What have you done to your car today?

Finally got the Marelli indicator lenses. I knew I wasn't going mad from last time round when I installed the Depo lenses to replace the cracked originals. Marelli ones are OEM, the look, feel and everything right down to the reflector design on the inside of the lens is 1:1 to the Depo. If nobody showed me which came out of a box branded Marelli, then I would never guess they were from two different brands. Far as I can tell they get made in exactly the same factory but at the last step go into different boxes.

Anyway. once these crack in a few years I will just get the Depo ones again and save £40 odd lol.

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Did a simple service on my wife's X3 today. Just oil, oil filter, air filter and cabin filter and all was easy enough as it always is, but I noticed that the oil breather pipe was caked in oil. Went to wipe it down with minimal pressure and....well in short this is what happened:

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The thing was so brittle that it broke into even more pieces just unclipping it at each end. Oops.

Fortunately my car has the same engine, albeit with a slightly different pipe but it does fit on her engine. Luckily I'm not likely to need my car for a few days so it shouldn't be too big an issue.
 
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Took the RS for service no 2.........had to get the front brake pads replaced & also need to get 2 new front tyres ASAP so quite expensive :p
 
Watched the coolant temp needle with a small level of paranoia :p

In this cold weather I've noticed that the needle basically hovers on or around the left side dot, sometimes drifting just past the left dot even. I know the S54 has no coolant temp needle buffer like the non S54 E46s have, so the needle variance will depend on a host of conditions, one of which is outside temp. I drove home to and from London yesterday and both directions the needle stayed next to the left dot, the i-bus app read the coolant actual temp as 76 degrees. The E46's coolant nominal temp range is between 80 and 120. I just didn't expect the needle to lean this much left I guess.

Engine oil temp is fine however so the radiator and variable fans are doing their job as normal:

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The Thermostat was replaced in 2015, and it does have an impact on the coolant needle, so I might just replace that since it's only £42 + £20 for a pair of coolant pipe o-rings
 
New drop links and new arb bushes. Why do simple jobs never take as long as you expect? Once side complete in 20 minutes, the other 1 hr 30 minutes! First the drop link wouldn't come off, then the arb bush wouldn't go on, then the arb plate wouldn't go on, then the bolt got cross threaded! Glad to be back inside where it is warm.
 
The arb bush lasted 14 years on the car, if this one last another 14 it should easily see out the life of the car. Fingers crossed I never have to go near the plate again, as it certainly wont come off easy! :D
 
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something that is quite marmite. Always bugged me how the C63 is so tame in terms of its styling. So added a duck tail spoiler that I think really finishes the back off well.

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A before as a comparison

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Went into work early today and MOT'd my car, and then failed it on a split inner CV boot (which I've been meaning to do for ages).
I'd already ordered a new driveshaft, so quickly replaced it..

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And then gave it a fresh ticket.
The needle bearings were beyond knackered and were making the car fairly unpleasant to drive..

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Still, the whole job cost £48+ the dreaded, so not too bad :)
 
Surprised you are allowed to MOT your own vehicle - in my industry someone else would have to do something like that.

Haven't used my truck for a few days and found today there is mould on the steering wheel :( had cleared tomorrow anyhow to give it a good service inside and out.
 
Rroff said:
Surprised you are allowed to MOT your own vehicle - in my industry someone else would have to do something like that.
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It’s always been allowed. If you’re stupid enough to put a dodgy ticket on your own car then it’s a risk you take, it can carry a prison sentence in some circumstances.

I’ve always mot’d my own pretty much. I tend to keep on top of repairs anyway so they’ve never needed to fail, but if I found anything then so be it. Pointless putting my own safety and career at risk.
 
Rroff said:
Surprised you are allowed to MOT your own vehicle - in my industry someone else would have to do something like that.
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All the main dealers I've worked for won't allow it, but as I now work for a mate who trusts me it's no problem and there's no rule against it.
 
tom_e said:
We're forecast some on Thursday, so that'll be a nice commute if it does come down.
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It'll be the top of the Wrekin only like most years :p

Nothing today, but bushes and rear boot disable after a friends got stolen via the boot at the weekend!
 
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