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This morning I removed the LHS radiator cowl. My objective with these modifications remember is that I retain the ability to return the car to stock. I therefore didn't want to cut-down or cut off the cowling. It was a quick job to detach the top radiator pipe and slide the cowling out. Then right on cue the CSL oil dipstick tube showed up (along with the silver-coloured hardware I was waiting on for the airbox as well). So I carried on going... I didn't have a turkey baster for removing the SMG fluid from the reservoir, but I do have an abundance of my son's old enteral syringes and feed pump tubing 🙂 All pretty straightforward - the little connector on the bottom at the back is a bit of a pain, but all done without too much fuss. Next up will be a quick general clean up, as well as cleaning the ICV and throttle bodies (might as well while I'm in there) 🙂
- Yesterday
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heaps of jap imports get bits added to them nothing special , just a body kit etc you could buy those parts from bmw dealers back in the day etc
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- e90
- ac schnitzer
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0llie11 joined the community
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Hi all, new here and just looking for some buying advice. Looking at buying a e90 platform daily and came across a 330i 2006 with a AC Schnitzer kit. I've looked online and couldn't find anything to say if this variant came with a tune or just a body kit. Also when I go to view the car is there anyway to prove the kit is genuine? Tossing up between this car or a e92 2011 325i, what would be the better option for a student on a budget dead set on a BMW? Thanks in advance.
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Been slack on here again recently. Has been a busy time. Finally had my graduation after completing my practical work hours, so I am officially a mechanical engineer now, Ive become a New Zealand citizen and Ive signed a contract to start a new job in the new year. Not a whole lot has changed with the car to be honest. Ive had the car back on the dyno at work just to check the tune again to make sure all is still well, changed oil, the usual stuff. Car is happy and running well. Ive installed a RTD motorsport chassis mounted short shifter. Ive made some changes to the radio delete plate and cut a hole in it to install an OBDII scan gauge. This is a much better solution than MHD monitoring as its permanently installed in the car, doesnt require charging, turns on and off with ignition, and has been set up with Audible alarms should oil or coolant temp exceed set thresholds. Wrapped to plate in some alcantara/suede to eliminate glare, quite happy with how it turned out. Now need to make something similar as a shift surround for the new shifter. Also bought and sold a few cars in the meantime, traded the 123d hatch for a v6 tdi touareg, sold the touareg, bought another v6 tdi touareg but this time a facelift one in much better shape with all the options (minus a sunroof, dont trust those) and full dealership service history. Fantastic car and in my opinion the perfect daily driver. Incredible comfortable, spacious, smooth and quiet with sufficient power and surprsingly good fuel economy. Plus it can tow 3.5tonnes.
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Thank you, i appreciate the kind words. Its definitely been a journey but its what kept me sane during Uni, i didnt enjoy my degree very much at all.
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Yeah plus one on the Nice Work - great work on the wiring remediation and patient servicing! You'll be setting this one up for reliable extended life, so many of them get neglected. I think the auto-dimming door mirrors are a pretty good feature when you're on the open road at night and there's a knob behind you on high-beam 🙂 Still, low cost is a good option! Looking forward to your next installment. Keeping chariot trouble-free and reliable for family use is a major priority.
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Greetings Uwe, Frohe Weihnachten an Sie!
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Absolutely transformative. Can't believe how much better it makes the car look.
- Last week
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Absolute beauty! Definitely one of (if not) the best in the country for sure.
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That's some pretty pornographic carbon work for sure 🍆 I like the paint booth, about to do something similar in my kitchen 🤣 Gotta love those holiday projects hah
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Nice to see it grace the pages of Bimmersport, AB! You and AW were the ones who inspired my passion for this car! I know photos don’t really show how good your vehicle really is. A testament to your fanaticism! Rock star colour too!
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There’s been a few E39’s posted up for sale lately in various colours and more importantly condition . Pricing varied and the example at Archibald’s in ChCh just recently sold and boomeranged its way back to Whangarei . So with this said I thought I’d do a show n tell on my example . I’ve owned the car twice . I should have never sold it some 13 years earlier , but I got a knock to the head and went down the Porsche route for many years . Anyway coming to my senses I had the opportunity several years ago to purchase ‘ol blue back. I’m really a purist at heart however the car has morphed into essentially what is a NZ version of a Dinan stage 2 car . To the uninitiated it looks stock which I really like . It performs very well , sounds epic and has been maintained to a very high standard . Mileage is circa 117,000 kms from new . It’s an NZ new car , built April 2002 and delivered through McMillans in July same year . Cheers .
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Yesterday afternoon I conditioned the intake boots and clamped them to the airbox. The tool for the Oetiker clamps works out at about $100NZD however you approach it so I saved $85 dollars by using the dremel to modify some standard $15 SuperCheapAuto clamp pliers. This worked very nicely - I'll paint the pliers so they don't rust and they can go in the toolbox for next time. I also installed 2x new rubber isolators - Being 20 years old the rubber in the current ones is probably soft and perishing. Plans for between now and whenever the dipstick tube turns up is to remove the LHS radiator cowl shield in preparation for installing the airbox. Yesterday I also took the car for a drive and logged the relevant variables with TestO to get a baseline capture before I go making any changes to the car. I want to make sure I'm as prepared as I can be for moving across to the 0401 program. To that end I will also be doing another full review of each change I've made to the partial as part of v1 of my tune. It's been long enough now since I did it that I should be able to do a good review of it and make sure I haven't made any mistakes.
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I don't have any metrics to back up its effectiveness but for that kind of money I reckon you might as well, can't see how it would hurt. Install is 2 minutes, no logos on it so blends right in without looking tacky and does its job with no fuss. Marginal gains and all that. Might grab some next time I'm there if it's cheap enough. In this instance it turned out my issue was the new washer reservoir cap not having a vent opening and nothing to do with the fluid or the washer jets themselves, funnily enough. Was a classic case of if it ain't broken...
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Hello, are these still available. I'm interested in the Performance BMW and Total BMW magazines. I'm not in NZ but I do have a forwarding address through Fastway couriers.
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cashman joined the community
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Hello Wish everyone in the forum a Merry Christmas and a Happy New Year 2025. BAUR TC1 Register has existed since 2002 and is still active. And search for BMW E21 BAUR TC1 VIN. https://bmwe21baur.hpage.com/startseite.html nice greetings from Germany Uwe Hinz Webmaster of bmwe21baur.hpage.com (bmwe21baur.de)
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LPSR purple tag - The used one he send me had a preload issue so he gave me a discount on a new rack with his rebuilt one. CMP front brace - Was debating whether to install it but ive never used the fold down seats since owning the car so i figured why not. Haven't really pushed it hard since installing as i need a alignment but it appear to give at least a subtle improvement in rear end feel. Meyle HD bushings - Only found out recently looking in the Bentley manual that there is a distance spec for these to be fitted (~289mm +\-1mm from inner ball joint to rubber bushing). Mine had been re-used which wasn't ideal and weren't pressed on near enough. I made a similar tool to proper ones to ensure i got them on properly this time around. Ive always felt the car wasn't as stable and lacked steering feel it should have and this was very likely the main cause. Even with the wheel alignment off its day and night especially combined with the above tweaks.
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E46 'vert front underbrace, a part i didn't know i wanted until i spotted it, always annoyed me the most E46's dont have a factory jack pad. This vert brace is reinforced\heavier than your std one and namely has a suitable round dimple\hole to mount my own pad on into. I used a X8R E46 jacking pad reduced to a round press fit and some Sikaflex for insurance, the E46 M3 jacking pad may also work?. Such a great QoL improvement that i wish i had done ages ago.
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After donating a Dinan CAI to @Vass we had to figure out what parts they used for their additional cold air source since they dont sell them easy. I know Dinan use alot of OE parts for their mods so i eventually closed in on the likely parts. A quick confirmation with Vass concluded they were indeed E39 6 cylinder airbox boots\grommets. I decided to semi mod mine to re-create theirs after i found some suitable pipe from NZ safety. An additional cold air source cant hurt and im not exactly sure why BMW did not source it from there like the M3 etc, possibly a space or cost issue. Pictures basically explain it, grommet pops out the airbox so its easily removable from the car. As far as temperature goes i didn't do enough logging in varying circumstances to say whether i has a measurable reduction, it wasnt apparent in normal highway driving with a 20 degree air temp and 30-35 IAT with both setups. For what its worth IAT temp reading was only ~5 degrees hotter than ambient air temperature with this installed once you pushed a bit past stuff the license speeds.
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Around the same time last year i did a 4 runs with Draggy out of interest, so id thought a do a few more under similar conditions. @Harper mentioned NPD100 so thought id give it a go instead of the Gull 98 in previous runs. Other changes with these runs are the TMS O\D pulleys, wheels\tyres, M52 manifold, cleaner engine and launching in 'M-track mode(thought had DSC disabled for some reason). Previous 0-100 was 6.59s and 14.8s 1\4. No doubt there is 6.XX and 14.XX with improvements and more runs, but at least its in lower end of the spec range now.
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Yes getting the right box is the key. My research, including a good chat with the local transmission guy, painted a decent picture on ZF6 reliability. He really doesn't like the 6L45.
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https://www.trademe.co.nz/a/motors/cars/bmw/330i/listing/5060543787
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I was just catching up on your build thread - wow! Wondering - would you recommend the Bevinsee intake? I found them on Aliexpress for under 50 clams, and I figure if it helps with intake temps in the summer at slower speeds, that wouldn't be a bad thing... Re BMW-safe windscreen washer fluid, I just buy the BMW stuff - a couple of dozen bottles at a time. It's cheap enough, does the job. The Liqui Moly stuff is also good though more expensive by a good 30%. HTH
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Biggest issue for me would be the used auto box gamble. You'd probably do a service, mechatronic seals etc and probably a few drain and fills so that's another $700-800 on top. Then you kinda have to hope the rest is ok because they do have quite a few potential faults that can occur. Getting one from a damaged working car or something the you can at least test drive, check adaption values and fluid condition would be good, or even having it inspected\rebuilt.
