[Paul B]

Yes, I guess. Intermittent faults are just such a pain (especially if it's a faulty headlight unit, $$$).

Winter tyres can't really happen due to where we live, there's simply nowhere to store them. When it gets to Dec my good lady switches to the train as the M1 becomes a bit epic  as does the Meadowhell junction (or so I'm told).

BMWVIN.com

There are others out there too. You can also get lots of information via the OBD (such as coolant temperature for instance). This is easy to get to and very useful for fault finding. In fact, you can buy a lead for £25 which comes with all of the diagnostic and (factory) coding features available to the dealers.

If I'm totally honest I quite enjoy tinkering (and will therefore be fixing the parking sensors, fog light and interior vent out of stubbornness alone)...

Pictures:

BMW E46 320d M-sport Touring by travelswithmyt4, on Flickr


BMW E46 320d M-sport Touring by travelswithmyt4, on Flickr


BMW E46 320d M-sport Touring by travelswithmyt4, on Flickr

Swirl flaps (for anyone still on the fence):

swirl flaps by travelswithmyt4, on Flickr

[andyd]

Our winter tyres have their summer holidays in a barn at the inlaws. You must know someone who can store them. Off to get them this weekend. Definitely worth travelling to get it sorted.

[Paul B]

Our winter tyres have their summer holidays in a barn at the inlaws. You must know someone who can store them. Off to get them this weekend. Definitely worth travelling to get it sorted.

I've left so many vehicles garaged at my parents whilst we go travelling etc. that I now feel genuinely guilty doing so. One required us to remove the garage door and deflate the tyres to get it in. On re-inflating the tyres inside the garage I had visions of someone stealing my 1972 camper and trashing their garage in the getaway.

We'll see, if it looks like a long-term purchase (i.e. doesn't turn into a money-pit and Nat settles towards actually liking it) then I might sort them out for next year. Spending yet more money (on steelies + winter tyres [18"]) isn't currently on the agenda.

[Paul B]

 

New flywheel thus new clutch. Failed MOT on some bushings and I was given advisories on the front pads + discs (not really a problem but when it stacks onto the above it comes to a hefty bill). It'll also need a service at some point.

Now, where did I leave my Fabia?

[Fiend]

In an underwater carpark??

[Paul B]

In an underwater carpark??

No, that was an utterly outrageous 1960 ragtop beetle with a custom 2.0 Volkspeed engine, twin carbs, gene berg gearbox and narrowed front end that was almost certainly going to be the death of me if it hadn't flooded.

The Fabia sold 1 day before Nat was granted her sabbatical for the USA-tour. Woe is me.

[dave]

Word getting back to the winter tyres thing, as I understand it some tyre places will store your other set of shoes while you've got the winters on, assuming you're going to them to get em fitted and unfitted. Not sure if there's also a fee for storage but if you're keen on winter shoes its probably worth a look.

[Paul B]

After today's expenditure, suggesting I get the car another set of 'shoes' might prove volatile.

[slackline]

New car on the market

[Plattsy]

After today's expenditure, suggesting I get the car another set of 'shoes' might prove volatile.

A couple of mates took a rear wheel drive tranny to the Alps a couple of winters ago with just snow socks for the regular tyres. Said they were very good. Cheaper than winter tyres and ultimately easier to store. Not used them myself so I have no personal experience.

[galpinos]

A couple of mates took a rear wheel drive tranny to the Alps a couple of winters ago with just snow socks for the regular tyres. Said they were very good. Cheaper than winter tyres and ultimately easier to store. Not used them myself so I have no personal experience.

Quite effective and quick to put on s ideal for short stretches but I prefer chains for longer distances and not rquirement to keep taking them off.

Snow snocks get shagged very quickly if they even sniff tarmac.....

[tommytwotone]

Have a friend who spent a few years in Chamonix in his standard Golf Gti.


He said all he ever did was get chains (aka "poor man's 4 wheel drive") and never got stuck.

[Obi-Wan is lost...]

Like Snow Socks, Chains can't be used for any distance on tarmac either, they knacker the road and the chain. Fine for places like Cham where they don't salt, so have compacted snow on the roads most of the winter. (They spread crushed rock for grip). For places like the UK where some roads are salted and clear or slushly but the next road is covered in snow, winter tyres are by far the most effective option.

[galpinos]

Like Snow Socks, Chains can't be used for any distance on tarmac either, they knacker the road and the chain.

my point was more that as the snow ends, you often can't just stop and take your socks off, you need to get to where you can pull over a bit. This short distance often kills your socks. Chains, however, will survive.

[Paul B]

Given this thread has been awoken, the fly-wheel + clutch have made massive improvements to the car in terms of torque (must've been slipping), fuel economy (etc.) and general ease of use.

I'd almost be happy if I knew it didn't need new pads + discs up front and new shoes for the handbrake (which ultimately means new pads + discs for the back). Also the Bluetooth no longer works after updating to a Moto G, seems like Android and BMW don't play well together currently and there's not a lot I can do about that.

I've got a set of fancy, self levelling, self centering chains that I was forced to buy on a mountain pass in Switzerland 6 years ago, they're amazing but I was warned the mechanisms wouldn't last long if I ventured onto tarmac. This meant stopping and removing them for stretches of tunnels which made for a very long drive. In one of the tunnels I heard a fantastic engine noise and turned around to see an Audi S4 absolutely flying. Obviously he had winter tyres as he continued onto the snow at a ridiculous pace with total ease.

I assume he was having lots of fun.

[Johnny Brown]

Have we had this before?


I am quite psyched for a Quattro after driving Jim's back from Dover during last March's big freeze. I remember Rhys' being quite useful as a ski lift up Mamtor a few years back too.

[Paul B]

not psyched by running a 4wd permanently and not that Audi lump either (no offence Jim just various basic problems looked  horrifically expensive) although I'm sure Nat would be happier with the Skoda Octavia 4x4 we viewed. As usual for Skoda the spec level was fantastic.

[Jim]

It'll probably be up for sale soonish.
What are these basic problems are you one about? in 8 years of owning my audi (it's the same car as a skoda) it's only let me down once with the timing belt tensionor going, unfortunately it was in france where there charged me 2.5k euro's for a £700 job

[Johnny Brown]

They had you over a fucking barrel there Jim, bad times.

[Jaspersharpe]

various basic problems looked  horrifically expensive

Unlike with a BMW, obviously.



Sorry... ;-)

[Obi-Wan is lost...]

Have we had this before?

Not quite as deep but the other winter I loved being able to park by the door of work, among the 4x4s. Access to the carpark was via a steep ramp.

Honda 2x4 + Conti Winter Contacts= 

(And I may have done quite a bit of hooning around the big carpark once everyone else had gone.  )

[Paul B]

various basic problems looked  horrifically expensive

Unlike with a BMW, obviously.

Quite, however a DMF + Clutch on a VAG engine is the same cost almost exactly. I'm aware the current car wasn't the most sensible option but it is at least interesting, even when I paid that bill I was smiling on the way home (a short 5 min journey).

It was this post elsewhere that got me when looking at a very nice A4 2.5Tdi V6:

2.5 is smoother more refined and quite a bit more torquie than 1.9.

But its still very old technology so nothing like as smooth as a modern diesel engine.

However 1.9 TDI do seem to be pretty much bullet proof. Might want a turbo at some stage other than that nothing expensive ever goes wrong on them.

2.5TDIs on the other hand, Turbo's £1200, pumps £1000, oil leaks £300, crankcase breather valves £350 and the camshafts are made of chocolate. If the cams wear to the point that they fail, they wipe out the rockers and smashup the head. £3000+ In some cases resulting in a new engine required £5500-£7000, although replacement of the head usually suffices.

A 2.5tdi when its working is a nicer engine than a 1.9, and most 2.5 will be higher spec cars. But with engine over 100k on them my professional opinion is live with the harshness and get a 1.9.

There were other similar sentiments elsewhere.

it's the same car as a skoda

I didn't say car I said lump/engine, they're both Audi, but the 1.9 and 2.5 diesel engines are very different beasts (the Octavia 4x4s of that era were all 1.9 Tdi 105, the 105 being the dull part).

[Plattsy]

I am quite psyched for a Quattro after driving Jim's back from Dover during last March's big freeze. I remember Rhys' being quite useful as a ski lift up Mamtor a few years back too.

I'm tempted by 4WD also. Saw a lovely 3 series touring with an Xdrive badge on the side the other day. Finally BM bringing the Xdrive over here to their normal cars.

[tomtom]

I am quite psyched for a Quattro after driving Jim's back from Dover during last March's big freeze. I remember Rhys' being quite useful as a ski lift up Mamtor a few years back too.

I'm tempted by 4WD also. Saw a lovely 3 series touring with an Xdrive badge on the side the other day. Finally BM bringing the Xdrive over here to their normal cars.

I thought about getting a 4wd saloon next too - then figured that getting a set of winter tyres was a far cheaper option (less maintenence, less fuel consumption, less initial cost etc..). Would be fun though

[Bubba]

Saw a lovely 3 series touring with an Xdrive badge on the side the other day. Finally BM bringing the Xdrive over here to their normal cars.

Saw a 530d xDrive Touring two days ago...not sure how because you can't buy them here yet - must have been an import.

It'll be a few years before the prices drop for the likes of me to afford but I can live in hope...