Your fleet running reports

[John]

Some fecker's dragged something across the A2 derv's bootlid, scratching it and putting a scratch and depression under the four rings logo - right where it catches your eye.

On a similar note someone keyed my wife's car the full length of the NS from headlight to rear light

Luckily(!) they didn't seem to press on too hard and I've managed to remove it with a good session on the DA.

[nuttinnew]

Luckily(!) they didn't seem to press on too hard and I've managed to remove it with a good session on the DA.

Proof that they were indeed a limp-wristed tosser.
The A2 needs a going over and through by someone who knows what they're doing, I've no doubt it'd come up a lot better than it is and plenty of the marks would come out. I don't know if it's a defeatist attitude, but at least with plastic arches and alu panels I don't have to worry about rust.

[Mito Man]

Stoopid question time
Air springs - they're sold in pairs right?
https://shop.bmw.co.uk/products/18632/g ... spring-bag
https://www.eurocarparts.com/p/arnott-a ... -626110711

[Rich B]

Stoopid question time
Air springs - they're sold in pairs right?
https://shop.bmw.co.uk/products/18632/g ... spring-bag
https://www.eurocarparts.com/p/arnott-a ... -626110711

why are you asking us?

[Swervin_Mervin]

Stoopid question time
Air springs - they're sold in pairs right?
https://shop.bmw.co.uk/products/18632/g ... spring-bag
https://www.eurocarparts.com/p/arnott-a ... -626110711

Springs aren't sold by BMW in pairs so I doubt these will be.

[Mito Man]

Stoopid question time
Air springs - they're sold in pairs right?
https://shop.bmw.co.uk/products/18632/g ... spring-bag
https://www.eurocarparts.com/p/arnott-a ... -626110711

Springs aren't sold by BMW in pairs so I doubt these will be.

Yeah you're correct. Just some of the aftermarket brands selling in pairs.

[Alex88]

Mustang - hubs painted black and calipers red. Has made a huge difference and the car looks so much better for it.

Cheers Mik/SJ for pointing out that the hubs could be painted. Can't believe I didn't know it was a thing

[Broccers]

Anyone like to guess how much a single piece of moulded plastic will cost? I'm going to say £350....

Do they do aftermarket carbon look ones?

Loving the headunit harry

[Broccers]

Got the mini fixed yesterday so hopefully not cost any more money anytime soon. 50 quid parts and 4 hours labour to fix a leak

[Sundayjumper]

MINI news here too - and not good news

Wife's MINI, the Cooper S. A few weeks ago she said the engine was rattling, I listened to it and didn't think it was a problem, just slightly tappety. I drove it this morning and with the window open driving past a wall it sounded quite shocking. Can't hear it at all driving normally with the windows closed.

As a first step I thought I'd check the oil level. Pulled out the dipstick, wiped it, put it back in...... and it won't go. Huh ? Wiggled it, twisted it, no good. It hits something solid and stops about 4" short of where it should be.

It's the timing chain guide. Interesting design - the dipstick actually runs *through* the guide. You can see the tube it passes through in the RHS guide.




So at the very least the bottom bit has snapped off. Maybe more. The dipstick was probably holding it together !

Repair-wise we're looking at appx. £100 for chain & guides, £50 for timing tool, and a solid day's work. It doesn't need the engine out, thankfully.

It's the N18 engine, FWIW, with 92k miles.

[Broccers]

MINI news here too - and not good news

Wife's MINI, the Cooper S. A few weeks ago she said the engine was rattling, I listened to it and didn't think it was a problem, just slightly tappety. I drove it this morning and with the window open driving past a wall it sounded quite shocking. Can't hear it at all driving normally with the windows closed.

As a first step I thought I'd check the oil level. Pulled out the dipstick, wiped it, put it back in...... and it won't go. Huh ? Wiggled it, twisted it, no good. It hits something solid and stops about 4" short of where it should be.

It's the timing chain guide. Interesting design - the dipstick actually runs *through* the guide. You can see the tube it passes through in the RHS guide.




So at the very least the bottom bit has snapped off. Maybe more. The dipstick was probably holding it together !

Repair-wise we're looking at appx. £100 for chain & guides, £50 for timing tool, and a solid day's work. It doesn't need the engine out, thankfully.

It's the N18 engine, FWIW, with 92k miles.

Ooh hope I don't get that one lol. Replace your oil filter housing gaskets if you're taking it apart anyway - we are around the same miles n18

[nuttinnew]

Today's random problem; delaminated spacesaver. I haven't used the petrol A2 since a bit before I got Covid, went to it today and the battery had gone flat. Had to remove the spacesaver to get tp the battery, picked it up and about a third of it sproinged out - wires as well - and lots of flaky rubber was about the place Never had it happen to spare before. Of course, the derv has developed a leak from a front tyre while the spacesaver remains inflated

[KiwiDave]

GT86 sailed through the WOF (our MOT) without any issues.

Should bloody well hope so too... (it's done 1507km in the past year)

[John]

The other half's Focus also passed the MOT yesterday. That does around 3k a year and at six years old is yet to pass 20k.

[nuttinnew]

(but @KiwiDave ).

[Jimexpl]

The 6 series started leaking coolant again. It started off pretty gradually. Just needed 2 litres per 1000 miles. Then today I decided to commute with it and visit my mechanic to get his opinion and book it in. Well its coolant leak went to 8 litres per 30 mins and then by the time I was returning home it was 1 litre per minute . I apologise to the chap on a pretty new Ducati who wasn’t happy with getting sprayed.
Anyway I was vindicated as my mechanic said it must be the coolant pipe as it’s the only thing left. Booked it in for some bushes too. And then I can refurb one of the wheels which I cunted on a kerb.

Where was the 6 series leaking? My X5 is in at the garage this week losing coolant (and to look at a slight oil leak that I knew about before buying and a diff and gearbox oil change as 'sealed for life' makes no sense to me).
There's no evidence of coolant at the front or top of the engine so it's bound do be the buried coolant pipe or gasket. I think that BMW engines are generally great, but they are also good at generating inconvenient issues as they age!

[Jobbo]

The 6 series started leaking coolant again. It started off pretty gradually. Just needed 2 litres per 1000 miles. Then today I decided to commute with it and visit my mechanic to get his opinion and book it in. Well its coolant leak went to 8 litres per 30 mins and then by the time I was returning home it was 1 litre per minute . I apologise to the chap on a pretty new Ducati who wasn’t happy with getting sprayed.
Anyway I was vindicated as my mechanic said it must be the coolant pipe as it’s the only thing left. Booked it in for some bushes too. And then I can refurb one of the wheels which I cunted on a kerb.

Where was the 6 series leaking? My X5 is in at the garage this week losing coolant (and to look at a slight oil leak that I knew about before buying and a diff and gearbox oil change as 'sealed for life' makes no sense to me).
There's no evidence of coolant at the front or top of the engine so it's bound do be the buried coolant pipe or gasket. I think that BMW engines are generally great, but they are also good at generating inconvenient issues as they age!

Does your X5 have the N62 engine? Is the coolant transfer pipe issue now relatively fixable? I'm aware that a US company developed a replacement pipe which expands to fit, but no idea if that is something which has made it over to Europe.

[Mito Man]

The 6 series started leaking coolant again. It started off pretty gradually. Just needed 2 litres per 1000 miles. Then today I decided to commute with it and visit my mechanic to get his opinion and book it in. Well its coolant leak went to 8 litres per 30 mins and then by the time I was returning home it was 1 litre per minute . I apologise to the chap on a pretty new Ducati who wasn’t happy with getting sprayed.
Anyway I was vindicated as my mechanic said it must be the coolant pipe as it’s the only thing left. Booked it in for some bushes too. And then I can refurb one of the wheels which I cunted on a kerb.

Where was the 6 series leaking? My X5 is in at the garage this week losing coolant (and to look at a slight oil leak that I knew about before buying and a diff and gearbox oil change as 'sealed for life' makes no sense to me).
There's no evidence of coolant at the front or top of the engine so it's bound do be the buried coolant pipe or gasket. I think that BMW engines are generally great, but they are also good at generating inconvenient issues as they age!

Hmm my leak is the coolant pipe that runs through the engine - the front of the engine has a weep hole so you see it dribble out. I’ve had the alternator leak coolant before which was more difficult to make out as it’s at the bottom of the engine.

[Jimexpl]

The 6 series started leaking coolant again. It started off pretty gradually. Just needed 2 litres per 1000 miles. Then today I decided to commute with it and visit my mechanic to get his opinion and book it in. Well its coolant leak went to 8 litres per 30 mins and then by the time I was returning home it was 1 litre per minute . I apologise to the chap on a pretty new Ducati who wasn’t happy with getting sprayed.
Anyway I was vindicated as my mechanic said it must be the coolant pipe as it’s the only thing left. Booked it in for some bushes too. And then I can refurb one of the wheels which I cunted on a kerb.

Where was the 6 series leaking? My X5 is in at the garage this week losing coolant (and to look at a slight oil leak that I knew about before buying and a diff and gearbox oil change as 'sealed for life' makes no sense to me).
There's no evidence of coolant at the front or top of the engine so it's bound do be the buried coolant pipe or gasket. I think that BMW engines are generally great, but they are also good at generating inconvenient issues as they age!

Does your X5 have the N62 engine? Is the coolant transfer pipe issue now relatively fixable? I'm aware that a US company developed a replacement pipe which expands to fit, but no idea if that is something which has made it over to Europe.

It is the N62 4.8i.
Not one seems to sell the bimmerfix kit here, but if it is that I might import one depending on the garage quote.

[Ascender]

Anyone like to guess how much a single piece of moulded plastic will cost? I'm going to say £350....

Do they do aftermarket carbon look ones?

Loving the headunit harry

Doesn't seem to be many options out there so in the end I'm just going for a stock replacement, yours from BMW for a bargain price of £177. Which seems cheaper than the OEM ones I've seen advertised online.