WilliamOxford

Dear BMW Owners' Club Admin, Many thanks for your kind reply to my enquiry about oil grades. I've just booked an oil service with my local dealership, so presume they will use their current proprietary oil. With best regards, William.

Hello there, I have owned an E46 320Ci (2001) from new. The mileage is currently 103,000 and, apart from a few minor corrosion spots on the wheel arches, the car remains in excellent condition. I have always used Castrol 0W 30 fully synthetic oil, as originally recommended by BMW. I note that BMW main dealers now sell their own oil formulation and, as my car's engine is over the 100k mark, I wonder whether I should continue to use my regular oil or switch to another grade. I live in the UK and add approximately 1 litre of oil every 800 miles or so (note that the car has always been somewhat heavy on oil). Many thanks! William.

Thanks again, Greydog. If I can borrow the heat gun, I'll be sure to mask painted areas thoroughly and play the heat carefully only over the uncoated ABS areas. Just a quick associated query - have you heard of or tried a product called 'Solution Finish. Black Trim Restorer'? (It's had v. good reviews on YouTube and elsewhere and is manufactured on a relatively small scale in Long Beach, US.) BW, William.

Thank you very much, Greydog, for this suggestion. I don't have a heat gun myself but think I could borrow one from a friend of mine. If so, I'll give it a go - very slowly and carefully - and will also be sure to avoid the colour-keyed areas of the mirror housing!! Best regards.

The satin black edge and bracket areas of my otherwise body-coloured door mirror housings have, over a few years, faded to a milky grey as a result of UV exposure. As the rest of the car finish remains in excellent condition, I am seeking a way of restoring the black colour of these plastic trim areas. I have tried several 'Back to Black'-type preparations from Halfords here in the UK but none has made any difference whatsoever. Any suggestions (other than simply living with the colour change) would be most welcome. Many thanks!

Many thanks, Mike! 'Probably the case. Regards, William.

Hello! I bought a right-hand drive E46 320Ci, new, with essentially zero mileage, in 2001 as a 'grey' import to the UK from Belgium (via Virgin Cars) and it continues to be a great vehicle. I recently needed to replace a front indicator assembly due to a stone impact and was surprised to be told that the VIN number indicated that the car was first registered as a military vehicle (even though no previous owner was shown in the car documents). This has intrigued me ever since and I wonder whether anyone can explain how this might have occurred (e.g., why would the military register an RHD coupe that was subsequently available to import from Europe with zero mileage by Virgin Cars)? Thanks! Bill

I have now obtained this item from BMW's own eBay parts shop for £48. William

Hello everyone! I have had the misfortune to be hit, on the motorway, by a stone that has completely taken off the front offside indicator cluster of my 2001 (E46) 320Ci. The missing parts are the clear lens, reflector, bulb socket and orange bulb, plus any adhesive strips, seals, etc. to effect repair. As I am currently based near Bridgend, Glamorgan, I have contacted Sytner in Cardiff, who have quoted £187 for the work (£98 of which is for the parts). I have also contacted DATSC Deutsche Auto Teknik, an independent BMW specialist in Barry, but they insist on inspection before giving a quote, necessitating a lengthy and potentially fruitless round trip. Local motor factors appear unable to supply the parts, as the car dates from 2001. Could anyone possibly suggest alternative independent BMW specialists in the Bridgend/Cardiff area that I might approach for a quote? Many thanks Bill