[uucdigest] Monday, June 9 2003 Volume 03 : Number 6436
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Send 'em to [EMAIL PROTECTED] |__________________________________________________________________ In this BMW UUC Digest: [uuc] NY Sunday Times - "The Compelling Logic of the Used-Car Faithful" [uuc] Re: Performance Driving School [uuc] FS: E36 brake parts [uuc] <E28> Need an ECU (059) Re: [uuc] Performance Driving School RE: [uuc] Performance Driving School RE: [uuc] VDO Gauge questions RE: [uuc] Performance Driving School [uuc] New RR Owner ---------------------------------------------------------------------- Date: Sun, 8 Jun 2003 12:53:08 -0400 From: "Dennis Liu" <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> Subject: [uuc] NY Sunday Times - "The Compelling Logic of the Used-Car Faithful" FYI.... vty, - --Dennis ____________ http://www.nytimes.com/2003/06/06/automobiles/06AUTO.html The Compelling Logic of the Used-Car Faithful By GEORGE P. BLUMBERG Everyone knows the person who will buy only a new car, whether for the assurance that it wasn't abused or scratched by another human being or for that new-car smell. But a growing group of buyers insists that brand-new cars are a foolish waste of money. They have caught on to something: overall, used cars are better than they used to be. These customers buy well-maintained cars one to four years old, which come with thousands of miles on the odometer, thousands of dollars in savings and perhaps a few scratches. The cars can be found in top condition and with comprehensive warranties that may protect against costly repairs for up to a total of 100,000 miles. "We just couldn't see paying over $50,000 for a new car," said Maria Mitchell, 48, of Glastonbury, Conn., a professor of mathematics education. That was the price of well-equipped new Mercedes ML500 sport utility vehicle. So she and husband, Peter, a Coast Guard captain, bought a top-of-the-line 2001 ML430 S.U.V., with 29,000 miles on it, for $34,800. "We feel smart," she said. Lately the market has been particularly favorable to the used-car buyer. "There's a glut," said Art Spinella, an automotive analyst in Santa Barbara, Calif., for CNW Market Research. "Because of incentives on new cars, like zero-percent financing, people are trading in. And over 3 million cars come off lease in 2003 to become used cars." The glut may not last, but the general trend toward quality probably will. Today's used cars, built after 1990 or so, were better made to begin with than cars built in the 70's and 80's. Complaints about "planned obsolescence" have disappeared as quality has risen. And the lease cars that make up a large part of today's used-car market are usually only two or three years old, with 20,000 to 40,000 miles, and have been maintained on schedule as a condition of the leases. All of this makes for better used cars, and competition has also created much better warranties. The best bets for buyers, according to Rob Gentile, manager of the Consumer Reports New and Used Car Pricing Service, are used cars backed by car manufacturers through factory certification. These cars have limited age and mileage and have to pass a careful inspection. Virtually all carmakers sell them, usually increasing prices about $300 for economy models to $2,500 for luxury cars. Even with the premium price, Mr. Gentile said, "the consumer saves on the depreciation � and gets a good car and warranty." The Mitchells' S.U.V. was factory certified by Mercedes and came with the original warranty, good until 2005 or until the odometer hits 50,000. The Mitchells paid an additional $1,500 for an extended warranty running to 2008, with a 100,000-mile cap. Only 1.5 million factory certified cars are predicted to be available in 2003, however, of the 44 million used cars that are expected to be sold nationally. Buyers of the other 42.5 million can get good deals, but they should be prepared to put more work into the process. Franchised dealers will sell about 14.5 million certified cars that are not factory certified. "Especially make sure that you understand the difference between a dealer-certified used car, which may have an aftermarket warranty the dealer buys, and a factory-certified car, where the factory stands behind it," Mr. Gentile said. "And remember, a good used car warranty doesn't make a good used car." Another 14.5 million used vehicles will be sold by independent used-car dealers. Most will be the familiar neighborhood lots, but some are big-box-style chains that sell used cars in large quantities and many brands, often with no-haggle pricing, and set standards for the cars they handle. For example, CarMax, a chain with 38 used-car outlets mostly in the Sun Belt, excludes cars driven more than 60,000 miles and those with frame or flood damage. It sells extended warranties backed by the insurance broker Aon Corporation. The rest of the used cars changing hands will go from one individual to another through newspaper advertisements, the Internet, or the fellow at work who knows somebody with a great old Toyota. In these deals, just one thing is guaranteed: the buyer had better beware. ------------------------------ Date: Sun, 8 Jun 2003 11:37:52 -0700 From: "Scott & Charlotte Miller" <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> Subject: [uuc] Re: Performance Driving School Phil, what is your track experience level? I would gear my recommendation to your experience. Also, time of year and weather factor in here. I use the old names, not the ones bought by corporations recently. Safest for beginners: Buttonwillow Thunderhill Maybe even Willow Springs Most fun for me: Laguna Seca Sears Point Best weather in the summer: Laguna Seca Other options that I haven't tried: Las Vegas (2 tracks there?) Thunderbird (one of 2 or 3 tracks in the Phoenix area) BMW CCA chapter considerations: Golden Gate Chapter runs mostly full service driving schools. Most of the Central CA Chapter schools I've seen (and been to 1) are designed for advanced and intermediate students only. There are also professional schools, but unless you're interested in trying a formula car, I don't see the reason to spend that much money. Is it too late to get in on that Nurburgring school? :^) Scott Miller GGC BMW CCA >Date: Sat, 7 Jun 2003 16:36:27 -0700 >From: "Phil Bell" <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> >Subject: [uuc] Performance Driving School > >My wife has given me for my birthday a trip to the driving school of my >choice. I know , I know you're all jealous. Well, she loves me! So which >one is the delemema. I sure other bimmerheads on this list has attended >different schools. I'm on the west coast, so Lime Rock isn't on my list. > >Thanks everyone! > >Phil Bell >02 530i >San Diego Chapter ------------------------------ Date: Sun, 8 Jun 2003 15:48:21 -0600 From: "Rob" <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> Subject: [uuc] FS: E36 brake parts For sale: - -Complete front calipers, rotors, lines and spindles from a 1992 325i. Offers? - -Pagid "Sport" Blue brake pads for E36 M3s. Used for ~1000k miles. Bavarian sells for $169.95 set! Asking $150 for front & rear. Thanks, Rob ------------------------------ Date: Sun, 8 Jun 2003 18:54:46 -0700 From: "Michael" <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> Subject: [uuc] <E28> Need an ECU (059) Anyone on the digest have an '0 261 200 059' ECU lying around they want to unload? My '88 E28 535i needs a brain transplant. Please e-mail me off line with the price and where you're located. Better yet, if someone has an electrical schematic of the ECU, I'd prefer to get that and try to fix the problem with my current ECU myself. The voltage regulator had an issue that may have provided an over-current situation that resulted in my ECU not providing output signals for the fuel or the ignition coil. If someone has fixed these things before and know of the "culprit" component(s), I'd appreciate the help. TIA. Michael San Diego BMWCCA ------------------------------ Date: Sun, 08 Jun 2003 20:12:59 -0700 From: Mark Dadgar <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> Subject: Re: [uuc] Performance Driving School A different opinion: BMW CCA with your own car. Jim Russell with their cars. Different, more economical, option: Jim Russell Karting School. The 125cc shifters are mind-blowing and the new kart track at Sears Point is absolutely gorgeous. - - Mark Bora Akyol (BMW) at [EMAIL PROTECTED] wrote: > If it is with your own car, I would recommend Driving Concepts. > If it is with their car, Laguna Seca with Skip Barber. > > Bora > > On Saturday, June 7, 2003, at 04:36 PM, Phil Bell wrote: > >> My wife has given me for my birthday a trip to the driving school of my >> choice. I know , I know you're all jealous. Well, she loves me! So >> which >> one is the delemema. I sure other bimmerheads on this list has >> attended >> different schools. I'm on the west coast, so Lime Rock isn't on my >> list. >> >> Thanks everyone! >> >> Phil Bell >> 02 530i >> San Diego Chapter >> >> > - - Mark - -- [EMAIL PROTECTED] ------------------------------ Date: Tue, 11 Mar 2003 20:52:09 -0800 From: "Marco Romani" <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> Subject: RE: [uuc] Performance Driving School Funny, my wife just did the same thing. I'm going to do one near San Fran (since that's where I live). Consensus around here is the Russell school at Sears is better than the Laguna Seca school. Mainly because you get more seat time and the hot laps are graded and feedback is provide as a session, not after every lap. If you're new to racing then Skippy at LS may be better, I'm going to take the advanced class since I've been racing for a while, so the every lap feedback just sounds annoying to me, therefore I'm going to Russell. Marco - -----Original Message----- From: [EMAIL PROTECTED] [mailto:[EMAIL PROTECTED] Behalf Of Phil Bell Sent: Saturday, June 07, 2003 4:36 PM To: [EMAIL PROTECTED] Subject: [uuc] Performance Driving School My wife has given me for my birthday a trip to the driving school of my choice. I know , I know you're all jealous. Well, she loves me! So which one is the delemema. I sure other bimmerheads on this list has attended different schools. I'm on the west coast, so Lime Rock isn't on my list. Thanks everyone! Phil Bell 02 530i San Diego Chapter ------------------------------ Date: Tue, 11 Mar 2003 21:40:27 -0800 From: "Marco Romani" <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> Subject: RE: [uuc] VDO Gauge questions You don't need the wire wrap trick for the water temp sender, it's kind of a kludge. Just buy one with a ground terminal built into it. One terminal is the signal, one is ground. It's called a floating ground. Marco - -----Original Message----- From: [EMAIL PROTECTED] [mailto:[EMAIL PROTECTED] Behalf Of Jim Bassett Sent: Friday, June 06, 2003 10:39 PM To: [EMAIL PROTECTED] Subject: Re: [uuc] VDO Gauge questions At 07:11 PM 6/6/03, Steven Schlossman talked about: >Water 250F >Oil Pressure 80, 100 or 150 PSI? >Oil Temp 300F or 320F? Based on what I used on the '92 325is race car, 80psi for oil pressure, 300F for oil temp. >To have both oil gauges and the oil idiot light work do I get the adapter >from BMP? Or from JTD, but yes :-) >It looks like egauges.com has the best prices. >Anything special about the sensors? The water temp sender will need to be grounded. I (actually my mechanic) wrapped some safety wire around it, secured it with a small hose clamp, and grounded it nearby. Also, I had good service (if a bit slow) from Eastern Motorwerks. Good instructions, a wire harness, and he answered all my and my mechanic's questions. Gauges work well :-) Hope that helps, Jim Bassett ------------------------------ Date: Sun, 08 Jun 2003 21:40:07 -0700 From: "J. Ochi" <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> Subject: RE: [uuc] Performance Driving School I thought that Derek Daly was the school that was supposed to do the most to make experienced racers faster... Jim Ochi At 08:52 PM 3/11/2003 -0800, Marco Romani wrote: >Funny, my wife just did the same thing. I'm going to do one near San Fran >(since that's where I live). Consensus around here is the Russell school at >Sears is better than the Laguna Seca school. Mainly because you get more >seat time and the hot laps are graded and feedback is provide as a session, >not after every lap. > >If you're new to racing then Skippy at LS may be better, I'm going to take >the advanced class since I've been racing for a while, so the every lap >feedback just sounds annoying to me, therefore I'm going to Russell. > >Marco > >-----Original Message----- >From: [EMAIL PROTECTED] >[mailto:[EMAIL PROTECTED] Behalf Of Phil Bell >Sent: Saturday, June 07, 2003 4:36 PM >To: [EMAIL PROTECTED] >Subject: [uuc] Performance Driving School > > >My wife has given me for my birthday a trip to the driving school of my >choice. I know , I know you're all jealous. Well, she loves me! So which >one is the delemema. I sure other bimmerheads on this list has attended >different schools. I'm on the west coast, so Lime Rock isn't on my list. > >Thanks everyone! > >Phil Bell >02 530i >San Diego Chapter ------------------------------ Date: Sun, 8 Jun 2003 22:38:13 -0700 From: "Kevin Kelly" <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> Subject: [uuc] New RR Owner Devon Yablonski wrote: >got some pics of my rover, check it out, let me know what >you think, and what ideas you got for continuing... thanks http://www.cardomain.com/id/yieldsign2 The link said: >My 1987 Range Rover. V8, somewhere between 180 and 200 >horsepower, not very fast, but thats not its point. If it is a stock NAS 1987 with a 3.5L you only have 150 hp, the 3.9L engines have around 180 and the Range Rover did not have over 200 hp until 1996 4.6L. >Just starting my work on it, was given to me by my rents. I'm only >16 so i dont have much money to put into it.Ive replaced the >steering box, got the entire chassi welded, replaced rear bumper >ends, put bilstein shocks in wiht 2" lift heavy duty springs, getting >replacement rear lower tailgate, goign to modify rear upper tailgate. It looks like you have some major rust in the photos and before you sink a ton of money in to your Range Rover you might want to start with a rust free south west Range Rover (since you can buy a nice one for next to nothing)... >Getting air intake resistor for improved power. The air intake resistor will not give you more power, it is a scam where guys on eBay make money tricking young inexperienced people to give them money... >antenna being put in, (originally was wires running inside roof, >didnt work too well). The OEM antenna is connected to the rear defroster wires, not in the roof (and antenna amp is above the headliner near the rear wiper motor. The OEM antenna does not work that great so an external antenna will be an improvement. Think about a switch so you can lower the antenna while driving off road listening to CDs. >Sunk it a few weeks ago with friends, had to wash out the whole >ecu and killed my $300 6 disk changer (thats why i have a 12 >now) I think thats all ive done so far worth noting.. Try not to do this again, sinking modern 4x4s can cause a ton of problems. Kevin Kelly ------------------------------ End of [uucdigest] V3 #6436 *************************** | | In memory of Michel Potheau - friend, enthusiast, founder of the BMW CCA. |________________________________________ | Please visit these UUC-approved BMW parts vendors/service providers: | (listed alphabetically) | | Autoscope-Motorsports - http://www.autoscope-motorsports.com | |==================================================== | | Koala MotorSport . 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