So with the ML in the shop until MB decides what to do about fixing it I bought a BMW from my daughter. It is an rare eggplant color with ivory interior. It runs and drives excellently and has only 54K miles on it. It has a sportline package which offers 18" rims, with larger tires on the back. The tires were 40 series on front and 35 on rear runflats.

I detest those low sidewalls, so I bought a new set of wheels and tires from tire rack going to 16" rims...square so they can be rotated.

It drives like a grown up Miata with very precise, quick steering, and excellent acceleration if you push down the gas.

Watching the power metal top recede into the trunk is like watching one of those transformers....astonishing and graceful.

I love putting new tires on cars.

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[SIGPIC] Diesel loving autocrossing grandpa Architect. 08 Dodge 3/4 ton with Cummins & six speed; I have had about 35 benzes. I have a 39 Studebaker Coupe Express pickup in which I have had installed a 617 turbo and a five speed manual.[SIGPIC]

..I also have a 427 Cobra replica with an aluminum chassis.

and what if you push up?

What's wrong with the ML?

Seems to be an emissions code related to the DPF system that Tom is waiting for the class action suit to fix.

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Jim

Do they still use all the plastic coolant hoses that explode every 10k miles? Did they ever fix the window regulators that fall apart every 6 months? BMW does a lot of cool stuff but at the same time they repeatedly do a lot of dumb stuff.

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1993 e300
1995 e320
1994 e320
2006 s500 4matic
2004 Jeep wj overland
2001 Ducati 748
2004 Honda shadow aero

If I told you I'd have to kill you!

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[SIGPIC] Diesel loving autocrossing grandpa Architect. 08 Dodge 3/4 ton with Cummins & six speed; I have had about 35 benzes. I have a 39 Studebaker Coupe Express pickup in which I have had installed a 617 turbo and a five speed manual.[SIGPIC]

..I also have a 427 Cobra replica with an aluminum chassis.

LOL - I've got a Z4 in the shop now getting a new hydraulic power unit for the conv top. Seems the unit is designed to sit down in an area that, if the drain is not kept clean, accumulates water and floods out the motor. The interesting thing is that the complete conv top lifts out of the car. Pretty neat arrangement. The bad news is you have to lift the conv top out to change the hydraulic power unit.

Now with that said I was very impressed with the room around the engine in this application. Valve cover gasket is easy as all get out.

I could go on and on with horror stories regarding what I see in BMWs in regards to design.

I've always wondered where they get their engineers from.

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Jim

go ahead ... I can take it

They have always had more emphasis on performance and less on durability and safety than mb. They seem to stay in business with this concept.

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[SIGPIC] Diesel loving autocrossing grandpa Architect. 08 Dodge 3/4 ton with Cummins & six speed; I have had about 35 benzes. I have a 39 Studebaker Coupe Express pickup in which I have had installed a 617 turbo and a five speed manual.[SIGPIC]

..I also have a 427 Cobra replica with an aluminum chassis.

I could not get comfortable in the hard sportline seats. I sold this car to my son.

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[SIGPIC] Diesel loving autocrossing grandpa Architect. 08 Dodge 3/4 ton with Cummins & six speed; I have had about 35 benzes. I have a 39 Studebaker Coupe Express pickup in which I have had installed a 617 turbo and a five speed manual.[SIGPIC]

..I also have a 427 Cobra replica with an aluminum chassis.

BMW only offers performance (BMW-worthy) tires with staggered set-ups. People like the way they look.

BMW's product liability attorneys like staggered set-ups because it skews the car to understeer. Juries tend to blame a car going off a cliff pointing forward on the driver, and a car going off a cliff pointing backward on the car.

I have a set of the staggered sport wheels with good tires on front and fair ones on the rear. Need some?

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[SIGPIC] Diesel loving autocrossing grandpa Architect. 08 Dodge 3/4 ton with Cummins & six speed; I have had about 35 benzes. I have a 39 Studebaker Coupe Express pickup in which I have had installed a 617 turbo and a five speed manual.[SIGPIC]

..I also have a 427 Cobra replica with an aluminum chassis.