[uucdigest] Thursday, June 26 2003 Volume 03 : Number 6511
_________________________________________________________________ | | Search the ARCHIVES: | http://www.mail-archive.com/[EMAIL PROTECTED] | | Visit Richard Nott's Ultimate BMW Database: | http://www.bmwdatabase.com | | 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. | Technical Problems? Send 'em to [EMAIL PROTECTED] |__________________________________________________________________ In this BMW UUC Digest: RE: [uuc] Mini Cooper S driving impressions [uuc] <E38> Shocks replacement, anyone? [uuc] Mini Cooper S driving impressions [uuc] NICE 82 633CSI for sale $4900/best offer $3-4000 spent in last 2 years--Moving, no time to finish. Re: [uuc] E36 AC service Re: [uuc] Mini Cooper S driving impressions RE: [uuc] E36 AC service [uuc] Re: Mini Cooper S driving impressions ---------------------------------------------------------------------- Date: Thu, 26 Jun 2003 10:37:28 -0400 From: "Money, Jack (J.J.)" <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> Subject: RE: [uuc] Mini Cooper S driving impressions Yeah, my response should have been qualified as being region dependant. In the Mid West, I don't see it being competitive....but other regions may be different. Certainly the track itself will play a role, just as it does for other cars already. As for GRM, I like the mag, but man, they have quite a range of accuracy in some of their articles. ; ) Jack Money '89 325iX #86 JP M3 Elephant Motorsports INC. - -----Original Message----- From: Bora Akyol [mailto:[EMAIL PROTECTED] Sent: Thursday, June 26, 2003 10:23 AM To: [EMAIL PROTECTED] Subject: Re: [uuc] Mini Cooper S driving impressions Funny you say that, a JP Cooper S already won its class in an enduro this year according to GRM :-) On Thursday, June 26, 2003, at 06:55 AM, [EMAIL PROTECTED] wrote: > I think perhaps the > inability > to put down all that power in a corner is perhaps the main reason that > I > won't be > able to beat a JS E30 M3. ------------------------------ Date: Thu, 26 Jun 2003 14:39:37 +0000 From: "Vijay Nuthulapaty" <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> Subject: [uuc] <E38> Shocks replacement, anyone? Gruppe, I am planning on changing the shocks of my 2000 740iL with Bilsteins (the car has 84k miles on it and they are shot). Having never done any suspension work on any car (my DIY experience goes to doing rotors/pads), how difficult is it to do this. Do I need a spring compressor for this? (I am not changing springs). Does anyone have any sort of a write up on this? Any helpful hints will be appreciated. I was looking for a repair manual for this car, but there is none published right now (not that I know if). So if anyone has any information on a repair manual, that will help too. Vijay _________________________________________________________________ Add photos to your messages with MSN 8. Get 2 months FREE*. http://join.msn.com/?page=features/featuredemail ------------------------------ Date: Thu, 26 Jun 2003 10:41:29 -0400 From: "Dorffer, Rich" <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> Subject: [uuc] Mini Cooper S driving impressions > Funny you say that, a JP Cooper S already won its class in an enduro > this year according to GRM :-) Who else was racing in that class in that race? Regards, Rich ------------------------------ Date: Thu, 26 Jun 2003 09:49:14 -0500 From: "Brian Collins" <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> Subject: [uuc] NICE 82 633CSI for sale $4900/best offer $3-4000 spent in last 2 years--Moving, no time to finish. Forgot to include an asking price when I last posted this. I have just done a complete new Bavarian Autosport Clutch kit plus new clutch master cylinder and slave cylinders. "White with excellent original Navy blue leather that was recently refinished by local upholstery shop. Texas car, new dash top, carpet redyded, rear shelf and rear speaker covers have been recovered. A/C is intact and compressor engages--holding Freon, but I can not get the blower fan to come on with any consistency. seems like fuses often need to be removed and contacts cleaned--have heard this is a common problem. some have said to use dielectric grease---haven't found any yet to try. Comes with new Napa R 134 "10 minute conversion" kit that includes proper nipples, Freon, and charging tube. They claim no come backs or complaints on this. Lots of other items have recently been repaired or replaced recently. OEM BBS wire basket wheels with newish Looking older radials. Dual tip Monza exhaust tip. Appears to be all original paint that looks nice, but is now getting thin on some edges from buffing (could be touched up) with the exception of the right front fender and possibly the complete right side. The right front fender is still the original unit, paint is just flaking off in a few spots showing original paint underneath--No sign of any kind of sanding, bondo or even primer at all on the underlying original paint, so guessing it was not anything serious. Shocks are toast. Car starts instantly with no smoke and runs great. See no reason this car could not be driven to any destination. $4900 or best offer Located in Dallas, TX Brian Collins ------------------------------ Date: Thu, 26 Jun 2003 10:44:57 -0400 From: "Gary Derian" <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> Subject: Re: [uuc] E36 AC service As long as the system is partially charged, no contaminants will get in so there is no need to evacuate it. You can buy a can of R134 and a hose for the can and add it to the system. Make sure you do this on the low pressure side. >From your description, the system may be icing up rather than lacking a charge. Does the air flow diminish over time, or does the air just get warmer? A system that ices likely needs the expansion valve replaced. That does require an evacuation and re-charge. Gary Derian > Hello group, > > I've got a '94 325i with AC that is marginal. It works well initially, > but on long drives in the hotter weather we've been having it loses it's > effectiveness after driving for awhile. I'm just thinking of a recharge > at this point, since it's been 3 years since I bought the car and had > the AC repaired. > > I know the system uses the 134a refrigerant, and I see kits out there > for recharging using a pressure gauge and not evacuating the system. > The Bentley, however, says the system must be emptied and recharged with > the correct amount of refrigerant & oil. And, of course, it says you > will go directly to jail if you attempt to empty the system without the > proper credentials and recovery equipment. > > Can the system be recharged just by pressure without emptying first? Is > there something I should check before I consider a recharge? Are the > warnings about recovery equipment really only relevant to the old freon > systems? For no good reason, I've wondered if I have a problem with the > evaporator drain, causing the unit to freeze up and exhibit my problem. > I must have read something like this once, as I don't have enough > knowledge myself to concoct this theory. Is it a good one? Where would > I find the drain? > > Thanks for any advice. > > Chris B. > '94 325i <---- cool, but not cool enough > ------------------------------ Date: Thu, 26 Jun 2003 10:07:57 -0500 From: Dennis Wynne <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> Subject: Re: [uuc] Mini Cooper S driving impressions Interesting comments - but they have to be biased as you OWN the car :-) As coincidence would have it, I drove my S2000 over to a friend's office on Saturday. I took his Cooper S out for a spirited drive, then later drove home in the S2000. The Cooper does not corner "flat" - there is a good amount of lean to it. Driven back to back to back with S2000 it is VERY obvious. It sure feels like my 330i w/sports package is flatter as well. The motor is not all the stout either, IMHO. Again in comparison the NA 2.0l in the S2000 is a lot quicker. Both cars are easy to bog if you select the wrong cog to power out of a corner. Do it in the Cooper S and you are waiting a LOT longer for the motor to spool up. I did like the gearbox, felt better than the 5 speed in my 330i by a wide margin. The clutch action is typical BMW (which is not too good). The S2000 gear box and clutch are much better. Cooper 6th appears to be a nice cruising gear (but I didn't do too much high-speed cruising). I like that - and it should be good for really nice trip mileage. The brakes felt fine to me too - I didn't have any fade problems and there is not much dive when getting on them hard. The exterior and interior are both gorgeous! They are both "cute" and "cool" at the same time. It is way cute enough to be a "chick" car, and the performance and fun to drive makes it an "enthusiasts car" as well. The seat adjustments were designed by someone with a sense of humor, I suppose. The interior was particularly appealing to me. The switch gear, controls, etc. I even spotted my 3 series "computer", DSC, etc. The window lifts were not auto up, which was strange. The biggest disappointment is the FWD. There is torque steer, it is not as bad as some FWD cars but it is there. Even without the "steer" effect it still has the FWD feel when you get on it hard. Having nothing but RWD cars for several years has spoiled me and I don't really want to go back to FWD. I would love to drive a Cooper S with better tires - and would love to try one with the "works" upgrades on it. Both should make it a lot nicer. All in all it is a great car! With a "As tested" sticker of nearly $24k it is not quite the bargain as you would think - and then add-in the Mini dealer "markup"... I could live with one if I had to, and would recommend one to anyone in the market. My S2000 cost me about what my friend paid for his Cooper S (my car was 2 years old with 1,700 miles on it when I got it - still smells new) - and the top drops :-) For me, I think I would go down and drive a WRX sedan and wagon and see how I liked it. Loaded with every option the out the door price is a lot less than a Mini and you get gobs more power and well over 1 sec less 0-60, AWD makes for an all-year daily driver too. Not NEARLY as pretty as the Mini, though - and no free maintenance. It is funny, my friend (who has a Z8, Z4 3.0i, 540iA, etc) was just raving about HIS Mini as well. He said "I bet this could keep up with or beat your S2000!". Something about owning a Mini makes the owners feel like world beaters, I guess :-) BTW, he was really raving about his new Z4 3.0/manual tranny. I didn't get a chance to drive it, but he says he likes it a lot better than his M roadsters. My memory tells me my first new car, a Fiat X1/9 was the most fun car to drive I ever owned. My memory is probably faulty :-) I have had a bunch of fun cars over the years, the X1/9, a GTi, Si, Miata, C5 convertible, etc. The S2000 by far the most fun (other than the distant memories of the X1/9). The Mini Cooper S is a GREAT car. Is it the best thing since sliced bread? I don't think so - but the OWNERS sure think so, which is all that matters..... Dennis 330i silver/black/manual/sp/pp/xenon/cd At 08:20 PM 06/25/2003 -0700, you wrote: >After owning two Porsche 928s, one E36 M3 set-up for autocross and my >current JP E30 M3, >last week I purchased a Mini Cooper S. > >I have to say that next to my race car, this is the most fun car I have >ever owned or driven (and believe me I have driven a lot). > >--SNIP-- >Bora >#236 JP E30 M3 BMWCCA/NABR >Mini Cooper S, future Mini Spec racer > ------------------------------ Date: Thu, 26 Jun 2003 11:08:30 -0400 From: "Chris Baker" <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> Subject: RE: [uuc] E36 AC service Yes, the air flow does diminish over time, as the temperature of the air flow rises. Sounds like a winner. I'll check to see how easily accessible the expansion valve is. Hopefully better than what I saw for the evaporator. Thanks, Chris B. - -----Original Message----- From: [EMAIL PROTECTED] [mailto:[EMAIL PROTECTED] Behalf Of Gary Derian Sent: Thursday, June 26, 2003 10:45 AM To: [EMAIL PROTECTED] Subject: Re: [uuc] E36 AC service As long as the system is partially charged, no contaminants will get in so there is no need to evacuate it. You can buy a can of R134 and a hose for the can and add it to the system. Make sure you do this on the low pressure side. >From your description, the system may be icing up rather than lacking a charge. Does the air flow diminish over time, or does the air just get warmer? A system that ices likely needs the expansion valve replaced. That does require an evacuation and re-charge. Gary Derian ------------------------------ Date: Thu, 26 Jun 2003 11:18:51 -0400 (EDT) From: "Erik Rutberg" <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> Subject: [uuc] Re: Mini Cooper S driving impressions I agree with everythng you said about the MINI. Since buying my MINI, I have hardly driven my BMWs! I noticed that you are planning to do the Spec Series, I am too. The JCW kit is not legal in the Spec series. I really wanted it, but I emailed the Club Racing tech chair, and they told me it was not going to be permitted. If you heard any different, please let me know. I have the rear sway with lighter wheels/better tires, and the ride is more comfortable than before. The run-flats really kill the ride. Erik Rutberg 2003 MINI Cooper S (future spec racer) 2001 Z3 roadster 3.0 (wifes car) 1997 318ti/Dinan3, supercharged 1988 ///M5 1985 735iA 1973 2002 ------------------------------ End of [uucdigest] V3 #6511 *************************** | | 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 . BMW technical information, special tool sales/rental | http://www.koalamotorsport.com | |==================================================== | | Taylor BMW - http://www.taylorbmw.com - Doc Bimmer! | |==================================================== | Turner Motorsport Inc . 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