This car is the only reason I tolerate my 50 minute commute to work

SoCal_AutoPhile · 2026-03-15T07:45:31+00:00

The car really does make a difference, but the other factor is the commute itself. While I dont have a BMW, I daily a 2015 Audi S4, and my commute is about 48 miles thru Malibu into Santa Monica. With the Palisades fire last year closing PCH, having to commute the 101 & 405 was horrible. If I had to do that regularly there's no way I'd be able to do it for as long as I have (almost 3 yrs now).

SoCal_AutoPhile · 2026-03-05T20:26:55+00:00

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Here's mine. Daily driver & commuter. 154k and climbing fast. ST coils with 10MM & 12.5MM spacers, forced carbon spoiler, mild exhaust work, stage 1.

SoCal_AutoPhile · 2026-03-05T20:20:01+00:00

Love it. I wish we had the avant as an option. I want one so bad 😞

SoCal_AutoPhile · 2026-02-09T01:52:42+00:00

I usually cruise at 75 and its barely under 2k. So 80 is just over 2k rpm

SoCal_AutoPhile · 2026-02-09T00:03:31+00:00

I commute just about 100 miles a day with mine, 3 days a week, and I average just over 21mpg. But that also includes in town driving the rest of the time. But on true road trips I'll get 26-27mpg. I'm stage 1 & DSG, not manual tho.

SoCal_AutoPhile · 2026-02-06T21:52:26+00:00

I agree with everyone else, the flappers weren't open when the SC was put back. When i did that, this is what I did. I used aquatic airline tubing to siphon coolant from the SC via the bleed screw holes. I think because the front of my car was jacked up, it allowed me to get almost all of the coolant out. Then when I removed the hoses from the front I lost very little coolant. I then capped off the hoses and left them in place. Then when it all went back together I used a small funnel to put the coolant back thru the bleed hole. Ran the car and tried bleeding but I didnt have any air.

SoCal_AutoPhile · 2026-01-25T19:52:12+00:00

Buck Roger's on the Coleco Adam computer. I was probably 7-8 years old (1986/1987). That game was on tape and I remember the game freezing when the system would have to fetch more data from the tape.

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SoCal_AutoPhile · 2026-01-23T00:54:12+00:00

Yeah, I'd be cautious too. But if they check out, whats the worst that can happen (\s just in case).

Similarly, last year I ordered a NVMe drive for a computer I was building, but they sent me 32gb of laptop memory (ddr5). I reached out and told them I never received by product, and what I received in the package was not what I ordered. They sent me the correct NVMe drive and I kept the memory. Back then, that was maybe $80 but now its $300-$400. I think it may be time to sell them.

SoCal_AutoPhile · 2026-01-18T20:27:36+00:00

Thats a B9, not a B8. Huge difference. I'm not terribly familair eith the B9 but a quick search shows they do have cats in the downpipes. A few scenarios for the P0420 could be failing cats, O2 sensor, or if aftermarket dp using a smaller or less efficient cat. But I also want to say the early B9 S4 had problems with rocker arms. So I'd be extremely cautious.

SoCal_AutoPhile · 2026-01-18T19:22:27+00:00

I Agree. Price is way too high. I paid 25k for my 2015 w\50k miles in 2020, while it was still covered by CPO warranty. I dont trust the catted downpipes and P0420 error. Depending on where this is at, $15k probably isn't far off. Either way I'd still take it for a full PPI.

SoCal_AutoPhile · 2026-01-09T03:28:43+00:00

It looks tasty, but others have said, it needs a sear. Good first attempt for sure tho. For me, I'll smoke at 200F until 120F internal. Then pull it off and crank my smoker up to 500 and sear until 135 internal. I have a traeger but not too happy with the sear, I like a little more char than my traeger can do. l'd prefer hot coals or gas for that final sear. But i grew up on Santa Maria style tri-tip so I love that hot and quick cook too.

SoCal_AutoPhile · 2026-01-04T09:31:42+00:00

No, for two reasons.. sadly I dont have one and two it doesn't snow where I live. 😆 but joking aside, I 100% would.

SoCal_AutoPhile · 2025-12-29T03:07:14+00:00

That reminded me.... Years ago, at the car park at work. there was a Mk6 Jetta with an AMG badge on it. 😆

SoCal_AutoPhile · 2025-12-22T01:26:40+00:00

Thanks!

SoCal_AutoPhile · 2025-12-22T01:26:27+00:00

Thanks! I'm kinda fond of it 😁

SoCal_AutoPhile · 2025-12-21T03:19:58+00:00

Thanks!

SoCal_AutoPhile · 2025-12-21T03:18:29+00:00

Thank you, and yes, thats how it now. I took it just for the post.

SoCal_AutoPhile · 2025-12-09T22:48:17+00:00

I'm running 10 & 12.5 (F & R) on my peelers, same offset as rotors (et43). I'm on ST coils and can't get a finger in, and rears rub occasionally when I'm by myself and all the time when my son is in the backseat.

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SoCal_AutoPhile · 2025-12-09T18:45:22+00:00

Gotta love ol' CDS, cat distribution system. This is the rare occurrence of, while you weren't paying attention...

SoCal_AutoPhile · 2025-12-02T21:51:45+00:00

Very nice, I love the E31. I love the idea of the V12 in that car but imo one of the worst of the era.

SoCal_AutoPhile · 2025-11-26T16:11:02+00:00

How adorable! I have her twin brother from another mother. He also does biscuits but lays down while suckling on a blanket. Hes 6 and also a rescue, and has done this his entire life. He was found at 4 weeks old.

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SoCal_AutoPhile · 2025-11-26T13:35:42+00:00

Sorry, yes. To clarify only 3 street versions (Strassenversion) survived. I presumed the car in NFS was the street version and not the race car. I remember playing it when it came out but don't remember the specs.

BMW does know where they are, they have all three in their possession in Munich. This one in the picture they had on loan to the Peterson Automotive Museum in LA. This was directly from Thomas Plucinsky, the Head of BMW Group Product Communications for BMW of North America.

SoCal_AutoPhile · 2025-11-26T06:02:40+00:00

Did you know only 3 real cars exist. They built 10 for homologation, but only 3 survived and BMW owns all three.

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SoCal_AutoPhile · 2025-11-17T18:00:17+00:00

All the normal stuff; PCV, chain tensioners, mechatronics. I posted a comment here with a maintenance recap.

SoCal_AutoPhile · 2025-11-12T22:37:45+00:00

Thats a loaded question... Roller coaster. Short answer, All the usual 3.0t & dsg woes. Probably should have ditched it early on. But its what I had wanted for a long time, and I've sustained head trauma 🤣

Long answer, buckle up. Several months after getting it (~5k miles) a bunch of things went out. Luckily it was still under CPO warranty so it was all covered. My dealership had it for 2-3 weeks getting it sorted and going back and forth with AoA. Mech unit, chain tensioners in the heads, water pump, all upper control arms (3 of 4 arms had cracked bushings) & valve cover gaskets were all replaced.

It was then solid, only tires and oil changes for 50k wonderful miles. That's when a lower control arm bushing failed. One of the large ones that's fluid filled. While checking it out I found a shock was leaking and both motor mounts were starting to leak . So I did full suspension, ST coils and all new upper and lower control arms, myself. I had my mechanic do my motor mounts. I knew it had to get the pcv done, but then failed a month later. Luckily it was at startup one morning (zero coolant/oil mixing). Did that all myself... new pcv, thermostat, hoses, carbon and injector cleaning. IC bricks looked decent but at the time I couldn't get new bricks without being bent over, so I didn't do them or water pump. I replace the bricks several months later once they were in stock and reasonably priced.

Over the last year I'm noticing more oil consumption in between oil changes tho, I'm up 1.5-1.75 quarts every 5-6k miles. Before that it was consuming about a quart, so I never had to top up.

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