[uucdigest] Friday, September 5 2003 Volume 03 : Number 6725
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Send 'em to [EMAIL PROTECTED] |__________________________________________________________________ In this BMW UUC Digest: RE: [uuc] re: BMW gas fill location [uuc] BMWCCA friends of bmw booklet Re: [uuc] Experience with Kumho Ecsta V700 Tires [uuc] 16 Inch wheels [uuc] re: BMW gas fill location [uuc] Scott's tire issue [uuc] <e30> WTB: sunroof crank Re: [uuc] re: BMW gas fill location [uuc] Experience with Kuhmo Ecsta V700 [uuc] <E36> rear ride height Re: [uuc] re: BMW gas fill location ---------------------------------------------------------------------- Date: Thu, 04 Sep 2003 19:22:54 -0700 From: "J. Ochi" <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> Subject: RE: [uuc] re: BMW gas fill location Except that in the US, that's the curb side of the car when you parallel park. So all the pedestrians will see your sloppy gas spill stains. Personally, I think it's so that the passenger doesn't have to go so far when they jump out to earn their keep on those long road trips. This way, they can jump out, fill the car, wash the windshield, and run in to buy the munchies while I saunter over and get rid of the Big Gulp that I purchased at the last gas station stop... Jim Ochi At 10:05 PM 9/4/2003 -0400, Rob Levinson wrote: >Call it a silly idea, but I would not be surprised if there is a >maerketing component to the whole thing... make the side of the car >that the driver sees look nicer without the interruption of the fuel >filler door. Also, sloppy gas attendants (yes, we in NJ have them as >self-serve is illegal) will spill on the less-conspicuous side of the >car. Once again, keeps the owner happier with the car. > >- Rob > >---- Original Message ---- >From: [EMAIL PROTECTED] >To: [EMAIL PROTECTED] >Subject: RE: [uuc] re: BMW gas fill location >Date: Thu, 4 Sep 2003 17:13:02 -0700 (PDT) > > >The gas fill location should put the filler away from > >the road if you happen to run out of gas and pull over > >the slow lane berm. It is safer for the person doing > >the filling. > > > >Ian > > > > > >"IIRC, I've also read that the Left Rear Fender > >location for gas fill is more likely to be impacted in > >an accident than the Right Rear. So, the RR location > >was touted as a safety feature. All according to > >statistical analysis of course, so truth may lie > >elsewhere." > > > >Doesn't help those of us with RHD* :(. > > > >My present and former BMWs have their filler on the > >right rear, or what would be the passenger's side in > >the country of origin. My first car, a Honda, had its > >filler on the left rear, again on the passenger's side > >in the country/ies of origin (designed in Japan, built > >in the UK). I don't think RHD BMWs would be > >ignificantly less safe than their LHD counterparts in > >this respect, but there might be something to it. > > > >Andy T > > > > > >__________________________________ > >Do you Yahoo!? > >Yahoo! SiteBuilder - Free, easy-to-use web site design software > >http://sitebuilder.yahoo.com ------------------------------ Date: Thu, 4 Sep 2003 20:23:57 -0700 (PDT) From: Dan Hermann <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> Subject: [uuc] BMWCCA friends of bmw booklet Does anyone have a current issue of the Friends of BMW booklet? I ordered one along with my BMWCCA renewal, but I'd like some info from it a bit quicker than it's likely to arrive in the mail. tia, dan __________________________________ Do you Yahoo!? Yahoo! SiteBuilder - Free, easy-to-use web site design software http://sitebuilder.yahoo.com ------------------------------ Date: Thu, 4 Sep 2003 23:34:18 -0400 From: "Stan Jackson Jr." <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> Subject: Re: [uuc] Experience with Kumho Ecsta V700 Tires I find this discussion a bit surprising. I have the Ecsta V700's on a race-prepped E30 325iX. I believe they are the original compound (2nd compound?), as I bought them in May 2002. They are size 205/50-15 mounted on 15x7 wheels. I have -1.7 and -2.1 degrees of camber in the front, left and right. I ran the tires on track from full tread. They still have not worn out after roughly 10 track days. Relatively even wear across the tread too. Keep in mind that the iX is front heavy and tends to be hard on front tires. I do have a race suspension, which may be significantly stiffer than others have. It is certainly much stiffer than Scott's M3 springs. Those who have had problems -- how stiff is your suspension? Or perhaps the culprit is the newer compounds (2nd?, 3rd?, 4th?, what are they on?)? Stan Robinson, Lee wrote: > Welcome to the Kumho "groove of death". I had the exact same problem with > my V700's. My car is also running on 15x7", although I'm approaching -2.5 > camber. My tires corded only on the very edge, where the edge of the tire > face meets the sidewall. Mine were gone after 2 track events. Ok, ok, > the second 2 days were at Roebling Rd, which is slightly abrasive, but still > there was only about 5 or so hours of track time. > If you go to the tirerack & kumho's website, both have an announcement > that those tires should not be used for dry track or autocross without being > shaved & heat cycled. The result of not doing this is exactly what you > have seen. > > ------------------------------ > And Jim Bassett added: > > Welcome to the Kumho "groove of death". > > AKA Groove of Doom, ala the old BFG R1. > > > If you go to the tirerack & kumho's website, both have an announcement > > that those tires should not be used for dry track or autocross without > > being shaved & heat cycled. The result of not doing this is exactly what you > > have seen. > > Which doesn't explain the GoD that I experienced on *2* sets on dry tracks, both of which were shaved and heat cycled. > > Bottom line: Kumho eff-ed up these tires, big time. I know of at least a dozen Club Racers/track junkies that have experienced similar problems. > > Because of this poor performance, and even poorer customer support, it took me over a year before I'd even consider buying any Kumho tire - I currently have a set of Victorracers on the race car, however. ------------------------------ Date: Thu, 4 Sep 2003 22:47:52 -0500 From: "David Miller" <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> Subject: [uuc] 16 Inch wheels I ran 16 inch OZ Forza rims with winter tires for 6 years on my M3. The narrower tire actually worked better in the snow and ice than 17 inch with wider tires. 16 inch rims will clear the rotors and not cause any problem with heat. Dave 95 M3 ------------------------------ Date: Thu, 4 Sep 2003 21:19:43 -0700 From: "Kevin Kelly" <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> Subject: [uuc] re: BMW gas fill location Dennis Lie wrote: > Since this thread started, I looked around on the highway > today. All the European cars I saw (didn't see any English > cars) had the filler on the right. All the Japanese cars had > them on the left. Every Land Rover I have owed ('60 SII '89 RR & '98 RR) have the gas fill door on the right (the same side as my BMWs) so it makes it easy to switch cars. Every time I'm driving a Japanese car I always seem to pull up to the gas pump with the filler on the other side of the car. Do "any" BMWs (or German cars) have the gas fill on the left? Is it just tradition or is there some reason that certain manufacturers put the gas filler on a particular side of the car? Kevin Kelly BMW CCA 50039 ------------------------------ Date: Thu, 04 Sep 2003 21:31:35 -0700 From: Steve Albrecht <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> Subject: [uuc] Scott's tire issue Hi Scott. I have also heard of some bad experiences with your model of Kumho tires. It does indeed seem to be just that model. I am now on my third season with my Kumho Victor Racers, and they are getting thin but no cords showing yet. My first set lasted one season. I attribute the difference in longevity to learning how to enter corners at a much slower rate. As you (and Jim Bassett) well know, I am not easy on my tires on either the autox course or the race track. I also flip the tires over on the wheels half way through their wear cycle. John Siau will give you a good price. Cheers Steve Albrecht ------------------------------ Date: Thu, 4 Sep 2003 21:48:43 -0700 From: "Grant Low" <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> Subject: [uuc] <e30> WTB: sunroof crank Group, The sunroof handle on my brother's 87 325 has finally broken after much use. Does anyone in Central/Southern Indiana have a spare sunroof crank, preferably used, from a parts car or something? We're looking at max $15-20. If so, email me with your info and I will have him contact you. Thanks, Grant ------------------------------ Date: Fri, 5 Sep 2003 07:39:21 -0400 From: "Woody" <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> Subject: Re: [uuc] re: BMW gas fill location The new Mini has the gas filler on the left. Woody - ----- Original Message ----- From: "Kevin Kelly" <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> To: "BMW BMW BMW BMW" <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> Sent: Friday, September 05, 2003 12:19 AM Subject: [uuc] re: BMW gas fill location > Dennis Lie wrote: > > > Since this thread started, I looked around on the highway > > today. All the European cars I saw (didn't see any English > > cars) had the filler on the right. All the Japanese cars had > > them on the left. > > Every Land Rover I have owed ('60 SII '89 RR & '98 RR) have the gas fill > door on the right (the same side as my BMWs) so it makes it easy to switch > cars. Every time I'm driving a Japanese car I always seem to pull up to the > gas pump with the filler on the other side of the car. > > Do "any" BMWs (or German cars) have the gas fill on the left? Is it just > tradition or is there some reason that certain manufacturers put the gas > filler on a particular side of the car? > > Kevin Kelly > BMW CCA 50039 > > ------------------------------ Date: Fri, 5 Sep 2003 08:27:30 -0400 From: "Matison, Michael E [SUP/0200]" <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> Subject: [uuc] Experience with Kuhmo Ecsta V700 So I guess my experience with my stock '96 M3 is completely different. I purchased a set of 235-40-17 Kuhmo Ecsta V700s to fit on 17x8 BBS RK's this Spring. The tires were shaved, but not heat cycled. I mounted the wheels and tires and did my own heat cycle. I have used this set of wheels/tires for auto-x only. I have attended 5 events this year (8-12 runs per event, 45-60sec runs) at the Tire Rack test facility in South Bend IN w/ the Michiana and Windy City BMW CCA. The tires seem to be wearing in the center tread block more than the edges. The center tread block wear occurs on the front tires, most notable on the left for a clockwise course or the right if it is counter clockwise. I run 36psi on all 4 corners. I rotate the tires front to back in an attempt to even out the wear. I also intend to start rotating side to side (after recently reading the article in Grass Roots Motorsports covering directional tires). I was considering dropping the pressure to see if I could even out the tread wear, but the tires wear all the way to the diamonds on the edge of the tread at 36psi. I have been very successful with these tires this season! They seem to as sticky as anything else out there or maybe better. Mike Matison This communication is intended solely for the use of the addressee and may contain information that is legally privileged, confidential or exempt from disclosure. If you are not the intended recipient, please note that any dissemination, distribution, or copying of this communication is strictly prohibited. Anyone who receives this message in error should notify the sender immediately and delete it from his or her computer. ------------------------------ Date: Fri, 5 Sep 2003 07:55:55 -0500 (CDT) From: "Kevin Jay (Mr.Fabulous)" <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> Subject: [uuc] <E36> rear ride height I've been looking at my car lately believing the left (US driver's side) was sagging a bit in the back. Sure enough... just measured it, left side is abount a cm lower. These springs (H&R) are less than two years old (no track time)... should I expect this? Seems like a lot to me. - - Kevin Jay '96 328is, usual H&R/Bilstein setup ------------------------------ Date: Fri, 05 Sep 2003 13:03:45 +0000 From: "Gilbert Hoffman" <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> Subject: Re: [uuc] re: BMW gas fill location I tried to resist...but here's my two cents: (Mainland) European cars fill on (home market) passenger side due to gas stations being on the roadside and for making easier filling. Japanese cars have filler on home market passenger side as well. Possibly due to same reasoning. (I've never been to Japan, let alone driven there.) Most US market and US developed/engineered cars (Crown Vic) have the filler on the (home market) driver's side due to the fact that 48 states have self service. Probably so that lazy Americans don't have to walk around the car to fill it. European engineered US cars (Saturn) have the filler where (mainland) European manufacturers usually put it -- on the passenger side. Who knows what is behind English roadgoing habits and engineering? Although I always thought it was nice when the Jag sedan's had filler caps on both sides. There are of course some odd-balls here in there. Some older US cars and Corvettes had center filll locations...which probably was marketing. "Now you don't have to worry which side of the pump to pull up to." I liked the idea of the racing pits, but alas NASCAR's pit wall is on the driver's side. And not all manufacturers have racing heritage like BMW. (OBMWC) Gilbert _________________________________________________________________ Get 10MB of e-mail storage! Sign up for Hotmail Extra Storage. http://join.msn.com/?PAGE=features/es ------------------------------ End of [uucdigest] V3 #6725 *************************** | | 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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