[androdev]

Authentic @iliketurtles banter after a long time - the kind of prose that you wish doesn't end too soon. The Malad-salad reference got too personal for me :-)

[Dr.AD]

Originally Posted by iliketurtles

3 lessons from 3 years and some 30,000 kilometers with the 3

Congratulations on completing the 3 years! Amazing how time flies.

And as always, a lovely write-up! Enjoyed reading it. You made some really interesting points. As someone who learnt his own "3 lessons from 3 years with the 3", I can relate to most of what you said.

Lovely photos too! The Red 3 looks so hot, and yours looks even hotter with the lowered stance and those gorgeous Style 397 wheels (those are the best looking wheels that BMW produced in a long time). It is always a pleasure reading your posts. Please keep updating this thread and looking forward to more pictures, updates and stories!

[iliketurtles]

Originally Posted by androdev

Authentic @iliketurtles banter after a long time - the kind of prose that you wish doesn't end too soon. The Malad-salad reference got too personal for me :-)

Thanks Andro! I was writing shorter missives because I wasn't sure if my (almost patented) 80-words-where-8-suffices approach was the best way forward in a world where long format content is going the way of the Dodo.

I didn't know the Malad-salad reference would travel well But I'm glad it did. Little foibles like that get on my nerves, but I've learnt to rein in my critiques over the years. Now I only abuse people for stuff like this a little bit. That's progress in my books.

Originally Posted by Dr.AD

Congratulations on completing the 3 years! Amazing how time flies. As always, you are a cunning linguist, sir. I salute you.

Lovely photos too! The Red 3 looks so hot, and yours looks even hotter with the lowered stance and those gorgeous Style 397 wheels (those are the best looking wheels that BMW produced in a long time). It is always a pleasure reading your posts. Please keep updating this thread and looking forward to more pictures, updates and stories!

Thank you Doctor saar! The pics gracing your travelogues always make it a joy to leaf through (in as much as one can leaf through a web page), and I try to get somewhere near it. Of course, being a lazy so-and-so, I make do with cell phone photos. Even so, I'll make sure I keep pulling at this thread, until there's nothing left to unravel.

[Moontan]

3 years with the 3. Well done and she's even better looking than when you two first met. Now that the big 50K is coming up, don't forget to change your rear differential fluid, if you haven't done so already.. I swapped mine with Liqui Moly's 75W-90 GL-4. The rear uses a GL-4 spec.

[iliketurtles]

Originally Posted by Moontan

…don't forget to change your rear differential fluid... I swapped mine with Liqui Moly's 75W-90 GL-4. The rear uses a GL-4 spec.

Thanks for the heads up, Moontan. I imagine you gave it to some FNG to get it done? Could you confirm how much fluid was needed, and how much it cost?

[Moontan]

Originally Posted by iliketurtles

Thanks for the heads up, Moontan. I imagine you gave it to some FNG to get it done? Could you confirm how much fluid was needed, and how much it cost?

Yep. Like you, I'm not an ASS man anymore.

You need one litre, though the diff will require about 800 ml. The cost of the fluid is about Rs. 1800 for a litre. This is what I used:

Liqui Moly 20012 Gl 4+ SAE 75W-90... https://www.amazon.in/dp/B004GV07R0?...p_mob_ap_share

There's a very detailed video on YouTube by the good folk at FCP Euro on how to get it done. It's super easy with a good flexible plastic tube that can reach the bottom of the differential.

https://youtu.be/TZxRJD5hgx0

Enjoy!

[iliketurtles]

Originally Posted by Moontan

Yep. Like you, I'm not an ASS man anymore.

I'm ashamed I did not think of this earlier. I'm getting slow in my old age

Originally Posted by Moontan

You need one litre, though the diff will require about 800 ml. The cost of the fluid is about Rs. 1800 for a litre. This is what I used...(snip)

Thanks a ton for the links, hugely helpful. I'll get this done pronto, ahead of a few road trips I have in mind.

[Moontan]

If you're doing a full service with oil change, may I suggest you try Liqui Moly's Molygen 5W40? It's a BMW LL-01 oil so perfect for the F30 328i. An email to Molygen asking what viscosity to go with had them suggesting I go with 5W40 and not 5W30 because of the ambient temperature ranges the car needs to operate in. I have used this oil and it's completely transformed the performance of the engine. It's very smooth and I can't hear it in the cabin anymore. Folks normally add Ceratec, also made by Liqui Moly, to engines that have done 50K kms. But if you use Molygen Oil, do not use any other additives. Links to 5 ltrs of the fluid:

https://www.amazon.in/gp/product/B07...?ie=UTF8&psc=1

https://www.amazon.in/gp/product/B08...?ie=UTF8&psc=1

Here's a video explaining the various oils with a detailed explanation on Molygen at the end.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Yx__NpU6glI

[iliketurtles]

Originally Posted by Moontan

If you're doing a full service with oil change, may I suggest you try Liqui Moly's Molygen 5W40? It's a BMW LL-01 oil so perfect for the F30 328i.

I had got the fluids and filters changed a few months back, and while I used (and loved) Liqui Moly for my previous oil change, it wasn't easily available at that (lockdown difficulties, I guess). So I went with this oil from Petronas. It's fully synthetic and complies with BMWs measures and standards, so I gave a go-ahead. Car is running as smoothly as she did with Liqui Moly, so I'm fairly happy with it.

Here's the link to it on Petronas' website, in case anyone is bored and wants some reading material.

[Tkm]

A lesson in English along with a review that speaks from the heart. Yes there is a 'something" that comes into play when we buy a car which we always wanted to rather than a staid stodgy "Mr reliable "
A hilarious but supremely sensible review
After reading it I can only say;
Audi TT here I come:!!

[vigneshkumar31]

This is the kind of content that makes my day. I enjoyed reading it , in a funny voice in my head , sounded like a podcast.

Keep writing !

[iliketurtles]

Originally Posted by Tkm

A lesson in English along with a review that speaks from the heart. Yes there is a 'something" that comes into play when we buy a car which we always wanted to rather than a staid stodgy "Mr reliable "
A hilarious but supremely sensible review
After reading it I can only say;
Audi TT here I come:!!

Thank you, amigo. I'm glad my writing is able to strike a chord with you, nothing would make me happier than seeing more fun-mobiles out on the road. I've always loved TTs, and I hope you can make that dream come true.

Originally Posted by vigneshkumar31

This is the kind of content that makes my day. I enjoyed reading it , in a funny voice in my head , sounded like a podcast.

Keep writing !

Hah! Thanks Vignesh. I never quite saw it like that, but your perspective makes a helluva lot of sense, because I take a more conversational approach to this kind of writing, so that's an apt analogy.

Don't you worry about me writing regularly either; so long as inspiration strikes, I'll keep on churning out this nonsense.

[kiku007]

Loved reading your post. Thanks for sharing.

Originally Posted by iliketurtles

Something they don’t tell you prior to buying a BMW is that it’s like joining a cult, except you never got the memo.

Almost every BMW driver you roll up next to sees you as a Bavarian brother from another mother, and shares a deep spiritual connection with you.

“Come, brother. Let us commune, and together break tread.”

And then, of course, there is the larger German reich that welcomes you readily. Just don’t expect the FWD Audi’s to break tread with you readily.

And, of course, sometimes you get people seeing you differently.

So true!

I understand from your garage that you also had a VW Jetta. The 3 Series seems to be the choice of upgrade for a handful of people I know of. There's something about these German cars that makes people do this.

[allinbalance]

Originally Posted by iliketurtles

3 lessons from 3 years and some 30,000 kilometers with the 3

Looking back, my life can be neatly divided into two phases. Let’s call them AD (Age of Diesels) and BC (BMW Cars) for easy reference.

...
Bags packed, almost out the door, she turned and fixed a glare on me, saying, “Don’t do anything stupid while I’m away.”

Stupid? Me? Perish the thought, woman.

... Surprise, fräulein! At least you caught me canoodling with the right kind of redhead....

Boy!! Do you have a super flair for writing!! That deadpan humor is so engaging! Anyway, Guten Taag from another Beemer owner, bro!!

[Nitish.arnold]

I may need to block team-bhp for some time,
to save my crumbling bank balance.

Every time I see a passionate thread/banter like this,
My hand subconsciously goes to the checkbook to book one right away.

& why not, if one may ask!
ONE LIFE BABY

Keep up the good work