04-24-2017, 06:37 PM | #171 |
Mugwump
Join Date: Oct 2003
Carmudgeonly Ride: E46 330i, Chevy Colorado, Tesla Model 3
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I autocrossed mine in a bumpy parking lot (Nassau) for 3 years. How is mine fine?
Is it more torque related? |
04-24-2017, 06:43 PM | #172 | |
Doctor Mudgeon
Join Date: Oct 2003
Posts: 6,433
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Quote:
While cracks clearly can develop in cars with the welded plates, I'm not sold on the preventive value of further reinforcement. But who knows...the cars are only getting older, and the reinforcement bar approach is so new. |
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04-24-2017, 06:45 PM | #173 |
Doctor Mudgeon
Join Date: Oct 2003
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If you really want to geek out (and/or debate the claims), here's a thread by the inventor of one such solution that goes into considerable depth on the issues.
http://www.m3forum.net/m3forum/showthread.php?t=555302 |
04-24-2017, 07:09 PM | #174 |
•••••••
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Carmudgeonly Ride: '11 1M
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I basically decided it was time to get rid of my E46 when I noticed the front strut towers had deformed pretty badly. My own fault though. PSS9s set stiffly, in combination with driving on a then horribly potholed 495 (feed to/from the Lincoln Tunnel) daily, with no regard for damage. I thought the car was tough enough to take it. It wasn't.
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04-24-2017, 07:12 PM | #175 | |
Mugwump
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Quote:
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04-24-2017, 07:14 PM | #176 |
Mugwump
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Carmudgeonly Ride: E46 330i, Chevy Colorado, Tesla Model 3
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04-24-2017, 07:37 PM | #177 |
Doctor Mudgeon
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Meh. It's just a big piece of structural sheet metal that would cost $5000++ in parts and labor to replace. No big deal.
As far as weak spots go, this one is kind of a big deal but it's not the end of the world. If I wanted a car that didn't keep me up at night worried about shit like this, I would've bought an LS_ something. |
04-24-2017, 10:08 PM | #178 |
195
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Wow, that subframe thread is really eye opening (and alarming).
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04-24-2017, 10:25 PM | #179 |
Mugwump
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04-24-2017, 11:12 PM | #180 |
Doctor Mudgeon
Join Date: Oct 2003
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Yeah, it's pretty scary. I'm fairly comfortable in saying that E46 M3s should have reinforcement plates welded in place as preventive maintenance. As for further measures, I'm curious to see what develops. I'm on the fence as to whether I bite the bullet and have a brace welded in proactively; as I mentioned earlier, I think rod bearings and VANOS come first.
The worst part is that BMW knew about this problem, at least to some extent, and came out with that epoxy/foam solution during the model run. I've read about a couple of owners who actually got BMWNA to defray the costs of replacing the entire carrier panel. But it looks like the cracks occur due to a fundamental design flaw, and not just an issue of manufacturing tolerances or abuse. It kind of reminds me of the whole kerfluffle over the Z8's shock towers, or whatever it was. |
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