dr_mat

It will report this if the power has gone off, ever. That means any time you unplug the battery. Clear the fault. Don't worry about it unless it comes back ...

Correct. You want to see 13.5 or more with the engine running, even if you have electrical drain (lights etc).

Why not ask the seller ... ?

Late VRs ("CP ecu code") have a soldered-in EPROM chip, hence no easy fitting. ** -typo

Let's just say it's unfeasible right now, but it's only a short step away from being legally acceptable (and we know how the labour government likes to monitor where we go and when we do it - and keep that data for the next 7 years). And as for the "non-working mom driving her kids to school" well.. what's the fact that she's not working (or a mom) got to do with it? She's doing a commute in the busiest time of the day, on the busiest roads. Stands to reason she's going to pay a lot for that. WALK yer lazy bugger!! Not like you've got to rush to work afterwards is it?!

Can't argue for £30, if it is in fact an EPROM. But frankly the only way you'll see 20 bhp gain on a N/A VR6 is if it was broken beforehand and you fix it!

Actually no they wouldn't. Evidence suggests that if the speed limit went up to 80, most people would carry on doing the same speed they do now, or maybe it would increase 2/3 mph - but no more. Even if the limit went up to 90 the average speed would only increase by about 5-10mpg.

Most custom exhaust companies should be able to build you a silencer for that front pipe section. Or maybe you could even get the OE front box to fit.

A failed expansion tank cap will either cause over-pressure or it won't allow the pressure to build up at all and you will lose coolant as steam.

It sounds like every other V6 on the road, nothing really magical about this one (though the narrow angle V probably slightly alters the sound). The only magical thing is that it's in a "normal-ish" car, that normal people can own.

It would have been better if the original petition author had used correct grammar, rather than showing up petrol-heads as a bunch of semi-literate idiots ...

I've always thought rechips on a standard N/A engine are pointless, EXCEPT in the specific case where an engine's main ECU isn't tuned to the quality of fuel you're running. Since the VR6 comes out the factory tuned for 98 octane, there are no free gains from a rechip.

Sounds more like weak spark to me, which may be caused by a general voltage drop (which is the fault of the alternator or regulator), or a dodgy plug/lead/coil pack/dizzy ..

Congratulations.

Some fuel problems can come up on VAG-COM, but it's usually only severe ones - you'd know from your MPG well before VAG-COM threw an error, most likely.

The guy might be lucky (like you were), but it would be stupid to buy the car without having checked it out beforehand..

GSF sell Bosch Silver batteries at reasonable prices.

Don't forget to check out insurance. @21 years old insuring a group 18 car could be quite impossible.

Not a big surprise when the majority of BMW drivers are the biggest nobs on the road, treating everyone else like a swarm of begging kids to be ignored and pushed out the way.. And just the look of a BMW (particularly the bangled ones) screams "I'm a smug git".. All IMHO.. ;)

I'm guessing you have a VR6? It doesn't cost £1k to do the timing chains (except maybe at a dealership!). If it's still overfuelling when you have a new MAF and lambda then it could just be a faulty ECU. I take it there's no fault codes coming up on the ECU when you scan it? What about temperature sensors? If the ECU is overfuelling it could be as simple as the intake air temp reading too low - ECU will stay in cold-start enrichment mode and it'll run rough as hell. Could also be a leak in the exhaust manifolds - this would cause the lambda to under-read and the ECU would increase fuelling to compensate.

I'm quite glad you're not MY mechanic!!

People normally do the chains when they start clattering (loudest at ~1200rpm).. Though anytime from 100k onwards if they've not been done you would do well to get them checked out, even if they're not rattling. But don't jump in with your chequebook until you know it needs doing ...

They should make petrol more expensive over there ... This guy wins though: http://milwaukee.bizjournals.com/sanjos ... ily41.html 160 miles. Each way. Idiot. "I have a great job and my family loves the ranch where we live," .. well indeed, I'll bet they do (they live near Yosemite National Park), but YOU my friend, do not SEE the ranch where you live from one weekend to the next..?!

Or drive slower .. ? ;)

Perhaps it's just because I'm used to it, but actually I think a Corrado's front end looks 'blunt' (crap) without a number plate.