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Some updates on MTOY. I spent a few hours stripping the rear of the car last week Untitled by Christian Taylor, on Flickr Then off it went to Ray at Chubb Racing for some scaffolding. Untitled by Christian Taylor, on Flickr 37069382_10212477363432270_2108831085524680704_n by Christian Taylor, on Flickr Untitled by Christian Taylor, on Flickr Taking shape nicely! In the meantime I've picked up a couple of sets of 6pt harnesses and have some mounting hardware on the way. Untitled by Christian Taylor, on Flickr Once back it's off to GT Refinishers for paint, then I'll start fabricating seat and trim replacements.

just add the pics, man. we're all driving projects, don't be shy... welcome to the forum, look forward to seeing you at a meet up. check in to the Meetings room, subscribe to the Wellington room to get notifications. BMW Club night on at the pub once a month, plus runs, coffee meets, and longer trips too.

I honestly wish I was in a position to buy this even if it was just to help out... I wouldnt even think about paying $1 less than the asking price given the worth and situation. The quickness claims can be tested later

i really hope that's a fax machine on the back of the front passenger seat!!

Holden were way behind BMW back then. Carved up so many Holdens with my old E34 on the road and track I've lost count.

I got a set of style 66’s about a year ago off the forums for $550 IRC. They were clean but had a little bit of curbing. I put a new set of potenza’s on for $1100. Have treated me well.

Yip!

Seen these on Facebook?

I read that Pelican have been quietly swallowed by the ECS hegemony, who previously acquired Turner Motorsports. I read a blog post by a senior manager from Turner Motorsports recently, something to do with "Why I hate ECS tuning". I couldn't find it, though I was disturbed to find the Facebook group "why I hate ECS Tuning" FCP Euro are still doing right by me after around 12 years. ?

Hi Folks. Yes, as @Eagle Jared points out, my 2004 e60 545i was diagnosed and subsequently sorted. I think e60 V8's are inexpensive because they're unfashionable and don't have a Holden Commodore on the badge! They're an amazing car, and well optioned-up cost around $160-180k new? We're buying them under $20k with deferred maintenance; they're going to need some lurrrvvvvvv. So put on your Barry White (or your Marvin Gaye), settle in, and read a little about my case. ⛑️ oil leaks were all sorted under previous custodian's care. @TermiPeteNZ had already addressed plenty of the maintenance items; I took up the mantle when I bought it, and expected there'd be more to do. I wasn't disappointed. The good thing was it wasn't covering hoses with oil, or ruining the alternator, like it sounds is the case in yours, Geoff @awake On we strolled, taking care of the systems that might be smokey, while catching up on other items. Firstly the PCV diaphragms were were replaced. They're an inexpensive part, on top of each head. They get old and brittle. Secondly, vacuum pump replaced. it was weak, Brakes were not firm enough, and was not scavenging oil as expected. Oil consumption was increasing, and it was 'puffing billy' after sitting at traffic lights.?️ Valve stem seal failure was subsequently diagnosed. Yes, Valve Stem Seal failure an issue with the N62 V8's... though the same seals are used in MANY, MANY BMW engines. Don't be in such a hurry to roll out smugfaces, you M54 owners! Oh, yeah that's me too. Damn. ? Fortunately, I have kept up** maintenance, and the MBI is still valid. Thank you Autosure Extreme. Seriously. Thank you Autosure Extreme. And Page European, here in Wellington. Yes, you may have been following my SS Commodore in German suit thread. 'kept up' maintenance is probably an understatement! ? Now a little about the actual job. Valve Stem seal replacement is a labour-intensive job. The parts are relatively inexpensive; a couple of boxes of seals, a bunch of gaskets. The cost is in the labour. During disassembly the auxilliary water pump crumbled (love that 14 year old BMW plastic); it will likely happen on yours. Around $400 here. Yes, this job is more often done in with the heads in-place. Saves additional cost of head gaskets, bolts, and all that fun. Special tools are available to help with doing the job in-situ. The shop I use hires in the tools when they're needed. Cooling system out. Cams removed, etc etc. Compressed air to hold the valve closed, to allow remove the collet, extract the seal, replace the seal etc. I understand the new valve stem seals are made from a different material. Elring brand were used. I think there's a 'revision' number indicated on the BMW Parts schedule - check it out on in the BMW parts catalogue. It's tight - space-wise - but do-able. Patience required. Need to re-time the Valvetronic setup when the job is done; this is not a backyard job unless you have all the puter stuff. It's quite the jigsaw puzzle to get the shooting match back together. I don't know how much it cost the insurers, I paid for the pump, insurance excess, and cost of Wurth intake cleaner and associated labour with the intake clean. Phew, that's a relief. I knew it'd be a good few grand plus GST, based on what I'd read on the US sites, labour cost, parts estimate, and a guestimate of renting the tools. It would have been around 3 days labour give or take, plus it was in the shop for a couple of weeks; I was in no hurry for the car so preferred they work on it when they wanted to. The old seals were totally flogged-out; your eye-ometer™ is all that's needed to see that. No sealion is going to be happy with those baggy-old worn out items, and nor is your N62 V8! After, all any sea lion wants is a good tight seal, right? ? Outcome: Oil use is down. Puffing Billy effect is gone. Performance is improved. Fuel economy is better. Perhaps the latter two are more attributable to the intake clean? I'm sure vacuum loss wasn't helping things. It hasn't helped dad-jokes in my posts, either! ? I know there are better cars, newer cars, flasher cars. As an allround package, I totally love driving my e60 545i. I'll buy another MBI policy when this one expires. I'm not ready to move this car on yet, and am about to do brakes at all corners, and tension struts at the front, so am planning on keeping it for a while. I can't think of a car I'd rather drive for the purposes I use it for, on my wallet (forget fantasy garage or Lotto wins). If you're fussy on your maintenance like I am, a tough year could cost you $5k. Perhaps this is one of those years for you; hopefully you'll find it less wallet-burning. Whether it's worth doing your vehicle is a value judgement for you to make. I agree with the earlier comment from @Gaz that you want to find a shop that's done it a few times before. They'll know the ins and outs, and can price it accurately, and do the work efficiently. Hopefully that was helpful. I really must finish editing my movie on this job! It'll make ya'll laugh. Cheers Olaf. PS: I mentioned before that Patience is required. Dunno if they were spinning Lloyd Cole in the workshop, but this could have been soothing, particularly toward the rear cylinders. Not my favourite Lloyd Cole song; if you don't know it, you owe yourself to at least listen to the whole of Rattlesnakes. One of the coolest albums of 1984.

M1 pro car ? from this years Goodwood

Welcome Jordan and congrats on the E34 - hope to see you along at some of our Welly events!

I would love to.... but then I would have to sell my 135.. and that means I will owe $20 to @BreakMyWindow

If you were actually intending on purchase then I can understand your comment. But I am just going to give you the benefit of doubt that you are not yet a parent and don’t have the capacity to grasp what this all means for me and my family. one day when you are I want you to reflect back on this post and you will realise what I am talking about. I sincerely hope also you or anyone here never experience what we are going through ... when no material possession matters or mean anything any longer and you are constantly in tears at the thought of what the most precious thing in life really is.