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Sam

What Have You Done To Your Car Today? Volume 2

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Left the car with my cousin who changed the rear shocks and top mounts. The way it drives is night and day difference!

In return got his Atlantis Blue tourer for the day to use which is always a pleasure to drive.

Made a start on the dials tonight too, fitted brushed aluminium rings and done sharpie mod. Will put back together in the morning.

just be careful with the trip and clock reset pins. and the little plastic paper thin inserts that have a habit of falling out as you put it back together.
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Bought 2 belt tensioners and fitted them, then tackled the FSR... I now have working aircon again and the fan behaves itself.

I also took it for tracking and the mechanic refused to do it, the lower arm bushes are shot to hell despite the car having a fresh MOT when I bought it and one of them being just 1 year old, One trip to BMW later and a pair are on order, also the car is booked in for a recall on the passenger airbag... Quite a productive Saturday morning.

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Shoulda got the MeyleHD control arms. You'd be richer, have longer warranty, and be able to easiy replace the balljoints in the future.

I may yet get those, at the moment the arms are OK but I am thinking about changing them while i'm at it.... Maybe I should have done more reading before buying but the bushes are paid for now.

Edit, just checked and found very slight play in the inner balljoint on the arm which was replaced last year... Cheese grade components make me swear.

Meyle HD arms and drop links ordered, I am planning to keep it a while so I may as well blitz it and get it right.

Edited by Stonesie
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Oh yes!

To be fair, I've not seen it documented anywhere as plugging into this particular socket. On the pin out for the socket, it has these ports as "not used". Tracing wires through looms is what saved the day, no it skills here!

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Put an anti-glare screen protector on my Kenwwods' radio fascia so I can read the bloomin' screen now.

I really know how to live the exciting life !

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I drove the old girl to work in London last night and noticed the led side lights were flickering on and off, do they all do that? Also the display and lights on the el cheapo head unit flicker when the car side lights are turned on, the car battery is good,, cheap sh*t addons or car rectifier problem? Any ideas plz?

Edit: cured the head unit lights flickering, I adjusted the dash light brightness and it stopped, there's a point near the middle where it happens, will that affect the side light LED's??

Edited by Woodsie1
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also the car is booked in for a recall on the passenger airbag... Quite a productive Saturday morning.

Booked mine in too, and at the same time their 'routine maintenance check' which is on offer at 30 quid including a litre of oil and interior/exterior clean, window buff etc. I wanted to see what one of their guys would find looking over the car but it's worth it based on the other bits alone.

In keeping with the spirit of the thread, installed an Erisin double din head unit, hvac relocation panel and Rainbow fronts at the weekend. Found that someone had done a horrifically bad install of 3-way BSW speakers in my car, so was very satisfied to get rid of that, and luckily the Rainbows sound much better. There is still no bass from the fronts, there is no air volume for them to work in so a lot of people have cut their doors to provide it. Currently trying to decide whether I'm up for it.

This weekend: reverse sensor replacement (currently constantly beeping, all 4 tick), oil change & oil level sensor (lamp on for 5 seconds every engine start despite level OK), research transmission & diff oils

Mistook the radio for the speaker in my phone.

The E46 has an awful radio! (Even with a pre-out modded HU, an amp, and Hertz speakers) :(

See above regarding no air volume in the doors on the coupe. To get the full range out of the fronts, people cut a hole in the inner skin of the front doors & it apparently makes a huge difference. If i decide to do it, I will take photos! Not as scary as it sounds but it's still something that can't be reversed.

Edited by govich
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No, same.

Esp when the HK is so good by comparison - it was clearly cost cutting and not a lack of know how/technology :(

The 420d I had as a loaner had HK, and that was an amazing radio, although I think the stock offering is still meant to be lacking.

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Inspection II done today at Power Developments in Basildon, Essex. The mechanic said that my car was in excellent mechanical condition which was really nice to hear and quite relieving as I'm taking it on a 3000 mile round trip in Europe at the start of September.

I then went to Kwik-Fit to get my wheels aligned, sadly they're the only people I know of around here that have the Hunter system and I needed it done fairly quickly/locally. They told me half way through that you need a "special tool" to adjust the rear on BMW's/E46's, I don't know how true this is. The car is noticeably different now, in a good way!

6mm tread left on the front tyres and 5mm on the rears at the lowest points. Looks like I won't have to spend any more money on maintenance for a while now, especially nice after forking out for a whole brake overhaul, new bushes and rear springs over the past couple of months.

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In between rain showers: dried out the interior, fitted the speedo, refitted the dash (twice), fitted the ECU, dried out the interior, refitted the speedo with all the connections made this time ( :ph34r:) , wired up the cruise control, ran some audio wires, refitted the dash, fitted the door looms (and stopped a leak in the process), made the electric windows and sunroof work.

About an hour or two's work, but rain halts play too often. Next job (tomorrow?!): secure wiring, refit driver's seat, drive to dry lockup and make better process.

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