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Cat chow mein is quite nice ?

Back on topic... Yesterday at 158190kms I had Page European drain my trans and refill with their brand of full synth DexVI (I think they're using Titan, now). Also installed one of my new door seals (acquired from @BM WORLD)... I've been too damned busy to get to that job myself. I asked what the fluid was like that came out of it was like. 'used; brown (not black), not burnt smelling but certainly "used" oil'. Sounds like we're lucky with the timing. When it's black and burnt smelling you've lost friction material from your plates, and it's suspended in your ATF. I've only driven it home, first impression was that it was shifting a little smoother. I'll know better when I've driven it from cold (later this morning). It's the first step in Trans service, in a couple of weeks time it goes back to have: drain drop pan replace mechatronics sleeve seal new pan/filter/magnets/bolts refill with fresh Dex VI. It's gonna take me a couple of weeks to clock up 500kms, I've dropped the big daily commute now

Our latest challenge @ HELLBM: 2007 118i Le Mans Blau M Sport powered by S65 with DCT. Using a 130 shell as a mockup test fitted E92M3 subframe,Steering column with linkage,S65 and DCT. Fitted like it belonged there. Interestingly the chassis dimensions shared with E92 M3 and E87 are identical right down to the extra threaded holes for the M3 subframe. Overall weight difference between the E92 M3 and E87 118i is approx. 400kg with 100kg weight difference between the motors. The finished S65 powered E87 will be approx. 250-300kg`s lighter.

If a person blames the apprentice, what does that say about: A. Their attitude towards looking after their team and now throwing them under the bus? B. How closely they are checking on and/or mentoring the apprentice? I had an instance where a guy fobbed something off on the apprentice, I mentioned to him that it was his apprentice and his name was on the building. You can't have it both ways.

Your very lucky it was the top bolt that came out first, otherwise you could have ended up on the wrong side of the road playing dodgems. How is he now going to help you with this Chris ? Get in touch, I should be able to help you with this.

Picking up my new car tomorrow. NZ New with 78k. Weekend driver for the next 15 to 20 years. My contribution to the classics of the future. My brother has one as well. He's lucky cause he has the optional M seats and steering wheel fitted. I don't! But I want! It's awesome! Impossible to source... if anyone has a lead, anytime with a wrecked M Coupe or someone who's going track and therefore will change their setup, please let me know... anyway excited, it's 2:55am, can't sleep.... looking forward to pick her up! Photo is not great, as she is not silver but rather SILBERGRAU METALLIC which is fancy for gun metal grey or dark grey... Regards Coupe classic.... love the 240z.... suppose this will eventually become like that.

a few of us are heading out , join in if you want https://www.pukekohepark.co.nz/book/CKSGuULdtc8TPbv7Cf4tz91v/

Hi There is an old M54B25 sitting in my shed and winter boredom has got the better of me. Going to pull the engine apart and put it back together a couple of times as a self learning task. Would like to learn the correct way of doing things and tolerances/clearances etc. Depending on what I find (and my skill) it may never run again. Have a couple of workshop manuals that cover the basics but looking for more in-depth books. What are your favorite engine rebuild books for BMW engines.

As an update for my "retro" SR7 system, I've repaired the LED on the steering column, and while at it found the central module behind the coin tray type compartment on the right side of the steering column (e39) plus the mute button on the top side of the compartment (very clever and so well hidden it took me 6 months to find.... not that I was really looking...). Also the rear laser sensor is in place. So I do actually have a fully operational escort SR7. As to how useful it is these days who knows. It did "assist" me a couple of times on the recent roadie with the Welly crew...

Yeah saw videos of it online somewhere. Sounds awesome Think this is it

Change of plan with the drivetrain being reverted back to S54 at the request of the new owner. Interesting conversion - manual to smg along with brembo brake upgrade.

Too much plastic

M5 alloys

Sorry read that wrong. I've just got the flange drawn up. E32 & e34 sumps are still around. Good for a custom extended sump

For our e39 I did a combination of this Aux In for $2.50 and this E39 radio diagram to create my own aux-in cable which replaced the CD changer plug into the 'head unit'. I then bought a Kinivo BTC 450 with a Spigen Magnetic Mount and it worked flawlessly. Everything was hidden away with only the Spigen giving it away. I had another link showing the resisters and capacitors but I can't find it now. Think I spent about 80c at Jaycar for it all. The e34 original head unit has aux-in so I just have the Kinivo but the X5 came with a Dension Gateway kit costings $$$'s and I hate it. Regularly fails to connect when getting into the car, wont connect to my wife's Nexus5 at all and requires a number of buttons to be pressed to play music. When I get around to it, I'm going to rip it out and replace it with the Kinivo.

Up to a a $400 value you are normally OK and don't need to pay anything extra to the NZ government. Bear in mind that this is simply a 'not worth our time' figure, so they could charge you anyway. If the value is between $400 and $1000, and this is noticed, your goods are held and you are at the mercy of NZ Post. (Sometimes something slips through with ahigher value - don't count on this!) I bought some parts in, and received a letter from NZ Post saying they'd need paying before delivery could be arranged. They neglected to give me any sort of reference number and it was only by the grace of a very helpful Customs bod in Tauranga that I was able to get things sorted. Still took them 10 days from confirmed payment of duties to get the parts to me. Over $1000 you need a client code which must be arranged in advance of your purchase. This requires completion of customs form NZCS 224, and (iirc) the code must be entered on the customs slip by the shipper. It's an enormous faff about and makes no sense to a private individual; ask about it, and customs simply suggest you use a shipping agent. US shipping is typically expensive. I'm not sure how the NZPost YouShop facility compares. Shipping of larger items from Europe has also increased dramatically in the last year or so - where I had previously paid EUR40-50, it's now EUR100+. And that shipping cost is a factor in whether you pay duty or not. Yes - your duty is calculated on the purchase price + shipping cost + insurance cost. If the seller doesn't discount local taxation (VAT, etc) then that is also included. All hail the system where we pay tax for the benefit of paying tax to a foreign government! (Actually, that's a little unfair - the seller pays that tax, and probably has a mountain of paperwork to get through to remove taxation from an out-of-country sale.) There's a further issue with this. Let's assume you had an XYZ device that broke and required return to manufacturer to repair. You send it back, it's repaired, and the manufacturer ships it back to you. They label the package 'Warranty Repair', and insure it for (say) $1200. You will be charged duties based on $1200+shipping+insurance for the import into New Zealand. This is an important distinction - it is the total value of the import that is used for any calculation, and not how much you may have paid. To avoid this, you will need to provide evidence of having exported something for repair - the shipper's say-so is not sufficient.

you need www.whatsmyduty.org.nz as soon as the combo of GST and Duty on your import (including freight charge) hits NZD60 you get kablammoed with all manner of fees and raped for over a hundy. EDIT: your brother was lucky not to be incarcerated for class A importation. LSD indeed.

Customs actually says it's the GST+duty (not many things have duty these days - clothing?) value of over about $60 that triggers them to charge. So GST on $400 (goods incl shipping ) is $60, so that is where the approx. figure of $400 comes from. They also now slap a $49 fee as import and biosecurity on top. This really compels you to think about the trade off between paying these fees on a larger order or paying multiple shipping charges and staying under the threshold. Prices and shipping from Europe are generally cheaper than US although there are exceptions on some items. I'm mainly comparing Pelican US with Schmiedmann Europe. The $400 figure can also be variable depending on what the packing slip may say and also how "busy" customs may be, although with improving systems they are sharpening up... If you go over $1000, I think there is an additional fee or two that steps it all up again...

I had to supply a scan of my NZTA change of ownership certificate. I also pointed them to he Carjam website where they could plug in my name and DOB from my licence and see that the car with the correct VIN was registered to me.

que? My wife just doesnt get Fawlty Towers . . . . or Mr Bean for that matter

Si 'manuel'!

Yup, I reckon they're still worth it. I've got a V1 and should it stop working tomorrow I'd get the same again. I love the directional arrows and ease of use. Programming is also simple Although I only use mine about once a month, it is great on the open road and has saved me a few times. I've got K band switched off, too many junk alerts but that also means that I won't pick up speed cameras however no demerits attached to those so not a huge issue. Laser is an interesting one. I get a lot of laser falses from newer model cars which use laser to stay in their lane and adjust following distance etc, mind you it's not the latest software. @Olaf do you have this problem with laser?? Fortunately the alert for Ka band and laser sound different. Like Richard said, you'll often pick up laser scatter if there is actually a cop using it down the road. Ka sensitivity is fantastic and I've never had a false. The V1 picked up a signal from 4km away once. If it's alerting Ka, it's a cop. Even if using instant-on a km or so down the road for other passing vehicles you'll likely pick up a quick signal and have enough time to slow down. I think most top-end detectors are a good choice and will perform very similarly. The advantage of the passport max and a couple others is that they use GPS and know where fixed cameras are, as well as junk K band alerts (automatic doors etc). Hopefully that was of some help

I should convince my old man to sell his mint 2003 530i black msport wagon

Feckin' eejit drivers doing 85-90km/h in the outside lane of a dual carriageway with nothing inside them. Not that they'd catch it anyway... And doing it while eating an ice cream! And the police traffic cop who passed her on the inside, didn't bat an eyelid, and pulled someone (not me!) over for doing just under 110km/h... Priorities. Wrong.