A message to all regarding bad advice...

[Guest Anonymous]

Please if you are not well versed in the adviCe you are giving, please keep you fingers off of the keyboard and let those that truly know help out.

I'm no expert, but I know a little about these cars and BMW's in general and have witnessed some incredibly poor advice being given on many occasions lately.

Until recently, I've felt that the forum has done a good job policing itself as those that posted incorrect or biased adviCe were quickly corrected by other members. Unfortunately I feel that we are loosing that critical aspect of this forum.

This forum is a true gem and I for one would like to see it stay that way.

Please think before you post...

Sincerely,

KC

The difference between advise and advice is not just spelling.

But Norm is right. How about some specific examples? If there is truly bad advice out there and you are concerned about perpetuating it, you need to challenge it or ask for the source of the so-called bad information or explain why you think it is ill advised.

Sure hope you ain't gonna advise me to drain the seafoam from my tank, the WD40 from my sump, the Dot2 polyglycol from my tires and the GL-5 from my 3hp12? Please don't tell me about setting my valves and points using the metric system. Converting feet to hectors with an analog voltmeter gives me a headache! Same with wet sanding the interior side of my front windscreen to reduce fogging.

[ray_]

I'm certain all of the problems here can be solved by carefully installing the products from this vendor, such as

http://kalecoauto.com/index.php?main_page=product_info&products_id=5

Happy new year!

Ray

[conkitchen]

.... Unfortunately I feel that we are loosing that critical aspect of this forum.

Please think before you post...

Sincerely,

KC

That's why I'll only do one post a night. Does this think B4U post thing go for entertainment posts as well? We all need a good laugh now and then, but if that is not serious enough, well then I guess I'll have to get up to 100 posts on Bimmerforums so I can post images.

How's that saying go about opinions and everyone?

**disclaimer: information contained is of a non-professional opinion and thus is intended for entertainment purposes. Use at your own risk as the post'r assumes no responsibility.

[Guest Anonymous]

I'm certain all of the problems here can be solved by carefully installing the products from this vendor, such as

http://kalecoauto.com/index.php?main_page=product_info&products_id=5

Happy new year!

Ray

NO! If they be the tip of the platinum they may not plug as well as nickel. I read it write hair. (From my muscle car days, I can't remember if there is a danger of cross threading if you use only a whitworth hammer and a butter knife to preload them before torquing them with an angel to 30 degrease.)

Feliz ano nuevo to you too!

[Guest Anonymous]

How's that saying go about opinions and everyone?

"You are right, unless I disagree with you?" or "Reagan is always right unless I disagree with him?" or "that's not tight enough!"

[AndyS]

I may not be an expert, but I can spend money on these things like no other!

[eastsidebimmer]

I think everyone should skip Air or Nitrogen in tires and fill up with a Helium and Hydrogen mixture as the thermal conductivity of the Hydrogen-Helium mixture is far superior, IMO.

[ray_]

Helium adds lightness.

;-p

Ray

I think everyone should skip Air or Nitrogen in tires and fill up with a Helium and Hydrogen mixture as the thermal conductivity of the Hydrogen-Helium mixture is far superior, IMO.

[Guest Anonymous]

Helium adds lightness.

;-p

But hydrogen adds sparkle and zip!

V.Hindenberg

[conkitchen]

Helium adds lightness.

;-p

But hydrogen adds sparkle and zip!

V.Hindenberg

Oh the humanity!

[c.d.iesel]

.... ok - I'm sorry for recommending WD40 for rusty-top

preservation.

message boards / forums = you are open to

the WORLD, so opinions from the left, right,

deepsea, the outerlimits goes. It's called freedom

of speech - unfortunately for some it's better left

unsaid if your working from " I'VE HEARD THAT..... "

and then for those who don't do any work or

research, or the minimum of reading before?

we offer this award:

[02for2]

I am a 'newby' here and the proud owner of an '02 for exactly 106 days!

In that time, I have replaced/renewed the suspension, fuel system, incl. rebuilt carbs, ignition system, cooling system, transmission, replaced seals, rebuilt my heater box, excorcised electrical demons, and all of this with nothing more than my own experience and a haynes manual. Is this forum a valuable resource? Without a doubt. But I accomplished my work 99.9% on my own without the advice/opinions expressed here.

I have not yet read a more offensive post than yours.

I am a newby to the '02, but have owned many more classics in the past 40 yrs. than many of you have years.

I own more tools than many independent shops and have wrenched on MGs, Lotus, Jaguars, Healeys, Alphas, Triumphs, Jesen-Healeys, Morgans, MBs, Ferraris, Minis, Z-Cars. I have to tell you that there is NOTHING exotic or mystical about the '02. In fact, it is one of the least complex cars out there to work on.

By your own admission, you are not an expert, so how are you able to determine who's advice is sound and who's is not? Certainly an arguement can be made for those advising transplanting 320i or Volvo parts onto your '02 as being unsound. Not to mention that many times owners present a problem with only partial information and readers feel compelled to state opinions based solely on this incomplete information.

The advice/opinions expressed here are free, and to many that is valuable. The caveat should be that free advice, especially by Keyboard Kommandos, is ALWAYS questionable. Proceed at your own risk! But, like your post, this is stating the obvious.

It all boils down to an owner trusting what they read here and acting on that advice. If they do so without due diligence, it is not the fault of someone posting here - they have not laid a wrench on your car - that belongs to you.

Gaining experience on cars is a process that cannot be shortcut - it takes many hours of LEARNING and that includes mistakes (possibly the best way of learning). If you're not willing to put in the time, than don't blame others for your errors. Instead, save up and take your car to a trained professional... or evaluate the advice given here - or elsewhere, before proceeding.

But it is senseless to chastise those here or impede the free flow of information. Before I risk having my SoapBox appear bigger than yours, I'm done here.

Cheers!

[FutureMan]

free advice on the internet is always worth price paid

you have to be smart enough as the recipient, to weed out the bad from the good

[JackBennett]

As my old man says... "it comes down to a laying of the hands". I'm sure I have given shit advice here and elsewhere but without seeing and actually touching the car and the problem at hand regardless of how well it is explained I'm guessing when I give someone advice on this board.... Chances are you get 14 responses and 14 guys and gals have the same diagnosis you're on the right track... from there it is up to you to lay your hands on the motor, cross yourself, wave a dead chicken over it, face west and pray, meditate and start turning wrenches until it goes again. This board has been indispensable to me both practically and theoretically and I hope I have helped at least one other person because of it.

[dubois]

I believe that most of the time the board self corrects. It is only in those instances where the "experts" don't chime in, and only one person offers a possible answer to the problem, that one may be led on the wrong path. It is seldom that a posting will get only one reply though. I believe that most of us instictively know, that one answer may not be enough, and do check posts, that have already been replied to.

There is a wealth of knowledge on this board, and it is possible to get most of the answers with the search option, even then, one is presented with several answers to the same question. It is usually easy to figure out which one makes more sense.

The problem, as I see it, it is that the true experts are often absent from the board, so sometimes, we get the blind leading the blind. One should be thankful to Mike Self, Bill WIlliams, CD, Tom Jones and others that make an effort to share their knowledge, and participate on a daily basis. I would imagine that these guys don't really need to be here, helping a bunch of newbies, but they graciously do it.