Dashboard squeaks banished... yee ha!!

[genphreak]

This weekend I pulled my entire dashboard, primarily as the squeaks were getting to me, and I needed to setup the wiring for my cellphone adapter. I found out the squeaks (well more like creaking noise) were the cluster- so I sprayed the mating surfaces with silicone spray (around the outside of the cluster) and that shut it up completely. I read online some time ago the dashpad mounts squeak; they are metal clips that locate into metal brackets on the firewall below the windscreen. I fitted some pvc tape in there to ensure they are quietened just in case but I doubt they were squeaking. It was no simple job but all in all not bad. I'll be quicker next time as I get how the thing goes together now. The way they design these cars is great functionally but they leave a lot to be desired in terms of build smarts- things like removing the console requires removal of the handbrake lever (as well as the boot and handle etc.) which left me incredulous- it was unecessary work if they had designed the console better. There are examples of these sort of things elsewhere too, whether it be difficulties in removing rocker cover or replacing a water pump or distributor on an M30 due to tight clearances (and many other things). That being said I love things like the way the doors lock design, the steering wheel not coming off unless you have the key in the ignition and all those things that would have taken so much thought when you weren't in the business of copying someone else like so many manufacturers.

I have yet more pet peeves after this job to add to those pesky T20 torx head bolts they love so much that strip on sight (with every T20 head I have ever had (even German ones- yesterday was one on a door-handle, the time before that there was the allen key on the rotor button which had to be ground off...). Then there are all those exploding clips on the all the electrical connectors; they look nice but are plain overdone and are just a bullet connector inside. Even if you goto the trouble of buying new ones from BMW you don't get the bullets, and (of-course) they are a right-angle type which I can't find anywhere... it is as if every connector on this car is made from the worst plastic and is completely unique. Is this what some point to as planned obsolosence? Nick

Still haven't solved my problem of the indicator stalk not disabling automatically after turning left (the mecho works fine when you pull it and operate it manually) so I'm having trouble stumping up for a replacement...