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Got back from a round trip down south and up the West Coast with the parents last week, clocking up around 2,400km across 6 days. Threw in the old stock rear springs beforehand. Whilst it didn't completely eliminate the rubbing, it isolated it to only the harshest dips in the road when catching them at high speeds, but overall much better and meant I could drive with way less stress and way more confidence. Considering this was the first road trip I've taken the car on with 4 adults and a bootful of luggage on board, I can't really complain about the little rubbing still remaining. This was an outlier of a situation and with 1-2 people on board, I don't think rubbing will be an issue on the stock springs. Some absolutely amazing roads out there and an absolute ideal place to put the car through a proper stress test after the big rebuild. Some small issues aside, the car performed perfectly and effortlessly ate up the km's. Queenstown - Glenorchy is still my favourite bit of road in the country but also enjoyed experiencing the Queenstown - Te Anau and Wanaka - Haast routes for the first time ever. The folks loved their first time in NZ as well, saying it felt like they've been to 5 different countries in the short time here, such was the variety of landscapes behind every new mountain ridge. Good good times.

Forgot to post the final outcome. While I was up getting some work done at HellBM I snapped these off.

Has anyone got any bmw (bremi is oem) ignition coil pack rubber boots (or a bad or used coil I can take the boot off)? Doing the rocker cover gaskets and spark plugs and found one of the coil pack's rubber boot to be torn at the end! Coil and boot looks like this: https://www.bimmerworld.com/Engine/Ignition/Coil-Pack-12-13-9-066-468.html

Great photos! I agree that Queenstown - Glenorchy road is amazing. What a shake down 😎

Good luck finding a well maintained NZ new F11 Or any well maintained NZ new car.

Thanks balance-rider. Agreeing entirely with your point of the N52 being a bit under powered for the size and weight of the car. I did not have too high expectations of driving a car after a life on two wheels in terms of a back road blasting. But practicalities, a daughter and camping gear and the fact that NZ roads are not the safest, drivers are over a very wide spectrum from excellent to extremely undisciplined. The roadt-oll (death/km) in Nz is as high as the worst country in Europe (Italy) So I am on 4 wheels for the time being. And the the BMW 530i was much more fun than expected. I might need to compromise if I cannot find a suitable N55 and take your advice that the E350 is not a bad car either. Cheers Willem