Your fleet running reports

[Sundayjumper]

I finally got hold of a spare ECU for The Compact. They're not rare, I just didn't want to pay over the odds for it. It arrived yesterday, my code reader will communicate with it and the temperature gauge no longer shoots up to the red when you turn the ignition on. That seems to confirm that the old ECU is dead. The engine still won't start of course because it's not coded to the immobiliser yet but that will be resolved by a short visit to my TUNA.

Another thing has crossed my mind though. The car failed its MOT on emissions and nobody had any idea what the cause might be. I'm thinking maybe the ECU was already dying slightly and not controlling things quite as it should do. I'll have to chuck it in for another MOT and see what happens. Emissions are a total PITA as you can't check them at home, you need the specialist equipment.

[Swervin_Mervin]

What's the spray on, wash off hydrophobic stuff a few people mentioned over the years ?

Meguiars Hybrid Ceramic Wax. It's slightly more work than that, but still pretty good. I found it fairly easy to get through a lot of the bottle very quickly though

EFA

[16vCento]

Yeah that is good stuff.

The spray one after the initial application where it needs a wipe pre rinse, is just a spray on each panel, rinse and then dry.

[simon_g]

I really should do a bit of research as to how to keep it looking like this all the time... how difficult can it be? Apart from the actual motivation to get out and clean it obviously....

Came across this video a few weeks ago, going to give it a try.

Have a (unused) snow foam thing in the garage, picked up some optimum no rinse and the special sponge.

Trouble I have is that if I wash a car on the weekend, the kids want to "help". If I can comfortably get it done in half an hour start to finish I can get that out of the way on a weekday lunchtime instead.

[Swervin_Mervin]

I know what you mean about kids!

I've yet to be convinced snow foam does anything other than make one feel good for a few seconds. I bought a new lance last year, used it once, and have shoved it to the back of the cupboard. Both cars seemed just as filthy after using it.

[Simon]

Isn't the snow foam used to make it easier to actually shift the dirt from your car when you then wash it immediately after? Kinda like you soak your dishes before you wash them...

[simon_g]

Should lift a lot of gritty dirt away which you then rinse off. The OCD types like it to reduce the risk of scratching but it means the no rinse stuff should have a lot less to do.

To stretch the dishes analogy, a dishwasher gets them clean without any physical contact, just water and chemicals.

[16vCento]

I use auto finesse citrus pre wash, leave it 10 mins, then wash it off and that gets rid of loads of the main stuff.

Then snow foam, rinse, hybrid ceramic, then dry.

I dont need to touch it over winter with shampoo and a mitt.

[Swervin_Mervin]

I get the principle. I still think it's bollocks in practice though Presoak your car with water first - softens/loosens the dirt. Save yourself a few quid.

[16vCento]

But it smells nice

[Alex88]

@simon_g I haven't watched the whole video, but I've been using ONR for a few years; it's brilliant stuff. Extremely versatile, excellent results and huge cost savings over conventional products. And that's not to mention the time saving and far less faffing about.

My old products haven't had a look in since I bought it.

[JonMad]

I've also found that snow foam doesn't really negate the need to then do a proper wash and get scrubbing. Looks nice though.

Fabia update:
Bonnet reattached. It kind of fits but rubs in a few places. meh. Can be closed down to latch properly with a bit of a shove. And the bonnet release still works again, which is handy.
Windscreen replaced, but in the process of doing that one of the plastic tubes (not rubber hoses) from driver's side washer jet to t-piece snapped off at the t-piece under the scuttle. Have ordered some rubber tubing and connectors from eBay to replace or patch it up.

[Beany]

Right, @Sundayjumper @integrale_evo I'm gonna try to order/collect brake pads this lunchtime, can anyone confirm that
A: The 330 has larger disks/pads
B: The MSport has the same as the 330 - IE there's no difference.

ECP suggests as much but you guys have more ingrained weird BMW knowledge than me.

I'll just do the brake pads at the same time as giving the calipers and slider pins a clean up (BMW specify to leave them dry, right) and I'll nick some copper grease for the sliding parts that touch the caliper from me neighbour Charles.

[Sundayjumper]

That is my understanding and RealOEM agrees too. The 330 has 325mm discs, lesser models have 300mm.

[integrale_evo]

Msport does not have bigger disks, it’s just styling / lower suspension over a normal 330, and yes, should be 325mm disks ( same size as the m3, but different design)

If it’s anything like other BMWs, the pads will actually be the same, but the calliper carrier will be deeper to space it out for the bigger disks. Ie you get the same front pads on an e30 m3, e36 m3, e46 m3 and e46 csl, despite the disks growing from 285mm to 345mm over those models!

[Beany]

Cool, ta kids <3

Edit: Collected not 40 mins later. Bloody useful this click and collect lark.

[JonMad]

New screen and bonnet refitted. Test run up to about 60mph (on a straight road) and nothing exploded in my face. I’ll take that as a win.

[Sundayjumper]

I bet the new screen is like having new wiper blades - you never realise how bad the old ones are until you replace them.

Put some new blades on too

[JonMad]

tbf I was too busy clenching my cheeks waiting for the bonnet to flip up to notice. But the latch, unsurprisingly really, held. Will investigate bonnet pins.

[Swervin_Mervin]

So, anyone want a pair of springs for an E91 330i Auto?

I hedged my bets and ordered via both Autodoc and the Sachs Amazon store (which was showing them as out of stock). I was hoping the Autodoc order would arrive first and if correct I could cancel my Amazon order. Nope. Amazon just dispatched them when they came in stock and sod's law both have turned up today.

Ah well. I guess at least the Amazon return should be fairly straightforward.