Cup Holders

yes, it's a great car but NO, the cup holders work as well las LBJ's legs.

you got 4 choices:

1: get OEM so look around ebay since most dealer's price is kind of a rip though not always.

2: http://ultimatecupholders.com <-- great cup holders which holds a varity of cup sizes. my only gripe is that if you get a drink with a lid, the carpet might catch it and if you go around a turn, the drink will spill out and all over the carpet.

3: http://www.tecaccessories.com <-- again, a great cup holder but it's more of a 12 oz beer..., i mean soda, can holder. anything else is pushing it. if you drive an auto, this works great. if you have a manual, well.. it kinda gets in the way but nothing double jointed bad.

4: leave it broken and just ignore it.

 

yes, it's a great car but NO, the cup holders work as well las LBJ's legs.

you got 4 choices:

1: get OEM so look around ebay since most dealer's price is kind of a rip though not always.

2: http://ultimatecupholders.com <-- great cup holders which holds a varity of cup sizes. my only gripe is that if you get a drink with a lid, the carpet might catch it and if you go around a turn, the drink will spill out and all over the carpet.

3: http://www.tecaccessories.com <-- again, a great cup holder but it's more of a 12 oz beer..., i mean soda, can holder. anything else is pushing it. if you drive an auto, this works great. if you have a manual, well.. it kinda gets in the way but nothing double jointed bad.

4: leave it broken and just ignore it.

what i did was got a paper cup holder which carries 4 cups..cut it in half and put it against the original E39 open cup holder latches to hold it. lol..works for me

 

M5 exhaust on a 540

Can it be done? yes? do you really want it done? that's up to you. do you REALLY feel like HAMMERING (note the capitalization) your FULL tire well a bit to wedge the passenger side in? or you can just cut it and invert the cut part so you'd end up with a pretty, yet wedged, spare tire well.

Can you OEM spare tire still fit? yeah, i suppose. where it would normally sit? never seen it but something tells me the answer is no, not really. it could be just a centimeter (yeah, gotta conform with the world guys, sorry USA'ers) off to the left (hey, i'm a righty OK!) but nothing detrimental.

 

Angel Eyes

for angle eye upgrades, you can go either with Umnitza and their predator lights or with OE Hellas from http://eurosportdesign.com/headlights.htm

predator lights are thicker and brighter... almost 10 folds brighter. the draw back? the eletrical wiring is questionable when they start to fail and it's to my personal experience that it was the connectors failing. i had to take the connector apart and solder them to make sure they'll fire up right the first time every time.
some also say the look cheapens the look of the 5. some say it looks rice but this is all opinions and they are like assholes...

OE Hellas are nice. fits well, projects a bit tighter and just built better overall though i really wish they made the rings light up white to match the xenons. the other drawback is the price. they are going to cost you but you get what you pay for so weigh your thoughts carefully and choose wisely.

 

for angle eye upgrades, you can go either with Umnitza and their predator lights or with OE Hellas from http://eurosportdesign.com/headlights.htm

predator lights are thicker and brighter... almost 10 folds brighter. the draw back? the eletrical wiring is questionable when they start to fail and it's to my personal experience that it was the connectors failing. i had to take the connector apart and solder them to make sure they'll fire up right the first time every time.
some also say the look cheapens the look of the 5. some say it looks rice but this is all opinions and they are like assholes...

OE Hellas are nice. fits well, projects a bit tighter and just built better overall though i really wish they made the rings light up white to match the xenons. the other drawback is the price. they are going to cost you but you get what you pay for so weigh your thoughts carefully and choose wisely.

some don't want to drop the dough for the OE's or some just don't like the yellow OE rings, contact Matt:

http://www.umnitza.com/

i have the P39's for the last 2 year and i love them. definately makes the car stand out more then the OE's though some say it's "rice", i like them because it's different and honestly, i can't stand the yellow rings OE lights offer. it's not rice if it's done right.

 

Radiator that'll make you blow your top

You say your radiator blew up on you? you notice that "CHECK COOLANT LEVEL" on the OBC now? does your 5 look like it took a leak over night in the garage and didn't wipe up? that would be the uber weak cooling system bmw's seems to have not yet master (on top of the electrical).

what to do you say? well, if you notice a leak, take care of it quick! if you just had it done and it still leaks, check the gaskets unless you have a Geba water pump. Yes, Geba will not only look tougher but will leak on you in a few thousand miles (ask me how i know). the system doesn't leak and shouldn't.

if your radiator blew up, don't go cheap. it's a BMW, drop the extra coin for the expansion tank (that's in line to let you down) and the water pump as well as the thermostat. get them all at once. where to get? that's up to you but definitely run down to the dealer and get the water pump gasket. i used one in the box (could have just been because it's made by Geba) and it leaked from the get-go. pretty sweet huh?

let's start with the radiator. you can go with a Behr which is OE. nothing really wrong with it except it's made of plastic and it'll let you down agian... guaranteed. but the price of it isn't so bad so spring one if you like. it comes with ridges in the neck to give it an extra "grip" so the pipe doesn't just slide off.
you can also spring for a Nissen (not Nissan and not the brand that makes noodles) radiator. Some say they are made better but it's still plastic. the radiator neck is smooth then ribbed so some say in certain conditions, the upper radiator hose *might* slip off. who knows, it could just be crappy workmanship or the truth. either way, it's something to think about. the longevity of this "aftermarket" radiator is said to be above OE but some have doubts.
if you are in true baller status and really want to make sure the radiator is a thing of the past, you can fork over a nice coin for this:
http://www.zionsvilleautosport.com/...hop.mv?Screen=PROD&Store_Code=6134&Product_Code=NP-ALLOYRAD39&Category_Code=AR1

it's a lot more then the cost of a Behr or Nissen but it'll never ever let you down EVER again.

so now you'll need an expansion tank. it's that extra canteen looking thing humped on the radiator. yes, it too is made of plastic and it too will fail on you. There's OE's which will work fine since you are going to replace the radiator with the expansion tank all at once so might as well fork over the cash for it; don't get cheap on this, your motor is dependent on this like you are with your liver; sure you can live with 1/2 a liver but do you really want to?
again, if you are a baller and really have no patience for things failing over and over again, get a Lexus... Just kidding! if you are tired of servicing your cooling system, here's the package made just for you:
http://www.zionsvilleautosport.com/...ore/shop.mv?Screen=PROD&Store_Code=6134&Product_Code=E389SDCK&Category_Code=CCS

yes, the price says it all but you know what? you're NEVER EVER going to post: "i got stuck because of my radiator".

so we covered the radiator and the expansion tank. 2 very critical components and like death and taxes, will definitely fail on you. you should also look into the water pump. the OE pressed aluminum foil impeller is good to be used as a home made spinner firework. you do have some choices but i will say this: NOT GEBA. E36 guys have had hell with them and so have I. it was too late for me though. i bought it and half way thru the install i read about a post noting the failure rates of Geba water pump. There's other out there that you can get is very good news. Graf is the OE replacement and it serves it's purpose, pump water around the block. it's OE so you're still going to get the pressed aluminum foil quality impeller but think of it this way: it was working fine so why re-invent the wheel. if it worked before, it should work again. nothing wrong to think like that and many have gone this route. there are other options as far as water pumps since the price could make the difference. Laso is another water pump out there. built of the same quality, it serves it purpose and serves it well. neither of them are price too far from each other so it's a matter of personal preference. A new contender that i never heard of but it's been raved by the fanatical Volvo owners (those who own a true Volvo, before Ford took over and as much as i hate to stereotype, they are truly into getting quality parts because anything less then perfect will freak them out, maybe that's why they don't own a BMW) is the brand: Hepu. it could be found here:
http://www.autopartswarehouse.com/mmp/bmw~540i~water_pump~parts.html

it's a bit more (like $20... just skip out on your kid's allowance for a week or something) but i'm going to try it out and report back.

thermostat is a thermostat is a thermostat unless you go for the cooler popping ones but that's a special case and i'm not going to cover it. this part isn't expensive and they are usually priced all the same (give or take).

 

Radiator that'll make you blow your top

You say your radiator blew up on you? you notice that "CHECK COOLANT LEVEL" on the OBC now? does your 5 look like it took a leak over night in the garage and didn't wipe up? that would be the uber weak cooling system bmw's seems to have not yet master (on top of the electrical).

what to do you say? well, if you notice a leak, take care of it quick! if you just had it done and it still leaks, check the gaskets unless you have a Geba water pump. Yes, Geba will not only look tougher but will leak on you in a few thousand miles (ask me how i know). the system doesn't leak and shouldn't.

if your radiator blew up, don't go cheap. it's a BMW, drop the extra coin for the expansion tank (that's in line to let you down) and the water pump as well as the thermostat. get them all at once. where to get? that's up to you but definitely run down to the dealer and get the water pump gasket. i used one in the box (could have just been because it's made by Geba) and it leaked from the get-go. pretty sweet huh?

let's start with the radiator. you can go with a Behr which is OE. nothing really wrong with it except it's made of plastic and it'll let you down agian... guaranteed. but the price of it isn't so bad so spring one if you like. it comes with ridges in the neck to give it an extra "grip" so the pipe doesn't just slide off.
you can also spring for a Nissen (not Nissan and not the brand that makes noodles) radiator. Some say they are made better but it's still plastic. the radiator neck is smooth then ribbed so some say in certain conditions, the upper radiator hose might slip off. who knows, it could just be crappy workmanship or the truth. either way, it's something to think about. the longevity of this "aftermarket" radiator is said to be above OE but some have doubts.
if you are in true baller status and really want to make sure the radiator is a thing of the past, you can fork over a nice coin for this:
http://www.zionsvilleautosport.com/...hop.mv?Screen=PROD&Store_Code=6134&Product_Code=NP-ALLOYRAD39&Category_Code=AR1

it's a lot more then the cost of a Behr or Nissen but it'll never ever let you down EVER again.

so now you'll need an expansion tank. it's that extra canteen looking thing humped on the radiator. yes, it too is made of plastic and it too will fail on you. There's OE's which will work fine since you are going to replace the radiator with the expansion tank all at once so might as well fork over the cash for it; don't get cheap on this, your motor is dependent on this like you are with your liver; sure you can live with 1/2 a liver but do you really want to?
again, if you are a baller and really have no patience for things failing over and over again, get a Lexus... Just kidding! if you are tired of servicing your cooling system, here's the package made just for you:
http://www.zionsvilleautosport.com/...ore/shop.mv?Screen=PROD&Store_Code=6134&Product_Code=E389SDCK&Category_Code=CCS

yes, the price says it all but you know what? you're NEVER EVER going to post: "i got stuck because of my radiator".

so we covered the radiator and the expansion tank. 2 very critical components and like death and taxes, will definitely fail on you. you should also look into the water pump. the OE pressed aluminum foil impeller is good to be used as a home made spinner firework. you do have some choices but i will say this: NOT GEBA. E36 guys have had hell with them and so have I. it was too late for me though. i bought it and half way thru the install i read about a post noting the failure rates of Geba water pump. There's other out there that you can get is very good news. Graf is the OE replacement and it serves it's purpose, pump water around the block. it's OE so you're still going to get the pressed aluminum foil quality impeller but think of it this way: it was working fine so why re-invent the wheel. if it worked before, it should work again. nothing wrong to think like that and many have gone this route. there are other options as far as water pumps since the price could make the difference. Laso is another water pump out there. built of the same quality, it serves it purpose and serves it well. neither of them are price too far from each other so it's a matter of personal preference. A new contender that i never heard of but it's been raved by the fanatical Volvo owners (those who own a true Volvo, before Ford took over and as much as i hate to stereotype, they are truly into getting quality parts because anything less then perfect will freak them out, maybe that's why they don't own a BMW) is the brand: Hepu. it could be found here:
http://www.autopartswarehouse.com/mmp/bmw~540i~water_pump~parts.html

it's a bit more (like $20... just skip out on your kid's allowance for a week or something) but i'm going to try it out and report back.

thermostat is a thermostat is a thermostat unless you go for the cooler popping ones but that's a special case and i'm not going to cover it. this part isn't expensive and they are usually priced all the same (give or take).

I had the full Zionsville kit in my e38 750iL and it is awesome.
I think the cooler thermostat is well worth considering. Without the insane temperature and pressure imposed by the factory thermostat, the rest of the cooling system can't help but last a lot longer... IMHO.

 

Tires

God, where do i begin with this... tires are like girls. everyone's got the favorite and no matter how hot the other girl is, someone will never defer from their tried-and-true girl. with that being said, here's some thread for you to think about.

Best Tire thread

Review on Toyo Proxy 4's

New kid on the block: Fusion

the thing with tires is what are you looking for? max performance all the way or give or take some? i'm running Michelin A/S's because I live in NJ and the weather is like my gf's attitude: unpredictable. We can have a warm front in November and out of no where a snow storm and back to a warm spell so I personally use A/S tires to be better prepared for this.

if you live in TX or FL or SoCal where snow is something you see on TV and read in books, max performance tires would be your Huckleberry. i wouldn't run anything but max performance if i lived there. remember, these are strictly my opinion and some still would run A/S because it does snow in Dallas I hear.

read sagaciously and just remember: you and everyone in your car's life is on those 4 tiny patches of rubber.

 

Oh No, my O2's!

So instead of heading over to the dealer and bend over for the O2's, Autozone carries the Bosch PLUG AND PLAY (very important since others sell GENERIC ones that you need to SPLICE into the harness and that's just a glutton for pain and punishment).

it may not be in stock but give it a few days and they'll get it in. i'm not 100% sure about other E39's but for 540's the Bosch part # is: 13 559. They run for $65 (plus tax if applicable). sure beats the $135 dealer charges for the same damn part.

 

So instead of heading over to the dealer and bend over for the O2's, Autozone carries the Bosch PLUG AND PLAY (very important since others sell GENERIC ones that you need to SPLICE into the harness and that's just a glutton for pain and punishment).

it may not be in stock but give it a few days and they'll get it in. i'm not 100% sure about other E39's but for 540's the Bosch part # is: 13 559. They run for $65 (plus tax if applicable). sure beats the $135 dealer charges for the same damn part.

Sounds reasonable. Thanks

 

Buttplug?? No, i said Sparkplug!

Ever start the car first thing in the morning (or when the block is cold) and when you start to drive off the car spudders a bit and only when the car warms up a bit does it run smooth from a dead stop? well, it's your buttplug..i mean sparkplug.

these should be changed with inspection I and II but hell, who's counting?

My source for the OE replacement at the cheapest price is at:
www.sparkplugs.com
part #:
BKR6EQUP
discount code:
nicoclub thanks to, well, you guessed it, NICO club (for those that don't know it's Nissan/Infiniti forum)

this is for NGK plugs BTW.

i orded 8 for the 540 and total FINAL price (included shipping) was $67.01

some other sites are going to cost about the same but they all do the same. the other sites might be forum sponsors so do buy it from them if you can/want to spring the extra dough. i bought mine before finding all this out or i would have supported the sponsors for a few bucks more. i'm cheap but when it comes those who make this place possible, i'm all for it.

 

Ever start the car first thing in the morning (or when the block is cold) and when you start to drive off the car spudders a bit and only when the car warms up a bit does it run smooth from a dead stop? well, it's your buttplug..i mean sparkplug.

these should be changed with inspection I and II but hell, who's counting?

My source for the OE replacement at the cheapest price is at:
www.sparkplugs.com
part #:
BKR6EQUP
discount code:
nicoclub thanks to, well, you guessed it, NICO club (for those that don't know it's Nissan/Infiniti forum)

this is for NGK plugs BTW.

i orded 8 for the 540 and total FINAL price (included shipping) was $67.01

some other sites are going to cost about the same but they all do the same. the other sites might be forum sponsors so do buy it from them if you can/want to spring the extra dough. i bought mine before finding all this out or i would have supported the sponsors for a few bucks more. i'm cheap but when it comes those who make this place possible, i'm all for it.

Chivas, does this have anything to do with when the engine is cold and first started, and the RPM periodically drops and then raises while it's idling...almost like it's lightly revving itself? I'm new to the BMW community, so I'm a little unsure of all the interesting phenomena. Is it normal? Once engine reaches normal op temperature it stops doing this, that's why your post made me think of it.

 

Batteries ARE included... ooo..

so you got issues starting, running and all the electrial stuff is going googlie eyed on you. guess what? it's either your alternator or battery. most likely it's the battery.

head over to your autozone (hey, they are more then just for O2's) and pick up a Duralast 49-DL. Secret about car batteries: there's only 3 manufactures and all are about the same; Duralast is made by Johnson Control which also makes Diehard, Interstate and Optima . don't spring for anything more like Optimas unless you are going to compete in audio show which then you'll need special batteries but for everyday Joe, Dick and Bob, the Duralast is your winner. And at about $65 (i think.. could be $67 but not over $100 plus tax), it's the winner by a HUGE margin.

save some ducks and take yourself out to a good dinner with the $65 you just saved then going to a dealer for a battery.

 

Shouldn't there be something that addresses the wheel shimmy thing?

 

usually a thrust arm bushing.

 

Dash Pixels fix?

What is the best exhaust for my car?

Does a strut bar help the car at all?

How can I get more bass in my 540 audio?

Will 20" rims fit on my E39? Will it rub? Do I have to roll my fenders?

How can I get clear corners on my 2001 and newer E39?

M5 front and rear bumper conversion?

 

Question:
What is the function of the dial on the vent for air conditioning above the radio?

Answer:
http://www.bimmerfest.com/forums/showpost.php?p=1610996&postcount=12

I just found this out today while researching another problem I have with my air.

 

Question Does DME gets reset when you disconnect the battery >few minuates?

Answer: Yes, indeed, so you'll loose the DME adaptation settings.

Note: For those with VF Engineering supercargers with GIAC DME software, this means you'll loose GIAC adaptation settings as well. And according to GIAC and VFE, they recommend breaking in the software for next ~100 miles. And that means, take it easy for next ~100 miles, nothing fancy RPM'ing. That's all.

 

Question: What's the authorative way of removing the stock leather e-brake handle?

Answer: The definitive (without the need to breaking any sweat), the simplest way is to pre-heat the handle with the blow dryer first. If you have heated to a point where you can twist the handle 360 degrees, then you are home free. At that point, just twist, and pull it out. Using this method, no need for iron pumping for weeks in advance only to find you are still yanking the handle after a week. No need for WD-40. No need to bust the handle with a utility knife. Apparently there's bit of clue with form fitting of the handle that makes it so darn difficult to remove in any other way.

 

Do I have to change the sensors if I change brake pads?

Hell yeah cheap bum... :rofl:

 

I'll add some stuff about teh ///M audio upgrade that i've found. Credit goes to anyone who found info on it.

The details for the connectors are

61.13-1 378 136 This is the 12 pin connector to go to the DSP sub connection. 1 of these.
61.13-1 378 132 This is the 4 pin connector to connect to the M subs. 2 of these.
61.13-1 376 193 This is the part number for the pin (1.0 - 2.5mm2) to fit both housings. 16 of these.

I purchased the subs through www.bmaparts.com, speak to Patrick ONLY. I paid $205 per sub. I have a 9/97 production 540i 6-spd with DSP, and i had to drill my own holes. I must add that this was a huge pain.

-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Hmmm . . . my notes are not quite as crisp as they seemed at the time:

Based on color coding of the wires, I have the following associations between the drivers and the wires in the connector, including polarity:

Rear left voicecoil 1 + yellow/red - gray/brown
Rear left voicecoil 2 + blue/white - blue/brown
Rear right voicecoil 1 + yellow/white - yellow/brown
Rear right voicecoil 2 + yellow/black - yellow/gray

I also think I use the wiring diagrams at http://www.bmwtips.com/ as reference. The connector my wires go into is a 12 pin connector, with the outside pins unused.

If you look at the attached picture, the following pin pairs each power 1 voicecoil:

5-4 3-2
11-10 9-8

(the subs are each have dual 8 ohm voicecoils)

Hope that helps.

-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

I have folding seats and the sunshade...and i have a nasty rattle that seems to be caused by the sunshade because it goes away when i raise it. So if you have a sunshade, and a cure for this rattle, PLEASE let me know!

 

Based on color coding of the wires, I have the following associations between the drivers and the wires in the connector, including polarity:

Rear left voicecoil 1 + yellow/red - gray/brown
Rear left voicecoil 2 + blue/white - blue/brown
Rear right voicecoil 1 + yellow/white - yellow/brown
Rear right voicecoil 2 + yellow/black - yellow/gray

I also think I use the wiring diagrams at http://www.bmwtips.com/ as reference. The connector my wires go into is a 12 pin connector, with the outside pins unused.

came here to submit these color wires for adding an amp to the DSP system - all the wiring diagrams and links on bmwtips.com used to point to a bimmers.org forum that is now dead. Took me 3 weeks of dicking with my car to find the right wires to LOC into my amplifier!

 

M-tech/M5 bumper conversion

So everyone wants to know where and how much.... well..
Tony Downs
800-624-5410 Ext. 10
tony@bekkers.com
www.bekkers.com

seriously wonder how he does it since his kits does include fog lights!!! yeah...

give him a call and he'll take care of ya... tell him dan sent ya. no affiliation but from all shopping experience i've had, he's got what it takes.

 

Sunshade Rattle

Is there a cure for my rear sunshade rattle when I turn up the bass?

Here is a possible solution courtesy of the m5board.com. Link to post and another one

M audio either doesn't have speakers under the grills in the rear doors or they're inoperable. I'm not happy with the rear package shelf rattle on deep bass with my non-M audio setup (I have the power rear shade which I've read contributes to this rattle) so I'm looking forward to upgrading the rear subs and fixing this rattle.

I just upgraded my rear speakers. Replaced the stock crappy Nokia Speakers and replaced them with Boston Acoustics S55 and Polk Audio db1000 tweeters. An excellent upgrade. Part of the reason for the upgrade is to fix the darn rattle in the rear shelf.

Sorry I havent gotten around to making my post with pictures on how to remove and replace the rear speakers and fix the rattles but I hope to do that soon.

Here's a quick summary. Replace your rear speakers if they are stock. The difference is very noticeable as Nokia makes crappy speakers. The Boston Acoustics and Polk Tweeters costs $200.00 total and they sound much much better.

Rattles in the rear deck: and I have the electric rear sunshade. ALL the screws in the rear shelf were loose! (I have the M-Audio) The subwoofer screws are loose, the electric rear sunshade nuts were loose, and so as the other screws in the rear shelf.

So I removed all the screws and nuts, applied locktite to all the threads, reinstalled and retightened all screws, and voila! NO MORE RATTLES even in loud volume cranking up the subwoofers.

I will post pictures soon of my upgrade.

Dan

Sorry I forgot to add this important info. If you have no plans on replacing your stock rear speakers and just want to fix the darn rattle caused by the electric rear sunshade mounting nuts being loose - you dont have to remove the rear deck!

Go inside your trunk and lay down looking up to the bottom of the rear deck. You will find 4 nuts that holds the electric rear sunshade to the rear deck spread across the deck. I will bet you will find these nuts loose almost coming off. Remove the nuts completely, apply locktite to the nuts, reinstall and retighten. But dont overtighten or you risk stripping the threads.

Hope that helps.

Dan Loyola

 

Every time I see this title I think it says E39 ***. It is funny to me.

 

Got Vanos? Sucks to be you

Ever wonder why the 528/525's have like cold start issues where your car stalls or idles like a poorly tuned lawn mower?

BMWNA basically is giving you a big middle finger eventhough it's all been figured out that it's crap parts BMW engineers used that causes this.

 

EDU: Detailing Guide and how to wash and wax your car in under an hour

Borrowed this from another forum I frequent. This will most likely be moved to another forum on here, but hopefully there will be a link to it. Sticky please?

------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
www.exceldetail.com

First, I'll tell you how to wash and wax your car in an hour or less. This does not include any polishing so this method won't correct any defects. However, if your car is in good condition already or you just want it clean and protected, this method is excellent.

Products you will need:

2 gallon capacity bucket
1 wash pad, I like to use chenille covered foam pads
4-5 16" x 16" microfiber towels
2-3 terry cloth or cotton towels
Wheel brush(s)
Tire protectant
Glass Cleaner
Optimum No Rinse Wash and Shine: http://www.ecocarcare.net/no-rinse-wash-shine.php
Optimum Car Wax: http://www.ecocarcare.net/car-wax.php

Steps:

1. Using a capful or approximately one half ounce of Optimum No Rinse (ONR), add it to one gallon of water in the bucket.

2. Clean your wheels, tires and fenderwells using the ONR (Optimum No Rinse) mixture and your brushes, wipe dry with the terry cloth towels.

3. Dress the wheels and fenderwells with your tire dressing-and don't forget the fenderwells! Dirty fenderwells detract from an otherwise clean and shiny car!

The reason to do the wheels and fenderwells first is so when you apply the tire dressing, any overspray will be washed off the car during the washing step.

4. Empty out your bucket and refill with clean water, adding one half to one full ounce of ONR (less if relatively clean, more if really dirty).

5. Using a chenille covered foam pad or a wash mitt, wash one section of the car at a time and dry immediately using two microfiber towels, one for the first drying pass and making sure you leave a little moisture behind, use the other towel for a second drying pass. If you get the panel completely dry with the first towel, then don't go over it with the second towel because rubbing even a soft microfiber towel on dry paint can leave streaks.

Once you get the process down (it may take a couple washes to really nail it) you should be able to wash the body of your car in 20 minutes or less unless it is really filthy.

6. After washing open your doors, gas cap door and trunk or hatch and wipe down all the jambs.

7. Using Optimum Car Wax (OCW), spray onto a section at a time. Don't soak the panel, just a mist should do. Spread the wax over the panel, flip the towel and wipe to a haze free shine. If you can use a detail spray, you can use OCW, it is that easy. Depending on your area, wash habits, etc, you can expect 3-5 months durability. Honestly though, it is so easy to use you will probably use it every few washes. Shouldn't take more than 10 minutes to do the whole car. In fact, you can also apply it as you dry each section when washing with ONR to save even more time, or apply while washing and apply a second coat for even better protection with very little additional time spent.

8. Clean your glass inside and out.

Stand back and admire your shiny car! Take pics and post them!

There are several vendors who carry Optimum products, the one I would recommend first is www.exceldetail.com because he is an OT member and I believe we should support each other, plus he ships very fast, has excellent customer service, is an all around nice guy and he also carries a fine selection of microfiber towels, the rest of the Optimum product line as well as Clearkote, Poorboys, 4 Star, Propel buffing pads, etc.

Another excellent vendor is www.pakshak.com or the www.ecocarcare.net site, autogeek, etc.

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Scottwax's Offical Comprehensive Detailing Guide***174;

HARD SUPPLIES

- Wet/Dry Vacuum (>1.5 HP) w/ an assortment of nozzles and a thin crevice tool
- Bucket
- Spray nozzle-if washing conventionally
- Chenille covered foam pads, or wash mitts
- Wheel brush, thin brush for tight areas, interior brush w/ soft bristles
- Terrycloth towels (wiping/drying inteior, wheels, tires, door jambs)
- Microfiber towels (washing, removing product)
- Foam applicators (wax application)
- California Car Duster
- Q-Tips (Cleaning Vents)
Optional for power buffing:
-Porter Cable 7424 or 7336 (same buffer, 7336 has a larger counterweight so it runs a bit more smoothly).
-An assortment of 6.5" finishing, polishing and cutting pads. Polishing pads are your workhorse.

Detailing products

I have listed products I have personally used.

No Rinse Washing

Optimum No Rinse Wash and Shine

Conventional Washing

Optimum Car Wash
Poorboys World Super Slick & Suds Concentrated Car Wash
Mothers California Car Wash
Meguiars Gold Class or NXT Car Wash
Kit Carnauba Wash

--honestly, any quality car wash soap should be fine. Do not use dish soap!. It strips wax from your paint and dries out your rubber seals and trim. Regular use will also dry out your paint.

Drying

Microfiber towels-waffle weaves for conventional washing, plush microfibers with Optimum No Rinse.

Wheel Cleaners

Personally, I don't use wheel cleaners. I prefer to use either ONR or when washing conventionally, car wash soap. If you keep your wheels clean there should be no reason to have to use a wheel cleaner. Improper use (as in not following directions and apply to a hot wheel) or using the wrong wheel cleaner on your rims can damage them and require refinishing to correct.

Clay Bars

Most of the clay bars now available are made by Clay Magic since they hold the original patent and sued the crap out of anyone who copied their clay-so really, the brand doesn't matter much.

Clay bars removing imbedding grit, contamination, tree sap, paint overspray, etc from your paint. If you run your hand over your just washed paint and it has a gritty feel at all, you need to clay. This will pull all that gunk out of your paint leaving it glass smooth.

Spray a quick detail product (usually clay kits include the spray) onto your paint (about a 2' x 2' section) and rub the clay bar using moderate pressure over the paint. When it glides effortlessly and quietly over your paint, wipe off the clay lube and move on to the next area.

Polishes and compounds

My favorite polishes and compounds are:

Optimum Polish, Compound and Hyper Compound
Meguiars #83 Dual Action Cleaner/Polish and #80 Speed Glaze
Clearkote Compound and Blue Moose Cutting Creme
Poorboy's SSR line (3, 2.5, 2, 1)
Menzerna Intensive Polish and Final Polish

Use by hand:

Use a terry cloth towel, folded into 1/8ths size to form a thick pad and so you can apply even pressure. Use moderate pressure, enough to build up some warmth on the towel and work the product into the paint until it looks nearly clear and dry, then wipe off immediately. Refold the towel and move on to the next section.

By Porter Cable polisher

Using a polishing pad, apply a circle of product about 1" from the edge of the pad and for the first couple of areas, before turning on the PC, spread the product over a 1' x 1' area to prevent dry buffing. With the pad pressed lightly against the paint, turn on the PC and set it to '5' and spread the product over a 2' x 2' area using moderate pressure. Kick the speed up to 6 and slow down your passes to about 1/2-1" per second with 50% overlapping passes, up/down, across, diagonally. Use enough pressure to lightly bog the PC and then back off just enough to pick the speed back up. Work the polish until it begins to clear or dry. Wipe off excess product, inspect your work, one or more additional applications may be needed with heavy defects.

Always start with a medium grade polish and a polishing pad and step up the aggressiveness of the polish before moving up to a cutting pad.

Final Polishes and Glazes

You will use these to further refine your finish or if the paint is in good condition and you just want to add more depth and pop to the finish prior to waxing.

Optimum Polish with a finishing pad can be used as a final polish
Clearkote's Vanilla Moose and Red Moose Machine Glaze
Menzerna FPII or PO106FF (at $50 a quart!)
Poorboy's Professional Polish or Polish with Carnauba
Jeff's Werkstatt's Prime, Prime Carnauba or Prime Strong
Klasse All in One

Just a suggestion-You can mix in about 30% of Clearkote's Red Moose Machine Glaze into either Menzerna polish to cut down on dusting and add more depth to the super clear wet shine of Menzerna.

Waxes

As a rule, waxes have a deeper, more liquid look than sealants, protect a little better against bird bombs but need to be reapplied more often than sealants.

Clearkote Carnauba Moose
Optimum Car Wax
Poorboy's Natty's and Natty's Blue Paste
Meguiars #16 (discontinued, you may be able to find a few vendors who still have it, still sold in the UK though), #26 in liquid or paste
Collinite 845 Insulator Wax
P21S or S100 Paste Wax-the S100 is essentially the same as P21S but widely available at Harley Davidson dealers and costs less too!
Pinnacle Souveran-yeah it is $70 but amazing on black and red paint, good for 50+ applications
Jeff's Werkstatt Carnauba Jett-spray carnauba

Sealants

Jeff's Werkstatt Acrylic Jett and Acrylic Jett Trigger (Trigger is in spray for, extremely easy to use).
Poorboy's EX-P and EX w/carnauba
Menzerna Full Molecular Jacket
4 Star Ultimate Paint Protection
Zaino Z2 Pro and Z5
Klasse Sealant Glaze
Meguiars #20 Polymer Sealant, NXT High Tech Wax, or #21 Sealant

Quick Detail Sprays

You can use these after washing to give you the 'just waxed' look.

Clearkote's Quikshine
Poorboy's Spray and Gloss
Jeff's Werkstatt Acrylic Glos-meant to be used with the Werkstatt system, but should be fine over any sealant
Meguiars #34 Final Inspection
Zaino Z-6 or Z-8
Wax Shop's Slick Stuff

Interior Cleaning Products

I use an 8:1 mixture of water and Woolite (the laundry soap version) in a spray bottle as my interior cleaner (8 parts water, 1 part Woolite). You can use it on leather, vinyl, carpet, fabric, etc. Spray, scrub with a small brush with nylon bristles as needed, wipe up and wet vac as needed.

Meguiars and several other manufacturers have great all purpose cleaners that are safe for most interior surfaces but read the label first! I'd only recommened the water/Woolite mixture for leather though.

Interior Protectants

Vinyl, rubber and weather stripping-

Optimum Protectant Plus
Meguiars #40, Meguiars Interior Quick Detailer, Natural Shine Vinyl & Rubber Protectant
Poorboy's Natural Look Dressing
Armor All Original Shine
303
Vinylex

Leather-

Meguiars Gold Class Leather Conditioner
Turtle Wax's Leather Cleaner and Conditioner
Tanner's Preserves
Lexol
Leather Master's Leather Vital (it ain't cheap!)

Miscellaneous

Glass cleaners:

Meguiars NXT Glass Cleaner
Eagle 20/20 Class Cleaner
Stoners Invisible Glass

Tire/fenderwell dressing:

Armor All Original Shine
Poorboy's Bold N Bright Tire Dressing
Optimum Tire Shine
Meguiars Hyper Dressing (can be cut with water up to 4:1)

Trim dressing:

Meguiars #38 Tire and Trim Gel
Poorboy's Trim Restorer
Mothers Back to Black

Engine Cleaning

1. Make sure engine is warm, but not hot. Cold engines are harder to remove grease and oil from.

** Check the directions on the engine cleaner/degreaser you are using, though. Some specifically say to clean the engine when cold only. **

2. Cover your distributor (if you do not know what or where it is, get a manual for your car), alternator and fuse box. Most electronics under your hood are adequately sealed for rain water splashing up on them, but high pressure water is another story.

3. Spray Greased Lightning's Orange Blast (my preferred engine degreaser) liberally all over your engine and engine bay. Let it sit for about 5 minutes. If your engine is really dirty, then after the 5 minutes, spray it down again and wait an additional 5 minutes.

4. Spray the engine and engine bay with high pressure rinse water - but even though your distributor may be covered, still use lower pressure around it to be on the safe side.

5. Any remaining grime, spray again with Orange Blast, and use a stiff brush if needed. Rinse again.

6. Remove the plastic coverings and start the engine. Let it run until it is dry. You will have to dry the painted surfaces in the engine bay and the underside of the hood with a towel.

7. Dress any hoses, etc. you want with rubber/vinyl dressing.

 

Will other BMW rims fit E39's?

No... not really. The problem is other 3/5/6/7/8/Z8 BMWs have a 72.56mm wheel hub...whereas the E39 5 series has a 74.1mm wheel hub. you would also have to check the offsets as well.

 

Check Service Engine Soon Light before buying.

Here's something i think we should all do. start a FAQ since these questions seems to pop up every... oh.. 6-12 days?? here's a start...

Learn from my experience and check the "service engine soon" light before buying a used BMW. It's possible to tamper with this light so it doesn't light when it's supposed to be lit.

The easiet way to check for the proper operation of the light, put the car ignition in accessory mode and ensure that all dashboard lights are lit, including the SES light. If while the ignition is in acc mode and the SES light isn't lit, be wary!

Better yet, if the vehicle has the high board computer option (you can tell if you have a BC button on your radio/MID display) you can follow the instructions in this article to enter test mode: http://www.ideaphile.com/bmw/540-obc.html

I would suggesting running TEST-NR. 02 which will also force all dash lights to be lit. Check to make sure the SES lights up again here.

I would also suggest running TEST-NR. 14 which will display any stored ECU fault codes. This list of 5 entries should be all 0's if no fault codes exist.

It may be helpful to print the referenced article and bring it with you so you don't need to remember howto unlock or enter test mode.

 

Key battery losing power/dead? (Black fat key, not silver triangle key)

The replacements are very cheap (I found an 8-pack on ebay for $4.00 shipped) -- CR1220 Lithium Battery.

Just use a knife to pop open the back of the batter (there's a rectangle with a little spot where you can put the knife to pop it off). Unscrew the two phillips screws (need a pretty small screw driver), and just replace the battery. Make sure you put it in right side up

 

Paint getting scratched off door handles on inside?

There is no replacement part for this without replacing the entire door, so you have to sand, prime, and paint. It's a pretty simple process, just make sure you tape up the area well so you don't get any paint on your leather.

I found a great match for anyone with sand interior. Can't remember the name atm but I'll post it here soon. If anyone knows good matches for their interior just pm me and i'll put it in here

 

Resonator, Antiroll bars

I have read alot about replacing the resonator. Some people put a Walker Dynomax Resonator on, and others delete it. A good link that talks about this is: http://bmw540ifun.com/ModExperiences.htm
On this sight, the guy reverses the resonator..... I jsut purchased a 2000 540i6. It is stock, and I want to upgrade to CAI, exhaust, software, and possibly the resonator. Any suggestions here? Also, are there any thoughts on the Dinan anti-roll bars. Supposedly they reduce body roll and provide the most neutral handling possible.
# 17 mm Adjustable Rear Antiroll Bar
# 27 mm Front Antiroll Bar
CHEERS
Kevin