A Surprise Under the Hood: The 2001 – 2005 BMW X5

Unexpected Performance

BMW is renowned for precision engineering and has the admirable distinction of being one of the Big Three German automakers alongside of Daimler-Benz and Volkswagen. As such, many people expect only the best in terms of quality and performance and are sorely surprised when their new or next to new E53 gives them problems. Such was the experience of one driver by the name of Nathan who shared his displeasure here: http://www.xoutpost.com/bmw-sav-forums/x5-e53-forum/77175-extremely-horrible-x5-transmission-experience-long-time-multiple-bmw-owner.html

An Uncommon Problem?

Many people would like to discount Nathan’s experience but just take a look at the various BMW and X5 forums on the internet and you’ll see that  BMW X5 gearboxes from the 2001 through 2005 model years were rife with problems. Yet another example of the issue can be found at this UK-based forum. Time and again it seems the X5 gearbox begins to delver clunky performance, evening causing it to lurch into gear when upshifting. So, what is an enthusiast and devoted X5 owner to do? As you will discover by doing a simple Google search, BMW will not warranty these problems now that more than nine years have passed since the last iteration of the E53  rolled off the line but their are a number of companies dedicated to rebuilding and upgrading these gearboxes.

Independent Shops – Your Knights in Shining Armor

Whether you’re located in the US, the UK or Europe, your local independent shops can quickly solve your E53’s transmission problems for you at a fraction of the cost of dealership prices. Although we don’t have the time to devote to reviewing the work of individual shops at present it is safe to say that your best bet is never to bring your 2001-2005 X5 in to the dealer for work on the gearbox as it could easily run into the tens of thousands of dollars.

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American Car Craft Accessories – The 2014 Corvette Stingray

The C7 Corvette

In the recent weeks we’ve seen the Stingray outperform Porsche and dominate the competition in Germany and beyond. There is simply no question that the 2014 Corvette can walk the walk as much as it can talk the talk. And, it surely seems that the C7’s aesthetics are equal to her performance on the track.

American Car Craft an American Legend

The video above showcases two of ACC’s newest products for the 2014 Corvette. Dress up your 2014 C7 Corvette Stingray with their Matrix Series – Aluminum Mesh/Stainless Steel, Back-Up Light Grilles. These grilles are designed to fit all 2014 Corvettes on the clear back-up lights and add a clean stylish look to your Corvette exterior.

American Car Craft is a design company dedicated to developing unique high quality products. With more than thirty years of experience customizing classics, hot rods and exotic cars American Car Craft has developed a truly unique approach to the ever growing auto accessory industry. Our product line specialty is in the engine bay and emanates throughout the vehicle to include custom grilles, stainless interior and exterior trim, to state of the art digital graphics.

All American Car Craft products are made from the highest grade materials and are backed by our customer satisfaction guarantee. Here at ACC we understand that word of mouth is the best advertising you can get, so their goal is to make sure their customers are happy. If you’re not happy, were not happy and we are committed to doing whatever it takes to make it right!

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Smoked Headlight Kits | The Nissan Altima

Nissan Altima Smoked Out Headlights

The Nissan Altima is one of those cars that gets a refreshed front fascia every few years. In fact, Nissan has been the king of single year designs for the last decade and a half which must be awfully frustrating for the aftermarket community.  Be that as it may, the folks at Rtint keep th designs for their smoked headlight tint covers coming. The video above is a great example of their smoke film on on both a high contrast, white Altima and a darker colored on that could have been shot in better light.

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Corvette versus the Cayman

 

A video has been making the rounds in the automotive blogosphere and on various auto forums and has been causing quite a stir. The video is one of Edmund’s great head to heads and compares the V6 Porsche Cayman with the V8 Chevrolet Corvette.

 

 

 

The Corvette Wallops the Cayman

 

As your watching the video you’ll notice how hesitant the reviewer is to admit that, on point after point, the Chevy Corvette outperforms and out muscles the Cayman. In fact, the reviewer seems to have to make a number of excuses just to justify his obvious bias and preference for the Porsche. Notwithstanding all of that, we were proud and pleased to see the Corvette do so well.

Check out a full review here: http://chevy-tail-light-tint.blogspot.com/2013/10/chevy-corvette-versus-porsche-cayman.html

 

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The Toyota Supra – A Legend that Just Won’t Die

 

The Toyota Supra is a sport car that was created by Toyota and marketed from 1979 to 2002. The design of the Supra was resulting from the Celica, but it was both lengthier and broader.

 

Beginning in mid-1986, the Supra (in its third revision) became its own design and was no more depending on the Celica. Toyota also ceased using the prefix Celica and started just referring to the the car as Supra. Due to the likeness and previous of the Celica’s name, it is regularly mistaken for the Supra, and vice versa. First, second and third gen Supras were constructed at Tahara flower in Tahara, Aichi while the MKIV Supra was constructed at the Motomachi flower in Toyota Town.

The Supra also records much of its origins returning to the 2000GT with the primary example being its motor. The first three years were provided with a immediate descendant of the  Crown‘s and 2000GT’s M motor. All four years of Supra created have an inline 6-cylinder motor. Internal factors were also identical, as was the framework value “A”.

 

Surprisingly, there are still a wide variety of aftermarket parts sold for this car which is a testament to its longevity and popularity.

 

 

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The Top Five Chrysler 300 Accessories for Under $50

Shopping for accessories for your  Chrysler 300 can be difficult on a budget. There are many aftermarket parts manufacturers out there such as MOPAR. Sorting through all these companies for accessories that will not break your wallet can be time consuming. Therefore we’ve compiled a “Top 5 Accessories Under $50” list for the 300C. Hopefully this will save you some time scouring the interweb for accessories that not only is pleasing to eye but is also easy on the wallet.

The MOPAR Chrysler relationship is synonymous as peanut butter and jelly. They are the go to company for all your Chrysler aftermarket parts need. However, lets face it, we are on a budget. So here are a few great accessories without the high pricing.

Customizing your vehicle does not always have to be dramatic – sometimes less is indeed more. Our first item proves this, the Side Markers by Spec-D Tuning offers a subtle yet significantly stylish change to your vehicle, giving it a fresh look. Choose from 3 Hi-Power LED bulbs: Ultra-White, Ion-Blue and Amber.

A sure attention grabber is the LED Side View Mirror Turn Signal Lights. Add this to your Chrysler 300 and you will surely be turning heads at every turn. The kit includes all you need to get this eye catching item installed on to your Chrysler. The best part is that there is no extensive modification required. So for all the first-timers out there, this is a great start to get your feet wet.

Adding a bit more of a luxury feel to your already classy 300C cannot be as easier as this next item. The Chrome Tail Light Bezel Covers from Spyder is a simple plug-and-play installation. Using the double sided tape included in the kit, its just a matter of mounting it to your factory tail lights. You sure will get your money’s worth from this item  as it iis designed to be durable holding up to years of use.

Keeping with the Chrome theme, the Chrome Side Mirror covers is another easy installation mod. This accessory will surely make your mirror stand out on the road. As with the Tail Light Bezel cover, this is attached with a self adhesive double sided tape which is included in the kit.

Our last item on the list can either stand alone on its own or compliment your Chrysler 300 alongside the Chrome Side View Mirror Cover. Adding a door pillar trim kit/cover would dramatically add a stylish look, personalizing your 300C. Remember all these items are under $50.

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