Oh snap I remember seeing your car at Active when I was visiting my folks in Miami. I was there in March I looked over and asked kirk one of their reps, I didn't know you guys worked on 540i.
They do not normally but , the tuner Mr. X wanted the car there to tune and Karl was gracious enough to let the car go there to get corrected so it could be tuned....... AA and Mr.X went way out of their way to help me out of an untenable situation in Connecticut.
One thing is for sure, one-off, fully built cars with all the bells and whistles can rack up a LOT of bills. I know what Abdulla spent on mine... he may be the King.
I can't keep your saga straight. Sounds like ICN was the main offender at dubious repairs and invoice loading, although I'm sure there were other disappointments. Sadly, the M5board archives are full of unhappy stories with tuners. One guy's savior can be another guy's devil. I've seen virtually nothing negative about AA, but then they haven't done much with the e39 m5 (I stop visiting bimmerforums years ago). I also don't recall reading anything particularly negative about CA or ESS, at least not on this forum. Dinan has fared well given the breadth and volume they've done with the e39/M5 platform.
The highest risk projects are the large ones like yours. You have been a pioneer, as was Abdulla, Rob, Bryan Bloch, Blue, and some others. Among the really big projects, the initial satisfaction level has been uneven to say the least. Price shock goes with the territory, with sometimes huge expenditures to get everything right.
My car found a home and it continues to amaze and please, but it wasn't cheap, that's for sure. And it is high maintenance... really special, really high output cars will always be high maintenance. This too goes with the territory.
But sometimes high cost and high maintenance can be worth it for something really extraordinary.
One thing is for sure, one-off, fully built cars with all the bells and whistles can rack up a LOT of bills. I know what Abdulla spent on mine... he may be the King.
I can't keep your saga straight. Sounds like ICN was the main offender at dubious repairs and invoice loading, although I'm sure there were other disappointments. Sadly, the M5board archives are full of unhappy stories with tuners. One guy's savior can be another guy's devil. I've seen virtually nothing negative about AA, but then they haven't done much with the e39 m5 (I stop visiting bimmerforums years ago). I also don't recall reading anything particularly negative about CA or ESS, at least not on this forum. Dinan has fared well given the breadth and volume they've done with the e39/M5 platform.
The highest risk projects are the large ones like yours. You have been a pioneer, as was Abdulla, Rob, Bryan Bloch, Blue, and some others. Among the really big projects, the initial satisfaction level has been uneven to say the least. Price shock goes with the territory, with sometimes huge expenditures to get everything right.
My car found a home and it continues to amaze and please, but it wasn't cheap, that's for sure. And it is high maintenance... really special, really high output cars will always be high maintenance. This too goes with the territory.
But sometimes high cost and high maintenance can be worth it for something really extraordinary.
We gotta really love cars....
Dave
Or be committed like my wife wants to do to me..... Yes I knew there would be mistakes and I am not really trying to blame anyone in particular as I am actually just trying to let people see what can actually happen to you if you are not on top of you build 24/7.....AA and Mr. X are my saviors on this project and my friend Dick is the one who threatened to kick my butt if I ever let this car out of my sight again.So between the two different parties I am on the correct path to redemption with my car....
They do not normally but , the tuner Mr. X wanted the car there to tune and Karl was gracious enough to let the car go there to get corrected so it could be tuned....... AA and Mr.X went way out of their way to help me out of an untenable situation in Connecticut.
Yeah that's what he was telling me, I was like hmm I want this in my car.
One thing is for sure, one-off, fully built cars with all the bells and whistles can rack up a LOT of bills. I know what Abdulla spent on mine... he may be the King.
I can't keep your saga straight. Sounds like ICN was the main offender at dubious repairs and invoice loading, although I'm sure there were other disappointments. Sadly, the M5board archives are full of unhappy stories with tuners. One guy's savior can be another guy's devil. I've seen virtually nothing negative about AA, but then they haven't done much with the e39 m5 (I stop visiting bimmerforums years ago). I also don't recall reading anything particularly negative about CA or ESS, at least not on this forum. Dinan has fared well given the breadth and volume they've done with the e39/M5 platform.
The highest risk projects are the large ones like yours. You have been a pioneer, as was Abdulla, Rob, Bryan Bloch, Blue, and some others. Among the really big projects, the initial satisfaction level has been uneven to say the least. Price shock goes with the territory, with sometimes huge expenditures to get everything right.
My car found a home and it continues to amaze and please, but it wasn't cheap, that's for sure. And it is high maintenance... really special, really high output cars will always be high maintenance. This too goes with the territory.
But sometimes high cost and high maintenance can be worth it for something really extraordinary.
We gotta really love cars....
Dave
man - i TRIED adding everything up - big numbers only - about 105k??? i think dave really hit the nail on the head. big bucks for sure, but i dont know of too many cars that have the power you pull, stock or modified, for less than that kind of cash. upside, unique, one of a kind. downside - the pain of the pioneer. as was i my situation, different vendors/individuals go from angels to demons, or vice-versa. - but go enjoy your beast!!! (as my wife calculates the 'cost per use' of a rather expensive handbag she owns. the more you use it, the daily rate is so cheap! so if you drove it 50 miles day for the next 5 yrs, why, this project only really cost you... 21k a year, 1760/month, 58/day, and only a whopping $1.17 per mile! now THAT's so reasonable...)
man - i TRIED adding everything up - big numbers only - about 105k??? i think dave really hit the nail on the head. big bucks for sure, but i dont know of too many cars that have the power you pull, stock or modified, for less than that kind of cash. upside, unique, one of a kind. downside - the pain of the pioneer. as was i my situation, different vendors/individuals go from angels to demons, or vice-versa. - but go enjoy your beast!!! (as my wife calculates the 'cost per use' of a rather expensive handbag she owns. the more you use it, the daily rate is so cheap! so if you drove it 50 miles day for the next 5 yrs, why, this project only really cost you... 21k a year, 1760/month, 58/day, and only a whopping $1.17 per mile! now THAT's so reasonable...)
aw/ir02smg,
I have to hand it to you to put things into perspective.
so if you drove it 50 miles day for the next 5 yrs, why, this project only really cost you... 21k a year, 1760/month, 58/day, and only a whopping $1.17 per mile! now THAT's so reasonable...)
With that logic, you must work for the federal government!
Regards,
Jerry
man - i TRIED adding everything up - big numbers only - about 105k??? i think dave really hit the nail on the head. big bucks for sure, but i dont know of too many cars that have the power you pull, stock or modified, for less than that kind of cash. upside, unique, one of a kind. downside - the pain of the pioneer. as was i my situation, different vendors/individuals go from angels to demons, or vice-versa. - but go enjoy your beast!!! (as my wife calculates the 'cost per use' of a rather expensive handbag she owns. the more you use it, the daily rate is so cheap! so if you drove it 50 miles day for the next 5 yrs, why, this project only really cost you... 21k a year, 1760/month, 58/day, and only a whopping $1.17 per mile! now THAT's so reasonable...)
I am enjoying it. I have a lawyer that uses your wife's rationale when it comes to his fees. I understand very well , it is what it is , and I will always keep the car and improve on it and I do own it . My whole purpose of all of this very long thread was to document the ups and downs of such a project and I think I did that fairly well.I gave credit where it was due and I got pissed off when it was due and published it here for people to read.A long arduous journey it has been and my finding out last year I was ill did not help this project out at all.I am doing like Ray said tackle one job at a time and in another month or so I will have gone through the whole car and feel much more comfortable in driving it as it is a whole bunch different than a 2550 pound car.... Thanks to Gustav for allowing me , a non M machine , to participate in the forum from the very start.It was just time for me to bring forth the bills for one and all to see I felt and I will keep posting as I improve the wiring and the way the lines are run etc.... I am back at work now as well so I can not be out in the garage as much as I would like , which in the long run is most likely a positive thing for me and the car.....
I am enjoying it. I have a lawyer that uses your wife's rationale when it comes to his fees. I understand very well , it is what it is , and I will always keep the car and improve on it and I do own it . My whole purpose of all of this very long thread was to document the ups and downs of such a project and I think I did that fairly well.I gave credit where it was due and I got pissed off when it was due and published it here for people to read.A long arduous journey it has been and my finding out last year I was ill did not help this project out at all.I am doing like Ray said tackle one job at a time and in another month or so I will have gone through the whole car and feel much more comfortable in driving it as it is a whole bunch different than a 2550 pound car.... Thanks to Gustav for allowing me , a non M machine , to participate in the forum from the very start.It was just time for me to bring forth the bills for one and all to see I felt and I will keep posting as I improve the wiring and the way the lines are run etc.... I am back at work now as well so I can not be out in the garage as much as I would like , which in the long run is most likely a positive thing for me and the car.....
T-TRIM 540,
Good for you to post here. It is guys like you that make this board great. I'd hate to think that we'd be pretentious in thinking that only an ///M would be allowed to post here. Kudos to Gustav as well for allowing the free flow of information not only on this thread but also to the board in general.
With that logic, you must work for the federal government!
Regards,
Jerry
- jerry - oh, no! with apologies to fellow board members who are, thank God, no! had a job for 2 weeks back in 86. been self employed since! the difference between me (self employed) and a federal govt employee who may use the same kind of reasoning would be this: i spend MY hard-earned after tax cash, while he spends SOMEONE ELSE'S on his job. anyways, back on track!
Quote:
Originally Posted by t trim 540i
My whole purpose of all of this very long thread was to document the ups and downs of such a project and I think I did that fairly well.I gave credit where it was due and I got pissed off when it was due and published it here for people to read.
- why does that feel so familiar??? seriously though, while a lot of the technical stuff flew over my head, on a smaller scale i can feel the ups and downs as i waded through this epic thread, not to mention your personal challenges that at least for me put things in real perspective...
Quote:
Originally Posted by t trim 540i
Thanks to Gustav for allowing me , a non M machine , to participate in the forum from the very start.
good point. gustav, thanks from me too, another non-m squatting on this forum.
Quote:
Originally Posted by habu
I have to hand it to you to put things into perspective.
that's what happens when i play with numbers all day long.
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Yes I knew there would be mistakes and I am not really trying to blame anyone in particular as I am actually just trying to let people see what can actually happen to you if you are not on top of you build 24/7.....AA and Mr. X are my saviors on this project and my friend Dick is the one who threatened to kick my butt if I ever let this car out of my sight again.So between the two different parties I am on the correct path to redemption with my car....
- but go enjoy your beast!!! (as my wife calculates the 'cost per use' of a rather expensive handbag she owns. the more you use it, the daily rate is so cheap! so if you drove it 50 miles day for the next 5 yrs, why, this project only really cost you... 21k a year, 1760/month, 58/day, and only a whopping $1.17 per mile! now THAT's so reasonable...
- why does that feel so familiar??? seriously though, while a lot of the technical stuff flew over my head, on a smaller scale i can feel the ups and downs as i waded through this epic thread, not to mention your personal challenges that at least for me put things in real perspective...
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