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When BMW were writing the sofware for the M5, some dickhead decided that every time a warning comes up on the screen it should be the only thing on the screen, so the time disappears. ABS fault = no clock, low washer fluid = no clock, fuel reserve = no clock, have I got time to stop and fill up on my way to work? Dunno, the f@% king clock has disappeared!! There is plenty of room on the screen for the clock as well, but no. Thanks dickhead!

It's ALIVE!! Picked up this afternoon, just in time to run it in before the fuel tax hits! Total bill was about $6.3K, that included a Turner motorsports power pulley kit, a power steering hose that had shat itself, a new belt tensioner, and a bit of extra labour un-siezing the lower control arm bolts so the wheel alignment could be done! Haven't taken it for a decent run yet, but will bring it to the meet on Sunday. Also discovered it needs a new pair of rear tyres, decent cut on the inner shoulder of one. Will have to put it back on a dyno after running in and see what (if any) difference the pulley makes.

Sorry - no pics at present. The drive and aim recently has been to prepare and sell some cars - we have too many. Even I have to admit that, especially given our circumstances. And so, I was overjoyed when the 318ti sold very recently. One down... Hopefully I can build some momentum and sell another car. Or two. Or... Well, I was asked if I would be interested in a 318Ci. Hmm... N42 engine woes. But the offer was there, not voiced in a "how much can I get for this' kind of way, but as a 'I need to get this out of the garage because we're refurbishing the house and need somewhere to put kitchen units and appliances while the builders work' way. So I ran some details and found that this car has a M43TU engine. It has been messed with, it does need work. It has been standing for a while, the tyres were soft (but not flat) and I don't much like the wheels. The exhaust isn't stock, and part of it has fallen off. It has a bodykit which hasn't been fitted particularly well, or perhaps it's coming adrift. We'll see. Glass sunroof, leather interior (with some mildew), electric seats, multifunction steering wheel. Stuff and things. I'm really not sure this was a good idea.

So this arrived today from BMW AG. Goes nicely with my collection!

this reinforces my view that most people view cars as mobile infotainment systems which require as little driver input as possible. What a sh*t headline Better?

Bought a May 2001 318Ci...

'Totally loaded' Is it me or does anyone else find it extremely frustrating that car ads, private and dealers list the most basic features that have been around for decades? Look up any high end car/SUV that is within ten years old and you'll find listed ABS Cruise control Power steering Electric seats etc. Pretty sure in the 1970s, Mercedes S Class and the yank junk had all of that.

^give us an update on yours!

got to test my new scanner today, Foxwell NT520 Pro, seems to have a lot of functionality for the price, including but not limited to opening the rear glass hatch so i can replace the switch!

Yahoo, group skids on Sunday! ?

go to a model store they sell translucent colour paint in small spray cans

Okay, I refuse to drop my price any more and I’m cured of the preciousness I felt towards this car so i sold the recently purchased Mazda a this one ain’t for sale Any more. She’s the daily hack again. I don’t know where all those Beemerphiles who said I’d easily get 7.5 - 8k for it were when I actually listed it ?

The olders cars are what they are and we always view them with a passion that comes with ownership or possible ownersip in mind because unlike a new car we can possibly afford them. New cars are never going to seem like a value proposition and at around 200k we need the depreciation cycle to come in to play before most of us get interested. A colleage in Auckland who can drive a bit really liked the new 550i and was amazed at how responsive the auto was, his comment was its as good as most DCT,s. The tech is what it is, some of it will be able to be reprogrammed in time, but he said none of it detracted from his driving experience. He liked the car and was keen on trying the M5 (he has the cash) but said it makes you realise how slow 100kph is. He said the old cars that could do 0 to 100 in 5 to 6 seconds made you work, the 550 was just so easy.

I'm going through all that sh*t right now. I'm working a fill in job in the US for Immigration NZ. INZ is shutting down all their overseas offices (bar the cheap ones in India and China). I couldn't care less about the job. But it does mean I have to find other crap to do whilst I am here and I have to go through their joke of a process. Many promises have been made. But I don't trust them at all. Trying to get something in writing has gone nowhere so far.

So, I bought the $60 impact, and it worked alright. The nut came off, and my handtool socket didn't explode. The nut was hugely over torqued by whoever changed the front damper. I only got time to change one side yet. And I noticed it sit quite a bit higher due to the thickness of the strut mount I used. Now I am not a fan of stanced car, but the higher front does look a bit strange, and I don't know if it will introduce more understeer due to the lifted front suspension?