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How does your e39 cope with the deep freeze?

5K views 54 replies 33 participants last post by  DominguesE30 
#1 ·
Mine is running great.
Fuel consomption is pretty good at 12.2 l/100km (19.3 mpg) city driving.
No involved maintenance/cleaning though. Only oil/filter change and no-touch car wash to get rid of whatever is under the car mostly every week or couple weeks, weather permitting. Can't wait for some April-ish - May weather......
 
#3 ·
Mine is uhh well im not driving it that much (maybe once a week... sometimes every couple days) and the battery keeps dying. Other than that all is good. Actually, running great! Oh and my friggen tires wont hold air. They haven't since the day I bought them. They go low almost every two-2 days. Only one has actually ever held air! It's going in the shop for like the 3rd time to get some more bead-sealer.
 
#4 ·
Mine runs great. I haven't been driving it a lot because the roads are terrible and I didn't put the winter tires on hoping it would be an ice-free winter like last year. Last winter though I drove it on a couple of pretty long trips in sub-zero weather and it ran perfectly. It even seemed to thrive on the cold air and that was before I discovered and replaced the split throttle body boot.
 
#5 ·
Car springs to life , even in zero degree weather. Hit the key once and she fires right up. Getting around 20 or better around town and 29 or so on the highway. Before the Vanos seals were replaced three years ago I would have to fight to get her started in the AM and give it the gas to keep the fire going--now just hit the key and I can walk back inside with no problems---fought that for 5 years from the time I bought the car until
making the fix happen. Car pulls great and have to really watch whats going on out on the road--getting a little older and I'm starting to not pay attention to my speed when talking on the cell--they got me not long ago. Cheers.
 
#8 ·
Here's the cold scale:

+68°F - The Greek start wearing sweaters (if they find them).
+59°F - The Hawaiians start heaing their homes.
+50°F - The Americans shiver, the russians start sowing the corn.
+41F° - You can see your breath. Italian cars don't start. The Norvegians go swimming. The russians drive with open windows.
+32°F - The water freezes. In Russia they say "it's only hard". Hockey is on.
+25°F - The French cars don't start.
+15F° - You start planning a vacation in Austaralia.
+5°F - The cat insists on sleeping in your bed. The Norvegians dress with sweaters.
0°F - New York City Hall starts the heaters. The Russians go out for the last season picnic.
-5°F - The American cars don't start. The guys from Alaska start wearing long sleeves.
-15°F - The German cars don't start. The Hawaiians are frozen to death.
-20°F - The politicians start to talk about the homeless. The cat prefers to sleep in your pajama.
-30°F - Too cold to think. The Japaneze cars don't start.
-40°F - You're planning a hot bath that will last for 2 weeks. The Swedish cars don't start.
-45°F - Public transport is stopped throughout Europe. Russians eat ice cream on the streets.
-50°F - The Greek populatian is death. The politicians are really doing something for the homeless.
-60°F - The eyelids start freezing together when you blink. In Alska, the citizens start closing their bath windows.
-75°F - The polar bears start migrating South.
-95°F - Hell starts freezing.
-100°F - Finlands Special Services evacuate Santa Claus from Lapland. The Russians wear fur hats.
-175°F - Alcohol is freezing. The Russians are unhappy.
-460°F - Absolute zero, the atoms don't move.
 
#12 ·
:rofl::rofl::rofl:
 
#10 ·
Sorry but my car doesn't fit in my freezer.
 
#11 ·
It's not Canada-cold here, but my car started right up this morning after sitting all night under 1/4" of snow, and started great after sitting under 3.5" inches of snow yesterday. Maybe it likes the white blankets... now if the rest of the wonderful locals could learn NOT to stomp on the brakes when they hit a wet overpass!!!
 
#14 ·
My car is lucky as she enjoys a heated garage.
She loves to drive and heats her seats on demand.
 
#16 ·
Mine is doing great, aside from the rear passenger door that doesn't like to latch when it's <20F. With snow tires, heated seats and an unlimited pass for the touchless car wash, I love my car in the winter.

Doing donuts in unplowed parking lots is also great.
 
#20 ·
Watch your step: In January 2008, I drove from Calgary to Edmonton. The temperature was -50°C (-58°F). The temperature needle never went to 12 o'clock - just shy. After about 3 Hrs of Hwy driving (65-70), I arrived in Edmonton. Then while idling at a red light, the CCV froze, taking with it the VCG. The cabin was instantly filled with that nasty oil burned smoke. I was very close to an "oil-lock" (like hydro-lock).
 
#21 ·
My wifes 530 gets to spend the nights inside with the Fiat.

The newest 528i, is spending a few days at Brett Anderson's shop in the good company of an M1, M750iL, and an E39 M Touring plus several other interesting cars..........

And my 528iT gets to sit outside all night looking at the butt end of a snow covered E34. Like geezer said, it does better than me!
 
#25 ·
went out and removed 3 to 4 inches of snow off my baby and it was 30 degrees. Started up no problems but after about 2 minutes of running she suffered really bad misfires and threw some codes they are p1345 p1347 p0171 p0174. Cleared the codes and started her again and got the same codes same misfire. started her a third time with a two minute wait and car idle smoothed out the warmer the car got this is my first 30 degree start since I owned the car. Let the hunt begin and Im starting with a couple of Bluebee threads to figure this one out. Afer its warm it throws 0171 and 0174 the misfire goes away.
 
#26 ·
went out and removed 3 to 4 inches of snow off my baby and it was 30 degrees. Started up no problems but after about 2 minutes of running she suffered really bad misfires and threw some codes they are p1345 p1347 p0171 p0174. Cleared the codes and started her again and got the same codes same misfire. started her a third time with a two minute wait and car idle smoothed out the warmer the car got this is my first 30 degree start since I owned the car. Let the hunt begin and Im starting with a couple of Bluebee threads to figure this one out. Afer its warm it throws 0171 and 0174 the misfire goes away.
Check all lines for vacuum leaks including the PCV system.
At cold, stuff contracts, meaning cracked boots will allow unmetered air in. Once warmed, they close.

0.02
 
#34 ·
After CCV and VC/VCG replacement, it is so much better in the cold (10-20F). Had the CCV replaced first, but the car still feels sluggish in the cold, and I've been afraid of going too hard before it is completely warmed up. After VCG/VC replacement, the car drives like normal within mins after starting, even if it is about 10 degrees out. I imagine the gunk under the old VC was affecting the vacuum flow.

If you see yellow goo in the oil cap, just had the VC replaced, and put in some sea foam.
 
#36 ·
Strange sound...just curious

I've always wondered if others have this sound but never asked...Whenever it falls below 30F, after sitting a long time, when I start the car and then start to drive, when the car revs to switch from 2nd to 3rd gear (I think, maybe 1st to 2nd) there is this quick squeak from somewhere under the dash. The only way to describe it is it sounds has if a mouse were to scream :dunno: The squeak (scream) gets louder the colder the car is. Much louder at 15F degrees or lower. But no squeak above 30F. And it is just that once after a cold start when the car first reaches 10-15 MPH, after that it doesn't do it anymore. Sounds like a tiny motor actuating something :dunno: Anybody?
 
#38 ·
I've always wondered if others have this sound but never asked...Whenever it falls below 30F, after sitting a long time, when I start the car and then start to drive, when the car revs to switch from 2nd to 3rd gear (I think, maybe 1st to 2nd) there is this quick squeak from somewhere under the dash. The only way to describe it is it sounds has if a mouse were to scream :dunno: The squeak (scream) gets louder the colder the car is. Much louder at 15F degrees or lower. But no squeak above 30F. And it is just that once after a cold start when the car first reaches 10-15 MPH, after that it doesn't do it anymore. Sounds like a tiny motor actuating something :dunno: Anybody?
Normal. The vent flaps opening and the rubber gets hard and squeaks. The very first winter I owned the car I was worried too. I thought about greasing, but then grease is not good for rubber. Maybe use Einszett Gummipflege, but it's a pain to open the whole dash and run the Einszett rubber treatment twice a year. I just live with the noise.
 
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