New Member question (power windows) - BMW Forum

rafst29 · 10-06-2003, 10:36 AM

Wow, I just discovered this place, what a resource, I'm sure, I'll be asking many questions, and some day maybe answering a few!

I have an 1986 325e, I absolutly love it, I'll post some pics someday, I have a few problems that I need some assistance in solving.

1 - My drivers side window has a problem, when I roll it up, it wants to keep going. It makes a sound like it is still trying to roll it up beyond the stopping point.

2 - I have been noticing a noise from he front, It sounds like it could be the tires, like a rough ride, It currently has Cooper touring tires on it, are these tire known for being noisy, can anyone suggest some tires, not too expensive, $70 or so?

3- A stone came up and cracked my windshield !!! I called my local place, the guy said 'his book didnt go back that far' lol.....I'm sure if I look around enough I'll find one, but, any ideas on where to start?

Thank you so much
rich

Ski · 10-06-2003, 02:32 PM

Welcome aboard rich!!

MrM3 · 10-06-2003, 02:55 PM

Welcome aboard!

if you are still using your 14" wheels then some yokohama AVS ES100's would a great tire for your price range. you may have a faulty window switch, i'm not positive thats what it is, but it'll be $30 to replace it new. try swapping the passenger and driver switches to see if thats really the case (you can just pry them out with a screw driver). the windshield should be the same size all the way up to 1991, if your looking for a new replacement.

alanh · 10-06-2003, 10:36 PM

yeah what he said even i know its way easy to change the switches

BmWNoobie · 10-07-2003, 01:23 AM

Hey Welcome rich im a noobie too<<hehe
Since u guyz were talking bout tires... i was wonder does anyone know how to fix a bended rim? i was forced by a car to move to teh side so my rims were bend and it been leakin air lil by lil????.... ne 1 know how to fix it? or what should i do?

Fox · 10-07-2003, 10:20 AM

Quote:

... then some yokohama AVS ES100's would a great tire for your price range.

Do not get AVS100s!!

These are only good for driving school and nothing else. They are very sticky and goodly. They are also around 80 or so bux at a store. A bit expensive but not that bad. Ok so they sound all good and dandy right? Wrong.

They have horrible wet traction, worse than pirelli 8000s and these are very bad themselves.
They will only last around 10-13k miles This is almost nothing for $80 each. ($80 without mounting balancing and warrentee mind you)
Lastly they are HORRIBLY notorious for blow outs. Go around and read random sporting forums, youll see at least 1 story of a blow out from these a week.

Also about your window. Its not the switch. Its something with the motor, but probly not the motor itself. The motor should be pressure deactivated, once the window hits the top it will stop (similar to a cd rom, when you push it it will go in) What it sounds like is that your gear is stripped to the point that it will still roll the window up but the once it reaches the top the gear will spin causeing the motor to not deactivate.

As for your other problems, well cant help you on the windshield, get a used one. And i totally dont understand your question about the shocks or whatever.

Ohtow · 10-07-2003, 03:06 PM

I'm thinking it's not your window switches either, one of the other members mentioned switching the window switches. If that works then you know its the window switch. If not then it's something other like the window gear stripping out as mentioned earlier.

Three out of four of my window switches didn't work when I got my car. I just removed the switches, sprayed them heavily with WD40 then used a airhose to completely dry them out. You can use electrical parts spray also. All my windows go up and down perfectly now. Saved myself $90.00 for three switches.

Check out www.tires.com for some great bargains on tires. I've bought from them in the past. They ship right to your door.

Good luck

MrM3 · 10-07-2003, 03:30 PM

Quote:

Originally posted by Fox@Oct 7 2003, 11:00 AM

Quote:

... then some yokohama AVS ES100's would a great tire for your price range.

Do not get AVS100s!!

These are only good for driving school and nothing else. They are very sticky and goodly. They are also around 80 or so bux at a store. A bit expensive but not that bad. Ok so they sound all good and dandy right? Wrong.

They have horrible wet traction, worse than pirelli 8000s and these are very bad themselves.
They will only last around 10-13k miles This is almost nothing for $80 each. ($80 without mounting balancing and warrentee mind you)
Lastly they are HORRIBLY notorious for blow outs. Go around and read random sporting forums, youll see at least 1 story of a blow out from these a week.

Also about your window. Its not the switch. Its something with the motor, but probly not the motor itself. The motor should be pressure deactivated, once the window hits the top it will stop (similar to a cd rom, when you push it it will go in) What it sounds like is that your gear is stripped to the point that it will still roll the window up but the once it reaches the top the gear will spin causeing the motor to not deactivate.

As for your other problems, well cant help you on the windshield, get a used one. And i totally dont understand your question about the shocks or whatever.

avs100's are not notorious for blow outs. most blow outs are due to punctures or debris anyway, its rarely the tires fault, and even then the main cause is under inflation. they have good/avg wet traction, but are more of a dry street tire. they also have very good tread wear, probably around 25k miles or more. i dont know what your comparing them too, but i'd say its a good tire for the money ~$75/tire.

rafst29 · 10-08-2003, 09:35 AM

Thanks for the great advice!
I'll try swapping the switches this weekend, it's funny, the problem started with just a small 'POP' every once in a while, like the window went just a little beyond where it was supossed to stop. Now if I dont take my finger off the switch, it will just keep trying to roll up, machine gun style.

Fox, thanks for the heads up on the AVS 100's I was going to price them this weekend. What do you recommend? How about these?

http://www.tirerack.com/tires/tires.jsp?ti...romCompare1=yes

Fox · 10-09-2003, 03:12 PM

I recommend dunlops. Though i dont know about your sizes since you have 6 inch rims and i have 6.5. Great wear and decent traction, but not serious amounts.

M3 dont want to start and argument but i barely got 14k out of my avs100s. And yes they have awesome traction. If i started autoXing a lot i would buy some specially for a seperate set of wheels, but not for street.

MrM3 · 10-09-2003, 04:20 PM

Quote:

Originally posted by Fox@Oct 9 2003, 03:52 PM
I recommend dunlops. Though i dont know about your sizes since you have 6 inch rims and i have 6.5. Great wear and decent traction, but not serious amounts.

M3 dont want to start and argument but i barely got 14k out of my avs100s. And yes they have awesome traction. If i started autoXing a lot i would buy some specially for a seperate set of wheels, but not for street.

still, i know a few ppl who are very happy with them and have gotten decent tread life outta them