Been tooling around with the cars lately.

Got a new launcher installed (iDrive Launcher) on my Android HU. Big thanks to the member who suggested it. I can't find the thread or post that he did so, nor can I remember his SN, but thanks all the same. Getting old sucks. I still have a lot of setting up to do, but the potential looks great and it helps to further bring modernity to the E53.

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Installed a temporary sub in a box that was loaned to me. Sounds amazing and really rounds out the low end. This is by far the best sounding audio system I've ever had in one of my vehicles. The wife was not happy after auditioning it because her B&O system in the F15 just can't compete. :D

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Washed the E36 I finally bought back from a buddy. He overheated it and cooked the m52 a long time ago (6+ years). It's been in the driveway waiting to be fixed but I just haven't had the time so offered him $2k for it and he took it. At least it's my paperweight now and not free storage for my friend. ;)

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I told my wife the dialog from today with back story of lesson of not trying things with foxwell out of curiosity.

Her reply needed to be shared: "tell him he's lucky his wife isn't Asian"

Bwahhaahhaa.

When I said she is;

"Well then his life is over"


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[mention]crystalworks [/mention] always liked that chassis and white is a great pairing.

:rofl::rofl::rofl:

For a long time the E36 was the red-headed step child of 3 series cars. Now they are slowly getting their mojo back. When I used to drive this thing 7 years ago it was so good, but bought it as a flip (needed a cylinder head) so got rid of it. I can't wait to start driving it again. Haha, when I sold it to my buddy, I told him, "whatever you do... don't overheat this thing. You can abuse it any other way and you'll be fine. But overheat it... and you'll kill it." Was a year and a half before I got the call that he had indeed, killed it. I told him I hoped it just needed another head...

Here's what the poor cylinders/pistons looked like after I pulled the head. No bueno.

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A little more like overcooked vs. overheated.

Usually true but, after 9 combat tours and an old fashioned Asian mother in-law that who for some reason is surprised that I CAN'T walk on water I have been able to stay out of her reach. [emoji28]

Besides, it's easier to run while she's climbing up on the counter to get the knives.....[emoji1787][emoji1787]

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The iDrive launcher IS a pretty cool addition to an Android HU. :thumbup:

The member that pointed it out was Titan4.8iS (an Aussie with a White 3.0D), from this thread...

https://xoutpost.com/bmw-sav-forums/...orts-pack.html

Thank you Wayne! And Titan4.8iS of course. I google searched every combination of crystalworks, launcher, android, etc I could think of with the site:xoutpost.com tag and it never returned that thread. :dunno:

I simply remembered that it was a recent thread from a fellow antipodean... ! ;)

For the last couple of years I also have had the iDrive launcher installed on my smartphone (Samsung Galaxy S7) for S&Gs - works well although I don't actually use it as the main launcher (it's a bit fiddly on a 4" screen!).

Installed new front rearward control arms. Wow, the ride height is higher. Steering shake under heavy braking is gone. Full weight was on before tightening. However, I did once side then the other. The steering is off by a fraction. I'm not sure if I caused by tightening one side at a time. Tomorrow, I'll loosen both sides under full weight, then tighten them down again. One at time might have caused the shift. Remaining items: outer tie rods, struts, shafts, and anti sway bar links. Only the struts remain to be ordered.

Out of curiosity, I filled up for the trip out of town. 40 miles one way. It was the only the second out of town trip for it. I've owned it over a year now. MPG maxed out 23.7 and it was still climbing. The range was over 523 miles. I had not seen it above 500 miles until after installing new plugs and coils.

After completing front and rear suspension fixes, full four axle shaft swap, front shaft spacer install, oil pan gasket replacement, and coolant hose replacement it will be long road trip worthy. Goal, make a1000 mile trip as soon as it's ready!