[xenon]

I do like that.

[martin10chk]

These have just somehow got better looking to me over time. When they first came out they seemed quite squat and ugly. Now they look quite sleek! Maybe its that BMW have done such a great job of making each successive generation of their cars bigger, fatter and uglier. The earlier series are now svelte !

[danb1979]

Originally Posted by martin10chk

These have just somehow got better looking to me over time. When they first came out they seemed quite squat and ugly. Now they look quite sleek! Maybe its that BMW have done such a great job of making each successive generation of their cars bigger, fatter and uglier. The earlier series are now svelte !

It's not much bigger than the wife's ex-Jazz

It's parked in that spot (right up to the garage on our narrow but long drive) and there's enough room for me to get the wheely-bins passed it...

Makes it a breeze for parking too; but what you do need to remember is that the doors are long!

[boba-fett]

I think these have aged really well, when they first came out, I thought it was quirky if not a little looks challenged, but I think they are pretty cool now.

I bet these are a bit of a hoot to drive!

[danb1979]

Originally Posted by boba-fett

I think these have aged really well, when they first came out, I thought it was quirky if not a little looks challenged, but I think they are pretty cool now.

I bet these are a bit of a hoot to drive!

Funnily enough I had some time to myself yesterday afternoon as we're very quiet in work... My colleagues have all had a few hours off each afternoon this week, yesterday was my turn...

Had some chores to do, so went the very long way round

The car, as it is, drives superbly and makes a fantastic noise. The exhaust, IMO, is just right. Not stupidly loud, but lets out a grumble when in low gears/revs and when you floor it, lets out a superb howl...

The Michelin CC2s have really impressed me, very grippy in the dry and more so for what are all-seasons. They do very well on corners too. And now the OEM BMW brakes have bedded in, they're excellent as well. HEL braided lines will be the finishing touch

Some of the suspension is feeling a bit leggy; I think come spring I'll do a full refresh of the arms/links/bushes unless anything's needed sooner and that'll do it a treat

[Watsey]

Great choice danb1979. I've always like the 1-series chassis, and having a straight six petrol in the front end is a huge bonus. After your general tidy-up it'll be an excellent daily.

[danb1979]

Originally Posted by Watsey

Great choice danb1979. I've always like the i-series chassis, and having a straight six petrol in the front end is a huge bonus. After your general tidy-up it'll be an excellent daily.

Thanks

I've a fair way to go with it yet to get it to my standards; but Rome wasn't built in a day

I've ordered all the top end parts needed for it's refresh; some gen. BMW (ie rocker cover, gaskets etc) and the rest will be a mix of Febi & Gates

Once we're back from the Yorkshire coast in just over a week I'll get it booked in with my pals sometime mid Nov and leave it with them for a few days to do their magic

[cramsnik]

Very nice, Dan. You've got me looking at the classifieds now

Enjoying your owners thread on the other forum

[DaveA]

Wills2 beat me to it.... They've aged really well, haven't they... More so than their immediate successors, strangely... and in a three door shell it has really good proportions...

Wheels are 100%

Cracking buy danb1979

[speedski]

Yours looks like a cracking example, definitely will brush up very nice when you're done I'm sure.

Reminds me of my 120d from back in 2009 - the three door was just all round in the right proportion. The 19's were a staggered fit and gave it a great stance, shame the tyres were quite hard to get all the time and expensive when you did!

The engine in that was great, I only had to let the car go due to a big drop in mileage.

[Ennoch]

Love the wheels, and even better it isn't 'murdered out' with black plastic rather than the aluminium, and has normal, non-gangster glass. Debadged and nobody would bat an eyelid at it normally which in my book is perfect.

[danb1979]

All the parts have landed for the top end of the engine refresh...

New rocker cover, gaskets, tensioner, pulley and belt etc

Will speak to my pals this week and see when they can fit it in later this month, if not early next month... I'm struggling for time over the next few weeks with work and travelling etc







That should see it well for the next few years at least

This will be the last work before Spring 2025

[danb1979]

Originally Posted by Ennoch

Love the wheels, and even better it isn't 'murdered out' with black plastic rather than the aluminium, and has normal, non-gangster glass. Debadged and nobody would bat an eyelid at it normally which in my book is perfect.

Thanks and agree; I like it for being fairly understated. It doesn't look like it's trying too hard and you only realise there's something more interesting under the bonnet when it's started etc

Took it for a spin this morning whilst popping to the local farm shop for veg & eggs etc; at 8am in the morning, when the roads are absolutely dead, it's been fun to stretch its legs

[danb1979]

Full detail this morning

Snowfoamed, washed, rinsed, re-snowfoamed, clay-mitted, rinsed, washed, rinsed, towel dried, Chemical Guys Blazin Banana carnuba spray wax applied & buffed, AGs rapid ceramic spray applied & buffed, wheels waxed, tyres treated, all glass inside and out deep cleaned, done...

[Alscoob]

Originally Posted by danb1979

Full detail this morning

Snowfoamed, washed, rinsed, re-snowfoamed, clay-mitted, rinsed, washed, rinsed, towel dried, Chemical Guys Blazin Banana carnuba spray wax applied & buffed, AGs rapid ceramic spray applied & buffed, wheels waxed, tyres treated, all glass inside and out deep cleaned, done...

Looking good Dan

[danb1979]

Originally Posted by Alscoob

Looking good Dan

Should do for the buckets of sweat it cost me

Wrapped up in my Rohan gilet and beanie as it's been quite fresh here today; but the meds I'm on currently make me feel cold too, but doing that had me heavily perspiring in no time...

But I was doing bodyweight pull ups too in between sections haha

[Watsey]

Originally Posted by danb1979

Full detail this morning

Snowfoamed, washed, rinsed, re-snowfoamed, clay-mitted, rinsed, washed, rinsed, towel dried, Chemical Guys Blazin Banana carnuba spray wax applied & buffed, AGs rapid ceramic spray applied & buffed, wheels waxed, tyres treated, all glass inside and out deep cleaned, done...

Looking great

The de-badge is going to catch several people out

[danb1979]

Originally Posted by Watsey

Looking great

The de-badge is going to catch several people out

Haha yeah maybe

I gave it a good run the other day, lots of B roads, very quiet day so able to open it up quite a lot (went through 1/4 tank of VPower )

It really loves to ride through the revs; sounds superb as well.

Brakes are excellent; braided lines and fresh Motul fluid will be the icing on the cake for them...

But still considering the Brembo 340mm front upgrade in Spring next year when I do a suspension overhaul and maybe treat it to some new alloys & summer tyres (or get an OEM set) - haven't decided

[danb1979]

Battery swapped out



New Bosch AGM battery in; original BMW Banner battery was dated 2011; so it's done very well but was down to 49% and you could hear it cranking a bit slower, so kept it on CTEK trickle whilst it wasn't being used

I charged the Bosch battery overnight before fitting it as you've no idea how it's been stored/kept etc

Lots plenty of skin too; BMWs battery placements at times make me laugh; small tight spaces not designed for shovel hands

[martin10chk]

Originally Posted by danb1979

Battery swapped out



New Bosch AGM battery in; original BMW Banner battery was dated 2011; so it's done very well but was down to 49% and you could hear it cranking a bit slower, so kept it on CTEK trickle whilst it wasn't being used

I charged the Bosch battery overnight before fitting it as you've no idea how it's been stored/kept etc

Lots plenty of skin too; BMWs battery placements at times make me laugh; small tight spaces not designed for shovel hands

Trust me - they are not designed for pathetic small hands either! Its an unnecessarily nightmarish job.

[danb1979]

Originally Posted by martin10chk

Trust me - they are not designed for pathetic small hands either! Its an unnecessarily nightmarish job.

It's the clamp location that's mainly the issue, right down in the depths etc...

The F31 was the worst I've done, that's deep in the bowels of the boot at the back quarter.

The E39s were hard due to the size of the battery and similar location to the F31

The F01 was easy; unbolt, lift out, replace, bolt back in

The E81 was the clamp again, not a lot of room for my hands and ended up losing my knuckle skin because I couldn't find my magnetic grabber...

Found it when I looked again, properly

[boba-fett]

Originally Posted by Alscoob

Looking good Dan

Oooshh, that’s looking nice. Good work.