NOPR

yeah, petit will work, if you want BUMPSTEER!!! *dun dun dun*. Or, you could contact gtorx7 and keep the stock subframe. *applause*

mibad

My reman has 2000 miles on it and the add coolant light comes on about once a week.
I smell no coolant in the exhaust and see no coolant on the garage floor. Where the hell is it going? The car can be a PITA, but then again when it hits 4500rpm it makes me giggle like a school girl.

cletus

Damn Patfat, that seems awful. I had an '01 A4 1.8t, running 15psi boost of course though.

I sold the car while still under warranty so I didn't have to go through what you did. My FD has had a lot less problems than my A4 ever had though (cabin temp control motor got stuck once, that's it).

The radio gremlin, I had that too. I think everyone did.
Driver's side dimming mirror didn't work.
Ignition coils replaced due to recall.
Blew a vacuum line (I'm blaming the extra boost on that one though )
Brakes being replaced by 15k miles
Tires at 13k miles (I did autocross though)
Various little electrical gremlins that were never fixed
Person I sold it to had the entire windshield/headlight washer system fall apart a few weeks after I sold it. Dealer wouldn't cover it under warranty, claimed someone put gasoline in it. That's BS, because the only person that ever filled it was the dealer, so if they screwed it up, they should cover it.

I was fairly lucky compared to a lot of others though. Granted service wasn't bad, free loaners were nice for normal maintenance. But the $1400 every ~60k miles for a timing belt on top of everything else seemed excessive. And to top it off with the amount of people who threw it early bending all 20 valves scared me too. And $100 an hour labor charges at the dealer. Yeah, the FD isn't so bad after all .

Mahjik

iTrader: (1)

A4's and S4's are completely different when it comes to things breaking. I also had a friend who owned a 2001 S4, and he had many problems with it. However, A4's are trouble free.

Sedan companies don't know how to make a performance car. BMW has the same issue. Their 300 series cars are trouble free. The M3's live at the dealerships.

Nat6c

iTrader: (1)

Haha that audi sounds like here at work. (BMW) M3's received 2 rod bearing recalls, gotta adjust valve shims all the time. if you have an early E46 M3 you require 10w-60 oil 10$ a quart. a dealer front a rear pads and rotors cost 2600$. gotta program everything and anything into the car. smg has like 3 progman recalls, FTM (flat tire monitor) is so sensitive and annoyin on bmws you'll wanna rip it out with your bare hands withing a week Then you gotta worry that new M3 engien will have magnesium. so you CANNOT use a regular fire extinguisher on them. m3's have shitty ruff idles regarless of what you do. if you do any mods to the intake/exhaust etc. it'll 80% throw a CEL unless you get someoen's chip or reflash like dinan. they have an air bag recall. had 1 customer drive down I59 in houston. every air bag in the car blew off. bmw's engine turns off when the bag pop. havign smg he had to turn off completely, back on, put in Neutral, then click off and on key again to start engine before hittign a wall. haha, he got a new m3 for that one after a lawsuit. (key problem fix with new dme update.) keys for bmws are 160$ a pop depend in dealership give or take 10$. require title and license to get one. 745i's we're in the dealership gettign reprogrammed with us more then the owner would have it for the first 1.5 years. brand new 06 M5's already have a TSB on Pdi's to reprogram car to be fully functional tranny has encoding problems. haha. and tehy have leaky vanos oil lines. and there's a massive nationwide shortage for the first 1.5 months for oil filters, so the dealership can't even do your 1200 mile break in oil service!!! LMAO.


I love my FD.
Los

Edit: as for bmw 3 series trouble free. haha. the live here also just like the x5. window regulators, coils, and turn signals/bulbs pwn you!

ptrhahn

iTrader: (9)

Waddya gonna do? They don't need ad guys in horse country :-)

I wanted to get one of those two seater Honda Insights, but the wife vetoed it as an unsuitable future family vehicle. I'm consulting Mitch Piper right now on welding mounting tabs for a baby seat on my roll bar :-)

HDP

iTrader: (2)

Please post link...

Mahjik

iTrader: (1)

https://www.rx7club.com/20b-forum-95/my-rx-7-done-cup-holders-3-rotor-semi-p-port-n-setup-stock-subframe-454580/

Mahjik

iTrader: (1)

I would wager that the ratio of sold to 'in service center' is MUCH better for the 300 series than the M3. That's really my point. As these sedan manufactures attempt to make performance models of their cars, they dramtically increase the problems.

I personally will never buy another 'performance sedan'. It will either be a sports car, or a sedan.

alberto_mg

I had nothing but problems with my 95 325is. I bought it with 20k miles from the original owner (not lease vehicle) and drove til 9xk. It was in the shop every 6 weeks on average. Thankfully, I had the good sense to buy an aftermarket warranty. Sold it as soon as the warranty expired. Over $7k in repairs in 3-4 years of ownership. A few others had similar experiences. Electrical crap, O2 sensors, cats, coils, ECUs, oil leaks, ball joints every 30k, bushings, seems like everything but the motor/tranny/diff needed regular replacing. My cousin had it worse with his 93 325. He made the mistake of keeping it till 140k. Another cousin with an e46 328 is having better luck, but she only has 20k miles on it.

I've also had 4 friends with A4s. One had occasional problems on his A4 V6, but not too bad. 2 purchased theirs used. Both had their trannys fail (one auto one stick) a fair degree of other expensive problems such as bushings and ball joints and electrical gremlins. The other guy also got his new but it was totaled by a Fedex truck.

Friend of mine with a TT original owner 40yo now. ******* nightmare as well.

The more recent German cars product quality has been poor in recent years. Road and Track did a story on that issue a while back.

Nat6c

iTrader: (1)

now that you mention it. the e46 328 (99-00) was about the most reliable 3 series made. they rarely come in, even my dad has his 328i and only been in for a shifter spring problem, and some arm bushings, and the usual a/c compressor.other then that. no other problems. 325's 330's etc on the other hand. a dime a dozen for service out here. a m3 DO NOT take kindly WHAT SO EVER to drag launches. they FALL apart. a big problem is they try sooo ahrd to lighten the car, with aluminum arms and frames bushings etc. that they bend and wear and fault out so easily. and their still obese cars. i dunno. but i sont' own a bmw. most german cars are completly over engineered and over complicated when it really dosn't have to me. my opinion though.


los

Mahjik

iTrader: (1)

From my ownership:

2001 A4 1.8T - One problem through 50k miles. During the coil recall (which we weren't experiencing a problem), the mechanic broke another part. New part ordered/fixed.
2005 A4 1.8T - One problem with remote access. Repaired (less than 10k on the car right now)

2002 BMW M3 - Problems every other month, some fixed, some not. (25k miles on the car right now)
* clutch ripped off the friction material at 13k miles
* clutch interlock switch failed
* engine fan stopped, new fan and clutch
* Xenon headlight controller failed
* Interior door plastic cracked
* Interior trim fell off onto the floorboard

There are more, those are just off the top of my head without looking at my records. If just "drag launching" the car was a problem, I'd be happy as I don't drag this car. I've never had a clutch just rip off the friction material in the almost 20 years I've been driving manuals (never actually had one fail until my FD clutch started slipping from the added torque).

With the German car experience I've seen and had; I would not buy an S4, M3 or any of those sedans turned performance cars. I would buy the "non performance" versions of those cars.

I've been temped many times to trade the M3 in a 330. I would just hate to have fixed the last problem and the next owner is all set. So I keep it and deal with it.

While it's a 2-door, it's really a sedan. I don't know what other cars in it's catagory are lighter. The Volvo's are 3700+ lbs. The S4 is about 3900 lbs. The M3 at 3400 lbs is pretty light for what it is... It's not a sports car so you can't compare it to a FD or an Elise. Heck, a FD is obese compared to the Elise.

alberto_mg

I definitely agree.

I felt the same way until I realized the last problem was still coming
So I got an FD. At least if I'm dumping money into a car, its a car I love much more than any bimmer I've ever driven

jpandes

I appreciate all of the responses regarding the issues that you guys have had with your Audi's and BMW M3's. I guess misery does love company.

I do love ...

...driving my FD .
...the sheer performance my FD is capable of.
...the way the FD responds to modifications.
...the way the FD handles.
...looking at my FD.
...the attention my FD receives.
...tinkering with my FD.
...modding my FD.
...washing my FD.

Who am I kidding, I can't sell this thing. It has been good to me over the last 9 years of owning it. I need to stop posting and go earn some more $$$, I need to buy another beater.

eastcoastbumps

iTrader: (1)

You guys make me happy that I got a job as a Lexus tech while I was in school, rather than BMW/Merc./Audi.

Yellow Man

I feel your pain, and it will be more painful for you not to have your FD. You can always replace your FD with another reliable/newer FD. I'll bet your wife is tire of you using her car.

EUROX

iTrader: (15)

I actually got to drive a 350Z just this last weekend and I will say that the car feels sturdy. I tried throwing the car around corners full throttle that would have an FD tail happy and it did not want to break loose, although that may have been due to the traction control? My impressions were that the FD feels like a smaller car than it is and feels so nimble and the feeling of speed is always there, like you are driving something thats a pure sports car, the acceleration felt more rapid as well. The 350Z felt slower in every aspect but more heavy, more predictable, and definitely more forgiving. I felt like I could do no wrong with the car, which is a change from the FD, which has scared me on a few occasions.

I've also had the chance to ride in a friend's Comptech supercharged NSX, and I don't know if its because I was in the passenger seat, but it still just felt slower and less exciting than driving an FD. A stock one felt even more sluggish, but for some reason I was expecting this car to blow my hair back, which it didn't.

All in all, and I am far from being a head in the clouds FD lover that doesn't see the car's faults, I would still prefer having a FD over both a 350 or NSX for the fun factor alone.

Improved FD

here's what we all need

http://www.dodge.com/viper/photos.html

just saw a Copperhead edition crusing down the highway tonight.....talk about BAD ***

RX-187

Right on. Now that's what I wanna hear.

ptrhahn

iTrader: (9)

Go check out the maintainence costs/needs on a Viper, and you'll love your FD. Seriously, my brand-new, ported, polished, yada-yada motor was about $4000 - $4500 installed. Go see how much motor rebuild or maintainence that'll buy you on a Porsche, Viper, Ferrari, etc... you probably couldn't get your Ferrari's valves adjusted for that.

Oh yeah, mine was in being painted (about 3k total), some guy had dinged up his viper and needed a new hood. The hood was $17k just for the part. I just had my Prius detailed, and my paint guy had a new 911 in there w/ front end damage. ONE new headlight assy. for that car was $1700 and change.

I'm not busting anyone's *****, I'd love to have a Viper or 911, but once in a while you do have to put our cars in perspective. Even if you spend $$ to maintain them, or overcome their suposed "unreliability", it's still a damn sight cheaper than owning other cars. I think the problem is that these cars ARE inexpensive and are Japanese, so everyone expects it to be like a Eclipse or something. These things are exotics to some extent, and they need care, that's all. If it had been italian, everybody would be gloating about how reliable it is, and what a great deal the parts are...

DamonB

An M3 in Street Mod at the SCCA Solo2 Nats this year ripped one of its rear control arms off during launch. To be sure it's a high power car with wide tires and has sustained god knows how many hard launches but I still find that pretty incredible.

cletus

Oh yeah, I had forgotten about the window problems on the Audis. I tried to block them out of my mind. At least the dealer usually got me in quick when they were stuck in the 'down' position.

My FD has been great compared to my A4, and my A4 was better than the typical experiences with those. The S4s and A4s of my friends seemed to have about the same numbers of problems though. Germans just don't have the electronics down really.

coolingmist

Hey John...

Have not talked to you in a long time. Last time I saw you I just had my engine rebuilt and you were having a different engine coolant problem.

I really feel the same way as you. I was as hard core about the 7 as anyone, but frankly I feel like it has had its day. The car creeks and squeeks and frankly no matter how much money you put into it, its going to get worse every day. Sooner or later its gonna smell like old car.

I wanna paint my car, I wannt put a GT35 in it, I want to put a 20B in it...I dont even know what the hell I want anymore. The problem is that I dont see any car on the market that would completely satisify me. Id get an elise if it had a turbo and just a few creature comforts, the G35C is nice but n/a and kind big.

I think the idea of a turbocharged Mx-5 (2006) perhaps the mazdaspeed one is starting to sound good to me.

Lets face it our cars are about 12 years old or more and they dont run like they used to. The only real satisfaction I get from mine these days is how it looks. I think I will take a picture of it and then sell the damn thing.

I really dont have anything to complain about since the rx-7 has not had a mechanical problem in almost 2 years, but I begin to think its a car whos time has come and passed.

So am I gonna sell mine? Not until something better comes along.

Anyway, good luck.

Mahjik

iTrader: (1)

I think the moral here is: performance costs

Whether it's time or money, or both, performance isn't cheap no matter who is making/fixing the car.

Improved FD

nah, performance doesn't have to be expensive

I'll jump on my $5k 1999 YZF-R1 and blow the doors off 90% of the FDs on this forum on any mountain road in NC