The BMW UUC Digest Volume 2 : Issue 617 : "text" Format Messages in this Issue: Re: Euro v. US spec differences Re: Euro v. US spec differences Re: Euro v. US spec differences Re: Euro v. US spec differences Re: Euro v. US spec differences Re: Euro v. US spec differences Re: Euro v. US spec differences Re: Euro v. US spec differences E30 euro Re: E34 Touring light bar (LEDs?) - was <E36> Third Brake Light on wing Oktoberfest locations??? UV Dye (AC) detection Re: UV Dye (AC) detection Paint advice? Re: Paint advice?
---------------------------------------------------------------------- Date: Mon, 11 Apr 2005 08:44:56 -0400 From: "Eric Benjamin" <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> To: "UUC Digest" <bmwuucdigest@uucdigest.com> Subject: Re: Euro v. US spec differences Message-ID: <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> Sounds like a great car to turn into a slightly overweight track beast. ;-) Eric ----- Original Message ----- From: "KMS- Brett Anderson" <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> > Case in point, there's a 96 850CSi sitting in the parking lot of a dealer > in > VA that some idiot bought cheap and is trying to import. ------------------------------ Date: Mon, 11 Apr 2005 14:22:50 +0000 From: "Gilbert Hoffman" <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> To: bmwuucdigest@uucdigest.com Cc: [EMAIL PROTECTED] Subject: Re: Euro v. US spec differences Message-ID: <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> Brett stated: >Add about $50,000 US to the standard $10-$12K importation costs on a Euro >model if it's produced after 1995. Any car? Someone stated they got OBDII in Europe after 2000. Any truth to this? If the car in question is a 2004 330i what would really be the difference? Gilbert ------------------------------ Date: Mon, 11 Apr 2005 10:40:16 -0400 From: Ben Keyes <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> To: bmwuucdigest@uucdigest.com Subject: Re: Euro v. US spec differences Message-ID: <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> they got OBD-II in Europe at some point, but it's a different OBD-II, so it would still need to be converted. thus there is the immense additional cost. why would you want to import a 2004 330i from Europe in the first place ? I'm 99% certain that a new or used car is going to be cheaper in the US anyway, esp with the strength of the euro of late. if you're in the military there are ways to have a US-spec car in europe and be able to import it back to the States at the end of an assignment. there may even be ways to have a US-spec car over there for a limited period of time and then (re)import it back into the US when a business assignment is over, but it's probably more trouble than it's worth when you figure ~$2k for shipping to/from Europe from the US. maybe if you explained a bit more about what you think you want to do (and why) we can understand if it's remotely feasible - which I doubt it is based on knowing the level of complexity and regulation involved. Ben Gil wrote: > > Brett stated: > > >Add about $50,000 US to the standard $10-$12K importation costs on a Euro > >model if it's produced after 1995. > > Any car? Someone stated they got OBDII in Europe after 2000. Any truth to > this? If the car in question is a 2004 330i what would really be the > difference? ------------------------------ Date: Mon, 11 Apr 2005 14:46:55 +0000 From: "Gilbert Hoffman" <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> To: bmwuucdigest@uucdigest.com Subject: Re: Euro v. US spec differences Message-ID: <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> Ben: Thanks for the info. I pretty much knew what I was planning was not remotely feasible. I think the OBDII argument cements that. The plan was to import a current BMW diesel into the US. But 'basic' fees for importing (shipping, EPA cert and RI fees) are maxing the $10K mark. If the fees increase due to OBDII compliance, it really makes the importation out of the question. Thank again. Gilbert ------------------------------ Date: Mon, 11 Apr 2005 11:13:52 -0400 From: "Gary Derian" <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> To: "Gilbert Hoffman" <[EMAIL PROTECTED]>, <bmwuucdigest@uucdigest.com> Subject: Re: Euro v. US spec differences Message-ID: <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> Diesels may have different OBD II requirements. Either way, $10K buys a lot of gasoline. Gary Derian > Ben: > > Thanks for the info. I pretty much knew what I was planning was not > remotely feasible. I think the OBDII argument cements that. > > The plan was to import a current BMW diesel into the US. But 'basic' fees > for importing (shipping, EPA cert and RI fees) are maxing the $10K mark. > If the fees increase due to OBDII compliance, it really makes the > importation out of the question. > > Thank again. > > Gilbert ------------------------------ Date: Mon, 11 Apr 2005 11:31:25 -0400 From: Ben Keyes <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> To: bmwuucdigest@uucdigest.com Subject: Re: Euro v. US spec differences Message-ID: <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> there is no way in hell any diesel would be legal under any circumstances in the US. if you're really wanting a diesel you'd be better off buying a used E46 here & having the diesel drivetrain installed into it. one could imagine sourcing a complete drivetrain & all the electronics from a wrecked car from Germany, but it would require someone with a lot of time on their hands on the German end to remove all the right parts cleanly as well as the cost to ship them. just buy an E28 524td and be done with it :-P Ben Gil wrote: > > Thanks for the info. I pretty much knew what I was planning was not remotely > feasible. I think the OBDII argument cements that. > > The plan was to import a current BMW diesel into the US. But 'basic' fees > for importing (shipping, EPA cert and RI fees) are maxing the $10K mark. If > the fees increase due to OBDII compliance, it really makes the importation > out of the question. ------------------------------ Date: Mon, 11 Apr 2005 11:56:59 -0400 From: "Eric Benjamin" <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> To: <bmwuucdigest@uucdigest.com> Subject: Re: Euro v. US spec differences Message-ID: <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> ----- Original Message ----- From: "Ben Keyes" <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> > > just buy an E28 524td and be done with it :-P > Nope. Just buy a late 70's Buick diesel. Talk about a smooth and quiet ride! The ladies will go crazy~! ;-) Eric ------------------------------ Date: Mon, 11 Apr 2005 18:39:23 -0400 From: "Dennis Liu" <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> To: <bmwuucdigest@uucdigest.com> Subject: Re: Euro v. US spec differences Message-ID: <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> > The plan was to import a current BMW diesel into the US. But 'basic' > fees for importing (shipping, EPA cert and RI fees) are maxing the > $10K mark. If the fees increase due to OBDII compliance, it really > makes the importation out of the question. ________________ Not to mention the fact that the official BMW reason for not selling diesel engine cars here in the US is that the sulfur content allowed by FedGov is much higher than that in European diesel fuel, and causes problems and damage to BMW's diesel engines. The sulfur content is supposed to be changed by 2007, after which more European manufacturers are supposed to offer diesel cars here. Vty, --Dennis . ------------------------------ Date: Mon, 11 Apr 2005 10:17:52 -0400 (EDT) From: John Drendel <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> To: bmwuucdigest@uucdigest.com Subject: E30 euro Message-ID: <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> I owned an E30 Euro. IN addition to what as mentioned in previous post, I had a manual sunroof, no AC, and no power steering. The manual roof is really slick, like the old 2002's. No power steering, however, made it a pain to park, with no visilble improvement in road feel. ------------------------------ Date: Mon, 11 Apr 2005 08:29:44 -0700 From: John Bolhuis <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> To: bmwuucdigest@uucdigest.com Subject: Re: E34 Touring light bar (LEDs?) - was <E36> Third Brake Light on wing Message-ID: <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> On Sun, Apr 10, 2005 at 08:30:57PM -0500, Karl Zemlin wrote: > Soooo ... Just doing some thinking. Sorta figuring it isn't worth the > trouble - but sometimes it just makes the challenge that much more > interesting. Another thing to consider is the light spread of LEDs. It isn't the same as bulbs, and it's harder to get it to look right if you're doing a transplant. I've seen the motorcycle guys go through this pain trying to convert taillights. I would like an easy answer myself, as the vibration tends to burn out my 1 taillight bulb too often. -- "It is an honor to be Cookie Monster." -Sesame Street spokeswoman Audrey Shapiro ------------------------------ Date: Mon, 11 Apr 2005 11:54:20 -0400 From: "Mark D'Sylva" <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> To: <bmwuucdigest@uucdigest.com> Cc: <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> Subject: Oktoberfest locations??? Message-ID: <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> Hello Harmon, I was at the Oktoberfest in 1979 also, a bunch of us drove down to Boston (and Natick) in our 2002's. I had just bought my first car - a 1973 2002 the year before. In July of 2004 I flew to my second Oktoberfest in Pasadena with my wife. (25 years later and more than twice my age when I attended the first! ) (You mention Colorado #4 in 2004 ??? ) We plan to drive to the '05 Oktoberfest in Greensboro so maybe I'll see you there. Mark D'Sylva Date: Sat, 2 Apr 2005 11:26:44 -0600 From: "Harmon Fischer" <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> To: "bmwuucdigest" <bmwuucdigest@uucdigest.com>, "BMWCCAtalk" <[EMAIL PROTECTED]>, "BMWCCA presidents" <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> Subject: Oktoberfest locations??? Message-ID: <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> Help - I'm working on my Oktoberfest registration - April Roundel - but I'm having trouble remembering how many I attended, starting in 1978. I can remember 20+ years ago, but am having trouble with more recent ones: '78 - Milwaukee, WI #1 '79 - Boston, MA '80 - San Diego, CA '81 - Milwaukee, WI #2 '82 - Albany, NY '83 - Colorado Springs, CO #1 '84 - Sturbridge, MA '85 - Monterey, CA '86 - Florida '87 - Tulsa, OK '88 - Rochester, NY '89 - '90 - '91 - '92 - '93 - '94 - '95 - '96 - '97 - Waterville Valley, NH #1 '98 - Orlando, FL '99 - '00 - '01 - Waterville Valley, NH #2 (?) '02 - '03 - Austin, TX '04 - Colorado #4 When was the event held in: Colorado #2 Colorado #3 Columbus, OH Connecticut Tysons Corner, VA Andover, MA Other ??? No, I didn't attend Boston, Monterey, Connecticut, and Colorado #4. I think that this year will be either # 22 or #23. Many thanks, Harmon Fischer Member # 1806 http://www.dsylva-tech.ca OBD-1 and OBD-II Performance software for BMW's ------------------------------ Date: 11 Apr 2005 17:32:43 -0000 From: [EMAIL PROTECTED] To: bmwuucdigest@uucdigest.com Cc: <bmwuucdigest@uucdigest.com> Subject: UV Dye (AC) detection Message-ID: <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> My AC is dead again ('94 525i touring, 130,000 miles). Last time I had it charged (last spring, I think) they added a dye pack. Will a Wal-mart black light work to spot this stuff, or does it take a better / higher intensity light for that kind of inspection? I would be able to do it in a very dark environment (in my garage at night). What is the most common leak point in the AC system? ------------------------------ Date: Mon, 11 Apr 2005 11:10:17 -0700 (PDT) From: Brian Ruiz <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> To: UUC Digest <bmwuucdigest@uucdigest.com> Subject: Re: UV Dye (AC) detection Message-ID: <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> --- [EMAIL PROTECTED] wrote: > My AC is dead again ('94 525i touring, 130,000 > miles). Last time I had it charged (last spring, I > think) they added a dye pack. > > Will a Wal-mart black light work to spot this stuff, > or does it take a better / higher intensity light > for that kind of inspection? I don't see why not...it's still dye, and it's still a black light. There could be a bit less contrast of the dye under a cheap light, but I am sure you could still see it if you look closely enough. What I think affects the sight of the dye most is actually the quality of the orange glasses things you wear. Wal-Mart brand will probably be a bit lower quality. ;) > I would be able to do > it in a very dark environment (in my garage at > night). Good, you need that. But don't forget to bring a regular flashlight in to the car with you while you're searching around in the dash. A lot of greases will glow slightly and make you think there's a leak. So you have the regular light to check for sure. > What is the most common leak point in the AC system? Not sure about a 525, but I assume most of the engine, HVAC, and cooling components are the same as the ones in my old E36 325. My A/C didn't work either... I added refrigerant (R134), and it worked for a short while, but then after a few months it stopped getting cold. I talked to a few people and they said it most commonly leaks out of the condenser core under the dashboard (SUPER-PITA to remove), which would probably be the reason that my windshield would get greasy spots on it especially when it was hot out (no, it wasn't a slow heater core coolant leak, that would cause all the windows to get pretty foggy, this was only splotchy fogginess). I didn't even bother fixing it, but it was on the list to fix 'eventually'. Then I got rear ended and now it's no longer an issue. :-P HTH, Brian 95 M3 __________________________________ Do you Yahoo!? Make Yahoo! your home page http://www.yahoo.com/r/hs ------------------------------ Date: Mon, 11 Apr 2005 15:24:01 -0400 From: "chet.dawes" <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> To: <bmwuucdigest@uucdigest.com> Subject: Paint advice? Message-ID: <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> Ladies and Gentlemen with automotive paint experience: I'm about to embark on having some paint work done and would like some advice from anyone with experience. 1995 M3, 05/94 production with ID tag that indicates Alpinweiss III. >From what I've found this corresponds to a paint code 300 for 1993+ cars. 1) Do I need to ensure that the finish coat has a flexibility agent added? 2) The bumper cover arrived primed (it's a new factory BMW piece). Does it need more than a simple scuff before finish coating is applied? 3) Do the finish materials have to be base/clear or can a single-stage Urethane or Acrylic Enamel be used? What are the draw backs, if any? 4) Are there specific brands of paint to stay clear of as they won't mate with BMW factory primers, etc? This is for my otherwise not perfect DE car, so I don't expect, need nor am I willing to pay for a concours level finish. However, I don't want the cover to be an 'obvious repaint' either. Please copy any responses to my inquiry to me directly as well as the list so I get them sooner. Thanks! Cheers, Chet Dawes [EMAIL PROTECTED] **************************************************************************************** Note: The information contained in this message may be privileged and confidential and thus protected from disclosure. If the reader of this message is not the intended recipient, or an employee or agent responsible for delivering this message to the intended recipient, you are hereby notified that any dissemination, distribution or copying of this communication is strictly prohibited. If you have received this communication in error, please notify us immediately by replying to the message and deleting it from your computer. Thank you. **************************************************************************************** ------------------------------ Date: Mon, 11 Apr 2005 16:07:26 -0400 From: "Gary Derian" <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> To: "chet.dawes" <[EMAIL PROTECTED]>, <bmwuucdigest@uucdigest.com> Subject: Re: Paint advice? Message-ID: <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> Gary Derian > > 1) Do I need to ensure that the finish coat has a flexibility agent > added? No, but it can reduce chips. Paint on soft things needs the flex agent. > 2) The bumper cover arrived primed (it's a new factory BMW piece). Does > it need more than a simple scuff before finish coating is applied? No. > 3) Do the finish materials have to be base/clear or can a single-stage > Urethane or Acrylic Enamel be used? What are the draw backs, if any? Base/clear looks better, but costs more and takes more time. Single stage is a good choice for this application. Future touchups will be easier with single stage paint. > 4) Are there specific brands of paint to stay clear of as they won't > mate with BMW factory primers, etc? I've had very good luck with PPG. ------------------------------ End of [bmwuucdigest] digest(15 messages) **********