SilverJohn

Hi Lester I've used www.Satnavupgrades.co.uk a number of times with a 100% success rate for map updates. The guy there, Rusty, is very knowledgeable about numerous SatNav systems, not only for BMW but other makes as well. Could be worth a phone call at least. Hope this helps. John

Hi If you've got both cars at the moment, swap them and see which looks best / drives best. People would give their opinions of pictures but you have to be comfortable with the ride and handling. Hope it works out well for you. John

Definitely recommend www.SatNavUpgrades.co.uk Very knowledgeable, way cheaper than BMW and identical in quality. I've had 4 updates for my BMW and one for my daughter's Quashqai. Rusty will supply all files and codes, just needs last 7 digits of Vin if it's the one that updates from USB like mine. If it's the DVD system, then I've no experience but am 100% sure Rusty will be able to provide. The latest for USB id 2020-2, 2021-1 is due out soon but no exact date yet. Hope this helps. John

Hi Kevin I bought a pair of bonnet struts for my E93 18 months ago as the originals were deemed "out of date" and therefore unsafe. The pair I bought were from Europarts and have been fine so far. I guess a lot will depend on how often you open and close the boot. I would expect the design criteria would probably be for opening the boot maybe once a week for the average user so if you are using the boot more often, perhaps several times a day, then the life expectancy will be significantly shorter. Hope this helps, John

Hi Martin I doubt the main dealer will be too much help as they will just stick by the book, the BMW book that is. That's why I suggested an Independent, they will have a broader knowledge not limited by brand loyalty. You could also look ar Realoem.com to see the various options for your build of car (based on your Vin number, last 7 digits) Good Luck John

Hi Emma How recently did you buy the car and where from? 15 years old so it's not surprising it's not perfect but if this is a recent purchase from a dealer, then was there / is there any sort of warranty? Hopefully GreyDog has given you his usual high standard of advice, but if any of these faults turn out to be major (particularly the Transfer Box issues), then you could be looking at bills which would be more than the value of the car. Hope this helps John

Hi Martin I don't think it's that no-one has any ideas, it's just a potentially complicated problem and it really needs input from someone professional in the wheel and tyre industry rather than just an opinion from an enthusiast. In these days of KwikFit and similar companies, their level of knowledge is fairly restricted to just replacing like with like, the only variation being price and wear rating. A knowledgeable BMW Independent garage may be able to advise. You could try the 'Net to find wheel / tyre specialists in your area and then talk to them to try and establish their real knowledge level. Avoid those who just want to sell you the most expensive thing they have in stock !! Sorry I can't help further, good luck with your search. John

I'm sure there must be dash-cams that store in the Cloud. I would be amazed if there aren't. Can't help with specific makes / models, sorry.

Steering wheel is on the wrong side !!😀 Enjoy

Hi Colin Welcome to the forum. Do you know anyone else with the same model car? I'm thinking there may be an element of truth in what the dealer is saying, particularly if you are noticing this in electric mode when there is no engine noise. If you do know someone, a colleague perhaps, then ask to go for a drive with him or her to compare. If not, then ask the dealer for a test drive in their demonstrator of that model to hopefully set your mind at ease. Hope this helps. John

Hi Dan Makes a nice change to hear about a Main Dealer following through and not charging either. Enjoy your car ! John

Hi Martin Greydog is very knowledgeable so I wouldn't dream of contradicting any of his advice. However, the Facebook BMW forum doesn't rate Landsail tyres at all. It depends on your driving style and experience. For "normal" journeys, the Landsail is probably ok in terms of grip and wear. The difference comes if you try and use the capabilities of your car in terms of performance, cornering ability, braking performance etc etc. If you're pushing the boundaries, then the Landsail will fail early in terms of grip or wear or both. Incorrect tyre pressures, whatever the make of tyre can also make the difference with wear and performance so it's as well to have them right rather than just an educated guess. Happy (and safe) driving. John

Hi Martin You say you have replaced your run-flats with conventional tyres. Presuming you didn't do this yourself, I'd like to think the tyre fitters inflated to the correct pressure according to the size, make and type. You say you were putting 28psi into them but was this to maintain the pressure, increase it or reduce it? The new tyre, is that the same make and tread pattern as those already fitted or different? It's not recommended to mix tyres of different tread patterns on the same axle. 37 psi is a lot different from the 28 psi you had before and if on the same axle, again could compromise safety. Why now 33 psi on all 4? That seems an arbitrary figure and usually front and rear are different with higher on the rear than the front. I would recommend you go back to wherever you bought the tyre(s) from and ask them for the recommended pressures. If they are a reputable supplier, they should be able to advise you correctly. If a back st supplier, they may not have the full technical knowledge in which case try an e-mail to the tyre manufacturer's technical department. Hope this helps John

Hi Will Just browsing the forum and picked on your point about the headlight washers. My 2012 E93 had a similar problem and although You-tube videos showed as a fairly straight forward job, my 66 year old bones didn't fancy the hours on a concrete floor to DIY. Cost just over £200 in genuine BMW parts and labour from an independant. Have worked fine since but I don't often drive at night so don't get much use. Hope this helps. John

Hi Dan Welcome to the forum. Sounds like a possible intermittent connection on the ABS sensor wiring. Probably disturbed during the recent work. Take the rear wheels off and disconnect, clean with Contact Spray, and re-connect any and all ABS connections. If this doesn't cure it, go back to whoever did the work on the suspension. Hope this helps. John

Hi Trevor Depending on the age of the car, go for an Independent BMW Specialist rather than a Main Dealer. Their labour rates are usually much lower. https://the-bmw-specialist-register.com/independent-bmw-specialists/ Hope this helps.

As well as E-Bay, try GumTree - it's free and easy to use. There's also a FB BMW page with a seperate section for sales and wants. You have to apply to join but it doesn't take long. Hope this helps.

Hi Bruce If you want the dashcam on ignition only then you can't use the same source for the tracker which I'm thinking should be always on. Some dashcams will record if car is struck whilst parked in which case you would want it powered on all the time, same as the tracker. Depends on the make & model of dashcam but in my view, the more protection, the better. Hope this helps John

Hi Grizelda There is a possibility that in a 19 year old car, there is a build up of sludge / residues in the engine generally and particularly in the radiator. Could be that a thorough flush out and refill with new coolant could solve the problem. That shouldn't be too costly and can be done at home by someone competent or by any (not back-street !) garage. Hope this helps John

Insurance is such a fickle market. My daughter has just had two quotes for a car she is thinking of buying. £2500 from one company and £1600 from another, both of them are well known brands of Insurer. It continues to astonish me that there is such a difference. Moral of the story, I'm sure a lot of you will agree : Shop Around !!

Hi Mark 44K with no previous record of a service ? I don't think so. Totally agree with Dave on this. If motorway driving is a large part of your driving habits, then you should get slightly better fuel consumption from a manual. Hope it goes well for you. John

Hi Faraz Presuming that if you can afford this level of car, Insurance costs aren't an issue as I'm thinking the M Sport badge will inevitably push this up. Other things aside, I love the smoothness of the 6 cylinders so that would be my choice. Hope you make the right decision. John

Well done Martin That looks very good for the price you are asking. Not my cup of tea but I'm sure it won't stay unsold for long. Cheers John

Hi Charlie Sounds very cheap to me. What Year? How many previous owners? Private or dealer sale? Any warranty? Check for service history and when looking round it, make sure you check the tyres and under the bonnet for any signs of leaks. Hope this helps. John

Hi Pete My question would be, why do you want to cover the car? Is it not a daily driver? What do you want to protect from? Tree sap? UV? General weather? Targeted theft? Winchcombe is in the Cotswolds so not near the coast where salt spray would be a possible negative. I'm very fortunate in having an alarmed CCTV protected garage so am curious as to your motive for the question. Cheers John