1986 eta Coupe with Grey/Black Houndstooth in WA

**nouseforaname** · 05-12-2011, 10:15 AM

bumpity bump

**ck_taft325is** · 05-12-2011, 11:13 AM

Any interest in just selling your interior? I have late model tan leather sport interior with heated seats if you're interested in a trade possibly?

Seen this car in person. Very clean looking early Alpine.

**nouseforaname** · 05-15-2011, 04:48 PM

ck_taft, thanks for the props and replied to the PM.

bump, bump.

offers?

**bmwm42** · 05-15-2011, 09:35 PM

I do want.....but as always outta my budget.
Glws love that interior

**nouseforaname** · 05-19-2011, 12:19 PM

and the car's been sold. i think it went to a good home.

**nobletroubador** · 06-29-2011, 11:17 AM

e30 fan for life

nouseforaname...it's me Andrew. Bumps all around bro, still lovin the shit out of this car. E30 fan for life now. Just brought it down to the picnic this past weekend. What a great time, thank you for tipping me off to it. Car is still awesome, more so every day. I really can see the love you put into it.

I was running into the intermittent analog clock issue. Was at a loss until the oil change light came on the dash. I used the diagnostic pin shorting hack to shut it off, and the clock has been running like a champ since. Not really sure why, but I will take it! Only other issue is the red brake LED on the computer readout by the sunroof crank, it causes the check light to flash on the dash, which I have to push the check button every time I start the car to shut it off, but the brake lights work so its a minor annoyance, but otherwise no complaints. The coolant one comes on randomly too, but I assume the sensors are just bad.

All in all, just appreciating the love you put into this little guy. bump bump bump.

Attached Files

**nouseforaname** · 06-29-2011, 11:44 AM

goddam. i'm glad you figured out the clock issue. that one bugged me. there's another thread where i was trying to figure it out. i ended up buying a couple more just thinking it was the clock.

the check brake light might be coming from the connection on whatever that box is that's behind the carpet in the trunk. stereoinstaller or someone else commented on it in another thread, and that's about the only thing i didn't try in looking into it. its annoying but looking around the forum, it seems all too common. and i guess it wasn't annoying enough for me to get off my lazy ass and deal with.

keep an eye on the coolant level. i flushed it when i first got the car, and it did lose a little bit every once and a while. probably twice in 2 years, i added another quart or so.

glad you're digging it and it went to a good home as i suspected. funny that's it went to the picnic again this year with someone else at the wheel! wish i coulda been there.

**nobletroubador** · 11-09-2011, 08:20 PM

Hey Nick, I have a question. I took the car to Seattle German Auto Center in my neighborhood to have the oil changed when I first got the car. I had taken my benz there to get the brakes done previously, they did a good job (at least I think).

Anyway when I had the oil done, I had them do an inspection. They said the front ball joints were worn and recommended replacing the control arms. I agreed. Long story short, it wasn't the best experience. Shortly after the work was done, I noticed a clunking from the front end. I took the car to les Schwab to have it inspected. They said the front right strut was blown, and visually showed it to me. It was a plain black looking strut. I thought the bilsteins were yellow all around, I noticed at least the rear ones were. Are the front ones supposed to be black? Or did they steal the ones on the car and replace them with worn out old ones? Which set of bilsteins are these supposed to be?

Please help me out here, I feel like that shop burned me and even worse if they stole from me. Thanks man. ~Andrew

**nouseforaname** · 11-10-2011, 07:42 AM

hey andrew,

really sorry to hear you and the car are having a tough time.

the bilsteins are definitely yellow. i remember taking a pic of the box when i got all the gear, cause i was super excited, but i can't seem to find that pic. so here's a link to a pic what was installed...

http://www.bavauto.com/lview.asp?imgfile=assets/imglib500/sk_e-346016_bil.jpg

it's bav auto's suspension kit that included bilstein sports and their red springs. part number "SK E306 016 BIL". the email confirmation I have from them says i purchased the kit on august 4th, 2010.

if i remember right, the fronts pictured with the blue accordion squishy thing. the drop into the strut housing, which is black and holds the brake caliper and rotor and stuff at the bottom. along with the blue thing, you may not be able to see any yellow of the strut when it's installed.

if they showed you a black thing, off the car, that was blown shock/strut of some kind, yeah, they robbed you. that wasn't on the car when I put it all back together. but if they were pointing to a black thing on the car, they may have been pointing to the strut housing lower I described.

whatever the case, i'd be really surprised if it blew a bilstein in a little over a year. i spose it's possible, but it doesn't seem likely.

again, really sorry, man. good luck,

**nobletroubador** · 11-12-2011, 10:16 AM

Ok, that makes sense. They showed it to me on the car, so it was sitting in a housing. :/ I feel dumb.

He mentioned the other one was worn and probably going to fail, but maybe he just wanted to sell another one. It definitely didn't have as much play as the bad one. I guess I will have to take off the strut to see what the issue is, and if that shop did something fishy. Regardless I wonder how Bilstein honors the lifetime warranty...

Thanks for the response dude, I still love the car, and have so many plans for it!

~Andrew

**nouseforaname** · 11-14-2011, 09:43 AM

reach out to bilstein or bavauto and see how the warranty process would go. if you need my help cause it has to be the original purchaser or something, i'd be glad to help.

1986 eta Coupe with Grey/Black Houndstooth in WA

1986 eta Coupe with Grey/Black Houndstooth in WA

Comment

Comment

Comment

Comment

Comment

Comment

Comment

Comment

Comment

Comment

Comment