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Honestly, I was shocked by the driving culture when I first came to New Zealand. Or not even so much the culture as just piss poor driving skills, basic knowledge of road rules and borderline criminal lack of attention. In one instance, I had to slam on the brakes three times within barely half an hour. One person straight drove out of a driveway onto the main road right in front of me; second was driving in front of me, randomly started pulling over to the left side of the road, without indicating, then proceeded to turn straight around by chucking a hard right, cutting me off as well as a car in the opposite lane; third I was standing at an intersection, going straight, lights go green, I accelerate and the dude in the opposite lane obliviously proceeds to turn right straight in front of me, with a cop car right in the front row of the side road, who just sat there like a muppet and did nothing. To me the whole licensing system seems idiotic. There's nowhere near enough oversight when it comes to actual driving education. You could very easily turn up to a driving test with absolutely zero prior driving experience, then luck out with passing a test and be set to drive for the next 50+ years. After what, barely an hour of actual supervision? Short of police intervention, that's literally all the oversight you get. How low a bar is that? No wonder so many clowns with decades of driving under their belts still struggle to grasp the proper use of indicators or a f**king roundabout. In my native Estonia, it's mandatory you do a minimum of 40 hours of driving with a licensed driving instructor before you're even allowed to sit a theory test. Then within 2 years of getting a license, you have to do a "Slippery Driving Course" before you get your full license. That involves doing an obstacle evasion drive on a skid track. It's wild how difficult it is to keep even a tiny front-wheel drive car pointing straight doing as little as 30km/h. Humbles you right up. There's still hordes of idiots on the roads, but at least they've been given a set of basic skills and knowledge by a competent operator prior, so you don't see as nearly as much stupidity on the roads. All the dedicated exam cars are manuals as well. It's an annoying and expensive process when you're in it, but damn it, looking back, I'm very glad I had to go through it. I got lucky with my teacher as well who used to be both a police man and a rally driver. He was very harsh at times but was a great teacher and really knew his sh*t. Similarly to what @Jacko touched upon above, there was also a great sense of professional pride and even competition amongst the instructors. The main criteria they were aiming for is to get the highest percentage of students passing the state exam on the first go. My instructor was sitting at something like 96%. All that meant that there was a high bar of entry to even be allowed to register for a state exam. It wasn't unusual for people to rack up as much as 80 hours of driving before the instructor deeming them ready. As opposed to here where all the driving education you could easily get away with is a quick sesh with your dodgy uncle in a New World parking lot. Makes me cringe every time I hear of another speed limit getting lowered or all this crap about millions being "invested" into Mission Zero or whatever the f**k. How about investing in proper education instead? You won't legislate away stupidity, but what it would do is instil at least some basic tenets of a driving culture in new drivers before they're allowed to independently hit the road for the first time. Wouldn't make much of a difference for a number of years or even decades due to the sheer number of cretins already grandfathered in, but it'd be a start. Either that or make every single road 40km/h I guess...

Hey all, new BMW owner here. As per the title I'm working on building up a 130i as a clubmans rally car, for use on gravel Hillclimbs, Rallysprints and Rallys. The intention isn't for it to be a world-beater or anything, just something that is relatively reliable and that gives maximum smiles-for-the-miles while out on the stages. Here's what it looked like when I picked it up and drove it home from its old home in Taranaki. I can guarantee that it's not going to stay this low for long! The basic plan with it is: Suspension, brakes and LSD - Not sure there's any suitable suspension available off the shelf, so likely to be MCAs (which another local running a 135i uses) or custom-built Bilsteins. Interior - Cage, seats, everything else stripped out, reroute brake and fuel lines to protect them from rocks Electronics - Defang everything! ABS is out, TCS is out, all the nanny warnings about missing airbags/seatbelts/lights etc will (hopefully!) be excommunicated from the vehicle. Engine/Gearbox - Standard. 260hp is twice what I've ever had for rallying so should be enough to keep me smiling... at least for a while! And all the million other minor things that need doing for a rally car - intercom, helmet holder, mudflaps, underbody protection, rerouting wiring to keep it save from the elements etc. And remove the towbar; it's way to heavy to keep as a towing eye for the rear... Since I'm doing it on a (relative) budget and keeping things simple, I'm hoping to be able to build it in stages over the next few months so I can keep doing club events. And all going well it should be ready for the Northern Rallysprint Series starting in Feb 2023.

No, its social medias fault. Social media is one of the worst things to happen to humans.

Not to mention the slap with a wet bus ticket for criminals if they are caught. All these kids nicking cars, doing ram raids and generally being little shits, all knowing that the cops wont chase them and even if they did, there are almost no consequences to their actions. Cops wont chase anyone now because some kids played a stupid game (stole a car and got into a chase) and won a stupid prize (death via impact with tree and fire), and heaven forbid someones little precious that has "honestly never done this before, he's a good kid" gets messed up doing something stupid.

*rear

So should see it on trademe for 30K soon!

Social media is a VIRUS. Unlike covid, people welcome it into their lives like a drug and pay handsomely to be able to get their daily hit on the latest high tech device. Just take a look at the passengers disembarking from a plane at the airport... how desperately they reach for their phones to make sure they haven't missed any likes on their latest fb post The animals that passed covid to humans didn't know what they were doing... the corporates that designed social media knew exactly what they were doing. Ultimately, social media will harm society far more than covid or designer drugs, and it is all for profit. Corporates doing the Devil's work. And you know who loves social media so much that he started his own channel... hmm ? This is the definition of selling one's soul... "Do or be willing to do anything, no matter how wrong, in order to achieve one's objective." Cheers...

Yep social media and smart phones should f**k off. World was a much better place 20 years ago. Internet should be nerds only.

Director General ordering all councils to fluoridate water supplies. The target audience doesn't even drink water as they are fed sugary sh*t by their lazy, numpty parents who dont take any responsibility for their kids health.

Yeah it is a joke. But the ones driving like this very rarely even have one. Thursday night is always a frightening drive home for me. All the drunk Ute driving tradies leaving the Tavern after blowing all their money on horse racing and slot machines.

I want a GR yaris bad...

When it comes to controlling how people behave, new rules and laws only affect the people who actually give a sh*t about rules and laws. The small percentage that don't care (who are actually the target) simply continue to do what they have always done. Legislators know this, but the government being driven by public opinion and politics, continues to believe that the all and any social problems can be solved by dumping money on new technology and passing new rules and regulations. This is how your freedom gets eroded away. One unpopular (but surprisingly effect solution) is to simply put some effort into using available resources to enforce existing laws. Certain "clubs" are now getting some heat after many years of being allowed to proliferate by weak-kneed politicians. Just goes to show what can happen when a problem gets big enough to turn public opinion against a do-nothing government. Cheers...

Whats that got to do with social media and people being generally dumb?

It's all video games' fault...

“Will keep if it doesn’t sell” I find that quite funny. If the car doesn’t sell [at your price], of course you will be keeping, that’s kind of how it works… You’re stuck with it until someone offers you your (most of the time) ludicrous price. I know the message between the lines is “not desperate to sell so won’t take your lowball offers” but I wonder if it actually deters people from lowballing?

Yes I'd like to replace with something less ... woody. Hopefully I can start to look at some of the cosmetic bits once its mobile !! I was thinking the other day, once its on the road again it will look EXACTLY like it did when I brought it 2 years ago 😂 Some additional bits to report on today after getting my laser cutting back. As per usual I'll let the pictures do the talking. Dry sump guide washer to keep the belt where it should be along with the slightly modded pump bracket in the back ground: Power steering cooler mounted up all cosy ... happy to supply the DXF for cutting this bracket if anybody wants to use the same Chase Bays cooler: Blanking plate for the exposed section of the transmission: Oh yes and did my daily postage tracking review to discover the new Nismo gear knob was apparently sitting in my letter box or garden ... and sure enough there it was !! Looks really good in the car, harsh lighting not doing it any favors here. Fits nicely with the theme of subtle nods to the VQ beneath

https://auctions.webbs.co.nz/m/lot-details/index/catalog/463/lot/111351/1989-BMW-316i?url=%2Fm%2Fview-auctions%2Fcatalog%2Fid%2F463%3Fpage%3D2

Just remeber that the only photos you can use on the listing are two photos of screenshots of badly taken photos from your phone... One of something like the M badge on the grille, and the other of the center console.

A long time between posts means ... lots of pics and progress Had the 3D printer at it again making some custom functional parts again. Made this cover for the hole in the trans tunnel where the Serial Nice CD999 shifter comes through. Got a hold of a rubber shifter boot courtesy of Mitre10 Its not fantastic but should get the job done for now. Next up was the mini project of making a home for the 5 gauges i'm running without having to use an A-pillar or steering column mount. With a bit of luck this will look kinda fitting with the interior style. Decided to not carry on with the remake and 3D print but instead to modify the existing console. First up was to glue the existing flap closed with some of this JB Weld goop ... used hot glue on the back side for initial location. Once dried i sanded flush or slightly less than flush. Next up used some Isopon plastic bumper filler to fill and contour ... this was pretty good stuff. Did about 4 applications to get it looking fairly good. Once happy with the shape I drilled the holes for two gauges not catered for in the top piece (Ebay sourced). Gave it some painting with Dupli Color Vinyl and Fabric and it was looking pretty reasonable. May change when its in proper sun light but can always re-do or wrap it etc. The final product looks pretty cool, white illumination during the day and amber at night which ties in with the rest of the console very nicely. Also here you can see the fake leather shift boot installed topped off by the auto selector knob Got all of the new fluids at last !! Decided to go with the Redline products ... trans oil, diff oil and power steering here. Another milestone achieved in getting the radiator sorted !!! Canceled the Chase Bays item i had on order due to crazy long lead times (ordered April, shipping in September ... maybe). So got a unit from Fenix which was their race 56mm edition for a Holden HQ / Torana It would have gone in with minimal modification if the oil tank had not being in the way ... alas it had to get 70mm taken off one end. This proved very useful however allowing relocation of one of the ports to work beautifully with the oil tank in place. Also got two temp sensor ports installed along with a drain bung and mounting tabs where they needed to go. The filler neck was also removed as the Nissan VQ filler is engine mounted. Made another 3D printed item to mount one side of the radiator to the stud thats in the cross bar thingy in the front. Will be in interesting to see how it holds up. That about brings us up to date ... current mission is getting all of the plumbing sorted. Have done most of the -6 line for the power steering and will start on the oil system as soon as the tank is mounted with its final brackets etc (waiting on laser cutting).

anyone with a 130i and stock exhaust should snap this up. will make a huge difference in sound for very little $.

Very detailed thanks for this Eagle, I definitely had a look at your post a good couple of times (I have been eyeing this and other forums for sometime before buying). Yes a full suspension over haul will be loading :). Also I appreciate you and Miles taking the time out to speak and help me. As requested pics now attached :). Not shown here but cup holders unbroken, but other parts like radio and climate control buttons (some) unsticking haha we have a love hate more love tho

If cops just sat in each town on a foggy morning and revoked the licenses of every pleb driving around without lights on we could probably meet emissions targets.

Such a shame the F20 isn’t available in a manual.