2002 BMW M3: A Sticky Lock and Another Quart of Oil
May 27, 2008
We expected a few problems when we bought our used BMW M3. Not major issues, but the kind of little things that wear out, break off or otherwise stop working from normal wear and tear. This weekend the driver’s side door lock started to stick, a situation which required the indignity of having to reach in and open the door from the passenger side. I made sure to do this out of sight from any bystanders in order to maintain the M3’s reputation, but by the end of the weekend I was leaving it unlocked to save the trouble...
I gave the lock a shot of graphite powder to see if it would looses things up a little, but it didn't work. A trip to the dealer is in our future.
On another note, our M3 continues to consume oil at a measured pace. A quick check of the dipstick showed the level down to the first mark, so I added the better part of a quart. I never saw any warning lights, so I’ll assume it was never in any danger of running dry. We’ll keep an eye on the level in the next few weeks to see how quickly it gulps that quart.
Ed Hellwig, Senior Editor @ 56,534
