Forgive me, for I have strayed...

[billb]

I've been a busy guy lately, and haven't checked in on bimmernut.com..., er...bimmer.info...whatever our name is!

Saturday was filter day. Air filter (2 minute job), fuel filter (5 minute job), microfilter (10 minute job). Also belt day. Both of them (30 minute job). Lest I forget how much I dislike changing the main serpentine, I have 4 nasty scars on my hands from the job.

Looks like we're going to shuffle our cars a little. My 318is is as near sold as it can be without it being out of my driveway; just working on the transport logistics. We're going to put the Explorer on Craigslist and see what it brings. I'll get the 525 as my daily driver, and we're looking at XC90s for the family hauler.

525 has 155k on it now...

[whiskychaser]

I've been a busy guy lately, and haven't checked in on bimmernut.com..., er...bimmer.info...whatever our name is!

Saturday was filter day. Air filter (2 minute job), fuel filter (5 minute job), microfilter (10 minute job). Also belt day. Both of them (30 minute job). Lest I forget how much I dislike changing the main serpentine, I have 4 nasty scars on my hands from the job.

Looks like we're going to shuffle our cars a little. My 318is is as near sold as it can be without it being out of my driveway; just working on the transport logistics. We're going to put the Explorer on Craigslist and see what it brings. I'll get the 525 as my daily driver, and we're looking at XC90s for the family hauler.

525 has 155k on it now...

Can I please have the instructions for 10 minute microfilter job (RHD)?

[billb]

Can I please have the instructions for 10 minute microfilter job (RHD)?

Not sure about RHD. LHD is as follows:

1. open and remove glovebox
2. remove upper box trim
3. remove side trim
4. remove ductwork
5. remove "sword"
6. remove torx screw holding bottom of microfilter cover on
7. rotate filter cover latch up
8. remove cover
9. pull out old filter
10. installation is the reverse

I've followed this method every time, and it gets faster each time. As for the RHD version, I'm sure it will be different. Pedals in the way and all that.

[DaveVoorhis]

Can I please have the instructions for 10 minute microfilter job (RHD)?

In some respects, it's easier than LHD cars because the glove box doesn't have to be removed. Once the under-dash cover and carpet panel are removed, the hardest part is getting your arms and legs into a position where you can unscrew the microfilter cover and slide the new two-piece filter into position past the pedals. It's a vaguely uncomfortable job (and it helps to be skinny and flexible), but fairly quick and easy. Ten minutes sounds about right.

[whiskychaser]

In some respects, it's easier than LHD cars because the glove box doesn't have to be removed. Once the under-dash cover and carpet panel are removed, the hardest part is getting your arms and legs into a position where you can unscrew the microfilter cover and slide the new two-piece filter into position past the pedals. It's a vaguely uncomfortable job (and it helps to be skinny and flexible), but fairly quick and easy. Ten minutes sounds about right.

Sounds a lot easier than I thought. First dry day and I will give it a go. BTW, is the 525 still gathering dust or did you part it out?

[DaveVoorhis]

BTW, is the 525 still gathering dust or did you part it out?

Still gathering dust, though the bonnet has turned into a handy shelf whilst working on the 535. Work, a new girlfriend, and general busy-ness have been taking up all my time. One of these weekends I'll commit some time, strip it down in a frenzy of disassembly and sell the lot, though I keep getting these odd notions to transplant the engine into my E30.

[ScottyWM]

Good to see you back Bill! How are the little ones doing? I hope whoever is getting the E30 knows how lucky they are. (wish it was me)

BTW - I'm officially unemployed now...

[Jr ///M5]

Bill,

I saw your ad in Roundel for the 318iS last month and was remembering the day you bought it. I feel partly responsible for that.... I do hope that it served you well and was as dependable as mine was. As you know, I turned it over to Aubrey when he turned 16, he just turned 19 the other day and is still driving it, although it sits most of the time at college, he does drive it once a week to keep things loosened up. It's still a great car for him. The kids at school are amazed at his ability to "drive stick"...he wouldn't have it any other way.

You could always keep the 318iS until your little one was old enough to drive, you know it'll be there before you know it. =)

Best regards to you, Bill and Lainey, take care of those lil' chillen'....

your friend,
JR

[Bill R.]

don't spend enough time working on cars and want something that will be a real problem They keep showing up around here on local Craig's lists really cheap but common sense is telling me to stay far far away.

Anyway good luck with that.

I've been a busy guy lately, and haven't checked in on

bimmernut.com..., er...bimmer.info...whatever our name is!

Saturday was filter day. Air filter (2 minute job), fuel filter (5 minute job), microfilter (10 minute job). Also belt day. Both of them (30 minute job). Lest I forget how much I dislike changing the main serpentine, I have 4 nasty scars on my hands from the job.

Looks like we're going to shuffle our cars a little. My 318is is as near sold as it can be without it being out of my driveway; just working on the transport logistics. We're going to put the Explorer on Craigslist and see what it brings. I'll get the 525 as my daily driver, and we're looking at XC90s for the family hauler.

525 has 155k on it now...

[billb]

don't spend enough time working on cars and want something that will be a real problem They keep showing up around here on local Craig's lists really cheap but common sense is telling me to stay far far away.

Anyway good luck with that.

Yes, that is what I'm afraid of. I've had 105k almost trouble-free miles out of my Explorer (save some tranny hiccups), yet I've read nothing too positive about the XC90. Anything we get will be CPO/warrantied for sure.

I was looking over the maintenance/repair logs of our bimmers over the past few years, and it's amazing the shape of the curve. A peak near 100k miles, then rapid dropping off again. On the 525, we spent $91 in 2007, $75 in 2008, for about 13,500 miles. That's just a tick over a penny per mile. On the 318, $153 in 2007, $65 in 2008, over 12,200 miles. Closer to 2 pennies per mile. Not bad, I suppose, but we've outgrown the E30.

Jr, to your point, I could mothball it, but I've already got one garage bay filled (with the Model A)...