E39 Diaries

Arizona...

2010-04-01T17:54:00.000-07:00

Window regulators are not the only parts that the heat kills.

Deja Vu

2009-09-22T20:50:00.000-07:00

My car just ate yet another front window regulator (part #51338252393 and #51338252394), which brings the total number of them replaced to four. That is, given the fact that windows in my car are rarely opened at all. Wonder how many window regulators normal people have gone through.

Every time the root cause is the same: same shitty plastic part (see the photo above) shattering. Sounds like a design defect to me, wonder what BMW is going to do about it.

Tires

2009-08-24T16:29:00.000-07:00

Original

Uninspiring to the point that I don't remember what they were except the manufacturer: Dunlop.

First replacement: Bridgestone Potenza S-03 Pole Position

Excellent performance, but with aging these have become loud as drums of hell. Best tire performance for all combinations of tires and vehicles that I've driven so far (had them on our other car as well, same observations).

Second replacement: Michelin Pilot Sport PS2

Much quieter, but very sneaky. Whereas S-03 provided scalpel-exact control, PS2 tended to give in quietly without giving much indication of the fact, and then break out of control in a chaotic manner. Didn't live as long as S-03, either, but, for practical reasons, this is what I'd probably go with for street driving - S-03 is very loud.

Third replacement: Bridgestone Potenza RE760 Sport

Crying shame in comparison to the first two. Have nobody to blame except myself - gave in to financial considerations (almost half the price of others at the time) and others' testimonials - granted, it may perform admirably on 3 Series, but is sorely deficient for a fiver.

All sets lived about 25k miles each, will have to dig up exact numbers.

The Bucket List

2009-08-24T16:00:00.000-07:00

Unlike E28, this car hasn't been thoroughly neglected throughout its life, rather the opposite. However, more than a few scars were applied to it by the caring stdealership (the name withheld to protect the guilty). Nowadays, it mostly is under the caring custody of the first (and hopefully the only) owner, with rare endeavors to trusted places.

DONE

Instrument Cluster (dead pixels)
O2 Sensor (misfire, rough idle)
Driver Door Window Rails (loud clicking sounds)
Driver Door Window Regulator (window got stuck halfway down, cause identified to be a five cent piece of plastic shattered under extreme heat)
Coolant expansion tank (cracked)
Sticking right rear door (won't open at times)
Radiator (cracked)
Viscous Clutch (seized)
Front pads and rotors (normal wear & tear) @60,731 mi
Water Pump (bearing seal went south)
Belt drive pulleys and tensioners (preventive maintenance, original pulley bearings got too loose for my liking)
Front right window regulator (part #51338236860) - gave up the ghost on 2009/09/22
Reading light (part #63312491509)

IN PROGRESS

Nothing

PENDING

Sticking left rear door lock - won't lock once in a while
Driver Door window rails (loud clicking sound)
Parking brake needs to be adjusted (doesn't hold)

NICE TO HAVE

Front suspension rebuild - at 65K miles, aging shocks are becoming noticeable, as well as a little shimmy under hard braking from high speed
Cosmetic treatment - a few dings on the doors, plus a few small rock chips here and there - nothing abnormal for the climate and environment

WILL NOT FIX

Random OBC restarts once in a few months. Started right after the dealership replaced the radiator in July 2007, but the symptoms are so volatile, I would never prove anything, so the hell with it.

What This Is All About

2009-08-24T15:49:00.000-07:00

A while ago, E28 joined our family. The Bucket List arrived shortly thereafter.

Some time later, it has become obvious that aging E39 (though just about the newest of them all, dated February 2003) also needs the bucket list. This is where it would be, along with shop notes.