BMW and M Power Owners

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That's the problem I'm having. Both are rare cars with those engines (or so i keep being told by local dealers) so both are difficult to get hold of for test drives.

Have a 340i, where are you in the country? :)

I expect the Focus St is a little more of a "performance car" than the 340i, which while is imo pretty good its not really a "performance car". :)
 
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It's completely different dynamically to a normal focus, suspension is different, steering rack is different, gearbox is different, brakes are different, some interior parts are different. Much like a 3 series vs M3 or 5 series vs M5. They differ so much from each other it is nearly wrong to call an M3 a 3 series based car

Still a Focus... still FWD :p
 
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It's completely different dynamically to a normal focus, suspension is different, steering rack is different, gearbox is different, brakes are different, some interior parts are different. Much like a 3 series vs M3 or 5 series vs M5. They differ so much from each other it is nearly wrong to call an M3 a 3 series based car

It's a sporty Focus just like a 340i M Sport is a sporty 3 Series. The 340i M sport has different suspension and brakes to a 320d SE, too.

It's no Focus RS.
 
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Have a 340i, where are you in the country? :)

I expect the Focus St is a little more of a "performance car" than the 340i, which while is imo pretty good its not really a "performance car". :)

Leeds.

That comment surprises me. I'm expecting the 340i to be at least as engaging to drive as the Focus and definitely to be much better screwed together :D
 
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Ah, bit too far away, 180 miles! :p

Dont get me wrong its a decent drive, its fast, fairly well built and I love it but something holds me back from calling it a "performance car". Also the centre console bit where your left knee leans on creaks, which annoys the hell out of me. :)

Fair bit faster than an ST but I expect quite different drives and arguably the ST might be more fun/performance oriented.

Oh, didnt know they were bringing an M340i out, want!
 
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Anyone elses 1 series got this 'normal' knocking sound?

M140i, 7500 miles:

https://photos.app.goo.gl/scjj72n5695KPoIq2

Took it into BMW and was told it's 'design related' and that it is normal (it was present when the car was new). When I asked the sales guy why the cars in the show room didn't knock he said something about the power steering fluid - I informed him they are electric racks.
My friends F30 with 80k on the clock doesn't knock and the steering feels much tighter around the central position.

Anyway I've re-booked it in to have a technician sit in the car with me as it's not only the knock but the car has started tram-lining more and the steering feels vague around the central position as well as a slight rumbling sensation from the steering wheel.

Guess I'm asking for some advice where to go next if BMW telling dealerships not to replace racks as I don't think a £39,000 car when new should have steering that knocks.
 
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Have you tried a different dealer or is it a distance away? Sometimes it's just easier to go somewhere else than to have to deal with incompetent technicians
 
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I had something very similar, knock at full lock and a slight rumbling when driving along. First dealer said it was the same for every f30, second dealer tech recognised it as a faulty steering rack so mine was replaced under warranty.

You don't happen to have the report from the dealer or any paper work from the replacement?
 
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Thread needs more 1 series.

M5lssClh.jpg

I've given it a wash, but the weather has been too poor to properly attack it and do things like put on fresh number plates, so that's the best photo I've got for now.

It's a manual 130i in Le Mans Blue with a black leather interior and 104k on the clock. It's got an impressive spec list for a 1er including things like comfort access, xenon headlights, heated seats and professional audio.

There's a few little niggles that need to be sorted out:
  • Drivers door comfort access doesn't function (passenger side and boot are fine)
  • Drivers side headlight misted up
  • Roof paint is a bit messed up (a machine polish may get it back up to scratch here)
  • Wheels need a refurb
  • Bluetooth calls ceased to work (MULF2 module in boot probably needs a repair)
But other than that, it's got a great service record with a recent replacement water pump, and good life left on all consumables.

It's time to buy a house in the next month or so, so the 991 has to go to actually give me the cash back to act as a deposit. I'd intended to go for something like an E46 M3/E39 M5, but the more I looked the more I realised most of the examples out there were pretty bad and would end up as money pits. I drove a friends 130i and realised it was a huge amount of fun to drive whilst costing about 1/3 to 1/2 of a decent M3/M5, and that £10k could come in very handy for a house purchase. I'll see what the finances are like once everything is settled in but I've got to be honest, this thing is an absolute hoot to drive! :)
 
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That's a better spec that mine!

Yeah usually new number plates is the first thing I do, unless they're actually in good nick.

Machine polishing the whole car will bring up the paint very nicely.
 
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Anyone elses 1 series got this 'normal' knocking sound?

M140i, 7500 miles:

https://photos.app.goo.gl/scjj72n5695KPoIq2

Took it into BMW and was told it's 'design related' and that it is normal (it was present when the car was new). When I asked the sales guy why the cars in the show room didn't knock he said something about the power steering fluid - I informed him they are electric racks.
My friends F30 with 80k on the clock doesn't knock and the steering feels much tighter around the central position.

Anyway I've re-booked it in to have a technician sit in the car with me as it's not only the knock but the car has started tram-lining more and the steering feels vague around the central position as well as a slight rumbling sensation from the steering wheel.

Guess I'm asking for some advice where to go next if BMW telling dealerships not to replace racks as I don't think a £39,000 car when new should have steering that knocks.

Copy and pasted from my thread on babybmw:

Well I just watched some dashcam footage that I have from the techs working on my car on the previous visit. Needless to say it'll be an interesting conversation on Tuesday when I take it back in.

Two techs get in the car and 1 wiggles the wheel and then asks, "is that normal? Theres obvious some play in it somewhere".

The other tech replies, "does sound a bit noisey dunnit, can feel it through the floor. Could be anything - the rack or the linkage".

They then proceed to tell me on collection that there's nothing wrong with the car...
 
Soldato
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Interesting! I’ve heard people say they’ve had a replacement rack which cured it but then it returned soon after.

There’s an explanation on one of the Facebook groups that explains what’s happening, seen it about a month ago but I can’t remember the details.
 
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