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Like many of you here, I have owned many BMW’s- mostly coupes because I have always loved BMW’s designs. However, the E31 got more attention than any other car I have owned. With the body-kit and right wheels- it’s a fantastic looking vehicle.

I hear you on the straight wheels. I took some to get the lips refurbished today and one was wonky as once it was in the machine. I hadn’t driven in them yet. Glad I got it checked before it sent me down a rabbit hole.

Garage queens be dammed - I can’t think of anything worse,. You’re basically depriving someone of using the car for its intended purpose purely for financial gain…. Selfish. if you’re looking for investments, buy some gold, leave the cars for people who truly appreciate them 😆 I think it was Jay Leno who famously said: ”Not driving your car in order to keep the mileage low is like not banging your girlfriend to make sure she’s nice and tight for her next boyfriend” Wisdom beyond comprehension

Good summary there Jun. We have a Tesla Model 3 for a few years now, tested both the I4 and IX3 and even the IX (much nicer in person than I thought it would be). Would love any of those BMW's (or an I5!) but the price performance is simply miles off on the BMWs. Miles and miles and miles. Saying that, you can negociate massive discounts at the dealers on the BMWs, the Tesla's are already aggressively priced and cannot be negotiated (or even traded in against unless you like to burn money) at all.

Completely factory- staggered with wider wheels on the back. My old car was completely original - from factory. Most of the NZ spec 840 ‘s came with style 5’s.

BBS RX / RG-R are god tier wheels for the E36/46. Great choice. Can't really complain at being freshly refurbed either - I've spent stupid monies in the past doing that exercise so can totally understand not wanting to spend the money if someone else already has!

Im sure ill post some more in better light with different caps, but i dont see the sun making a massive different tbh. Main benefits are minor increase in performance, way stronger and straighter wheels, nicer ride and look with the 40 profile tyre and offset and having a square setup for easy of use and cheaper tyres.

Fixed it for you too, which is more aligned the rest of your post! 🤣 Yeah, nah, not relevant 😎 - hmmm but if I was to say, lets go with 260km 😉 Back to the post - factory Dakar yellow 8er - hell yeah!

Pretty much. They were suppose to come black caps but he changed his mind hah. BBS diamond black(more of a gun metal grey) wasn't doable for various reasons so instead used a Mazda black which is appears noticeably darker but is suppose to be lighter in sun

Fixed it for you Im sure most agree these should be driven like all cars and you can't not appreciate E31 styling. Most of these have low mileage for their age so clearly arent driven very much. To me its either people aren't inclined to drive them due to rarity\parts availability\running costs, don't want to due to potential lower re-sale value or they are just that good at being garage queens. Maybe its all of the above. What's the k's on your one? How much they would increase over time i wouldnt know, but you probably aint going to lose on the purchase price provided you didnt over pay, its in good nick and you don't drive it much.

E46 is worse. The line went through quite a bit easier on my 130i than my compact. Might have actually been the worst part of the manual swap process on the e46. Very hard to get the tight bends out of the master cylinder looking OE. Jealous of the LHD guys who basically have a straight shot from the pedal through the floor.

Ordered some Black/gold ones which should match better and save cutting. BBS caps are all different fitment so you have to hack genuine stuff up or play around with lesser quality aliexpress bits.

Heres my opinion. This is a really nice example in an iconic BMW colour (the only other one I know of is the CSI), has an original sport body kit fitted (bonus!) and had an owner who cared for it (although I know of this one, I have never seen it in the flesh or met/spoke with the prev owner). The current owner has priced it where they have priced it. Any potential buyer will either pay that or make an offer where they value it. The unknown variable is the motivation - to sell or buy. Not everyone is thinking $$ or profit (I think it is mainly Bimmersporters that do haha.) As an 8er owner, it is irrelevant to me what it (or any other for that matter) changes hands for, I’m not in the market, not now nor in the future. And tbh, I really couldn’t care less what it sells for. If you’re looking to make some cash, flip or whatever then go invest somewhere else - you will probably get a better ROI. Trust me it is not just the purchase price. You will have to invest in maintenance. They don’t like to sit idle, so further invest will be required the longer you lock it away. These cars should be driven (and as alluded to above, any car should). And that’s where the value is to me - they are an example of their time period and are awesome to cruise in and to put miles on them! When I take it to local car shows it regularly gets positive looks and comments. Actually, this happens when I’m just out for a drive - can get rather awkward/embarrassing but that’s just prob me 😁. To me, these cars truly are a BMW modern classic. There will never be another like them! If you want one then I recommend going for it - just have your eyes wide open! and lastly, I freely admit my bias towards the e31😁.

Wheels look great, my vote for BMW center caps

Took the car to the Springfield road hillclimb up in Whangarei on Sunday, was great fun but far from ideal conditions for a rwd twin turbo car on semi slicks, absolutely no grip, was pouring down for most of the day. Made it home safely in one piece which ill call a win. Have now began the next project one ive been wanting to for a long time, a manual conversion. Diff, driveshaft, exhaust, intake manifold, starter motor and gearbox are out after a few hours of wrenching on the weekend, really not bad at all to do on jackstands. Have also removed drivers seat, brake pedal, accelerator pedal, various trims, center console, etc. Am now waiting for more parts (clutch,flywheel,diff and various shifter linkage bushings, dssr etc). Have made a start on the wiring in the meantime, removed the auto box wiring, plugged in the manual gearbox loom which is mostly plug and play, just need to disassemble DME connectors, with the exception of two plugs which are missing on the manual loom (most likely all the communication to the TCU). Only issue I can forsee is potentially some ground wires going through those plugs that other modules rely on. Next up will be figuring out the clutch switch wiring to FRM/CAS/DME. Will also need to get a clutch line made as I dont really want to try have to run the factory hardline behind the dash.

BBS RG-R 18x8.5 ET38 on 245/40's Been on the look out for a decent set of wheels for awhile. E36\E46 wheel selection is pretty rubbish in terms of availability you if want something different in reasonable offset\tyre size. Saw these on locally on facebook along with set of similar LM's. Looking at photos i decided the RG's would suit a newer car like the E46 better. They are forged wheels at just over 8kg compared to 10-11kg style 72's, very light even with the tyres. Originally they had silver centers which i would of preferred, but beggers cant do choosers and they have been freshly power coated. Tyres fill the front wells great but do touch the fender lining under full lock as expected. Will be swapping out for current ones then moving over to a 235/40 square at some point. Gold center caps to replace to red ones if i can find some at reasonable price, otherwise ill swap BMW ones onto them. Part 2 of the DMSO clean. Didnt get everything as hot as id like and things were cooling down to fast to do a real throughout job but it works (completely black before). Used a vacuum bleeder to suck the fluid out which worked great, engine fired up instantly after cleaning Will do a another round in warmer weather to finish it off. Compression test after cleaning was 175-180 psi on all 6. Engine certainly feels stronger after doing these cleans, but be prepared for the exhaust to stink\smoke for ages if you do this part.

Tesla's efficiency is really good, motors, software, and weight all play a part. That's why we went for a Model Y (about 1,900 kg, 200-300kg lighter than an i4). Price gap was big, and the BMW had less standard features - like heated steering wheel and rear seats had to be optioned on the i4. But the i4's has: Can tweak regen Adjustable suspension Fake sound (actually helps with driving feedback) Cameras you can view (Tesla's got no 360 view, just rendering what it sees) But the i4 beats most legacy carmakers on efficiency, especially when coasting (thanks to those induction motors) Funny thing is, the Model Y's interior turned out better than we thought. At first, compared to my wife's Cayenne or BMW's Merino seats, it seemed cheap. But after using it, it's just as comfy, maybe even better. The i4's Vernasca or Sensatec doesn't feel any nicer, just looks fancier. Got used to no instrument panel and sometimes prefer it. No distractions just steering wheel and the road, feels more pure. A HUD would make it perfect though. Two years in, couple things bug me about the Model Y: Steering's too sharp (2 turns lock-to-lock). Our daily driver feels twitchier than an M car Stiff suspension - great on twisty roads but harsh on speed bumps for everyday driving. The i4 feels more like what you'd expect for a daily driver compared to an M5. The Model Y's great value, but guess I'm still a BMW at heart - always browsing BMWs on TradeMe, new and old! 🤣

For Sale: 1995 E34 540i/6 six speed manual (1 of 16 imported) $12,000 ONO (Also listed elsewhere) Location: Wellington, NZ Note: This is being sold as a restoration project on an as-is-where-is basis and is priced accordingly. Will not be answering questions like 'what does it need'. Keen for the car to go to an enthusiast. Due to level of interest, there will be limited viewing dates: Wellington 3-4 August 9am-5pm by advance appointment only. by advance appointment only. Offers considered following this. The sale included numerous parts including a number of spare panels. If you are genuinely interested PM me for a list. No response will be made to requests for individual parts. Any parts not taken at sale will be sold separately. Will be sold with min. 6 Months reg & current WOF New Zealand New Vin number: BKxxxxx M60/2 engine Diamantschwartz Metallic (303) 1 of 2 540i/6 of this colour imported Black Bison Leather sports interior ASC+T Alarm Blackout trim Sunroof Dimming rear-view mirror Walnut trim Auto A/C M Sport suspension HiFi Loudspeaker system BMW Business head unit & CD changer Trip computer EXTRAS INSTALLED IN CAR: Genuine BMW EW34 rare electric rear blind, including original loom and switch in original seat centre console. Fine working condition. Genuine BMW E34 cruise control, including stalk, control unit, cable & actuator all in fine working condition. Genuine BMW boot floor lipped tray Genuine full original boot lid toolkit Genuine Engine bay lighting Genuine rechargeable glovebox torch Genuine original Business Sound System including head unit, CD changer with code (supplied separately- installed head unit NFS). Bilstein Sport suspension This is a very reluctant sale, I have owned the car for 18 years (130,000km~320,000km), and has had oil & filter changes every 10,000km with Fuchs oil. 95% of the mileage is open-road running 700km round trips and the engine is still as swift and powerful as the day I bought it. Anyone who knows or has driven this model knows these are not a standard E34. The combination of the quad cam V8, 6 speed manual transmission and sports suspension make it a go-cart in comparison. Selling as a project on an as-is basis. Needs a new owner with the energy and time to restore her. Unfortunately, I find myself 18 years on, no closer to having either. The car comes with heaps of new and used spare parts I have been collecting for 18 years with the intent or restoration. Not interested in selling individually, as parts have been collected specifically for this purpose with the car is really where they need to go. While the interior including the Recaros is in good condition with the original carpet unworn (matted all the time I’ve owned it), the exterior has needed work since I bought it. The driver’s door lower edge has some rust, and there are a few spots around the car that could be easily addressed during a full review. The spots on the roof and A-pillars are professionally neutralised stone chips in anticipation of future restoration. The clear coat has gone on the genuine BMW/BBS deep dish wheels. The A/C pump has failed and been disconnected. This is not guaranteed as a complete list of items that need attention. PM me for a parts list. Contact for viewing

Spied this one near my work, pretty rad looking 👀

Yeah SMF conversion. The rear main seal is leaking pretty bad. Oil coming out between the engine and box. This gets onto the flywheel and causes it to slip badly. It should always be replaced when replacing the clutch. I forgot to get the sealant kit you need with it.

Changed out the valve cover gaskets on the PFL 130i today. Simple job. Someone's done it before and reinstalled the partially stripped bolts you are meant to replace. I pulled out the CCV valve and replaced it with a baffled catch can too. The old one had been boogied up and was dropping oil everywhere. I have to say. As annoying as it is to have a built into the cover one on the FL models I much prefer it to having to pull the manifold off to get to the PFL one. Next on the list is the clutch. Which I think has been killed by a leaking rear main. Start that tomorrow.

Been a minute... very busy time. Engine is back in the car, everything is connected back up. Cut and welded the chargepipe and throttle body for a wiggins style clamp, bonnet latch got zinc coated and a few other bits and pieces tidied up. Downpipes are back in also, very painful job, o2 sensors back in and new exhaust is almost finished. Full stainless 3inch exhaust from the downpipes back, with a single adrenalin r louvre baffle resonator. All thats left now is the oil cooler setup, parts are on the way, fresh aeroflow oil coolers and all teflon line and fittings. Also will be putting in a check valve and a tee to allow for an accusump to be fitted at a later stage. Parts should arrive soon and then it will be ready to be fired up and dyno tuned. Will try and keep this updated more often.