Many people have NO clue what to do when their European toy acts-up. Sometime the problems are common; sometimes minor; sometimes correctable for the DYI people, etc. etc. What I greatly appreciate about this forum is the kind/thoughtful participants who share their knowldege and experience. Let's face it.. we have phenominal cars, but they can be costly to own -- particularly if we let things go; improperly store; use low grade fuels; and/or take it to a repair shop that takes advantage of our ineptness when it comes to high tech systems. It's good to read that our cars' sensors (nerve endings) are there for good reasons - even though they signal that dollar-sign light "CHECK ENGINE"... Soooo discomforting. I'm sure others feel the same as I do - "What now? Or how much is this going to cost?" I just wish our German cars had parts that were a little less costly and easier to get to. Since I've been on this forum, I've also learned that the "little orange light" appears for simple problems like loosened gas cap and low oil levels. Problems/symptoms that are easily addressed. Imagine the poor souls who leave there cars with a dishonest mechanic for something minor - like a cracked rubber hose - but it costs $800 to fix. I believe I ran into one such person - though he stilled raved about his car. I WELCOME this forum. It's comforting to know that I can chat with someone before entering into big-buck repairs. It's also nice to know that others are having similar issues and are willing to give advice to save us from hours of analyzing. Best wishes to all who share this site.
Yep, the CCA forum is a great way for us to communicate. If only there were some regional forums so folks in the same area could arrange to get together to help each other troubleshoot, diagnose & generally work on their cars
