New BMW owner w/ many questions

[beautifubluebimmer]

Hi all,

I just bought my very first BMW after two fantastic Audis. I have a few questions that I could not find answers to by searching this forum. Any replies would be appreciated.
The car is a 1997 528i w/auto and the base stereo.

1. If I take off slowly from a stop or very quickly from a stop the car seems just fine. If I take off moderately it acts as if the transmission is confused or slipping. It's a very strange hesitation followed by a small jolt. I can't tell if it's a poor downshift or the torque converter. Anybody ever experienced this?

2. Does anybody have the pinouts for the stereo amp or any good information on gutting the stereo from the headunit back? What a crummy system.

3. In general, what are the life expectancies of the engine/transmission/suspension/etc. I've heard nightmares and hoping that the newer ones are better.

4. Anybody done any really tasteful interior mods such as lighting or nav?

Thanks again!

[TheScientist]

Originally Posted by beautifubluebimmer

1. If I take off slowly from a stop or very quickly from a stop the car seems just fine. If I take off moderately it acts as if the transmission is confused or slipping. It's a very strange hesitation followed by a small jolt. I can't tell if it's a poor downshift or the torque converter. Anybody ever experienced this?

What's funny is that i had the same exact problem, yet the only thing is that it wasn't with a BMW, it was with a 1997 Chevy Tahoe I owned. And I don't seem to remember what the problem was.

[Norm Matzen]

I'll bet if you turn off the DSC your perceived transmission problem goes away.

Check on GOOGLE, there has been some good reports on up-grading the sound system. One fellow tapped into the amplifier wiring and added an external sub-woofer to his DSP system.

If you don't have DSP, check out ebay and buy a DSP amplifier when one comes available and do the sub-woofer mod. You wouldn't have the factory sub-woofer anyway.
Pay close attention to the info on the web about leaving the twisted pair low level cableing alone from tuner to amplifier or you WILL have noise problems. By the way, your car is "plug-n-play" so by installing the DSP amp (fits existing mount and cables) you will imediatly get the DSP features at the tuner (except no sub-woofer).

[DeRath]

Don't have any words on the stereo. Several problems I've seen on the e39 are coil insulators getting oil soaked from valve cover gasket leaks, causing missfiring that feels like what your talking about, and trans slipping. BMW decided to use "lifetime" trans fluid, it's not. It gets burned and nasty and is expensive and a pain in the ass to change, but it should be done, I think every 30,000. Norm may be right, it might be the DSC (normal).hope I helped

[abbamt]

i am having trouble getting solutions to my E30 M3, the stearing wobbles, I have changed almost everything from the trierods connecting rods bearings and still it persists. can any one help, the last suggestion i had was to change the wish bone?

The phone on my E39 is always causing a problem to, I heard its not too uncommon on these models, please help

[hurley9192]

my 97 528 does the exact same thing with acceleration. I took it to the dealer and they've driven with me 4 times and each time say it's how they are supposed to be. Try not putting it in overdrive and start in 3rd, which is the sport mode. It shifts better then. Only put it in overdrive when cruising on the freeway.