DIY Resources: OEM Part Lookups & Diagrams

Every major German manufacturer began to use plastic coolant expansion tanks in their vehicles around the mid-nineties. BMW is no exception, and its plastic expansion tanks have played a significant role in their seemingly constant cooling issues. The plastic designs are cheap, lightweight, and...

Digging deeper than surface level into any brand will likely reveal a common platform or series name encompassing a handful of models. Codes like BMW’s E30 and G20, Audi’s C5 and B8, and Volvo’s P1, P2, and P3 are all some you might regularly encounter while car shopping. These overarching model...

Performing a DSG transmission service on your Volkswagen or Audi is one of the most important maintenance tasks you can do at home. The DSG such as the VW 02E featured in this DIY is a complex electromechanical mechanism that requires regular servicing. It's pretty different from other...

Mercedes-Benz chassis codes can be confusing to a newcomer. We have chassis codes that change from model to model, cars that move from chassis to chassis, and a general disarray that can make anything starting with a “W” feel interchangeable with your neighbor’s Silver Arrow. While this guide...

It's easy to make a mistake when shopping for brakes on a Volvo as almost every model could be had with multiple combinations of brake rotor sizes. Whether the varying sizes were intended for performance or police applications, there is always some sort of brake upgrade available. Even if you are...

As we approach the summer months, air conditioner use becomes a daily ritual; discovering that the A/C functions intermittently could be devastating. When an air conditioner begins to fail, the most common thought is that the A/C needs a refrigerant recharge. However, low refrigerant is not the...

  Update - 08/11/2021: If I were to describe to you a car that was reliable, inexpensive to repair, and super cheap to purchase, what would immediately come to mind? If you’re like me, you are probably thinking Honda, Toyota, or any other basic Japanese eco-box. Add in high-performance and...

Recently, I ran into a predicament which I had never had before involving BMW VIN decoding. One of our members from OST messaged me the VIN of a 1973 BMW 2002tii. He said that he was having issues identifying the car with RealOEM or ETK.CC. Typically these websites, and BMW, need the last 7 from...

If you can make it, we'd love to have you! For our third Cars and Coffee event of the 2018 season, the FCP Euro crew is partnering with NE30 as the featured make and model will be the BMW E30 3 Series! NE30 is a BMW E30 enthusiast Facebook group based in the Northeast. This will be their first...

I recently stumbled upon a YouTube video of a violent crash between a 2008-2016 Volvo XC70 wagon and a transport truck traveling at full speed. Miraculously, the driver of the Volvo was okay. You hear these kinds of stories time and time again with Volvos, but why?     Watching that, it's...