Finally, finally bought another car
- Thread starter Pondrew
- Start date
I have been asked how things are going with the "Alp", so here is a little update:
I have spruced up the engine bay as a lot of the bracketry and nuts were corroded and rusty. I removed three large garden snails hiding in various places in the engine bay, a sure sign it has been laid up for long periods.
All brackets were removed, wire brushed and painted in Hammerite of the original colour. All visible nylock, flange nuts and washers have been replaced with stainless replacements. All accessible hoses and plastics have been cleaned and treated with silicone-based treatment.
I removed all wheels, cleaned them all properly inside and out and torqued the bolts up correctly (some were massively over-torqued and some were just about hand tight which was not ideal). while the wheels were off, I checked all discs and pads for wear and condition and cleaned and painted all four callipers, again with colour correct Hammerite. This makes a massive difference as I hate grubby and corroded callipers.
I have replaced the bootlid roundel with a genuine BMW one, changed the side indicator repeaters as they were a bit yellow and grubby and changed all four ISOfix covers in the rear for new as two were broken and the other two were scuffed.
All interior fabric and leather has been cleaned and leather 'food' applied.
All four tailpipes have been painted internally with matt black stove paint, as I couldn't get the two inners to match the outers no matter how much wire wool and Autosol I used.
Everything on the car works as it should, the battery holds charge well and it as most 'mod cons' including usb for music. I just wish it had PDC on the front, not just the rear as I keep forgetting!!
I would say the car is now 'show' quality but not 'concourse'. There are a few very small marks to the paintwork generally, which I am going to see if I can get 'smart repaired'. If that is able to be done properly and a lot more elbow grease to the engine bay, it could possibly be classed as 'concourse'. I am not planning on showing the car, but I like things right.
The car is a hoot to drive; it could do with an LSD as with the amount of torque at low revs it likes to wag it's tail without much provocation, so the traction control cuts in too often. The 6 speed switch-tronic auto is really good. In manual it stays in manual and doesn't get 'bored' if you don't change gear like many autos do. I love the exhaust note; it rumbles, rather than screams but is not too 'in yer face'.
All in all I'm a happy camper so far!
I will post some updated pics when it dries up.
I have spruced up the engine bay as a lot of the bracketry and nuts were corroded and rusty. I removed three large garden snails hiding in various places in the engine bay, a sure sign it has been laid up for long periods.
All brackets were removed, wire brushed and painted in Hammerite of the original colour. All visible nylock, flange nuts and washers have been replaced with stainless replacements. All accessible hoses and plastics have been cleaned and treated with silicone-based treatment.
I removed all wheels, cleaned them all properly inside and out and torqued the bolts up correctly (some were massively over-torqued and some were just about hand tight which was not ideal). while the wheels were off, I checked all discs and pads for wear and condition and cleaned and painted all four callipers, again with colour correct Hammerite. This makes a massive difference as I hate grubby and corroded callipers.
I have replaced the bootlid roundel with a genuine BMW one, changed the side indicator repeaters as they were a bit yellow and grubby and changed all four ISOfix covers in the rear for new as two were broken and the other two were scuffed.
All interior fabric and leather has been cleaned and leather 'food' applied.
All four tailpipes have been painted internally with matt black stove paint, as I couldn't get the two inners to match the outers no matter how much wire wool and Autosol I used.
Everything on the car works as it should, the battery holds charge well and it as most 'mod cons' including usb for music. I just wish it had PDC on the front, not just the rear as I keep forgetting!!
I would say the car is now 'show' quality but not 'concourse'. There are a few very small marks to the paintwork generally, which I am going to see if I can get 'smart repaired'. If that is able to be done properly and a lot more elbow grease to the engine bay, it could possibly be classed as 'concourse'. I am not planning on showing the car, but I like things right.
The car is a hoot to drive; it could do with an LSD as with the amount of torque at low revs it likes to wag it's tail without much provocation, so the traction control cuts in too often. The 6 speed switch-tronic auto is really good. In manual it stays in manual and doesn't get 'bored' if you don't change gear like many autos do. I love the exhaust note; it rumbles, rather than screams but is not too 'in yer face'.
All in all I'm a happy camper so far!
I will post some updated pics when it dries up.
