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https://www.trademe.co.nz/a/motors/cars/bmw/325i/listing/4463526583 Covid era pricing but this thing does look every inch a brilliant example. I love them in red.

More parts got thrown at the 130i yesterday! Full brake replacement from this: To this New TRW OE spec rotors, ceramic pads, upgraded rubber brake lines from Schmiedmann, wheel sensors, various bits like brake screws, metal retaining clips and rubber/plastic bits on the calipers. Fully flushed the brake fluid and new stuff in the reservoir. Also replaced my trunk gas struts which were pretty rusty 😢 Managed to get the vanos filters/check valves in as well while the wheels were off. Definitely a bit of a pain even with full access through the inner fender. Old ones had a few bits of crap on them but otherwise pretty clean for 185k kms. Now to drive it around for a few days but already there's a bit more bite and stronger pedal. Lost a bit of feel with the ceramics bit I'll take that for no brake dust. One of the brake lines was pretty bad, glad I got them done reasonably quickly after it was picked up in last wof. Next is to replace the crankcase ventilation hose that got knocked off or broken when the starter was done a while back 😅 And maybe even the oil pan gasket this summer 🤣

Ive got some cheap extended ones for 15mm spacers if you want to cut them down to whatever.

Same experience with my certification 🤣 Factory wheels, factory hubs, factory bolts etc ... I got some from the below and shortened on the front only where they were just nicking the (assumed) brake shroud. Racer Products ([email protected]). The bolts are from Grayston Engineering in the UK. Used on rally cars etc. They are zinc coated / silver which may be a deal breaker for some. Not listed on the site but here you are all the same: https://racerproducts.co.nz/collections/wheel-studs-and-nuts

Back on the topic of actual ranting... Took the touring in for cert today. All went pretty well, no issues with engine, gearbox swap, reinforcement work or suspension. Dude was very complimentary, said he loved everything I'd done and wished all clients were like me etc... But then still had to fail me on front wheel bolt stud engagement. 6.5 turns is the minimum. Mine only got 6. 0.5 turn out. What's that, like 1mm? Stock rotors. Stock hubs. Stock (albeit E90) wheels. Stock wheel bolts (same part number as E90 and pretty much every other modern BMW out there). Friday is the last day they can enter info to the LVV database this year so have to figure something out in a hurry if I want to drive it over the Christmas break. Will pop by Mag & Turbo and rummage through their piles of bolts to see if there's some that are just a tad longer, but of course not too long as to not bottom out. Could have gone worse I guess but bloody hell... To fail on something as minute seems pretty ludicrous. Happy days.

Least we forget... The moderation of this site was proven to be inadequate in 2020 during the heights of the whole Trump/Covid/Conspiracy thing and BS almost imploded. Many of the protagonists seem to have fallen by the wayside but it's probably territory we should avoid in the interests of harmony.

Thanks to @Karter16 I've got the new gauge face sorted from Venoxy Definitely easier than reinventing the wheel for sure. I was going to use another crowd 'Black Cat Custom' but they don't ship international and are more expensive. Should be a pretty low key and OEM looking result !!

For the No DME communications problem The E46, 323 still has the 20 pin Pacman diagnostic port under the bonnet. The lid has to be on that port for the OBD2 port in the cabin to work. OBD2 port is only for the DME and EGS. The rest of the modules get accessed via the Pacman port. You need pins 7 and 8 joined in the OBD2 end of the K-Dcan lead to read all the other modules. For the no rev problem: Clean the Idle control valve. It controls the first 12% of throttle opening. With the engine running, floor the accelerator. It no rev's then the DME is holding the engine at idle due to a fault somewhere. Either Throttle body or ASC\DSC throttle control Check that you don't have an ABS light up. I've had one case on a E46 328 where the ABS module had failed and was changed but not coded. The engine would start and idle but not rev. Coded the ABS module and all was good again.

Damn, that's a very reasonable price and awesome spec. Love those wheels too. If only I didn't have a wedding to fund... Got into the E46 scene originally wanting a convertible, still on a top-down high from living in Aussie. Settled for a black Msport coupe at the time, have had a black Msport wagon and a black Msport sedan since then but never got the one I originally intended. One day... Best of luck with the sale, someone will have themselves a sweet deal.

Gosh that's temping... so surprised you can't move this.

that's possibly a good thing Because it has to start somewhere, and attitudes snowball quickly, when BLM can raze entire city blocks to the ground I think the different protest groups we are dividing into are going to be the issue going forward, We were always 20 years behind the latest overseas craziness but that is changing safety also disappears in an instant if the countries economics sink, look at the fall of Venezuela, it can happen quickly. Immigration has made europe eat itself so hopefully we can learn from that long may we be simple and moan about small issues please

Too many, often vocal, Kiwis have no idea just how good it is here.