The BMW UUC Digest Volume 3 : Issue 360 : "text" Format Messages in this Issue: Dead battery or another cause? Re: Dead battery or another cause? Re: Dead battery or another cause? Re: Dead battery or another cause? Re: Dead battery or another cause? Re: Dead battery or another cause? independent wrench? Re: dealership service Re: dealership service Re: dealership service Interesting 320 in Boston area Re: Interesting 320 in Boston area Re: Interesting 320 in Boston area
---------------------------------------------------------------------- Date: Sun, 7 Jan 2007 07:40:29 -0500 From: "Dean Boucouras" <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> To: <[email protected]> Subject: Dead battery or another cause? Message-ID: <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> The original battery in my 1999 740i Sport lasted for 5 and 1/2 years. When it died I found out when the car would not start in a restaurant parking lot. After a jump, the car started right up and I drove home and replaced the battery with a new one from a BMW dealership. On Weds. of this week I drove to Cincinnati and back (about 240 miles round trip). The morning I went out to load up the car for a short trip this afternoon. I will admit that I do not drive the car every day, but I drive it at least once a week and when I do drive it I take it on expressway trips of at least 25 miles (usually the trips are about 120 miles one way). The interior lights don't come on at all, when I turn the key I get no response at all. It is as if the battery is disconnected completely. The replacement battery from BMW is less than 3 years old. Before I buy another battery, I have a few questions: 1) Is it possible that I have a separate problem from a dead battery? If so, how do I diagnose it? 2) If I do need another battery, curious to hear other options aside from buying one from the BMW dealership (it was $219.00 last time)? 3) Do batteries from BMW carry any type of warranty? Thanks in advance, Dean ------------------------------ Date: Sun, 07 Jan 2007 09:04:21 -0500 From: Ed MacVaugh <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> To: [email protected], [EMAIL PROTECTED] Subject: Re: Dead battery or another cause? Message-ID: <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> Batteries from BMW carry a 2 year non-prorated warranty. However, because of the hazmat issues and shipping expense, BMW NA does not buy the batteries from the OEM, but rather contracts to have them provided from a supplier, Douglas, here in the US. They, in my experience, fit perfectly and exceed their rated capacity when newly installed. However, as you have experienced, they last half as long as the OEM Varta in my 7er. With my CCA discount, I have never paid more than $144 for a battery in any of my 3 series, M5 nor 7er, so I suspect you are getting a heavily marked up price. Modern cars, especially 7 series, have a large number of electrical draws as is evidenced by the multiple fuse boxes. You can check for draws with an ammeter between a battery terminal and the battery cable. These cars also have a fusible link in critical locations which can result in the "no battery at all" symptom you describe. Impossible to diagnose remotely. Ed ------------------------------ Date: Sun, 07 Jan 2007 14:04:39 -0800 From: [EMAIL PROTECTED] Cc: [email protected] Subject: Re: Dead battery or another cause? Message-ID: <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> The OEM battery in the '97 //M3 lasted nine years. Each time I change the trans and rear oil, 25k mile intervals, I top up the battery too. It is always a bit low. Barry Ed MacVaugh wrote: > Batteries from BMW carry a 2 year non-prorated warranty. > > However, because of the hazmat issues and shipping expense, BMW NA > does not buy the batteries from the OEM, but rather contracts to have > them provided from a supplier, Douglas, here in the US. ------------------------------ Date: Sun, 7 Jan 2007 11:38:00 -0800 From: John Bolhuis <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> To: [email protected] Subject: Re: Dead battery or another cause? Message-ID: <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> On Sun, Jan 07, 2007 at 07:40:29AM -0500, Dean Boucouras wrote: > I will admit that I do not drive the car every day, but I drive it at > least once a week and when I do drive it I take it on expressway trips > of at least 25 miles (usually the trips are about 120 miles one way). A real charging system diagnostic is the true route to peace of mind here, but speaking in general terms, your battery will last the longest when always kept at a full charge. By repeatedly going 6 days between drives, the parasitic load and the battery's self-discharge rate will bring the charge down to some lower percentage of full. You're just aging the battery faster this way. You could keep a Battery Tender in your parking spot and always plug it in when parked - they come with a plug-in pigtail that you can wire permanently so you don't have to monkey with the clips every time. Or you can just replace the battery every 3 years, whichever you feel is less work. ------------------------------ Date: Sun, 7 Jan 2007 06:33:15 -0800 (PST) From: Phil Davis <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> To: [email protected], [EMAIL PROTECTED] Subject: Re: Dead battery or another cause? Message-ID: <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> Been my experience on vehicles that do alot of sitting - they don't get the battery water checked often enough - fill with distilled to ring inside cell and slow charge with a 10 amp max charger. DO NOT JUMP THESE CARS - OVER VOLTAGE CAN BE A KILLER Phil __________________________________________________ Do You Yahoo!? Tired of spam? Yahoo! Mail has the best spam protection around http://mail.yahoo.com ------------------------------ Date: Sun, 7 Jan 2007 16:06:04 +0000 (UTC) From: "[EMAIL PROTECTED]" <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> To: <[email protected]> Subject: Re: Dead battery or another cause? Message-ID: <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> BMW "Maintenance free" batteries aren't. You need to maintain the water or they die premature deaths. Interstate or Die Hard batteries are fine for about half the price. Marc Plante E36 M3/4 Vienna, VA ----Original Message---- From: [EMAIL PROTECTED] Date: Jan 7, 2007 4:40 To: <[email protected]> Subj: [UUC] Dead battery or another cause? The original battery in my 1999 740i Sport lasted for 5 and 1/2 years. When it died I found out when the car would not start in a restaurant parking lot. After a jump, the car started right up and I drove home and replaced the battery with a new one from a BMW dealership. On Weds. of this week I drove to Cincinnati and back (about 240 miles round trip). The morning I went out to load up the car for a short trip this afternoon. I will admit that I do not drive the car every day, but I drive it at least once a week and when I do drive it I take it on expressway trips of at least 25 miles (usually the trips are about 120 miles one way). The interior lights don't come on at all, when I turn the key I get no response at all. It is as if the battery is disconnected completely. The replacement battery from BMW is less than 3 years old. Before I buy another battery, I have a few questions: 1) Is it possible that I have a separate problem from a dead battery? If so, how do I diagnose it? 2) If I do need another battery, curious to hear other options aside from buying one from the BMW dealership (it was $219.00 last time)? 3) Do batteries from BMW carry any type of warranty? Thanks in advance, Dean Search the ARCHIVES:http://www.mail-archive.com/[EMAIL PROTECTED] com __________________________________________________________________________ In memory of Michel Potheau - friend, enthusiast, founder of the BMW CCA. UUC Motorwerks - BMW Performance Fine-tuning and home of the Ultimate Short Shifter - accept no substitutes! 908-874-9092 . http://www.uucmotorwerks.com ------------------------------ Date: Sun, 07 Jan 2007 18:16:03 -0500 From: Mark Alan Selleck <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> To: BMW list <[email protected]> Subject: independent wrench? Message-ID: <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> Can anyone recommend an independent garage in Miami/south Ft. Lauderdale? My son needs some work done, and is new to the area. Thanks, Mark Selleck ------------------------------ Date: Sun, 7 Jan 2007 17:47:34 -0600 From: "Jon Siccardi - Treehouse" <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> To: <[email protected]> Subject: Re: dealership service Message-ID: <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> Excellent post Brett. This is the exact reason my business is thriving, we're honest and charge fairly. People notice it instantly. Jon ______________________________________________ Jon Siccardi - DM #053 #052- Retired TreehouseRacing.com M50conversion.com 615.333.9118 ______________________________________________ ----- Original Message ----- From: "KMS- Brett Anderson" <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> To: "UUC Digest" <[email protected]> Sent: Friday, January 05, 2007 11:51 AM Subject: Re: [UUC] dealership service >I could tell many a story, but I'll keep it to two. > > 1999 323i E46. Dealer quoted $1000 per axle for brakes ($2000 + tax). We > did the job for under $700 total, all factory BMW parts, and made good > money on it. > > E46 325Xi, 17K miles. Under warranty. Dealer charged customer almost $600 > to replace rear springs. Told customer that the springs were broken due > to incorrect towing procedure....... > I found this one out when the customer came in for the first time. I > mentioned that we would check his rear springs because ALL 325Xi's break > their original springs. He told me they'd been replaced, and that he'd > been charged for them............. > > Oh, and those fancy clinker tile floors going in at the BMW dealerships > are REQUIRED by BMW. Don't do it, you'll lose your franchise.... Yup, > gotta pay for them somehow. > > We don't advertise to be cheaper than the dealer, but we do what's needed, > not what might be needed in 5K miles. We usually are cheaper though, > because we also charge real time (rounded up to nearest 15 min.) vs flat > rate x 1.5, which is what most BMW service departments bill customer pay > work at. > > Brett Anderson > KMS > > > > >> My own story - I was quoted $2k for new tires, and $1500 for brakes - >> yes, that's $3500 - by a dealer not all that long ago - but that was for >> a 993 (long since sold). > Search the ARCHIVES:http://www.mail-archive.com/[email protected] > > > __________________________________________________________________________ > In memory of Michel Potheau - friend, enthusiast, founder of the BMW CCA. > > UUC Motorwerks - BMW Performance Fine-tuning and home of the Ultimate > Short Shifter - accept no substitutes! > 908-874-9092 . http://www.uucmotorwerks.com ------------------------------ Date: Sun, 7 Jan 2007 16:03:11 -0800 From: Mark Gold <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> To: Jon Siccardi - Treehouse <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> Cc: [email protected] Subject: Re: dealership service Message-ID: <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> Jon, Just met a guy today who used your M50 conversion wiring kit for his E30 (I can't recall but he may be running your CAB's as well). Made his swap extremely easy. He said he had to splice a total of two wires. Kudos to you guys. Sincerely, Mark Gold Sacramento Valley Chapter BMWCCA On Jan 7, 2007, at 3:47 PM, Jon Siccardi - Treehouse wrote: > Excellent post Brett. This is the exact reason my business is > thriving, we're honest and charge fairly. People notice it instantly. > > Jon > > ______________________________________________ > > Jon Siccardi - DM #053 > #052- Retired > TreehouseRacing.com > M50conversion.com > 615.333.9118 > ______________________________________________ > > > ----- Original Message ----- From: "KMS- Brett Anderson" > <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> > To: "UUC Digest" <[email protected]> > Sent: Friday, January 05, 2007 11:51 AM > Subject: Re: [UUC] dealership service > > >> I could tell many a story, but I'll keep it to two. >> >> 1999 323i E46. Dealer quoted $1000 per axle for brakes ($2000 + >> tax). We did the job for under $700 total, all factory BMW parts, >> and made good money on it. >> >> E46 325Xi, 17K miles. Under warranty. Dealer charged customer >> almost $600 to replace rear springs. Told customer that the >> springs were broken due to incorrect towing procedure....... >> I found this one out when the customer came in for the first >> time. I mentioned that we would check his rear springs because >> ALL 325Xi's break their original springs. He told me they'd been >> replaced, and that he'd been charged for them............. >> >> Oh, and those fancy clinker tile floors going in at the BMW >> dealerships are REQUIRED by BMW. Don't do it, you'll lose your >> franchise.... Yup, gotta pay for them somehow. >> >> We don't advertise to be cheaper than the dealer, but we do what's >> needed, not what might be needed in 5K miles. We usually are >> cheaper though, because we also charge real time (rounded up to >> nearest 15 min.) vs flat rate x 1.5, which is what most BMW >> service departments bill customer pay work at. >> >> Brett Anderson >> KMS >> >> >> >> >>> My own story - I was quoted $2k for new tires, and $1500 for >>> brakes - yes, that's $3500 - by a dealer not all that long ago - >>> but that was for a 993 (long since sold). >> Search the ARCHIVES:http://www.mail-archive.com/ >> [email protected] >> >> >> _____________________________________________________________________ >> _____ >> In memory of Michel Potheau - friend, enthusiast, founder of the >> BMW CCA. >> >> UUC Motorwerks - BMW Performance Fine-tuning and home of the Ultimate >> Short Shifter - accept no substitutes! >> 908-874-9092 . http://www.uucmotorwerks.com > > Search the ARCHIVES:http://www.mail-archive.com/ > [email protected] > > > ______________________________________________________________________ > ____ > In memory of Michel Potheau - friend, enthusiast, founder of the > BMW CCA. > > UUC Motorwerks - BMW Performance Fine-tuning and home of the Ultimate > Short Shifter - accept no substitutes! > 908-874-9092 . http://www.uucmotorwerks.com ------------------------------ Date: Mon, 8 Jan 2007 03:53:37 -0600 From: "Jon Siccardi - Treehouse" <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> To: <[email protected]> Subject: Re: dealership service Message-ID: <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> Thanks Mark, It's been a very popular part. It makes the conversion sooo much easier. Jon ______________________________________________ Jon Siccardi - DM #053 #052- Retired TreehouseRacing.com M50conversion.com 615.333.9118 ______________________________________________ ----- Original Message ----- From: "Mark Gold" <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> To: "Jon Siccardi - Treehouse" <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> Cc: <[email protected]> Sent: Sunday, January 07, 2007 6:03 PM Subject: Re: [UUC] dealership service > Jon, > > Just met a guy today who used your M50 conversion wiring kit for his E30 > (I can't recall but he may be running your CAB's as well). Made his swap > extremely easy. He said he had to splice a total of two wires. Kudos to > you guys. > > Sincerely, > > Mark Gold > Sacramento Valley Chapter BMWCCA > > > On Jan 7, 2007, at 3:47 PM, Jon Siccardi - Treehouse wrote: > >> Excellent post Brett. This is the exact reason my business is thriving, >> we're honest and charge fairly. People notice it instantly. >> >> Jon >> >> ______________________________________________ >> >> Jon Siccardi - DM #053 >> #052- Retired >> TreehouseRacing.com >> M50conversion.com >> 615.333.9118 >> ______________________________________________ >> >> >> ----- Original Message ----- From: "KMS- Brett Anderson" >> <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> >> To: "UUC Digest" <[email protected]> >> Sent: Friday, January 05, 2007 11:51 AM >> Subject: Re: [UUC] dealership service >> >> >>> I could tell many a story, but I'll keep it to two. >>> >>> 1999 323i E46. Dealer quoted $1000 per axle for brakes ($2000 + tax). >>> We did the job for under $700 total, all factory BMW parts, and made >>> good money on it. >>> >>> E46 325Xi, 17K miles. Under warranty. Dealer charged customer almost >>> $600 to replace rear springs. Told customer that the springs were >>> broken due to incorrect towing procedure....... >>> I found this one out when the customer came in for the first time. I >>> mentioned that we would check his rear springs because ALL 325Xi's >>> break their original springs. He told me they'd been replaced, and >>> that he'd been charged for them............. >>> >>> Oh, and those fancy clinker tile floors going in at the BMW dealerships >>> are REQUIRED by BMW. Don't do it, you'll lose your franchise.... Yup, >>> gotta pay for them somehow. >>> >>> We don't advertise to be cheaper than the dealer, but we do what's >>> needed, not what might be needed in 5K miles. We usually are cheaper >>> though, because we also charge real time (rounded up to nearest 15 >>> min.) vs flat rate x 1.5, which is what most BMW service departments >>> bill customer pay work at. >>> >>> Brett Anderson >>> KMS >>> >>> >>> >>> >>>> My own story - I was quoted $2k for new tires, and $1500 for brakes - >>>> yes, that's $3500 - by a dealer not all that long ago - but that was >>>> for a 993 (long since sold). >>> Search the ARCHIVES:http://www.mail-archive.com/ >>> [email protected] >>> >>> >>> _____________________________________________________________________ >>> _____ >>> In memory of Michel Potheau - friend, enthusiast, founder of the BMW >>> CCA. >>> >>> UUC Motorwerks - BMW Performance Fine-tuning and home of the Ultimate >>> Short Shifter - accept no substitutes! >>> 908-874-9092 . http://www.uucmotorwerks.com >> >> Search the ARCHIVES:http://www.mail-archive.com/ >> [email protected] >> >> >> ______________________________________________________________________ >> ____ >> In memory of Michel Potheau - friend, enthusiast, founder of the BMW >> CCA. >> >> UUC Motorwerks - BMW Performance Fine-tuning and home of the Ultimate >> Short Shifter - accept no substitutes! >> 908-874-9092 . http://www.uucmotorwerks.com > > Search the ARCHIVES:http://www.mail-archive.com/[email protected] > > > __________________________________________________________________________ > In memory of Michel Potheau - friend, enthusiast, founder of the BMW CCA. > > UUC Motorwerks - BMW Performance Fine-tuning and home of the Ultimate > Short Shifter - accept no substitutes! > 908-874-9092 . http://www.uucmotorwerks.com ------------------------------ Date: Mon, 8 Jan 2007 01:13:45 -0500 From: "Jonathan Brush" <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> To: UUCDigest <[email protected]> Subject: Interesting 320 in Boston area Message-ID: <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> http://boston.craigslist.org/bmw/car/259080378.html Just passin' it on. Jon ------------------------------ Date: Mon, 8 Jan 2007 07:27:46 -0600 From: "Alex Cagann" <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> To: <[email protected]> Subject: Re: Interesting 320 in Boston area Message-ID: <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> Is it really a six cylinder? I thought the six cylinder E21 was called a 323i. ??? Alex > -----Original Message----- > From: [EMAIL PROTECTED] [mailto:bmwuucdigest- > [EMAIL PROTECTED] On Behalf Of Jonathan Brush > Sent: Monday, January 08, 2007 12:14 AM > To: UUCDigest > Subject: [UUC] Interesting 320 in Boston area > > http://boston.craigslist.org/bmw/car/259080378.html > > Just passin' it on. > > Jon > Search the ARCHIVES:http://www.mail-archive.com/[email protected] ------------------------------ Date: Mon, 8 Jan 2007 08:11:14 -0500 From: "Russell Highton Jr" <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> To: "Alex Cagann" <[EMAIL PROTECTED]>, <[email protected]> Subject: Re: Interesting 320 in Boston area Message-ID: <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> Looks like there is a surge tank for the radiator and I think there was a 2.0 6-cyl sold in Europe. -Russ -----Original Message----- From: [EMAIL PROTECTED] [mailto:[EMAIL PROTECTED] On Behalf Of Alex Cagann Sent: Monday, January 08, 2007 8:28 AM To: [email protected] Subject: Re: [UUC] Interesting 320 in Boston area Is it really a six cylinder? I thought the six cylinder E21 was called a 323i. ??? Alex werks.com ------------------------------ End of [bmwuucdigest] digest(13 messages) **********
