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92 minute(s) of a 400 minute read
8-6-2006
this is another visually striking, but subtle mod to the outside. most of the bmw sport packaged vehicles have clear lenses for the sedans, and even the x5, but NOT for the wagons - as our old e46 325it did not.
compared to the regular usa clear lenses, this one shows the reflector a bit more - almost a brighter look than the more white looking sport package lenses.
the other difference is the blinking, although it is the case for the e39 tourings - the signal marker does NOT blink separately from the brake light. there's a guy who's pretty close to figuring out how to separate the blinking.
6. as a mod, was it worth it? - YES!!!
7. from a money spent perspective, was it a good bang for the buck? - really another good bang for the buck mod.
8. would i do it again? - in a heartbeat!
9. overall rating: -
postscript:
dont know if you guys picked up on the pics, but i realized the whole uproar over the 'egg yolk' issue. because the lenses were SO transparent, the 'clearness' is pretty much drowned and overpowered by the egg yolk. nothing that throwing a few bucks cant fix. 
625p :byebye:
episode ummm, well....
b4 we tend to our un-episode, a few comments from the mail bag....
Quote:
Originally Posted by Richard in NC
Was this mod "The Guiding Light"?
i was saving that for the hellas.... (actually, i dont know much about soaps. richard???? hiha is THAT what you do when you're not on the boards?)
Quote:
Originally Posted by ketchup
hahaha you have right-hand-drive mirrors?! did you get a discount for that jack?!
I want the aspheric mirrors/auto dimming but I haven't got the funds for it
Oh how I envy thee..
well, ketchup, as a matter of fact i did. i believe i got about 30% off. you think i might have gotten the lhd version if i paid full price???
you gave me an idea - i shld reserve one episode to everything that went WRONG!!! hiha
-----------------
ok everyone, i'm signing off for the next full week. gone to new york, my baby is going off to college...
i **might** be able to leave you guys with 1 short video...maybe later tonight or tomorrow if i get to do it. gruesome. that's all i'll say for now.
so please read other more worthwhile and educational posts while i'm off the air. :flag: or...
you might decide to go back to post #1, read about 90 posts a day, and you'll be about ready for a new one 7 days later!!! haven't you heard of syndicated re-runs??? :hihi:
638p
and yes- the werewagon is off to the secret lab of doc tyrone for the finishing touches.
kidding aside, bec of the time change, if i'm up at 6am and no one to talk to, i may very well throw in an episode or 2.
---------------
730p addendum to the ///m5 side view mirror info: i FORGOT to put the total out the door with tax for the whole setup = $1963.
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940p
bummer.
i felt like i could give alfred hitchcock a run for his money. after all, i've brought you 9 seconds of pure aural terror in "The SQUEAL," and **almost** premiered my next horror thriller, "The SHIMMY of SHAME!" (i made the mistake of recording it on high res, so 20 seconds of footage ended up being 51 mb!) once resized, i'll post it. it is rated R, for non-stop scenes that could induce nausea. not recommended for folks with bad eyesight.
some other miscellaneous comments since i've had the type 2s back on:
1. seriously, i'm hoping a rebalance next week can fix this malady. beginning to worry just a bit.
2. regarding the road noise: with the bbs rc (or more accurately, the mich ps2) i CAN hear the exhaust. now, even at wot, i do NOT hear the exhaust. in fact, to drown the road noise, i do have to turn the volume up, i mean UP!. hey - wait - it's not the acs' fault - it's the so3s!!!
3. aside from the shimmy, it likes to pull to the right a bit. again, note that NONE of these were happening with the bbs rc/ps2.
4. although none of this was happening either b4 i swapped them out the last time.
5. only thing i could blame it on (in ignorance) is the last guy who managed to slam the type 2s on the pavement...
episode 18: jovial over the oval
Quote:
Originally Posted by Richard in NC
AW;
several things:
I don't watch soaps but I know plenty that do. I'm sure there are plenty of plays on words of their titles if I thought about it. (i'll let you slide on that one. hiha )
Do your acs wheels need shims? They may not be mounted properly on the hubs and cause the shimmy. (they're hubcentric - each comes and needs a little aqua-coloredplastic - YES - PLASTIC piece.) If not, the wheels themselves could be on the hubs off center but thats unlikely. I would have them balanced and re-mounted on their nickel since it didn't do it before. (they're getting a call when i get home..)
Finally, it's your duty to post while in NY. We hate reruns, especially real TV reruns since we won't have this entertainment. Simply take your laptop, find a coffee house with WiFi,(well...dont even need that, as i have my wireless card with me all the time anywhere...) and use the excuse to fetch some coffee for all in the mornings.
here's my great discovery...
we had to drop off our lovable 6th family member at a friend's house b4 leaving.
on the way, i could hear the cage jiggling hard. then my memory got juggled. i remembered having to have the rears rebalanced within the 1st week of having the acs on it - and thr FRONT shimmy disappeared! the fronts were checked back then , and were balanced, so that was perplexing. i hope that works.
-------
anyways, sitting in the first cab, all i could see was the rear view mirror...so why not talk about the....
sorry - have to leave for a long ride to fire island to see some friends. promise - will post the review!
Quote:
Originally Posted by the jack review
1. mod - M5 Oval Rear View Mirror
2. bmw part numbers (main ones) - 51-16-7-892-263
3. price and labor (if it's easily figured out ) -$394 plus tax
(watching tyrone pop the old one out and plop this one in made me think (only for a second) that everything was a piece of cake.)
4. the obligatory pic (or 2 or 3)
before...
after...
5. review/complaints - iirc, this was the second mod done by tyrone, mar 5. this also falls in to a category of mods i'd group under the heading "bad habits acquired from 48k miles of driving an e46 m3." part of this undertaking was not simply to achieve a nice amt of performance, but to also replicate an ///m driving cabin experience.
i will say that i did marvel - the more i saw him take and swap out other parts) that such a tightly-engineered car could have so many pop-off parts!!!
this part i like a lot. nothing like viewing what's behind me from an oval-shaped mirror. it's subtle- often missed by pple who've sat in my car and looked around for mods.
6. as a mod, was it worth it? - yes! visually, it is a stunning piece of german engineering, and one of those touches that complete the ///m package.
7. from a money spent perspective, was it a good bang for the buck? - yes, but...it is a bit pricey. so what's new??? especially when all it does is hang there and look pretty. (wait - doesnt THAT describe everything our wives buy???)
8. would i do it again? - yes.
9. overall rating: -
finally, here's a parting shot of our 'patient' before going into icu.
1025a, from the long island railroad ride!!!
episode 19: felt the PAIN, on the TRAIN, when it started to RAIN!!!
well, yesterday we took an hr plus train ride from the penn station to the babylon station. once we stepped out, my wife (who is the consummate vacation planner), realized we forgot the 2 umbrellas packed into our suit cases. we jumped in the cab, then on to the fire island ferry. halfway through, the pitter-patter rain turned into a full-blown pounding. THAT inspired today's episode.
it's 11a here- wife and eldest daughter out destroying me at h&m and other such places. 2 little ones sleeping beside me. enough time to whip something quickly.
Quote:
Originally Posted by the jack review
1. mod - BMW Mini-Umbrella and Case
2. bmw part numbers (main ones) - 51-47-0-306-529
3. price and labor (if it's easily figured out ) - $48 + tax
(the labor part was interesting. part of the instructions included a template. here's a pic of what came in it. note the holes on the umbrella holder.
the holder is basically screwed into the side of the leg compartment area of the passenger side. there are 2 little holes. now think of that for a second. the way it's done is the holder is aligned against the 'wall' where you want to position it, the template is inserted into it. the holder is pliable enough to allow the screwdriver to bend the opening to screw in the first bolt. NOW how about the second one about 6-7 inches INSIDE the holder???
iirc, tyrone had to use a really skinny screwdriver to poke through the mesh to get to the bolt to screw it in...)
4. the obligatory pic (or 2 or 3)
this is proof that it IS oem!
here are the parts...
installed!
up close...
5. review/complaints - again, another item i saw on another european individual car...do i really need another umbrella? no.. but i dont have one that looks this nice, and isnt sloshing around the car.
sadly...() i have NOT even popped the thing open, for fear of not being able to re-fold it in its original way. what's new - my mean looking 4.4 x5 will probably NEVER see dirt!!! ouich
i will promise to take a shot of it opened up. hopefully it's not too cute to only cover half my head!
6. as a mod, was it worth it? - i guess so -
7. from a money spent perspective, was it a good bang for the buck? - not bad for the money.
8. would i do it again? - perhaps...
9. overall rating: -
1140a the shoppers are back, and we're off to payard!
(speaking of food, forgot to mention the unbelievable dinner we had 2 nights ago...the clue is: it hasthese 2 bluish green doors that do NOT open, but rather the side glass doors that do. :lightbulb: )
later.
episode 20: the doctor and his emergency!!!
sunday night in new york...just enjoyed some very good desserts from room service. checking my e-mail - i can't believe the adventure tyrone's been through. so before all that...checking the 'mailroom'...
Quote:
Originally Posted by Richard in NC
I think that is the same BMW umbrella I was given as a present. I didn't get the holder. The umbrella works well and covers well. It's been the most reliable folding umbrella I've owned. BMW engineering without the BMW electronics. 
i just have to see if it TOO is made in china, as my 7 yo daughter seems to think everything is now manufactured nowhere else.
Quote:
Originally Posted by palantirion
When did you add the umbrella? We added that to our 540iT some months back. Chris did our install. Did Tyrone do yours?
Quote:
Originally Posted by tyrone
Yup, that was one of the first things I did, right after the ///M door moldings I believe.
And Jack, the pre existing holes were suitable enough to get a screwdriver through, so the mesh didn't need to be pierced.
that went in the first day of mods, mar 05, 2006.
------------
now to the gripping tale at hand (with a few updates interspersed by the doc himself on the aps.) (aps=attending physician's statement!)
(i'll be in blue)
Quote:
Originally Posted by tyrone
Sun, 27 Aug 2006 17:10:26 -0700 (PDT)
Hi Jack,
I hope your trip is going well. I have been taking pictures, but didn't have
time for the interim updates, so you'll get those all at once later. I hit
another snag with that stupid blue wire, so I need to go to the electronics
store tomorrow to pick some up. First it was mislabeled and now there just
wasn't enough on the spool! I thought 25ft was enough. Oh well.
(:1zhelp: out of 5 on the 'help' scale.)
The front bumper is done, (alright - the t-bar IS gone. you'll have to just use your imagination for everything now.)
and the oily shade has been replaced, (awesome!)
as well as the temporary screws for the hooks. (when i got my rear shades, the doc had to make do with some other screw. frankly - i've never even looked at it, and don't remember. but you all know nothing but THE correct part, even for something small and unseen, is good enuf for the doc.)
(the following comment lets another cat out of the bag, so to speak. so consider it my little present for all you faithful fans while i'm slacking off in new york. )
One bit of good news is that the sharkfin antenna fits right over the old one when the top part is unscrewed, so we do not need to completely remove it and compromise that seal or use any glue. There is a slight difference in contour between your roof and the sharkfin, so I will see if there is any way to "bend" that evenly so the adhesive is less visible in that part.
(and now, on to our episode of terror!!!)
Also, one unfortunate thing happened on Friday. I heard a strange pop while
driving on Lambert after picking up your car. Everything felt fine so I
thought it was something that shifted in the back. Then as I got on the
freeway the trusty tire pressure warning came on and I pulled over to a gas
station. Right front was flat! I tried filling it with air, but it was
hardly doing any good, so I limped to another station in Fullerton with a
service center that could hopefully repair the tire. The guy starts taking
the wheel off and then I noticed a ~4" section of the sidewall had
separated. I must say you have the worst luck when it comes to wheels/tires!
This is a notorious problem on the SO3s, and the same thing happened to
mine--same wheel even. So fixing it was not an option (may want to order
another one now--245/35/19). He asks if there's a spare and I said I don't
think so. Keep in mind this whole time I did not even know you had a spare,
or I would have put that on myself. For some reason I assumed you didn't
because I knew you had the M-Mobility kit, and I asssociate that with "no
spare" in my head. Anyway, after checking, sure enough there's the spare and
he puts it on and puts everything away nicely. I gave the guy a 20 and went
on my way.
Now, this is the interesting thing..with the ACS on the left front and the
RC on the right front, the shimmy was gone. I only got a brief glance, but
the inner tire wear looked strange on your ACS, so maybe that was a source
of the shimmy. Perhaps there is something wrong with that tire or wheel in
general.
Despite this sidewall separation issue, the SO3 are good tires. It was the
same one that went on my car and I didn't even notice it driving until after
a while. They keep their composure very well. I guess you really got your
money's worth out of that tire pressure monitor :-)
Tyrone
:ooohhh: what can i say???
-------
so i wrote him back with a few comments. stay tuned.
Quote:
Originally Posted by jack in new york
tyrone,
wow! exciting events for you - glad YOU are fine. the car's always replaceable. hmmm - curious if you saved the culprit tire by any chance. here's my elementary guess- i know that ever since the dinan susp went in - the front tires have a different squat - is camber the right word? it basically makes the tire's inner side sit closer/lower to the ground than the outside sidewall. wat do you think? or do you think it could've been a balancing issue?
speaking of a new tire - just my luck. i DO have a spare front so3 tire- last time i had a flat in the m3the front right tire was thrashed!!! so i replaced both and kept the good left. awesome! never thought some good would come of it.
would you mind taking a look at the other front to make sure nothing is wearing out strangely or prematurely?
thanks again.
as for our trip, it's going great, been wet the last few days, and we just dropped off ashley today at her dorm.
see you soon.
there you have it folks. who said it was EVER going to be boring and uneventful???
915p sunday. later!
episode 20: the gory details 
well, hello again to everyone. got back to socal 1 am 8/30. came down with cardiac condition - hole in my heart - shaped like my daughter. for you dads that have done it - it's hard to forget that last snapshot - it was about 430p in new york, on 23rd st, dark grey clouds overhead just beginning to sprinkle again on the already damp streets, as i let my daughter free from my arms to get back in the cab, i leave her standing in the misting rain, as she pulls out her little umbrella from her purse, and before i know it, the taxi driver steps on the gas as only a new york cabbie can.
if i have to describe myself at this point, as much as i miss her, i am not sad at all, but very happy for her. (it helps tremendously that i've worked form home all her life - and have spent a ton of both quantity and quality time with her.)
and the wheels roll on...well, stopped temporarily. just wanted to fill in the juicy and controversial pics from the doc's little mishap.
among the first things i checked when we got back from the airport was exactly what spare tire i had...
i was right. my failing memory did not fail me this time. looking at the culprit, sitting serenely in the spare tire well...looked pretty peaceful.
by 850a, i was already at america's tire to fix the little problem.
it was also the first chance i got to survey the damage...
a closer look at the hideous 4 in gash...
now here's a picture to show the tread wear on the inner side of the front passenger side tire...
among other things, the guys at the tire shop surmised that it had to do with the more aggressive camber that i had. we checked the other front tire, and here's how it looks...
the driver's side looks fine.
good news is the shimmy is absolutely gone.
bad news is the guys broke something else...
here's the mgr who was at least nice enough to get a new one for me. let'se see how that one goes...
-----
the highlight of the day was a few guys had gotten together to drag me out for a little birthday dinner. i was very humbled - and we had a blast at the brea cheesecake factory. in lieu of posting who showed up, i thought a pic of the little gathering would be more interesting!
all that because i happen to own a bimmer that i was nuts enough to turn into a project, and in the process run into a bunch of the nicest folk around. really, really floored (not the gas pedal). so to all who showed up, and the ones who didnt, just a very big THANK YOU from the bottom of my heart. lovelove your camaraderie and friendship is worth heck of a lot more than any mod or car we can ever have. :1:
episode 21: probably the BEST*** mod...
Quote:
Originally Posted by kevm5
I beleive OZ is the manufacture
good try, kevm5, but not oz. here's the answer - never knew it until i flipped it around..,
----
what did you all have in mind with THAT episode title???
Quote:
Originally Posted by the jack review
1. mod - M5 Tire Pressure Monitor
2. bmw part numbers (main ones) - 61-31-8-375-413
3. price and labor (if it's easily figured out ) -$17 + tax
(i believe the labor part of this was a bit involved. it was one of the few that i never got to witness)
4. the obligatory pic (or 2 or 3)
5. review/complaints - actually, this did not start off on the right foot. back in the birch anthracite episode...rem this pic??
because of the wrong (reversed rh drive wood parts) the hole for the tire pressure monitor switch ended up on the left side of the steering column. i did not have a problem with it - in fact i told tyrone to just etch a bigger recess into the foam to do it. well, he said 'no.'
it wouldnt be til 4/24 when it's finally installed.
btw, i also had to be eductaed as to how this thing worked. i thought it actually had a way of measuring the actual air pressure in the tire, since the part was a 'tire pressure monitor.' thinking it through, the word 'monitor' shld have told me. it's like inspection II- for a thousand bucks, the lovely and concerned dealer will change your oil, and basically perform a zillion other 'inspections' and 'check fors'. it turns out that it really observes any changes in the number of rotations of the tires. either way, it does work.
6. as a mod, was it worth it? - from a visual standpoint, it really isnt anything dramatic. but again, it is a very subtle part of the ///m package - as only ///m cars had that little doodad.
from a functional point of view, for $17, it has saved my life (and tyrone's) at least 7-8 times by now. a mod that increases comfort or power or bling is great, but nothing like something that saves time, aggravation, and prevents what could have been serious mishaps, especially when running 19s. while its now familiar chime and subsequent bright orange greeting on the obd: 'tire failure.' ouich are not initially welcome, it is very much appreciated. like the doctors say, pain is a sign that alerts you that something is wrong.
that's why i award the tire pressure monitor one of the TOP honors as far as my mods go.
7. from a money spent perspective, was it a good bang for the buck? - are you kidding? $17 bucks!!!
8. would i do it again? - absolutely.
9. overall rating: -
11p fri
episode 22: inspired when i perspired....
Quote:
Originally Posted by Tyrone
Jack, you are forgetting the main component
61-35-2-695-675 CON UNIT DWS
So in total it's more like $300, but still well worth it!
well, so much for THAT cheap mod. thanks, tyrone. and definitely still worth all $300 of it. believe it or not, i did have a pic of it. but i'm hoping some of you will agree it looks NOTHING like it's a part of it, not to mention the MAIN part!
-------
it was only a cool 106 degrees in socal today, prompting the next item to be reviewed...
Quote:
Originally Posted by the jack review
1. mod - Rear Door Sunshades, Ashtray Delete
2. bmw part numbers (main ones) - (missing receipt.) so in lieu of a whole bunch of numbers, how about a group shot?
3. price and labor (if it's easily figured out ) -$1914 + labor
4. the obligatory pic (or 2 or 3)
now you don't see it...
now you do!
tyrone did ask me if i wanted to ditch the ashtray - since it has basically degenerated to an oem bubblegum and trash holder for the kids...
alapeanutbuttersandwiches....
more shots at...
http://www.m5board.com/vbulletin/sho...&postcount=556
5. review/complaints - this project started with a few minor hiccups. some missing little brackets/parts - little plastic bolts that held the part that holds the sunshade up. minor stuff. except for this...
it was a big ugly grease/oily spot on the shade itself of the rear driver side door. it was put in on jul 11, and while we were in new york tyrone got the replacement roller, so now...
6. as a mod, was it worth it? - it was on a really hot day when it was decided that i was going to do this. it was NOT part of the original BIG list of goodies ordered from crevier. i see my girls in the back - and THAT was worth it, their skin a darker shade of grey instead of looking like orange chicken under the heat lamp. what i did try out was sit in our x5 that has it, and then my car which did not have it then. before i knew it i was emailing tyrone to go place the order.
then there was that 5% of insanity in me that thought about this as the LAST significant oem option that i dont have. (along the lines of doing the bbk in the rear kind of 'worth it.' although admittedly the rear sunshade probably does more than the rear bbk.)
further, it does look good.
i've elected to do dumber things (you'll see). so in light of both sensible and insane motivations, this mod earns a 4 out of 5.
7. from a money spent perspective, was it a good bang for the buck? - this is where all vestige of sensibility gets run over. as an option, it was but a measly...i can't even bring myself to post it. anyone care to guess??? i'll save face by posting the answer in the next episode. here's a hint. 1 out of 5! if i had a bird brain, it'd be smaller than a hummingbird's at this point!
8. would i do it again? - in 106 degree weather on a long trip or sitting in traffic for 2 hrs with my daughters in the back, absolutely. despite the high dummy factor, i'd say i'll still do it.
9. overall rating: - how about a 3.9??
episode 23: grilled by the grille 
well hello everyone! for 1 sec even i thought i had quit. on top of real work, my daughter in new york has been on yahoo msgr with me. 2 hrs last night. i've never appreciated webcams and ym like the last week!
on with the show!! this next mod was probably one of the very 1st ones i wanted to do cosmetically on the outside. in fact, if i only could do 2, the m5 mirrors would be tops, and this would be it. recently completed while we were in ny.
Quote:
Originally Posted by the jack review
1. mod - M5 Front Grille Grid
2. bmw part numbers (main ones) - 51-11-2-496-285
3. price and labor (if it's easily figured out ) -$45
accdg to tyrone, it isnt that hard, except the WHOLE front bumper has to come off, and it's not simple if done by 1 person.
4. the obligatory pic (or 2 or 3) technically, here's the piece.
or a much more technical looking pic of the parts removed and new one going in (courtesy of the surgeon)
5. review/complaints - i just realized the original post of this thing has lost every pic. this was one of those mods that i agonized over. had quite a few possibilities. even had a poll on another board.
1. stock, m-technic bumper had the t-bar.
2. my lame idea -cajun t-bar (blackened with tape)
3. another variation: just the little bottom part in black, exposing the middle bar.
4. and finally, after changing my mind a million times...it's in.
4a. a shot to expose the mesh detail a bit...
----
some trivial details...
as had been pointed out to me, if i go with the (m5 mesh) the area where the brake ducts are are blocked...note blackened left & right panels.
so....thanks to this
and hrs of manual labor, here's what i did:
the circular holes came like that, only on one side though.
holes were drilled with ***189; inch bit. THAT was the easy part. The painful part was using the files to file it down to the edges
throbbing thumb and big mess later,
-----
more trivia...
this is one of 3 responses from the big guy himself, mr m5board.com, gustav!!
Quote:
Originally Posted by gustav
Without t-bar is my vote! t-bar was never on any M5 and in Europe it was on regular 5-series on sport package.
post #158!! http://www.m5board.com/vbulletin/sho...&postcount=158
have to say it makes big difference, for me, comparing the progression of the 4 pics.
6. as a mod, was it worth it? - absolutely.
7. from a money spent perspective, was it a good bang for the buck? - not bad at all for the money.
8. would i do it again? - YES!!!!!
9. overall rating: - got a winner here, a perfect 5. well, except for my sore thumbs.
good night!
-----
ps...TODAY, sep 6, marks a milestone. it is now 60 days since my rebate request was logged at dinan. robin reminded me that ill-fated day that it would be 6-8 weeks. i left a msg with jeff lutjens this pm. i think i know what that rebate can do...it's good for at least 5 visits to my little princess in new york, airfare and semi-cheesy hotel included!!!
an un-episode of updates...and a tale of two companies
mailbag first...
Quote:
Originally Posted by touring dude
Damn - that's the worst picture of myself I have ever seen......I knew it was going to be bad when you snapped it!.......Oh Well.
Jack you going to Scarantino's on Sat night??? See:
http://bimmerfest.com/forums/showthread.php?t=162379
And - Did I hear something about a Napa Valley run at your party? Mentioning Napa was enough to get my wife interested in a BMW run!
Randy
1. sorry for the pic.
2. nope - one of these saturdays, perhaps? normally out with 4 girls somewhere. oops, down to 3.
3. the napa valley run....this was actually thaichi808's idea. he went to high sch there, and thought of just blasting up there for a weekend. i spoke with him today - and since i wont be here next weekend, asked him if he might do it the weekend of 9/22-9/24. he was definitely open to it. while i cant say i'm a 100% at this point, i'm definitely very close to a 90% possibility. (which means i may have to switch to my 18s for some long distance driving...) no real agenda, just a laidback long distance cruise of sorts...
-----
speaking of napa, in this month's bmw magazine, it features culinary demigod thomas keller himself, of french laundry fame. (**if** we can snag a reservation, it will be a delicious way to digest some wads of money quickly - well, over a 4 hr period of delicious degustation!!!)
here's a scan of it...
mainly, i was inspired by him keeping his gorgeous 30 yr old car, restored recently. i know that my touring is certainly one car i wouldnt mind maintaining and still driving decades from now!
------------
today was a very interesting day. it has to be for me to come in from work this late and stay up to post this!!!
company #1: dinan...
september 6, 2006...marks the 60th day since my dinan rebate was officially, (at least by robin jacques' message on july 6), logged on to the dinan system. i left a message yesterday with jeff lutjens,who apparently forwarded it to robin, who answers the dinan trunkline, among other duties.
i received a phone call from her about 9 am, without any specifics. i call back, and am told:
Quote:
Originally Posted by robin@dinan
sorry to tell you, but we do NOT have, or can NOT find your paperwork in our system.
honestly, grrrrrrr. in my most subdued tone, i told her she has 1 week to get me the check, or the ftc and bbb get a complaint from me. i think i've been pretty patient, and i also said i've never spent over $30k with any business to get treated like i've been the last 5 months. she puts me on hold, and asks if i can re-fax or email my paperwork. 
by about 1230p, i get another call. i'm having lunch so the message is left on voicemail. it is jan, steve's wife.
Quote:
Originally Posted by jan@dinan
i've been talking to robin-sorry, we've had over 1000 submissions, processing them all myself, as this is the first time we've done this. it's been a challenge for me, working off a spreadhseet, as i have to physically cut each check, enter the info, matching it to each receipt pulled up individually.
i handed a folder to robin, and there on top of the pile was your pprwork. it was my fault i didn't put in to spreadhseet. i'm really sorry for confusion, as even though we have misplaced a couple, yours being one of them, we have not lost any rebate submission. we've never done rebates b4. i've been cutting checks almost 2-3-4 hrs a day, so for now i cut them every saturday. yours will be cut by next week.
i hope you're at least enjoying your 'dinanized' car. please call me back personally. i know robin has shielded me from calls, but i feel i had to address you personally and directly.
well, i did call her. she mentioned she had probably spoken to no less than 50-60 pple at this yr's bimmerfest, and when she saw my name, she actually remembered speaking with me, putting together my car's details, along with the letter i had sent to steve. she actually knew exactly who i was.
bottom line: while i was initially really ticked, i did tell a friend that i promised to just smile the whole thing off. in the bigger scheme of things, this is really trivial. as brian (redshift) has posted about his positive dinan experience, i have to concur, despite the issues. for her to handle the problem directly, and take responsibility as she did, has certainly earned my respect. :M5thumbs: :applause: thanks a lot, jan. dinan's reputation owes you a big one on this.
---------------
the second incident has been dragging on. i've been busy, out of town, and wishing it would go away, and partly in denial. well, i finally had it and emailed chris at bms about the stoptechs.
yes, the 'squeal sequel' is here.
on a scale of 1-10, the first time around was an 11. right now, it is about a 3 or 4. my wife drove my car today, and my daughter remarked how she could hear her squealing as she drove into the school lot to pick them up.
the 3-4 is irritating, especially the fact that it does it every 2-3 braking applications.
chris suggests i leave a msg for matt weiss at stoptech, and steve ruiz. left a msg for steve.
Quote:
Originally Posted by jack
...(all the above about the brakes...)
i think i've been really patient. i've about had it. i have a few options i'd like you to consider.
1. take the rears back and replace whatever needs to be so i have the 4 piston setup all around, as my fronts dont squeal. (bear in mind, i find out later that just bec it doesnt squeal up front doesnt mean it wont behind, as the use of the rear rotors, since it is sized disproportionately bigger more for looks than it is function still presents significant cooling/heating and hence potential squeal issues)
2. take the rears back and gimme my money. i dont want to be anyone's guinea pig (in the sense of not knowing what the next step would be in resolving a problem.)
(fyi, even when i'm really mad, i'm still smiling and my tone is pleasant. i enjoy venting humorously, as most of you shld know by now from the whole squealing incident.)
after i listened to jan's message, the phone rings, and lo and behold, it's steve.
Quote:
Originally Posted by steve@stoptech
got your message, and i can absolutely understand. (he proceeded to explain a whole bunch of stuff that sounded very sensible that my feeble mind promptly forgot...)
jack, we will do whatever it takes to resolve it. but first, let me try this - next step is to go with some oem pads with close to zero sound, but perhaps giving up a bit on the bite, which shld be fine for regular driving. you can keep the set currently on it, if you ever feel the need to swap it out.
additionally, i will also ship out new rear rotors, just to make sure we eliminate any other variables. we'll use yours for testing.
i want you to keep me posted - whether it makes any sound a day later, or a month later. i want your feedback.
if it comes down to it, (hopefully not) - i will take the rears and refund your money.
i certainly appreciate the guys at bms absorbing the time and aggravation to do this, through no fault of theirs. i need some brake work done on my car anyways, so i will have them do mine, just so i can pay them in some way.
:applause: :M5thumbs: thanks a lot steve. i'm willing to see how we can resolve this.
--------------
dont get me wrong - certainly both issues are still open and unresolved. but the way things were handled by both companies speaks volumes. and as hard as i bring unpleasant matters to the fore, i am also the biggest cheerleader of a full on honest and effective response to the issues at hand.
so for you reading this, inspite and despite the numerous difficulties so far, both dinan and stoptech have once again proven their first-rate service, beyond the products.
110a. :snore000:
episode 24: flustered by the cluster...
b'fest buddies...
if you all dont mind, i thought i'd take some time today to just unwind from an extremely busy work week, and another insane one coming up. what that means is THIS episode will be long, as in LOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOONG.
there's only a 1 mod review as b4, but there are some loose ends from previous ones i need to post, and some 'bonus footage' of more trivial and useless bits of information to brighten up your weekend! so sit back, relax, stick your smelly feet on your coffee table!
-----------
from the b'fest board...
Quote:
Originally Posted by ken21
jack....any epsiode for the m5 cluster ?? the pics on the m5board is dead
well ken, looks like THIS is your lucky day.
Quote:
Originally Posted by m5q8
You replace the M5 diff ?
how ??? I have one and i want to put it at my 540 did it do things ??
my car came with a 3.15 diff, and it was replaced with a dinan 3.45 ltd slip diff that came with that finned end cap looking thing. review soon.
------------
first off, how about a new 'mod'???
in general, i'm not a fan of stickers, emblems, doodads on the car. hence, it is debadged (540i), will not be dinan-badged, obviously un-///m'd on the rear deck lid. i only make very rare exceptions, such as my license plate holder which states my religious convictions that i hold dear, and this...
just a little reminder of where a piece of my heart is right now. 
-------------
the grille episode update...
the 540 came with brake ducts, and tyrone ended up doing something so it all lined up. in fact i do remember what is normally done is either get the grille with the aluminum/silver inserts, or plastic tie wrap. this is how it looks. once again, an awesome job on something i was completely clueless on.
and a clear close up of what's in there through the holes...
------------
the umbrella episode update...
i finally broke down today and decided to open it up. i was afraid not being able to put it back nicely.
b4 the disturbance...
here it is...
the other side, complete with instructions tucked in.
the idiot's guide to bmw umbrellas
the fastening strap unbuttoned...
i didnt realize it was an automatic one!
one press, and it just opens up. motion shot!
fully opened.
here's the BEST part. (incidentally, i lost my umbrella in new york. i loved it because it was not only a one-push to open umbrella, it was also a one-button press to close it..) press the button again and it closes!!!
press down the top to shorten it...
and thanks to a lifelong addiction to origami, the flaps and folds are all crisply tucked in, as though it had never been opened...(and no, it's not just a repost of the shot b4 i opened it.)
a true testament to german engineering, down to their mini umbrella...
-----------------
got 2 featurettes for you all.
first one is a detour to a little collection of my most prized (and worthless) brochures. this diversion happened thanks to someone's request to want to see a 2003 sport wagon brochure, which is in rather short supply.
1. the 2003 m brochure. this is part of my keepsake (!) from my mementos of my former car, an 02 e46 m3.
the other reason i have it is because this was the last year a certain car was made. from the looks of it, i'll probably never get to buy one, not because of financial reasons, but bec of space, and...(later). it's one of my all-time favorite cars.
2. again, from owning the m3 are 2 more special publications, one was a promo piece, and the other a seldom-seen smg brochure that my sales guy was kind enuf and resourceful enuf to get for me. (that would be dave fritsch, fleet guy at shelly bmw - a class act!!)
3. and then there are the sport wagon brochures, which i happen to have both 02 and 03. the 02 i got back in, well 02, since for about the same money, around 65k, it was either a loaded 540it, or a loaded m3. went for the m3 at that time. when i bought the 03 540it this jan, i just had to see if i could still get one. calling bmwna, i was told they normally pretty much dispose of older ones. somehow, one resourceful young lady decided to go dig somewhere, called me back the next day, and happily announced she was about to send me what could be the last one in existence. so there it is!!!
4. finally, my other favorite. again, i believe it was dave at shelly who fished this one out of thin air for me. the z8 is the reason i wont get an m coupe. 
i remembered even getting ready to go into a bidding war on ebay for one of the z8 owner's books - i think it started at $300...and next thing i know it was withdrawn, and havent seen one since. so this is the closest thing.
got **my** alpina picked out...in silver (too bad no alpine white)
and in this interior, please.
for further details...
http://www.bimmerfest.com/forums/sho...d.php?t=164501
-------------
the second short feature is a collage of 'what was wrong with the car when i got it.' i understand i bought a used car. i'm just nitpicking. buying a used car with faults and all is like choosing a wife. you have to love them as they are. (compared to my wife, i'm the one with more of the pockmarks and dings by far. )
1. the driver side rear taillight had a crack, although it is SO hard to see it. in this pic, it is in the lower right quarter area of the taillight. (oekundar, this is for you.)
closeups of the cracks..
and of course, the matching dent on the body. accdg to the owner, he wasnt even aware of it. my guess is the garage door probably got it some tmie in the past.
close-up...
and from a little distance...can barely even see it.
2. the piece that used to be here had a nice hole...(cant find the b4 pic...) it's the plastic part under the front bumper on the passenger side. now this new piece is already scratched too. 
3. the next is a sublesson in astronomy - craters, but not on the moon. 2 of these deep ones...
and 2 of these shallower ones...
they're actually the front plate holder bumper holes....they dont quite that bad from a few steps away...
4. more astronomy. how about some asteroid collisions? this one is on the top left kidney...
this is below the left kidney - big hit.
the perspective shot - really only see it washing the car.
5. i think a bear did these...a swipe from the claws...
and a bite from the same bear.
stepping back...
this was probably from an encounter with the poles that are sometimes in garages...
6. the right side of the rear trunk window - the grommet was loose (actually broken) which my dealer kindly replaced free of charge. 
, didnt realize there was belly-button fuzz-like stuff in it. 
7. some minor yellowish stains behind the front seats in the carpet area by the rear seat footwells. hopefully i can easily clean them.
8. now the dermatological challenges. is this the average hollywood has-been's facial crevices magnified??? i wonder if my wife will share a few little dollops of her 'la mer' with me....THAT product costs an arm and a leg and does do wonders.
the cracks or creases in the leather on both the front seats seem to be a bit more than what i've seen. yet the car has been really well-taken cared of by the old owner. obviously these close up shots make them look a lot worse, as compared to what they normally look from a distance.
9. the car came missing one of these. easy fix at the crevier parts dept.
10. a few little scratches on the fender just above the front passenger wheel. now you see it...
now you kinda dont.
11. a scuff over here by the driver side rear bumper...
that's not too obvious.
having pointed all that out, would i have still bought it? or am i still just as pleased with it? absolutely. those of us who are happily married know that one secret of true love is to learn to overlook your mate's imperfections!
-------------
and now, finally, to the business at hand. this episode is dedicated to ken21.
Quote:
Originally Posted by the jack review
1. mod - M5 Instrument Cluster
2. bmw part numbers (main ones) - 62-11-7-835-694
3. price and labor (if it's easily figured out ) -$690 + tax, labor (doc) and dealer coding (1 hr= $92 discounted. thanks savage bmw.)
4. the obligatory pic (or 2 or 3)
the m5 cluster still in its factory plastic bag..
5. review/complaints - this was part of the first batch of stuff that came. this was also the first mod i spent money on that would probably fall in the 'i cant believe i just spent ???? for this!' category. it really started innocently with me wanting the titanium surrounds on the different dials. well, doing this did get me those titanium surrounds!!!
so out came the old one.
the master at surgery.
and this is what the inside looks like!
the m5 cluster is in! looks awesome even though....
it does NOT work!
tyrone did warn me - while it was not a hard thing to physically put in, there's a good chance it had to be coded by the dealer to work...fortunately, it was a piece of cake at the dealer (as compared to another coding incident which will be covered in the future.)
so why did i do this, seeing there was nothing wrong with the original one, and add to that the fact that even with the big discount (was 900!) there were NO hp gains???
may i blame my e46 m3? there is somehow nothing like the orange glow of an ///m instrument cluster!
just look at this! this is the lighted original cluster..
and THIS is the lighted ///m5 cluster.
a daytime shot of the unlit speedo...
and when it's lit.
on top of the utter lack of logic & sense in my choice to do this, i knew going in that:
1. the oil temp gauge will NOT work, as in the 540 it was the fuel economy (or lack of it) gauge;
2. the tach lights will work, but NOT correctly. they're just lit, and do not move to the revs as it does in the m5 (and m3)
here's a pic of the tach lights lit incorrectly and the oil temp absolutely off!
but what do i care???
6. as a mod, was it worth it? - believe it or not, YES!!! everytime it gets dark, i am reminded of both my old m3, and the fact that this little wagon does have enough juice to wear that cluster, and was not simply a poseur's ornament. logically, it was a very important piece in bringing the interior up to an ///m cabin's standard. absolutely love it.
7. from a money spent perspective, was it a good bang for the buck? - absolutely NOT. on the performance gain scale it is at the ocean's bottom. on the aesthetic and satisfaction scale it is through the roof. but i have to honestly flunk it in terms of money spent.
it gets NO thumbs!!! (0 out of 5)
8. would i do it again? - hahahaha...YES!!!!!
9. overall rating: - to preserve some semblance of objectivity, i will only award it a 4 out of 5.
phew. long enough?
episode 25: silvervisions on a silver vision.
Quote:
Originally Posted by oekundar
Jack,
THanks for the picture...and I can't believe or rather...I do believe the cluster cost $900, the lack of operation of several gauges would get me though...even though it looks sweet.
oekundar, i warned you it was an awesome mod with very little logical justification. :haha:
Quote:
Originally Posted by ken21
thanks for the cluster info jack
$690..... i need one from you lol
ken - that's because i was **dumb** enough to drop a decent order of over 50 part numbers in 1 shot. hmmm :byebye: to both common and financial sense.
----------
had the opportunity to catch up with guys from both the m5board and b'fest last saturday. i absolutely loved drm64099's chiaretto, and gbogh3's full caramel interior.
i think i was a bit off mentally that day - a few nights of working late does that to one over 40 - at least to me. alas, thinking back introspectively now, i was guilty of at least 4 senior moments (much apologies to you sharp seniors...)
1. i left gbogh my cel number, and proceed to leave the cel phone in the car, so i never get his call back.
2. after dropping of earl (palantirion) and his wife, i just drive off. i literally left thaichi and roadwarrior (and God knows who else) waiting for me, as i had said i'd be back.
2a. not seeing anyone at the lot, i just left. granted i did not have phone numbers with me that day, i did have thaichi's all the time.
3. earl wants to compare my ride to his full s2'd touring. i was meaning to just let HIM drive it so he can compare them, as he has a more astute sense of observation of subtle differences. i just enjoy driving the heck out of my car. well, i didnt. so remind me next time i see you, earl.
the last one tops them all.
4. i was walking away from touring dude's touring (an individual japan red 525it 5 spd!) just checking out the progress on what he was doing. standing by gbogh, he says: "gee - is THAT the thread that wouldnt die???"
earl goes, "no - it's the silver one there." i thought THAT was funny, THEN about a half a second later, it hits me - **I** am the dodo with the thread that doesnt want to die.
i wished i showed up a little earlier. hopefully the next early meet is on a saturday!!!
-----------
a big bunch of thanks to the guys at bms, and stoptech too. i had to once again visit the nursery (bms). while they jokingly say they dont want to see me anytime soon, i can appreciate that, as it costs them everytime i show up for them to fix a problem on their time and dime.
got there about 3p.
a familiar face in the driver's seat....
a quick inspection of the stuff that came in..
the brake pads..
they're oem pads, whic accdg to chris are thsame as the nissan 350z rears.
the rotors...which curiously came with a splash of black paint of some sort...
once my rear rims came off, it was interesting to note that the rear rotors have not completely bedded. it's just the nature of the beast of having functionally oversized rear rotors that never seem to get enough action, especially with, depending who you ask, the front getting 70-80% of the load, and the rest to the rears.
another familiar sight...
after a few hot laps with 'the herm' - too bad i couldnt capture what i saw - the brakes were literally smoking!!!
if any of you remembered the front passenger tire blow up with tyrone, i had a chance to get herm's thoughts after letting him see it...
not camber, because too much of it, while it can be a problem, would cause a significantly different kind of wear. it was more probably due to under inflation.
bottom line was, the thing's gone. so i thought i'd take some shots of the inside edges of both front tires...
the front passenger looks good of course, as it just went in.
i was almost bracing myself for some questionable wearing on the front driver's side, but thank God it looked just fine!
so thanks - herm. as usual, a great job done. as i left, i told them i'd be back in a few weeks. i wasnt clairvoyant, but it's about 3 months - going to vegas this weekend with my wife, and shld be due for an oil change on our return.
--------------
and today's episode
Quote:
Originally Posted by the jack review
1. mod - Rear Silvervisions
2. bmw part numbers (main ones) - n/a
3. price and labor (if it's easily figured out ) -$28, easy???
4. the obligatory pic (or 2 or 3)
hmmm, can't find the pic of the bulbs!
5. review/complaints - this is probably more the continuation of episode 17...
http://www.m5board.com/vbulletin/sho...&postcount=634
but for the summary in pics...
before (stock)
after - euro clears, with egg yolks
final - euro clears, with silver visions.
6. as a mod, was it worth it? - yes - since there was some color in the rear, from the red of the taillights, the orange actually conflicted with it, and with the euro clear lens being more transparent/translucent than the typical white lens (not clear) in the rear tail lights of usa sport pkg cars, the silver visions were a logical and aesthetic mod.
5 out of 5!!
7. from a money spent perspective, was it a good bang for the buck? - and cheap! (bulbs thanks to evosport, and tyrone for picking them up for me. )
5 out of 5!
8. would i do it again? - when they burn out???
9. overall rating: - 5 out of 5!
---
as a little postcript, here are 2 pics i took recently at craig park, brea, right by a lake.
episode 26: emergency! first aid kit to the rescue!
Quote:
Originally Posted by Benedek
Jack, can you please upload your (not all, but some best ones) full-size pics somewhere like flickr for example. They're just so beautiful that I want to have them for my desktop =)
benedek,
thanks for your kind comment. definitely wouldnt mind doing that - i'll have some time that i'll be on a plabe for 6 hrs total and i can sort through my pics. i've been meaning to organize that for some time.
Quote:
Originally Posted by palantirion
"for i have learned in whatever state i am, to be content."
...because my silver S3 wagon ROCKS!
hey earl,
thanks for reminding me of my sig line on the b'fest board. truthfully, had i never goosed up this wagon, i was STILL contented. maybe just a bit more now. :M5thumbs: that's probably one Bible verse that has seen me through a lot of life's ups and downs... :1: i do my best to think of it esp when some goofy thing blows up, and just smile and squeal through my predicament.
------------
btw, the doc was around thursday doing more final touches. (sorry - no pics - havent uploaded the pics yet)
1. re-wiring the checkcorp massager wires that were exposed to be now under the carpet. i thought that was it, until he pointed out how he even integrated the wiring into the oem seat wire harness because there happened to be 2 unused terminals (or a place to plug some wire in - cant remember the right term.) i coulndt believe it. ridiculous shots will be part odf that episode.
2. more final wires for the rear warmers. still waiting for a few more teeny-weny parts from bmwna.
3. i had complained about some strange sound emanating from the front speaker on the door area. after driving it around, he figured it out - my front driver side view mirror case is rattling, which shld be replaceable under warranty. :hihi: didnt get what tyrone was smiling about until he pointed it out, and explained how we can now order the CORRECT drivers side mirror housing!!!! we'll see how this goes!
-----------
i'm in vegas, so a really lame episode is in order. i found the easiest thing i could do!!! (i'll say the car drove and rode like a dream. it was simply awesome the few times i paddleshifted from 5th down to 3rd at about 80 mph, floor it, and hit triple digits upshifting in no time. :15: just a nice synergy of almost every dinan part slapped on the thing.)
Quote:
Originally Posted by the jack review
1. mod - emergency first aid kit
2. bmw part numbers (main ones) - tyrone knows.
3. price and labor (if it's easily figured out ) - free for me, i've seen it for about $65?
4. the obligatory pic (or 2 or 3)
this is the kit in place, below the front passenger seat.
taken out
and the gory contents!!!
5. review/complaints - well, lucky me. the old owner had the car euro delivered, and so the kit was installed, and came with the car!
6. as a mod, was it worth it? - YES!!! nice to have.
7. from a money spent perspective, was it a good bang for the buck? - FREE!!!!
8. would i do it again? - YES!
9. overall rating: - it is a nice touch - not obvious, but a mod nonetheless.
till next week.
episode "the end" (long)
as 'reprinted' from the mother thread on the m5board...
In the interest of some kind of closure, I will just wrap this adventure up with a **few** comments. It's not that I now have all the time in the world, but I just happen to have some time tonight. My dad's a bit better health-wise, but we'll just say he's putting us under a different sort of challenges at this point. Again, thanks for all your thoughtfulness and prayers during this difficult time for us.
To post again on this thread feels like a post-mortem, or a dog digging up some bone in the yard that's been buried for sometime. I'm sure a few folks will go 'good grief- I thought THAT thread finally died!!!' (by the way, just for the heck of it, I found it tucked around page 14 of the threads!!!)
Believe it or not, and to my own relief, there aren't too many mods left to review, although I've obviously saved some of the best ones for last, and will probably not do them justice. This post will be more philosophical than it will be pictorial, so advanced apologies. Fortunately, I probably have pics of just about everything somewhere in this thread. Of course, if there's any specific requests for pics of some sort, I will be happy to comply. In no particular order.
1. BBS RC, 18 x 8.5 all-around
Tire Rack, $442
Michelin Pilot Sport 2, 245/40/18 (incl. Spare)
Tire Rack, $248
Total: $3555 (with shipping)
(Thanks, Luke!)
- as my spares, it has been a love-hate relationship. Thank God I've never felt like this about my wife in the almost 20 years we've been married!!!
the reasons i don't like them are really dumb.
1. because i'm so used to the bigger 19s, they just look small when they're on the car.
2. the beautiful brilliant 'silber' finish is a hair too bling for me, as i thought bbs brilliant silber meant the regular silver painted oem look. it's more of a brilliant aluminum color, much shinier than painted silver.
3. the rears are visually wimpier because my 19s are 9.5 in the rear.
however, i do realize i must have a set of 18s for sensibility's sake as far as spares. it would be absolutely stupid to have TWO sets of 19s. with my luck (since this is my daily driver) i could just pothole both sets and end up with mix and match or no wheels at all!!!
visually, there might be just a handful of 18s i'd go for, but only because of aesthetics - as in the oem m5 rims, and even the acs type 2 in 18. (wouldnt that be something - have the type 2 in both 18 and 19??? Would've done it, except that the type 2 is a fortune, and not quite as light as the bbs rc.)
but as far as performance (as in weight) - i'd be hard-pressed to find anything better.
2. SMG ///M-Stitched Steering Wheel with Black Trim 32-34-2-282-222 $485
(Mr. PaddleShift Adapter Kit) $380
-pound for pound, this is one really worthless (hp-wise) mod that is worth it's weight in gold as far as entertainment value is concerned. Although the dinan s/w for the tranny is such that the shifts are nowhere near what my smg was, it is truly fun to use everyday. (the catch is while the m3 would of course shift the moment the paddle was flicked, the slower-reacting auto tranny would lag by about 500-700 rpm before shifting, thus not really allowing redline shifting as I got accustomed to especially in spirited driving with the gas pedal all the way down.) For spirited driving it is great. For maximum speed delivery the car is better left in sport mode where the s/w does allow maxxed out redlin shifting. Love it- doubt I'll get tired of it.
3. Euro Clear Front Angel Eye Xenons (Hella) $941
-honestly, I catch myself asking, 'what was I thinking??' once in a while. Got it with the m5board group buy (thanks clem). The only positive was that I sold my old ones for $400. so not that bad. It does however make the car even more stealthy with just the amber egg yolks that I left on purpose.
4. DSP Sound System
Dealer Coding Labor $108 (WHAT A NIGHTMARE! THE ZCS CODING TOOK OVER 2 MONTHS!!)
Wiring Harness 61-12-6-931-825 $428
Support Tape 51-47-8-136-450 $5
Subwoofer Box 65-13-8-362-176 $219
Amplifier 65-12-6-940-977 $893
Speaker Box 65-13-8-369-065/6 $93 each
Insulation 65-13-8-369-578 $7
-This is probably the one retrofit I have taken the most flack for. While I occasionally question my wisdom in doing the euro angel eyes just to get the clear side lenses, I've never questioned my decision to do the dsp retrofit. I'll admit it'd be nice to have the bass thump a little bit more, but as this is the best the oem can manage, I'm very pleased with it. Additionally, the touring presents a different set of issues as far as aftermarket possibilities if one wants nothing in the trunk, so boxes (koalas) in the rear were not an option. Realistic estimates put numbers in the $8k and up to achieve what I wanted, so in the end I decided I'd rather blow that on the engine, than than my ears.
5. BSW Rainbow Speakers (all) $430
-This was a great complement to the dsp upgrade, as it was a relatively easy install (for tyrone, of course.) very highly recommended, if that's all the audio upgrade one does.
6. 4-Stage Front Seat Massagers (Check Corp, Aftermarket)
$250 each, labor $900
-this was a great non-oem mod that was integrated tastefully by the bms guys, thanks to earl for allowing me to see what this was like in his touring. While the heaters are not as warm as the oem ones, the massagers by themselves were worth the price of admission. Oem heated seats free.
Massagers (with unused heaters) - $1400
Heated seat, with a back massage from vegas and back priceless.
(incidentally, in the original install, there were 2 wires hanging out discreetly from the seats. Tyrone, working on the seats, decided to tuck both wires under the carpet!!)
7. Rear Heated Seating for 3
8-Heat Element 64-11-1-388-595 $59
Heater Element 64-11-1-378-522 $59
Switch Heater Seat 61-31-1-387-917 $76
Seat Heating 64-11-7-005-823 $118 x2
-This is being completed by tyrone in the next few days. While no e39s ever came with oem rear seat heating, much less for all 3 spaces, this will be the closest thing. Per tyrone, short of the wires, every harness, switch, clip and hardware and heating element is a genuine bmw part. Cant wait (well, more like my girls cant wait) for this to be completed.
8. Silver-Painted Kidney Grille Inserts ($5 Hi-Temp Paint)
9. Debadged
10. Rubber Mats (Rear) 82-55-0-151-197 $24
8, 9 and 10 were the only things I could claim I did. Hahahahaha.
11. Shark Housing 84-50-0-153-131 $84
-well, as simple as I thought this was going to be, tyrone wasn't happy with the slight difference in the angle of curvature of the base of the shark fin and the roof line of the touring. Add to that bmw discontinued making the contoured adhesive. But he assures me that this piece will not join the removed parts bin nor be a vestige. Should also be in this week.
12. and now, the laundry list of dinan mods.
Front Strut Brace
$549, Labor 0, Rebate $108
-no complaints here, visually a nice addition to the already crowded engine bay. Just wish it was a bit easier to take off for the 1/8 mile days to get some better cooling. But oh well.
Single Oval Free-Flow Exhaust (with Custom Welding)
$999, Labor $400, Rebate $200
-before the s.c went in, it produced a wonderful growl. Not the in your face kind that woke up the neighborhood, but more like the subdued roar of a powerful engine. Post s/c, it was ostensibly muted, but still audible. I can hear it better with the quieter mich ps2 on than my noisier 19s riding on s03s.
High-Flow Throttle Body
$599, labor 0, Rebate $199
-I guess this contributes to the higher gas consumption rate while the computer wants me to think my mileage has improved. Hahahaha.
Stage 3 Touring Suspension (with matching Rear Konis custom ordered)
$1723, Labor $1230, Rebate $344 (suspended in suspence over the suspension)
-bang for buck, a definite must do on anyone;s mod list. The only drawback is the camber plates which have at this point eaten away at 2 front tires pretty quickly. It is also in the next few weeks (if not this week's) agenda to have those camber plates from dinan removed, and replaced with the stock ones. Everything else from ride height to response to reducing body roll to ride quality is top-notch!
3.45 Limited-Slip Differential
$6529, labor $550, rebate $1305
-never had the before and after to quantify this mod, so I'll have to cross my fingers and say it is good. Until I can line it up nose to nose with another simlarly s/c'd car without it I'd never know. Last I know dinan is no longer offering this upgrade for the e39 (non-m5).
Stage 3 Supercharger System
$15999, labor $2760, rebate $3200
-well, the heart of the saga. Did I need to do it? No. was it worth it? Yes. Do I regret doing it? No! would I do it again? I'm not sure. Had I been looking for a sedan, I wouldn't have gone this route of course. But silly me was hunting down a touring! It's been s/c'd for about 4 months or so, and I've probably piled on no less than 6k miles at least. It is absolutely a blast to drive. No doubt about it. It has made me not miss my e46 m3 too much there's only about 10% of me at this point that tells me I should have picked up another m3. dinan has definitely delivered the goods on this one. So far so good.
Debadged
-if and when my badges ever come in, it's not going on. J
-----------------------
EPILOGUE:
if any of you dare do the math, there is no doubt a bit of money was blown, figuratively and literally. Let's see..
car cost $36k, with taxes and reg about $40k.
total bms parts (dinan) $26.6k, labor $4.4k, taxes another $2k, totals $33k
crevier parts (all those retrofit goodies) $9.4k (tax included)
TOTAL MOD COST = $42.4K (as previously mentioned, tyrone's surgical fees will remain confidential.)
parts taken off and sold came to $3k
dinan rebate was $5k
so NET MOD COST = $34.4K.
let's be brutal here. For about $75k, I could have actually purchased….
1. a used e39 m5 for less money
2. even a used e60 m5 for the same cash
3. a new e61 530i touring (66k out the door, with only 255 hp though. )
4. a used amg e55 touring for the same
now I ask myself, would I do it all over again and I would probably lean towards NO. from a financial perspective, it is obviously a total loser, with the near impossibility of ever recouping the cost of any mods, no matter how oem they get. Of course, I knew that going in. another factor for the 'no' is the probability of the availability of either the e61 m5 touring in a few years. Not to mention the e55t or even e63t amg not being any slouches.
Do I regret doing this? Not a bit. My wife and kids have grown accustomed to getting stared down by people. We were recently looking for a spot to park for dinner. The only one that opened up was right by the front door, where a sea of people were waiting. As we pulled up, my girls went 'daddy, I think almost everyone is looking at the car.' Those of you who know me know I didn't do it for the attention. My wagon has been made to be as much of a sleeper as it can get, except perhaps to a few nuts who might be wondering 'is it or is it not?' no badges, single tip exhaust. Silver calipers!!! No chrome or even polished rims!
(fyi, on the other hand, if i had to do it all over again, here's my very short list of must do mods:
1. suspension
2. wheels, 19s of course
3. ltd slip diff
that's it. surprise!!)
It puts a really big smile on my face everytime I get into it. Even the 75% functioning m5 instrument cluster is a source of joy – love the orange glow.
For me, it is a very special car. I know a lot of people don't really care for wagons. But I like them. And chances are, I wont run into another one like it, anytime soon. There is something about dropping $150k on a car that you would think buys you a bit of exclusivity. In socal, everyone in newport or beverly hills has an sl55 or a 911 turbo. I do like being 1 of just 2 (that I know of). (My 'other' twin is a 97 540 touring in texas (not sure) somewhere, that was the original s/c mule for dinan. While I've unbelievably connected with the tech who originally worked on that car, I have not heard back from the car's current owner. And while it is also s/c'd, I will humbly add that it is nowhere as extensively retrofitted or dinan'd out. Don't know if I've crossed the line from being exclusive to being stupid. Hahahaha.)
The best part is driving up in 'grandpa's'wagon doesn't scare any of my clients, too.
Lastly, regardless of the outcome, the absolutely best part of it all was making the acquaintances and friendships across a few boards, lurkers, readers and posters alike, all because of a relatively silly project. THAT is without a doubt the most meaningful, and frankly, the only lasting part of this.
So with that, the 'buildstory' as gustav calls it, comes to a close. (thanks too for the admins for allowing me to 'squat' on this thread.) What's left is to drive the living daylights out of this beast, and hopefully continually get a chance to meet up with the rest of you all on some get togethers, drives, or even bimmerfest.
Be safe everyone, and a very heartfelt thanks from your fellow ///m nut.
jack
