Grinders E39 ///M5

[Grinder34]

So i'm terrible at electronics, but hoping @HolyCrapItsFast (the tinkerer of tinkerers) might be able to help me out.

For this technology update, the standard way results in you losing all the buttons on the dash, like memory and volume. You're stuck with steering wheel controls only, well and the iDrive knob. I'd love to at LEAST be able to have a volume knob in the monitor bezel somewhere.

What are the chances of being able to take the volume functionality from this somehow:





In my head I'm thinking of hooking the leads up to an oscilliscope or something like simulink, and seeing what happens if you turn the volume knob. But from my miniscule knowledge, there's probably more than just a simple voltage at the output since there are only 4 wires. And then there's the fact that i only have a cheap multimeter. Any advice/guidance on how to go about this, or if it's a fools errand would be much appreciated.

 

[HolyCrapItsFast]

That's beyond my knowledge. it is likely a data line and with out knowing what those chips are I likely will not be able to be of much help. Are they labeled?

 

[Grinder34]

No real markings. Oh well.

 

[Grinder34]

I just signed up for the first autocross of the season and couldnt be more excited.

This will be the first time I've done "performance" driving since...2013?
This will be the first time I've ever really pushed this car.
This will be the first time driving a high-power RWD car at the limits.

I'm thinking I'll learn a lot about driving! The STI was toooooons of fun, but the AWD really helped you muscle through corners. I'm thinking I'll need a bit more finesse and throttle moderation. But if you never spin, you're not learning the limits!

 

[Alin]

Can't wait to hear about your experience!


Sent from my iPad using Tapatalk

 

[Grinder34]

Well, it was actually pretty tame! I'll probably ramble a bit, but here it goes...

It was a pretty miserable day weather-wise. I thought that the mist was supposed to burn off quickly, so I didnt bother wearing a coat, or bringing anything warm. And I'd emptied the car of pretty much everything but my helmet and some extra fluids. So when I got there, I was pretty miserable. I was working the track for the first session, and they were having some issues with the timing lights, so the first car didnt get out for probably 30 minutes after we started standing around. Then, my corner was pretty tame and nobody hit a cone for the first 30 minutes or so. All that means I was really, really cold.

Anyways, on to the track! It started with an uphill slalom, and I'm proud to say I spun it at the second cone! To be fair, many people spun there, as it was an off-camber turn, cold tires, and a little damp. But the run must go on! The rest of the first lap was pretty tame, just getting a handle on the course. My next few laps were a big improvement over the first one, but I never really felt like I was putting it together. The front seemed to wash away in slow (and gravelly) corners, and any enthusiasm with the gas pedal was met with equal enthusiasm from the rear. But the car did seem to tend towards understeer, even with the larger RSB. I was always a bit nervous to get on the gas in the places that I could, because the track limits were too close to the parking lot berms for my comfort. Once when I stomped on it in the final almost-straight, I felt the car start to rotate me towards the curbs and figured a half second really wasnt worth a totalled car. From then on, I really really slowly squeezed the throttle.

But there are really two parts to a good lap time. A good line, and good car control.

By the end of the day, I think i'd done each corner on the course well at least once, but never all together.
What I didn't really have was the car control. In stock form, it was nowhere near as precise as the STI, which I'm pretty sure anyone could have told you. I'm sure in the hands of Lewis Hamilton, it would've been a sight to behold, but especially in transitions, I couldn't tell how much was "too much." In retrospect, I probably should've TRIED to be a bit crazier, to see those limits. Especially in one middle decreasing-distance slalom, I think i could've carried about 15mph more through there, but it just felt so upset already. But if you're trying to learn the car, you probably learn more by over-driving it than under-driving, right?

Oh, i forgot to mention, the afternoon was wet from some lunch-time rain. It had somewhat dried out, but still greasy.

So my summary. The car has gobs of power, but doesn't instill the confidence I remember having in the STI, and the MINI before that. It grips reasonably well given it's weight and the surface, but could probably dial the RSB up one notch if i were trying for a more neutral balance. I clearly have more learning to do as a driver, but in stock form the car will never truly shine on a track...Except for when you get in and drive away at the end of the day in total comfort.

 

[Grinder34]

Apparently I've been bit by the bug again. Signed up for another auto-x in a week. Still just signing up for "novice" class since it comes with a free instructor!

 

[Grinder34]

So it begins...

 

[Alin]

More pictures of the actual car, please!

Sent from my G8142 using Tapatalk

 

[Grinder34]

More pictures of the actual car, please!

Geez fine! :lol:

 

[Grinder34]

I uploaded the small (non-watermarked) ones. But check out the helmet in this full-size:



That wont go big for some reason... so heres another link (imgur)

 

[Alin]

So, so sick! :ty: :tup:

Sent from my G8142 using Tapatalk

 

[Grinder34]

Why do people blur their license plates when they post pictures? Should I be doing that?!

 

[Alin]

Someone is going to run your plates and find out EVERYTHING about you. Then, they'll come and murder you.

Sent from my G8142 using Tapatalk

 

[IGOTASTi]

Someone is going to run your plates and find out EVERYTHING about you. Then, they'll come and murder you.

Sent from my G8142 using Tapatalk

Now that is the funniest thing we've heard in a while.

*Ask about becoming a Lifetime Platinum Member Today*

 

[Grinder34]

Sheesh, nearly THREE years since you've given us an update on the M5, slacker!

1) How many miles are on the car now?
2) How many of those miles have you driven?
3) Have there been any aspects of owning an M5 that you weren't aware of prior to ownership?
4) Have you endured any difficulties during ownership in any aspect?
5) What is your average fuel economy?
6) How do you normally drive the car? (example: 90% civilized, 10% spirited)
7) Any obscenely expensive maintenance?
8) Any repairs that were extremely inexpensive, much to your surprise?

To close out the interrogation, any other tidbits or fun facts that a non-owner wouldn't know about the car that you've discovered since you've taken ownership of an M5?

Ok, so as Alin pointed out, it's been a WHILE. (and i edited your post to make replying easier)

1) Dunno. 115k or so.
2) I got it with >102K on the clock. So not many
3) That you still get :tup: IRL from random people. Seriously.
4) Yes, related to maintenance i guess. Nothing like true hardship, but it's not like the subaru to keep up.
5) Dude, that's like asking how many people i've slept with.... But for THIS question...14. Max. Probably related to driving style and conditions (traffffffffic)
6) 95% civilized. 5% hooligan with DSC on (it's a miracle worker) and the one autox. Its a scary car. If i didnt need it to commute occasionally, a track day would be a great way to have some fun and blow about a billion dollars on wear items and repairs.
7) Have yet to take it to the shop, but probably spent about $3k (that's a SWAG right there) on just parts. Maybe that's low? I just spent $800 on a brake refresh that I did this week. Even things like simple cam position sensors are like 80 each...x4 cuz v8. Thermostat is next as it's stuck open (thankfully its summer, and texas was ALWAYS summer).
8) HAH! I like your sense of humor.

So off the script onto random stream-of-consciousness.

A) I have been having brake issues. The pedal is mushy (but gets firm if you pump it) and would literally initiate ABS at about 5 mph if i was braking over rough road on a downhill (one spot in particular). So it was probably just brake fluid with air and water, but I checked the rear pads/rotors and they were definitely low. So I just did a full 4-corner brake refresh. 3x rebuilt calipers, and 1x rebuild myself. Plus new pads and rotors. Nothing fancy, just daily driving stuff. With backing my car out of the driveway and pulling back in: it's 0% better. Tomorrow I'm going to go try to find another rough to test since they just repaved my usual spot. Other culprits could be booster, master/slave cylinder, and/or abs hydraulic/electronic unit, plus a few random vaccuum hoses related to the brake system. Or could just need to be rebled. I thought I got ATE blue but got the amber and was having a tough time telling if new fluid was coming out or old.

B) I need to post some pics of my iDrive install. It's not perfect but for a rushed DIY (baby was born and i was given exactly 1 afternoon to finish) I think it came out really good!

C) Did i post pics of the interior refinished with woodgrain vinyl? Also looks great (although need to be redone if you know where to look). Much easier than the iDrive. Wow, compared to "B" (above") it's so easy. I dont think I emphasized how much of a pain in the ass B was.

D) I refreshed the whole shifter mechanism. There was about 2" side-to-side slop in any gear to the point where my wife couldn't tell what gear she was in! So I went all out and upgraded everything that I could and replaced everything I couldnt upgrade! What a difference. And I learned a ton about how a shifter actually works. But this was in texas in our apt garage, so I was definitely NOT allowed to do anything. Gosh I feel like i could do a whole write-up of the saga. Suffice it to say NOTHING worked out the way tutorials indicated that they should. It took about 2 weeks of intermittent daily work when the DIYs said it should take about 3 hours. And it was SO HOT down there. But now it's got a Dinan SSK and is about as crisp as one could expect. All it cost was a few hundred bucks, a couple of dozen hours, a bandaid here and there, and a approximately four hundred curse words. A bargain at a tenth the price!

E) I'm sure there's more. But I cant think of what else i've done "recently" Oh! When doing B i ran the battery so low that it registered as "dead" on the Autozone ***battery-powered**** reader. I emphasize that, because how stupid is that?! My battery was discharged, so it couldnt power your reader, DUH!! So instead they just gave me a new battery under warranty.

F) Still sure I'm forgetting something.

 

[Alin]

Alright, so maybe I forgot that this thread existed. With a quick search, I ended up on your old STi's page. Interesting to note the comment I made in this thread on 3/13/18... I honestly have no idea why I said it. :rofl:

Regarding #3 , is it literally random people or car enthusiasts in general? Does the Bimmer community behave like the Subie community in similar regards to the "Subie wave?"

Regarding #5 , that is a pretty funny response. 14 MPG max, wow! Then again, the car isn't intended for fuel economy. I'm just curious because there are cars that make a lot of power and still get impressive MPG.

Regarding #8 , really?! So the German engineering stigma is entirely true pertaining to M5 ownership (let's say limited versions and performance oriented German cars)? BMW and Porsche are the only German cars I haven't owned out of the group, so I don't know much about them. However, I know of German engineering and the electronics associated with them...

Regarding #A , from my experience, I've always bled the system first. Then if that didn't fix the braking issue, it was time to check pads and rotors. If the problem still persistent, move on from there. (All of my cars have been easy to bleed.)

Quick question: Does the M5 have an user friendly OBD software system like VW/Audi has VAGCOM and Subaru has Cobb AP/Tactrix?

Regarding #B , what is iDrive?

Regarding #C , no, you have now. Please post a million pictures of the exterior, interior, and engine bay for all of our viewing pleasures!

Regarding #D , is Dinan to BMW as Cobb is to Subaru? Things never seem to go as they should... (as it seems I'm not the only one to experience bullshit, which is a relief to me actually! :rofl: @Batmobile_Engage knows the feels!)

Regarding #E , Autozone?! I don't know about you, but the only people who touch my car are me, a close friend, and my mechanic for harder jobs that I've known for a decade now. This is the reason I refuse to get the Subaru airbag recall done. I'd rather just uninstall the damn thing (not like I have passengers in my STi) and throw it away if I can't do the job... Don't you know anyone with technical skills that can help you in regards to your car? An aftermarket shop or even a dealership that laid back. Access to a lift, at times, can be life changing. (I'm used to working with hand tools and on the ground.)

Some other questions that come to mind:
-Does your M5 have that (what I consider stupid) chirp when door is ajar?
-Are there any quirks that you've learned to ignore or overcome during your ownership?
-Do you plan on keeping the car for the rest of your life?
-Is there something that drives you insane or that you hate about the car?
-What tires do you currently have mounted on?
-Do you still reminisce about your previous STi?
-Was there anything the STi had the is absent on the M5?

 

[Batmobile_Engage]

#5 and #8... :rofl:

D) F***ing aye man :doh:
[MENTION=652]Grinder34[/MENTION]
Have you had the M5 on a dyno? Or if not, what kind of numbers would you guess you are making and is it a heavy car?

Also, I can't recall for sure. Do you still have your STi or no...?

 

[Grinder34]

Alright, so maybe I forgot that this thread existed. With a quick search, I ended up on your old STi's page. Interesting to note the comment I made in this thread on 3/13/18... I honestly have no idea why I said it. :rofl:

Regarding [URL=https://www.igotasti.com/vBforum/usertag.php?do=list&action=hash&hash=3]#3 [/URL] , is it literally random people or car enthusiasts in general? Does the Bimmer community behave like the Subie community in similar regards to the "Subie wave?"

Regarding [URL=https://www.igotasti.com/vBforum/usertag.php?do=list&action=hash&hash=5]#5 [/URL] , that is a pretty funny response. 14 MPG max, wow! Then again, the car isn't intended for fuel economy. I'm just curious because there are cars that make a lot of power and still get impressive MPG.

Regarding [URL=https://www.igotasti.com/vBforum/usertag.php?do=list&action=hash&hash=8]#8 [/URL] , really?! So the German engineering stigma is entirely true pertaining to M5 ownership (let's say limited versions and performance oriented German cars)? BMW and Porsche are the only German cars I haven't owned out of the group, so I don't know much about them. However, I know of German engineering and the electronics associated with them...

Regarding [URL=https://www.igotasti.com/vBforum/usertag.php?do=list&action=hash&hash=A]#A [/URL] , from my experience, I've always bled the system first. Then if that didn't fix the braking issue, it was time to check pads and rotors. If the problem still persistent, move on from there. (All of my cars have been easy to bleed.)

Quick question: Does the M5 have an user friendly OBD software system like VW/Audi has VAGCOM and Subaru has Cobb AP/Tactrix?

Regarding [URL=https://www.igotasti.com/vBforum/usertag.php?do=list&action=hash&hash=B]#B [/URL] , what is iDrive?

Regarding [URL=https://www.igotasti.com/vBforum/usertag.php?do=list&action=hash&hash=C]#C [/URL] , no, you have now. Please post a million pictures of the exterior, interior, and engine bay for all of our viewing pleasures!

Regarding [URL=https://www.igotasti.com/vBforum/usertag.php?do=list&action=hash&hash=D]#D [/URL] , is Dinan to BMW as Cobb is to Subaru? Things never seem to go as they should... (as it seems I'm not the only one to experience bullshit, which is a relief to me actually! :rofl: @Batmobile_Engage knows the feels!)

Regarding [URL=https://www.igotasti.com/vBforum/usertag.php?do=list&action=hash&hash=E]#E [/URL] , Autozone?! I don't know about you, but the only people who touch my car are me, a close friend, and my mechanic for harder jobs that I've known for a decade now. This is the reason I refuse to get the Subaru airbag recall done. I'd rather just uninstall the damn thing (not like I have passengers in my STi) and throw it away if I can't do the job... Don't you know anyone with technical skills that can help you in regards to your car? An aftermarket shop or even a dealership that laid back. Access to a lift, at times, can be life changing. (I'm used to working with hand tools and on the ground.)

Some other questions that come to mind:
-Does your M5 have that (what I consider stupid) chirp when door is ajar?
-Are there any quirks that you've learned to ignore or overcome during your ownership?
-Do you plan on keeping the car for the rest of your life?
-Is there something that drives you insane or that you hate about the car?
-What tires do you currently have mounted on?
-Do you still reminisce about your previous STi?
-Was there anything the STi had the is absent on the M5?

#3 - I've had people walking by point to my car and then give me a thumbs up while I'm waiting at a stoplight, as an example. Don't know who they are, or their background. But total randos.

#5 - I think driving to texas i was in the high 20s. But flooring it, and lots of city traffic really bring the average down.

#8 - Lets just say that nothing has been cheap, but not ludicrous either.

#A - Pads/rotors are brand new. Going to order some ATE blue and re-bleed, and cross my fingers.

#B - iDrive is the little knob thing that you use to explore all the menus. See below for pics.

#C - ok, will do.

#D - Dinan and BMW have a pretty close relationship, but not sure exactly what it is. But pretty much all dealers will sell and warranty Dinan parts like factory. Which means its expensive, but usually pretty solid. The CAI for my car costs literally $1165. They also had a very limited run S3 package that included a supercharger, brakes, suspension, wheels, etc... that brought the hp from 400 to 621--all for the low, low price of approximately $70k (in 2005 dollars).

#E - I took the dead battery into Autozone. They were nowhere near my car!


-Are there any quirks that you've learned to ignore or overcome during your ownership?
--Yes! There was an emissions thing that was executed horribly. An "essential" (from emissions legality perspective) tinyass internal passageway gets clogged with soot that turns to compacted carbon. In EVERY car, eventually. The "right" way to fix it is about 10k IIRC. If you dont fix it, your check engine light comes on and you can't pass an inspection. But i ended up tuning out the warning light with (to your other question), the least intuitive tuning software in the world: a hex editor. I have NO idea how people decrypt ECUs and "find" maps hidden in there and decipher what they are. But someone did, posted what a "before" and "after" should look like--and it worked.

-Do you plan on keeping the car for the rest of your life?
--Well, when the engine lets go, i'm not sure what I'll do. Buy another used engine? LS swap? But I'll keep it until it dies or things change, whatever that means

-Is there something that drives you insane or that you hate about the car?
--the rear diffuser was repaired by my dad in the worst way. So now it droops slightly. I would fix it, but there are about a million other ways I'd rather spend the money on the car. I rarely see it from behind at low enough of an angle anyways.

-What tires do you currently have mounted on?
--285 Michelin Pilot Super Sports

-Do you still reminisce about your previous STi?
-Heck yeah. It was way more approachable and chuckable than the M5. The AWD make getting the back out easier, and I did it several times even on a public street (usually not intentionally). Plus track days! And all the cool stuff I did/added to the car. Like those Trophy edition Stoptechs were sexy as hell. Custom risers for the CF wing. Yeah, even now I'm fondly reminiscing!

-Was there anything the STi had the is absent on the M5?
--AWD. A turbo. Intercooler sprayer. Jokes aside, not really. The M5 was a really well appointed car for its time and nothing is coming to mind.

 

[Grinder34]

I don't have any great "before" pictures, but here's close. 4:3 monitor and glossy wood