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And here she is at the dealers. Collection will be sometime in the not too distant future after registration, pre-delivery checks and PPF application are done. I have a mate who is an amateur photographer, will get him to take some decent shots I'll upload as promised.

Gave mine a wash in the weekend, sitting at 297,000km... need to get that last 3000 before the new lump gets in. Been hunting endlessly for a Simota airbox, cant find anything, looks like no longer available... once the MILVs/Tune/Headers are in its about all thats left on the list (short of that BMWP wheel with the digital read out...) The GruppeM intakes are available, but from what Ive seen first hand not really worth the price 😕

Hi All, I originally joined the forum when I bought my 2008 130i MSport back in December 2019, but forgot to post to introduce myself. Anyhow the 130i is my 4th BMW, and it is way the better and more enjoyable car to drive. The 130i are meant to be driven.

Had a little Easter meet on Sunday. What a nice turnout. Some beautiful e30s and some other beautiful cars too. Here are some pics

Here is my 2018 M3 Comp. It’s my daily driver and I’m impressed with it as an all rounder. Big boot, comfortable in soft modes, 9lt/100 on long trips, (gets very thirsty when boosting though) great seats, sounds. I’ve added CarPlay and the GTS/CS DCT, EDC, steering and diff software, which I would definitely recommend. A boot luggage hook and PSS* tyres…

Mate walk, no run away as fast as possible. There will always be another one.

Hey they finally improved the front end

Hi all, Longtime lurker and first time contributor. I'm an automotive enthusiast with deep interests across all areas and eras. I often research and embark on deep-dives into manufacturers, models and automotive history. My favourite BMW is the E60 M5. I truly believe it's the greatest super/sports saloon ever built, and the S85 one of the greatest engines of all-time along with the S70/2. In my opinion it's a historic high-water-mark and represents the pinnacle of BMW, saloons, q-cars and Germany's engineering & industrial-base. So around two-years ago I started the search for finding my perfect E60. Whenever I purchase, I try to find the best possible example with the intention to hold it forever (I've never sold a car and hopefully never will). As you all know it's incredibly difficult to find a good-condition, low-milage, well-maintained E60. After scouring all RHD markets for the perfect example, I finally found 'the one' in an October auction on Collecting Cars UK. One-owner, 52k-kms, high-spec, meticulous history/records, only dealer serviced, completely factory spec (unmodified), UK-new. No expenses spared and kept in a supercar storage facility for the past few years. 2006, Silverstone, Full-Indianapolis, Olive Carrara, clear glass, Silver 166s, active heated front & rear seats, Logic7, etc... Essentially every box ticked, except for blinds & cooled seats (thankfully). Full old-money geezer spec. Hopefully it comes across well in the photos. The car landed in January and is now compliant, registered, emissions approved (ffs...), and is out on the road. This is my first BMW. Loving every kilometer. I'm excited to have joined the club. Will likely meet a few of you at club meets/events. Cheers

Win!

You would think so. It has obviously been 'well used'. But to be fair, this car has spend a good few years in the ownership and care of Ray at HellBM, and has has upgrades and tlc from the shop there to counter the higher km's. If you don't mind looking at big numbers on the odo, I reckon it'll hold together just fine.

One of the things that's been on my list for quite some time now is sorting out the topside reinforcement of the RACP. My car had the rear mounts reinforced with the BMW epoxy foam process in 2011 before I owned it, and the underside reinforced with epoxied plates in 2017. Since then I've put very few km on the car but deciding on the right approach for topside reinforcement has been on my mind since then. Part of the reason it's taken me so long to sort is because of all my family/kids dramas, but the other reason is that I've really been struggling to decide on the best solution in my circumstances. I'll probably get some flak for this but I'm not really keen on weld-in solutions in general. In most welding situations I don't see how it's possible to control corrosion prevention well enough given the application, and then add in welding to thin sheet metal that has been through 20 years of stress cycles and it just doesn't appeal to me. Another reason is that welding around the rear mounts, in my case, is complicated by the presence of the foam epoxy reinforcement. Lastly is the permanence of the change - I've seen several comments from people who bought the early version of the CMP bar, etc. who say they wished that they could use the newer, less visible, option. Likewise there's no certainty there won't be better options available in another 5 years. In the work that I do on the car I want to keep it as close as possible to original, so that if I realise at some point in the future that I have bad taste in modifications I can restore to stock. That goes, as far as possible, for things like RACP reinforcement as well. To this end I've ordered a variant version of the Yurkan Cages YC46W6. This is a welded single piece brace that ties both the front and rear RACP mounts to the rear shock mounts. This design allows for the rear seats and fold-down functionality to be maintained without interference. I don't need the fold-down feature anyway, but I certainly want to keep the rear seat unaffected (although again it's only to look nice, I only ever have a single passenger in the car, so I essentially use it as a two seater anyway. The variant I've ordered includes an additional bar directly between the two rear shock mounts. Probably overkill, but for the small amount of extra weight I'd prefer to have a direct link between the two to help stiffen things up as much as possible. With this solution all I need to do is cut the top cosmetic layer of sheet metal above each of the 4 RACP mounts and bolt all the way through from the subframe to the brace. While this does require some cutting of the body, it is about as minimal as I'm going to be able to achieve while still providing for topside reinforcement. Yurkan do make a version of this brace with separate brackets for the rear shock mounts that the brace then bolts to, but given I need to cut the interior carpet, etc. either way, I decided to opt for the welded one piece option for additional stiffness. My plan with the carpets, etc. is to pick up a spare set from a wrecker to cut up and I'll put my current set unmolested on the shelf. Once this is installed I'll be able to finally stop thinking about the RACP, and should also have the added bonus of a bit of extra stiffness in the rear. I placed the order today and expected manufacturing time is about 20 days, so with shipping, getting lost at the East Tamaki depot, etc. I expect I'll receive this around the middle of the year. I also ordered a replacement steering giubo recently - looking forward to getting that installed and hopefully getting rid of the slight play in the steering.

First one I've seen in the wild. Makes my little compact look miniature.

Update: Vessel is now ~35nm east of Great Barrier Island on an ESE heading at 14 knots, due to dock in Auckland tomorrow evening.

Less than an LHD one. No one is dailying these anymore and the pool of buyers for a 50k + weekend car is pretty small. I'd say 55-60k if you had to sell.

Just went through this saga with the e30 and decided a new tank was easier. Aftermarket fuel tank sourced from https://www.schmiedmann.com/ did the trick. Arrived in just over a week. Replaced the fuel pump and filter whilst in there. It’s also recommended to clean the fuel injector screens, or replace. Car is running like clockwork again.

Other than Dave’s True Story that’s 10 mins of my life I’ll never get back ! BMW should be making elevators to go with it …..

Don't see these that often, either in the e53 or e70 platforms, with this type of color combination! https://www.trademe.co.nz/a/motors/cars/bmw/x5/listing/4624292608 Pics for prosperity:

The M5 ownership has never a dull moment. Last week I have another misfire, this time it’s the opposite symptoms. Misfire on cold start, no misfire when the engine is proper temp. Sure enough the other ionic current control unit was the issue. I didn’t bother to swap the units anymore just bought the part and replaced it. This is about $500 USD / $750 NZD each, well at least the labor was free. This is easy to replace yourself if you are careful. 2 test drives today, no more misfires. Ok I hope the rest of 2024 will be boring.

Id love the S54 engine and manual for my E28, but Im hopeful I wont need to pay for a whole car to get them.

Slightly older, but Nz new and still under factory warranty for less money. https://www.trademe.co.nz/a/motors/cars/bmw/320i/listing/4622201110 and similar (alright, a bit smaller), newer and Nz new. https://www.trademe.co.nz/a/motors/cars/bmw/218i/listing/4508971344 If the dealer you’re dealing with is that sh*t at this point, imagine how good the experience will be when something goes wrong. Run away.

At last I got the final version of the top amp bracket sorted and Dad printed it and dropped it off yesterday. I fitted it today - all looking good! Next up is to clean up the bay properly and then bundle up the un-needed wiring on the loom and secure it. I also took the opportunity to re-familiarise myself with exactly how the structural foam has been done on the rear RACP mounts on my car as I start preparing for the installation of the 6 point brace when it arrives later in the year. I also checked the welds in the trunk to ensure that they're all still good - keep an eye on this just in case.

That sounds absolutely mad. Please do it 😂

Hell BM

Nothing really wrong with the car, but I already booked at Powerhaus because of the misfire. I was able to fix the misfire myself, since it takes a long time to queue in Powerhaus I decided to keep the booking. I still had some stash of parts that are just gathering dust for years. Finally replaced all 10 fuel injectors, thermostat and got fresh brake fluid. If anyone needs working injectors or thermostat (69k km mileage only) I can send them to you. DM me, I might keep 2 injectors just for quick diagnostics in the future. A few more parts still waiting to be used: upgraded throttle actuator gears and mosfet, fuel pump/filter… Got new keys cut by @promo yay! Finally no more crappy weak remote range because of old sealed batteries.

FWIW, and as late as this is, I'm still happy 4.5 years into my Avin USA 10.25" dashtop unit ownership. It runs Android and automatically tethers to my phone so I don't need Android Auto, I have a full Android desktop and app store. I think mine is Android 10 or 11, not sure about upgrades so in 10 years or so I might be screwed. If you go this route get as much RAM as you can.

Despite not being involved (read: engaged) recently with BS I've always had a soft spot for it (except in 2020 but most of those bad apples seem to have fallen from the tree), and would like to see it survive. I'm also old enough to understand the real benefits of forums over modern social media. Way back in the day (early 2000's) this place was a viable business if the conversations I had with then-owners were valid, it made more in sponsorship and donations than it cost to run. That's not viable now because, I'm afraid to say, there's no active ownership and moderation is stretched and (perhaps understandably) jaded. Two sponsors at $500 a year each, and some technical contribution from members, is probably all it needs but the sale value is nostalgic only and certainly nothing like the numbers floating around a few years back, that was dreaming. If the owners want to sell the domain for anything more than the cost of registration, it'll be a stretch. And what do they want to do if they don't get a good offer? Sit on the domain out of spite? Any help migrating the domain from one ownership group to another would however be value worth compensating. I dunno but if any organising committee feels I might add value, I'd be happy to consider trying.

How’s the GTS / CS software now ? I guess you’ve been running it for a couple of weeks now ?

+1 for black. Did the same thing to my monoball rtabs because i hate the pink too, looks factory.

Thanks, the Apex wheels and Le Mans blue help it stand out a bit.

I was told they're early BTB ones from the lad I got them off years ago. They have an X pipe too bud

https://www.trademe.co.nz/a/motors/cars/bmw/325i/listing/4626618120

Stop it:

Both my E46s have the power steering lines cable tied together and have been for years. Who needs bushings.

There's a few EMW's running around in NZ still as well as a pair of Bristol 400's.

+1 for oil pan. I don't know the size of the pool, but it sounds bigger than the diameter of a tea cup? It might be helpful to understand if the puddle continues to grow over time (suggesting it's leaking from a place with a constant supply of oil when the engine isn't running such as the sump) or the puddle gets to a certain size then stops (suggesting it's leaking from somewhere with a limited supply of oil when not running such as a vanos solenoid). My thought is that if the puddle is appearing when the engine isn't running and it's growing the longer it's sitting there it's probably a low down leak around the sump area. There's also possibilities of leaks from the oil cooler and it's lines though. There may be a little oil in the odd place in the upper parts of the engine but I wouldn't expect any significant quantity to be able to leak out once the engine isn't running. Did you have a feel for roughly where the puddle was relative to the car? e.g. was it in the front right corner ? If you haven't already it could help to take the front under under body cover (the dust cover, not the metal support one) off and leave it off so you can see where the pool is and focus in that area. Oil can travel down hoses etc so the leak may not be exactly above where the pool is, but it gives you a good start on where to start looking.

Thanks for that and I am certainly now convinced the S001 is the way to go. I just need to find them at a good price.

Cracked (f**ked) dash, $100.

Come on, Robin; to the Batcave! There's not a moment to lose!

Today I chucked on my black and grey personalized plates which came on Monday, wish I had them for the British and European Classic car show. I also put in a Miller MAF V3 and War chip which I had laying around for like 4 years. Noticeable difference in acceleration and the fuel delivery seems a lot smoother. Highly recommend.

Not mine. But sorted a clients e30 out properly. Did the rear output shaft seal, selector shaft seal, transmission guibo, rebuilt the shifter with new bushings and pivot cup, did the control arms and control arm bushings in the front, inner rack ends and tie rod ends, rocker cover gasket and set the valve clearances. Today was a good day. Also got the black one in the picture in for a m20b25 swap and manual conversion. Currently is a m20b20 with a knocking big end bearing. Pictures posted with clients consent. Love my clients

Tidied the garage and got stuck into some polishing... ...I own near $3K worth of DA and rotary polishers from Rupes and De Walt which are some 1700km away from me, and boy are my arms tired! An "acceptable" mirror shine by hand with a single hand pad and bottle of cutting compound, but it just shows how rooted the clear coat is. I'm dearly missing my proper gear. There's so much CMA thrown over the roads down here over winter, and I daily drive it in snow with snow socks that I shouldn't get too worked up about it.

I agree, the Cybertruck looks like it was drawn by 7 year olds and by all accounts, built by 10 year olds.

It came!!! such a work of art!

I'm not seeing the advantage of B4 over Sachs OEM. Example - e60 5er alloy body for Sachs (as per Original), Steel body for B4... and about the same price (at least they were a couple of years ago). Very close pricing for the e46 Sachs vs B4. Naturally, YMMV. And agree - almost all new shocks are better than worn out old shocks. Let's throw Monroes into the mix - yecchhh. Has anyone been game enough to try Meyle shocks/struts? They're real cheap - half the price of Sachs OEM.

Got a new half exhaust system to go in over the weekend, cant wait to hear the new exhaust note 😁

Found a wrecked msport and finally swapped over all the interior to spec, first and last type of job i think. The car was identical spec to @Autoglym one, born 3 days before even. It came with BMW individual interior that included extended leather option (leather door handles and center console) as well as the sliding arm rest and ski bag. Also got a spare msport bumper now and a bunch of spares which is always a good thing as these things are getting on now. Will be swapping back on my old wheel once i get some alloy trim to replace the wood, always preferred the thinner type and BMW changed the wiring setup so you cant plug in half the wheel controls with my car Certainly come along way from what it was

Meant to be driven, yes. And blue is gold on these things, a really great colour. You deserve a 'Sport' aerial, treat yourself.