5 hours of seat time later - this thing is a blast

[michaelgvh]

I've always owned the smaller engine version of the cars I've bought. 325, 528. This thing, however, is a rocket ship. I have not had the access to the kinds of cars Keef gets to take for test drives so I don't have a great frame of reference, all I know is this thing is silly quick and is stuck to the ground like a go-kart. The software, cams, pulleys, CAI and exhaust really made it noticably faster than the 330ci I test drove a week or two ago. I really need to raise the PSS9s or I may not be able to get it over the lip on my garage... and I'm really exagerating.
6 gear is nice. Haven't had that since the A6 and the top gear is really tall for relatively economic highway cruising.
My only major issue is the exhaust/intake combo is louder than I'd like. I'll bring it to my shop and see if there's an easy way to tone it down some. I'm not a teenager anymore.
Otherwise car is mechanically in good shape. I think the seller just got in over his head. It was obvious that he let a few things go. Small example, mismatched door lock knobs. Obviously one of the Racing Dynamics metal knobs broke, but instead of finding a matching one or getting 4 new ones that match, there's one black plastic one. Stupid. He only owned the car for 9 months and he had to sell it when he lost his job and still had 5k owed to the bank on it. I don't think he was ready to own this car yet... probably a 24 year old dude or so.
I also found a nice surprise in the sunglasses cubby hole, a wire that looks suspiciously like a V1 connection. It must be a mount for the remote display. I'll have to find out where it goes to see if I want to use it, but it's nice to see. I think that's also where I'll rout my DICE install.
I'll take a few months to get the cosmetic things cleaned up, new fog light and brake duct, new lock knobs, etc. I'm sure little things will pop up.
But the bottom line is, the car looks nice on a macro level and drives such that I had a sh1t-eating grin on my face for most of the drive... except of course when I was near NYC, that place just gives me the willys.

[cek]

you got a silly deal and have the winter to go over it in detail. have fun.

[michaelgvh]

more like an un-mod.

I happened to have had a spare roundel on my dresser for the past few years with no apparent use for it. I have no idea when I bought it or why I bought it.
So I removed the stupid Racing Dynamics roundel off the hood and the one on my shelf happened to be the right size.

Back to stock.============================================ =============

Michael G. vH

1999 528it
1994 325i (sold)

[NY_Pete]

[michaelgvh]

I'll send one to you.============================================== ===========

Michael G. vH

1999 528it
1994 325i (sold)

[Keef]

you scored a hell of a deal mr. gvh. Once you address the PO's sins the car will be 100%. Excelelnt work and glad you had a great drive back.

[NY_Pete]

It'd just sit on my dresser for years though... :)

[michaelgvh]

I had this thing sitting around for 2 years now also. I never got around to ripping out my interior of the E39. The new car is missing most of the grommets (plastic pins?) that hold the upholstery together in the trunk so it was easy access.
I routed the unit under the driver's seat and then put the iPod in the little tray under the arm rest.
Next up... hardwire for the V1.=============================================== ==========

Michael G. vH

1999 528it
1994 325i (sold)

[NY_Pete]

[michaelgvh]

When I bought the hardwire kit for the 528 the package got lost in the mail so the guy sent me a new one... then of course the original one showed up also so I had a spare lying around.

Can't seem to figure out the programming for the garage door opener, though.

I'm 'working' from home today.============================================ =============

Michael G. vH

1999 528it
1994 325i (sold)

[Keef]

2 nice mods... off to a good start.

[michaelgvh]

I have probably spent 45 minutes pressing and holding buttons to no avail and it is getting frikking cold out again.
I've read at least a dozen writeups on how to program it including the manufacturer of homelink. Nothing. I may ask my shop if the can do it for me. I'm not above asking for help.

Also, I checked the AWACS spot in the roof to see if that's where the V1 was wired to. No such luck.
As I was reading up on V! installs, I bumped into a post you contributed to on a 'competing' BMW forum who shall remain nameless.

How much was/is the laser protection component?

Finally, since I was home today, Mrs. GVH asked me to get the dry cleaning. So of course I used that as an excuse to take out the new car and play some tunes from the iPod. I pull up front and go inside, get the laundry and the 25 year old at the counter goes... "by the way, I love your car."
She has no idea how much that made my day.
================================================== =======

Michael G. vH

1999 528it
1994 325i (sold)

[Keef]

Love it.

Laser protection was approximately $350 IIRC. WELL worth it, especially if you do a lot of interstate driving or your state or local pd use laser. It has saved me many times.

[michaelgvh]

================================================== =======

Michael G. vH

1999 528it
1994 325i (sold)

[michaelgvh]

================================================== =======

Michael G. vH

1999 528it
1994 325i (sold)

[michaelgvh]

================================================== =======

Michael G. vH

1999 528it
1994 325i (sold)

[NY_Pete]

with cheap chinese crap

[Keef]

Screw replicas... the RD wheels have value, I'm sure you can trade them to someone for a nice set of 18s.

[michaelgvh]

I didn't even notice those were reps. I just saw the fishy ads in 3 area craigslists with 3 different prices.

I just don't think I can run 19s in Maine. The roads would eat them up and those rims are pretty soft according the guy who took a bend out of them for me before I bought the car.

The RD2s are pretty nicked up. They wouldn't fetch a big pile of cash, but I also have my nice M Pars with decent rubber from the E39 that I'll sell separately. I already have a couple folks interested, I just need to get some recent pics and decide on an asking price. That should fetch enough for something relatively nice.

I like both the E46 M3 and the ZHP rims, but they both have narrow channels that I bet are a [Oops!] to keep clean. I'm always a fan of clean and simple 5-spokes or split 5-spokes, but there are some others out there that I like. I'm keeping an eye out on all the usual places.

I forget what you're running? Got recent pics of what the M looks like?
================================================== =======

Michael G. vH

1999 528it
1994 325i (sold)

[michaelgvh]

In case roadfly won't allow the link...
Replace the Z with and e

http://forum.Z46fanatics.com/showthread.php?t=819006=========================== ==============================

Michael G. vH

1999 528it
1994 325i (sold)