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It went back to the dealer last week. They had it for 3 and a bit days. Got it back on Monday with everything sorted. They said they replaced an 02 sensor (not sure if it was one or all 4. My guess is none :-)) and brake pads for the 'check brake linings' check message. Well two days and 120kms later engine light and check brake linings make a reappearance lol Already contacted dealer and hope to be taking it back tomorrow - but we will see. When I first took it to their mechanic he initially said catalytic converters - which is not covered under MBI. Dealer has been good so far so hopefully they will have it sorted. I'll then do an oil and coolant change, and find out what else mechanically may need fixing... then put a plan in place to utilise the MBI! I must say after a month and 600kms it is pretty awesome and enjoy it. has me thinking why I didn't get one earlier! But its no M5 that's for sure haha. Barry - unfortunate situation your son-in law is in - hope it all works out!

So listening to the radio this morning and one of the radio DJs was saying they where contacted by the police. Turns out some scum bag had seen the licence plate of their car on TV and then written in and changed the ownership of the car and then tired to secure a loan against the car. Police called in to sort ownership. Anyway , just be mindful when your posting picks of your or your mates cars as anyone can write in or go into a post shop and claim the car as there own and it does happen.

Welcome to the forum. Super nice looking E30 you've found yourself. The Wellington crowd is planning a road trip to drive the Gentle Annie. Would be nice to see your E30 in the mix.

Welcome - Love the E30! Good luck with the trip back.

Just got myself a blue M3....... kidding . But the current system isn't great really. At least having the old fashioned ownership papers gave another factor for identity. System of ownership needs work.

Agreed @Olaf that's why I'd never post identifiable information about somebody else. I'd never hesitate to post a picture with a plate but I wouldn't make it any easier to identify the owner, that wouldn't be on. Lol - wouldn't be difficult to suss mine out!

Thanks Olaf! I'll subscribe now - would be great to come along.

Looking at my old X5 manual I downloaded - it looks like the 'Service Engine Soon' warning. "If the indicator lamp comes on either continuously or intermittently, this indicates a fault in the emissions-related electronic systems. Although the vehicle remains operational, you should have the systems checked by your BMW center at the earliest possible opportunity." "An illuminated lamp informs you of the need for service, not of the need to stop the vehicle. However, the systems should be checked by your BMW center at the earliest possible opportunity. Under certain conditions, the indicator will blink or flash. This indicates a rather severe level of engine misfire. When this occurs, you should reduce speed and consult the nearest BMW center as soon as possible. Severe engine misfire over only a short period of time can seriously damage emission control components, especially the catalytic converter." "A fuel filler cap that has not been closed all the way will set off the Service Engine Soon lamp. When the filler cap is not properly tightened, the OBD system can detect the vapor leak and the indicator will light up. If the filler cap is subsequently tightened, the indicator should go out within a few days."

Frustrating. I reckon ask to see the fault codes, or take it in somewhere with a decent scanner with the full detail

welcome! that's a pretty tidy looking e30! If you've got AA membership, consider paying the extra for 'AA PLUS', it'll get you and your car all the way back to Wellington, and to your workshop of choice... in the event of a breakdown. Enjoy the journey down, it's a beaut time of the year to be driving down from Auckland. Nice way to be getting to know your new car, if you're not in a hurry. PS - do subscribe to the the Wellington meets threads, we've collectively been organising a good number of meets and road trips lately, be good to have you along.

The motorsport (non m3) swaybar is a bit thicker and fits with the standard shocks, but if you need new shocks as well changing to the m3 setup makes sense. I suspect that new shocks will also make a huge difference given the mileage.

Righto, told myself I'd start a thread when I got my engine block back from the shop. 4 months after leaving it there, finally got a call saying it was ready. Acid dipped, everything checked (crank, block, pistons, etc) and it was all in good order, to my surprise! The goal is ~260kw (350hp) on 1bar boost through a M20B25 with B27 block, daily driveable, maybe I'm dreaming. My current (B25) block is cracked so going with the B27 was a no brainer. The block was cheap but must have been left outside for awhile as the cylinders were somewhat corroded. After a re-hone all but cylinder 3 are perfectly smooth, engine guy reckons it will be sweet I would have liked to o-ring the block, and I still might but the guy who I took the motor to talked me out of it, said it can cause more harm than good - any insight here?? I've been collecting parts in my bedroom for the past year, the first bit being the turbo which I purchased while visiting family in Sydney. It was cheap and for only $55 extra I could put it in another suitcase and check it onto the plane, I did some funny looks from customs. Parts -B25 head, B27 block -ARP head studs -All new bearings, gaskets, rings -+0.3mm headgasket (lower compression, head has been previously skimmed) Everything in the block will be reused apart from bearings, gaskets, and head bolts. -Link G4 Storm -Holset HX40, 17cm exhaust housing, 8 blade inducer (big, lazy, silly, I know) - sold -Holset HX35, 16cm exhaust housing, 7 blade inducer -Ebay (cx racing) exhaust manifold, looks surprisingly solid considering it cost just $250 landed -Ebay intercooler (600x180) -Delphi 42lb injectors, high impedance -Bosch 044 external fuel pump (yet to purchase), factory puller/in-tank pump -HKS SSQV BOV -Tial 38mm external wastegate -APSX wideband o2 sensor and gauge -APSX boost gauge -Coilovers (yet to purchase, likely D2 or K-sport) Probably forgotten a bunch of stuff, everything's in boxes Still need to purchase a clutch, still very unsure what route to go down with this, was looking at a spec stage 3 from the US but it would cost north of $750 landed. I know Troy got his resprung and it worked great, may look for a place here in Wellington who can do that for me. Purpose of the thread? Help me keep track of progress, and hopefully provide useful info to people who want to go down this route. I'm confident that I'll do a good job, despite my experience extending only to a headgasket replacement and basic maintenance I am in no way an expert and those of you who are will probably see things that I may be doing wrong, or may not work well together etc and I welcome criticism. Picked up the motor from Levin, about 90min from home. Oh if you visit Levin, do yourself a favor and buy a punnet of strawberries, they're really good. Sits nicely in my bedroom Still waiting for the garage to be built... Nice cross-hatching marks The manifold, I chose this one over the other cheapies because the turbo has a bit of support as you can see. Whether or not it will stop it from cracking, who knows. Welds look decent to my novice eye

Whoops forgot that part, here she is

How about a pic of the car too?

Some progress Got stuck into wiring the stock harness to the Link loom. Went with crimps instead of solder because it's easier and still solid. Heat shrink and then capped off the wires which won't be used. Labelled wires which I could potentially need in the future for things like Electronic boost control, wasted spark, etc. I used masking tape for the labels, is this a bad idea (fire)??? And I've been collecting a few more bits. All of the big ticket items now acquired! The steering wheel was free since the order took longer than they said it would, if anyone wants to buy it let me know! Clutch is a 6-puk Spec Stage 3 clutch. Good for 425ft/lb so more than enough. I know 6 puk is not the most streetable clutch but I have driven one on an Evo 7 and although it took some getting used to it wasn't horrible. The reason I got this particular clutch is because the ones available here in NZ like Exedy and clutchmasters didn't have the best reviews. This Spec clutch is one of the most common among the guys boosting their M20s in the US. Coilovers are D2, budget. Suited my budget. I'll need a cert anyway so coils made sense for a similar price to quality springs and shocks all around. A lot people have asked me about the cost of all of this, and it's hard to gauge what it will cost here in NZ since most builds which are documented are on US forums. So far with everything I've spent just shy of $6k and I've budgeted another $3k ($1k Tune, $1k Exhaust, $1k Misc.. Brakes, intercooler piping, fuel pump, hoses, vacuum lines, brackets, etc etc) I bought myself an Arc welder too. It'll save me a lot of time and money if I can make my own brackets for things like the intercooler and sensors. Just waiting on a helmet then I'll give it a go. Maybe if I get good enough I'll have a crack at doing my exhaust. This build will take a bit of a back seat until July as I have a very important assessment then. But after that it should be full steam ahead. Not sure how long it will take to put together as I already have all the parts, we'll see.

Holy crap. That is the exact sound haha so it's probably al good then?

Why not just buy bosch?

I have a full shim kit. Let me know what size you need. I can send them pretty quickly so your car is not out of action.

Hi Lee I have not heard of anyone offering a loaner kit, great idea. I checked my E36m3 valve clearances late last year with the idea of ordering just what I required rather than a full set. Luckily all mine were within tolerances. What I did buy for next time was a temporary shim kit, metal disks the same diameter as shims. So I could remove the existing shims use the metal disks to fill the vacant spots Allowing me to select which existing shims fit best at each location and still turn the motor over by hand. Hope that makes sense as it maybe an option for you Good luck Mark

Did some skids in old yella at an autocross last weekend. Fun times!! Also went to the oamaru airport drags a month ago and managed to put down a 13.97 with the clutch slipping between gears. Not bad for an unprepped track on street tyres. Was faster than most turbo jappas which was good to know!

Hi all. Have just joined this forum due to my purchase yesterday of a 2002 330d auto. Has travelled 185,000 kms and is a New Zealand new example. Colour, I believe, is Steel Grey?. From what i have discovered so far, it was originally sold in Tauranga, and most imprtantly has a well documented service history. I have been exposed to BMW's via my younger brother, he has owned a 1997? 320i and sold that to purchase a 2010? 330d. I also have some experience with BMW electrics.....in my 2 2003 Rover 75 Tourers, a my 2002 MG ZT 190! But I had better not go there on this forum with those cars I guess!! I am looking forward to reading up on many threads and learning as much as I can about this exceptional vehicle. Cheers, Graeme (Worksie)

Long shot, but does anyone know of, or can recommend, a building inspector? We're looking at a house. Older, probably 60s, fibre cement clad, on piles. Looks and feels good to our uneducated eyes, but obviously best to get a professional inspection done. It's a small place and we would be looking to extend in about 6 months to a year. This is a part of the attraction (for me) but I really am not letting it be the only reason for buying it!

There is a little spring in there that breaks. Also, lube up the lock, because if it really fails, its drilling holes to get in. Turning to the HARD (90*) right sets "valet mode", where the remote, and interior button don't open it. Turning to the HARD (90*) left manually releases the boot lock..... as long as it's lubed and functional. 45* left and right, unlocks and locks the whole car.

Glad to hear that you got it sorted could've been a troublesome fix, will keep in mind to try brute force if it ever happens to mine. Sometimes too afraid of going that route, and it hurt just reading of having to drill a hole to unlock it. Hahaha

And for some reason, it seems like every tool kit you look at buying over here includes half of it's sockets and spanners in Imperial sizing. It makes no sense. All the older British cars have rusted away, and US stuff is rare... so where exactly is the market demand for this gear that just sits there gathering dust?

Lovely car, GLWS! Perhaps you should say test "rides" but I'm pretty certain I wouldn't by a car without driving it myself, you may need to reconsider that condition?