[uucdigest] Wednesday, February 9 2000 Volume 03 : Number 229 ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ | For all available Digest commands including unsubscribe/subscribe, | visit the BMW UUC Digest page: http://www.uucdigest.com | Send SUBMISSIONS to [EMAIL PROTECTED] | Complaints? Send 'em to [EMAIL PROTECTED] if you must. | Visit http://www.bubbaclub.com | www.bimmers.com - "serving enthusiasts on the 'net" | Visit http://www.bimmer.org - ultimate BMW bulletin boards! | Subscribe to the Zionsville Autosport Parts Digest: | http://www.zionsvilleautosport.com/majordomo.htm ����������������������������������������� In this BMW UUC Digest: [uuc] [e36] adjusting brake pedal engagement point? [uuc] Re: Is the New M5 a Porker? Re: [uuc] E36 Cabrio Hardtop Adjustment [uuc] Re: Le Mans and M3's or lack thereof [uuc] Saying NO to.... (adios amigos) [uuc] <E36> Rear strut brace Re: [uuc] Speaker Question Re: [uuc] Re: Le Mans and M3's or lack thereof [uuc] Re: Is the new M5 a porker? [uuc] RE: Where's Jim? Re: [uuc] RE: Where's Jim? ---------------------------------------------------------------------- Date: Wed, 9 Feb 2000 13:54:58 -0800 (PST) From: wji <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> Subject: [uuc] [e36] adjusting brake pedal engagement point? Hi all, Is there a way to adjust the engagement point of the brake pedal? The brakes on my car are firm (I bled them 6 months ago with Steve D's setup) but the engagement point seems low. Can anyone point me in the right direction? Thanks, Bill Isaacson __________________________________________________ Do You Yahoo!? Talk to your friends online with Yahoo! Messenger. http://im.yahoo.com ------------------------------ Date: Wed, 09 Feb 2000 15:19:37 -0800 From: John Edward Miller <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> Subject: [uuc] Re: Is the New M5 a Porker? > The original E-28 M5 weighed about 3200# > > The current M5 weighs about 4000# (2 tons!), albeit with much more > horsepower. > > But, the Mercedes E55 weighs 3600#, with a slushbox and slightly bigger > engine. > > For reference, a 1980 Cadillac Seville weighs 3800#. > > No matter what electronics compensators and engineering advances BMW makes > on new models, somehow I can't help but feel that the weight gain of these > cars is detracting from what a lighter car could provide in terms of > driving experience. Imagine how the new M5 would perform if the BMW > weighed what the E55 weighs! Agreed, weight is the enemy, but based on the latest published #s I've seen you've given the E55 a hundred-pound break and penalized the M5 a hundred pounds - it really ought to be 3700 lb to 3900 lb. And the 1980 Cadillac Seville was one of the worst cars ever built, wouldn't have mattered if it weighed 3000 or 5000 lb. The M5 has lots (perhaps too much) gadgetry, adding weight and complexity. Still, I'm looking forward to mine... John. ------------------------------ Date: Wed, 9 Feb 2000 13:54:32 -0800 (PST) From: "Fred M." <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> Subject: Re: [uuc] E36 Cabrio Hardtop Adjustment Rich Corbett commented about the Hardtop on a '99 M3 Cabrio... Thanks for the comments Rich. I for one wouldn't dream of sending the top back. It *really* makes a difference, especially here in the Rockies in the winter. I can easily live with the occasional rattle. Best, Fred M. '94 325iC with Hard Top ERT SC, BL/SS/ERK, ///M Technic, Bilsteins, H&Rs, & much, much more... __________________________________________________ Do You Yahoo!? Talk to your friends online with Yahoo! Messenger. http://im.yahoo.com ------------------------------ Date: Wed, 9 Feb 2000 18:58:33 EST From: [EMAIL PROTECTED] Subject: [uuc] Re: Le Mans and M3's or lack thereof Unfortunately I don't get Speedvision and have never really kept up with Le Mans in the past. I'm curious though why BMW only had one M3 at Daytona? Or did I miss something? Is it because most are being created at this very point in time (E46 M3)? One would still think that there would be more than just one lonely M3 at the first event for 2000. What's up with that? I think I saw the M3 maybe 2 or 3 times during ESPN's coverage : ( and that was only because of the coverage for the leaders (Vipers) while blowing past the M3. That SUCKED. I must say...the Viper and Vette were awesome. But it still sucked! Kind of got Viper envy for a few hours, oops, that was an internal thought. : ) Heck for that matter, just put a new M5 out there (with a few mods!) and give her a good romp around the track for 24 hrs and see what happens. I bet it would've at least finished the race somewhere in the top 30. Probably not hard to do, since attrition was so high. Ken '95 M3 ------------------------------ Date: Wed, 09 Feb 2000 17:05:34 -0700 From: Jim Conforti <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> Subject: [uuc] Saying NO to.... (adios amigos) Jerry Chyo writes: > We've all been there. Maybe he should start saying NO so folks won't begin > making plans and arranging sites for him. If you've been on the list any > length of time, you would know this isn't an isolated occurrence. Excuse me Jerry?!? "isn't an isolated occurence" Of what.. > Doesn't make is okay to the folks who spent time arranging his visits though. See, Jerry.. NO ONE has "spent time" arranging my visits. That's the PROBLEM.. Whenever someone HAS, I've been there.. Witness New York this weekend. Chapter officers requested and arranged, and I **MADE** time to come out there. Time I really didn't have, but I MADE time to do it for the New York Chapter. You are, however, correct; I need to say NO more often, and I'm doing so starting right NOW. I'm saying NO to spoiled babies taking offense that I don't rearrange my life for them. I'm saying NO to spending many hours pouring over the countless BMW related lists, digests, and websites helping people fix their cars at the expense of my free time, only to be attacked any time some loser thinks I make a good target. I'm saying NO to giving free, credible, sane advice on maintenance and performance issues only to find myself entagled in arguments with those who barely have enough functional brain cells for autonomous functions of life such as breathing. I'm saying **NO** and boy, I can feel my blood pressure going DOWN DOWN DOWN. Jim C. PS: For those of you who actually have REAL questions about your car, I will always be available for you at: [EMAIL PROTECTED] -or- [EMAIL PROTECTED] ------------------------------ Date: Wed, 9 Feb 2000 19:22:53 EST From: [EMAIL PROTECTED] Subject: [uuc] <E36> Rear strut brace Hey all. I need some opnions on rear strut braces for my '95 M3. I have one in the front plus the x-brace. I want something to stiffen up the rear. The only one that I see so far on the net at an affordable price is the AA for $99. I am wondering if it will fit underneeth the JL stealthbox? Any suggestions? Also, I would like to do a new suspension, but I don't want to lower the car. Is there any way to do that? Any info would be greatly appreciated. TIA, Tony ------------------------------ Date: Wed, 9 Feb 2000 19:32:48 EST From: [EMAIL PROTECTED] Subject: Re: [uuc] Speaker Question In a message dated 2/7/00 7:13:28 PM Eastern Standard Time, [EMAIL PROTECTED] writes: << Before upgrading my speakers I listened to MB Quarts, Boston Acoustic and Diamond. I bought the Diamond speakers as I felt they sounded better. The tweeters were smoother and more extended. The mid-range is wonderful. I have Magnaplanar speakers at home so good sound in the car is important. Adding a sub will give you the bass impact needed for good sound. Consider JL Audio subs and mini-subs. I have 1 8" mini-sub in the trunk that's works very well without the boominess of overdoing the bass. >> Thanks for the input - most I received was along the same lines - Diamond is better. So I bought the Hex. Keith ------------------------------ Date: Wed, 9 Feb 2000 20:31:48 -0500 From: "Adam Fila" <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> Subject: Re: [uuc] Re: Le Mans and M3's or lack thereof Ken, M3's at Le Mans: There have never been any. ACO did not consider M3's to be worthy for their GT class, until the E46 model, and this is most likely just because the GT class has become very boring with nothing but Porsches, and the ACO would welcome a new manufacturer there. (There have been some 2002 ti's at Le Mans in the 70's, as well as 3.0CSL's, and a bunch of M1'a as well) While the E46 M3 will be legal at Le Mans in 2000 it's very unlikely that anyone will run them, as they don't have the top end speed to compete with the Porsches at the Mulsanne straight. According to Tom Milner (who owns and runs PTG), BMW doesn't support anyone's effort to run at Le Mans, as they don't really see Europe as a market for the M3. Most of the M3's (80+ %) are sold in the US, where Le Mans is followed by only a handfull of hardcore fans of sports car racing, and even they mostly just care for the prototypes. So the only chance to see an M3 at Le Mans is if an odd privateer or two will bring some, but they will not be likely to score any victories (especially with the swarm of the GT3-R's available now to privateers) M3's at Dyatona 2000 and Grand-Am: Due to a political split in sports car racing in the US, there are now 2 series running, one which tries to limit factory participation, and provide a place for privateers to run cars at a lower cost, with the intended goal to introduce more stability into the sport (this is the Grand-Am series owned by NASCAR's Bill France - who also owns the Daytona track) The other series, American Le Mans Series, encourage factory participation, and thus providing higher quality competition, in all the classes. ALMS is run by Don Panoz, a good friend of Tom Milner. Milner is also on the board of PSCR, which is the sanctioning body for ALMS. All this is why PTG runs their M3's at ALMS this year, and not Grand-Am. The M3's at Daytona were old PTG cars sold to cutomers, who run them as privateers, however with much less resources as the factory backed PTG team. These old cars are also not as fast as the new GT3-R's, and nobody really expected them to do well this year at Daytona. M3's at ALMS 2000: PTG will be running the entire ALMS season, starting with the 12 hours of sebring, with one E36 and one E46 initially, and later having just 2 E46 cars. They will have full factory support, the new cars will be faster, and will handle better, having an edge over the GT3-R's at the shorter American tracks, where top speed matters less. Also expect exciting BMW vs. Audi vs. Panoz vs. Cadillac fights in the prototype class, and the regularly scheduled Viper vs. Corvette war in GTS. 2000 ALMS might very well be the best sports car racing season in the US in a very long time. - -Adam Fila '95 M3 - ----- Original Message ----- From: <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> To: <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> Sent: Wednesday, February 09, 2000 6:58 PM Subject: [uuc] Re: Le Mans and M3's or lack thereof > Unfortunately I don't get Speedvision and have never really kept up with Le > Mans in the past. I'm curious though why BMW only had one M3 at Daytona? Or > did I miss something? Is it because most are being created at this very point > in time (E46 M3)? One would still think that there would be more than just > one lonely M3 at the first event for 2000. What's up with that? I think I saw > the M3 maybe 2 or 3 times during ESPN's coverage : ( and that was only > because of the coverage for the leaders (Vipers) while blowing past the M3. > That SUCKED. I must say...the Viper and Vette were awesome. But it still > sucked! Kind of got Viper envy for a few hours, oops, that was an internal > thought. : ) > Heck for that matter, just put a new M5 out there (with a few mods!) and give > her a good romp around the track for 24 hrs and see what happens. I bet it > would've at least finished the race somewhere in the top 30. Probably not > hard to do, since attrition was so high. > > Ken '95 M3 ------------------------------ Date: Thu, 10 Feb 2000 12:32:46 +1100 From: "Thomas, Andrew j" <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> Subject: [uuc] Re: Is the new M5 a porker? Ray ([EMAIL PROTECTED]) wrote: > Is the New M5 a Porker? Sadly. > The original E-28 M5 weighed about 3200# > The current M5 weighs about 4000# (2 tons!), albeit > with much more horsepower. > ... > No matter what electronics compensators and engineering > advances BMW makes on new models, somehow I can't help > but feel that the weight gain of these cars is detracting from > what a lighter car could provide in terms of driving experience. Manufacturer's data, according to DIN standard (curb weight, 68 kg driver, 7 kg of luggage and a tank of gas): E55: 1710 kg/3762 lb M5: 1795 kg/3949 lb ...making the BMW around 190 lb, or 5%, heavier than the Merc. That either car weighs so much is deplorable. Eight airbags - I ask you. The increase in weight over the E28 M5 is the result of market demand; all that expensive alumimium in use in the suspension merely brings the weight down from the 2-tonne mark (previously the reserve of Rolls-Royces). Strip all that stuff out so the car weighs less than 3,500 lb, and it will never sell. Or rather, everyone will bitch that it doesn't have electric seat motors or whatever. Mark ([EMAIL PROTECTED]) writes: > While the Germans are thorough and meticulous, they also tend > to use unnecessarily complicated (and expensive) solutions. Amen. BMW is running a local advert for the 3 series that runs something like "Dynamic steering. Leather trim. Radio controls. CD changer controls. Volume control. Cruise control. Horn. SRS Airbag. And that's just the steering wheel." Assuming this is supposed to appeal to the average punter, it either means (a) BMW has lost the plot or (b) BMW is well aware of the plot, but has forgotten about what it once stood for and is now patronising buyers. BMW is not the only culprit in this respect. In 1986 BMW was happily over-engineering the then-new E32 7er; some components and funcions were unnecessarily complex and driver-hostile. Although admittedly some aspects of that approach are credited with the fact that my dad's hard-used '88 735i (admittedly with a horn built into the steering wheel) is still ploughing the streets, whereas a Rover used under the same conditions would have fallen apart years ago. Andy T If you want over-engineering, keep reading... "This email is intended only for the use of the individual or entity named above and may contain information that is confidential and privileged. If you are not the intended recipient, you are hereby notified that any dissemination, distribution or copying of this email is strictly prohibited. When addressed to our clients, any opinions or advice contained in this email are subject to the terms and conditions expressed in the governing KPMG client engagement letter. If you have received this email in error, please notify us immediately by return email or telephone +61 2 9335 7000 and destroy the original message. Thank you." ------------------------------ Date: Wed, 9 Feb 2000 21:04:13 -0500 From: "Dorffer, Rich" <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> Subject: [uuc] RE: Where's Jim? Thanks James, now we have gone and fired up Jim. Duane Collie said it right when he said >Awwww geeeeezz guys, give pal Jim a bit o'slack here. He has another life! >He's just moved into a new house and has a new bride, etc., so mebbee he >can't live - breathe - eat BMW's all the time..... >If ya'll get real impatient and make a bolt for AutoThority, well.....you >get what you deserve <g> Then again, Jim himself said it pretty good too. Congratulations Jim on the new house and new bride (in no particular order). Good luck getting settled. Here in NE Ohio, I am looking forward to breaking out the M when the weather shapes up a little. Best regards, Rich - suffering M3 withdrawal and hoping in the mean time no else gets pissed off and considers leaving those of us that look for the help from others experiences or wisdom (or put another way...trying to make all the M3 friends I can). 95 M3 - waiting for spring (the season not the automotive component) and UUC Sway bars (definitely the next automotive component to go on). ------------------------------ Date: Wed, 9 Feb 2000 18:19:34 -0800 From: "Jonathan Reiser" <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> Subject: Re: [uuc] RE: Where's Jim? Actually, it looks as if we have been fired/canned/ex-communicated by Jim. I have to say, when I first started getting on the digests I would see emails from Jim that seemed really defensive and aimed to put down the individual who raised the issue. This initially led me to believe Jim was sort of an *sshole. However, as time wore on and the more emails I would read, I realized that Jim takes a boatload of sh*t from people who seem to raise issues just to get to him, or for the joy of starting an argument (it takes all kinds). Anyone who is truly an auto enthusiast should respect the guy for devoting himself to creating aftermarket performance accessories for our cars. Someone said he also holds an SE/IPSec position during the day? It is obvious he isn't getting rich off of sharking your BMWs and therefore does it partially for the love of it. I think everyone should just lighten up on the dude. Jim, it might help if you update your website with the information commonly asked on these digests and just point people to the URL. My .50 Jon - ----- Original Message ----- From: "Dorffer, Rich" <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> To: <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> Sent: Wednesday, February 09, 2000 6:04 PM Subject: [uuc] RE: Where's Jim? > Thanks James, now we have gone and fired up Jim. > > > Duane Collie said it right when he said > > >Awwww geeeeezz guys, give pal Jim a bit o'slack here. He has another life! > >He's just moved into a new house and has a new bride, etc., so mebbee he > >can't live - breathe - eat BMW's all the time..... > > >If ya'll get real impatient and make a bolt for AutoThority, well.....you > >get what you deserve <g> > > > Then again, Jim himself said it pretty good too. > > Congratulations Jim on the new house and new bride (in no particular order). > Good luck getting settled. > > Here in NE Ohio, I am looking forward to breaking out the M when the weather > shapes up a little. > > Best regards, > > Rich - suffering M3 withdrawal and hoping in the mean time no else gets > pissed off and considers leaving those of us that look for the help from > others experiences or wisdom (or put another way...trying to make all the M3 > friends I can). > > 95 M3 - waiting for spring (the season not the automotive component) and UUC > Sway bars (definitely the next automotive component to go on). ------------------------------ End of [uucdigest] V3 #229 ************************** _________________________________________ | Please visit these UUC-approved BMW parts vendors/service providers: | (listed alphabetically) | Bonneville Motorwerks . http://www.bonnevillemotorwerks.com | Circle Tire Co. (used & classic BMW parts) e-mail [EMAIL PROTECTED] | Curry's Auto Service . http://www.currysauto.com | Eurosport . http://www.eurosport-hp.com | Koala MotorSport . http://www.koalamotorsport.com | Taylor BMW - http://www.taylorbmw.com - Doc Bimmer! | The Ultimate Garage . http://www.ultimategarage.com | UUC Motorwerks . http://www.uucmotorwerks.com | Zionsville Autosport . http://www.zionsvilleautosport.com ����������������������������������������
