[7tune]

Hi all,

I'm posting for the first time about my car knowing that there are a lot of amazing people in here that are super knowledgable on this platform (specifically F87source who looks like he knows loads about this car) so I wanted to get some feedback from those among you who might be able to calm my nerves a bit. I also appear to have one of the cheapest, albeit, highest mileage examples of an OG out there. So please, hear me out...



[The Good]
I came across this car in June and jumped at it having been convinced it checked out on first impressions. I bought it from a private seller and drove it home from Himeji (near Osaka) to Tokyo. The trip was about 700km's give or take. Didn't skip a beat and it was quite a nice drive home.



It was listed at 138,000km's and that was my biggest concern but the price ($18,000 USD) was too hard to pass up. I checked the VIN and it was fairly well appointed from the dealer. Shadow trim, option black front grills and kidney plates, M-Perf gear inside the cabin, M-Perf mirror caps, carpet mats and comfort access (not a problem in Japan).





What sealed the deal was it had a clean title, was uncrashed, visually immaculate and had a near completely documented BMW serviced 1-owner from new with books and receipts. The car appears to have spent most of its life on the expressways here, as I can't understand how else someone could rack up that many miles in daily suburban traffic in Japan.



Car hummed along beautifully back to Tokyo and I was pretty hesitant to push it hard at all, not until I got her absolutely top to bottom serviced. Underneath she is bone dry, joints look good and there isn't a single leak anywhere.

[The Bad]
Funnily enough, the last couple of weeks are when some problems have arisen. I've had battery and water-pump codes thrown and so I started digging through the service history and found a gap of 30,000km's where I don't have any records of what happened to her. This is when I started spending roughly 120 hours or so in every corner of the internet I could find, including this great forum.

So many bloody questions on servicing fundamentals, brake fluids, oil fluids, prices for parts, what needs to be changed and what doesn't... and then I freaked out thinking the DCT may never have had its oil changed and the oil alone is big money plus the fact you need ISTA to do a complete service! I wasn't expecting any of the added tech demands if I'm honest...



The last "onboard" history was at 107k and that appears to have been a routine oil change. Outside of that.. the last leg of her journey to me is a bit of a mystery.

[The Ugly]

One afternoon a week ago in traffic, I got this ominous message from the system... and I wasn't even leaning on her. I got the orange 0257 code first and then the more serious 0039 immediately after which freaked me right out. Pulled over and stopped the car, started it again and the faults were gone??



Went straight to the closest BMW dealer and they wouldn't touch me with a ten foot pole. Insulted, I went down the road to Studie Tokyo and they immediately put her on ISTA and showed me the errors. Fantastic place to go if you have a BMW and they are luckily 10 minutes from home. They said it's either the pump, the battery or both that are causing these codes.





I am definitely not new to cars having worked on hundreds of them over may years but they have mostly been JDM sports cars from simpler times, SXE-10's, R32/33/34 GT-R's, JZS/JZX's, FD3S's, EP82's and the like. I'm really not used to the new "connected" tech that comes with these modern BMW's, so it's been a baptism of fire so to speak. YouTubers in fine clothes make it look and sound so damn easy...







The brakes rotors are shot even if the pads have plenty of life left in them. There's a distinct grinding coming from the rear discs and I don't think it's the wheel bearings. Either way, all four corners have to be replaced top to bottom.


I dove into the car's onboard and logged all 12 codes it threw from the diagnostics by pressing and holding the mileage switch:



I'm really trying to understand what happened to her. Is it that the original owner just ran her through Original warrantee periods and then dumped her at the end of that? Because it certainly appears that way... as if i'm picking up what he didn't want to do when he sold her.



I'm gearing up to do some of the heavy lifting myself but am pretty overwhelmed thinking about how much I actually have to do as opposed to what can be avoided - and Japan is ridiculously expensive for parts and servicing. One place quoted me $600 just to replace and register the battery which is robbery when I can get a Varta for $180 from Amazon.

I'm not the richest guy in the world and just want to get her up to a complete reset on servicing but what would you guys do in my shoes first? How would you approach it? I really don't want to open a can of worms only to find out multiple cans are connected and I'm just going to constantly chase tail sorting out one issue after another... that would really be a buzz kill. I just want to enjoy her and not sure what to do first, next or after that.

The OFHG for example. The entire unit is bone dry and there isn't a single oil or fluid leak anywhere on the car and opening that up has me reading all sorts of horror stories about engines blowing up. Anyway... here is what I think she needs moving forward...



Any and all comments appreciated and I look forward to sticking around for a while as I figure out this little beast of a dilemma. Cheers for reading my long comment!

[BadgerDog]

Don't really have much to tell you to help with your journey other than good luck, since it does appear to be a few things.

That being said, 18k for an m2 is pro damn cheap, and they're said to be very reliable cars. I would think you could use some of the money you saved fixing her up and end up with a great car at a reasonable price (especially if you're doing some of the work yourself), even if it doesn't end up being a steal.

[Drifter2090]

You got an amazing deal, I wouldn't even consider that high mileage, these cars can go much more if maintained well.

I would definitely do a new waterpump/thermostat as this is a common issue on these cars.

[DarthFader]

Sounds like you got a good deal. Don't stress about what will go wrong but stay ahead of it.

The N55 is pretty reliable and predictable. Water pump - usually between 80-100k - fan will run hard at idle even when it's not hot out, OFHG around 80k - just watch for leaks, OPG - just watch for leaks, VCG around 120k - will stink as oil drips on down pipe.

I would start with new water pump, thermostat and battery. If battery is on the way out it will throw some weird codes - happened to me in the past.

Good luck and enjoy the M2.

[(K)]

Welcome to the dark side Adam! Been following your content for who-knows-how long.

The platform is fairly stout and I feel it's one of the truist modern cars available. Not as simplified (as your finding) as its JDM competitors but pretty close as far as German cars go.

Onto the problem(s) at hand. I'm in agreement with Studie's assessment and, from what I'm seeing, I'd start with the battery. These cars tend to get fussy if they sit for too long and the battery starts to discharge. I'm thinking that may have been the case, given the rusty brakes (though admittedly these brakes rust in minutes anyway after a carwash). Try putting it on a tender to get the charge up or a new battery if it won't hold a stable charge. You won't necessarily need ISTA knowledge or software to register a new battery, a simple app such as BimmerLink and Bluetooth OBDII adapter will do the trick.

Everything else on your list looks fairly standard scope and is recommended for any new, used car purchase. Start with fresh fluids and that water pump if it's the culprit. I'd follow that up with the brakes if they're starting to bug you, spark plugs after that along with charge pipes while you're in that general area. Then, unless they're immediately leaking, you can budget for belts and hoses over time.

I've yet to experience it with this car but from past experiences elsewhere (looking at your Porsche and Mini), plastic and rubber bits tend to go quicker on these cars (charge pipes, radiator hoses) than any Japanese car I've ever owned. Granted it could also just be my luck of the draw with used European cars.

Your car looks fantastic otherwise and, like me, I think this may be the one that could potentially convert you. Many happy miles to you, hope to see you around more frequently!

[F87source]

Originally Posted by 7tune

Hi all,

I'm posting for the first time about my car knowing that there are a lot of amazing people in here that are super knowledgable on this platform (specifically F87source who looks like he knows loads about this car) so I wanted to get some feedback from those among you who might be able to calm my nerves a bit. I also appear to have one of the cheapest, albeit, highest mileage examples of an OG out there. So please, hear me out...

Hey there!

Congratulations on your m2 purchase - you probably got the best deal for a used m2 in the entire world!


Ok let me try to help:

1) You can get ISTA for free on the forums via some leaked source, I believe bimmerscene or bimmerfest is the way to go.

2) ISTA does have a learning curve to it so if you want a simpler alternative get Protool, this will allow you to have diagnostics capabilities and some ISTA level service functions, and you can get the coding license to code anything the car allows you to code - unlike the alternative apps like bimmercode. Here's my protool review: https://f87.bimmerpost.com/forums/sh....php?t=2003707

3) For engine oil you should really learn the basics about this before you start putting garbage in the car. But in a nutshell get an LL01 and Mb229.5, and Porchse A40 rated oil. These are very good certifications and will ensure your car stays happy. I also recommend getting something like motul xcess gen 2 5w40 (it has to be gen2, because the original version was not very good) or Pennzoil platnium euro 5w40/Shell helix ultra 5w40 (these are the same oil just rebranded, and I personally use this oil - just the pennzoil variant). Skip the liquimoly and other botique oils, they are overpriced for what they are.

Oil filter: Use the OEM mann hu-8011z filters, don't use any of the aftermarket junk because filtration will not be as good. I see your shop has some of these on the shelf judging by the yellow and green oil filter boxes in the background so this is very good.

Air filter: again use the OEM Mahle filter.

Microfilter (cabin air filter): this is pretty flexible since the car won't suffer if you cheap out but you'll suffer lol, but get a good one especially if you have alot of pollen. I got the corteco aftermarket filter.

Serpentine belt: get the OEM conteinental belts, they are very good. You should also do this while you're at it: https://f87.bimmerpost.com/forums/sh....php?t=1807187

Differential oil: Use the BMW genuine stuff. You're in Japan, you should be able to get MSP/A, if not use SAF-XJ (not SAF-XJ +FM, not defintely not SAF-XO).

DCT Oil: yeah this will be crazy expensive to do, but buy a service kit that includes the oil, 2 filters, new pan, etc.

Spark plugs: use the OEM Bosch zrptt330A plugs, stock gap.

Ignition coils: probably change them at this mileage, get the OEM Delphi coils or eldor coils. You don't need to choose between the 2, the power outputs are basically the same so no need to waste money trying to find one over the other.


4) That code means your water pump is dead, that is really common on these cars. While changing your water pump you probably should do the coolant flange because they can fail, and do the expansion hose, and do the thermostat at the same time. You don't have to do the thermostat preemptively because BMW was smart enough to design it to fail open just like the waste gate. This means if it fails it will stick open so your engine will not over heat, it will just take forever to warm up.

5) For the battery feel free to buy any generic AGM battery of the same capacity or a bit greater. Use Protool to register the battery, if you go up in size you have to use protool to do an additional code then register it.

6) Don't worry about these BMW's, I came from the exact same JDM back ground as you - expect I never had the opportunity to get an R34 GTR (if I had back in 2014 it would have only costed me $30k CAD - and that is a huge bargain compared to the $100k CAD today so I kind of messed up lol). But what I was trying to say is you made the right choice, these cars are REALLY REALLY easy to work on vs. JDM cars - everything is clean clear and well laid out. Compare that to my hondas where changing the serpentine belt meant working with no space on a transverse engine now that was hard. I can do a serpentine belt on my m2 in 15 mins or less pretty much in my sleep, that's how easy it is. Also oil changes will be way easier than the R34 because the oil filter is right on top of the engine, unlike the R34 which has it behind the manifolds lol. Also parts for these BMW's are surprisingly cheap vs. JDM parts, my spark plugs were $6 per plug vs. my Acura MDX which was $13 per plug. Yeah 1/2 price, the same goes for filters and everything else.

If you ever need help message me and I can guide you through whatever you need help on. I am currently helping an individual repair his stripped drain plug - this reminds me, when you do services on your car ensure you know the proper torque spec. Don't do tight is tight, because you can strip threads and defintely don't get torque specs from youtube because they can be wrong like so: https://f87.bimmerpost.com/forums/sh....php?t=2034113

Get the proper info from someone with ISTA on the forum, because you can still get the wrong info on the forum.

7) Your breaks are pretty worn out, you should replace them.

8) Hood latch - interesting, you might have a worn out hood position sensor in the latch.

9) replace your key battery, it is pretty cheap and easy so no worries.

10) The rest of those codes probably require an ISTA test plan.

11) I would personally DIY everything, $600 for a battery is insane, you can code and register it yourself. A varta battery is very good quality and actually the OEM battery, save the extra $420 and buy this battery and Protool and you can do it yourself.

12) OFHG won't directly blow your engine, it will cause the belt to slip and that will enter through the front crank seal and that could blow your engine if it clogs your oil pick up. You can solve this with a crank seal guard like I linked above. But the reason why you want to preemptively change the OFHG is to prevent the internal leaks where the oil will enter the coolant supply (your coolant in your exansion tank will turn brown when this happens) but it overall isn't fun to flush the coolant system when this occurs.

13) What rings and clamps are you replacing? This might not require replacement.

14) Water pump bolts are indeed 1 time use, but they are only a few dollars.

15) No need to replace radiator hoses until they fail. These are super robust and strong rubber. It is the brittle expansion hose you need to replace.

16) Use genuine BMW coolant. IIRC G48 (the blue stuff) is what you need.

17) I prefer the BMS charge pipes, here's my review: https://f87.bimmerpost.com/forums/sh....php?t=1831920

But any other brand will work fine.

No need to replace the boost pipe for reliability, because it is reinforced rubber so they do not crack or fail. You replace them for better throttle response. I also did not like the FTP aluminium one, there was not enough flexibility imo.

18) At that mileage pullies probably need replacement same as the tensioner.

19) Don't replace the crank seal unless it is leaking, that will be a nightmare to do and reseal properly - and you need a bunch of specialty bmw tools to do it.

20) OFHG is probably a good replacement idea. make sure you get the correct parts. again contact any one of us for help.

21) What head gasket flange? you mean the coolant one?

22) yes spark plugs and coils

23) buy oem bosch plugs and save your money like i posted above.

24) Good for the oil and dct fluids.

25) don't use engine flushes and or additives they are not ideal and bmw stipulates to never use them. Yes foir fuel injector cleaner, use the genuine bmw stuff or chevron techron. Here is my thread on that: https://f87.bimmerpost.com/forums/sh....php?t=1743422

26) Yes change your diff oil, remember the fill and drain plugs are single use only so they need to be replaced too. Use msp/a or saf-xj fluid like i listed above.

27) yes replace your brake rotors, they are in pretty bad shape.


Other than that it looks good. Feel free to message me if you need any specific help.

[F87source]

Oh yeah one more thing, make sure you prime your oil system after replacing the ofhg.

[captain slowly]

Dude, 138k kilometers is nothing. You have a bit of maintenance to do, water pump, brakes and fluids, but thats nothing you wouldn't do on any other car. I know in japan they freak out at 100k kilometers, but its not much in the rest of the world. The car looks gorgeous.

[AFatMiata]

Welcome 7tune you got an insane deal on that car. I've got roughly the same mileage on my car and with what I know now I'd suggest this:

1.) Water pump replacement, coolant flange, thermostat replacement, coolant flush (Saves on labor getting all done at the same time. If you get this done at Studie I'm sure they can source an aluminum coolant flange (also may be referred to as a "Mickey Mouse flange")).

2.) Battery replacement and code (can do this yourself as f87source suggested)

3.) Coolant Expansion tank return hose (actually failed on mine), cheap part and is super easy to replace. Example here:

4.) Pads & Rotors on all 4 and brake fluid flush

5.) Serpentine Belt, Idler, Tensioner

6.) Spark plugs & Coils (easy enough to do yourself, OEM bosch plugs and either Delphi, Eldor, or Dinan whatever is cheapest)

7.) DCT Oil, Pan, 2 filters

8.) Diff Oil

9.) Chargepipe

This is what I'd probably do more or less in this order. With the codes and no history of the water pump replacement I'd prioritize #1. These cars have electric water pumps and don't really have any symptoms prior to failure. The rest of what you've listed, unless you see symptoms of failure (like a leaking OFHG for example) I personally would not address.

If you're not mechanically inclined or have the space to work on your car I'd recommend you find an independent BMW focused shop. Congratulations on the car these are very stout and once you've set a nice baseline of recent maintenance items you should be good to go.

[mecheng77]

Japan they dump
Cars early to support the auto industry. For the price you paid it was cheap but now it needs some love. Put a battery and water pump and thermostat

[7tune]

Originally Posted by BadgerDog

Don't really have much to tell you to help with your journey other than good luck, since it does appear to be a few things.

That being said, 18k for an m2 is pro damn cheap, and they're said to be very reliable cars. I would think you could use some of the money you saved fixing her up and end up with a great car at a reasonable price (especially if you're doing some of the work yourself), even if it doesn't end up being a steal.

I have some time to reply to the great replies I've received.

Badge, I think you wrote precisely what my brain is trying to explain to me so thanks for that! Even if it's going to cost another $5~6k, I think it's well worth doing as the experience will outweigh the cost and time.

Hopefully, once all this is finished, I won't have to do much more and can just enjoy the ride.

[7tune]

Originally Posted by Drifter2090

You got an amazing deal, I wouldn't even consider that high mileage, these cars can go much more if maintained well.

I would definitely do a new waterpump/thermostat as this is a common issue on these cars.

The consensus is clear and thank you for also confirming it. It's not my first BMW (I'm a trained old school mechanic that owned and worked on cars from the early E series days) but have no experience with the modern F-series variants, having switched to JDM since moving to Japan twenty years ago.

I guess this old dog needs to learn some new tricks!

[7tune]

Originally Posted by DarthFader

Sounds like you got a good deal. Don't stress about what will go wrong but stay ahead of it.

The N55 is pretty reliable and predictable. Water pump - usually between 80-100k - fan will run hard at idle even when it's not hot out, OFHG around 80k - just watch for leaks, OPG - just watch for leaks, VCG around 120k - will stink as oil drips on down pipe.

I would start with new water pump, thermostat and battery. If battery is on the way out it will throw some weird codes - happened to me in the past.

Good luck and enjoy the M2.

I hope I can at least by fall! It's hard not to worry about these things having never wrenched on them specifically but I'll figure it out one way or another. Going to tackle the obvious points it seems everyone has mentioned first and go from there. A lot to do!

Studie also said the same thing. If the battery is on it's way out, it can cause the W-pump to throw weird codes, even if it isn't "overheating", so better to change both and be done with it. Right now the car is flowing 14V so it doesn't look like it's going bad but a 6 year old battery is a problem.

I was going to do it immediately but then I got the $600 quote to register and change it and thought that was insane so held off...

[7tune]

F87source - You, sir, are an absolute unit. Thanks so much for getting back to me on all these points - you have way too much time on your hands to be dealing with (and going into amazing detail) on my laundry list of problems, mate!

I've taken a note on everything mentioned and have visited the links you sent as well. I'll study them all and let you know in time. Your posts have really helped so many people and now I am among them, so thank you again.

The most interesting ones to me are about the OBDII related information. It's fascinating to me that onboard diagnostics are now readily available to the common wrencher thanks to some incredibly gifted and talented software developers. It's a real eye-opener for an old school pair of hands like these. You'd think all this would be proprietary but this isn't Apple obviously! Although, I did notice they forced a cease and desist on the TIS which is kinda crappy.

Right now, I'm just stockpiling parts and writing down product numbers and bookmarking locations on where to get them. I think FCP Euro is going to get a lot of business from me in the coming months.

Thanks again for your awesome response.

[7tune]

captain slowly Thank you mate. I can't help but look back at her every time I leave. She's so pretty!

I've got a definitive list sorted now, thanks to comments like yours.

[7tune]

Originally Posted by (K)

Welcome to the dark side Adam! Been following your content for who-knows-how long.

The platform is fairly stout and I feel it's one of the truist modern cars available. Not as simplified (as your finding) as its JDM competitors but pretty close as far as German cars go.

Onto the problem(s) at hand. I'm in agreement with Studie's assessment and, from what I'm seeing, I'd start with the battery. These cars tend to get fussy if they sit for too long and the battery starts to discharge. I'm thinking that may have been the case, given the rusty brakes (though admittedly these brakes rust in minutes anyway after a carwash). Try putting it on a tender to get the charge up or a new battery if it won't hold a stable charge. You won't necessarily need ISTA knowledge or software to register a new battery, a simple app such as BimmerLink and Bluetooth OBDII adapter will do the trick.

Everything else on your list looks fairly standard scope and is recommended for any new, used car purchase. Start with fresh fluids and that water pump if it's the culprit. I'd follow that up with the brakes if they're starting to bug you, spark plugs after that along with charge pipes while you're in that general area. Then, unless they're immediately leaking, you can budget for belts and hoses over time.

I've yet to experience it with this car but from past experiences elsewhere (looking at your Porsche and Mini), plastic and rubber bits tend to go quicker on these cars (charge pipes, radiator hoses) than any Japanese car I've ever owned. Granted it could also just be my luck of the draw with used European cars.

Your car looks fantastic otherwise and, like me, I think this may be the one that could potentially convert you. Many happy miles to you, hope to see you around more frequently!

I almost didn't want to use this tag as I figured someone would notice! Haha, mate thank you for the warm message. "The reports of my death are greatly exaggerated."

Like you, I grew up around both cool Euros and JDM but even though I had some really oldschool BMW's like the BAUR E21 for example, it was always a dream of mine to have an M someday. Always got close (have driven so many of them over the years and the want was nuts) but was never quite there and as you know, JDM turned into a business passion but now that the pages have turned, I couldn't resist this little white dragon!

Falkor 2.0 has flown in from the gym and appears to have taken a load of "performance enhancing substances"!

Just for reference so the community can see, here's my old steed. You would not believe how fast this thing was downhill on a proper road...

[7tune]

Originally Posted by AFatMiata

Welcome 7tune you got an insane deal on that car. I've got roughly the same mileage on my car and with what I know now I'd suggest this:

1.) Water pump replacement, coolant flange, thermostat replacement, coolant flush (Saves on labor getting all done at the same time. If you get this done at Studie I'm sure they can source an aluminum coolant flange (also may be referred to as a "Mickey Mouse flange")).

2.) Battery replacement and code (can do this yourself as f87source suggested)

3.) Coolant Expansion tank return hose (actually failed on mine), cheap part and is super easy to replace. Example here:

4.) Pads & Rotors on all 4 and brake fluid flush

5.) Serpentine Belt, Idler, Tensioner

6.) Spark plugs & Coils (easy enough to do yourself, OEM bosch plugs and either Delphi, Eldor, or Dinan whatever is cheapest)

7.) DCT Oil, Pan, 2 filters

8.) Diff Oil

9.) Chargepipe

This is what I'd probably do more or less in this order. With the codes and no history of the water pump replacement I'd prioritize #1. These cars have electric water pumps and don't really have any symptoms prior to failure. The rest of what you've listed, unless you see symptoms of failure (like a leaking OFHG for example) I personally would not address.

If you're not mechanically inclined or have the space to work on your car I'd recommend you find an independent BMW focused shop. Congratulations on the car these are very stout and once you've set a nice baseline of recent maintenance items you should be good to go.

I couldn't agree with you more and that is basically an exact order on which I will be tackling it. I appreciate the notice on the expansion tank hose - I've added that to the list.

I think a golden rule with a BMW is, "If it ain't leaking, don't touch it.. unless it's plastic."

[F87source]

Originally Posted by 7tune

F87source - You, sir, are an absolute unit. Thanks so much for getting back to me on all these points - you have way too much time on your hands to be dealing with (and going into amazing detail) on my laundry list of problems, mate!

I've taken a note on everything mentioned and have visited the links you sent as well. I'll study them all and let you know in time. Your posts have really helped so many people and now I am among them, so thank you again.

The most interesting ones to me are about the OBDII related information. It's fascinating to me that onboard diagnostics are now readily available to the common wrencher thanks to some incredibly gifted and talented software developers. It's a real eye-opener for an old school pair of hands like these. You'd think all this would be proprietary but this isn't Apple obviously! Although, I did notice they forced a cease and desist on the TIS which is kinda crappy.

Right now, I'm just stockpiling parts and writing down product numbers and bookmarking locations on where to get them. I think FCP Euro is going to get a lot of business from me in the coming months.

Thanks again for your awesome response.

No problem!

I don't have that much time, I am actually a really really busy guy with work. But I try my best to help people, because I truly believe help should be readily accessible and free.

Yup, BMW is special that way, because the on board computers are so fricken powerful you can get all sorts of diagnostics data and do all sorts of coding - unlike the JDM cars (Subaru) that I am used to. It is technically propritary, but the amount of incredibly smart people finding work arounds is what makes all of this possible. But eventually I suspect in the life time of the G series cars - alot of things won't be possible anymore, because BMW is moving to cloud based authentication and encryption.


Use this to find part numbers: https://www.realoem.com/ It is the based on almost the last offline BMW ETK released (2019), and since the F series is out dated now, these part numbers are still largely relevant. FCP euro and ECS tuning/Turner motorsports are great places to buy parts - ECS tuning/Turner motorsports have also introduced a life time warranty program as of late as well.


Let me know if you ever need any more help.

[7tune]

Originally Posted by F87source

No problem!

I don't have that much time, I am actually a really really busy guy with work. But I try my best to help people, because I truly believe help should be readily accessible and free.

Yup, BMW is special that way, because the on board computers are so fricken powerful you can get all sorts of diagnostics data and do all sorts of coding - unlike the JDM cars (Subaru) that I am used to. It is technically propritary, but the amount of incredibly smart people finding work arounds is what makes all of this possible. But eventually I suspect in the life time of the G series cars - alot of things won't be possible anymore, because BMW is moving to cloud based authentication and encryption.


Use this to find part numbers: https://www.realoem.com/ It is the based on almost the last offline BMW ETK released (2019), and since the F series is out dated now, these part numbers are still largely relevant. FCP euro and ECS tuning/Turner motorsports are great places to buy parts - ECS tuning/Turner motorsports have also introduced a life time warranty program as of late as well.


Let me know if you ever need any more help.

Absolute champion. I was however being facetious about your time as I definitely know the value and thanks again.

I didn't know but suspected BMW would make that move on software to make it harder to DIY and it really speaks to the way manufacturers are hell-bent on making sure people go to dealers and get ripped off, in a sense.

Ironically, we are the most passionate of all the people they have as life long customers/owners but the most undesirable as well. What a paradox.

I already had realoem.com bookmarked for life haha.

I'm also an "oldschool" Subie guy as well. Have owned three F-STI wagons and what a bloody cracking machine they are. So simple and damn effective.

I have one thing to ask. Please for the love of God and all that is holy, tell me your top 3 oil brands - specific to our cars - and related viscosities because i swear I will go nuts if you don't spell it out to me once and for all haha! The oil arguments have been some of the most frustrating things I've ever read!

[7tune]

Originally Posted by mecheng77

Japan they dump
Cars early to support the auto industry. For the price you paid it was cheap but now it needs some love. Put a battery and water pump and thermostat

I think perhaps there's some truth to that but the stigma of 100k is huge here, no question. Prices drop off cliffs when a car hits that number and the general public literally does fear anything "sport" and "high mileage"... especially European.

What's more, bi-annual inspections are mandatory for roadworthiness certification, so there is that added layer of complexity to car ownership in Japan. The system is geared and run so as to make it prohibitively expensive to own and maintain a European sports car and actual labels are attached to owners who take this route.

There is a box and a label for everyone and everything in Japan, sadly...

[F87source]

Originally Posted by 7tune

Absolute champion. I was however being facetious about your time as I definitely know the value and thanks again.

I didn't know but suspected BMW would make that move on software to make it harder to DIY and it really speaks to the way manufacturers are hell-bent on making sure people go to dealers and get ripped off, in a sense.

Ironically, we are the most passionate of all the people they have as life long customers/owners but the most undesirable as well. What a paradox.

I already had realoem.com bookmarked for life haha.

I'm also an "oldschool" Subie guy as well. Have owned three F-STI wagons and what a bloody cracking machine they are. So simple and damn effective.

I have one thing to ask. Please for the love of God and all that is holy, tell me your top 3 oil brands - specific to our cars - and related viscosities because i swear I will go nuts if you don't spell it out to me once and for all haha! The oil arguments have been some of the most frustrating things I've ever read!

No problem I don't mind helping.


Yeah I hate how BMW is making it harder and harder for the enthusiast to really tinker with their cars. I believe there should be a policy that once the warranty is over (or if you sign a wavier forfeiting your warranty) BMW should unlock the car completely and give you full access to everything.


Subaru's are great, but I hate the EJ257 - that engine is absolutely garbage and is an endless money pit. People say BMW's are expensive, well that isn't even remotely true (atleast for the F series and newer cars) - EJ's are expensive. Other than that I want a Honda s2000 at some point, and I want a lexus RCF.


I'm no oil expert (thats edycol), but I know enough to make the right choice and for street/light track use I would only buy these 2 oils: Pennzoil platnium euro 5w40 (or shell helix ultra 5w40 because they are the same thing just relabeled) or motul xcess gen 2 5W40 (has to be gen 2 because gen1 was not too good imo). Other than that castrol edge 0w40 or 0w30 isn't too bad. I like the 40 weight oils because they have a really high HTHS rating - meaning high shear strength.

[7tune]

Perfect! My oil choices are locked in. The Shell Helix Ultra 5W-40 is very easy to get here at about $100 for 8 liters. Alternatively, the Pennzoil is available in a 20 liter drum for $140. That makes more sense!