version 4.2
                     Last update: 7/16/96

Editor in Chief:

Rick Kjeldsen (fcmk_at_watson.ibm.com)

Chapter Editors:

FAQ.12: Steve Callaghan (Stephen.CALLAGHAN_at_ipb.qld.gov.au) FAQ.13: Curtis A. Ingraham (ingraham_at_sunspot.ssl.berkeley.edu)

    FAQ.14a: Kevin Kelly        (KKelly6788_at_aol.com)
    FAQ.15:  Rick Kjeldsen      (fcmk_at_watson.ibm.com)
    FAQ.16:  Kevin Kelly        (KKelly6788_at_aol.com)
    FAQ.17:  David R. Quick     (quickd_at_rpi.edu)

Please volunteer to become a chapter editor!

FAQ.0: INDEX (this file)

0.1: Organization of the FAQ
0.2: Downloading the FAQ

FAQ.1: BMWs, A Brief Introduction

1.1: Body Styles
1.2: Motors
1.3: Decoding BMW VINs

FAQ.2: BMW, Clubs and Information Sources

2.1: BMW AG and BMW NA
2.2: BMW CCA
2.3: Other clubs and organizations 2.4: BMW information on the Internet 2.5: BMW books & Manuals

FAQ.3: Various Interesting Stuff

3.1: Winter Driving and BMWs
3.2: Renting a BMW
3.3: Buying a used BMW
3.4: Driving Schools
3.5: Mail-order parts
3.6: Visiting BMW

FAQ.4: General Technical Info

4.1: Gasoline and Additives
4.2: Oil and Additives
4.3: Coolant
4.4: Brakes and AST
4.5: AC (esp New Regulations)
4.6: Snow Tires
4.7: Miscellaneous

FAQ.5: Washing, Waxing and Detailing

5.1: Waxes
5.2: Wheel Cleaners
5.3: Leather/Vinyl Care
5.4: On Silicone protectants

FAQ.6: Stereo and Alarm systems

FAQ.7: General Repair Info (not model-specific)

7.1: Engine
7.2: Brakes
7.3: HVAC
7.4: Body, etc
7.5: Electrical
7.6: Misc

FAQ.8: General Performance Modifications

8.1: Chips
8.2: Air filters
8.3: Brakes
8.4: Differentials
8.5: Theory

FAQ.9: Older BMWs (Early '80s and before, 1500s, Bavarias, 3.0s, etc)

FAQ.10: Specialty Bimmers (Z1, Isetta, etc)

FAQ.11: ///M cars (M1, M3, M5, M6)

FAQ.12: Big Bimmers (7-series, 8-series)

FAQ.13: 2002

FAQ.14a: E24 ('76-'89 6-series)

FAQ.14b: E28 ('82-'88 5-series)

FAQ.15: E30 ('84-'91 3-series) (includes 'iX and ETA info)

FAQ.16: E34 ('89-'95 5-series)

FAQ.17: E36 ('92-present 3-series)

FAQ.18: E39 ('95-present 5-series)

FAQ.19: Z3

This FAQ is, for the most part, assembled from posts to the bmw-digest mailing list. The posts have been collected by topic, and in some cases edited for brevity and with additional comments. In most cases the name and e-mail.addr of the poster is included. We have tried to keep this FAQ as accurate as possible. Posts have been selected that are either clearly factual or best represent the collective opinion of the list. Where there are very different opinions, we have tried to include informative posts from both sides.

The first 9 chapters hold information general to all BMWs. The last 10 hold information specific to one or more models. More model-specific chapters will be added as new models are introduced. Each chapter (e.g. FAQ.5) begins with an index of the topics (e.g. 5.3) and sub-topics (e.g. 5.3.4). In the general chapters the topics are somewhat arbitrary. In the model specific chapters the topics are uniform, covering things like Engine, Brakes, etc.

In the body of each chapter, each topic is preceeded by it's number, and surrounded by lines like this:

Sub-topics have a line before them, but not after:

Within each sub-topic, different posts are preceed by a thinner line and the name of the poster:

The entire FAQ is given a version number in FAQ.0. Since every chapter is not updated every version, each chapter also has a version number up top which indicates when that chapter was last updated.

The FAQ may now be obtained from balltown.cma.com via one of two methods, and from a second server on the World Wide Web as well. As a rule the files as balltown will be the most recent, while those on the Web may be somewhat older.

FTP:
anonymous ftp may be used to obtain copies of the FAQ.

ftp ftp.balltown.cma.com
login: anonymous
Password: your-email-address_at_here.org
cd misc/Autos/bmw
get README
get FAQ.0
get FAQ.1
...
get FAQ.19

EMAIL:
The FAQ may also be obtained using email to majordomo_at_lists.balltown.cma.com send a message to majordomo, and include in the body commands such as the following:

index bmw-digest
get bmw-digest README
get bmw-digest FAQ.0
get bmw-digest FAQ.1
...
get bmw-digest FAQ.19

WEB:
Using a web browser go to:

http://cbsgi1.bu.edu/bmw/new_bmw.html
or
http://cbsgi1.bu.edu/bmw/bmw.html

and select the "General FAQs" link.