24 Hours of "The Green Hell"

After completing the record-breaking 156 laps, the BMW M3 GT with number 1 crossed the finish line second at the 24-hour race in the “Green Hell“, in front of 250,000 spectators. Augusto Farfus, Jörg Müller, Uwe Alzen and Pedro Lamy took turns at the wheel, delivered a strong performance and were 4:23 minutes behind the winning no. 18Manthey-Porsche at the end of the race.

Except for a collision on lap 24 and the subsequent three-minute stop-and-go penalty, last year’s winners ran a flawless race and impressively demonstrated the high level of performance of the BMW M3 GT. At the chequered flag for the endurance classic in the Eifel they were still just defeated by what in the circumstances was a small margin.

The second car with number 7, driven by Dirk Müller, Dirk Werner and Dirk Adorf, was lying 16th in the standings with 139 laps completed, when the BMW M3 GT came to a halt on the circuit in the the “Breidscheid” section having lost all traction. Earlier in the race, a problem with the brake system and the necessary repairs had cost it more than an hour. From the back of the field, the driving trio admirably worked its way back to the top-20, but was not rewarded with a finish despite its fighting spirit.

24 hours of Le Mans

Twelve years after the BMW V12 LMR achieved its triumphant overall victory, BMW Motorsport is back on the podium at the Le Mans 24 Hours: In the hard-fought LM GTE class, Andy Priaulx, Dirk Müller and Joey Hand finished third in the no. 56 BMW M3 GT. Final-stint driver Hand crossed the finish line at the “Circuit de la Sarthe” after 313 thrilling laps and having covered a distance of over 4,200 kilometres.

In contrast, the drivers of the second BMW M3 GT, number 55 – Augusto Farfus, Jörg Müller and Dirk Werner – left the endurance classic empty-handed. The trio had battled for 276 laps, repeatedly fighting their way back after being hampered by incidents. Just two and a half hours before the end of the race, however, the fifth-placed BMW M3 GT came to a stop in the “Mulsanne” corner. Jörg Müller had previously reported to the team feeling vibrations in the car. Victory in the LM GTE class went to Corvette’s Olivier Beretta, Tommy Milner and Antonio Garcia.

The 79th staging of the Le Mans 24 Hours, which was at times dramatic and overshadowed by several spectacular and alarming crashes, proved to be a roller-coaster ride for Team BMW Motorsport. Both cars had to make several unscheduled pit stops for repairs and to change tyres, while rain showers added another factor to the final stages of the race. The two BMW M3 GT cars that had started the race from pole position and third on the grid, demonstrated their performance over the entire race distance, consistently clocking competitive times. Dirk Müller clocked the fastest GTE race lap with a time of 3:58.876 minutes. Bearing in mind the various incidents, third place for Priaulx, Dirk Müller and Hand was probably the best possible result.

It can't hurt it...

I added a bottle of BMW Group's Fuel System Cleaner Plus, it's really just overpriced Chevron Techron, to my latest fill-up in an effort to ensure my fuel system will run smoothly until I get around to changing the fuel filter and other parts. I exclusively pump Shell V-Power Nitrogen Enriched fuel 91 octane, which already contains, in my opinion, the best additive and cleaners, but it never hurts to be "sure".

Roadside Assistance

First of all, I am not subscribed to BMW Roadside Assistance, therefore the sticker on the toolbox is more or less useless to me. The colour was faded as well. After removing the sticker the blank spot where it was knid of got on my nerves, I knew something was supposed to be there, so I found the German BMW Roadside assistance sticker online and placed that in the blank spot. If it's going to remain useless it might as well look better!

No Smoking - Follow up

Since I almost always have the Scangauge II's compartment open and visible, I find myself noticing the Cigarette icon on the cigarette lighter more and more often. I thought it was tacky and "in my way" so I removed the icon through a combination of "Goop Off" and scratching. Looks better without that icon, in my opinion, and I'm pleased with the results.

MPGs

Filled up the tank this morning after running the Bimmer down to almost fumes. I wanted to see how many miles I could get on one tank of fuel. I managed 432.3 with a 50/50 mix of Highway and City. That basically equates to 26 MPG. Not bad Considering the car is rated at "City MPG: 19 / Highway MPG: 27 / Combined MPG: 22" That's and extra 4 MPG.

I squeezed them out by following some simple, proven "tricks"

* Use A/C very sparingly.
* Keep the windows up at 40+ MPH.
* Use cruise control on the highway, ~70 MPH.
* Coast downhill or whenever possible instead of braking.
* Don't drive less than 10 miles per trip in the car.
* Pray for no red lights.

Inspection I..... Done By Me!

Hit 90k miles this weekend and in anticipation I purchased the necessary items to perform my scheduled maintenance known as Inspection I. A pre-inspection told me that the coolant and washer fluid were low, but my brake fluid was fine. I purchased a Microfilter, and 6 Spark Plugs(not due until 100k, but why not) in addition to coolant and washer fluid. Also purchased a new Tire Pressure Gauge.

The inspection went fine with me starting with the undercarriage, working my way around the exterior, then under the hood, and then the interior, took me about 4 hours, including replacing the spark plugs and cleaning up under the hood. The Inspection being done by me was great as it allowed me to become more familiar with the Bimmer, and see just how great engineering can look deceptively simple . I don't take it for granted anymore.
The Official checklist of what is, and was, performed can be found at:
http://www.linquist.net/system/files/Service_Checklist_2003_US.pdf

Saftey First..

Adding on to my previous "European Standard" additions to the Bimmer (The Centre Console), I've added in the TUV-mandated BMW OE Warning Triangle and BMW OE First-Aid Box. The box can be stuffed with a First-Aid Kit, which it is, although not the German one, or anything else.





Saying good-bye to the orange front bumper reflectors for now and have replaced them with clear reflectors. In the right lighting, they almost seem to blend in completely to the Titanium Silver paint.

More Space

Keeping up with adding more storage space to the Bimmer, I added a BMW OE Parcel Net to the passanger side of the centre console. looks fantastic and works just as it should.

Less than $10 got me...

Did a few "upgrades" and convenience modifications recently.

First up, I replaced the velcro lock-in tabs for the floor mats to keep them in place. The driver's side mat especially, was always creeping up over the pedals, not anymore.



Next up, I made my own clutch stop to replace the factory stop. My version is longer and stops the clutch at exactly the right height to start the car and be able to shift. This 30 second installation mod has made the Bimmer so much more fun to drive. Best bang for buck upgrade yet. Stock stop is on the left, mine is on the right.



Lastly, I purchased a BMW OEM Oil Travel Case. It came with gloves, 2 funnels, hand wipes, and engine bay wipe clothes, it also holds 1 qt of oil. It securely mounts, with velcro, to the inside of the luggage compartment and looks very nice.