Your most hated BMW engineering

[nando]

it's an easy shortcoming to fix anyway. a good thread in stud kit isn't that expensive.

what I hate more are factory BMW wheel locks. I've been meaning to order a set of regular bolts for our E91 and E90. Like who's going to steal 10 year old, stock 16" wheels with curb rash and caked on brake dust? They're such a pain in the ass - they always get stuck on the lug nut and getting them out is a pain since they're recessed into the wheel.

[nrubenstein]

The only thing that really bugs me about the E30 itself is why they didn't use anti-seize when installing the aluminum subframe bushing dowel in the steel mounting boss. Whoever was responsible for this design choice must have been sleeping in class when galvanic corrosion came up. Sure, the steel mounting boss is cathodic relative to the aluminum dowel, so the steel doesn't corrode, but the assembly corrodes itself together and when the soft, corroded aluminum breaks off in the chassis you're in for some real fun.



Good lord, seeing some of the things that Audi does makes me think they put drugs in the coffee in the engineering department.

I think that you probably have the only valid complaint in this entire thread.

[Staszek]

I've probably had an E30 too long because none of it really bothers me. I never found the "bitch clip" or "tube of death" to be especially difficult. The rear wheel bearings are realistically one of the most difficult jobs but that's just due to age more than the design.

You want stupid? on the E90 you have to remove the front wheel to replace a headlight. WTF is this, a 1980s Chrysler?

Thats what killed me of all the cars I worked on the E90 is a pain. The e30 is really easy.

I do hate that on my E38 you have to take the entire dashboard apart just to change the blower motor.

[Julien]

Not sure if this has been mentioned: The 4hp22 although it's not *BMW* engineering, a BMW engineer chose it for the e30

[nando]

what's wrong with it? other than being a slushbox - I beat on mine like a redheaded stepchild and never had a problem with it.

[FireFight]

1)starter bolts in non threaded starters
2)e30 oil pans, the only one they got right is the m10 pan.
3)Putting a e30 diff back and getting the bolt holes aligned
4)CSBs, I fucking hate doing CSBs
5)SI boards having leaking battery's
6) early shift mount plates, the bushing that the bolt is tight as shit, long for no reason, and can only do quarter turn(that's if you got it straight and it starts to thread)
7)e36/e34 interiors, so much plastic that breaks and so much failing glue
8 )almost any bmw intake manifold, always a pain in the ass to get off
9)e21 steering rack bushings
10) e30 wiper motor is in a really lame spot, i can never change it out with out cutting the back of my hand. as well as the linkage how it has to pop on, but getting leverage is a waffleswaffleswaffleswaffles
11)pulling e30 strut assemblies
12)putting a e34 pedal cluster in took me a couple hours and alot of cussing
13)touring hatch harness at a hinge point so they snap
14)e34 panoramic sunroof

[ncsubowen]

The Volvo S40 cabin air filter might be the dumbest thing I've had to do.

Literally requires you to smash your replacement filter up because the housing is behind the gas pedal and there's not enough clearance to push it straight in. Add the fact that it's about a 60* angle to get around some stupid module and it's the most frustrated I can remember being.

[Julien]

what's wrong with it? other than being a slushbox - I beat on mine like a redheaded stepchild and never had a problem with it.

How hopelessly anemic it is

[Porthos]

Did you have proper hangers? You kids keep dropping exhausts on the road, you're lucky not to kill someone.

Someone with an ls swapped car posted about the same think on R3V FB the other day. Sad. V8 swap e30, can't even properly hang a fucking exhaust. Raises all sorts of questions about the rest of the vehicle.

Nothing special in the motor department. The hanger just broke from old age. The car is almost 100% original and it is 25 years old. It just gave up and quit doing 60 on the freeway. I am lucky I didn't kill myself.

[Porthos]

1)starter bolts in non threaded starters
2)e30 oil pans, the only one they got right is the m10 pan.
3)Putting a e30 diff back and getting the bolt holes aligned
4)CSBs, I fucking hate doing CSBs
5)SI boards having leaking battery's
6) early shift mount plates, the bushing that the bolt is tight as shit, long for no reason, and can only do quarter turn(that's if you got it straight and it starts to thread)
7)e36/e34 interiors, so much plastic that breaks and so much failing glue
8 )almost any bmw intake manifold, always a pain in the ass to get off
9)e21 steering rack bushings
10) e30 wiper motor is in a really lame spot, i can never change it out with out cutting the back of my hand. as well as the linkage how it has to pop on, but getting leverage is a waffleswaffleswaffleswaffles
11)pulling e30 strut assemblies
12)putting a e34 pedal cluster in took me a couple hours and alot of cussing
13)touring hatch harness at a hinge point so they snap
14)e34 panoramic sunroof

I feel your pain with anything related to the E34 and the one thing you forgot on the Touring is the glass gas strut that holds it open is almost impossible to replace.

[nando]

How hopelessly anemic it is

I don't think its worse than any of its contemporaries. In fact I'd say it was a good deal better.

[ohthejosh]

The inner shell of the front doors on 4dr e30s. Its ridiculously hard to get the c clip in on a 4dr tumblr.

[nando]

The inner shell of the front doors on 4dr e30s. Its ridiculously hard to get the c clip in on a 4dr tumblr.

oh man. have you done yours? I bought a new lock like 5 years ago and never put it in. Last time I tried, I put my ape-hands in there and basically was like.. nope. never gonna happen! how did you do it?

[ohthejosh]

oh man. have you done yours? I bought a new lock like 5 years ago and never put it in. Last time I tried, I put my ape-hands in there and basically was like.. nope. never gonna happen! how did you do it?

Yea 3 times. Even with small hands, the openings are just awkward and doesnt allow very much room for error. That damn clip will fall down the tumbler will pop out and become misaligned. Back to square 1. Stupid doors.

I used a really long flat head and pressed it to the outer skin and just finaggled it into that groove and hoped it gets on there correctly all the while holding the tumbler from the outside. Helps if you put a magnetic LED light on the inside of the door.

Also a magnetic flathead would be ideal for stability.

[FireFight]

I feel your pain with anything related to the E34 and the one thing you forgot on the Touring is the glass gas strut that holds it open is almost impossible to replace.

Cool, mine is on its way out as well!