Silbergrau Automatisch - Benno's 330i

[Benno]

KM42712. A silver gray sedan with automatic transmission, all stock. 106k miles.

It came with a fairly extensive mechanical history which apparently included a nearly complete cooling system overhaul. Rear tires have the common (may I say "typical?") inner tread wear. It is due for rear brake pads and a change in most of the fluids. It also has a number of minor cosmetic issues though the paint is decent overall.

First order of business was to replace the fading hood emblem and the weak hood struts. I can now work on it without a broomstick prop and can begin to restore the appearance sarting with a shiny new blue/white roundel.

I was planning to go to a square setup, reduce the negative rear camber a bit and put some street performance pads on the rear but the combination of all that might start to turn it into a drift car. I'd like to even out the rear tire wear. Not too worried about retaining a competitive edge (it's an automatic after all) but I don't want to make it too tail-happy on a track or autocross course.

20004

[Vas]

Welcome.

[danewilson77]

Awesome.

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[ELCID86]

Congrats. Where are you located?

[Benno]

Thank you all. I'm in the Louisville, KY area.

Still focused on the brakes and tires for now. Front tires (Conti. Extremecontact DWS) and front pads (OEM replacement, I'm sure) have a lot of life left. Rear tires and pads are both near the ends of their respective lives. Planning on trying 18x8's on the rear with spacers and going to research using used pads on rear to give me a little more time to evaluate the OEM pads before possibly going with performance pads all around.

[san]

Congrats... I'm from Columbus, IN, about an hour away from Louisville, KY


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[fredo]

Welcome, Benno. Can't wait to see your progress on this automatisch beauty !

[Benno]

Thanks fellas. I'm still getting used to the good feeling that I get to work on it versus the feeling of dread that I get when I have to work on other cars.

[Oli77]

Welcome. There are a couple of us in Lexington KY (me and Jwalther). Enjoy the car!
Not sure new pads will remove the inner tire wear.

[Benno]

Thanks. The pads just need to be replaced; almost down to the sensor.

Do you happen to belong to the bmwcca? I'm looking for a nearby driver's school and was wondering if the bluegrass bmwcca had a good one.

[Oli77]

Nop, but a lot of people here are and I think there is much action up in Ohio.

[Benno]

2/6/13 106,280 Rear brake pads, AZ Duralast D683 ('till the fronts wear out, then Hawk HPS all around)
Brake fluid flush with 1 liter of Pentosin DOT 4 LV

[Benno]

I have been putting some miles on this little beauty. This year it has taken me and the family on three trips all over the southeast: Atlanta/Auburn, Mobile/New Orleans, and Asheville (I missed a great opportunity to take a picture of it in front of the Biltmore). Later in the year the expansion tank cracked; thank God that was on my street and not 1,000 miles from home. I replaced that and a couple other cooling system components. I did an oil change (Castrol A3/B4 special ordered at an O'Reilly Auto) and did an AT fluid and filter change. I feel like it's going to be ready for some more trips next year. I'm hoping I don't have to dodge too much salt this winter and am looking forward to racking up some more miles next year. And by the way, in the process of refinishing the bumper cover I found out that while it is silbergrau in the engine compartment it's been repainted with an Audi color on the outside.