Leaderboard

Loyalty these days is just a $1 note. Reminds me of a "customer ?" that needed a quote for front and rear brakes on his E90. I gave him a quote for new German ATE rotors, pads and wear sensors including labour and GST. He came back about 3 weeks later and wanted us to reset the service module and wanted me to give him a quote to fix the squeaking Remsa pads on Chinese disc rotors and the old wear sensors..... all this he expected us to do for free. The difference from my original quote was $80 but he went with the special race brake installation by an aftermarket franchise. I told him I would take it all off and do it properly for the original quote and give him back the sh*t parts that had been installed..... I ended up telling him to leave the premises and had a cup of coffee... Jeeze I'm glad I'm retired now and don't have to deal with this sh*t any more

4 year old wisdoms from this morning - "Dad - when I grow up I'm not going to buy a BMW first" "Why is that Max?" Pointing at a Hyundai Sonata - "Because I'm going to get one of those first to see how bad works first"

I got a tax refund.

Hi bimmer fans. This is mine. I got paid out from the repairer's public liability insurance. It was driven for over a year. The certifier got audited as he didn't take enough photos hence NZTA revoked the cert. It's still registered just needs to be stripped back so the new certifier can take photos. The old certifier since retired. Happy to answer any questions. It's fully spec M50d.

This 15 year old BMW model will empty your pockets quicker than your wife. They end up leaking from every seal, gasket and hose at low mileage

Even the paperwork is water damaged ?

Stuff it!!!! Friday eve..shes going in!!!

So did I... $4.78! I spent it on tools... along with several other hundreds of dollars ?

You are quite right to shop around which I encouraged a few posts ago but so far 'I reckon' is the only information you are basing it off. Each workshop is going to give you a different cost based off their labour rate. 5 hours at $100 a hour and 5 at $200 a hour are going to give you two very different costs, but they both take 5 hours. One thing people seem to forget is that loyality will leave you to be better off in the long run instead of chasing the bottom dollar

Couldn't let the crappy weather prevent me from taking the new toy for a test drive. edit: showroom section might have been more appropriate. Mods feel free to move it...

Yep, I'm on the same page with you there ^ and yes, if you've not got the backing of a dealer and aren't installing crap parts you're being squeezed. It's the "proper" indies that will suffer.

I bet it was a 320i too.

Best thing to do is to sell the wheels and buy some proper fitting ones. Correct specs should be something along the lines of: Front: 18x8 or 18x8.5, offset around 10-20 with 225/40/18 or 235/40/18 Rear: 18x9 or 18x9.5, offset around 15-25 with 255/35/18 or 265/35/18 (this is not a rule, its just what works. Some idiots might want to run zero offset wheels with stretched tyres etc for stance but my guide should give you a nice flush proper fitment with actual useable tyre sizes rather than something that will crack your wheels on the first pot hole) Photos for reference: 18x8 offset 13, 18x9.5 offset 25, tyres 225/45 front 255/35 rear

This car is proof positive Germany is still pissed about loosing the war. It deserves none of your respect, care and least of all any more of your money. Get rid of it.

Listen to Glenn. I didnt with my n46 and paid the price.

you can get it from: Dr Emmett's Coolant Ltd 101 McFly Road Almanac, 2009

Sort of - it has to meet 3 out of the 4 requirements. So for example the M3 CSL does because it meets 1,3 and 4 below but not 2 for reasons explained above. Here are the requirements 1. The vehicle (or its make, model and submodel) is identified as being a collector’s item in one of the following magazines or their respective websites – Australian Classic Car, Car and Driver (US), Automobile (US), Motor (Australia), Motor Trend (US), New Zealand Autocar, New Zealand Classic Car, Road and Track (US), Top Gear (UK), Top Gear NZ, Unique Cars (Australia) or Wheels (Australia). 2. Less than 20,000 units of the vehicle’s make and model have been (or were) manufactured annually. 3. The vehicle is, and was, manufactured as a two-door coupe or a convertible. 4. The vehicle is, and was, manufactured as a high-performance vehicle. My suggestion someone bombard Jeremy Clarkson and get him to write an article in Top Gear as to why it would be a future collectable - I think telling him so we can get it registered here in NZ as a SIV might do the trick as he’s anti-establishment ??

It's how we know the search feature is working. Haha. And it's why the Forum will outlast facebook and it's black hole of knowledge.

I'd pay $1000. It sounds like a dick of a job and I would rather spend my time doing my job to pay for it. I sometimes hate the kiwi DIY attitude. Paying people to do jobs makes the world go round.

If a builder gives you an estimate build a house of 3 months, do you tell him no, I reckon it'll take 1 month? What is you do for a job? Cause I'll turn up one day and tell you that it should be done 65% faster than your estimate

You would have to hope the mate has Public Liability Insurance or deep pockets if it goes tits up

Had some time over the weekend to restore my E30 grilles / grills. Obviously I could've replaced with new, but these ones looked ok and I had some time so why not give restoring a go. Things you need: 1) E30 Grille 2) Plastic Doctor 3) Sponge Seal as shown 4) Oomph Instructions: 1) Cut the existing foam off with a razor blade 2) Spray residue with Oomph and leave for 2 mins. Then rub / scrape off. Repeat as necessary. 3) Wash the grilles with detergent 4) Dry fully 5) Wipe grille down with plastic doctor. Use a screwdriver wrapped in cloth for the tight areas. >>Stay away from the foam area<< 6) Leave to dry then repeat on areas until a consistent finish 7) Apply foam strip, cut to length. I used loose fitting clothes pegs to hold it down for 24 hours; seems to have worked well. Enjoy the result!

Vapor blasting is much cleaner and less invasive

Nice! Somehow I owe them despite being soley a PAYE salary man....