Used to be on a poster in my dorm: 2005 M3

[Beej]

Nothing fun to see here, just putting together a list of the boatload of maintenance that I've been putting off for "when I get a garage" in an effort to placate myself.

I was going to wait until we moved and put my ARC-8's on (they're in storage), and I knew it was gonna be close...but didn't make it. I corded one of the rear tires on my 19's. I'm now riding on "Nexen N3000's" (which I honestly didn't even know was a tire brand), since that's all I could get in Culpeper on a day's notice - big ups to Outlaw Motorsports, a truck shop, for the short-notice hookup on my non-truck. Since I now have "competition" tires in the RS-3's, it's nice to not care what I have on the 19's for daily driving; I don't drive aggressively on the street anymore (never really did). As long as they're cheap (yup), quiet (not too bad), and not awful, they're Good Enough.

As for the list...

Right away:

• Control arm bushings, which are showing signs of not doing their job as well as they should.
  
• Re-hang muffler so it stops rattling against the heat shield when cold. Might put new tips on while I have it off - never liked the black, and some of the powdercoating melted off at VIR anyway.
  
• Tranny and diff fluid changes, along with differential input seal, which is seeping a bit (no drips)…though I hate seating seals.
  
• CPV o-ring, which is leaking. Might pay a shop for this one - I tried to get to it when I did my motor mounts, but could not wiggle my homemade tool into the right position.
  
• Adjust/replace parking brake - doesn't hold as well as it should.

Soon:

• Rear subframe mounting point bulletproofing: structural foam to fill the cavity, epoxy reinforcement plates on the underside. Obviously all bushings while I have it all apart, and maybe adjustable camber arms, since they're a pain to install. Please no cracks please no cracks please no cracks. Might put off diff seals until I do this.
  
• VANOS bulletproofing: stronger exhaust cam hub, possibly new intake cam bolts. Need cam timing tool.
  
• Overhaul cooling system. Needle went a little too far in the red at VIR and I'm nearing 100k, so I'd like to do all of it. Maybe a better-cooling radiator.
  
• Replace seeping high pressure power steering lines.
  
• Mystery: driver's seat *clicks* with change of momentum (acceleration to braking, etc.). Drives me way crazier than it should.
  
• Definitely before the next track day, rebuilt/replacement front calipers - one of my dust boots is loose, and better safe than sorry. Also new/dedicated set of rotors for the track pads. I'm hoping to get out again before the season is over, but we'll see.

So, that got longer than I expected as I typed it. Big list for a car that, highway steering wheel shimmy aside, drives great.

I'm itching for something a pinch more comfortable, too. I know I'll have a fun (autox, track) car and a daily driver at some point, but I'm not sure what the combo will be. I'm tossing around the idea of getting something slower for motorsports stuff.

And since I personally enjoy reading post more when there are pictures - Virginia has some beautiful vineyards/wineries: