[uucdigest] Friday, March 31 2000 Volume 03 : Number 547 ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ | 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: Re: [uuc] Suspicious [uuc] E30M3 body parts ..Maybe F S [uuc] RE: [WOB] service options (was E28 M5...Opinions) [uuc] K&N's Re: [uuc] Suspicious [uuc] autocross [uuc] Re: Is autocrossing dangerous? [uuc] Speedbleeder- The good, the bad, the ugly??? [uuc] Valve Cover Polishing [uuc] 2000 Z3 2.8 Test Drive [uuc] E28 vs. E34 Re: UUCFest is on! [uuc] [uuc] Z3 Coupe 2.8 question? [uuc] re:Smoke Smell Hell [uuc] Carfax ---------------------------------------------------------------------- Date: Fri, 31 Mar 2000 11:59:27 -0600 From: "Daniels, Jason S" <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> Subject: Re: [uuc] Suspicious Well it depends on what municipality they work in. I've seen cops in small towns make $18,000 a year, and bigger cities, if they start with a degree, or a masters the can "start" at 46,000+. When my father retired after 33 years, 18 of which he was chief, and the last 6 years as senior patrolman, his pension was not to far south of 70 grand. So a lot of cops do make a real good living. And most can get all the overtime they want. Jason Daniels lot's-a-cops-in-the-family - ---------- > From: Harvey Chao <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> > To: BUBBA Digest <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> > Subject: [uuc] Suspicious > Date: Friday, March 31, 2000 11:21 AM > > Ya know, we hear a lot about how police and teachers among others who > are underpaid for the services they provide us - probably true too. > Personally the police put it on the line every day against some really > nasty behavior, and teachers are entrusted with the temporary care and > education of our kids - I think that society undervalues their > contributions. > > Spend all my adult working life in some way associated with classified > projects and as a line or functional manager the last several years. > That has exposed me to years of "brainwashing" on what to look out for > regarding employees who may have substance abuse problems or may be > security risks. One thing is look for people who appear to be living at > a higher level than one might anticipate for their presumed level of > income. > > Stopped to buy gas and an "on the road" "dinner" with the family at a > McDonalds and admired VERY current model 740 - fine looking car. So we > are inside and while waiting for the "food" ( choice of establishment > was a concession to the kids) -I was looking around trying to guess who > owned and drove the 740. By and by two guys get up and head out. They > appear to be about 45-50, average guys, one in "civvies" and the other > in the uniform of a local cop, with 3 "stripes" on the sleeve. They > head out the door towards the mini van parked next to the 740 and I > thought nothing of it until I noticed the BMW's headlights flash and > heard the "unlock" alarm chirp. I then watched the guy in civvies climb > into the mininvan and the Cop get into the BMW and both drive away! > > OK - so I have a nasty suspicious mind ( hey as a parent many many > times over and what I do to earn a living I am supposed to ? ! :-) ) - > but . . . > > Now - I have no objection to anyone (cops included) driving whatever > they want that they can afford - I rejoice in their success and the more > power to them, but with all we hear about underpaid police, a > "sergeant"? driving a current 7 series --- stands out like a sore thumb! > (Or a Hooters gal in a monastery ?) > > Just my observation of the day. > > Harvey ------------------------------ Date: Fri, 31 Mar 2000 11:09:42 -0000 From: "BMW Bits" <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> Subject: [uuc] E30M3 body parts ..Maybe F S It's a longish story....Last July I was contacted by a party wishing to sell a collection of SILVER body panels from an E30M3 . As I remember there were 10 panels in all...front and rear bumpers , front fenders , sideskirts , trunklid with wing,hood etc .All in great condition She seemed to think they were worth a lot more than I did ,so no more was said .....until yesterday ,when I got a message asking if I'd still be interested . So I have tentatively replied y.e.s. ..but .... So , YOU tell ME ...is there a demand for these parts ? Remember they're here in the Upper L H corner of the map and shipping on sheet metal is expensive ..most parts too big for UPS so they gotta go truck. I DONT want to end up with odds'n sods left over .. Whazzit worth? piece by piece to YOU?? Replies offline to save B/W pls Bill Proud ,in Sunny Seattle and sixty-two degrees!! ------------------------------ Date: Fri, 31 Mar 2000 12:25:00 -0600 From: "Fadeev, Alex" <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> Subject: [uuc] RE: [WOB] service options (was E28 M5...Opinions) "Michael Lesser" <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> sez: > Charging list price for parts is not overcharging, and not > wanting to install parts that the customer buys elsewhere at > discount is not bad attitude unless the shop owner yells and > curses at you while telling you this. If you have a good > mechanic who wants to supply the parts he/she installs, then > try to negotiate a discount on the parts as the Golden Gate > chapter has done for CCA members in the SF Bay Area. Most Bay > Area dealers and reputable BMW independents give CCA members > a 10 or 15% discount on parts, some even on labor. Michael, I though we dropped this thread, but bear with me one more time. My position is that there is no excuse for secretly bidding up shop's profit margin by overcharging on parts. I define overcharging as a markup significantly (25+%) above the retail (not wholesale) cost of parts. I don't buy the argument they "they have to do it to survive". Plenty of shops do good business without 'hidden charges' and without two sets of labor rates: one if they overcharge you on parts and a higher one if you bring your own parts. Consider this: most national discount parts retailers do not themselves stock all the items they sell to you. Frequently, they drop ship the items you ordered from wholesale parts warehouses all over the country. Most of those wholesale places will not sell their inventory directly to humans, only to other businesses or local repair shops. So the best price you get from the internet discounter already includes a mark up above the wholesale price + the shipping cost. Case in point, one of the mechanics who gets to see my cars openly tells me that they will take my parts if I bring them, but more often then not their cost + shop mark-up is still below my cost + shipping from the best mail order places. Unless your local repair shop owner is lazy or brain dead, he/she/it has an account with one of such local wholesale parts warehouses. Their cost is way below what you think. And way-way-way below dealers list price (before or after 10-15% CCA member discount off their CCA-special bumped up list price ;-) If they charge you significantly above your internet discount price, they are pushing their luck. If, like a certain Dallas independent shop on the corner of I-35/635, they charge you above _dealer_ list prices, they are really taking advantage of you. For my taste, a shop has to throw in a lot more then 'bad ass attitude' and the dubious 'this is the only way we know how to stay in business' to justify overcharging their customers. Over the last few days I've learnt that some folks on this digest (on both sides of the fence) don't mind patronizing such establishments. To each their own. > But, don't expect to walk into a shop for the first time with > your mail order exhaust system and Bilstiens and have them be > overjoyed at the opportunity to install them for you. That > doesn't seem fair to me. I am willing to bet that if you "walk into a shop for the first time"; ask for a quote on parts and labor and mention that you can get those parts for a lot less; 9 out of 10 times the owner will have the decency to either lower his prices or charge you a reasonable "corking fee" for using your parts. I mentioned "decency" because if YOU can truly get a better price on a part then the shop, THEY have not done their homework. And I don't believe in overpaying BECAUSE YOUR MECHANIC HAS NOT DONE HIS HOMEWORK. alex f ------------------------------ Date: Fri, 31 Mar 2000 10:39:00 -0800 From: Chris Barton <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> Subject: [uuc] K&N's I've read the whole K&N thread every time it comes around with interest as I've had K&N's on most of my cars and motorcycles for 15+ years. I have a K&N conical on my 89 Bronco (426 Stroker Motor, 6" of lift, Etc.)and the last time I went out to the desert, I purposely checked the inside of my Mass Air after I got home, expecting to find a light film of dust inside it. Well I'am here to tell you that after 100+ miles off road, in an incredibly dusty enviornment, that there was no visible dust or dirt in my MAS. So, my conclusion is that the amount of particles that get through must be fairly minimal, and I for one am not going to worry about it. Chris Barton > Date: Thu, 30 Mar 2000 11:36:34 -0800 (PST) > From: John Stoj <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> > Subject: [uuc] General filter/K&N question > > This question may be more philosophical than technical, but the recent > thread on K&N and animal oils, etc. made me wonder once again why K&N is > such a popular filter - supposedly used by all sorts of well-known and > intelligent people and many aftermarket manufacturers. If it really > breathes so much more dirt, wouldn't one expect it to have been debunked > years ago? Maybe I'm asking this because I bought a K&N filtered Dinan CAI > before JC's was available and I'm looking for some validation, but I think > at least a little of my curiosity is genuine. Anyone have any ideas? > ------------------------------ Date: Fri, 31 Mar 2000 13:41:36 EST From: [EMAIL PROTECTED] Subject: Re: [uuc] Suspicious I know a lot of cops and teachers. Some of them have MD's for parents who bought them houses and airplanes. Some made great money in stocks in the 80's. Some inherited money when relatives died. Wake up, your just jealous; be objective. Jeff Baker ------------------------------ Date: Fri, 31 Mar 2000 14:04:50 -0500 From: "Robert Steele" <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> Subject: [uuc] autocross Here are several places to start: They have lots of links Enjoy; it's a great sport. I take or or two or three of my kids to most events. They love it, too.( ages 2, 6, and 10) http://autox4u.com/main.htm http://www.scca.org/amateur/solo2/index.html Robert NJ chapter BMW CCA autox committee ------------------------------ Date: Fri, 31 Mar 2000 11:09:45 -0800 (PST) From: John Bolhuis <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> Subject: [uuc] Re: Is autocrossing dangerous? On Fri, 31 Mar 2000, Kyle wrote: > I am about to embark on my first season of autocross. > Loved ones and family members are registering vehement > disapproval of this "barbaric and macho" sport. Could > someone please point me to or offer some information > to set their minds at ease? I would truly appreciate > it as there are people losing sleep at night over what > I have always thought to be a relatively safe past > time. If their only protest is that it's barbaric and macho, then you might have a hard time convincing them otherwise. *grunt grunt* As for actual danger, there isn't much. A well-designed course will never have cars sliding into obstacles. A well-trained workforce will never stand where cars tend to slide. Just go. Invite the loved ones to watch. They probably think it's quite different than it really is. Also check out the SCCA website for autocross info. I'll quote this brief section: "...short courses that emphasize car handling and agility rather than speed or power. Speeds and hazards to spectators, participants, and property do not exceed those encountered in normal, legal highway driving." - -- John Bolhuis | "In America it is not considered to be mentally ill bolhuijo | when a woman advances on her prey in a discotheque @bolhuijo.com | setting with hardy cocktails present." | -Madonna ------------------------------ Date: Fri, 31 Mar 2000 13:16:56 -0600 From: Dave Foos <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> Subject: [uuc] Speedbleeder- The good, the bad, the ugly??? Does anyone have any personal experience (good or bad) with Speedbleeders? http://www.speedbleeder.com Looks like a great idea - but I'm concerned about introducing a weak link in an already excellent brake system. David Foos '95 ///M3 BMW CCA # 172816 ------------------------------ Date: Fri, 31 Mar 2000 13:49:07 -0600 From: [EMAIL PROTECTED] Subject: [uuc] Valve Cover Polishing Gentle Digesters: I am contemplating this effort and would like to hear experiences/thoughts. How long does this take? Results worth it? How long does the shine last? Any one seen this in a Bimmer? TIA Robert Blakeney ------------------------------ Date: Fri, 31 Mar 2000 14:58:44 -0500 From: "Henry Caldwell" <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> Subject: [uuc] 2000 Z3 2.8 Test Drive Murray ask: >I was not driving at high speeds or pushing the car too hard. It just seemed >that the car had a mind of its own, and it was not in tune with where I >wanted the car to go. >It seemed that I had to work too hard to keep the car straight on uneven >pavement. Handling felt really unsure. >Is this a "feature" of the Z3? This is more likely the "feature" of those big, low profile, 17" tire/wheel combo on uneven and choppy road surface. Your 318i will likely do the same, with the same tire/wheel setup on the same road surface area. Henry '92 325i rolling with size 17 ------------------------------ Date: Fri, 31 Mar 2000 15:35:11 -0500 From: "Mark A. Selleck" <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> Subject: [uuc] E28 vs. E34 I'd appreciate some in-put from the group regarding the two subject cars. I've owned 3 E28 cars(528i, 533i, current 535i), and am currently looking for a car for my son. I have a line on what appears to be a nice '85 535i - - hi, Rob(:^) - but it's quite a distance away. I just drove a local '89 535i, nice car, but I don't have any experience with the E34. Seems smaller inside, but is comfortable, and has a lot of bells and whistles my '85 doesn't have. Any problems inherent with the newer model? Also, it has Hartge 15" rims, center caps missing on 3 of 4. I'm curious: anyone know what cost on those might be? Thanks for any help. Mark Selleck ------------------------------ Date: Fri, 31 Mar 2000 15:53:39 -0500 From: "Steve Nash" <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> Subject: Re: UUCFest is on! [uuc] I have planed on coming up to see the race and cheer my fellow NCC members on and I am glad to see so many will be there. Now I know to bring beer and food :) If any one can use an extra helping hand in the pits I don't mind getting dirty, let me know. Steve Nash BMW CCA 1989 M3 > > Those of you in and around the Squashington DC area take note, all SCCA > > events are spectator events. You can come out and check out the BRL* in > > action. You'll have the National Capital Chapter president (Rich Beebe) and > > vice president (Mike Wendell) running, me (da Geeeze), and some of the other > > Bubbas; Mike Fennell and Matt Yip. We'll be in a bunch of different classes > > so the chances of seeing one of us in a race is high. > > There's also a couple of other NCCers out that weekend, rookies that > apparently don't rank high enough to even be spat on yet <g>. > > Brian Shipman in ITS and myself in Spec RX-7 will be doing our best to get the > hell out of the way of the faster guys. Beer would be good for soothing > battered egos ;) > > -- > James Sheridan-Peters > [EMAIL PROTECTED] > National Capital Chapter > '98 323is > '85 SCCA Spec RX-7 #00 > ------------------------------ Date: Fri, 31 Mar 2000 12:44:54 PST From: "Perry Shang" <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> Subject: [uuc] Z3 Coupe 2.8 question? Hi, all: I am in the process accquiring a Z3 coupe 2.8L dual vanos. Before I commit myself, I would like to consult with the list. One of my friend has a M Roadster, and he has lots of problem with the car. (for example, his power windows no longer work. The car start have more loose parts noise). I am very afraid of the same problem will plague the Z3 coupe. I would like some opinion on Z3 coupe. reliablilty, and drivablility. Would it be a good car for daily driver? Note, I am buying this car for my mom. So, I wouldn't want her to hate BMW because of this car. Thanks in advance. Perry. 95 325is sport. 0X M3, who know when I will get mine. ______________________________________________________ Get Your Private, Free Email at http://www.hotmail.com ------------------------------ Date: Fri, 31 Mar 2000 15:48:15 -0500 From: "Cagann, Alexander" <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> Subject: [uuc] re:Smoke Smell Hell Paul Craven wrote: >Does anyone know any good tricks for removing that "smoked-in" smell? The >PO of my 88 535is actually considered the transportation function of the >vehicle to be secondary to the ashtray function. I apologize in advance to >the nicotine addicted among us. Clean and clean. You need to detail that inside like you are doing surgery in there. Use a steam machine if you can get one or have one. Steam those carpets. Use fantastic or simple green and water and scrub your headliner. The headliner loves smoke. Thoroughly clean the leather seats with a toothbrush and Lexol cleaner (or, if they are real dirty, use a stronger cleaner). Get new floor mats, they are not that expensive. The windows should be real fun to clean if the PO smoke a lot. Scrub the door panels too...toothbrush them. Also, don't forget to clean the hell out of the carpeted area where your rear speakers sit. This should take care of most of the smell. Unfortunately, the foam in the seats (even though you have the sport seats with much less foam and whatever that stringy stuff is) you can't get to. Oh, and when I clean a car just after I get it, I take the front seats out and really hit that carpet good. That gives you plenty of room to get a larger machine in there, and it also gives anal people like me the pleasure of peeking down betweeen the seat and center console and smiling at the cleanliness. Who knows, you may find something neat under the seats.... Alex Cagann 88///M5 ------------------------------ Date: Fri, 31 Mar 2000 15:54:44 -0500 From: "Henry Caldwell" <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> Subject: [uuc] Carfax If anyone on the list still have free access to carfax, I would like to ask if you would please run the following vin#. 4T1BG12K3TU951004 Thanks much. Henry ------------------------------ End of [uucdigest] V3 #547 ************************** _________________________________________ | Please visit these UUC-approved BMW parts vendors/service providers: | (listed alphabetically) | Bonneville Motorwerks . http://www.bonnevillemotorwerks.com | Circle Tire Co. 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