Car appreciation... the aesthetics, the engineering, etc

Haven't a clue, it's throwing an ignition fault code according to his diagnostic tool, but that could be anything from a relay to a blown ecu. Google tells me blown engine ecu's are not uncommon in e90 bmws. They're at the bottom of the windscreen where water can pool, seeping through the rubber o ring and submerging the ecu.

I considered trying the cheap and easy potential faults first, before going to a mechanic, but tbh I just couldn't trust the car to not do it again until a decent mechanic has given it the all clear.

Some of them do move. One seems to be used as a builders van.

Driving along the a5, out of nowhere done a very random shudder, and a few seconds later the engine cut out. Thankfully we were just coming up to a lay by and managed to roll it in safely.

Ah, didn't know that. AA recovered my car to home when the brake master cylinder seals crapped out, then trucked it to Precision Porsche the following morning (literally just past Munich Legends) once I'd made an appointment with them.

Might be worth asking ML if they can recover the car? I mention them as I seem to recall you've used them before, but of course other BMW garages are available.

Yeah it was in with them for a post purchase inspection when i bought it back in November, and they were the first garage i thought of.

Will try green flag, but yeah next step was to ask them if they can collect it, or at least recommend someone

If it is so common you would have thought that it would have been noted if there was a leak/possible issue.

They do move, they are fully legal as if they weren't they would have been towed/clamped.

That was a reference to the golf club thread...

Funnily enough it was quite controversial at the times; some people thought there should be no place for a thread about cars on a bike forum. What those people might think of some of the directions it's gone in is anyone's guess. Actually, I've had the thread on ignore since I created it. I'm sure it includes a wide range of views, colourways and price points.

Best choice was the Gunmetal for the Qashai. Looks better the more shit it has on it.

Worst choice was white for the Fiat 500.

Cleaning the bugger every five mins. 😎

Car hire. For a long drive to Scotland with two kids and then a week on Arran, is an estate overkill?

I ask because the plan of hiring on Arran and not carrying a car seat with us on the train (plus suitcases) is nearly £500...

Absolutely not overkill. I don't even have kids and could never go back to not having an estate

Absolutely not overkill

This.

That’s what I thought .
Local landmark .. I’ve never been down there and not seen them .. SM has the Maserati engine doesn’t it?

Noted where?

I think when the problem was diagnosed as ignition fault, it was beyond a roadside repair

When the car went to munich legends.

Honestly don't know, maybe it only became a problem with the heavy rain over the past few weeks

Could be a sensor that doesn't like the atmosphere - cam position, crank position, if either of those get upset then the car will be loathe to fire the coils.

Could absolutely be, and my hope is that it is a sensor and not the ecu.

In a previous lifetime I'd be out getting my hands dirty trying to fix it myself, but nowadays i just wouldn't have the confidence to drive it until a respectable mechanic gave it the thumbs up.

Seems odd that the breakdown guy didn't mention if there was a specific fault code.

He said the fault code indicated ignition problem, but that could be anything from ignition relay, to coils, to ecu.

Just got an invoice for valves, which is very much in the spirit of "car stuff is always more than you think it will be".

Congrats, first one?

Remember that Zoe electric concept car that was doing the rounds a couple of years ago, DEEP lust