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These have totally wrong offset for e39 unfortunately so dont be too sad

You should have a e39 530i and a 130i. Ditch the CRV. Done.

Those engines are the best balance of reliability and performance you can get in a modern BMW IMO. The engines below are only slower, and the turbo engines come with new issues. Only thing you'll miss compared to your 530i is space, mainly with the back seats. I've heard they are a bit tight in the back for adults. Definitely test drive to see how comfy you are in one, it'll probably just mean there's no legroom left behind you.

Buy mine for unlimited test drives I'm a smaller bloke and sit on the floor Chris Harris style with plenty of space all around. At 6ft6 I think you'll be ok up front but there won't be much room in the back seats. For driver leg room you will have to move it back towards the centre of the car where the roof peaks so head space should be ok. The 130s have a decent fanbase over in the UK, babybmw forum is worth a browse. The N52B30 and trans seems to be pretty bulletproof and in my research I found the common niggle to be the hydraulic valve adjuster tick.. Doesn't cause any damage to the engine just a bit of an annoyance. Being NA helps with the reliability. In my bias opinion you would be mad to get the Axela instead. Nothing against the Mazda but the 130 is all-round cracking to drive.. b roads, plenty of grunt for the open road and great as a daily. Would love to get into a 335i wagon. Any particular reason for looking at the facelift model?

If you're getting up to 100c it will start to boil with no cap. Id just run it untill it starts to get warm / just before its starting to blow it out and shut it off. Put the cap on and let it cool right down and check the level, top it up if needed then take it for a run with a close eye on the temp . If it is pressurising it badly because of a hg fault itll likely blow it out the overflow so keep an eye on that.

2. i know the Auckland guys are well thought of but I'm in CHCH and will call our local Eurorec... I got the engine from them and they seen like sound guys 1. very likely f#cked. I'm not going to arse around fitting them for the time of it - the upper manifold looks like the funnel on a steamship which has been dipped in used engine oil 3. I'll check it out but may be overcome by GPS (gorse pocket syndrome)

Nice looking car. Well done

I agree to a point, but the ones on TM don't appear to be selling.

To upset you

Nice. Same as my 328 just with different wheels and the kit.

For anyone wondering what to expect, prices from Speedfactor work out pretty close to what you'd pay if you organised your own sea freight from the USA. Cheaper in some cases. So they're pretty good. If anyone else reading this is keen just email them direct and tell them Matthew from Auckland referred you. Think it's simpler for them that way. Qube, I haven't got the price on the 19s just yet. Will PM you when I've got it.

come on Mr Asia, you'll be fine. Your horoscope may suggest you avoid quarries, though.

Had a play with Bead roller, not perfect but it will do. screen capture

I think it's reasonably priced? A brand new csl steering wheel with all the trims ect is over $2000

Well hopefully the issue is now sorted. The second fault after the primary fix was made to the active control unit was due to my car not having BMW correct program installed. Seems the program was changed in Japan. Car had to be sent to BMW dealership to have the correct program for the model installed. When that was done the re-install of the Active control program then took and the fault is now sorted. Picked up my car this avo. Additional good news is that the replacement ACU is covered for 4 years so if something in the future should go wrong I am covered. End cost to me was $600 which isn't so bad. The bad was the frustration and the eight week fault diagnostics. Additional benefit I now know a lot more about Active Steering in BMWs both how it works and what can go wrong and why it can go wrong. Hopefully this helps others and they go to a certified expert.

It's actually grown on me heaps (I used to really want an e30, I still do to an extent, but them seem over used now and e30 tax ) and the more I think about it the more sensible it seems, with adequate economy, ergonomics and classic looks.

[rant] People that point out I have no idea what I'm talking about. [/rant] Well played

Manual to me means a gearbox where I have to use my foot to depress the clutch to engage a gear. I don't want any help with that thank you. My rant - Vodafone.

I finally pulled the trigger and bought my first BMW, a 2003 530i Touring. After test driving a few e39 saloons here in Dunedin, I bought one sight unseen on Trademe. I flew up to Christchurch and drove down on Friday. I have to say it's been many years since I've been able to say, "I love this car", but I really do. I have a couple of questions: 1) Where do you buy parts? The only thing wrong with this car is the tailgate and rear glass struts are a bit tired and droop if you don't pull them up all the way. Should I just order the parts from my local Super Cheap Auto or is there a go-to online store for BMW parts? 2) How do you search this site? Every search I've done ends up with no results, including "e39" and "touring". Looking forward to a long and enjoyable time here. Gary