Your fleet running reports

[integrale_evo]

Got everything bolted up, moved my work light and spotted the downpipe gasket laying on the floor

Then put it back together again, fits nicely, sounds better than before. Hopefully it’ll pass the emissions test.

[nuttinnew]

Good luck with the mot.

It has ABS brakes - Absolute BullShit.

Typically, the wind atm is the lowest it's been for weeks
Not for long though, (more) rain is on its way anytime now, and it's likely to turn to snow...

[Ascender]

No snow forecast here so Mrs Mike took the M2 to work last night.... I woke up, saw the snow and awaited the inevitable call...





Never fails to amaze me how many people will try to go up a frozen hill in a car/van with zero grip and think to themselves that "more revving" will definitely make the difference.

[mik]

Never fails to amaze me how many people will try to go up a frozen hill in a car/van with zero grip and think to themselves that "more revving" will definitely make the difference.

I think general levels of understanding/capability are getting worse. With ESP/Traction Control/ABS people just rely on systems and don't recognise when they are acting. Have no idea that a tyre that is sliding or spinning has less grip. Often have no idea which wheels on their car are driven, or even which ones the handbrake acts on.

At least 3x I have had to explain to colleagues that their "brake fault" that morning - where the breaks went "all crunchy" (or similar descriptions) was their ABS cycling. Then I had to explain what ABS was of course, and what it did to help them. Zero awareness/comprehension. I am certain that all of them will have subsequently had accidents that were "unavoidable - absolutely nothing I could do to avoid it mate".

[Rich B]

No snow forecast here so Mrs Mike took the M2 to work last night.... I woke up, saw the snow and awaited the inevitable call...





Never fails to amaze me how many people will try to go up a frozen hill in a car/van with zero grip and think to themselves that "more revving" will definitely make the difference.

she didn't crash it though?!

Brave towing it, it's not as though it has any more grip to brake and steer whilst being towed...

[Jimmy Choo]

God, I've missed working on BMWs! The Saabs were a bit fiddly and the Jag is a bugger to work on.

The diversity antenna is the antenna for the radio and the key remote. The key had been reluctant to work and seemed to want you to be in the boot for it to work. Apparently they're a "known issue" with the E60.

Despite it being at the top of the rear window, under the headlining, it took just two T20s and a bunch of clips to get it all apart. None of the clips broke, the part swapped out in seconds and it was done in 20 minutes.

Next job is coding the bluetooth aux in.

[Ascender]

It was ok towing as we were sensible & steady, so it was quite predictable @Rich B and we were on the phone to each other the whole way up. She did ask what I was doing on the other side of the road at one point after we overtook a van, but it was never out of control if that makes sense.

I did think about driving the long way round on the main road, but you end up having to come back down the hill from the other side and that could have ended much worse!

Not sure how much difference winter tyres make on RWD cars in conditions like that? If only I had a car with AWD....

[Ascender]

Never fails to amaze me how many people will try to go up a frozen hill in a car/van with zero grip and think to themselves that "more revving" will definitely make the difference.

I think general levels of understanding/capability are getting worse. With ESP/Traction Control/ABS people just rely on systems and don't recognise when they are acting. Have no idea that a tyre that is sliding or spinning has less grip. Often have no idea which wheels on their car are driven, or even which ones the handbrake acts on.

At least 3x I have had to explain to colleagues that their "brake fault" that morning - where the breaks went "all crunchy" (or similar descriptions) was their ABS cycling. Then I had to explain what ABS was of course, and what it did to help them. Zero awareness/comprehension. I am certain that all of them will have subsequently had accidents that were "unavoidable - absolutely nothing I could do to avoid it mate".

A few cars turned around when they saw what we were doing. but in the time it took to walk down, there were two vans and one car trying to get up the hill despite all signed telling them they didn't have a hope. Particularly when they were just hammering the throttle and getting nowhere. All three were just parked up when we got going.

There were also some cars barreling down the hill at a great rate, clearly not worried about how they were going to stop at the bottom or anywhere in between.

Weird.

[mik]

Not sure how much difference winter tyres make on RWD cars in conditions like that?

Significant.

[Gavin]

The horn decided to stop working on Saturday as well as the control wheel for the nav/hifi. Huge handbook, no fuse info! Looks like it is one of about 5 fuseboxes and needs a 15 amper for the horn.

Control wheel, it is apparently the central shaft that is a bit dicky so have ordered a metal replacement so will be stripping that back sooner or later. TBH, given the complexity of the car, I am delighted the £20 shaft s a permanent fix as I suspect some units are just lob one and buy a whole new unit so I had feared hundreds or more...

[Jobbo]

Not sure how much difference winter tyres make on RWD cars in conditions like that? If only I had a car with AWD....

Massive - far better than having AWD with summer tyres.

[Ascender]

Not sure how much difference winter tyres make on RWD cars in conditions like that?

Significant.

That's good to know then. Because we've always had a "proper" 4x4 around I don't think I've ever done it. Am going to get a set for the Touring though.

[Swervin_Mervin]

I found the source of the recent vibrations in the 330 today. It definitely is a sticky caliper. NSR to be precise, which was billowing smoke out after a 70mph d/c run and a heavy stop. And making some horrible crackling sounds. So I'm braced for a replacement caliper, pads and new fluid as well I think.

I'd taken the "break it or fix it" approach of standing hard on the anchors from speed to a stop (no one around obvs), to the point of feeling queasy. I suspect it didn't like that very much Had to do a Nigel Mansell on the way home and run through a few deeper puddles to keep it from getting too hot!

[Sundayjumper]

...which was billowing smoke out after a 70mph d/c run and a heavy stop.

Well, it definitely diagnosed the problem !

[Swervin_Mervin]

Needed to pick something up from the shop and could smell the burning as soon as I stepped out of the car. It's the crackling that concerned me more tbh though.

[integrale_evo]

Reminds me, I have a rebuild kit for the compacts rear callipers so I’ll do them along with the hoses and pipes at some point. Preferably when it warms up a bit.

[integrale_evo]

Now done over 500 miles in the x5 since the transfer case swap and thought I’d check the codes.

Not a single one on anything engine, gearbox or transmission based

Starting to trust it and enjoy driving it again. Was rather hoping to wake up to some snow this morning but got nothing.

[jamcg]

Reminds me, I have a rebuild kit for the compacts rear callipers so I’ll do them along with the hoses and pipes at some point. Preferably when it warms up a bit.

Out of interest, how easy is it generally to rebuild a calliper if you’ve never done one before, and do you need any special tools?

[integrale_evo]

It’s one of those jobs that’s fiddly rather than difficult, tools required are often no more than a couple of small picks / screwdrivers.

I tend to loosen all the bolts and hose, then just pump the pedal until the piston pops out. I have used an old valve and compressed air, but it can make quite a bang and spray brake fluid mist everywhere

Pull out the old bellows, use a pick to remove the old seal, scrape any corrosion out of the seal grooves. Wipe a bit of fresh fluid around the seal, sit it in the caliper.

Getting the dust boot seated properly is the trickiest bit, you have to get it half on the piston then make sure the base sits in the caliper body correctly as you push the piston in. Just make sure it goes in square and you should be able to push it in pretty easily by hand. There isn’t really anything you can get wrong as long as you’re careful and methodical.

I didn’t even remove the front ones from the car to do them.

[McSwede]

Not sure how much difference winter tyres make on RWD cars in conditions like that?

Significant.

Yes. In my head it was always MK2 Escort on gravel when I had winters on any BMW's. Superb fun