BMW e34

Craftsman 2-1/4 ton Floor Jack with 2-1/4 ton Jack Stands

2006-02-17T09:47:00.000-08:00

Just came across a great deal on a 2 1/4 ton floor jack and matching jack stands for only $27.49 at Sears....which is great. Sears stands behind everything they sell and that is probably the reason why they are still in business these days. Thanks to slickdeals for the heads up.

Technorati Tags: Sears, Floor Jack, Jack Stands, Sale

M5 Sedan Madness

2006-02-16T10:31:00.000-08:00

So, I was down in my old hometown of San Diego this past weekend and I was driving south in our rental car, when I noticed a new 5 Series next to me. I could only see the front quarter panel of the car, but I immediately noticed the "gills" on the side of the car. Clearly, they were factory and clearly, they only meant one thing...there was a brand new M5 next to me. I was pretty fired up, knowing that that thing had 500 hp on tap. Of course, I would have been a little more fired up had I been the one behind the wheel. I miss San Diego and I especially miss the fact that my e34 M5 doesn't get digned and "bumped" into like it does here in San Fancisco. What a load of crap.

Technorati Tags: M5, BMW

One Reason to Live in France

2006-02-02T10:33:00.000-08:00

I don't really care much for french wine. But, I do care for really cool cars. I know this has nothing to do with BMW or e34s per say, but how cool is this Peugeot 205 turbo 15 Evo I? I think it is pretty damn cool. Now, it might be that I am a little biased due to my long history of car video game playing, but anything that is this small and light with 340 bhp has to be a kick in the pants to drive.

Technorati Tags: Peugeot 205, turbo, Evo I

Race Ready M5

2005-12-02T14:26:00.000-08:00

Anyone need a race ready M5? I just noticed this thing thanks to a post by James Munro on the s38--m88 list. Hmmm, I am going to be in France next summer...

SLS Elimination Part 2

2005-11-08T08:15:00.000-08:00

Well, after a month of the e34 M5 being at Phaedrus, here in San Francisco, I picked her up Friday afternoon. I was a littl apprehensive as there was so much work that had been done, I almost forgot some if not all of it. The main thing on my mind was obviously the suspension work that had been done. Talking to people on line, you will find that there is a division among "purists" who say removing the self-leveling system is sacreligious and others that are very happy with the "new" suspensions they have put on their e34 M5s. My situation was simple, the left rear SLS "shock" was frozen up. It managed to do some other damage while it was frozen and that cost me some extra money to have the shock mount repaired. But, I will rarely have more than just me in the car and I have probably had more than two people in the car less than a handful of times. Translation, I really don't have a use for a SLS system.

The decision was made that for about the same money, I could replace shocks/struts all around, replace the springs at all four corners and "eliminate" (plug) the SLS system for about the same money as it would cost to repair the SLS shock. So, I decided to go with a set of H&R springs and Bilstein shocks and struts. What really concerned me was the talk of the ride being MORE harsh than a stock e34 M5's ride. Well, I am not sure if it was the fact that I could not remember the original ride or that the system was messed up for so long, but the car rides like a dream to me. Bumps are pronounced, but they will be on a car whose suspension is setup to be responsive. So, I took the car over to Marin and drove it up Hwy. 1 for a little suspension test.

The car was incredibly tight and responsive. Spencer and the boys at Phaedrus did a remarkable job with my car. The steering was tigher, a result of their work and maintenance items that must have needed attention. Bumps can be an issue at speed as the suspension's new bump stops are apparently a little more "up close and personal" than the stock units. You will find these if an unexpected bump comes up. But, the trauma is not "that" bad. My car was fitted with Dinan springs up front when I purchased it, so my "stock" suspension outlook is probably different than someone with a bone stock setup. Let's run down a few things:

Turn In

The car turns in very well, but I will be dropping the tire pressure up front just a few lbs. to see if that can correct some of the built-in understeer. If that doesn't do it, then some camber plates may be in order. But, the car turns in very well, and to be honest, it is perfect for the street. If your steering has a little off-center play, I would take it in or do some maintenance work, replacing all of the serviceable items up front. My steering is quite a bit tighter and it really gives you a whole different feel when driving the car.

Bump Stops

I was warned that a setup like this would have less overall travel and that the bump stops (internal in the Bilstein setup) would come into play a lot sooner. I found this to be true as I travelled over the (very bumpy at times) Hwy 1. BIG bumps can come up, but to be honest, the suspension ate them up much better than expected. Maybe it was my keen driving skills, but the suspension actually performed better than expectations over "hidden" bumps.

Overall Impressions

Overall, I am very excited about the new setup. It has exceeded my expectations. I think that if I had to do it again, I would like to see what some adjustable Konis would add the the equation. There was one or two times that I felt I would like to tweak with the rebound settings on the shocks, but overall the Bilstein units are VERY impressive. Shock performance was up there, beyond where I expected them to be. The ride is smooth and not harsh. I am taking into account that the car is setup to be performance driven and one should expect a semi-harsh ride to begin with. If you own an e34 M5 and you think the ride is too harsh, get a different car. I would definitely recommend this setup to any e34 M5 owner.

SLS Elimination

2005-10-11T12:36:00.000-07:00

Well, after talking to a bunch of people who have a lot of experience with the e34 M5 suspension, I am thinking that it may make more sense to repair the SLS that is on the car. Most people have said that elimination of the SLS and replacing it with one of the limited number of suspension setups on the market today will result in a much harsher ride than stock. Now, my car's rear suspension has probably been messed up for a while and I have probably forgotten what that ride is like, but anything harsher than what I have now could break some fillings loose. Apparently the Bilstein shocks and strtuts are far too stiff for the e34 and the internal bump stops should be replaced by Bilstein with a setup more suitable for the e34 cars. It is possible to use an adjustable shock/strut like the Konis, but it doesn't seem like anyone I have spoken with is a fan of this either. So, I am kind of at a loss here for what to do. I need to give Spencer a call and talk about what I have learned and what our options are.

M5 Comes Home Tomorrow

2005-10-03T21:29:00.000-07:00

I am supposed to be getting the M5 back tomorrow. I took the car into Phaedrus here in San Francisco on Thursday morning to get a number of repairs done including having the rear shock mount welded or repaired. The car is making some kind of sqweaking noise when it is cold and going over any kind of bump. I am also having them fix the hesitation that has resulted from the trip to the car wash sans the plastic under cover that was once a part of the car, until it decided to remove itself on the freeway one day at 70mph. Phaedrus is the cleanest shop I have ever stepped foot in and I am excietd to get the M5 back tomorrow.

Unlocking a BMW e34 5 Series With a Dead Battery

2005-09-29T09:49:00.000-07:00

For those of you looking for a way to unlock your e34 5 series BMW with a dead battery, there is an easy procedure to get back into your car so you can jump it.

Lift the door handle on the front passenger door.

Insert the key into the lock and turn the key to unlock the door.

You are in

This is a mechanical safety to get into your BMW when the battery is totally dead and will not allow the door actuators to work.

Battery Drain on the e34 Cars

2005-09-28T11:05:00.000-07:00

What is the deal with the battery drain on e34 BMWs? It is pretty annoying. I guess that is what I get for having two cars and not living someplace with a garage anymore. My e34 M5 is outside right now with a dead battery because I have not driven it much in the past few weeks. Granted, I "should" drive the car more, but the battery should not need to have a trickle charger attached to it all of the time to keep it up to par. I am not sure the battery will even hold a charge anymore, which is pretty sweet. Just be sure to drive your car every week for at least 20 minutes at a time to keep a decent charge in the battery.

Abu Dhabi Loves the M5 and New M6

2005-09-20T11:57:00.000-07:00

Well, I guess I need to be in the oil and gas business because all of the M5s and M6s that are slated for Abu Dhabi have been sold according to an article in AME Info, an Arab news website. Who doesn't need a 500+bhp V10 motor backed by a 7 speed SMG gearbox? I know I do.

Water + BMW == Good

2005-08-22T16:53:00.000-07:00

Well, a little while back the plastic shield on the bottom of the motor came off at about 85mph on the 280 here in Northern California. Somehow it held on with one bolt. I took the car to one of those drive through car washes one day (yeah, yeah, I know) and a couple of days later I noticed that the car sputtered at low RPM and low speed. At first I thought I just hit a bump or something, but it was confirmed a few minutes later. Thinking that it is probably a faulty O2 sensor or something I wondered why it would go bad now. I am suspecting that the culprit was the car wash that shoots water up from the ground to clean the undercarriage. Nice, there goes a few hundo.

CV Joints

2005-07-27T13:37:00.000-07:00

Anyone have some pointers on replacing/servicing the CV joints on an e34 M5? I would like to overhaul the entire suspension on the car and while I am in there, I figure I may as well service and replace the CV joints and boots. So, any help is appreciated.

Study Bibles

2005-06-28T09:59:00.000-07:00

If you are looking for a quality study bible, you know that it can be an expensive proposition to find one via the "trial and error" process. However, we found a cool site that has reviews of many of the top study bibles out today. There is a King James Bible that seems to be the best study bible on the market today. So, if you or someone you know is looking for a good study bible, check out this site's reviews.

BMW X6 Spy Shots?

2005-06-21T10:00:00.000-07:00

Could it be that BMW is developing another "4x4" platform for their existing "X" line of cars including the X3 and X5 for the 2008 model year. These guys seem to think that they have spy photos of what very well could be the 2008 BMW X6. A "crossover" car combining the new 6 series coupe with an X class 4x4. It makes perfect sense as Mercedes has been very successful with their 4 door SUV platform. I guess we will have to stay tuned.

BMW Roundels/Hood Emblems

2005-06-08T14:33:00.000-07:00

Isn't valdalism great. I can admit to stealing some chrome valve stem covers for my BMX bike when I was a kid, but taking the hood emblem from someone's M5? That seems like a bit over the top to me. Especially when the car is parked in one of the nicest parts of town. I love spoiled kids. Anyway, I ended up finding some great deals on BMW Roundels on Zawow. I can pick one up for $10 or get a pair of black "M" Roundels for $29. I have to make sure they will fit the e34 before I order the black ones.

Ferrari 250 GTO

2005-06-01T22:46:00.000-07:00

I remember one of the first Ferraris that I knew the model number of, the 250 GTO. It was the last, purpose built, front engined, V12 street/race cars that Ferrari built. The car has, to this day, some of the most beautiful lines that I have ever seen. Watching a show on the Pebble Beach Tour d' Elegance this past weekend, one was featured and I sat in front of the television speechless. This is clearly a car that, if money were no object, I would pursue very quickly. Let me see if I can dig up a photo of one of these beauties.

Gas Mileage Tips

2005-05-31T16:28:00.000-07:00

With gasoline prices through the roof, and likely to spike this summer with the seasonal demand increases, here are a few tips to help you save some money on gas.

Tune up your ride. Staying on top of your engine and car's maintenance can improve your gas mileage.

Infate your tires. Studies have shown that keeping your tires inflated to the proper pressure can get you around 3% better gas mileage. I just picked up a great dial pressure gague at Brookstone for $12.

Replace your air filter. Driving around with a dirty air filter can cost you a lot more than the $3 to $5 it costs for a new one. Studies show a clean air filter can increase mileage about 10%! That is huge. So, stop being so lazy an clean that K&N already.

Lose some weight. Studies indicate that every 100 lbs you remove from your car can increase your fuel economy by about 2%

There you go. Now get on all of those things you know you should be doing anyway...now you have a good reason. Money.

Jaguar XKR Victory Edition

2005-05-29T10:06:00.000-07:00

Just got a peek at the new Jaguar XKR Victory Edition...oh my. That is one fine automobile. I may have to put that at the top of my "cars I need" list. Supercharged 390BHP V8, custom Recaro leather 'race inspired' seats, carbon fiber interior accents and Bluetooth connectivity built in to the steering wheel and car electronics. It will be available in coupe and convertible forms this year. It is a sweet ride, that is for sure.

2005-05-22T00:28:00.000-07:00

e34 M5 "Fan" wheel. These came stock on the early e34 M5 cars from '91 to '93 I believe. These wheels are not as stylish as the "Throwing Star" wheels found on the '93 to '95 e34 M5s, but they are much better at keeping your front brakes cool when you are on the big track at Willow Springs Raceway...or wherever you like to tear around in your M5.

2005-05-22T00:22:00.000-07:00

Here is a blue e34 M% somewhere where there is snow. As you can see, the trim along the bottom of the car is a dark charcaol metallic color. This is also found on the trim around the windshield.

e34 M5 Pictures

2005-05-22T00:11:00.000-07:00

I thought it would be cool to post some pictures of the e34 series M5 for those of us that own and love these cars. They are at home at speed and that means going straight and turning. Weighing in at 4,200 plus pounds it is amazing how quick these cars really are. But, what is even more amazing is how well they handle at speed and make you feel more secure than you do sitting at a stoplight. I am using the Hello program from Google/Picassa. Here is a picture of a blue e34 M5.

Gutting the M5

2005-05-19T10:16:00.000-07:00

Well, there is another option to reworking all of the interior panels of the M5, gutting it. That was one of the original plans and after seeing Erik Brannfors' M6 project track car, I just may have to do it. But, that means finding a new home outside of the city or putting it in storage. My luck with storage companies means that I would probably not do it that way. Something about having a stripped down e34 M5 track car however sounds wildly appealing....

e34 Interior Replacement

2005-05-16T14:31:00.000-07:00

My e34 M5 has a number of interior panels that have delaminated in varying degrees. But, they all need to be replaced. The door panels at all four corners will have to be rebuilt with new vynyl/lether and in some cases new backing panels will have to be built. The headliner has also decided to now start delaminating and sagging in the rear of the car a little. So, I have done as much reading on line, on all of the e34 forums and FAQs and have decided that it is probably better to just have one of the pro's do it. I am not an interior guy and I don't have the facilities or the equipment to do the job right. I went to a place a few blocks a way that I have seen a number of times on my way home. It is an old place right off of Geary in San Francisco and I thought it looks perfect. It is not a high dollar place, but I bet they do great work. When I walked in last week, they had the most mint 1970 SS Chevelle in there that they had just done and it was unreal. The car's interior was perfect. I had Joe come out and survey the interior and told me that if I wanted to do everything it would cost me around $1,200 to rebuild the door panels and replace the headliner without doing the sunroof's liner (it is in perfect condition). So, I figure if I have him do absolutely everything I can think of, I can be out of there for under $1,500 and the e34 M5 will have a virtually new interior. Sold.

Clear Coat Compound

2005-05-04T13:30:00.000-07:00

To most car "enthusiasts" the term "waxing" applies to anything other than soap and water that you put on your car's paint. Unfortunately, there are many more steps and chemicals that can and should be applied to your car's finish depending on what it needs. Before clear coat finishes, there was a product called compound. Rubbing compound was used to physically polish and buff out a car's paint finish. This would usually remove a small amount of the car's paint from the car, but bring out a lustre that you had not seen before. These old school rubbing compounds are not suitable for today's clear coat finishes as they would sratch and damage them to the point where they would need to be removed and re-sprayed.

Today we use "clear coat compound" that is basically a polish which is safe for use on clear coat finishes. Many times you will notice there are stains on your paint's finish that do not come off when washed. These can be from birds doing their thing, prolonged contact with contaminants, leaves or a rusty bolt. Most of the time these can be removed using the right chemicals and the right tools. Clear coat compounds and polishes are best applied with an electric buffer. There are two kinds of buffers, one is a high speed buffer (not recommended) and orbital buffers. Contrary to what "professionals" will tell you, the cheap orbital buffers you will find in auto parts stores and Walmart can do a good job for the weekend warrior. They may not be up to the tast for professional use (although I used one it that capacity for years), but the Waxmaster buffers and the like work great. The key is getting yourself some good quality terry cloth pads for the buffer and use the best chemicals you can.

3M and Buford's (professional grade) make excellent products, but are usually only found at professional detailing supply houses. If you cannot find them, using polishes from companies like Meguire's, Mother's and Eagle One are great alternatives.

Three Step Car "Waxing"

I have always used a three-step approach when "waxing" a car. First you must was the car thoroughly and remove any surface dirt, tar and stuck on things like sap. There are special solvents for most of these, so if you have a problem with oil or tar, be sure to get yourself the right product rather than ruining your car's finish with a buttload of rubbing and scratching. Be sure to get a good interior cleaner to clean out the wheel wells and door jambs as well...we want a really clean car to start with. We are going to need three types of "wax" or compounds to clean, polish and wax the car. First, will be a clear coat safe compound. Second, we will use a clear coat safe polish, and last we will use a good quality wax.

Step 1 - Using a clear coat safe cleaner/compound, your orbital buffer, and a high quality, soft buffing pad (terry cloth) apply the cleaner/compound liberally to the pad. The first application to the pad will be a little heavier as the pad will absorb much of it. Be sure to shake the cleaner/compound (unless it is a paste, apply with a butter knife) well before applying and place thin rings around the pad starting from the outside and moving in to the center. 4 to 5 rings should be great. Place the buffer on the car BEFORE turning it on. Then, without applying more than your hand's weight to the buffer, hold down the power button and apply the cleaner/compound to your car's surface. I usually start on the hood of the car and cover the entire hood before applying more cleaner/compound. I then apply a little more cleaner/compound and work my way around the car, applying more as the pad dries out. Do not apply cleaner/compound to black trim, but don't sweat it when you get a little on there.

When you are done applying cleaner/compound, using a clean, super soft, terry cloth towel, remove the cleaner/compound. Be sure to flip the towel to a clean spot once you feel like it is getting "gummed up". You will be able to tell. You will use plenty of towels taking the cleaner/compound and other steps off, so have plenty on hand (maybe 20 or so small 12"x12" towels). Once you have buffed it out by hand and all of the cleaner/compound is removed, you will see that the car is looking pretty good. We are not done yet, it is going to look even better.

Step 2 - Now that you have polished the car, we are going to repeat Step 1, but with a Polish. Polish will fill in small scratches and swirls that are left behind after we have "cleaned" the paint in step one. Apply polish in much the same way that we did in Step 1. Buff it out with plenty of clean towels and then move to Step 3.

Step 3 - Waxing! Ok, now we are actually going to apply some wax to your car's finish. There are two options here. First, is a paste was, second is a liquid wax. I have always been partial to the paste waxes as they seem to leave a better finish, but for the sake of your time and relationships, I have a good compromise. I usually use a combination of liquid and paste waxes. Mind you, I use the professional stuff, but the paste wax is bought at Pep Boys, Auto Zone or whatever. Apply some past wax to a clean buffing pad with a butter knife or small paint scraper. Cover about 50% of the pad with a light layer of wax. You will see that it will spread like warm butter. Then apply some liquid wax from a bottle (be sure to shake well) on top of the paste wax (not too much here) and then apply like you did in Steps 1 & 2. Buff with tons of clean terry cloth towels and you are done. Your car probably looks incredible at this point and you did it yourself. Trust me, you did a better job than someone else would have done.

Now, when you need to wash your car in subsequent weeks, you can wash it well and simply dry it off. I like to re-apply some cleaner/polish (in a combined application to a buffing pad) every couple of weeks followed by some wax. This will keep your finish in tip-top shape.

Hummer H3? What is Next?

2005-04-14T12:45:00.000-07:00

Well, I just saw that the "all new" Hummer H3 was sponsoring a segment on ESPN. The H3 is a "mid-size" SUV. What is next? I am a car guy and I have to be honest, I don't care for the H2 Hummer. I think it is just plain silly. It does not use the same chassis or suspension found on real HumVs and the ones I have ridden in or checked out are about as rugged as a ford explorer. I guess you have to give the people what they want, I guess I just don't understand why it is people would want an H2 let alone a mid-size H3 Hummer.

Car Wash Tricks

2005-04-13T16:35:00.000-07:00

I realized something yesterday as I picked my car up from the local hand car wash. Let me plug them real quick because they do a really great job and are a nice bunch of guys. They are located on the Southeast corner of Lombard and Scott streets in San Francisco. Anyway, they really do a great job, but for the past 3 weeks (due to the fact that I was out of town and it had been raining in the Bay Area) my e34 M5 was sitting under a large tree. Usually, this is not a problem. But, with the horrendous weather we had been having here, there were tons of leaves and all of the dirt in the tree that ended up staying on my car. When I picked the car up from the car wash guys it looked great and shiny. Then I put on my nice, polarized Ray Bans and saw what the naked eye could not. There were dirt drip marks around the hood and trunk on the quarter panels of the car. Obviously there is more work that needs to be done to the paint (cleaned with a cleaning compound, polished and waxed). So, next time you want to asess your car's paint condition, use a good set of polaried glasses after you wash it.

Mercedes 300E AMG "Hammer"

2005-03-23T09:13:00.000-08:00

I have been spending some time down in Palm Desert this week at my future in-laws' house. They have a 320E wagon in the garage that is the house car. We gave it a quick wash last night just in time for the local dust storm and then took it out to dinner. I have to say that while driving it, I immediately thought back to the days of the AMG Hammer 300E cars. In 1987 and 1988 AMG (Hans-Werner Aufrecht and Erhard Melcher the A and M, respectively, in AMG - the G stands for Aufrecht's birthplace, Grossaspach) which was not an official part of Mercedes Benz, but simply a tuner, created a serious muscle car out of mom's grocery getter. The 300E Hammer received the 560 5.5 litre motor, AMG 32 valve heads, exhaust and a host of other suspension and chasis upgrades, lowering the car nearly 2 inches. For those of us that remember the first time we laid our eyes on this car, we remember how shocked we were that a 300E could beat the day's best cars from Porsche and Ferrari...and it had four doors. For a little more dough, AMG would bore out the 560 motor to a full 6.0 litres bringing another 60-70 horsepower, new transmission and rear differential and more chasis upgrades.

I am going to have to look on line and see if anyone has done a 560 motor swap into a 300E that is documented on line. The 320E wagon sure would be a whole lot of fun with 350+ ponies on tap.

H2 Supercharger

2005-03-11T16:25:00.000-08:00

Well, I am not a fan of the H2 Hummer, but if I did have one, I would have to get one of these H2 supercharger kits by Magnacharger installed. A 63-125% gain in horsepower? Sign me up dude. I need to check one of these bad boys out. I don't see any performance numbers on their site, but I am sure that it is one ugly beast on the road. Hmm, maybe a lowered, supercharged H2...

RennTech Mercedes

2005-03-06T12:23:00.000-08:00

Wll, these guys don't tune BMWs, but they make a mean Mercedes. I really like the RennTech cars from the styling to the performance. They are very simply serious about making power and setting their cars apart from the crowd. You will find many cars they have built for sale on their site as well. There are actually some great deals if you are looking for the ultimate performance/luxury machine. Or, you can find great parts to make your Mercedes perform.

The Rennsport 330ii 4 Door M3

2005-03-01T21:40:00.000-08:00

What happens when a bunch of BMW tuners with some money in the bank decide they want a four door e46 M3? The Rennsport 330ii, that is what. The boys over at Rennsport have over 12k into the bodywork alone on this car. Power comes frfom the 24 valve, six cylinder 330i motor, but it is fitted with an ASA SK1 supercharger putting out 6.5 psi. Horsepower comes in at 350hp and 320 lb-ft of torque, which is just above a stock M3's power rating. All in all, it will be a hefty price to pay to get yourself two more doors for your e46 M3, somewhere around $60K + I would guess. But, if you have to have four doors, you have to have four doors. :)

How Much Fun Is It?

2005-02-24T18:18:00.000-08:00

I have to say, every time I drive my e34 M5 I get happy. It is so much fun to climb into that thing and drive around. That car really makes you just want to drive. It sounds like such a cliche, but the e34 M5 really is the perfect 4 door performance sedan.

Shadowline Trim

2005-02-22T18:17:00.000-08:00

I just visited Vancouver for a week and I came across an amazing e30 that I could not keep my eyes off. Unfortunately, I did not have a camera on me or I would have snapped a few digital photos of the beauty. One of the things that set the car off was blacked out "shadowline trim." Shadowline trim is optional on all current BMW models and it was available on new e34 cars as well. Offered in matte and glossy finishes, shadowline gets rid of the chrome around the windows, body panels, bumpers and grille. So, if you are looking for a way to set off your BMW, you may want to take a look at some of these cars and put some of this trim on your ride.

e34 Shadowline Part Numbers

Here are the part numbers for shadowline trim for your e34:

51 21 2 232 447/8 Front doors
51 21 2 232 449/50 Rear doors
51 13 2 232 441/2 Drip rails
51 13 1 924 953 clips (about 24)
51 13 1 870 459 ( 2 they get damaged upon removal)

Shadowline Alternatives

Here is a guy who has an alternative to buying shadowline for your e30. He painted trim black to simulate the shadowline trim offered from the factory. There are some before and after pictures.

Bay Area 1989-1991 325is

2005-02-18T10:53:00.000-08:00

I am looking for a 1989-1991 325is as a project car/daily driver in San Francisco, California. I am tired of my other cars getting backed into by the locals who think it is ok to drive by braile. My e34 M5 has been hit in the side by a construction worker from across the street, bumped in the trunk lid by someone who decided not to leave a note (thanks whomever you are) and some kid decided to throw a cinder block through one of the side rear windows for fun. FYI, that took place across the street from the mayor's old house (he just moved). So, I have decided that a smaller car that I am not really as concerned about would be a great thing. I was thinking about a Mini Cooper or a VW Golf. Both of those would be fun to drive and easier to park in this crazy place. But, while in Vancouver this past weekend, I saw a really nice 325is that had a performance suspension on it. I remembered back in the day when a few of my friends had this same setup and they were a blast to drive. So, I figured I would try and pick one up for myself. I checked online last night in the Auto Trader and there were none to be found! Am I not the only one who thinks this would be a fun car to drive around the city? I guess not.

e34 Thrust Arm Bushings

2005-02-08T14:37:00.000-08:00

Found a great deal on some e34 thrust arm bushings over at Zawow. Only $29 right now. They probably retail for 2 to 3 times that at the good old BMW dealer. If you are doing any front suspension work, you may as well replace these as they can tighten up the front end considerably if they are at all worn.

Falcon 2000 Jet - Everyone Needs One

2005-02-07T19:47:00.000-08:00

There is no bigger rush for me than speed in some sort of man made machine. Car or plane or motorcycle (although I do not own one). I had the great fortune to take a ride in a Falcon 2000 jet yesterday and let me tell you, everybody needs one of these. This is the second time that I have been on board one of these bad boys and let me tell you, it can boogie. Take off is pretty awesome as that thing accelerates really, really quickly and the departure angle is a bit steeper (if you would like it to be) than you are used to on a commercial aircraft. So, if you have the means, I highly recommend picking one up. They are so choice.

Cunningham - Carrera Panamericana

2005-02-02T20:30:00.000-08:00

I was recently reading about a video some refer to as the, "Cunningham - Carrera Panamericana" video. Apparently in this video, we are blessed to be inside the cockpit of M5's and M6's as they race across Mexico. I have been searching all over the internet, but have been unable to find this viedo. I did find a Pink Floyd video that documents the band's own experience driving the famed Carrera Panamericana. From the user reviews of the video, this seems like a great video for the avid car enthusiast as well as the avid Pink Floyd fan.

e31 Caliper Upgrade on e34 M5

2005-01-31T14:46:00.000-08:00

Apparently BMW is just a bunch of guys who love to make and drive cars. I realize this every time I drive my e34 M5. But, I learned today that on the e31 840 cars, there was a front brake upgrade option to Brembo 4 pot calipers. These calipers are a bit hard to find these days, but can be had. They are pretty much a bolt-on upgrade, from what I understand, to the twin pot e34 M5 calipers. Anyone who has had their e34 M5 on the track knows that overheating the front brakes can be a problem on high speed courses like the big track at Willow Springs. Surely, this e31 Brembo caliper upgrade will help overheating somewhat while adding a significant increase in clamping power.

Supercharged e34 M5

2005-01-27T16:14:00.000-08:00

It appears that there are a few tuners out there that will supercharge your e34 M5 as well as other BMW models. I found this Lenz system for the e34 M5 including a twin supercharger setup. They appear to use a centifugal supercharger setup which is powered by a serpentine belt setup. Claimed horsepower is in the 470 hp range and 1000 hp for the twin setup. That is M power.

Turbo e34 M5?

2005-01-26T17:11:00.000-08:00

Anyone have a turbo e34 M5? I would like to hear your experiences with forced inuction on your e34 M5. The high compression s38 motor is most likely not the best cadidate for turbocharging, but with some new pistons I am sure this motor would be great.

Removing e34 Door Panels

2005-01-23T20:57:00.000-08:00

It appears that our friends at BMW decided it would be a good time to become environmentally concious when they built the door panels for the e34 cars. Because of this, the door panels will delaminate after exposure to enough heat...and since the panels are created using one piece of vinyl, it makes a big mess. Removing the panels for repair, is not diffucult, if you have the right instructions Gary Derian can help with this quick "how to."

BMW e34 Floor Mats

2005-01-21T13:45:00.000-08:00

I recently replaced the flimsy stock M5 floor mats in my e34 with some new ones I found on Zawow. They are much thicker than the stock e34 floor mats, which are paper thin. So, if you are in the market for some new mats, you may want to check out that link.

Installing VDO Guages With an M30

2005-01-19T16:57:00.000-08:00

Just came across this great page Devinder Grewal put up on installing VDO guages with an M30 motor. There has been some chat lately about using stock guages when doing an S38B36 motor swap into other chasis. The long and short of it is, you will need to get the proper sender for the guages you are going to use. The documentation for engine swaps like this is slim.

BMW's In-Dash Warning System

2005-01-17T18:46:00.000-08:00

I was driving up to Sonoma this past weekend and I had a tail light go out. How do I know this? Well, the car told me so. As soon as I depressed the brake pedal, a message came up on the dashboard telling me that a tail light was out. Of course, it reminded me of that the entire drive up, I guess that is BMW's way of making sure you get that light fixed. BMW is clearly on top of their game.

Kumho ECSTA Supra 712 Tires

2005-01-13T15:11:00.000-08:00

I have the Kumho ECSTA Supra 712 tires in Z flavor 245x17 on the stock M5 "throwing star" wheels. I have to say, these may not be the absolute best tires on the market, but for the money, they are second to none. I would recommend these tires to anyone who is serious about driving. They are very predictable. The tires give you great feedback on exactly what they are doing and I have never had a situation where I did not know something was about to break loose. No sudden changes, just consistent results. I had the M5 on the big track at Willow Springs a couple of years ago and they performed quite well. As one of my driving coaches said, "we definitely are pushing these tires to their limits"...and they loved it. They made a little bit of noise going up into turn 4, but what tires wouldn't? So, if you are looking at a good set of performance tires for your ride and you don't want to break the bank, check out the Kumho ECSTA Supra 712's.

BMW Reset Tool

2005-01-12T17:46:00.000-08:00

Most people that work on their e34 M5 will have one already, but I am sure there are plenty of people out there who still don't have one. So, I thought I would post a place here where you can find a BMW reset tool. These reset tools will allow you to reset the automatic service indicator in your car for oil changes, etc. without having to go to the dealer to have them do it. So, if you do your own maintenance on your car and you want to get rid of the annoying maintenance warning indicators, get yourself one of these reset tools.

BMW e34 Service Manual CD ROM (ETK)

2005-01-11T17:49:00.000-08:00

I just saw a set of e34 service manual CD ROMs for sale for only $15. They include every BMW model from something like 1970 and also the ETK and new parts CD. I don't know how legal this is to print, but if you have been trying to find a good manual for your e34 M5, then you know that this is exactly what you need. Everything from routing maintenance to removal of the interior. These CD ROM disks have it all.

e34 Springs

2005-01-10T17:39:00.000-08:00

I am on the look out for some e34 M5 springs. The original front springs in the car have been removed and replaced with a set of Dinan springs. I am not exactly sure which springs have been installed, but they have the Dinan blue going on, so everyone has guessed that they are indeed Dinan. I should probably look into purchasing some factory replacements, but as we know, everything that has "M5" stamped on it costs twice as much. So, if anyone has any ideas on a good set of stock height replacements I would love to hear about it. The suspension on my M5 is something I would like to completely rework.

Wash and Wax

2005-01-09T11:15:00.000-08:00

Back in college, I detailed cars for money. I learned a lot back then, most importantly that I did not want to wash cars for a living. While I love washing cars, yes I will wash them for other people just for fun, it is hard on the body being crouched over all day. I am 6'4" so, this is clearly not the best line of work for me. But, I thought I would post a few tips here over the next few days about the care and maintenance of your e34's appearance; inside and out.

Washing Your e34

First things first, for those of you who do not know this already. NEVER use dish washing soap to wash your car. You are better off just hosing it down with water than using dish washing detergent. The reason is simple, dish washing soap guts grease...wax is grease. It will take all of the protective coatings right off of your paint and your car will be in WORSE shape than it was before you "washed" it.

Use soap for your car, this means going down to the auto parts store and buying "car wash" soap. While you are there, pick up some interior cleaner, leather cleaner, leather conditioner (cream if possible) and tire dressing...oh, and a wheel brush, chamois (for drying the car) and wool wash mit (not a sponge).

When you mix the car wash soap and water, you want to spray the water in the bucket to make foam. When you place your hand into the mixture, you want the mixture to just feel silky...not oily...you need to add more water if it is oily on your fingers.

Washing the Wheels

Begin washing the car by cleaning the wheels. Spray the wheels down with wheel cleaner or if you are really good, PRO interior cleaner from Bufords. That PRO interior cleaner is the best thing going. It is safe to use on any surface and it will get rid of grease and grime without removing wax. Spray the wheels down and let it sit for about 10 seconds. Then using a brush (that is only used on wheels...do not use it elsewhere), brush the brake dust and dirt off of your wheels. Re-apply more cleaner, before spraying with water, and hit the wheel again with the brush. Then, using a hose with a good spray nozzle, blast the wheel clean. If there is any residual dirt on there, repeat the cleaning process until it is gone. Then move to the next wheel.

Washing the Body

Start by spraying down your e34 with water. Use the spray to get any loose surface dirt off the car, starting from the top and work your way down. Then start washing the car with the wool wash mit and soap/water mixture. Be gentle, don't sand the car down. Be sure to use plenty of the soap/water mixture as it cleans and lubricates, making sure you do not scratch the paint with the dirt you are taking off. Mix more soap and water if you need to. Work your way down the body of the car, eventually getting to the rocker panels. Do these after you have washed all of the upper surfaces as there is usually more grit and grime down there. Be sure to use plenty of the soap/water mixture down there. Lastly, hit the wheels quickly with the mit loaded with soap and water...this will get rid of any residual wheel cleaner.

Rinsing the Car

Now that the car is all soapy, let's rinse it down. Start again at the top and work your way down. Be sure you get in all of the nooks and crannys, washing out all of the soap in the seams between doors, hood, and trunk. Pay extra attention around the doors, trunk and hood starting in the middle top, and working your way back to wash out all of the soap.

Drying the Car

Take out your chamois and rinse it with water (yes, before you dry the car!). Wring it out so that there is no more water dripping out of it. Use the chamois to dry the car off, wrining it out when it leaves lots of water. The chamois is not going to leave the car perfectly dry, that is OK. Start with the windows and then do the top, hood, drunk and sides. When you have removed 95% of the water from the body, grab a towel and dry the windows so that they are clean and perfectly dry. Then dry the top, hood, trunk and sides. Finally, wipe down the wheels and lightly hit the tires. You are not done!

Now, open one of the car doors and dry the door jamb on the car. Be sure to get all of the dirt and crap out of there...you may need to spray some interior cleaner in there to get it all out...use a different rag for this. Wipe down the top, sides and bottom of the door. Yes, get your ass down there and clean the bottom of the door. Repeat on all of the doors, trunk and hood.

You are done washing. In my next post, I will cover what to do next.

Haloscan Trackback Installed

2005-01-08T18:49:00.000-08:00

We just installed the Haloscan commenting and trackback software for blogger.com blogs. If you have a blogger.com blog, I would recommend you check it out as they have some really great free software. Be sure to leave a comment or ping us if you would like to write about one of our articles.

Service Appointment

2005-01-07T19:01:00.000-08:00

Well, I was a "bad boy" this week. I had made an appointment before the holidays to bring my car in to have the rear shock mount looked at. I did not cancel it and, to be honest I forgot what day it was scheduled for. I feel a bit bad, but I know that they are probably stacked to the rafters with cars in there right now, maybe I am just a little bitter about the ridiculous prices that they charge in there. Clearly it is not too much, as they are literally turning people away every time I am in there. I will be getting a BMW e34 manual so that I can inspect the rear driver's shock myself to see if it is loose, needs a lube or is busted. It is squeaking something awful.

e34 Lights

2005-01-05T23:35:00.000-08:00

If you have thought about updating your e34 with new headlights, but spending $800-$1000 for a set of HID lights does not seem like a great idea you may want to check out this cool e34 projector headlight kit. The manufacturer claims 30-50 minute installation times with normal hand tools. And, 3x the light output of ordinary halogen lights. The kit sells for around $350 and they look pretty cool.

BMW e34 Big Brake Kit

2005-01-05T23:33:00.000-08:00

Looking to improve the braking power of your e34 car? I just came across a website that has a variety of big brake kits from 12" up to 14" up front. So, if you don't have the M5 brakes or are looking for something suitable for the track, check out these BMW e34 brake kits.

E34 Shock Absorbers

2005-01-03T23:14:00.000-08:00

I was looking for some information last night on the SLS rear shocks on my '91 e34 M5 and came across this great thread on rebuilding SLS shocks for e34 cars. Garcia appears to be able to rebuilt the Boge self leveling hydraulic shocks with little problem. I still have more questions and will be posting over at the M5 boards today to see if I can get some suggestions from members there. Currently, I have some loud squeaking from the driver's side rear shock, which could be a bushing in need of lubrication or something as severe as a busted shock mount...hopefully it is the former. It is very cold up in the Bay area this week and when driving the car yesterday, there appeared to be some squeaking from the right rear shock as well. I will have to pull the rear seats some time this week to make my own asessment.

Synthetic Motor Oil

2004-12-20T11:20:00.000-08:00

There has been some discussion lately on the e34 M5 email newsletter about synthetic motor oils. Most people who run synthetic motor oil in the S38 motor are very happy with it, me included. My experience is that the motor seemed to run more smoothly and the oil temp remained lower under more "severe" use. Usually, the oil temp in my e34 M5 runs just under 210 degrees, but can move above that by 5 degrees or so when I use the right pedal more. Running synthetic appears to allow the motor to run cooler and "recover" more quickly than with conventional oils. I use Mobil 1 15w50 and I would recommend it to anyone looking to investigate or run syntetic motor oil in their S38.

Adjusting valve clearance

2004-12-16T15:00:00.000-08:00

One of the most important items to maintain on the e34 M5 is the valve clearances in the motor. A "tight" valve can lead to you burning a valve and then a large withdrawl from your bank account. A properly maintained motor in these cars can last for hundreds of thousands of miles. But, not if you do not stay up with some key maintenance items.

Most "experts" recommend checking the valve clearances every 12k to 15k miles. The solid lifter motor requires the use of shims (about $8USD a piece) to correct any clearance issues that will arise from normal useage. The shims can be jockeyed around in the motor depending on how the clearances change over time. People do this as the shims are not cheap, about $8 a piece as of this writing and are not exactly easy to find either. There are some Volvo and VW shims that supposedly are interchangeable, but at a $2 or so savings, I will use the real deal.

OUCH

2004-12-11T07:55:00.000-08:00

Well, got the e34 M5 back and it is running very nicely. The rear shock mount is still an issue, but after receiving my bill yesterday, I will be sure to look into it myself. The anguish I received yesterday was in the form of a $437 bill to replace one high pressure hose in the power steering system. Umm, is that insane or is it just me? Prices in San Francisco are just plain silly. So, it is my understanding that the rear seat will need to be removed to gain access to the shock mount in the rear. Big whoop, I have done that before and from the sounds of it, I will be doing it again soon. I will have to pick up a Bentley's e34 Manual and was avoiding it because they are like $50. But, it is going to be well worth it, as Spencer told me that the shock repair would be "major". I am not sure I will find out what that means, at Phaedrus. I like the place, Spencer and the crew seem like a bunch of nice guys, but their prices are just out of line.

Power Steering Update

2004-12-10T13:55:00.000-08:00

It appears that the leak up front was a high pressure line for the power steering system. I was sad to hear that there was another radiator explosion in the shop, while my car was there! It was on another car in the shop and this time, unfortunately, the technician was seriously burned. That coolant mixture is up around 200-210 degrees when at operating temperature. I hope everything will turn out ok for the technician.

The rear, driver's shock is making a noise and hopefully it is simply a shock mount that needs lubricating. Apparently on e34 cars, there have been some shock mounts that have broken loose from the body and that would be a much more serious repair than a simple lube. Stay tuned.

D Day

2004-12-09T10:35:00.000-08:00

Well, sort of. Today is the day they are going to look at the M5 at Phaedrus. Hopefully, this time the radiator will not blow up when they look under the hood. I will have to post about the "exploding radiator" after this, because it is such a ridiculous story that you all need to hear about it. I am hoping that there is a simple solution to the SLS/power steering system leak and that I will be getting out of there for not so much $$. We will see.

e34 M5 FAQ and Registry

2004-12-08T08:59:00.000-08:00

For those of you who are new to the e34 M5 scene on the web, one of the best resources can be found at http://www.bmwe34m5.com/ . The e34 M5 FAQ and Registry can be accessed from there. You will find many how-to articles and commonly asked and answered questions. When I first purchased my e34 M5, I was fortunate enough to find the site and have some of my "silly" newbie questions answered.

Phaedrus

2004-12-06T11:48:00.000-08:00

Well, I was all set to post about my victory over the SLS (self leveling suspenion) and power steering system in the M5, then I went out to move my car and there I saw the puddle of neon green. under the right front wheel. Of course I suspected the SLS system and figured I was looking at about $10 worth of Pentosin CHF 7.1 on the ground. So, I took the car over to my friends at Phaedrus here in San Francisco. Hopefully, my radiator won't explode this time around. That is another story.

Pentosin 7.1 CHF

2004-12-01T13:21:00.000-08:00

For those of you with the self leveling suspension installed in your BMW e34, you probably already know that the system is prone to leaks...sigh. You also probably know, that the mineral oil that is used for the power steering and self leveling suspenion is called Pentosin 7.1 CHF...and the stuff is not cheap. I just picked up a quart recently at BMW of San Francisco for just under $20 with tax. Thanks guys. That prompted me to seek a cheaper source. I found Pentosin 7.1 CHF at a discount shopping site called Zawow. The seller was actually an eBay seller, but I figured there was no reason not to go through Zawow as they got me there. Anyway, I picked it up for $14 a quart...and grabbed a few extra as the system seems to leak a bit more these days and to help make it worth while with shipping.

I will be posting a neat tip to help purge the power steering/self leveling suspension system of air in my next post. This is great if you were a bit delinquent or if your leak is a big larger than you thought.

Welcome to the BMW e34 Blog

2004-12-01T13:17:00.000-08:00

Just wanted to get a welcome message out to everyone. I am the proud owner of a 1991 BMW e34 M5. I will be making some necessary repairs to the car and performing routine maintenance as well. I will be using these forums to publish helpful tips and tricks I pick up along the way. Hopefully, if you find yourself in a similar situation, you will be able to find the answers here, before you pull all of your hair out.