BMW E36 Blog

I wrote about Bluetooth Ready Headunits For Your BMW before and I suggested the Pioneer (DEH-P7900BT) and the Sony (MEX-BT2500) headunits to be used in your BMW cars. The only problem that I could see and didn’t like about these two types was the blue illumination which didn’t exactly fit into your BMW car illumination. I’ve received some comments about other types that are designed with the same purpose in mind. One of these is the Alpine iDA-X001. This headunit is designed for iPod users and integrates flawlessly with them. This headunit doesn’t have integrated CD-ROM. Only Radio + iPod connection to play and manipulate your songs inside your car. This is a really cool way to store and play your music. It has almost the same interface that you use to play music using your iPod. And best of all, it can work as a car phone kit at the same time by using the Alpine Car Bluetooth Adapter. If you are not impressed with all what I’ve just said, I’m sure you will be when I tell you that this receiver can illuminate in either Blue or Red colors which will make it look great in your BMW E36 console. I’ve prepared some photos for this Alpine headunit for you to check out. Please take a look and let me know what you think. Oh, yes, I just wanted to thank Alexander for the photos that he sent me.

BMW E36 Blog: The ultimate E36 information source.

Rough idle problems are really common on BMW E36 cars and there are a lot of problems that may cause this to appear. First I will show you a video of such a rough idle and then list the possible problems that may cause that.

Take a look:-

The possible reasons for such a problem are:

1. Oxygen Sensor is gone: You can run a diagnosis to see if this is the problem. If you find out that it’s the problem, you should replace it. Read Everything you need to know about Oxygen Sensor! for more information about oxygen sensors.

2. Idle Control Valve: Dirty idle control valve is a very common problem in BMW E36 cars that may cause rough idle. You can use this DIY (Do It Yourself) to learn about Cleaning E36 ICV (Idle Control Valve)

3. Plugs and Distributor: You may need to replace these to solve your problem. I however don’t have a way to check them before replacement.

4. The Throttle Position Sensor (TBS) and/or connections may be bad: You can simply disconnect it and see if your problem is solved or not.

BMW E36 Blog: The Ultimate E36 Information Source.

My brother is a big fan of car phone kits. He’s always trying to find the best one and comparing between them etc etc. I didn’t care much about them and I usually use the traditional way to talk on the phone while driving. That is one hand holding the phone and the other is adjusting my head unit 😆 . I also, hated installing car phone kits because it usually involves a lot of hassle. So, I’ve been avoiding this until I realized that the cops are not going to go easy on the issue of talking on the phone while driving.

A year ago, I had a brilliant idea (at least that’s what I thought) that why the big boys like Pioneer and Sony are not manufacturing head units that have Bluetooth units integrated inside them. Which means that these head units can act as a music player + a phone kit at the same time. The head unit is usually connected to the car sound system remember? Yesterday, I discovered that I’m not the only one who thought about this and that this is already done 🙁 . I’ve found two examples for such head units , one from Pioneer (Pioneer DEH-P7900BT)

And the other from Sony (Sony MEX-BT2500)

The only thing that I hate about these two is the illumination color. It’s Blue. I wish they’ve made another type with Amber illumination. It would look and act great inside my BMW E36.

What do you think of my idea which has been stolen by Pioneer and Sony 😆 . Should I go and claim my invention? :p

BMW E36 Blog: The ultimate E36 information source.

Let’s admit it! Thieves are just not going to back off any time soon and it’s almost like they’re getting smarter and smarter every day. They’ve been steeling cars and car alarms became a must now for almost any car. They have been steeling sound systems and expensive subwoofers/amplifiers and head units. Now, it’s your car wheels. When you’re driving a car with expensive wheels, many thieves will seriously consider paying you a visit. It’s getting very common to hear about stolen wheels on cars (specially expensive ones). This is a real problem although the solution can be very simple and very cheap. It’s called "wheel locks". The idea behind this is to change one bolt on each wheel of your car with one of the bolts provided by this kit. These bolts can’t be loosened without a special key (provided with the kit). This way, when a thief pays you a visit and tries to unscrew your wheel bolts, the secure bolt will tell him "SURPRISE . . . YOUR TOOL DOESN’T WORK ON ME YOU MORON". I think this a very good tool to use in case you have expensive wheels that you want to protect against theft.

BMW E36 Blog: The ultimate E36 information source.

It’s amazing how childish and sometimes silly BMW owners can be. In today’s post, I decided to show you two funny and childish tricks that you can do to your BMW. It’s fun and will grab others attention definitely (in case you like that). The first trick is the LED strobe mod on the rear view mirror. It’s fun to connect this with your alarm and gives a sweet and cute look to the car while the alarm is on.

Take a look:-

The next idea to use is Rear Sprayer Mod. With this mod, you can spray anyone who annoys you. Just get him to drive behind you and spay him 😆

Take a look:-

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