I am getting soft and old and I blame Mercedes-Benz

"WilliamsSW" (williamssw) 01/06/2020 at 14:17 • Filed to: first world problems, Bmw e46

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My wife had the OSRV mirror knocked off of her car in a parking lot last week, so I’m dailying the E46 this week. The steering feels incredibly stiff ( I nearly overshot more than 1 turn), and the whole car just rattles a lot and tends to wander a bit. And of course it’s slow as hell.

I honestly don’t think there’s anything wrong with it, it’s just that the E class is so comfy and easy.

Bonus tire photo - I had to put air in them at lunch because 27 psi ain’t gonna cut it, and I noticed that th e DOT date code ( far right) is 1214. * insert shouldershrug emoji*

TrickJos > WilliamsSW 01/06/2020 at 14:44

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When I go from driving my GTI to my wife’s Beetle it takes me a few turns to get used to the different steering ratio. I make most turns in the GTI without taking hands off the steering wheel. Just turn and cross arms. I’m going to hit a curb or something in the Beetle one of these days because the steering is so much slower. 

WilliamsSW > TrickJos 01/06/2020 at 14:54

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Yeah I could definitely see that.  I think the BMW has slightly slower steering, but it’s the weight that really varies from the Merc.  The Merc is super light, and the BMW just feels really heavy in comparison.

Ash78, voting early and often > WilliamsSW 01/06/2020 at 14:54

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I have on more than one occasion shied away from shopping M-B because it would spoil me for all other cars. I’m not even kidding. It’s just that insulated.

To be fair, your steering is WAY overboosted compared to most cars not ending in “-uick” (from my experience in the W210 and 212 E-Class models). They’re all “one-finger cruisers” not that I would ever be that cavalier. Never.

WilliamsSW > Ash78, voting early and often 01/06/2020 at 15:01

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Believe it or not, my 2015 GS350 was more boosted at lower speeds. If you were idling on a side sloped road, it would turn — hard — downhill if you took your hands off the wheel.

That said, it firmed up quickly   at speed.

And you’ve never experienced overboost until you’ve driven a 60s American car with power steering. 

Arrivederci > WilliamsSW 01/06/2020 at 15:20

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Heh.  I get back in my GS350 after driving the Miata and wonder if the steering wheel is actually attached to the wheels.  So insulated and no effort to turn.

WilliamsSW > Arrivederci 01/06/2020 at 15:22

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Lol see my comment above to Ash78 on my old GS350. It was weird at low speeds and side slopes.

The Mercedes has more boost than the Lexus did once you’re above parking speeds though. 

facw > WilliamsSW 01/06/2020 at 16:07

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What’s wrong with a 2014 date code? Those should have several more years left in them, and they don’t seem to be showing any signs of rot.

WilliamsSW > facw 01/06/2020 at 16:14

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Brain cramp - I was thinking 5 years to replace  not 10. There’s no dry rot on them.

It’s weird because they’re all seasons, but seem to be really slippery in colder weather. Been getting the rear end loose regularly, which is weird in a 168 HP, 3400 lb car.

CalzoneGolem > Ash78, voting early and often 01/06/2020 at 16:14

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I’ve got some Kias for you to try out.

arl > WilliamsSW 01/06/2020 at 16:29

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Had a 65 Buick Wildcat. Monstrosity of a car. Easy to steer with one finger. Until the power steering pump failed .

That’s the day you became a man - literally hanging your weight off the steering wheel, pulling with all your might to try and guide the hulk into a parking lot. Ah, good times...

WilliamsSW > arl 01/06/2020 at 16:34

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Ha- yeah I had the serpentine belt disintegrate in my 2005 Pathfinder a couple of years ago.  Had to drive it a block to park it where I could work on it.  That was a lot of fun trying to turn corners in it!

MKULTRA1982(ConCrustyBrick) > WilliamsSW 01/06/2020 at 16:49

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Is it a 4 banger or does the smaller I-6 favour torque over horsepower? 

WilliamsSW > MKULTRA1982(ConCrustyBrick) 01/06/2020 at 16:54

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The E46 only got 6 cylinder engines, at least in North America.  Mine is an early (2000) car so it has the old M52 (better known in the E36).  2.5 liter I6, 168 HP, 181 torque.  It’s a reasonably torquey engine with very short gearing.

arl > WilliamsSW 01/06/2020 at 17:03

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No power steering in a small sports car is A-OK. No power steering in an SUV could be a life- altering event!

WilliamsSW > arl 01/06/2020 at 17:07

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It was virtually undrivable. I just had to move it 3 doors down, but that required backing it out of a driveway, then driving 100 yards, turning left, then left again into my own driveway.

The reason the serpentine belt broke (and made a shitload of foul smoke and squealing) was because the alternator was locked up.

At least it was an easy problem to diagnose “hey isn’t this pulley supposed to turn?”

Daily Drives a Dragon - One Last Lap > WilliamsSW 01/06/2020 at 17:57

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Hey a 4 digit date code is better than a 3 digit date code. 

WilliamsSW > Daily Drives a Dragon - One Last Lap 01/06/2020 at 18:04

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Lol I have a set of snow tires for the same car that *might* be 3 digit date coded (probably not but it’s possible).

Daily Drives a Dragon - One Last Lap > WilliamsSW 01/06/2020 at 18:35

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I decided to check my spare recently, and it's got a 3 digit code. Should probably buy a new one but itll get me to the next exit at least. 

WilliamsSW > Daily Drives a Dragon - One Last Lap 01/06/2020 at 18:40

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Hmm, this car was built in April 2000, so I guess it depends on how much inventory the plant had on whether my spare is 3 or 4 digits....

Daily Drives a Dragon - One Last Lap > WilliamsSW 01/06/2020 at 21:40

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Mine was a Feb 1999 build and the tire was late 98

functionoverfashion > WilliamsSW 01/08/2020 at 09:28

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Hey, the tires on my truck were probably from the 70's... until I replaced them last year (edit: 2018, not 2019) . They were not dry rotted at all, but still.

WilliamsSW > functionoverfashion 01/08/2020 at 10:20

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The snows for this car are way older — 19 years about to the day right now.  I won’t put them on the car.