peter's X3 - not a 'project' thread ;)

[slater]

nate suggested i make a project thread for the X3. well... since it's my wife's car, i don't want it to be a 'project' car - that would be certain disaster. :)

however, it is a good idea to chronicle maintenance and interesting tidbits, because this is kind of a cool car.

(i just realized that the word 'tidbit', if spelled in lowercase, would read the same if reflected in a mirror. huh.)


specs:

- 2007 BMW X3 3.0si (N52K - 260hp)
- 6-speed
- black sapphire metallic on black montana leather
- M Sport package with a lot of options (no lumbar though)... meaning anthracite headliner, M Sport body bits, M steering wheel, etc
- 284K KMs when purchased (288K KMs currently as of 10/26/17)
- 100% stock except for a sprint booster
- 1/6 canadian spec
- co-designed and built by magna-steyr in austria - interesting tidbit


impressions:

it's a small 'SAV'...5-seater...rear-biased AWD...weird amalgamation of E46 rear suspension and E90 front suspension...6-speed manual...kinda-comfy-and-kinda-sporty...can tow 3000lbs...7000rpm redline machine. it's a weird anomaly in the automotive marketplace, but kinda just right for our family. we didn't need the 3rd row seating any longer, and needed something with better fuel economy, and my wife likes sitting up high (i kinda do, too), and wanted a manual, so.... enter the 6-speed X3. it actually gets decent fuel economy too - we averaged about 26mpg on our first road trip with it. the interior is nicer and better built than the E90, but still no match for the timeless blend of design/functionality/quality of the E46 interior.... and it has some rattles and plasticky creaks. the doors don't close, or sound as nicely on closing, as the E46. the panoramic sunroof can be a little noisy when closed, but it lets so much light into the cabin, especially for rear-seat occupants... and on a clear night, star gazing is actually possible through the glass. it's pretty sweet. suspension is firm (and a little crashy, but it has 288K KMs on the stock dampers) and steering is really darn good for an SAV. brakes are as you would expect from BMW - ample. M Sport wheel is awesome. the engine is pretty nice - doesn't have as much grunt down low as the M54B30 (likely because it weighs 4000lbs), but the top end of this N52K is impressive - it pulls really well above 5K and feels like it could keep pulling hard above 7K. coupled with the 6-speed... in a platform like this... it's a little weird to think about, but it does offer a bit of dual-personality for the driver. i like it.


changes:

it's no secret that i like to tweak stuff. but i like to really get to know the vehicle, and then figure out what it needs to fix it's shortcomings to be more of what my vision is for the vehicle. and for this thing... well, not much. it needs to stay reliable, and it needs to stay comfortable. but it does need a bit more noise, and it does need some better body and drivetrain control - that said, the rear diff mount is shot and allows for a lot of drivetrain movement. also, clutch engagement is very sensitive. so, here's my plans thus far:

- replace dirty air filter with aFe drop-in dry filter (done yesterday)
- koni FSDs with new upper mounts (ordered)
- poly rear diff mount (received)
- replace front upper control arm bushings (one is on it's way out)
- replace RTABs with OE lemfoerder M3-spec bushings (already have)
- replace outer RCABs with new OE lemfoerder spherical bearings
- CDV delete
- check/replace driveshaft flex disc and carrier bearing/hanger
- remove sprint booster (the PO liked it, but i find the throttle is just way too sensitive on initial tip-in with it engaged)
- retrofit power lumbar into the stock sport seats (found a DIY, looks easy enough; have the parts already)
- fill stock squishy trans mount with 80A durometer poly; this will double-benefit me with less drivetrain slop and more engine noise :)
- refresh the shift linkage (have parts already)
- de-badge the butt
- polish the headlight lenses and cover with protectant film
- black grilles, maybe
- yellow fogs (the front end is a little too monochromatic for me)
- get rid of the staggered 19" wheels, and go for a more aggressive 18" square setup... currently 19x8.5 ET46 and 19x9 ET51... thinking 18x8.5 ET35-ish... with either 235/55/18 (28.2" diameter) or 255/55/18 (29" diameter) rubber.. stock size is 27.2" diameter, which looks a little diminutive in the giant wheel wells. plus, it will help with the ride quality, which was choppy with the 19s, and better with the OEM 18" winter wheels on 235/50/18 rubber. just not sure if i'm going to go with a performance street tire, or an AT tire. ;)


maintenance/issues:

- replaced bad front swaybar endlinks
- had a misfire on cyl #5 last week... replaced the coil pack
- throwing random 'power on reset' and 'general reset' codes in the EWS module... when this happens, headlights and gauge cluster flickers, beeps, and sometimes resets and the clock resets. weird. not impacting driveability, but a definite annoyance. troubleshooting currently.
- replaced the dirty air filter with an aFe dry drop-in filter; also removed the 'do not remove' charcoal filter downstream of the regular air filter... it's probably clogged and not effective anymore, since apparently it really only has a 1- or 2-year lifespan. car runs a lot smoother.
- rear diff mount is bad; replacing soon
- some little rust spots... one on the inside of the LF door near the lower hinge, the passenger side mirror base is bubbling... and there is a scrape on the rear hatch that needs attention. it's remarkably clean underneath.


anyway... so that's that.

and some pics. who doesn't like pics? i think i posted these before.

[holyc0w]

nate suggested i make a project thread for the X3. well... since it's my wife's car, i don't want it to be a 'project' car - that would be certain disaster. :)

however, it is a good idea to chronicle maintenance and interesting tidbits, because this is kind of a cool car.


There's a section for that:
http://www.zhpmafia.com/forums/forumdisplay.php?20-Maintenance

:D

[BMWCurves]

Nice! Reading your description for why you bought it basically mirrors what I would look for in an SUV/SAV, minus the whole wife's involvement.

P.S. what is 288 kilometers in freedom units AKA smoots?

[slater]

There's a section for that:
http://www.zhpmafia.com/forums/forumdisplay.php?20-Maintenance

:D

aha! good idea. :)



Nice! Reading your description for why you bought it basically mirrors what I would look for in an SUV/SAV, minus the whole wife's involvement.

P.S. what is 288 kilometers in freedom units AKA smoots?

you mean Trump Units? about 177K. i think KMs are the new 'freedom units', LOL.

[704sw]

177k? Damn son, I wasn’t even at 90k on the X3 when I bought the blue car.

Btw, the file names are funny.

[Sockethead]

Looks/sounds nice... My wife has always hated the X3 because of quality/reliability issues and the fact that it wasn't built by BMW... I guess she gets a little jaded working at a BMW dealership...

[slater]

177k? Damn son, I wasn’t even at 90k on the X3 when I bought the blue car.

Btw, the file names are funny.

ha, well... it's been well-maintained. plus, high miles = good price. :) i'm pleased with what i spent on it, considering the mileage. that said... the random 'power on reset' issue i stated in the OP where the gauge cluster resets, well... my wife is not pleased with that. i need to figure it out.



Looks/sounds nice... My wife has always hated the X3 because of quality/reliability issues and the fact that it wasn't built by BMW... I guess she gets a little jaded working at a BMW dealership...

that's kinda ironic, because it actually has pretty amazing reliability ratings, especially compared to the X5! i don't think i wouldn't bought one with the GM auto trans, though.

[704sw]

ha, well... it's been well-maintained. plus, high miles = good price. [emoji4] i'm pleased with what i spent on it, considering the mileage. that said... the random 'power on reset' issue i stated in the OP where the gauge cluster resets, well... my wife is not pleased with that. i need to figure it out.




that's kinda ironic, because it actually has pretty amazing reliability ratings, especially compared to the X5! i don't think i wouldn't bought one with the GM auto trans, though.

Mine was 5 years old, with 52k when I bought it. Let’s just say it’s a good thing insurance paid well over top dollar for the Mazda. I got a great deal vs. market value, but it was by far the most expensive automotive purchase I’ve made.

Reliability: it has the same transfer case issues that plague every AWD BMW. The sunroof issue arises because it’s fully powered, which all pano roofs are. At this age if it fails you just leave it shut and forget about it. The GM tranny just isn’t super smooth, but it’s fairly reliable. Other than that, it’s actually pretty rock solid. The N52 was the last BMW N/A I-6, and really as reliable as the M5x motors before it.

Edit: I should also mention it shifts *significantly* smoother in steptronic, which leads me to think it’s a software issue more than a hardware issue.

[slater]

Reliability: it has the same transfer case issues that plague every AWD BMW. The sunroof issue arises because it’s fully powered, which all pano roofs are. At this age if it fails you just leave it shut and forget about it. The GM tranny just isn’t super smooth, but it’s fairly reliable. Other than that, it’s actually pretty rock solid. The N52 was the last BMW N/A I-6, and really as reliable as the M5x motors before it.

yes, most folks don't change the t-case oil, and the plastic t-case actuator motor gear strips too. fortunately the t-case oil was changed by the PO with the BMW stuff, and i have a replacement plastic gear on order, just in case i need it. :)

the sunroof works great, but does have a couple of rattles that i can only hear when the shade is open. i would definitely fix it if it breaks - the family loves it.

i won't have the trans issues, fortunately. :) and i think i fixed the power-on reset issues - even though the battery tested fine (12.4v at rest, and 14.1v constant through the cluster diagnostic menu), i replaced it and have done about 200km over 5-6 trips without any issues - so hopefully that was it. it definitely seemed like a voltage issue.

[704sw]

Very nice! I’m glad you were able to get that sorted out.

I used to drive with the sunroof open in the Volvo/Mazda year round, but I kinda got out of the habit in the X3. Partly I was afraid of something breaking (never had a motorized shade before, and I made the mistake of reading horror stories online), partly I was often running late to class (didn’t want to wait the extra 10 seconds for the larger glass to slide closed, and didn’t like the idea of closing it while the car was moving). I loved how both panes of glass tilted though. It got great cabin flow through, and the doggos loved trying to stick their noses up from the cargo area to sniff the back tilted section [emoji4] For that same reason, they love the pop out quarter windows in the coupe.

[RUS_ZHP]

Nice car Peter!
I am subscribed and looking forward for the maintenance udates.
Hopefully, you'll keep it a bit longer than 6 months or so-:)

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[slater]

Nice car Peter!
I am subscribed and looking forward for the maintenance udates.
Hopefully, you'll keep it a bit longer than 6 months or so-:)

Sent from my SM-G900V using Tapatalk

haha... yeah, maybe! :) my wife and i both like it a lot... especially since resolving the 'power on reset' issue!

[az3579]

Hopefully, you'll keep it a bit longer than 6 months or so-:)

I wouldn't hold my breath. Peter has automotive ADD. :rofl

[RUS_ZHP]

I wouldn't hold my breath. Peter has automotive ADD. :roflThru! He is great about making decisions about buying cars

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[slater]

I wouldn't hold my breath. Peter has automotive ADD. :rofl

well... it's been almost 3 months since we bought the X3. we've put over 10K KMs on it already! no plans to sell yet. ;)

it's been running well since fixing the power-on-reset issue. now that the Touring is done (well, nearly done - still have a few tweaks to do), i will slowly overhaul this thing. new rubber bits, koni FSDs and eibach pro-kit springs, lumbar retrofit, CDV delete. should make it a much better all-rounder.

[704sw]

Glad to see and hear some E83 love.

[Sockethead]

Man, you don't take a break do you? :) I wish I could get back into that groove and work on my car...

[BMWCurves]

well... it's been almost 3 months since we bought the X3. we've put over 10K KMs on it already! no plans to sell yet. ;)

it's been running well since fixing the power-on-reset issue. now that the Touring is done (well, nearly done - still have a few tweaks to do), i will slowly overhaul this thing. new rubber bits, koni FSDs and eibach pro-kit springs, lumbar retrofit, CDV delete. should make it a much better all-rounder.

That's a weird way to spell "lift kit, massive roof light bar, locking differential, knobby tires, MONSTER energy stickers, and truck nuts"

[704sw]

I wish I could get back into that groove and work on my car...
I finally have some days off coming up, and my niece and nephew have gotten me sick. Again. I go 51 weeks every year without being sick, and then they visit for the holidays and it all falls apart.


...and truck nuts"
Honestly if you don’t have truck nuts, what are you even doing?

[Sockethead]

I finally have some days off coming up, and my niece and nephew have gotten me sick. Again. I go 51 weeks every year without being sick, and then they visit for the holidays and it all falls apart.


Try 4 yr old twins...I'm sick at least once a month...

[BMWCurves]

Are you guys licking their fingers or something?


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[Sockethead]

You ever been around little kids? They are gross.... They wipe snot everywhere, never cover their mouths any rarely wash their hands unless an adult is hovering over them.

[BMWCurves]

You ever been around little kids? They are gross.... They wipe snot everywhere, never cover their mouths any rarely wash their hands unless an adult is hovering over them.

Yup, I’ve worked in pediatrics for probably 3 years at this point. I rarely got sick. But kids are fluid-producing, wiping, smearing machines. Just making a dumb joke.

Anywho, sorry to threadjack, Peter! Still waiting for those truck nut pics.


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[704sw]

Are you guys licking their fingers or something?


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I do my best to avoid small children. As such, my exposure to childborne illnesses is very low, so my defenses are weak.

[704sw]

I do my best to avoid small children. As such, my exposure to childborne illnesses is very low, so my defenses are weak.

Oh there are some chrome ones on eBay! I would post a link, but I don’t want the mildly NSFW picture imbedding itself.

[BMWCurves]

Oh there are some chrome ones on eBay! I would post a link, but I don’t want the mildly NSFW picture imbedding itself.

Are you kidding? You’re missing the opportunity to make it the Tapatalk thread picture for Peter’s thread.


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[704sw]

Are you kidding? You’re missing the opportunity to make it the Tapatalk thread picture for Peter’s thread.


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I kid you not, I was driving down I-85 about 15 minutes after writing that comment when a black Charger, complete with brush guard and bubbly purple tint, blew past me rocking a lovely pair of chrome truck nuts. They tied in nicely with the 24” chrome wheels.

[BMWCurves]

I kid you not, I was driving down I-85 about 15 minutes after writing that comment when a black Charger, complete with brush guard and bubbly purple tint, blew past me rocking a lovely pair of chrome truck nuts. They tied in nicely with the 24” chrome wheels.

Peter’s going to come back to his thread like:

https://i.imgflip.com/21hstq.jpg (https://imgflip.com/i/21hstq)via Imgflip Meme Generator (https://imgflip.com/memegenerator)


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[holyc0w]

Can someone post an example?

[ELCID86]

Can someone post an example?

Sure. https://uploads.tapatalk-cdn.com/20171222/64ff9cab174244b582d89888f11ea7fc.jpeg

;-)

[danewilson77]

Damn

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[slater]

Glad to see and hear some E83 love.

yep. it's a good rig.



Man, you don't take a break do you? :) I wish I could get back into that groove and work on my car...

oh, i'm taking a break! i'm not digging into any of the X3 stuff until mid- to late-january. i've got siding to inside trim to finish.........



That's a weird way to spell "lift kit, massive roof light bar, locking differential, knobby tires, MONSTER energy stickers, and truck nuts"

LOL. locking diff sounds good, although to be honest, this thing doesn't need it.



I finally have some days off coming up, and my niece and nephew have gotten me sick. Again. I go 51 weeks every year without being sick, and then they visit for the holidays and it all falls apart.

yeah, but it's worth it, right?



Yup, I’ve worked in pediatrics for probably 3 years at this point. I rarely got sick. But kids are fluid-producing, wiping, smearing machines. Just making a dumb joke.

Anywho, sorry to threadjack, Peter! Still waiting for those truck nut pics.


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seriously, i log in and WTF! a whole page of truck nuts posts...

it was entertaining, though.



Peter’s going to come back to his thread like:

https://i.imgflip.com/21hstq.jpg (https://imgflip.com/i/21hstq)via Imgflip Meme Generator (https://imgflip.com/memegenerator)


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haha.... yep. :)

[slater]

X3 got a new OEM battery yesterday.

[3ZHP]

X3 got a new OEM battery yesterday.

Thinking my ZHP is going to need one soon. I think the NAPA one that’s in there is 6 or 7 years old.[emoji15]


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[slater]

Thinking my ZHP is going to need one soon. I think the NAPA one that’s in there is 6 or 7 years old.[emoji15]


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that's a good run for a non-OEM battery!

[Sockethead]

Yep! Time for us to replace the battery in the 135 too.. original from 2008. Hasn't helped that we've had a few nights in the teens here in Charleston... crazy!

[slater]

X3 has been down since saturday... coolant light came on saturday morning, got home and it was peeing coolant. started diagnosis, and found the lower rad hose (which, unfortunately, is not the same as the E46... i have spares!) had a hole in it... which was from the electric cooling fan housing rubbing on it. frig.

and why was the housing rubbing on it, you ask? well, folks, here is one thing i hate about buying used cars: whoever had that housing out last, failed to actually engage it into the tabs on the bottom of the rad when they reinstalled it, so the bottom was just kinda floating around in there (the top was secure with the torx screw and plastic pin), and over time... yep, rubbed a hole in the hose. frig.

a failure totally avoidable by competent wrenching!

(frig!)


anyway. new upper and lower rad hoses arrived today, along with a new expansion tank - the original tank is still in the car (from 11/06). 296K KMs on it. impressive.

so, the whole reason for my post is that i had to go over the BMW Kingston this morning to pick up Teacher Lady's new key for her Touring, and i get a call from my wife as i'm just on my way back that my son is sick at school, and needs to be picked up... and she has no car to go and get him. and i'm potentially over an hour away (it was snowing, too).

she was pissed, as you can imagine. she's initiated the "why can't we just get a NEW car?" discussion many, many, many times... well, frig. when i got home, i asked her what color she liked. "for what?" she asked. for your new car, that's why.

friggin' frig.


so....going to look at a 2018 VW Golf Alltrack tomorrow afternoon. they actually offer a 6MT option now, which kind of seals the deal for us if we like it after the test drive.

and hey... shawn's family be all like VW'n out on us, so i figger, i gotta get me some o' dat too.

[az3579]

Called it. :rofl

[nextelbuddy]

X3 has been down since saturday... coolant light came on saturday morning, got home and it was peeing coolant. started diagnosis, and found the lower rad hose (which, unfortunately, is not the same as the E46... i have spares!) had a hole in it... which was from the electric cooling fan housing rubbing on it. frig.

and why was the housing rubbing on it, you ask? well, folks, here is one thing i hate about buying used cars: whoever had that housing out last, failed to actually engage it into the tabs on the bottom of the rad when they reinstalled it, so the bottom was just kinda floating around in there (the top was secure with the torx screw and plastic pin), and over time... yep, rubbed a hole in the hose. frig.

a failure totally avoidable by competent wrenching!

(frig!)


anyway. new upper and lower rad hoses arrived today, along with a new expansion tank - the original tank is still in the car (from 11/06). 296K KMs on it. impressive.

so, the whole reason for my post is that i had to go over the BMW Kingston this morning to pick up Teacher Lady's new key for her Touring, and i get a call from my wife as i'm just on my way back that my son is sick at school, and needs to be picked up... and she has no car to go and get him. and i'm potentially over an hour away (it was snowing, too).

she was pissed, as you can imagine. she's initiated the "why can't we just get a NEW car?" discussion many, many, many times... well, frig. when i got home, i asked her what color she liked. "for what?" she asked. for your new car, that's why.

friggin' frig.


so....going to look at a 2018 VW Golf Alltrack tomorrow afternoon. they actually offer a 6MT option now, which kind of seals the deal for us if we like it after the test drive.

and hey... shawn's family be all like VW'n out on us, so i figger, i gotta get me some o' dat too.




ah man i wish you would have told me about the Key...

i could have got a pair of keys for $30 online and just had you ship me the EWS module and i would have coded the keys and had them cut with a spare at a local place for $25 and just sent them back to you.

[Karl Lazlo]

frig.

frig.

(frig!)

well, frig.

friggin' frig.


Canadians are fucking polite.

[slater]

Called it. :rofl

well, you had a 50/50 chance! ;) hahahaha.



ah man i wish you would have told me about the Key...

i could have got a pair of keys for $30 online and just had you ship me the EWS module and i would have coded the keys and had them cut with a spare at a local place for $25 and just sent them back to you.

ahh well, crap. i will remember that for next time!



Canadians are fucking polite.

LOL. i'm actually AmeriCanadian.

but still polite. ;)

[san]

Peter, how about a CPO X1 or X3? Not a fan? They go for about the same price as a new vw wagon, especially the X1.


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[Sockethead]

We loved our X1!

[ZHPizza]

lol frig

[SaltyNC]

well, folks, here is one thing i hate about buying used cars: whoever had that housing out last, failed to actually engage it into the tabs on the bottom of the rad when they reinstalled it, so the bottom was just kinda floating around in there (the top was secure with the torx screw and plastic pin), and over time... yep, rubbed a hole in the hose. frig.

^^ This! I know the ZHP I bought had the airbag recall done, C-pillars recovered, fuel pump replaced, battery replaced. Some by dealer, some by indy. In each of those areas there are parts missing, put back incorrectly, etc. Grrrr. I'm convinced 80% of the population sucks. Probably closer to 90%, but I want to keep this on a positive note. :jump

When frustrations set in, just have some tea:
31782

Salty

[slater]

Peter, how about a CPO X1 or X3? Not a fan? They go for about the same price as a new vw wagon, especially the X1.

i don't like the way the X1 and newer X3 look... just ugly in my opinion. if i'm spending $35K, dang it, i want it to look darn good.

also, my wife doesn't want 'used'... not even CPO'd would work for her. :) normally i would object, but the Golf Alltrack/SportWagen with 4MOTION and 6-speed manual will hold their value really well. and having a brand new car with a warranty that someone else will have to fix for the first 4 years (yes, our warranty coverage is actually worse in canada... 4yrs/50K miles, whereas in the US it got changed to 6yrs/72K miles. total crap if you ask me). which, at this point in my life, would be fine - too many other things happening that i have to deal with in the next 1-2 years.

so, we're kinda settled on the Alltrack/SportWagen. supposed to test drive one today but it's snowing like crazy out... not exactly optimal test drive weather (i'm sure it will have no-season tires on it).



^^ This! I know the ZHP I bought had the airbag recall done, C-pillars recovered, fuel pump replaced, battery replaced. Some by dealer, some by indy. In each of those areas there are parts missing, put back incorrectly, etc. Grrrr. I'm convinced 80% of the population sucks. Probably closer to 90%, but I want to keep this on a positive note. :jump

LOL. i hear you... it is frustrating. and exactly why i like doing everything myself that i can possibly do (basically it leaves tire mounting, alignments, and A/C work to other folks).... if i'm sending my family out in a vehicle, i want to be darn sure everything is good. and the only way for me to be sure is if i do it myself. have i made mistakes? sure. i'm human. but statistically i'm way better off doing it this way.

i like to ascribe to this mantra: do it once, do it right.

[az3579]

i like to ascribe to this mantra: do it once, do it right.

This! I've learned over the years that cutting corners usually means having to do it over. Ain't nobody got time for that!

[slater]

well, we went and drove a 2018 VW Golf Alltrack (DSG) yesterday. build quality was good, and it looks fantastic. steering was pretty nice, brakes were good, engine noise was actually not bad. i couldn't live with the DSG though; we went to drive it purely to see how it felt on the road and with the family in it, since you can't find any manuals in stock anywhere - it would have to be ordered.

the [sport] seats were OK - except for two major points: driver's seat had power lumbar, which, when fully extended, was about half of what my E46 seats can provide. and it wasn't enough; i don't know if the seat was defective, but i don't know if i could live with that. the second point is that the dumb headrests don't tilt! most manufacturers apparently do this for 'safety' reasons now. it sucks. i have back and neck issues, so the headrest and lumbar are hugely important. i actually was not bothered much by the headrest angle (it was tilting a bit far forward), but my wife did not like it.

overall we liked the Alltrack a lot, but it was kind of sad that i got back into my 12-year old BMW that was tighter, and rode better.

so we discussed colors last night, and this morning my wife said, "let's just keep the X3. $500 a month is a lot of money, i don't want to spend it on a new car." so we're trucking on with the X3 - i'm very happy about that. :)

[704sw]

Woot!

[Sockethead]

Win!
I hear you on the seats. I have a bad back too... recently rode to Tampa with my boss in his truck. My pain started less than an hour into the trip...

No car payment is a nice thing too! Down here in SC, that $500 car payment is about $250 shy of what we pay a month for health insurance!

[704sw]

Down here in SC, that $500 car payment is about $250 shy of what we pay a month for health insurance!

You’re just setting these hosers up for an opportunity to talk about how great Canada is!

[Sockethead]

Lol naa it's all good... Both counties have their good and bad

[ZHPizza]

A trick for the new style of stupid headrests is to pop them off the posts and flip them 180°. But frig that she's back on the X3 train!

[az3579]

Win!
I hear you on the seats. I have a bad back too... recently rode to Tampa with my boss in his truck. My pain started less than an hour into the trip...

No car payment is a nice thing too! Down here in SC, that $500 car payment is about $250 shy of what we pay a month for health insurance!

Not sure if the seats are anything like the MKV GLI seats, but I found my lower back aching almost immediately after getting in the GLI. And the seat reclining function on the manual seats being a stupid knob you have to turn is beyond ridiculous.

At least the seats on the Alltrack were power, so that's a plus.

Deciding to keep the X3 was definitely a good choice though... definitely cheaper.

[slater]

Win!
I hear you on the seats. I have a bad back too... recently rode to Tampa with my boss in his truck. My pain started less than an hour into the trip...

No car payment is a nice thing too! Down here in SC, that $500 car payment is about $250 shy of what we pay a month for health insurance!

yep, i hear you on the pain. with the M3 seats i can go all the way to VT (6-7hrs) and get out without any pain or discomfort. that's priceless! when we had our odyssey i couldn't even make it 30min without being in pain...

re: health insurance... i know. and what's your deductible with that? i remember when we lived in VT right before moving to canada (this was 2005), my company was paying our health insurance, but we had a $2000 deductible. one night my daughter, age 1.5, had a febrile seizure; we called 911, ambulance came, 15min ride to the hospital, 3hrs in the hospital. total cost? $1600. all out of pocket, because it was less than our deductible. that was.... sobering. :)



You’re just setting these hosers up for an opportunity to talk about how great Canada is!

hey, we don't need an opportunity! hahaha.

it's cold - but not as cold as VT, ironically. buying anything in USD sucks. and shipping stuff here is expensive. that's pretty much the worst of it. :)



Lol naa it's all good... Both counties have their good and bad

agreed. there's definitely a few things i miss about living in the US.



A trick for the new style of stupid headrests is to pop them off the posts and flip them 180°. But frig that she's back on the X3 train!

that wouldn't work for me, but it might for her. that would suck to have to switch all the time, though. ;)

and yeah... frig!

[Sockethead]

re: health insurance... i know. and what's your deductible with that?

I think its 3k or 5k before they pay anything... a total of 11k out of pocket before they pay 100%... For the fist time in my life, I can't afford to go to the doctors and we need to save up to get any major procedures done. The "free" annual wellness visit is a joke. Pretty sad but that's a story for another time and thread....

[slater]

At least the seats on the Alltrack were power, so that's a plus.

Deciding to keep the X3 was definitely a good choice though... definitely cheaper.

the driver's seat is power - passenger is manual (not a big deal).

but yeah - X3 is a lot cheaper. i also have new springs, shocks, bushings, etc waiting to install... i've also decided to keep the staggered 19" stock wheels so i have to buy new tires for those in a couple of months. still cheaper than a new car. :)



I think its 3k or 5k before they pay anything... a total of 11k out of pocket before they pay 100%... For the fist time in my life, I can't afford to go to the doctors and we need to save up to get any major procedures done. The "free" annual wellness visit is a joke. Pretty sad but that's a story for another time and thread....

DANG... 11K? that's ridiculous. my son broke his wrist a couple years ago - the treatment, cast, follow-up visits, etc....all it cost us was gas money to/from the hospital and fracture clinic. that peace of mind is worth the higher taxes, in my opinion.

[slater]

X3 is back on the road; replaced upper and lower coolant hoses (the big ones - upper one was kinda soft feeling), and the expansion tank. also did an oil change. wish i would've had a new OFHG and oil cooler gasket already, it would've been the right time to do it as on the N52K, there's a coolant port in the oil filter housing (so i will have to drain some coolant and re-fill + re-bleed for the OFHG job). i'll replace both gaskets at the next oil change, as they are both leaking a bit.

overall, a little more complex than the E46 to work on (less access underneath due to the large front subframe), but still easy breezy. i will say that i spent about an hour getting the upper coolant hose off the aluminum port on the oil filter housing - it had corroded on there pretty good. once it was off i found a ridge built up on the port, and sanded it down and cleaned it up. new hose went on smoothly.

[RUS_ZHP]

Glad to hear Peter that you're keeping X3 and staying with BMW.
Seems like N52 engine has the same problems with gaskets. They are probably made out of the same material as M54.
How is your oil pan gasket?

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[slater]

Glad to hear Peter that you're keeping X3 and staying with BMW.
Seems like N52 engine has the same problems with gaskets. They are probably made out of the same material as M54.
How is your oil pan gasket?

pan gasket appears to be OK... there is fallout from the OFHG and oil cooler gasket leaking down the face of the engine, so it's hard to tell. definitely nothing urgent on the pan gasket... i'll assess more when i clean up after doing those gaskets.

[704sw]

OPG on the AWD is a lot more difficult (based on the repair bill I had).

[Sockethead]

Glad to hear Peter that you're keeping X3 and staying with BMW.
Seems like N52 engine has the same problems with gaskets. They are probably made out of the same material as M54.



Every BMW leaks. Doesn't matter what year or engine. My wife tells me about it on a regular basis. She's a service advisor at the BMW dealership here in Charleston.
I'm not a conspiracy nut but it seems that the gaskets they replace them with last much longer. My original VCG was replaced at 45k due to leaking. I just replaced it at 143k as preventative maintenance. It wasn't leaking and was still pliable so that's 8 years and almost 100k....

[RUS_ZHP]

Every BMW leaks. Doesn't matter what year or engine. My wife tells me about it on a regular basis. She's a service advisor at the BMW dealership here in Charleston.
I'm not a conspiracy nut but it seems that the gaskets they replace them with last much longer. My original VCG was replaced at 45k due to leaking. I just replaced it at 143k as preventative maintenance. It wasn't leaking and was still pliable so that's 8 years and almost 100k....Realy, all of them? Well, BMW doesn't car to change th gasket material. It's probably their way to make money.


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[RUS_ZHP]

OPG on the AWD is a lot more difficult (based on the repair bill I had).Fact. TMS quoted oil pan gasket job to be $500 for ZHP and $1100 for XI model.

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[704sw]

Fact. TMS quoted oil pan gasket job to be $500 for ZHP and $1100 for XI model.

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We have an amazing S/A, and he told me the RWD OPG job is billed for 3.5hrs of labor, and my X3 was a 10hr. job. It was one of the many reasons I am glad to have purchased an extended warranty ($50 deductible!)

[slater]

We have an amazing S/A, and he told me the RWD OPG job is billed for 3.5hrs of labor, and my X3 was a 10hr. job. It was one of the many reasons I am glad to have purchased an extended warranty ($50 deductible!)

i'll just run it without oil; no chance of leaking that way. ;)

[RUS_ZHP]

i'll just run it without oil; no chance of leaking that way. ;)Same here. Plus, you just keep adding oil and there is no need to change it. And then, you will reach the state when the engine is burning oil at 1 litre per day.
Then you buy a different BMW and repeat the cycle-:))))

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[Sockethead]

Isn't it amazing that every BMW has some kind of housing or bracket that leaks oil? The X5 had a leaking alternator bracket...

[BMWCurves]

Isn't it amazing that every BMW has some kind of housing or bracket that leaks oil? The X5 had a leaking alternator bracket...

It wouldn't be any fun if cars just worked

[RUS_ZHP]

It wouldn't be any fun if cars just workedExactly. Otherwise it will be boring Japanese car

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[Sockethead]

That runs forever...

[704sw]

That runs forever...

I’m curious to see how the turbo-4 trend will impact the “Japanese indestructibility” mantra.

[slater]

welp, nothing seriously new here except i replaced the half-worn and not-exactly-stellar hankook iCept 'evo' snow tires (235/50/18 - stock size), with some used-but-could-be-new (11/32") michelin xice; also slightly larger - 235/55/18. they are 0.93" larger in diameter than stock - the car actually looks a little more proportionally correct now, and more importantly - we got dumped on yesterday and i got to test them out in 8" of unplowed road business, DTC/DSC on/off and they are kicking some serious butt. i was not thrilled with the hankooks, especially since it's my wife's rig - it needs to be sure-footed.

and in that vein, new suspension bits are going on soon - koni FSDs, eibach pro-kit springs, new strut/shock top mounts front and rear, new thrust-arm FCABs, and new M3 RTABs. and an alignment. should be much better at that point... the stock dampers are pretty done, especially the rears.

[Sockethead]

Peter, you might want to consider poly for the thrust arm bushings. I went through two sets of the OEM ones in a short period of time on out X5 and replaced with poly. Better road feel and lasted a lot longer.

[slater]

Peter, you might want to consider poly for the thrust arm bushings. I went through two sets of the OEM ones in a short period of time on out X5 and replaced with poly. Better road feel and lasted a lot longer.

You mean, like these ones? [emoji6]

https://uploads.tapatalk-cdn.com/20180208/e2823ae3e7b6c5fa7c756a57d31a15ce.jpg


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[Sockethead]

lol, yep!

[slater]

lol, yep!

Great minds... 🤣


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[ZHPizza]

You mean, like these ones? [emoji6]

https://uploads.tapatalk-cdn.com/20180208/e2823ae3e7b6c5fa7c756a57d31a15ce.jpg


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That packaging is top notch

[RUS_ZHP]

I am curious why you choose Eibach springs? Aslo, I thought that stock X3 springs are stiff enough for SUV.

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[slater]

That packaging is top notch

oof



I am curious why you choose Eibach springs? Aslo, I thought that stock X3 springs are stiff enough for SUV.

two reasons...

1. BMW actually did a pretty lousy job with spring rate choice for the X3
2. the PO replaced the rear springs due to rust... and he mentioned having to get each spring from different suppliers due to stock issues.... and, well, i think the RR spring is shorter than the left because it sits a bit tilted to the right.

so, killing two birds with one stone here. also, the eibachs are supposed to ride a lot better than the stock springs. they always do a nice job with the pro-kit springs.

[holyc0w]

That packaging is top notch

Is that a box of cereal with a free toy inside.

[slater]

odo check in: 301K KMs... (roughly ~185K miles.)

while i was away for 11 days, my wife called on day #2 and stated that the X3 was 'running rough' and the CEL was on. great. my car was sitting at the airport in montreal, 3.5hrs from her, so that didn't do her any good. i walked her through plugging in my generic OBDII scanner, installed the DashCommand app on her phone, and pulled the codes (this was amazing) - cyl #1 misfire. great. but at least it was something simple.

i asked her if i could walk her through changing the coil pack over FaceTime, and she started crying a little... i felt terrible. she could totally handle it, but she was terrified of breaking it further, and her man, who fixes everything, was not going to be home for another 10 days. so i just told her to drive it that way until i got home. but at that moment, i realized that my wife needs a new car. she likes the X3 a lot, but she needs something new, like brand new, that statistically is not going to break down for 5 years. but of course, she doesn't want to spend the money... so i replaced the coil pack and it's back to running fine.

but i'm pretty set on getting her a new vehicle. when you have kids to drop off and pick up from school, or play rehearsal, or whatever they're doing, and get groceries, etc.... it's important.

[joeybananaz18]

odo check in: 301K KMs... (roughly ~185K miles.)

while i was away for 11 days, my wife called on day #2 and stated that the X3 was 'running rough' and the CEL was on. great. my car was sitting at the airport in montreal, 3.5hrs from her, so that didn't do her any good. i walked her through plugging in my generic OBDII scanner, installed the DashCommand app on her phone, and pulled the codes (this was amazing) - cyl #1 misfire. great. but at least it was something simple.

i asked her if i could walk her through changing the coil pack over FaceTime, and she started crying a little... i felt terrible. she could totally handle it, but she was terrified of breaking it further, and her man, who fixes everything, was not going to be home for another 10 days. so i just told her to drive it that way until i got home. but at that moment, i realized that my wife needs a new car. she likes the X3 a lot, but she needs something new, like brand new, that statistically is not going to break down for 5 years. but of course, she doesn't want to spend the money... so i replaced the coil pack and it's back to running fine.

but i'm pretty set on getting her a new vehicle. when you have kids to drop off and pick up from school, or play rehearsal, or whatever they're doing, and get groceries, etc.... it's important.

Amen brother. The mrs and I are about to close on our first house so we'll be moving out of the city and into the burbs. that means we each need a car. She's had her sights on the new CR-v. I always turned my nose up at it but since this has been getting more and more real, the more i read about it and how reliable they are, I'm really thrilled she's gonna be in something safe and dependable.

[Sockethead]

You're a good man my friend for realizing your wife needs to be taken care of.... she's been a good sport about your car obsession :)

[Karl Lazlo]

Amen brother. The mrs and I are about to close on our first house so we'll be moving out of the city and into the burbs.

Katonah, NY? Welcome, neighbor. I am right up the road (684) from you in the old Hat City. Katonah is a nice town.

[johnrando]

You're a good man my friend for realizing your wife needs to be taken care of.... she's been a good sport about your car obsession :)+1

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[slater]

Amen brother. The mrs and I are about to close on our first house so we'll be moving out of the city and into the burbs. that means we each need a car. She's had her sights on the new CR-v. I always turned my nose up at it but since this has been getting more and more real, the more i read about it and how reliable they are, I'm really thrilled she's gonna be in something safe and dependable.

yep. the CR-V has turned into a pretty nice rig. check out even the last gen ones - like the 2014-2017 ones. very nice, and great safety ratings.



You're a good man my friend for realizing your wife needs to be taken care of.... she's been a good sport about your car obsession :)

she definitely has.

and she definitely has had her moments of I'm Totally Pissed At You And I Hate Your Car Because You Spent A Crapload Of Time Replacing An Engine That Totally Didn't Need Replacing And Other Things That Totally Didn't Need Replacing....... which, in hindsight, i don't blame her for. yes, it's my hobby. yes, it brings me joy. but it did take a metric buttload of time, when i probably should have been prioritizing elsewhere.

so i'm kinda torn between the 2018 nissan qashqai 6MT FWD (drove one last week out in BC - it was on my bro-in-law's top 3 list for his wife), which was actually pretty nice and fun to drive - and cheap - or the 2018 vw golf sportwagen trendline, 6MT, AWD. a little more expensive but AWD (the qashqai comes in AWD too, but with the life-sucking CVT).

decisions.

[BMWCurves]

Make like the Scots and golf!

[slater]

Make like the Scots and golf!

ha. the qashqai is $6400 cheaper though.

[holyc0w]

Rock the qashqai?

[az3579]

At least you have an option for a 6MT Qashqai! We're stuck with the crappy Rogue and it's CVT-only tranny.

Personally I'd choose the VW because it's nicer overall.

[slater]

Rock the qashqai?

i'm leaning that way, but she wants AWD. hmmm.



At least you have an option for a 6MT Qashqai! We're stuck with the crappy Rogue and it's CVT-only tranny.

Personally I'd choose the VW because it's nicer overall.

yeah, the qashqai is the 'rogue sport' or something in the US. weird. to be honest about the 6MT FWD qashqai, it actually didn't have any torque steer and has torque vectoring, which is crazy. combined with it's own 'DSC' system and good snow tires, i bet it's OK in the snow.

the VW is nicer as far as materials go, but the $6400 price difference is pretty staggering. aside from AWD, they actually have just about the same features. oddly though, the VW has more trunk space!

[az3579]

The Qashqai is definitely the better looking of the two forms of it (Rogue vs Qashqai). I don't understand why we get the uglier one... but I digress.

Yeah, it's a big price difference. If they're similarly equipped (minus the AWD), I'd buy the Qashqai. It's definitely the better looking one compared to the VW, IMO.

[ZHPizza]

Man I hear ya on the new car idea and it only makes sense. I have to keep 3 cars in running order with the wife driving an old BMW. Gotta have a backup for these things.

I would vote for the qashqai because it sounds cool and I just finished the Netflix episode of "Dirty Money" on VW and that whole company can go frig themselves. They're spineless crapbags from the top down.

[az3579]

...and that whole company can go frig themselves..

Oh man, you too??? It's spreading!

[Sockethead]

lol... I been saying "frig" for years.... pretty soon the kids will be using it :)

[slater]

The Qashqai is definitely the better looking of the two forms of it (Rogue vs Qashqai). I don't understand why we get the uglier one... but I digress.

Yeah, it's a big price difference. If they're similarly equipped (minus the AWD), I'd buy the Qashqai. It's definitely the better looking one compared to the VW, IMO.

well, we get the qashqai AND the rogue. :)

yeah, the AWD is really the biggest difference. the warranty is a smidge better (4yrs vs 3yrs), but otherwise.... it's a lot of car for $20K.



Man I hear ya on the new car idea and it only makes sense. I have to keep 3 cars in running order with the wife driving an old BMW. Gotta have a backup for these things.

I would vote for the qashqai because it sounds cool and I just finished the Netflix episode of "Dirty Money" on VW and that whole company can go frig themselves. They're spineless crapbags from the top down.

wow - i did not see that! i can't imagine they're innocent angels over at nissan, but they don't have the dieselgate thing on their resume.

so are you still selling the 6?

(and george??? since the 'dirty money' thing...)



Oh man, you too??? It's spreading!

ha. look out! :)

[slater]

lol... I been saying "frig" for years.... pretty soon the kids will be using it :)

haha... i can see the new ZHPMafia t-shirt now: ZHP stuff on the front... 'frig.' on the back. :rofl

[az3579]

haha... i can see the new ZHPMafia t-shirt now: ZHP stuff on the front... 'frig.' on the back. :roflThat would be epic if the pic of the ZHP had the hood open and someone leaning into the engine bay.

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[ZHPizza]

wow - i did not see that! i can't imagine they're innocent angels over at nissan, but they don't have the dieselgate thing on their resume.

I had no idea how bad it was and how twisted those dudes were until I sat down and watched the interviews with the guys that investigated them. They're still lying their asses off to this day despite half of the upper management being in jail. Heck em.



so are you still selling the 6?


https://charlotte.craigslist.org/cto/d/2015-mazda-6-6mt-upgrades/6537584238.html



(and george??? since the 'dirty money' thing...)


lol no. George is parked on the street with a dead battery and will stay there until he's needed for backup duty. I'll have to replace the battery and see if he starts before the next time I leave town in case something happens with the 325 wagon while I'm away.

[slater]

That would be epic if the pic of the ZHP had the hood open and someone leaning into the engine bay.

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LOL! love it.



https://charlotte.craigslist.org/cto/d/2015-mazda-6-6mt-upgrades/6537584238.html



lol no. George is parked on the street with a dead battery and will stay there until he's needed for backup duty. I'll have to replace the battery and see if he starts before the next time I leave town in case something happens with the 325 wagon while I'm away.

probably a good idea. but what about ol' red? surely that's more suitable than george. unless you're taking the car with you.

and the '6 looks great! i can't believe it runs the same size tire as the X3 - that's huge for a sedan. didn't know you modded it to that extreme.... poly-filled bits and all. the engineer in you is shining through there. :)

[704sw]

but what about ol' red? surely that's more suitable than george. unless you're taking the car with you.

It has three pedals.

[holyc0w]

https://charlotte.craigslist.org/cto/d/2015-mazda-6-6mt-upgrades/6537584238.html


Wow...nice

[slater]

just because we're discussing VW and their shenanigans... this ad was just on a webpage at work.

tell me what doesn't add up. :)

[holyc0w]

LOL lease monthly at equivalent... :rofl

[az3579]

just because we're discussing VW and their shenanigans... this ad was just on a webpage at work.

tell me what doesn't add up. :)

Holy crap... that is shady as hell. A bi-weekly figure to entice people and 84 month financing... talk about deception. It's easy for someone to misread that as $117/mo and 0.99% financing for a more reasonable term than 84.

[slater]

Holy crap... that is shady as hell. A bi-weekly figure to entice people and 84 month financing... talk about deception. It's easy for someone to misread that as $117/mo and 0.99% financing for a more reasonable term than 84.

yep, they do bi-weekly as an option in canada - kind of sneaky and deceptive, but it does reduce interest paid overall.

however, the main reason i posted it was because it's clearly a golf sportwagen, but the ad is for the tiguan! :)

[az3579]

yep, they do bi-weekly as an option in canada - kind of sneaky and deceptive, but it does reduce interest paid overall.

however, the main reason i posted it was because it's clearly a golf sportwagen, but the ad is for the tiguan! :)

Wow. I actually did see Tiguan and it never registered in my brain.
The Golf Alltrac is pretty much as high up as a Tiguan so same thing in my eyes. lol

This whole crossover mania in North America is really depressing. I miss the days when we had separate SUVs and separate cars, instead of everything just becoming crossovers now. The Legacy was so much cooler as a wagon than whatever it is now.

[Sockethead]

The X1 was much cooler as a wagon than the new one they are calling the X1

[Newjack]

Wow. I actually did see Tiguan and it never registered in my brain.
The Golf Alltrac is pretty much as high up as a Tiguan so same thing in my eyes. lol

This whole crossover mania in North America is really depressing. I miss the days when we had separate SUVs and separate cars, instead of everything just becoming crossovers now. The Legacy was so much cooler as a wagon than whatever it is now.

Everything now is just this giant blobby mass with 4 wheels. Car and Driver put out an article recently about how the car industry is in a weird place right now. No companies are taking any risks or coming out with cool or innovative designs. All 4 door sedans are pretty much the same looking and are considered "safe" to keep. Modern cars have really become boring and its a shame.


The X1 was much cooler as a wagon than the new one they are calling the X1

I remember seeing my first X1 at bimmerfest east a few years back. It was the first year the X1 was available to the public, and when I saw it I wasn't sure what vehicle it was. The dude had swapped out the suspension and put it on bags and where it was parked, it looked exactly like a wagon. I really liked it.

[az3579]

I remember seeing my first X1 at bimmerfest east a few years back. It was the first year the X1 was available to the public, and when I saw it I wasn't sure what vehicle it was. The dude had swapped out the suspension and put it on bags and where it was parked, it looked exactly like a wagon. I really liked it.

Yeah I know which one you're talking about. It was a white M-Sport, right?

[Newjack]

Yeah I know which one you're talking about. It was a white M-Sport, right?That's the one!

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[704sw]

The X1 was much cooler as a wagon than the new one they are calling the X1

I had a first gen X1 for a loaner back in 2014 when the X3 was getting a new oil pan gasket and I loved it. Whatever the name of that deep turquoise/blue it came in was a really pretty color too.

[san]

I’m currently debating between getting a CPO 2015 x1 28i x drive and a new Subaru crosstek manual. Will probably buy either one of those sometime this year...


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[704sw]

I’m currently debating between getting a CPO 2015 x1 28i x drive and a new Subaru crosstek manual. Will probably buy either one of those sometime this year...


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Just please, for the love of all that is holy, don’t buy the band-aid colored Crosstrek.

[san]

Just please, for the love of all that is holy, don’t buy the band-aid colored Crosstrek.

I thought I’d get the orange cause Clemson [emoji6]

But in all likelihood we’ll end up with the x1 cause 150hp might not cut it. Just want to test drive it once before deciding...


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[ELCID86]

I thought I’d get the orange cause Clemson [emoji6]

But in all likelihood we’ll end up with the x1 cause 150hp might not cut it. Just want to test drive it once before deciding...


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Wait, did you go to Clemson?

My wife is not loving the 2015 Golf TDI (mostly the non-memory seats and NOx she imagines filling the air in her wake...). A CRV May be in our future.

[slater]

Wait, did you go to Clemson?

lots of clemson references here. my brother-in-law teaches there, and one of my other brother-in-laws went there.

[704sw]

lots of clemson references here. my brother-in-law teaches there, and one of my other brother-in-laws went there.

And some dude named ZHPizza...

[slater]

And some dude named ZHPizza...

GTFrigO...

[704sw]

GTFrigO...

I’m not frigging with the you!

My sister-in-law too, but she’s not an engineer so I’m not sure she really counts. It’s like going to Penn and not getting a business degree...

[ZHPizza]

GTFrigO...[emoji197]

[704sw]

[emoji197]

Awesome Wilford Brimley whiskers on that emoji.

[az3579]

The amount of frig in this thread is friggin with my brain. [emoji23]

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[ZHPizza]

probably a good idea. but what about ol' red? surely that's more suitable than george. unless you're taking the car with you.

and the '6 looks great! i can't believe it runs the same size tire as the X3 - that's huge for a sedan. didn't know you modded it to that extreme.... poly-filled bits and all. the engineer in you is shining through there. :)

I usually drive the red car to any work trip within ~7 hours because I like it and, like Spensie said, the wif can't drive stick yet. George is the permanent backup car until we move and just leave him in the street or something.

The tires I have on the 6 are slightly taller than stock, but yeah it's a monster truck and I love it. Drives so smooth.

It was one of those "I'm going to buy a brand new car and not have to work on it and not pour money into it and just drive it" situations where it turns out that you're actually a madman and end up modding the shit out of it anyway trying to get it to drive more like a ZHP and two years and thousands of dollars later you've got this ridiculous investment depreciating as fast as you can make payments on it and you go and buy another ZHP pretty much on a dare.

Life is funny.

[slater]

"pretty much on a dare."

yep. :)


well, it's only money; you'll make more. :) no sense worrying about it, that does not create anything good.

[san]

Wait, did you go to Clemson?

My wife is not loving the 2015 Golf TDI (mostly the non-memory seats and NOx she imagines filling the air in her wake...). A CRV May be in our future.

Yup!


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[BMWCurves]

I’m not frigging with the you!

My sister-in-law too, but she’s not an engineer so I’m not sure she really counts. It’s like going to Penn and not getting a business degree...

https://i.imgur.com/YjMvRAC.gif

I got a history degree. Frig me.

[704sw]

https://i.imgur.com/YjMvRAC.gif

I got a history degree. Frig me.

I knew that’d come back to haunt me. But wow, you went to Penn?
https://media.giphy.com/media/d31wPh73vYYwhCgg/giphy.gif

[BMWCurves]

I knew that’d come back to haunt me. But wow, you went to Penn?
https://media.giphy.com/media/d31wPh73vYYwhCgg/giphy.gif

Yup, went to Penn. But smart? Me?

https://i.imgur.com/HSa6X2k.gif

I figured having people see my comments on here would dissuade anyone of that notion

[danewilson77]

Yup, went to Penn. But smart? Me?

https://i.imgur.com/HSa6X2k.gif

I figured having people see my comments on here would dissuade anyone of that notionOh frig

Sent from my SM-G955U using Tapatalk

[ELCID86]

lots of clemson references here. my brother-in-law teaches there, and one of my other brother-in-laws went there.

That’s my team! I grew up in Aiken and went to many a game. My nephew went there too. Where’s ClemsonE46...?

[slater]

X3 got some 19x8.5" wheels and a driver's side airbag recall done today.

[704sw]

Pics?

[slater]

Pics?

you get one.

i picked them up for a song, with tires. need to source some better center caps.

they're 19x8.5 ET35. tires are 225/55/19 (odd size), overall diameter is 28.7", whereas stock is 27" - they're meaty, in the diameter department. it rides so much better, surprisingly, than the 235/55/18 winters. interestingly enough these are noticeably lighter than my winter OEM 18x8's, which likely accounts for some of the increased ride quality. the dead shocks and bushings certainly don't. ;)


https://uploads.tapatalk-cdn.com/20180501/c0cef4c2753e3af2d2114074a1b93490.jpg

[704sw]

Are those the split 5s (351M I think?) off the F10 5er? They look more like the new 3er/4er wheels (400M I think they’re called) but those are only 18”.

[slater]

Are those the split 5s (351M I think?) off the F10 5er? They look more like the new 3er/4er wheels (400M I think they’re called) but those are only 18”.

yep, they are Style 351 reps.

[Sockethead]

Damn dude, It's still winter up there? I see no leaves on them trees....

Wheels looks good on there!

[704sw]

yep, they are Style 351 reps.

Nice. Those are some of my favorite F-Chassis wheels.

[slater]

Damn dude, It's still winter up there? I see no leaves on them trees....

Wheels looks good on there!

haha, thanks...

the grass is green now, that's new as of a couple of days ago... the trees are just starting to bud. believe me, i was ready for this 3 months ago!! some day i will live somewhere warmer....



Nice. Those are some of my favorite F-Chassis wheels.

they're OK. they're not what i want to run on the X3, but for the price, i couldn't pass it up. the whole set was cheaper than a set of new rear tires for the stock staggered 19's...

[holyc0w]

Damn dude, It's still winter up there? I see no leaves on them trees....

Wheels looks good on there!

That looks like Illinois up until a few days ago.

April 16th - snow on my car
May 1st - 80 degrees

Edit: Those wheels are nice.

[ZHPizza]

I dig em!

Would really pop with a pinstripe...

[Sockethead]

I've noticed pin stripes and initials on cars seem to be a thing here in the south...

[704sw]

....initials on cars seem to be a thing here in the south...

Southern girls love them some monogramming.

[slater]

Southern girls love them some monogramming.

LOL!

[slater]

little update on this rig:

we've now had it over a year (13 months to be precise), and it's been a champ. we bought it with 274K KMs (169K miles), and now it's rocking 320K KMs (197K miles) - considering i've done 30K KMs (18.6K miles) on the Touring in the last year (since the swap was completed)... and i work from home... that is a shitload of driving for us across both cars.

repairs completed in the last couple of months:

- new spark plugs
- oil change @ 315K KM with lubrimoly 5w30 and lubrimoly MoS2 additive (i've run the ceratec and then MoS2 in the Touring with great results - seeing great results in the X3 as well... 5K KMs into the oil change and it's barely used any)
- replaced the remaining 5 original coil packs
- replaced oil cooler housing gasket
- replaced handbrake shoes and refurb'ed handbrake hardware
- installed koni FSDs and eibach pro-kit springs with new top mounts front and rear (dramatic different in ride quality - it's actually nice now)
- replaced front upper control arm bushings
- 10mm front + 12.5mm rear spacers
- alignment


upcoming work:

- replace blinker stalk (blinker 'click' is working intermittently)
- install GROM BT3 unit for BT functionality
- replace rear diff mount and trans mount
- brake fluid flush
- winter prep wash/wax/detail, and mount winter wheels
- install ZHP coupe front seats with lumbar (i've got a set...)
- likely replace clutch/PP/flywheel and throwout bearing, as the latter seems to be going south (it's rattling at low speeds) - i REALLY don't want to do this, but i may have to


looking forward to driving this thing in the snow. it likes to go sideways in the white stuff.

[3LiterStraightSix]

little update on this rig:

we've now had it over a year (13 months to be precise), and it's been a champ. we bought it with 274K KMs (169K miles), and now it's rocking 320K KMs (197K miles) - considering i've done 30K KMs (18.6K miles) on the Touring in the last year (since the swap was completed)... and i work from home... that is a shitload of driving for us across both cars.

repairs completed in the last couple of months:

- new spark plugs
- oil change @ 315K KM with lubrimoly 5w30 and lubrimoly MoS2 additive (i've run the ceratec and then MoS2 in the Touring with great results - seeing great results in the X3 as well... 5K KMs into the oil change and it's barely used any)
- replaced the remaining 5 original coil packs
- replaced oil cooler housing gasket
- replaced handbrake shoes and refurb'ed handbrake hardware
- installed koni FSDs and eibach pro-kit springs with new top mounts front and rear (dramatic different in ride quality - it's actually nice now)
- replaced front upper control arm bushings
- 10mm front + 12.5mm rear spacers
- alignment


upcoming work:

- replace blinker stalk (blinker 'click' is working intermittently)
- install GROM BT3 unit for BT functionality
- replace rear diff mount and trans mount
- brake fluid flush
- winter prep wash/wax/detail, and mount winter wheels
- install ZHP coupe front seats with lumbar (i've got a set...)
- likely replace clutch/PP/flywheel and throwout bearing, as the latter seems to be going south (it's rattling at low speeds) - i REALLY don't want to do this, but i may have to


looking forward to driving this thing in the snow. it likes to go sideways in the white stuff.Hey! Before you go and buy a new turn signal stalk... I actually just completed this diy with success! It's pretty easy, takes about an hour. Disconnect battery, pop off steering wheel airbag, remove steering wheel, slide out the stalk. Then you separate the two halves of the stalk and you'll find that the wire going to the end button is almost broken in half where it pivots, if not totally in half. A little extra wire, solder, and its good to go! I have about 5k on it so far.

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[slater]

Hey! Before you go and buy a new turn signal stalk... I actually just completed this diy with success! It's pretty easy, takes about an hour. Disconnect battery, pop off steering wheel airbag, remove steering wheel, slide out the stalk. Then you separate the two halves of the stalk and you'll find that the wire going to the end button is almost broken in half where it pivots, if not totally in half. A little extra wire, solder, and its good to go! I have about 5k on it so far.

Sent from my ZTE A2017U using Tapatalk

thanks for the tip, but i have 3 spare stalks, so i'm just going to swap it out. ;)

[3LiterStraightSix]

thanks for the tip, but i have 3 spare stalks, so i'm just going to swap it out. ;)Oh well look at you [emoji41][emoji38]

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[slater]

Oh well look at you [emoji41][emoji38]

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Ha. You don’t know me, but I have a lot of spares.


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[704sw]

Ha. You don’t know me, but I have a lot of spares.


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

Lol if your E83 parts bin is anything like your E46 parts bin then you could probably assemble a skeleton X3 [emoji23]

[3LiterStraightSix]

Ha. You don’t know me, but I have a lot of spares.


Sent from my iPhone using TapatalkIf you've got clutter don't want feel free to unload on me ha!

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[slater]

Lol if your E83 parts bin is anything like your E46 parts bin then you could probably assemble a skeleton X3 [emoji23]

Fortunately there is a lot of commonality between E46 and E83. ;)


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[slater]

Hopefully, you'll keep it a bit longer than 6 months or so-:)


I wouldn't hold my breath. Peter has automotive ADD. :rofl

LOL'ing at this now. we've had the X3 for 15 months now. :)

[az3579]

LOL'ing at this now. we've had the X3 for 15 months now. :)

That's still not a very long time. There's time yet for y'all decide to switch it up. :)

[slater]

Nice car Peter!
I am subscribed and looking forward for the maintenance udates.
Hopefully, you'll keep it a bit longer than 6 months or so-:)

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That's still not a very long time. There's time yet for y'all decide to switch it up. :)

haha... yep, indeed. :) although with our projected life plans, it's going to hang around for a bit. i need to get at least another 3 years out of it, so it's going to get some more TLC this spring.

it's currently sitting at 326K KMs (~201K miles), so i expect some issues to be cropping up. the T/O bearing is quite loud at low speeds, so i know a clutch is in it's future, which i don't want to do (horrid job without a lift), but i will certainly tackle some "while i'm in there" jobs as well - driveshaft flex disc and CSB, rear diff bushings, SMF conversion kit, trans mount, shift linkage refresh. it's currently all very sloppy.

[slater]

replaced LF ABS sensor @ 329K KMs. lights be gone!