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I disagree. I'd never buy off-brand tyres myself but that doesn't mean they're inadequate for what most people might need, paying for more tyre than you need is pointless and 99.9% of people will never explore the limits of even very basic tyres. Book, cover, judge and all. Cable ties? And you're complaining about new tyres! 😂 Kidding (a little bit), that does look like a convenient setup if you're you need to get in there frequently but it's hella expensive for what it is, I hope it's not made in China. 😉

$6.5k for a decent looking LCI auto... https://www.trademe.co.nz/a/motors/cars/bmw/130i/listing/3275178762 That seems perfectly reasonable to me if you're looking for an auto and can travel north.

Sooo... will be in the market for a new car for the wife (and something I'll drive also drive a lot too). A silver lining of our ongoing painful experience with an Audi Lemon has let me talk her into considering something Bavarian in the new year. I've managed to talk her into looking at an E82 135i - has to be a coupe and smallish, otherwise I would be pushing for something like an F20 / F31 / MK7 GTI. She likes a the cute, stumpy looks and they seem to be becoming a bit of a cult car - I like that almost every E82 is a 135i as well. I am aware the N54 carries a bit of a reputation, so I would either be wanting to go for something from a dealer with warranty, unless a private seller had a bunch of the key pain points sorted already. Wastegate rattle / HPFP / Injectors / Water pump? Any tips / advice - is it worth spending a little more and getting one with an N55 & DCT? (it won't be modded an any meaningful way)

Cheers Brett. Sounding like I’m on the right page. I’m waiting on state to change value . But sounding like I’m instep with the market.

@paulo bunch of m texture cars being imported recently. Seem to be a few of them showing up for sale on the Japanese auction sites. I imagine more and more M3s will start to get imported as more of them pass the 20 year mark. Hopefully some nicely specced ones. Get any photos of the interior?

I agree with Dave, thats a pretty bad metric for maintenance. I'd rather see a car with fresh tread cheaper tyres than the shockingly common down-to-the-belts anything. Cheaper tyres are perfectly fine for tootling around town for 90% of people. There are exceptions, like you probably dont want to put the cheapest tyres you can on something with serious performance or handling, but a stock 130i doesnt really meet that.

I should have bought it back. But I don't think it would be comfortable to live in after the missus breaks my legs and nose

Hi Neal, Have my 04 manual done 130km insured for 45k agreed with Star Insurance via Marsh. One of their prerequisites was that they required a valuation by one of their approved values. I had this undertaken by New Zealand vehicle valuations which was to my expatation and in line with recent sales at the time (6 months ago). Cheers Brett

Never had a vibration problem to contend with, but looking around I see that the Ultima Yellow is supposedly 15 times as vibration resistant as some other not very resistant battery It's a spiral wound AGM design which no doubt would be more vibration resistant than your average flooded lead-acid battery. Otherwise some kind of resilient mounting between the battery box and the frame to absorb the high frequency/high G-force vibes would be the go... seems that is what BM thought anyways. Cheers...

I would just go for the best low kms example you can find/afford and hopefully its previously owned by a sensible person. Wouldnt personally bother with dealer warranty and just put that $2-3k for my own maintenance. I dont think you should discount the N54 if its a nice example but definitely drive both N54 auto and N55 auto/dct and see how you feel. I personally am biased towards the N55 engine being "better", especially if you are not looking to modify it like most 135 owners.

The mirror selector switch has to be set to the right side mirror (I think) or it won't tilt. It also could be broken, a scan would tell you if it's broken or not.

Awesome, will defs be looking into getting that done in the near future although the rear bags have recently been done it seems however no service history from previous owner to confirm other than physically looking at it.

Realised the wife had been driving around without a WOF the past few days (was due a service mid lockdown) so gave her the keys to the E46 and took the POS through for a WOF. Failed miserably on the below: 2 x front tyres (was expecting this) / CAB's (was semi expecting this) / 2 x leaking shocks (was not expecting this - it has the trick electronic damper adjustment too...) Anyways, we are really getting over this black sack of crap - was already planning on moving it on at the start of next year and this is just cementing that (will be taking a real hit no doubt). I am going to talk her into a BMW (and probably an unreliable one!)

Yip, done all this and full suspension refresh on my 1999 E38, once done you can forget about the and focus on the next replacement part needed though 😁. Great work, looks lovely

I have a pair of massive ramps that were used as truck ramps. Really heavy, but really high and wide too. My advice is get the biggest ramps you can find. No one ever wished they got lower ramps.

I got a pair last time they were on sale. Fairly short in length, getting my 530i e61 on them requires a couple of bits of plywood in front or the bumper hits them They won’t rust I guess but I don’t think they’ll last that long to be honest.

Just ordered this setup, fingers crossed it fits E87. Ditch the heavy ass cowl panel without having the engine loom dangling over rocker cover. https://www.turnermotorsport.com/p-1809115-turner-e9x-cowl-delete-kit/

Don't know about well maintained, only description is new tyres, but certainly very cheap.

find this man a msport front bumper!

https://collectingcars.com/for-sale/1995-bmw-e34-540i-limited-edition?utm_source=&utm_medium=email&utm_campaign=20210923+Daily+Email+Aus_22/September/2021&utm_term=&utm_id=19501&sfmc_id=6158447

I got a message from the seller. It did indeed sell.

Morons who don't seem to realise there is still a pandemic (just cos we're in L2) and go to the Blood & Cancer centre in a hospital and proceed to take their masks off whilst sitting in a waiting room with others (many of whom are very ill and at high risk, like me) talking sh*t - which I can assure can still be done whilst wearing a mask lol... and this was family members, not the person who was there for his chemo. Arrogant, insular, inconsiderate, morons. And I'm being very kind.

Yeah it looks like he stuffed up. I search every week for S85's. And have not seen one. I miss this one by 2 hours....

Pretty angry I missed this. I would have paid double.

So I found what is now one of my favourite videos on the internet. It is of a BMW Hill-Climb event at the Chelsea Sugar Factory near Birkenhead on Auckland's North Shore, in 1992! The value of some of the cars hurtling up the hill is insane! Cheeky E28 M535, E30 M3, 2002 Turbo and what looks to be a 3.0CSI among numerous M-Tech E30s, E24s, old 2002s and E12s.

Maximum tyre width 245mm, so no good for the M5 then....