Closing Down of E46

Firefighters, paramedics, and debris from the Lexus RX 350

Witnesses' car and part of the RX's bumper

My rear bumper

Knocked onto the median separating the 60 freeway and city street

Bumper-to-bumper damage

Basically had to kick down my own door to get out

AAA towing it to a collision center

Leaking oil, coolant, windshield fluid, etc......

Total loss.

Just bought new roundels too.

E46 (the blog) will be closing down as of tonight. The project car was involved in a collision and is now a total loss. However, parting it out is an option so feel free to email an offer on any item(s).
Thank God for BMW. Drive safely out on the streets and be aware of your surroundings. Your life is worth more than a car.

Legend Import

The new website has been up and running for a while!
Introducing Legend Import - your one-stop shop for all your BMW, Mercedez-Benz, and other European car parts!

http://www.takes2online.com/legendimport/

As previously shown, a pair of 6000K HID headlights with LED angel eyes for a facelift E46 coupe.

Along with genuine factory parts and accessories, Legend Import also provides performance-quality, OEM-quality, and aftermarket parts.

Their staff are not just your average salespeople - they have a background in the cars that they advertise the parts for. For example, one of the people in sales owns an E30 ///M3 and an E34 ///M5 and both are running in pristine condition.

They sell both maintenance wear-and-tear replacement parts as well as performance and aesthetic parts such as carbon fiber hoods, bumpers, etc.

Whether you are a private buyer or even a wholesaler, they will be more than happy to assist you in-person at their store located at 618 W Las Tunas Drive in San Gabriel, CA 91776-1113 or over the phone at (626) 291-2828.

You do not need to ever physically contact them as they can ship your items to you at any location - just specify a certain product (it is best if you have a specific part number for them to cross-reference) and they will give you a quote on the pricing and additional details usually within the same day. At the very least, their maintenance parts are cheaper than what you would have to pay for at the dealership. Because they have a business license, they are able to purchase OEM products straight from the dealer at a discounted rate and sell them to you at a slightly higher price, but still drastically lower than the retail price.

FOR SALE: '05 E46 coupe headlights

Factory headlights previously on a 2005 E46 coupe (non-vert)

Up for sale is a pair of factory headlights that was previously on a 2005 325Ci coupe.

They are no longer needed since they were replaced by a pair of DEPO headlights with 6000K HID's and LED angel eyes.

The headlights above do not have smoked corners or anything changed. They are 100% bone stock.
Because they're '05, they do have projectors and they are Xenon. The blue hue in the left pair is due to the H7 bulbs.

Included: headlights (as a pair)
(2) Sylvania Silverstar H7 bulbs
Item can be found here: http://www.amazon.com/Sylvania-H7-SU-BP-TWIN/dp/B0012ETPUE
(2) generic H7 bulbs

Everything is in working condition; these were taken out right after driving to the shop to have them swapped out for the DEPOs. All the wires and covers and lids are in place and unbroken.

There is light stone and dust scratches on the lens as it was in use since '05 but as you will know, no other place sells the factory headlights unless you're willing to go to the stealership.

$500 OBO. Contact xxthesixthsinxx@yahoo.com for more details/pictures/etc.

Replaced Vanos/Oil line

 As stated in an earlier post, the Vanos was leaking, apparently from the crimps. New hoses were ordered and the system has been replaced in order to fix the current problem as well as to hopefully prevent this same occurrence from happening anytime soon.

Leaking Vanos and old hose; notice the buildup on the crimps.

New Vanos and hose. Driven 500 miles since replacement, no leaks.

The Vanos must be replaced if it is leaking as the oil leak will only become more and more severe. The dashboard icon will keep lighting up until the leak is fixed because the oil level will drop. The part numbers for the hoses and Vanos are listed in an earlier post below.

Remember, this was done for a 2005 325Ci.
Upon the replacement, the throttle response is better and acceleration is smoother/faster.

Hybrid Vehicles

Supposedly, BMW had stated that it would not make electric or hybrid vehicles a while back. Although now they have finally gotten into the hybrid game (very late into the game), chances are you won't see any on the road.Most people already know that a hybrid car is one that uses electricity along with gas. Here's a closer look at hybrid technology in cars today.
What is a hybrid vehicle?

A hybrid car is a passenger vehicle that is driven by a hybrid engine, which is any engine that combines two or more sources of power, generally gasoline and electricity.

What’s in a hybrid vehicle?

Hybrid-electric vehicles (HEVs) combine the benefits of gasoline engines and electric motors and can be configured to obtain different objectives, such as improved fuel economy, increased power, or additional auxiliary power for electronic devices and power tools. Some of the advanced technologies typically used by hybrids include:

• Regenerative Braking. The electric motor applies resistance to the drivetrain causing the wheels to slow down. In return, the energy from the wheels turns the motor, which functions as a generator, converting energy normally wasted during coasting and braking into electricity, which is stored in a battery until needed by the electric motor.
• Electric Motor Drive/Assist. The electric motor provides additional power to assist the engine in accelerating, passing, or hill climbing. This allows a smaller, more efficient engine to be used. In some vehicles, the motor alone provides power for low-speed driving conditions where internal combustion engines are least efficient.
• Automatic Start/Shutoff. Automatically shuts off the engine when the vehicle comes to a stop and restarts it when the accelerator is pressed. This prevents wasted energy from idling

Advantages of hybrid vehicles

·         Hybrid cars offer lower fuel emissions which helps the environment.

·         Hybrid cars are in high demand, and because of this, they hold their value much better than most gasoline automobiles.

·         Hybrid cars offer huge savings at the pump.

·         Hybrid cars are at least as reliable as any traditional car.

·         Hybrid cars enjoy other benefits such as carpool permit.

Hybrid cars are much more quiet and comfortable.

Mother Nature Fights the Machines

Grapefruit-sized hail destroys BMWs at a dealership

There can't be any closer representation of Mother Nature versus machines/technology than this.
It is a sad day for the GM and BMW........ but a happy one for potential buyers!
Insurance should cover the damage and in a few weeks, they would be on sale for a lot less than the sticker price.

Ow......the F10.....

Parts for sale

Currently in the process of swapping out rims, hood, and trunk.

Up for sale: Stock silver gray hood - minor paint chips due to dust
Stock silver gray trunk - no damage whatsoever, been clayed/waxed on a regular basis
Stock rims - only light scratches

Pictures and contact info will be posted shortly.

Interior & Exterior Care

Turtle car care gift pack and a little something for under the hood

Sam's Club is currently selling a nice care package for your car - it has a detailer, tire shine, car wash, vinyl protectant, rim cleaner, and synthetic wax. It's a good deal at less than $20. The synthetic wax I personally don't use since I'd rather use actual carnauba wax (Turtle brand also) but everything else in the package is useful.

Maintenance under the hood is a necessity to keep it running consistently but to be proud of your E46, keep it squeaky clean and shiny - inside AND out - with the Turtle package!

The rim cleaner got the brake dust off quickly and easily off the front wheels, the tire shine makes it looks wet even after it dries, and the vinyl protectant is key: I spray it over a small cloth and apply it to the rubber lining of the windshield, the lower vinyl base, and the same for the rear. Also used it on various covers under the hood.

Rain in SoCal doesn't do much, with the wax, it makes the water slide off fast and cleanly.

Best prices for products

A few votes have racked up and it's obvious that the best prices of products are in the lead.

A more detailed section for specific parts along with the exact price/website/location/etc. will be added in the future but for now, these have been reported by actual customers to be the best deals.

Legend Import: Personal favorite. $600 even for 6000K HID DEPO headlights with LED angel eyes for the '05 325Ci. What the $600 gets you: all items needed for installation PLUS professional installation. Will post pics of the job later-you can't even see any wires running around anywhere. Everything is clean and nothing is hanging out. The person who worked on mine used to build show cars and has much experience with wiring (used to install radio/sound systems).

Umnitza.
Khoalty.

If you are interested in a specific part(s), feel free to drop a note and we will be more than happy to list a few options for you.

Debadging and car clay

After a few years and much deliberation, the 325Ci has been debadged.
The intent was to give it a more clean, symmetrical appearance (same as a former debadged Infiniti G35-except for the logo in the center). However, it has been seen by many as a way to suggest that the owner wants to allude to a more powerful model (in this case, 325Ci to 330Ci).


The choice is up to you, however I thoroughly enjoy the new view from the end as it is now symmetrical (except for the exhaust of course).

Also, washing the passenger side of the trunk used to be a hassle. The sponge would always get caught by the 325Ci emblem and pieces would come off. Those days are over!

Debadged, clay, and waxed.

Griot's car clay-includes gloves, detailer (not pictured), and microfiber towels

Griot's car clay

Clayed the car in the process. Claying a car is similar to waxing but it is much more in-depth and precise. Car clay is used to remove the pollutants and other material that is still embedded in the car's paint. One way to prove this is to cover your hand with a plastic bag and running it over the surface of your hood (after washing and waxing). If you still feel bumps and dots, it's the pollutants and dust that you're feeling.

We recommend Griot's Paint Clay & Speed Shine Kit as it contains the whole shabang: 5 pairs of gloves, 3 microfiber towels, a bottle of detailer (used as the lubricant), and of course the clay itself.
The link to the item on their website: http://www.griotsgarage.com/product/paint+clay+speed+shine+kit.do

1) Thoroughly wash the car and make sure there are no debris on the paint.
2) Twist off about a fourth of the clay and form it so you can rub it yet grip it.
3) Starting with a small area, spray the detailer and gently glide the clay over the surface. DO NOT apply the clay to dry areas, you MUST use a lubricant before using the clay on the car's paint.
4) Knead the clay and expose a clean side if it becomes dirty/discolored from contaminants.
5) Wipe off the area with the cloth.

As for the debadging, we used Griot's Adhesive Remover. Really, all that was needed to be done was soak the backside of the "325 Ci" with the remover using cotton balls. Once that was done, floss was used to remove it by gliding it back and forth to saw away at the glue.
Once off, there is bound to be some residue left. Taped more cotton balls soaked with the adhesive remover for a while. Then gently used a Staedtler eraser to remove the minute pieces (hey, it came out fine!). Then clayed the area, then waxed.
Result: clean finish with a clean look and you won't be able to tell that there was ever anything glued on there.

Common E46 leaks: Vanos and Power Steering

Power steering leak

Vanos leak and buildup

The link in an earlier post will direct you to a thread to E46Fanatics.com. It is more in-depth and documents each leak that is common to the E46 and includes pictures along with the part names and part numbers needed to make the fix.

This E46 has residue buildup on the crimps of the Vanos line and is leaking. The check engine light has come on repeatedly and I've had to add, in total, a bottle and a half of Mobil oil to get the level to the correct range.
Also, the power steering is leaking. Suspect part is the O-ring.

Replacing the oil line and hoses. Will pick up the parts for the fix soon-for an '05 325Ci.

Part numbers:
11157532649
11611432559
11617504535
11617504536
11617501566
11361705532
32411128333

DEPO LED Angel Eyes

The LED angel eyes in the new DEPO headlights for my '05 E46 (non M3).

Common E46 Oil/Coolant/Fluid Leaks

The E46 has quite a few leaks that will happen to every E46 somewhere down the line.
This link to E46Fanatics.com is your one-stop guide to identifying them if you have any and also included are the part numbers needed for the fix.

http://forum.e46fanatics.com/showthread.php?t=882732

Need to get a new VANOS line myself.

If you are not a member of E46Fanatics already, consider signing up. Credits for coming up with the thread go to 330ciandr6, an E46Fanatics member. He is still active and updates the thread so if you have any further questions, it's a good idea to sign up and ask him directly by posting on the thread.

So, after a little over a week the angel eyes are in! The specifics: DEPO 6000K HID headlights with LED angel eyes.

The professional installation was done by the same staff that sold the headlights.

Frontal view

Removing the stock headlights

Custom-wiring the DEPOs

The DEPOs

At first, the projectors did not work but it was fixed easily with......

So, after a little over a week the angel eyes are in! The specifics: DEPO 6000K HID headlights with LED angel eyes.

The professional installation was done by the same staff that sold the headlights.
If you are in/around the 626 area and are interested in BMW or Mercedes-Benz parts, stop by Legend Import at 618 West Las Tunas Drive, San Gabriel, CA 91776.
They also do phone orders and will ship items to you, call (626) 291-2828 and ask for Alan. Tell him the guy with the E46 DEPO referred you over.

It took 3 days for them to get the items and 2 days to install them. I've seen the custom jobs online with wires running around everywhere or people baking their headlights just to save a few bills- it's not worth it in the long run. If the glue has even one little opening afterwards, it will fog up inside once you wash your car.

Legend Import also sells maintenance and replacement parts/fluids such as BMW coolant, ATF, rims, bumpers, hoods, etc. Just give them a call and they will get back to you with a when and how much.

Angel eyes on a '05 325Ci

BMW has been known to make their car parts hard to handle intentionally because they do not want anyone tinkering with them.

One perfect example is the 3-series coupe, years 2004 and above. (E46 only) In earlier model years, the headlights lens can be taken off with ease and so if you wanted to install angel eyes into your headlights, all you would need are the LED/CCFL rings themselves, a handy screwdriver, and access to YouTube for the countless DIY guides.

However, in the 2005+ models, the headlight lenses are securely glued together. If you want to install angel eyes, you would either have to bake your headlights in the oven (if they are OEM and yes this step is unavoidable) OR completely replace the headlight assembly and buy an aftermarket kit. I would advise that you just pay up and get a decent kit because in my experience, people who have baked their lights to loosen the glue to take apart the lenses have regretted the decision later on. The glue will not go back 100% the way it was before you baked it and a few people I know who baked their lights went through a car wash and their headlights fogged up inside.

Pictured below is a '05 325Ci's stock headlights. Once the DEPO HID kit with angel eyes comes in, we'll show you how to remove the stock headlights and how to install the new one.

Prologue

As a proud owner as well as an enthusiast of BMW's e46 3-series model, this site will be primarily dedicated in some way or another to its maintenance, interior/exterior care, aesthetic as well as performance modding, etc.








With the introduction of our blog comes our business venture!
This blog is run by a small, dedicated group of enthusiasts and/or owners. If you have any specific questions or need consultation with a project, we will be more than happy to give you our full assistance with a small donation through our PayPal link found on the homepage.
Any amount is appreciated but not required. The ultimate goal is to increase the knowledge of the e46 community through step-by-step guides, references, DIYs, etc.

More to come. To be continued....




Photo taken by Jon Sibal at MFest.
Direct link: http://jonsibal.com/bpimages/mfestday2_1.jpg