[tlow98]

Picked up this beauty a few weeks ago.





Specs
2009 328i
Water Blue Metallic on Grey Interior
N52 Automatic (Surprised not N51 due to being lifelong Cali car)
Premium
Hifi (standard?)
Cold Weather
Comfort Access
Navigation/usb/blah blah

62,000 miles when bought. Have all the dealer maint records. Car was dealer maintained when I picked it up (typical 10-12k OCIs) except the first change was done at low mileage which was nice to see. Only odd repair I found was that at 25k the A/C schrader valves were leaking and replaced at dealer.

Maintenance wise, I intend to carry out ~7500 mile changes and will do all the fluids, asap. Likely not the brake fluid. It looks to have been done pretty often.

Coming from the E46 M3 is a pretty big change. The steering is so much stiffer in the E90! Absolutely loving the utility and bit more luxury than the M. For obvious reasons it doesn't really compare to a well set-up M3 in the handling department, or the go department, but i'm loving the auto in the city.

Things is needs:
- Oil Filter housing Gasket
- Windshield Trim falling apart


Things I've done:
- Belt Tensioner - the belt was starting to walk off the end of the OE tensioner toward the front of the car. Nice part about this swap; you don't need to remove anything other than the tensioner to change it! Some 3/8" ET14 and T12s and you are in business.
- Washed, clay bar'd, CQuartz UK'd - updated pic to come.
- Automattic trans fluid. See below for results
- OFHG gasket 67k miles
- Windshield trim replacement 67k miles
- Cabin & Engine Air filters 67k miles


Future Ambitions:
- M3 suspension arms and mounts.
- Non RFTs of the Michelin variety...someday. The PO just bought 17" Conti Pro SSR runflats. Hurts my heart to waste them.
- Custom Bilstein B8s.
- Tints, pretty light ones. Thing is like riding in a fishbowl, haha.

All in good time!


For more info on the M3, please see this thread over on M3forums, aka, DodgeStratus...
http://www.m3forum.net/m3forum/showthread.php?t=489470

Was a very fun and rewarding car with all the CSL intake insanity!

Happy to be here, and look forward to the banter.

[swagon]

Nice. E91's are great.

[Tom K.]

Originally Posted by tlow98

Coming from the E46 M3 is a pretty big change. The steering is so much stiffer in the E90! Absolutely loving the utility and bit more luxury than the M.

My loaded CPO MT '07 E91 replaced an E46 328i sedan and I agree completely about the utility & luxury.

However, the E91's steering effort is much, much lighter than the nicely weighted steering in my E46. However, I attribute this to the one E91 item I wouldn't have ordered - Active Steering.

You made a great purchase - enjoy your wagon!

Tom

[tetsuo111]

OP: Congratulations! I love my '11 E91 (after some work...). It combines the utility value of a SUV, practicality of a sedan, and fun factor of a classic German GT (after some effort!).

Originally Posted by Tom K.

My loaded CPO MT '07 E91 replaced an E46 328i sedan and I agree completely about the utility & luxury.

However, the E91's steering effort is much, much lighter than the nicely weighted steering in my E46. However, I attribute this to the one E91 item I wouldn't have ordered - Active Steering.

You made a great purchase - enjoy your wagon!

Tom

My E91 handled like a Buick when I bought it. Really. If you want to significantly improve your steering effort, maximize caster at your next alignment. I'm at 8.3 degrees. Really, really nice now. Proper weight and feel. Of course, you can do more. Setting camber in front > 2 degrees (I'm currently at 2.4) increased turn-in precision. Moving to a square set-up together with a proper alignment will eliminate the horrific understeer.

The E91 chassis is fundamentally sound. Don't know why BMW chose to dumb it down. On the other hand, the factory settings may be more appropriate for 80% of their market.

IMO, YMMV, etc

[hassmaschine]

I'm jealous of the color! I have too many silver BMWs, lol..

the handling on ours is a bit soft but the suspension is definitely worn. the front struts are well past their due date and of course it's all stock.

[tetsuo111]

Originally Posted by hassmaschine

I'm jealous of the color! I have too many silver BMWs, lol..

the handling on ours is a bit soft but the suspension is definitely worn. the front struts are well past their due date and of course it's all stock.

hassmaschine Didn't know you're one of us

I spent months searching for a 6MT. No go. Like hunting for a unicorn. Of course a couple months after I got mine, a pre-LCI E91 parked next to me. Same beautiful metallic arctic blue color as the OP's. 6mt. Almost left a note on the window to gauge interest on a trade. She was a beauty!

[hassmaschine]

Yeah ours is 6mt. My wife wont drive an automatic.

We had to import it from Canada.. There were literally zero other 6mt's available anywhere. Fortunately I'm familliar with that process!

[Tom K.]

Originally Posted by hassmaschine

Yeah ours is 6mt. My wife wont drive an automatic.

We had to import it from Canada.. There were literally zero other 6mt's available anywhere. Fortunately I'm familliar with that process!

My wife's inability to drive a stick helps to keep the peace - she drives her A/T Ford and I drive my MT BMW and Porsche.

I looked for about a year and luckily found my 2007 MT E91 with 31k miles back in 2010 at a local dealer.

Tom

[minaret]

2008 E91 original owner with 195,000 miles! Next task replace factory sports suspension with aftermarket struts or coil-overs.

[tlow98]

Originally Posted by swagon

Nice. E91's are great.

Thanks, loving it!

Originally Posted by Tom K.

My loaded CPO MT '07 E91 replaced an E46 328i sedan and I agree completely about the utility & luxury.

However, the E91's steering effort is much, much lighter than the nicely weighted steering in my E46. However, I attribute this to the one E91 item I wouldn't have ordered - Active Steering.

You made a great purchase - enjoy your wagon!

Tom

Lucky you with the 6MT. In this car I was looking for an auto, but one day if the tranny takes a dump, it'll be swapped :-)

I ran into a couple E91s with Active Steering, but the negotiations didn't work out. Never got to drive one with active steering, though, so I'll not know if I would have preferred it...

Originally Posted by tetsuo111

OP: Congratulations! I love my '11 E91 (after some work...). It combines the utility value of a SUV, practicality of a sedan, and fun factor of a classic German GT (after some effort!).



My E91 handled like a Buick when I bought it. Really. If you want to significantly improve your steering effort, maximize caster at your next alignment. I'm at 8.3 degrees. Really, really nice now. Proper weight and feel. Of course, you can do more. Setting camber in front > 2 degrees (I'm currently at 2.4) increased turn-in precision. Moving to a square set-up together with a proper alignment will eliminate the horrific understeer.

The E91 chassis is fundamentally sound. Don't know why BMW chose to dumb it down. On the other hand, the factory settings may be more appropriate for 80% of their market.

IMO, YMMV, etc

I've been following a lot of your recent threads and really appreciate the work you've put into your machine! You're right, the handling is quite ponderous compared to my coil over'd/camber plated/sway bar'd E46 M3, but I expected that. Unfortunately, it seems many of the pitfalls of the E90 stem from the ubiquitous use of runflats - except with the M3. To make the ride 'plush' enough with RFTs suspension compromises with the E90 series were the result.

Anyway, if you don't mind, I'll likely be sending you PMs with some questions with regards to your set-up.

Also, have you tried removing your front driveshaft and running as a RWD machine for dyno days, or just in general? I had read this is a possibility with the E90, but of course have no first hand experience with this.

Originally Posted by hassmaschine

I'm jealous of the color! I have too many silver BMWs, lol..

the handling on ours is a bit soft but the suspension is definitely worn. the front struts are well past their due date and of course it's all stock.

I sort of wish mine were worn enough to justify replacing...but only sort of, haha, my wallet is just fine with everything as-is. I like the Blue water metallic, but it's not far off silver!

[tlow98]

Originally Posted by minaret

2008 E91 original owner with 195,000 miles! Next task replace factory sports suspension with aftermarket struts or coil-overs.

Nice looking wagon, and with so many joyful (s)miles!

I'd be lying if I wasn't looking forward to hearing your impression about Bilstein HDs () the direction I'll likely go in.

[tlow98]

Camping and doing work in the E91, respectively. Hope I can do this piece of burl redwood justice for a stand-up desk. Yes, there is a towel between the wood and the fresh UKQuartz coating.

[tlow98]

And here's my PSA soap box...

Likely everyone else around here knows this, but since I'm new to the platform and my car's belt tensioner was failing I thought I'd post a picture of what a fully operational, new belt tensioner looks like. The arrows show the correct amount of space the belt should be from the edge of the tensioner.

If your car's belt is walking toward the end of the pulley it's time to think about replacing the pulley. Mine belt was just barely hanging off the lip of the pulley @62k miles.

[tlow98]

Automatic Trans Fluid Replacement

64,500 miles. Car was mostly rural driven south of the Bay area. Never subject to any PNW/midwest/Northeast temp extremes.

Since I don't currently have a garage or a buddy with a garage (woe is me) I paid to have this done at a very reputable local garage. They replaced the GM Filter, Pan, Fluid, Pan Bolts and also the harness seal that they mentioned typically starts to go. $570 OTD. $240 was labor, which was a little hard for this DIY'r to swallow, but hey it's all in the name of keeping this car for a while.

Impressions...
The car does seem a slight bit smoother and doesn't seem to fumble with gear changes as much. Not a night and day difference, but subtle. One definite difference is in sport shift mode (whatever it's called?) the car used to ever so slightly jerk if I called for M1 after the car had come to a stop (so from M2 to M1). Absolutely never does this now.

The money is gone from my wallet, though, that part is for sure.

Take it for what it's worth.

Up next: Diff fluid. With Pics, promise.

[amullo]

Looks good!
Intresting to hear about the change in autofluid. Mine sometimes has problems with a small jerk when it decides in 1 or 2 when at a crawl after breaking and you get on the gas again. might be the ticket.

Got mine with M-Sport package and individual tint aswell as the normal roof rails. Might have gone with no roof rails or the low profile kind if I´d thought about it.

[tlow98]

Thanks All.

Amullo - Lovely sport optioned wagon!

Maintenance Update:

OFHG

Took about 1.5 hours taking my time. Also, replaced the main drive belt after getting coolant and oil on the old one. Took a half gallon of coolant when time to refill. The bleed process . Compared to past BMWs a complete breeze.

- I did this while the motor was still warm, so likely I lost more coolant than if I'd have done it when the motor is cold.

Essentials:
Ratcheting E10
http://www.amazon.com/GearWrench-922.../dp/B000HBF5LQ

Socket, Universal, TORX°, E10
https://store.snapon.com/Universal-T...0-P642960.aspx
- Expensive little bugger. Likely, there is a cheaper brand, somewhere?

- Don't waste your time disconnecting hoses. Plus the seals on them are known to leak afterward, necessitating an early replacement.




Windshield Upper Seal

This one proved to be more of a delicate procedure than the OFHG. Needed to take my time in removing so as not to scratch anything. Then clean it all up. Installing the new one took some You Tube. The ends need to be done first then slid into place. From there I was able to wedge it into place from the rear using a putty knife tool... very gently.

NIce improvement, though.





Cabin Air Filter
Not pictured. Was nasty

Engine Air Filter
Not pictured. Looked pretty decent, actually.

Total time ~ 4 hours

[ctuna]

Did you replace just the tensioner ?
and belt.
Or some of the other pulleys as well.
Was the belt actually off the pullery shown or just to the
edge?
Was it easy access?

[tlow98]

Originally Posted by ctuna

Did you replace just the tensioner ?
and belt.
Or some of the other pulleys as well.
Was the belt actually off the pullery shown or just to the
edge?
Was it easy access?

Replaced only the tensioner and the belt. No pullies.

Belt was just barely hanging off the edge of the pulley.

Super easy access. Both the tensioner and the belt can be done without removing anything. Much easier to do if you remove the intake, however.

Good luck!

[mike@x-ph.com]

Looks good

[NiNeTyOne]

I also recently picked this one up.



So far I've just clay bar'd, waxed, installed LUX angels, 3000 lumen LED Fogs, plugs, accessory belt/tensioner, black all weather mats throughout, changed the oil to Liqui-Moly, added Ceratec to the crank case and will be doing the trans fluid this week (along with the filter and pan).

Have a few thousand on it now and it's running perfectly. Plan some additional re-coding tomorrow if time permits.

I will be putting Koni FSD's on as I really can't justify Ohlins TTX36's on the grocery getter.

Once spring arrives I'll do a complete paint correction and treat it with GTechniq Crystal Serum after respraying the front bumper cover.

Coming from Audi land, but the lack of Avants in the US market drove me to BMW. Very happy so far.

[tlow98]

Very nice, ninetyone!

I appreciate the detailing. It's a labor of love - and incredible results. Your alpine example is great. Look super sharp.

Will be interested to hear what you think of the FSDs.

I've being seeing more comments about the ceratec. I'll have to look that one up!

[NiNeTyOne]

Thanks for the kind words.

We coded in a bunch of things today, folding mirrors on lock, pulsing lights when ABS is activated, euro hazards, alarm on, etc.

Was really lucky to find a car with iDrive/Nav, and essentially every single option BMW offered on these cars. I searched for months and finally found this beauty in Socal.

Picked up a couple bad chips in the windscreen now so the trim, seals and screen will all be new OE form the dealer shortly. Car should look pretty darn nice after than and a solid weekend detail.

Pretty much the only thing left to do is steam clean the motor and replace the gasket under the oil filter housing.

I've been using Ceratec on my motors for a while. We've measured bearing wear in race engines both with and without exotic coatings/treatments and there's a clear win on the contact parts. It goes in all my motors now once they are properly flushed out.