The parking brake is often used in manual transmission cars as well as automatic transmission cars especially during DIY servicing. This system can fail over time or fall out of adjustment especially on 5 series cars like the BMW 525i. When this happens the system begins to lose braking or...

The M30 engine is one BMW's long run power plants. From a performance standpoint, its also one of the more common engine swaps performed to replace some of the lesser powered late 80's and early 90's BMWs like the BMW 535i. Most have stood the test of time with only minor valve adjustments and...

Over the holidays I had an idle and running issue. The car displayed a irratic or hunting idle, hesitation on acceleration between 800-1500, and was throwing a CEL. I went through all the normal procedures to diagnose the issue, finally discovering my O2 sensor was causing the trouble. Knowing...

As a BMW ages, the transmission begins to become imprecise. This is due to age and wear of the associated parts. As a result, poor shifting, sloppy/loose gearing, and missed shifts can occur. When this happens it is best to begin to replace all the parts in the gearshift assembly. The following...

The BMW 3-Series is one of the most iconic vehicles BMW ever built. It has always been synonymous with the motorsports division of BMW since the day of the E30 M3. Recently I had the opportunity to do a little wrench time on a friend's 1987 BMW 325i. He had retired the car early this year from...

When choosing a strut and spring suspension system for your car, it's not always about how low can you go. It's related to your car's ride quality, handling, durability and ability to adapt to your driving ability. To most this conversation is like falling down the rabbit hole. Every driver,...

While doing some last minute maintenance on my 1995 BMW 5-Series "Grau," I noticed a wet spot under my power steering fluid reservoir, I had a power steering fluid leak. It was an easy fix, but it occurred to me that this repair was put off for other maintenance issues. Most BMW models if not...

Let’s be honest. Being stranded and stuck on the side of the road sucks on so many levels. With most of America hitting the roads for the holidays, being stranded on the side of the road can be a nightmare. With children in the car multiply that by 1000. Thankfully most modern cars have some type...

Ownership of an early model 1989-1995 BMW 5-Series is a pleasure that is best described by driving one.  It’s an experience that an avid enthusiast wouldn’t trade for the world. Unless it's for an early model, M3, M5, M6, or Alpina B series. Then the response may differ. Unfortunately there are...

As winter rolls in with the holidays not far behind. I took it upon myself to perform my routine seasonal maintenance or Salt Belt preparations on my beloved Grau. A 1995 Arktis Grau Metallic, Full OBD-I converted E34 S52b32 swapped BMW 525i. (In layman's terms, it has an E36 M3 engine.) Upon...