jhav

Hope somebody out there can point me in the right direction. I purchased a modified CDV from Zeckhausen Racing and need to have it installed in my 545i.

I did a Yahoo! Yellow Pages search for BMW services specialists in my area - I live in Blue Bell and work near King of Prussia - and have called several shops that identify themselves and BMW/German car specialists. However, nobody that I have spoken with has any clue what I am talking about when I mention the CDV.

I can't be the only one in this area driving a manual BMW that has replaced their CDV ---- can any of you share a reccomendation with me? I found one place who said they would do it, but I'd be a lot more comfortable taking it somewhere that has done this type of work before.

Thanks in advance!

Jordan

jhav

Well, as I never got any replies :'( - I was forced to take a blind swing. Anyhow, I found a place named "Bavarian Specialties" in King of Prussia that specializes in BMWs. I had my Zeckhausen modified CDV installed by them earlier today.

The guy that I worked with there, Michael, told me that, while they have done CDV modifications in the past, their standard process involves drilling through the guts. I showed him an email that I had received from David Zeckhausen which listed the complications that could result from a drilling approach. In the same email, David went so far as to offer education to Bavarian Specialties as to how they could "correctly" modify a CDV without drilling.

Anyhow, Michael at Bavarian was not very impressed. I left the email with David's contact information and offer of assistance behind, but I am doubting that it will end up anywhere but the trashcan.

In the end, they charged me ~$80 to replace my CDV with the Zeckhausen modified one and the job took less than an hour...

Let me say that I am absolutely blown away by how much better my car drives with the modified CDV - it is literally night and day! Before the switch, I probably experienced a "rocky shift" > 60% of the time --- with the mod in place, shifts are smooth as silk.... It begs the question, what the heck is BMW thinking by installing these things in the first place????

For all you six speed drivers out there, do yourself a GIGANTIC favor and nix the CDV!

jmdhuse

Hmmm, I have the modified CDV from Zeckhausen, but I haven't found anyone in my area (Phoenix, AZ metro) to install it. Hearing your enthusiasm for the result has me thinking I'll try to do it myself when the temperatures cool off and it gets easier to be underneath a car...

Thanks, Jon.