Enjoying my E90 more...

script · 01-30-2011, 03:09 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by no_ball

Strictly speaking there is no arguing, sports cars and diesels will never mix, but ours are fun nevertheless

http://www.themotorreport.com.au/856...ationg-le-mans

kaishang · 01-30-2011, 05:15 AM

The duff base stereo can be fixed by throwing Â£500 at it via the Alpine upgrade.

MOB · 01-30-2011, 09:37 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by kaishang

The duff base stereo can be fixed by throwing Â£500 at it via the Alpine upgrade.

+1

Or £100 just on the L7 tweeters is enough for some

beemerbird · 01-30-2011, 09:51 AM

Nice one OP and you've eased the stress of some of the people on here.

If you're ever in the market for a 6 cylinder model, think you'd be more happy straight away. But PLEASE do some serious test drives and against other marques just to get a good idea of what you really like and form your OWN opinion..............great fun test driving cars too, so a win win situation.

Quote:

Originally Posted by toxicnerve

My car has (much to my chargrin) been quite neglected over the winter. I'm waiting for a spot of good weather so I can give it some TLC...

What!!...........call yourself a car enthusiast man lol. If I can get mine waxed (especially those expensive alloys) and I live up North..........then you've no excuse I'm afraid.

zltm089 · 01-30-2011, 10:01 AM

see what non rft can do! ;-)

justa · 01-30-2011, 11:03 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by MOB

+1

Or £100 just on the L7 tweeters is enough for some

please explain more !

justa · 01-30-2011, 01:01 PM

A couple of pics of my exhaust tip after using a bit of autosol and some fine wire wool...

still not exactly sporty but much better imo

p0jy · 01-30-2011, 01:09 PM

wow !!!....looks amazing, i must do this...where/what is wire wool ?

I tried autosol with a rag and its no way near as good as yours !

justa · 01-30-2011, 01:17 PM

thanks

wire wool - http://www.wickes.co.uk/Wire-Wool-Pa...2?source=123_4

Just make sure its pretty fine and autosol should do the rest. I spent a good 5-10 mins on it ! But I am a bit OCD...

mattchubb1 · 01-30-2011, 02:02 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by justa

thanks

wire wool - http://www.wickes.co.uk/Wire-Wool-Pa...2?source=123_4

Just make sure its pretty fine and autosol should do the rest. I spent a good 5-10 mins on it ! But I am a bit OCD...

You've got some great results there! Im not sure mine will ever look like that - but heck I'll give it a try this week!

no_ball · 01-30-2011, 02:06 PM

diesels and sports cars never mix, period!

script · 01-30-2011, 02:43 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by no_ball

diesels and sports cars never mix, period!

Eh????????????????????????

toxicnerve · 01-30-2011, 02:47 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by beemerbird

Nice one OP and you've eased the stress of some of the people on here.

If you're ever in the market for a 6 cylinder model, think you'd be more happy straight away. But PLEASE do some serious test drives and against other marques just to get a good idea of what you really like and form your OWN opinion..............great fun test driving cars too, so a win win situation.

What!!...........call yourself a car enthusiast man lol. If I can get mine waxed (especially those expensive alloys) and I live up North..........then you've no excuse I'm afraid.

I'm Southern-Softie love! Give me a break

As soon as I have a bit of time and a break in the weather I will get on it. The last time I did anything was BEFORE the snow (quite a bit before actually

).

I managed to wash (usual, foam, 2BM etc), clay, rewash, cleanse (carlack) and then I STARTED sealing (2nd of the carlack bottles), managed to get the stuff onto the bonnet and wings and then it pissed it down. Since then the weather has been shite and I've been (admittedly) a bit lazy about it.

I'm almost dreading washing it because I don't want to see what kind of condition the paintwork is in as it's been unprotected for bloody ages and throughout the worst of the weather!

My car must have been on of the dirtiest at PH Sunday Service today!!

Guys, re the wire wool:

I didn't realise you had that kind of exhaust, mine are satin-finish (OEM on 335d/i) so the crud doesn't bond like it does to the type you have. I understand why you need wire wool now.

toxicnerve · 01-30-2011, 02:47 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by no_ball

diesels and sports cars never mix, period!

What planet are you on? Have you seen the success Audi have had at Le Mans?

MOB · 01-30-2011, 02:51 PM

The tweeters from the logic 7 system plug straight into the standard door speakers, and make a big difference

For some it's enough of a change

Easy to fit too

Quote:

Originally Posted by justa

Quote:

Originally Posted by MOB

1

Or Â£100 just on the L7 tweeters is enough for some

please explain more !

toxicnerve · 01-30-2011, 03:12 PM

Hang on,

isn't there a problem with doing that though? It makes the impedence 4Ohm (as I believe the tweeters connect in a parallel to the door speakers). I thought I read somewhere that this has the potential to cause the standard amp (which the OP will have if he doesn't have upgraded sounds) to fry due to excessive current draw...

Or did I imagine all of that?

AlanQS · 01-30-2011, 03:31 PM

First I haven't heard of that. I had the tweeters for quite a while before I got the Alpine upgrade fitted.

OP, you have to buy the tweeters and the surrounds for them - which are small triangles on the E92 but I believe are a bit bigger on the E90. Take off the door cards, plug the tweeter into the spare connection on the door 'speaker and re-fit and you're done.

The sound difference is sufficient that you can then hear cymbals and other high pitched notes which were previously entirely missing.

But the real fix is a separate amp to give some power to the woefully under utilised subs.

Standard sound system is 4 x 15w and those 15 watts on the front speakers are shared with the subs so not much oomph at all.

The BMW Business system is 4 x 25 watts plus 2 x 40w to the subs.

The Logic 7 (Harmon Karden) version is 7 x 40w and 2 x 70w to the subs with uprated speakers.

The Alpine upgrade retains 2 x 15w to the rear speakers but adds front tweeters and uprated front speakers and gives 2 x 40w to the front and 2 x 40w to the subs so the front mid/high range sound stage is like the Harmon Karden system, the subs are like the BMW business system and the rear is bog standard.

There is another alternative which I think is still a sticky in the Technical Discussion forum.

justa · 01-30-2011, 04:15 PM

thanks folks - AlanQS - sounds good...

(no pun intended)

Presume I would have to buy all that from a BMW stealer ?

ALF_E90 · 01-30-2011, 04:19 PM

The "REST" function is indeed excellent, it is a shame they have taken it off the newer cars and replaced it with a button that equalised both sides (which personally I'd like to have as well). It is amazing how quickly

Being new to the BMW thing I read the manual early on so used the REST function from the start. Prior to that I had wondered what it did, as when pressed with the engine running it does nothing...

The Alfa and Audi climate control both had "hi" and "lo" settings at the extremes of the temperature range and so the "max" thing does not seen overly special but I await summer with interest to see how powerful the air con is. The A4 and the Passat V6's systems were both epic when starting up on a hot day, both 156's were distrinctly less so (indeed the 156GTA's only real issue was the air con regularly not working, which is when a dark car, big engine shoehorned under a small bonnet, and leather are a bad mix.

I6Touring · 01-30-2011, 04:36 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by HighlandPete

VW have always given a better OBC, can even pull up functions like oil temperature on some of the latest vehicles.

Even the older VAG cars I owned, namely a couple of MK2 GTIs & a Corrado, had oil temp on the OBC. I liked the way those OBCs kept 2 values for MPG etc, one for the current trip and another for the running average.

I6Touring · 01-30-2011, 04:38 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by zltm089

see what non rft can do! ;-)

Seems to have made a difference even to how the steering wheel feels in this case, top result!

AlanQS · 01-30-2011, 05:07 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by justa

thanks folks - AlanQS - sounds good...

(no pun intended)

Presume I would have to buy all that from a BMW stealer ?

If just going down the "add tweeters" route, yes you would have to get the parts from a stealer. The tweeters are round about £50 each and the surrounds about £15 each (just guessing since I don't know about the E90 surrounds).

But having spent well over £100 on this, it's all wasted if you decide to go the Alpine upgrade route which is about £320 for the kit and BMW officially state 2.5 hours to fit at your dealer's labour rate. If you get the Alpine, you will still have to buy the surrounds for the tweeters and the foam inserts over and above the Alpine kit.

For oem fit, it is the most straightforward way to go.

01-30-2011, 05:15 AM	#24
kaishang Colonel 57 Rep 2,197 Posts Drives: 2010 E90 330d Join Date: Jul 2010 Location: London iTrader: (0)	The duff base stereo can be fixed by throwing Â£500 at it via the Alpine upgrade.
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01-30-2011, 10:01 AM	#27
zltm089 Banned 259 Rep 7,686 Posts Drives: 335i SE Coupe Space Grey Join Date: Nov 2008 Location: LONDON iTrader: (0) Garage List 2006 BMW 335i [10.00]	see what non rft can do! ;-)
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01-30-2011, 01:01 PM	#29
justa Private First Class 20 Rep 150 Posts Drives: 2006 320d M Sport Join Date: Dec 2010 Location: Pride Park iTrader: (1)	A couple of pics of my exhaust tip after using a bit of autosol and some fine wire wool... still not exactly sporty but much better imo
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01-30-2011, 01:09 PM	#30
p0jy Second Lieutenant 6 Rep 246 Posts Drives: BMW 318d M Sport Join Date: Dec 2010 Location: Leicester iTrader: (3)	wow !!!....looks amazing, i must do this...where/what is wire wool ? I tried autosol with a rag and its no way near as good as yours !
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01-30-2011, 01:17 PM	#31
justa Private First Class 20 Rep 150 Posts Drives: 2006 320d M Sport Join Date: Dec 2010 Location: Pride Park iTrader: (1)	thanks wire wool - http://www.wickes.co.uk/Wire-Wool-Pa...2?source=123_4 Just make sure its pretty fine and autosol should do the rest. I spent a good 5-10 mins on it ! But I am a bit OCD...
	Appreciate 0 Quote

01-30-2011, 02:06 PM	#33
no_ball No Fear 14 Rep 278 Posts Drives: BMW E90 330d M Sport Join Date: Oct 2010 Location: Solihull iTrader: (0)	diesels and sports cars never mix, period!
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01-30-2011, 03:12 PM	#38
toxicnerve Colonel 96 Rep 2,834 Posts Drives: E92 335d M-Sport Join Date: Jul 2009 Location: UK iTrader: (2)	Hang on, isn't there a problem with doing that though? It makes the impedence 4Ohm (as I believe the tweeters connect in a parallel to the door speakers). I thought I read somewhere that this has the potential to cause the standard amp (which the OP will have if he doesn't have upgraded sounds) to fry due to excessive current draw... Or did I imagine all of that?
	Appreciate 0 Quote

01-30-2011, 03:31 PM	#39
AlanQS Colonel 248 Rep 2,815 Posts Drives: Jaguar XE P250 HSE Join Date: Jan 2008 Location: Glasgow iTrader: (0) Garage List 2016 430i m-sport G ... [0.00]	First I haven't heard of that. I had the tweeters for quite a while before I got the Alpine upgrade fitted. OP, you have to buy the tweeters and the surrounds for them - which are small triangles on the E92 but I believe are a bit bigger on the E90. Take off the door cards, plug the tweeter into the spare connection on the door 'speaker and re-fit and you're done. The sound difference is sufficient that you can then hear cymbals and other high pitched notes which were previously entirely missing. But the real fix is a separate amp to give some power to the woefully under utilised subs. Standard sound system is 4 x 15w and those 15 watts on the front speakers are shared with the subs so not much oomph at all. The BMW Business system is 4 x 25 watts plus 2 x 40w to the subs. The Logic 7 (Harmon Karden) version is 7 x 40w and 2 x 70w to the subs with uprated speakers. The Alpine upgrade retains 2 x 15w to the rear speakers but adds front tweeters and uprated front speakers and gives 2 x 40w to the front and 2 x 40w to the subs so the front mid/high range sound stage is like the Harmon Karden system, the subs are like the BMW business system and the rear is bog standard. There is another alternative which I think is still a sticky in the Technical Discussion forum.
	Appreciate 0 Quote

01-30-2011, 04:15 PM	#40
justa Private First Class 20 Rep 150 Posts Drives: 2006 320d M Sport Join Date: Dec 2010 Location: Pride Park iTrader: (1)	thanks folks - AlanQS - sounds good... (no pun intended) Presume I would have to buy all that from a BMW stealer ?
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01-30-2011, 04:19 PM	#41
ALF_E90 Second Lieutenant 18 Rep 280 Posts Drives: E91 330i - see classifieds... Join Date: Dec 2010 Location: Winchester iTrader: (0)	The "REST" function is indeed excellent, it is a shame they have taken it off the newer cars and replaced it with a button that equalised both sides (which personally I'd like to have as well). It is amazing how quickly Being new to the BMW thing I read the manual early on so used the REST function from the start. Prior to that I had wondered what it did, as when pressed with the engine running it does nothing... The Alfa and Audi climate control both had "hi" and "lo" settings at the extremes of the temperature range and so the "max" thing does not seen overly special but I await summer with interest to see how powerful the air con is. The A4 and the Passat V6's systems were both epic when starting up on a hot day, both 156's were distrinctly less so (indeed the 156GTA's only real issue was the air con regularly not working, which is when a dark car, big engine shoehorned under a small bonnet, and leather are a bad mix.
	Appreciate 0 Quote