[akf30]

Hey guys,

So I got a rental from BMW due to the 3 recalls on my E90, can't drive the car while I have the rental, car is clearly going to be sitting for a while, since I can't drive it even once a week, what should i do?

Thanks in advance.

[Efthreeoh]

Turn the loaner back in and drive the E90.

[Needbmwpartzz]

If you have to let it sit....at least jack up so tires are off ground and attach battery tender.
And add mods as necessary.

[mecheng77]

Google car storage, it is the same for all cars. To add to above, run some fuel stabilizer through the engine.

[jeddo45]

Originally Posted by e90bs

Hey guys,

So I got a rental from BMW due to the 3 recalls on my E90, can't drive the car while I have the rental, car is clearly going to be sitting for a while, since I can't drive it even once a week, what should i do?

Thanks in advance.

How long is it going to be sitting? If it's a few months you'll be just fine. Fuel is manufactured to have a decent shelf life. Your fluids will be fine.

Just hook up a battery tender. That's the only major thing you'll need to do.

[9352e90]

How long are we talking about it sitting?

[djh2]

By the sound of it, quite some time since BMW hasn’t come up with the remedy for the recall yet.

[9352e90]

Ohh, for that recall. OK, easy answer, ignore the recall and drive your BMW!

[Efthreeoh]

Originally Posted by 9352e90

Ohh, for that recall. OK, easy answer, ignore the recall and drive your BMW!

That's what I said...

Can we close the thread now?

[rick100]

Where is the car going to be seated?. Your driveway?. If so who cares drive the car once a week.

[vb7200]

Store it in a garage with a small heater underneath it. Heat will keep the moisture away and prevents rotting. I would drive it around every week a little so the tires don't get flat spots on them. Put dryer sheets in the car too to keep rodents out.

[YasF80_SLO]

if its gonna sit for a while, (more than a month) for sure give it a drive once or twice a week, and get the oil up to operating temps, and then let it cool down back at home.

[Volasko]

Originally Posted by Needbmwpartzz

If you have to let it sit....at least jack up so tires are off ground and attach battery tender.
And add mods as necessary.

Leaving the car jacked up for extended periods of time would put a lot of strain on the suspension bushings that end up being strained to the max when fully unloaded. I would recommend against this method for extended periods of storage. Flat spotting isn't a permanent issue, most flat spots go away after driving on them for a while so its not worth the risk.

[Efthreeoh]

Originally Posted by 2013_E92

if its gonna sit for a while, (more than a month) for sure give it a drive once or twice a week, and get the oil up to operating temps, and then let it cool down back at home.

The best method is to add Stabil to the fuel, attach a battery maintainer, max the tire pressure, and let her sit.

[Efthreeoh]

Originally Posted by Volasko

Leaving the car jacked up for extended periods of time would put a lot of strain on the suspension bushings that end up being strained to the max when fully unloaded. I would recommend against this method for extended periods of storage. Flat spotting isn't a permanent issue, most flat spots go away after driving on them for a while so its not worth the risk.

Which bushings exactly? I can't think of any. All the bushings are thru-bolts where the bushing center rotates around the bolt.

[Efthreeoh]

Originally Posted by vb7200

Store it in a garage with a small heater underneath it. Heat will keep the moisture away and prevents rotting. I would drive it around every week a little so the tires don't get flat spots on them. Put dryer sheets in the car too to keep rodents out.

Rotting of what?

[Texus]

You can't drive your car or BMW will charge you rental for the whole period.

[John 070]

I remember during the Takata recall, there was someone here who disregarded that he signed he would not be driving his car while he had the loaner (it was as if he hit paydirt, had two cars thanks to BMW providing one). He asked what he should do, got all kinds of advice here, scolded as well, but in the end, nothing happened. I guess the long story short is do what you think is right. Even that thread played with my head, I was thinking man if they add up the distance from the dealership to my house, they're going to see that I drove the car 10 miles more than that. When I look back, I laugh, who cares lol

[John 070]

Originally Posted by 9352e90

Ohh, for that recall. OK, easy answer, ignore the recall and drive your BMW!

I didn't feel that way about Takata, but I do feel that way about a heater blower. We may have become a society that worries a lot about every little thing. As I type, I'm trying to get a loaner from BMW because I think my washer fluid pressure is lower than it should be....

[maxoutput]

Originally Posted by Efthreeoh

Which bushings exactly? I can't think of any. All the bushings are thru-bolts where the bushing center rotates around the bolt.

Most if not all of the bush centres don’t rotate, they are trapped when you do the bolt up. The bushes comply and the rubber twists slightly with suspension travel , this is the reason you don’t torque the bush bolts up until the suspension is under load . Leaving the suspension at full droop for extended periods will stress the bushings.

[Efthreeoh]

Originally Posted by maxoutput

Most if not all of the bush centres don’t rotate, they are trapped when you do the bolt up. The bushes comply and the rubber twists slightly with suspension travel , this is the reason you don’t torque the bush bolts up until the suspension is under load . Leaving the suspension at full droop for extended periods will stress the bushings.

Yup, understand, but max extension travel of the suspension doesn't come close to the number of degrees the bushing rubber compound can rotate without damage. The front control arms and thrust arms have bushings only at the contact points with the subframe, the hub side has ball joints. While the suspension travel is a few inches (downward) and looks like a lot, the degree of rotation on the bushings is just a few degrees. The bushings on the rear suspension at the hub are very soft and have a lot of flex.

I think it is an old wives' tale that it damages the suspension to let it hang when on stands or a lift. I've left my e90 suspended for weeks at a time with no ill effect on the suspension. I just replaced my control arms at 336,000 miles and only the left side arm's bushing had a small surface tear in the rubber. I clamped up both the old arm and the new arm in my bench vice to evaluate the condition of the old bushing, and they were virtually the same.

[Efthreeoh]

OP, forget what all of us said...