Nimraynn Posted October 2, 2013 Author Report Share Posted October 2, 2013 Sorted out another addition today. Got a nice extra lump of cash from work this payday so planning to sort a few bits out. It'll be going into the bodyshop at some point this month once I can sort out a few days off work to take it in. Finally getting around to sorting out the rust on the arches. Been quoted £260 by a bodyshop a mate works at in Dartford (DP&P) to repair the rusted arches and fully spray & blend the complete wing. Doesn't seem a bad price to me, so just need to sort out booking it in. Today, most on a spur of the moment thing, I took a drive up to MStyle in Romford to pick up a set of Eagle Eye smoked rear LED lights which I fitted as soon as I got home Apologies for the crap pics, taken on my iPhone as I went along in the tight confinements of my doorstep So the old standard clear-topped ones I had before: Nothing majorly wrong with them. Just looking a bit old and tired. I'd cleaned up the inner lights as documented earlier in this thread, but they still looked knackered. Fitted the passenger side first. A nice comparison of the difference And fully fitted And that finally finishes off the full smoked indicators all round as well Really happy with them. I think they really freshen up the look of the rears. The only thing I wasn't too happy with was the backing plates that hold all the wiring and boot light. The interior boot lights don't seem very bright and they're only 501's rather than the normal festoon bulbs... I'll upgrade them to some silly bright SMD's, but I think I need to look into installing some extra boot lights further down... but most of all, the backing plates were a right bastard to clip on. I've googled it after much struggling and it seems that people cut the corner off them so it clears a nut, which I did notice was preventing it from going any further where it needed to... so when I change the boot lights, I'll chop these off I think. Only thing letting the rear end down now really is just the numberplate which is pretty knackered, yet somehow still passed an MOT. Will get a new set ordered up tonight I think mit 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ngy Posted October 2, 2013 Report Share Posted October 2, 2013 What a difference from when I saw it in July.Looks great on the CSL reps. Nimraynn 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
rickeh Posted October 3, 2013 Report Share Posted October 3, 2013 Looks wicked mate. Tempts me to lower mine now >.< Your price for a wing is a bit steep though fella. New wing is about £40 delivered on ebay.. Shouldn't cost much to spray. I've got mates who have had rust repaired and just comes back on the front wings. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Nimraynn Posted October 3, 2013 Author Report Share Posted October 3, 2013 Really? I asked a few other mates who generally know their stuff and said that isn't a bad price... Are the wings genuine or pattern parts? If they're pattern, how much do genuine ones for go? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
DJ Syxx Posted October 3, 2013 Report Share Posted October 3, 2013 looks tidy but you really need to sort your front wing out, lets the car down. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mneth1986 Posted October 3, 2013 Report Share Posted October 3, 2013 Looks good. Was just thinking before i read your comment, new plate and the back end will be sweet Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
rickeh Posted October 4, 2013 Report Share Posted October 4, 2013 Really? I asked a few other mates who generally know their stuff and said that isn't a bad price... Are the wings genuine or pattern parts? If they're pattern, how much do genuine ones for go? No idea on genuine, they will be replica. Buy one, test fit, if it doesn't fit right for you, return it and go down the expensive route. Mines got one on though and the fit is good Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Nimraynn Posted October 4, 2013 Author Report Share Posted October 4, 2013 Ok, cheers. I'll take a look but I would much rather stick to genuine parts when it comes to major bodywork. I'd rather have a repaired genuine than an ill-fitting replica. I can see a lot of genuine second hand ones on eBay but most are rusted as well Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mit Posted October 4, 2013 Report Share Posted October 4, 2013 Nice blog! You updated yours almost as recently as I updated mine Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Nimraynn Posted October 4, 2013 Author Report Share Posted October 4, 2013 You mean my nimraynn.co.uk website? Yeah, I hardly ever update it I mainly just use it as a store for keeping my photos to post on the many forums I frequent Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Nimraynn Posted October 18, 2013 Author Report Share Posted October 18, 2013 Pressed plates and carbon-effect surrounds delivered. Well, they were advertised as carbon-effect, they're not quite but close enough. I still like them for now. Fitted last night, some photos this morning: Excuse the mismatched rear lights. As you may have seen my damp thread, one was leaking. Swapping for a replacement tomorrow so shoved the old one back on for now Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Nimraynn Posted October 26, 2013 Author Report Share Posted October 26, 2013 So as you've probably seen my xenons thread, I picked up a set of genuine BMW xenons (which appear to be bi-xenons as well) for £200, thanks to Leemutz finding them and sending me a link. Fitted them during the week, got them properly aligned this afternoon and been for a drive this evening. All I can say is they're amazing. I don't think I'd feel happy driving a car with halogens again, the light output on these is just far superior. Absolutely loving them. Cleaned the car this afternoon, so took some clean photos at Bluewater after a little test drive Very, very happy with them. So thanks Lee, for spending all my bloody money mocup and shafz 2 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Nimraynn Posted November 12, 2013 Author Report Share Posted November 12, 2013 Car is currently in the bodyshop getting the wings repaired. Been sent this by my mate who's doing the work: mit 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Nimraynn Posted November 15, 2013 Author Report Share Posted November 15, 2013 So, few updates on this As you can see above, car went into the bodyshop to get the wings repaired. It turned out to only be surface rust, but I'm happier knowing it's been treated and resprayed before winter turns around and completely rots them. I've seen how some can go. Really happy with the work done, so big shout out to my mate Dan & the guys at Dartford Panel & Paint for sorting this out for me I've pinched this photo from earlier in the thread as I forgot to take any befores... but it was a bit worse than this, and same on the other side: Now it looks like this: Now, as you might notice there, I've got my winter wheels on now... They're really quite rough as I didn't pay close enough attention to the tyres before I started, then realised that two were shot, one was OK inner tread but uneven wear on one side and the other was just about legal... so needed new tyres, and the plastidip didn't survive the tyre change very well, which I kinda of expected to be honest... But they're done anyway. They're only winter wheels so they're not mean to be perfect anyway... So started to spray them up: Nearly done: Lined up to get a feel for it: New rubber fitted, touched up the plastidip and threw them on the car: They're.... different The camera does make them look a lot brighter than they actually are. You don't need sunglasses as you drive towards them, but they are very yellow They're only for winter, so why the hell not?! And finally, literally just now, I've taken the foglights off and got round to wrapping them. Unfortunately though, when trying to remove the foglights from the car, as it's cold, they're old and brittle, one of the fins snapped. So need a new trim on one of them now... but I'll sort that out later. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
-Ad- Posted November 15, 2013 Report Share Posted November 15, 2013 I now want csls again... I just can make my mind up! They look awesome on yours! Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Nimraynn Posted January 8, 2014 Author Report Share Posted January 8, 2014 (edited) Latest addition is an Andrive AN-46 headunit. Received it and installed on Monday and first impressions are very good. Even better once I've fiddled around with a few settings and played with the Android side a bit more Apologies for the crap pic. Taken on my phone, just after I'd parked up at work, at about 7:30 when the sun had only just risen For now I've just wedged the climate control panel in place as I haven't got round to sourcing an 18mm relocation panel, and having realised my tax and insurance is due, more interested in forking out for that right now. Will do the 18mm panel later. Probably when it gets light enough that I can actually see the gaps while I'm driving for it to annoy me Also the trim above the stereo doesn't seem to want to clip in properly at the moment... but I'll be taking it out again on Saturday anyway to wire up the next few things... Bought these at the same time: JL Audio CS-110WXv2 subwoofer, 10" sealed box & a JBL GTO-5355 5-channel amplifier. Went for a 5 channel as in a month or two's time, I plan on replacing the speakers and running them to the amp as well, so might as well get the amp ready so I can just wire it up and go when I get the speakers So they're going in on Saturday or Sunday. Edited January 8, 2014 by Nimraynn Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Lex Posted January 8, 2014 Report Share Posted January 8, 2014 I like how the wheels colour matches your window sticker. I'm glad I'm not the only one here with a "boombox" in the trunk, how is the quality of this JL? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Nimraynn Posted January 8, 2014 Author Report Share Posted January 8, 2014 Yeah, got a little bit of a blue & yellow theme going on Not sure if I'm going to follow it through after winter, may remove the sticker and just leave it with calipers. CSL's are staying silver regardless when they're back on in spring/summer I haven't wired up and tested the JL yet, so can't comment on the pre-built sealed enclosure in an E46, but a mate has the same sub in a custom boot floor he built into his 13 plate Corsa VXR and for what it is, it really kicks. Great sound from a 10". Can't wait to install it Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
grantmacdee Posted January 9, 2014 Report Share Posted January 9, 2014 How easy is it to move the climate control down to the position you have it in do you know?? Would love a double din, can you still use the 6cd changer to with that? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Nimraynn Posted January 9, 2014 Author Report Share Posted January 9, 2014 (edited) Pretty easy to be honest. The proper way to do it is by getting a relocation panel, which should be easy to fit. Just a couple screws to remove the old panel. As a temporary bodge, I've just removed the storage compartment (just pulls out, releasing a few clips) and wedged it in place. It sits there, just doesn't look overly pretty. I'll get the relocation panel later. Once the stereo is out, the climate panel just pushes out from behind and there is nothing blocking the cables so when you've removed it, pull the cables down and they'll stretch down to that section. CD changer doesn't work with the Andrive. Not something I'm bothered with, I'll probably take it out and use that space for something else. I'd have thought you'd need to stick with OEM to get the CD changer working, so an OEM sat nav unit. Edited January 9, 2014 by Nimraynn Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
grantmacdee Posted January 9, 2014 Report Share Posted January 9, 2014 Ah thats fair enough enough and is the relocation panel an ebay job or direct from bmw dealers? CD changer wouldnt really bother me either, just would be nice as an addition.. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Nimraynn Posted January 9, 2014 Author Report Share Posted January 9, 2014 Either. It's an OEM part as that is the location the climate panel sits if you had OEM nav. Haven't been to the dealer for a price yet, but I found one on eBay for £60 and Quarry Motors quoted me £50 for one. There are two types, 18mm and 16mm one, so make sure you get the right one. This refers to the button strip in the middle. From what I understand, if you have individual buttons, it's an 18mm. If you have one long strip that contains the buttons, it's a 16mm. May be wrong on that. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Nimraynn Posted January 11, 2014 Author Report Share Posted January 11, 2014 Some better pics of the Andrive Started the day by stripping apart the dash: Wired up the sub and amp Tested it out with the seats up and it was quiet. Dropped the single seat and it was so much louder. So took the ski-plate out: Makes a massive difference! Highly recommended to anyone fitting a sub in the boot! Layout is temporary for now. Bungee cord is to stop it moving for now. I need a longer ground cable for the amp as I can't push the amp back much further. The amp settings are on the opposite side of the amp to the power, so I can't turn it round if I want to be able to access the settings. Going to have a play around with the layout. Once I've chosen how I want it to sit and I've got a longer cable, I'll cut out a wooden floor to properly bolt it all down to. Not tuned the amp yet, but first impressions are good. Sub seems pretty powerful for a 10" in a small box Ashley1995 and Lex 2 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ashley1995 Posted January 13, 2014 Report Share Posted January 13, 2014 Cars looking good pal I have an amp and sub setup in the boot of my 323 and it is quiet and you dont get the full bass you should. How easy is it to remove the ski plate? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Nimraynn Posted January 13, 2014 Author Report Share Posted January 13, 2014 It's not too hard to do. If you put the armrest down, put the single seat down. There's a plastic strip on the left side. Unclip that and start to peel back the carpet a little bit. You should see a few spot welds around the plate. Take a drill, I used a 7.5mm drill bit, and drill through these spot welds. Once they're drilled, take a hammer and give them a bit of a bash to loosen them. I found it easier if I got a screwdriver and gently hammered it in between the plate and the frame to make sure they were loosened. Then just pull it out. Took a bit of effort as the drills alone didn't completely free some of the welds, but was generally plain sailing. There some sharp edges left, so next time I'm down the scrap yard I'll pick up the rubber seal around the door of some s**tbox and use this to protect the bare metal Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
