What's the dumbest thing you've done in/with your car?
10-14-2009, 05:06 AM
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My mother is quite the speed freak when it comes to driving, quite often hitting 100mph on the motorways of Britain where she lives (with it's 70mph speed limit). When it came to her trip to Germany we hit max speed in my Boxster on the Autobahn and she was loving it.
One time back in Britain I was taking her to the bingo and I thought I know what she'll like, why wouldn't she like this move, it'll be cool. So as we approached the entrance to the bingo, I did a hand-brake turn (Russ Swift style) and the car ended up perfectly aligned to the sidewalk (total fluke). She was shocked and stunned and there were about 30 people loitering outside that were all staring amazed at "this idiot" that just did that. She got some disapproving looks as she walked into the bingo and I got a good telling off when I picked her up later.
One of those dumb ideas that should be immediately dismissed but I did it and I guess this is the first (of twelve) step(s) in admitting I have a problem
One time back in Britain I was taking her to the bingo and I thought I know what she'll like, why wouldn't she like this move, it'll be cool. So as we approached the entrance to the bingo, I did a hand-brake turn (Russ Swift style) and the car ended up perfectly aligned to the sidewalk (total fluke). She was shocked and stunned and there were about 30 people loitering outside that were all staring amazed at "this idiot" that just did that. She got some disapproving looks as she walked into the bingo and I got a good telling off when I picked her up later.
One of those dumb ideas that should be immediately dismissed but I did it and I guess this is the first (of twelve) step(s) in admitting I have a problem
10-14-2009, 06:14 AM
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haha.. i cant think either, but thats one cool mom you got there! 
10-14-2009, 10:27 AM
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Originally Posted by DD_545i' post='1032067' date='Oct 14 2009, 08:06 AM
My mother is quite the speed freak when it comes to driving, quite often hitting 100mph on the motorways of Britain where she lives (with it's 70mph speed limit). When it came to her trip to Germany we hit max speed in my Boxster on the Autobahn and she was loving it.
One time back in Britain I was taking her to the bingo and I thought I know what she'll like, why wouldn't she like this move, it'll be cool. So as we approached the entrance to the bingo, I did a hand-brake turn (Russ Swift style) and the car ended up perfectly aligned to the sidewalk (total fluke). She was shocked and stunned and there were about 30 people loitering outside that were all staring amazed at "this idiot" that just did that. She got some disapproving looks as she walked into the bingo and I got a good telling off when I picked her up later.
One of those dumb ideas that should be immediately dismissed but I did it and I guess this is the first (of twelve) step(s) in admitting I have a problem
One time back in Britain I was taking her to the bingo and I thought I know what she'll like, why wouldn't she like this move, it'll be cool. So as we approached the entrance to the bingo, I did a hand-brake turn (Russ Swift style) and the car ended up perfectly aligned to the sidewalk (total fluke). She was shocked and stunned and there were about 30 people loitering outside that were all staring amazed at "this idiot" that just did that. She got some disapproving looks as she walked into the bingo and I got a good telling off when I picked her up later.
One of those dumb ideas that should be immediately dismissed but I did it and I guess this is the first (of twelve) step(s) in admitting I have a problem
10-14-2009, 11:02 AM
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I bought a replacement gear lever for my 545 (OEM BMW with wood trim) and the dealer told me it was easy to remove the old one to replace it with the new part - I just needed to grab the existing lever and pull up.
It was a little harder to remove than I anticipated, so I pulled a bit harder. When the lever came loose, the net result was my elbow shooting up and banging into the rear view mirror.
And the net result of that was the unmistakable sound of whole host of cracks spidering all over my windshield...
So my bright idea to buy a $150 lever ended up requiring an $800 windshield, as I had the head up display in my car...
It was a little harder to remove than I anticipated, so I pulled a bit harder. When the lever came loose, the net result was my elbow shooting up and banging into the rear view mirror.
And the net result of that was the unmistakable sound of whole host of cracks spidering all over my windshield...
So my bright idea to buy a $150 lever ended up requiring an $800 windshield, as I had the head up display in my car...
10-14-2009, 11:07 AM
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Originally Posted by swajames' post='1032284' date='Oct 14 2009, 03:02 PM
I bought a replacement gear lever for my 545 (OEM BMW with wood trim) and the dealer told me it was easy to remove the old one to replace it with the new part - I just needed to grab the existing lever and pull up.
It was a little harder to remove than I anticipated, so I pulled a bit harder. When the lever came loose, the net result was my elbow shooting up and banging into the rear view mirror.
And the net result of that was the unmistakable sound of whole host of cracks spidering all over my windshield...
So my bright idea to buy a $150 lever ended up requiring an $800 windshield, as I had the head up display in my car...
It was a little harder to remove than I anticipated, so I pulled a bit harder. When the lever came loose, the net result was my elbow shooting up and banging into the rear view mirror.
And the net result of that was the unmistakable sound of whole host of cracks spidering all over my windshield...
So my bright idea to buy a $150 lever ended up requiring an $800 windshield, as I had the head up display in my car...
10-14-2009, 11:40 AM
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Originally Posted by swajames' post='1032284' date='Oct 14 2009, 12:02 PM
I bought a replacement gear lever for my 545 (OEM BMW with wood trim) and the dealer told me it was easy to remove the old one to replace it with the new part - I just needed to grab the existing lever and pull up.
It was a little harder to remove than I anticipated, so I pulled a bit harder. When the lever came loose, the net result was my elbow shooting up and banging into the rear view mirror.
And the net result of that was the unmistakable sound of whole host of cracks spidering all over my windshield...
So my bright idea to buy a $150 lever ended up requiring an $800 windshield, as I had the head up display in my car...
It was a little harder to remove than I anticipated, so I pulled a bit harder. When the lever came loose, the net result was my elbow shooting up and banging into the rear view mirror.
And the net result of that was the unmistakable sound of whole host of cracks spidering all over my windshield...
So my bright idea to buy a $150 lever ended up requiring an $800 windshield, as I had the head up display in my car...
10-14-2009, 11:54 AM
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Originally Posted by DD_545i' post='1032301' date='Oct 14 2009, 03:17 PM
I've got a crazy story but no time to tell it right now. Here's the result of what happened (to this rental car):
10-14-2009, 01:02 PM
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I collected me new to me E60 525D, one hour later i was sitting in my car at the petrol station awaiting a tow truck.
I had driven to the station to get fuel, I got there are couldnt get the fuel flap open. In my infinite wisdom i left the manual in the house, so i drove back to collect it. I went back to the station having had a look at the manual in the car, on the way there i was thinking wow this car is so quick and smooth you'd think it was a turbo petrol. So i then proceeded to start pumping some petrol in to my diesel car, I got to ?5 on the meter and realised. I checked with someone who works at the dealer and they advised a full drain and flush, I spoke to the breakdown guy and he said just fill with diesel and keep it above the 3/4 for the next couple of weeks or have it drained, i opted for the drain ?200 and a very red face later. Would be so bad but i had to sit in my car for about an hour waiting while people walked past laughing, and i was stuck at pump 1 because i couldnt start the car to move it.
New to me car ?12K, Petrol ?5, Complete drain ?200, putting petrol in a diesel less than an hour after you got it priceless.
I had driven to the station to get fuel, I got there are couldnt get the fuel flap open. In my infinite wisdom i left the manual in the house, so i drove back to collect it. I went back to the station having had a look at the manual in the car, on the way there i was thinking wow this car is so quick and smooth you'd think it was a turbo petrol. So i then proceeded to start pumping some petrol in to my diesel car, I got to ?5 on the meter and realised. I checked with someone who works at the dealer and they advised a full drain and flush, I spoke to the breakdown guy and he said just fill with diesel and keep it above the 3/4 for the next couple of weeks or have it drained, i opted for the drain ?200 and a very red face later. Would be so bad but i had to sit in my car for about an hour waiting while people walked past laughing, and i was stuck at pump 1 because i couldnt start the car to move it.
New to me car ?12K, Petrol ?5, Complete drain ?200, putting petrol in a diesel less than an hour after you got it priceless.