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Bluey going well - pulls very strong (until I ran out of road). Prior to that had a real dumbarse numnuts issue with rear brake pad... not the first time I've done that lol. Also trying on M5 wheels, painted engine hood to remove mankiness, and fixed a twisty seat, removing 20 years of coffee stains and sausage rolls at same time. Had some concave dents in rear passengers footwells where someone had used a jack, managed to massage those back into acceptable shape with a large hammer and block of 4by2.. WOF next before getting out the sandpaper...

We don’t need your stinking SUVs anyway 🤣

The M5 just has that 'je ne sais quoi' - only RHD touring M car, RWD, even with all the bad bits pointed out above. If it's still unsold if / when AKL gets out of lockdown I'm going to fly up and look at it...

one of many projects I am finally getting time to work on in level 4 is a wheel straightener that I am putting together. I started about a year ago but have actually made some progress now. Starting point was a front hub from an e39 at pick a part, then a 5mm aluminium spacer to take the place of the absent brake disc, the frame is 150 x 75 PFC ( parallel flange channel) and this holds a small hydraulic ram from a panelbeating kit, I think it is a 10T unit. I cast an aluminium block with a radius to suit about a 14 inch rim, and drilled it to fit the end of the ram. At the back of the ram I have a series of coach bolt heads to hold the ram in place while allowing for vertical adjustment, the front of the ram is held in a pipe saddle clamp that will move up and down in 2 vertical slots and be secured with plastic hand nut things. Behind the back of the ram I have a flat steel surface to attach a magnetic holder for my dial indicator so I can check progress as I go. I am hoping to straighten 3 rims from 3 different sets that I currently have in my driveway, including the one I am using for testing (in the photos) and I am hoping to be able to do it without having to apply heat, but that remains to be seen!

Get stuck in, DIY it. Doesnt get much easier to work on than an E30 and parts are plentiful. Good car to learn on and there is nothing you need a specialist for.

The reason I posted it here and FB E30 group is so that I COULDNT have it because it would be snapped up fast. A house beginning renovations, a vintage launch which exists as a maintenance piece, and two garage queens is abooout all I can handle mentally

I agree. I wouldn't own an E60 ever because of that reason, although I could likely get by with my skill base, but the E60 styling inside and out doesn't inspire me to want to own one and peruse that kind of repair work. A newer F10 or whatever they are will likely be just as bad in a few years. This is why I have an E34 540i which I consider one of the best BMWs ever made, classic styling for one and the core engineering and electronics are complex enough for the purpose and built at a time when quality of design and construction was higher. My business I operate involves the restoration of electronics on Lexus/Toyota models like Soarers and various others so I find restoring late 80s early 90s electronics is very practical. It's much the same story for the E34. Its reasons like this these cars can be able to remain working for decades to come. A number of changes in electric design mean that same approach is not as viable on E60+ models, at least from what Ive seen on the surface. So much for sustainability, just a throw away society!

I solved this on mine by popping out one of the plastic bungs in the drain holes in the bottom of the boot, I coated it with cavity wax and haven't had any pooling water in there since. I have also cleared the sunroof drains and removed the one way valves from the end of the tubes that clog up with crud over time.

1. Now, I don't have a lot else on today! 2. Once I have done a bit of tweaking and finishing off. Basically done, need to tidy up the front and trim it a bit to fit smaller rims, then powder coat it. Tested with my 4T pump and got this rim within 1.6mm of perfectly round without heat, I suspect a bit of heat and/or a larger pump will take care of the rest!

Yeah buy yourself a manual and a cheap tool kit. They are the most simple car to maintain. Also M539 is currently working on a E30 on his channel. Might give you some inspiration.

Just goes to show eh, a lot of people thought that this was over priced at $15K, but it shows the usual rarity, plus low kms, and tidy vehicle equals valuable car! Also shows that whomever bought it, really wanted it and will be super stoked to have one of only 40 cars left in the country. I’d say there’s someone out there with the biggest smile on their dial, just like the one I have when I drive mine😊!

I’d buy the golf purely based on its interior. The bmw is so bland. Golf checkered seats always a cool design theme

Have this photo saved for anyone that missed out

Whole car less engine and trans- 7500

I'm very happy to be in that sub section, it means I tend to prefer more interesting cars, not necessarily better, but more interesting.

More parts keep on arriving for this but nothing too exciting. Have been chipping away and currently part way through wiring to mount the ecu up behind the glove box. Lockdown inspired I wired in a E36 business cd headunit to replace the Sony exploder, in the cd input I wired in a Bluetooth receiver so can Bluetooth a phone to it for spotify etc. Will upload a photo once the headunit is fully mounted. Looks factory though! Am currently waiting on a fcp order which is stuck in Aussie which contains nuts and bolts literally to do some final bolt ups Here's a couple photos when I rolled out on a sunny day. Tyres on the style 32s need to be dropped a profile but this got it rolling as such. Also a photo of when I first got it was picking up deck materials

Date: 7 Sept 2021 Distance: 263271 kms 1. New Battery The batty had become increasingly less cooperative in storage since June, despite the gentle pulsing care of the CTEK MXS 5.0 in maintenance mode. No sense in flogging the dead horse. I consulted the schedule on on RealOEM, and found they equipped 46, 50, 55, and 65Ah battys for the 316i and 318iS. Existing batty was an AA 3552, which is a DIN53L, 510CCA, 50AH. (interesting AA no longer recommend this, favouring a DIN55 instead (heavier). There are plenty of options out there, and I've completely given up on AA Battery Service following really crappy service by them in 2019/20. The DIN53L is a relatively small batty, both dimensionally [L=242, W=174, H175, TH=175, all in mm], and in capacity (around 50AH). A really stonking version can put out 600CCA/60AH, though ~500 CCA/50AH is more commonplace in Niu Zild. Prices between about $195 (Repco 40 month on special) to over $350 for a Century with 36 month warranty, were found via a quick search. What's a fella to do during Lockdown v2.0 eh? So we ordered a Koba as the quality is good (my e60 is still very happy) and price is reasonable. Many thanks to @Autoglym for arranging. The MF55457 is a DIN53LMF. Time to get a WoF and some rego. Spring is here! PS - it's three years of ownership on 9th Sept. Somehow there's always a necessary anniversary purchase whether I like it or not!

7500 I believe.

The wheels are shocking! It probably would make a great project car though. Anyone know how much it was advertised for?

FCP says backordered. Didn't realize they are so overpriced though. They seem to be around 1k else where. Few different ones on ebay i see. Best one https://www.ebay.com/itm/402659871481?epid=13002747220&hash=item5dc0660af9:g:7OoAAOxy3NBSlSvt

Lol that was average conditon E36 M3 money not long ago.

It also had chrome 18's and looked like it had been painted purple with housepaint haha

@E28E30 as it's your pride and joy and not a daily, you might want to talk with Jon for a longer-term view of preservation and maintenance.

Thank you John @Herbmiester

Could be worthwhile if you have the know how: 2x Idle actuators 2x Throttle actuators 4x VANOS soldenoids (used to be $1400US each, now about $500 it seems) 2x Ionic control modules 1x ABS pump ($4500) 1x Alternator voltage regular (cheap enough) The best parts of my E60 M5 experience were: 4500-8250rpm thrust was very exciting as there's not much going on below 4500rpm. Excellent handling. Interior comfort.

Jon at Auto38 does great work, highly recommended. Like you I live in Silverstream and while it is a bit of a trek to get there Jon is the best.

sh*t, good job I didn't see that then, or I would probably now have THREE project cars going nowhere...

In terms of bang for buck you are spot on, the better power and torque of common repowers would give you a much better return than putting an M20 into it. The downside would be that for an M325i the key to a high value car would be how collectible it is, and with a non-original engine the appeal for a collector would fall right off. So it depends on what you are looking to achieve, a cool street M325i or a garage queen investment to make the big $$$. Just out of interest what was being asked for it on bookface it had gone before I got chance to look? Was it just a rolling shell or whole car less the engine.

Having owned many E60 and E61's I too was amused by the notion it was the lesser technology, purist choice. Pricing, well we all have our opinions, but I think another angle to look at it is placement in market, it should be priced between the C6 S6 and C6 RS6. Which this isnt.

at the risk of plugging BMW Car Club NZ again, the next issue of DIXI Magazine contains an excellent article on S85 (and 65) Rod Bearings. Join now, the 36 page colour glossy quarterly magazine is included with your membership! I guess I'm in the sub-set; I've always been a wagon guy, and I still like to work on my own vehicles (though confess to doing less these days!).

The work you are going to do on an M5 is not going to be fun work I can tell you that. If it's not bearings or SMG then you are going to be swapping $1000+ modules which shouldn't be failing in the first place. I can think of at least 10 modules off the top of my head. Interesting and capable car for sure, but...

Trying to deal with a solicitors in the UK about a Trust for my brother. The original practice that set this up was great, but two principals died and the work was passed on, nd passed on... And we weren't told. The latest firm have racked up a £1000 bill which they have sent us, accrued through their efforts 'to contact you [me]' so I can give them instructions. F%^&*g thieving b@st@rds.

Try dealing with UK institutions, in trying to sort my Nans estate one company sent not one but 14 seperate cheques, all in seperate envelopes, from the UK to NZ.

Wow even the US is getting rid of Checks AKA Cheques. In the mean time they have made it easy to cash them digitally. Most banking apps can scan them now. I have never understood personal cheques. It's an IOU.

@SRacin Very nice, love the M Pars! Matches the other Techno iS in Christchurch.

Had to go back to November to find the most recent photo.

The flipside of that viewpoint is "it's honest, I'm not hiding anything, there's a table full of main dealer receipts, you can see yourself in the side paint. It's a high-speed touring machine and traveling on NZ roads attracts stone chip at the front; it's not a museum piece as I've travelled the country with my family. You can see what you're buying, and take it to your trusted painter, or just enjoy it". If I had the courage to own the totally brilliant e6x M5/M6 - and a garage to put it in, I'd buy this in a heartbeat.

Probably the F10 M5. Far better than the other two. It was an option right?

My one.😉

I think one of the key things to remember here is this is one of only 40 cars so originality is key. I bought mine as a stepping stone into classic car ownership, and to be honest coz I liked the colour. It’s not a powerhouse, but it’s a pretty balanced drive, and it hassled quite a few bigger cars in the twistes on the drive back to Dunedin. Owning it lead to the purchase of an e30 325i sedan, also a manual. The two are chalk and cheese, the 325i has an awesome motor that just makes you want to press the loud pedal, but the MSport also makes me smile every time I drive it for different reasons. A lot of people dis the M44 motors as gutless, but I get just as big a grin from driving the MSport as I do from the 325i.

1150hp and 1100kg... could be a bit of a handful in the wet Ran 3rd in class and 9th overall at PIkes Peak this year.

Auto 38 has closed up. Jon & Keren will be taking on project work from Marton in the near future. If it's got to be Wellington, I can firmly recommend All European Service, in Fifeshire Ave. I had my 855-T5 and e46 Touring serviced by Peter for years before he closed up. He's recently re-opened in Te Aro. @E28E30