The BMW UUC Digest Volume 3 : Issue 70 : "text" Format Messages in this Issue: Re: <E36> M3 bumper covers Re: <E36> M3 bumper covers Re: <E36> M3 bumper covers Re: E-46 Modified Suspension/Alignment questions... Re: E-46 Modified Suspension/Alignment questions... Re: E-46 Modified Suspension/Alignment questions... Fellow digester from Washington state? Front bumper reflector
---------------------------------------------------------------------- Date: Thu, 16 Feb 2006 09:31:10 -0500 From: "Dawes, Chet " <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> To: <[email protected]> Subject: Re: <E36> M3 bumper covers Message-ID: <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> Brian, Indeed, front and rear bumper covers have VIN stickers just like the fenders/hood/doors/trunk. They are much more difficult to see however. The rear can only be seen from under the car, it is roughly in the middle on the back-side of the lower lip. However, I noted that my factory replacement front bumper cover did not have a DOT-R sticker. I'm of the opinion that a new OEM factory bumper cover (properly finished) is better that a repaired and refinished original part. Stay away from the aftermarket versions and I don't think it will adversely affect resale. I feel same is true of body panels. I'd rather have a new, STRAIGHT DOT-R panel than a 'refurbished' (read: has body filler) one with the right VIN sticker. In your case if it is a simple refinish with no repair, take pictures or have other documentation that it was not a wreck and it should be fine. The concours weenies might disagree however..... ;-) Cheers, Chet Dawes -----Original Message----- From: Brian Ruiz <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> To: UUC Digest <[email protected]> Subject: <E36> M3 bumper covers Message-ID: <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> Quick q: Do the original front and rear bumper covers have the car's VIN number on them as well? I am interested because the front cover on my car has some sort of dent or something in it that looks like it was partially filled with some sort of plastic filler, then painted over. Whatever it is, it's pretty crappy looking and I want to fix it, in addition to all the trillion and a half paint chips from road debris, but I'm just wondering about originality concerns with the covers. I'm doubting that such a component would be considered very valuable to originality, but I'm just wondering. Thanks all, Brian 95 M3 **************************************************************************************** Note: If the reader of this message is not the intended recipient, or an employee or agent responsible for delivering this message to the intended recipient, you are hereby notified that any dissemination, distribution or copying of this communication is strictly prohibited. If you have received this communication in error, please notify us immediately by replying to the message and deleting it from your computer. Thank you. **************************************************************************************** ------------------------------ Date: Thu, 16 Feb 2006 07:03:55 -0800 (PST) From: Richard Dorffer <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> To: [email protected] Subject: Re: <E36> M3 bumper covers Message-ID: <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> What difference does it make, it is an E36 M3, who honestly cares about originality on these cars any more unless you have one with less than 20k miles in concours condition or possibly a LTW. Otherwise, put whatever new parts on it that you want. All anyone with half a brain will care about is whether the fit/finish looks good on the replaced part. Regards, Rich - should get rid of one of the E30s for an E36 as the prices continue to drop. ------------------------------ Date: Thu, 16 Feb 2006 17:50:14 -0500 From: Ed MacVaugh <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> To: [email protected] Subject: Re: <E36> M3 bumper covers Message-ID: <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> You aren't gong to see any more DOT-R panels unless you are getting old stock. That law expired without renewal. Ed Dawes, Chet wrote: >However, I noted that my factory replacement front bumper cover did not >have a DOT-R sticker. > . I'd rather have a >new, STRAIGHT DOT-R panel than a 'refurbished' (read: has body filler) >one with the right VIN sticker. > > ------------------------------ Date: Thu, 16 Feb 2006 08:21:55 -0800 From: "Kirk" <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> To: <[email protected]> Cc: <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> Subject: Re: E-46 Modified Suspension/Alignment questions... Message-ID: <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> Marc wrote: I have a 2001 330Ci that came with the factory sport suspension. I put on the Koni system shocks and struts with Koni springs, this system has adjustable ride height using threaded adjusters. Nice. I'm interested in your impressions on ride quality, handling, etc. First question: Do the manufacturers of aftermarket springs drop the front more than the rear for looks only or are there other reasons they don't drop the front and rear equal amounts? Sorry, no idea here (but I will help later on!). Now for the alignment questions: What would be good alignment numbers for this car? I do four or five DE a year, but don't want to kill my tire life for a track only set-up? What's your tolerance for tire wear? I swapped the strut hats on my wife's 2002 M3 and it has *a lot* of camber, probably -2.5 degrees or more. That being said, we usually wear the outside edges of the tires off first due to serious track use (easily 4 or 5 events per year up until last year). We're not too easy on tires and are on our 8th (yes, as in one more than seven) set of tires and the car has around 45k miles on it... Thanks to Toyo Tires, this hasn't been a big financial burden! :-) I'd recommend -1.0 as a start for camber up front. Rear is not quite as critical at this point as adding negative camber up front should help reduce the inherent understeer that the E46 chassis has. By lowering your car you probably have achieved some camber already. I saw in a recent Roundel that they did a suspension upgrade on an E-46, and to be able to get proper camber numbers they removed the (aluminum?) ball or nub at the top of the strut towers. Can I carefully drill these out from the top?--I have a M-3 strut brace on there now, so I'm not sure if this is possible. This is simple. Take a drift punch and a hammer. Ping! No more little silver pin. Jack up a corner and loosen the strut hat nuts. Push top of strut in towards center of motor and retighten nuts. Repeat on other side. Done. Any other tricks for getting the alignment correct front/rear? (like the "crash" bolts for the E-36). The aforementioned strut hat swap will give you gobs of camber up front, if you really want that much. Thanks in advance for your help. No problem... Kirk Lachman Sin City Chapter ------------------------------ Date: Thu, 16 Feb 2006 18:29:32 -0800 (PST) From: Andre Yew <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> To: [email protected] Subject: Re: E-46 Modified Suspension/Alignment questions... Message-ID: <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> On Thu, 16 Feb 2006, Kirk wrote: > The aforementioned strut hat swap will give you gobs of camber up > front, if you really want that much. Does this trick work on non-M3 E46 suspensions? --Andre ------------------------------ Date: Thu, 16 Feb 2006 12:10:38 EST From: [EMAIL PROTECTED] To: [EMAIL PROTECTED], [email protected] Cc: [EMAIL PROTECTED] Subject: Re: E-46 Modified Suspension/Alignment questions... Message-ID: <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> In a message dated 16.02.2006 17:51:32 Westeuropäische Normalzeit, [EMAIL PROTECTED] writes: I saw in a recent Roundel that they did a suspension upgrade on an E-46, and to be able to get proper camber numbers they removed the (aluminum?) ball or nub at the top of the strut towers. Can I carefully drill these out from the top?--I have a M-3 strut brace on there now, so I'm not sure if this is possible. This is simple. Take a drift punch and a hammer. Ping! No more little silver pin. Jack up a corner and loosen the strut hat nuts. Push top of strut in towards center of motor and retighten nuts. Repeat on other side. Done. ..................... Hello Guys, By "nub" you mean the index stud, right? Why not just unscrew it IF you want to remove it. All it takes is an allen/hex tool. You could probably even remove it - all without droping the suspension apart. Even so thats only another three nuts and use of a wagon jack. I do not remember the size when I replaced my strut bearings and Bilstein shock install. I think it was small, like 4 or 5mm. But I have a e36 so my car did not need them. I really do not see how one can get anymore camber or caster - unless you slot the body bits up for more adjustment. IF you really want more camber/caster why not just buy the Factory M3 strut bearings? They are offset(ie the center strut bearing does not center the shaft but off to one side) key'd for more camber/caster. Its just the M3 bits cost $$$ ! Same thing does for the lower control arm bushing. Why not use the M3 part(?) if you after more camber/caster??? Good Luck David Jalali 98 e36 323i ------------------------------ Date: Thu, 16 Feb 2006 14:26:59 -0500 From: Mike McLeish <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> To: [email protected] Subject: Fellow digester from Washington state? Message-ID: <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> My family was in Orlando last week, and while at Universal Studios my wife struck up a conversation with a nice lady, who turned out to be the wife of a serious BMW enthusiast from Washington state. He had a BMW hat and jacket, and the jacket had a picture of his 6'er on it! She talked with them briefly about cars, but didn't even get his name or the YEAR of his 6 series! He did say he was on a BMW list on the internet, and I wondered if he was on here. -- Mike McLeish, owner Pytrus Systems, LLC [EMAIL PROTECTED] 812.249.8701 ------------------------------ Date: Thu, 16 Feb 2006 16:53:41 -0800 (PST) From: Mr <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> To: "[EMAIL PROTECTED]" <[EMAIL PROTECTED]>, "[email protected]" <[email protected]> Subject: Front bumper reflector Message-ID: <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> Greetings all, Does anyone have a front bumper, passenger side, clear reflector for an 02, 325ci theyd like to sell? Thanks! Manuel 95 325i L.A. 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