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Day 214: To celebrate the successful de-cheesening, and make most of Waitangi Day, I decided to finally address the lack of aux input for the BMW Business stereo. I had discovered a few days prior that the head unit was off an 02 spec M3, which meant that despite having the correct port at the back for aux, along with the correct firmware, it simply wasn't compatible. After a very successful visit to @HELLBM, it was finally time to leave the 1990s behind and ditch the cassette tapes! I don't like messy installs, and a major gripe i have with aftermarket units is the aux cable can quite often become a tangled mess around the shifter stick. So i decided to wire the connection beneath the steering column and into the little compartment at the right of the steering wheel. This also would double as an anti-check phone device, because I'll admit to being guilty of checking ol' google maps from time to time. Initial tear-down to figure out where I want the cabling to go: Aux cable plugged into the back of the stereo: One can never have too many cable ties! Aux cable fed through, trim re-assembled and of course, the obligatory "phone plugged in and ready to entertain!" photo I've left enough length to be able to comfortably pull out the phone and change music, but not long enough to text/ check bimmersport forums Of course, the massive negative would be the lack of usability for the passenger, but given this is a car that's seldom taken out, and when it is, is usually just me, i don't think it's going to be that much of an issue. Only modification I had to do was drill a small hole at the back of the tray to fit the aux cable through.

Some light entertainment for the BMW fan, apoligies if this has already been posted

Oh I didn't know that! Will keep the cassette unit for times I want to be hip and retro! Now to dig up my "Lion King Returns" soundtrack... I think the cable ties are cut relatively straight, but yes, I will keep that in mind when next behind there. Admittedly a few trim clips were damaged in the process, so will order some of those along with a rubber grommet just to tidy up the little hole I made!

That's pretty cool. I quite like the interior trim and style. 340hp and 470nm apparently so would give a 540i motorsport a slight beating. But for 48k you could buy a nice 540i for 40k less and spend a bit on it, so unless you wanted the exclusivity of this model the price doesn't make any sense, especially against 25-40k for a manual M5 that is much faster (and only approx 50 units in NZ)

just had a look but their prices are not cheaper than FCP for filters, and they dont have in stock the gaskets I need. eg: mann oil filter - 6.99USD at FCP which is 10 NZD same filter is 18.68 NZD on micks, 15 NZD after the 20% off

Didn’t know they ever left? ??

I was wondering. Our e30 has a great horn, as does the 36. Picka part?

... and I've just been informed by a wise and experienced e30-er that the 325i has dual-tone horns. ?? Backstory: all this was precipitated by my arriving at a traffic light recently, daughter in car with me. I'd left a good 5 metres to the car in front, having followed them down the hill (tourists). They started reversing, couldn't see out the back window for luggage... and my meeeeeeeeeeeEEEEEPP was barely heard, they stopped half a metre short of us in the e30.

I guess there are other options. Not entirely convinced by Hella Sharptone or Supertone Horns around USD30. Perhaps Hella Twin Trumpet 007424801 High/Low Tone (around USD22). ... of course there are vidjos... sharptone vs supertone https://youtu.be/ngWrNOC5qhM supertone vs twn trumpet (even Kia owners are at it!) https://youtu.be/FEg1aDsVyHM Oh Hang on: Here it is. Hella do a Twin Trumpet version for BMW: HELLA 012010881 Black 12V BX Trumpet Horn Kit (Bmw) https://www.amazon.com/HELLA-007424801-Twin-Trumpet-Bracket/dp/B01EG18SAW/ref=sr_1_1_sspa?s=automotive&ie=UTF8&qid=1549399529&sr=1-1-spons&keywords=HELLA%2B7424801%2BTwin%2BTrumpet%2BHorns&th=1 if you listen to the video on the Amazon page it gives you an idea of the tone. I think it's perfect. only USD19.

And the M5 is so much more fun ?

Thanks for the heads up. Just ordered a clutch and flywheel kit for my 320d only $690 delivered. Would be easy twice that in nz

Thats the reality and people talk themselves out of owning great cars Still loving my factory standard m3 with smg 7 years on and 120,000 kms .... and it’s a early 2002 model ?

Autolign are awesome. They really know their stuff.

I second @treone - bought his (not quite as super) e39 525 and was a thoroughly happy buyer. And @BM WORLD too - grabbed a stack of old Top Gear VHS tapes (which I'll eventually get around to digitising).

@treone -bought his beaut E60 M5. Super honest and good man to deal with.