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To my original point... http://www.autoblog.com/2015/0...

Luddites you say? "less is more" is actually quite rational and is a sister to KISS Sure technology changes, cars get updated but nobody is advocating going back to points, manual chokes et al. If it doesn't need to be there, why put it in? Why does a car need "dozens of computers?" Maybe it's to be able to massage your ass? That's a human machine interface problem, not my field.

Oh bullshit. You can replace headlights on any car; that's completely stupid. They might not make it completely easy with HIDs, you might have to disassemble some plastic paneling or something, but it's not like you *have* to have dealer equipment to do it. HIDs all use standard D2S and D4S bulbs.

Really? Change the bulb maybe but not the housing. Not if you're a BMW owner at least.

And why the hell would you need "service" at a licensed dealer for your stereo?

In the name of anti-theft if you're keeping things OE. I've blown out amps, speakers and head units. In the case of three cars I've owned the only place I could get them fixed was at a dealer without replacing the entire system. Are there ways around it? Sure but you can't just plug in an OE radio unless it's programmed with the car. If you're going aftermarket you can chuck the OE unit in the garbage or EBay it which is precisely what the manufacturers don't want you doing. They'd rather you pay full price for a new one.

If you have regular problems with your stereo needing servicing, you're doing something wrong.

What if I want to upgrade and resell my old unit? The buyer of my OE equipment has to make provisions with a dealer or a tech who knows how to get around
the anti-theft protection.

TPMS? Why would that need service, unless you're changing a tire (and personally I've never met any backyard mechanic who changed their own tires)? All the carmakers use standard TPMS sensors anyway, and all the tire shops will sell you new ones if you need them (like for a second set of wheels, for people who switch between winter and summer wheels/tires). And that's just for cars which actually use TPMS sensors; a lot of cars just reuse the ABS wheelspeed sensors to detect differences in tire pressure. To reset the system when you inflate the tires, you just press and hold the TPMS button.

Honestly, I'm really sick of all the new-car paranoia from luddite morons who want to go back to the days of carburetors and distributor points and manual chokes.

Really? I think you're oversimplifying a bit. Maybe consumer reports is more your style?

For this model, the reprogramming process uses a handheld device that records each sensor's output and then feeds those into the car's computer. The sequence usually takes about five minutes or so. But at this dealership, the technicians fiddled around for more than two hours and finally threw in the towel. They said the problem was that the aftermarket sensors were no good. Their official programming tool didn't recognize the signals the sensors were transmitting.

What was needed, they said, was original-equipment Toyota TPM sensors. They'd be happy to remove all four "faulty" sensors, install new ones, and program them to the car. All this for a mere $640.

They obviously see a problem with TPMS sensors and compatibility. I've had personal experience with this one during a 36,000 mile service the dealer wanted to charge me $800 for new TPMS sensors. The solution for me was to tell the dealer to stick it up their ass. Why were t

Most of that is scare tactics. Most cars are basically the same with varying build quality and materials. There is nothing mechanically special with a Saab when compared to any other gasoline powered FWD vechicle. Granted there may be some differences like with BMW and their current double VANOS system but even that isn't all that special just a neat way of doing variable valve timing and valve lift. Of course an unbalanced half shaft is going to cause problems and there are shops that can check and fix that that aren't Saab. Also all brake systems are high pressure and are really easy to work on. Since most vehicles don't use drum brakes anymore it is so much easier to do. The hardest set of disk brakes I have ever done were the ones on my old Bronco II and that was only because there were 2 pins that you have to pound out that held the caliper in place. The most difficult repair I ever did to a vehicle was replacing the valley pan on my previous car and I decided that since I was in there any way I would also to valve cover gaskets, and the CCV as well. It took about 8 hours but I didn't have any problems. After that the next worst repair was replacing the blower motor in that E39 BMW and that was mostly because physically getting the dash in and out of the car was a real bitch.

Most of the BMWs from the 90's onward are fairly hackable. You can find copies of the dealer software and production line tools on the web, and tools like NavCoder and similar allow you to control tons of the "convenience" features. Most of the modules have had their options decoded by interested individuals wanting to customize their vehicles.

Some info here.

You might as well have written "I dont know anything about cars". It would have been quicker and faster.

A set of racing spec brake pads and rotors (Project Mu) for my 14 yr old Nissan S15 cost A$1000, that's racing spec (800 degrees C) for sustained track use. A set of povo spec rotors and pads from Supercheap Auto will cost in the vicinity of $300 and this is Australia, one of the most expensive countries in the world.

Also you dont have to replace the rotors with the pads (whoever fed you that line was probably making a mint from you). A set of rotors should last several sets of pads unless you're doing a lot of track days on stock rotors and heating them up until they crack.

http://www.cargurus.com/Cars/D...
http://www.bimmerfest.com/foru...

In short: BMW uses thin rotors and the manufacturer recommends strongly against grinding them. It is therefore normal, assuming there was not a defect in the pad, that the rotor would be below spec or warped (and not grindable) when the pad wears out. It's not universal, but pretty normal.

The cheapest I've seen anyone claiming to sell the rotor is about $70ea (not sure that was the 330). The norm seems to be $120ea (looking at 2001 model 330 as that's what I used to own). So there's $480 and I've not gotten the pads yet, nor have I paid a mechanic to install them.

I suppose I have a choice. I can believe the manufacturer, dealer, and mechanic I usually used on my old BMW, as well as the bulk of what's said by owners on the forums... or I can believe you.

Due to regenerative breaking: this is one of many maintenance costs that will be significantly lower on a Tesla S than its competitors; offsetting a potential battery replacement later.

Be enlightened:
http://www.bimmerfest.com/forums/archive/index.php/t-93096.html

First, many (most?) newer airbags deploy by forcibly splitting the airbag cover on the steering wheel. The cover stays in place. example.

Second, the cover of the airbag is flexible. A steering-wheel-mounted LCD+touchscreen is not, and doesn't meet current safety requirements. Plus, having your hands fiddling around with a steering-wheel-mounted touch screen when the airbag explodes means you get to punch yourself in the face.

I guess that's one way to literally pound the message into people's heads that they shouldn't be texting when they're driving.

Aside from the ethanol bit, BMW already uses direct injection and turbocharging to get 300hp, 300ft-lb and 30 MPG (highway) out of a 3 liter I6. N54 engine from the 2007 335: http://www.bimmerfest.com/forums/showthread.php?t= 144546

You're just mad because you spent forty thousand on a car that doesn't even have cupholders