Back to now;
Things I’m happy with:
• I recently picked up a new 16:9 Boardmonitor head unit from a dusty pile of electronic parts wrapped in cling-film. Wiped it down and installed it and it turned out to be pixel-perfect! I never had a screen without any blown pixels before! [:tears of joy:] – also the volume and selector pots and button illumination works perfectly. Worth every Dirham.
• The CD changer works perfectly. Not much to crow about but I managed to kill one Alpine changer on the way home from the workshop, possibly due to voltage spikes that had killed the previous identical one. That one jammed and refused to respond to the eject button, so obviously I took it apart and completely bricked the mechanism. A week later I changed it for the slightly different/ older CD changer style with BMW written on it. So far so good.
• Frankly all the stereo components work like new, which considering the disaster I had with trying to force an Eonon HU to work (which turned out not to be compatible with the DSP amp), is quite a result.
• I changed the air system for coils when I reached the end of my tether – a single new BMW front air strut went from $460 to $650, and there is no warranty on that part, so that was it. Coils have been good to me so far, but the front is mounted a little high for my liking, so see also “things I’m not happy with”
• I managed to code out the Air Suspension error; my first foray into coding. DSC module next!
• Putting a light-coloured sunroof liner makes the cabin feel much lighter than the dark grey one; it’s lasted for years, unlike the foam-backed original fabric.
• I love my phat Michelin Lattitude Sports which never leak air anymore.
• The rear window washer finally cleared itself out, so I have a good spray and not an ugly trickle down the back window
Generally I’m in a good place with the car right now – all systems are go including remote key, starting, fuel supply, no battery drain, no power steering or oil leaks, trans is good besides the decelleration ‘thump’, suspension links and CV boots good, all locks and windows are peachy 😊 – the bodywork has quite a few ‘micro-dents’ and pits in the paint from those d***s at the mall who smack their doors into your bodywork. One day I’ll get the whole car done at the same time.
Here's the new radio screen - the old one got burnt in the AD sunshine (Police impound) until it was like peering into a bowl of minestrone...