut.com/forum/showthread.php?t=41987

Interesting, I haven't driven it enough yet to really compare mpg but I already had pretty good consumption before so I don't think it will change much. Also had a cel yesterday (no code) and car was really sluggish for a few minutes but it all went away so I'm dealing with that not to mention abs. That could be a lot of things (I had it once before I thought it was electrical - might be the ongoing less-voltage-than-should-be problem )... car has new wires and coil, plugs spring '09, cap and rotor fall '07 better check that I guess. Fuel pressure is good. I will drive it some more and post on your thread. First impressions in general were really good, it felt a lot smoother. My main reason for doing this (besides it being good maintenance) was that I had a rare warm start problem that hasn't happened since the cleaning. Also I just started using better gas (ie the button on the right) and that seems to be making a difference too. I'll know better after a couple of tanks, but that could take a while.

My hats off to you for doing this job. I had it done a while back at the mechanic. It is true the ride feels much better once that's done. No more clunks, just a beautiful comfortable ride and nice tight curves...

mmm hmmmm going round corners is piles of fun! I think the tie-rods should have been easier if they weren't so trashed and it wasn't a virgin behind the hammer... I spent a few hours hammer-and-forking a single ball-joint but the rest was easy except the part with the new ball-joints spinning with the locking nuts. (the expression 'goat staring at a new fence' comes to mind )

Think of it as a big, friendly learning curve.

This was the plan, I had already dipped my toes into a couple of beaters and I was confident enough to buy a 'nice' car (aka hellspawn). I was hoping the curve would be a little more friendly than this but so far at least all the work I have done (except paint ) is holding up ok mostly thanks to you guys I think. It's an expensive car for parts though, here at least. But I don't have much left to replace (just the tranny, cat, in/out manifolds, brake cylinder, starter oh fck )

Really, I'm happy with the steering at least... I'm a bit nervous about winter again LMAO

[Ferret]

Really, I'm happy with the steering at least... I'm a bit nervous about winter again LMAO

Yeah, I'm eyeing winter with trepidation, last winter here was really hard (for the UK with allseasons tyres on) in the 540... I've now got v12 torque to keep an eye on. Might shelve it on the icy days, avoid the new 540 and take the fwd Audi to work... nearly had an incident with a concrete barrier last year despite being on-guard all the freaking time.

Wondering how well the overcomplicated electronics will fare during the winter

I'm not looking forward to changing the front end suspension in ice again :/

[tim eh?]

Yeah, I'm eyeing winter with trepidation, last winter here was really hard (for the UK with allseasons tyres on) in the 540... I've now got v12 torque to keep an eye on. Might shelve it on the icy days, avoid the new 540 and take the fwd Audi to work... nearly had an incident with a concrete barrier last year despite being on-guard all the freaking time.

Wondering how well the overcomplicated electronics will fare during the winter

I'm not looking forward to changing the front end suspension in ice again :/

Yeah ice is the worst there is nothing you can do sometimes on ice. I couldn't feel safer than in an e34 with nice tires though it is the best winter car I have ever driven. I find it's not so much the electronics that break so much (unless you mess with it) as anythng that moves or locks. Good luck with the Audi though I must say I think RWD is the way to go in winter. I may be a crap mechanic but I have done a whole pile of winter driving - FWD may get you up hills a little better but as far as steering yourself out of a tough spot I prefer having the driveshaft.

Tires make all the difference though - next set I get is going to have studs there is no question although the winter tires I have now are great I can wait. All seasons work all seasons if you live in Florida...

I hope my heater core 'fix' (please be fixed...) holds up I don't know I found a mystery wet patch on the floor yesterday... And I hope I have time to replace the starter before winter hits it is such a PITA to get to. And I hope it solves my lack-of-volts problem so I can use the rear defroster this year. I hope you guys don't think I post for sympathy it's all one big fun adventure whoah yeah!