hotwire

Sounds like a S/A build car - check the ID plate under the bonnet - will tell if German or S/A build. I have two NZ new 325i's here - one original auto been converted to manual, the other factory manual, both German with battery in boot.

Quality & cheap? No such thing - like everything - get what you pay for! DIN55 or DIN55L -either or - cant remember which - is the correct battery. No such thing as a cheap one now as battery prices have gone up several times in the last few months

Maybe obvious question but is the switch adjusted correctly? Particually if this is all you have done since the lights were no go. Not sure on exact layout of switch on the pedal assy - never had to go there on an E39. Make sure that the switch is being compressed when pedal is released though. To confirm switch operating - use a volt meter or test light to confirm power switching on & off on one side with brake application - as previously mentioned. System on these cars a bit more complex - lights are controlled by the LKM unit - dont think there is a relay involved in the circuit

Very much doubt that fuse is of realivance to the clicking - would say that is an intermittent bad battery terminal connection - check for bad connection between inside of terminals & battery posts

I would ignore all the extremes of opinions posted here & if you are happy with the car you have in mind & it checks out OK then go for it. If car is as you describe then as already said earlier in this thread - it is priced about right. Brent (Ducatis) gave a good overall picture of things to watch/look for. As long as they have been previously & are correctly maintained - they are a great little car

Try cleaning the screen - may have a film on it. Are the blades free to slide in the arms clamps? Have you any additive in the washer fluid? A squirt of this can eliminate.

Not supersticious are we

Ours is - beyond doubt - services documented in service book + service paperwork matching dates in relation to milage travelled. Tyre wear 50% at 24k with same unused in boot. Car condition virtually as new. I have seen plenty of dodgy cars through work to know the signs. Yes you are right as to ease of tampering with digital dashes when in posession of the appropriate software, hense my statement as young, low milage, known history vehicles being those to purchase as there is less likelyhood of a high milage being travelled to require falsifying. Agreed though - not always able to verify as not many have the paperwork to prove Bringing in myself also meant direct dealing with Japan - as you say - Japan couldn't care less what the milage shows. I would say most of the milage tampering over the years has been instructed by or performed by unscrupulous NZ dealers either here or over there.

Im on the fence, I bought in myself our 99 E39 525i 3 years ago ex Japan. Car at that stage was just on 5 years old, done only 24k with service history documentation matching milage/ time (serviced twice), all books (albeit in Jap), all keys & a high specced car - leather TV /nav etc - the latter 2 not on NZ cars. Had original tyres 1/2 worn with same unused spare in the boot so matched milage. Oil & antifreeze looked as new. This car was probably first in NZ to have nav converted after a lot of research by Jochen & I -mostly him. Only unexpected downfalls when it arrived were: perished tyres - didn't matter as we hated the alloys so 18's were fitted, & pixel failure in instrument cluster - dash to the US for repairs as at that time no one here could fix. Euro tuner to fix radio frequency issue & all is good. Car was unmarked, NO stonechips --- until after a week on NZ roads Was around 12k cheaper than equvilent NZ car at the time with more bells & whistles to boot. Reality is - a good deal can be had with a Jap origin car providing it is low milage, known history, youngish & NOT from northern Japan where salt is used. On the other hand I have seen through work some horror sights with Jap/Singapore cars without those credentials.

Mine was too & I did - until they pinged me & removed it, B...tards!

Dont quote me but I think it is on the back of the instument cluster - lift the back end & get it up to speed - you should be able to tell which direction its coming from. If on cluster then obviously you have to remove it to locate the culprit

Pic 1 - Nice

Agreed must be an option, our 99 525 Jap Highline model has ski bag but not fold down seats

What quantifies all or most? - surely it is or it isnt to spec

David, If you want to go faster down the back straight in the 318 then cheat & put 14" wheels on with original 195/65s

Sounds a little suss to me - without giving you first option?? Did he infact fix it? As for E39 Touring - probably requires a trip to Auckland - car choice is pretty much proportional to the population base.

Martyn, Did you ever hear back the answer of the E39 touring with the shudder/ vibration problem?

They are a capless bulb "286" from memory. They just pull out of the holder (sometimes with difficulty) Is the meltdown localised to the bulb holder (not wiring behind)? Get bulbs from Repco or similar or an auto sparky

Not entirly true regarding high octane for pre mid nineties - Used to have an Audi Quattro (86) which we had when leaded fuel was still around, ran fine on the old 96 leaded. Once lead was removed the car was almost undriveable on the new 95 without pinking - particually on hot days where the engine temp would go to nearly 100deg in traffic. Nothing wrong with engine/ign timing. Tried av gas & it ran like a clock. Engine was factory 10.5 compression ratio. Had the same problem with all 4 main fuel suppliers. We had a local Challenge station at the time with which the car would be OK (theirs was a true 95 octane) but still not as it should have been - vehicle specs were for 98 which it obviously needed. Similarly our old 1978 E12 with M20 engine is specified in its manual to run on 98. Being a bit of a slug, the difference can certainly be noticed in that car between low & high octane fuels although being auto it is not inclined to pink. Knock sensors in modern engines will only allow for retardation of a base timing for lesser fuels - not advancing from base for higher fuel

As Chris said - depends on the roads you travel on. M20 sumps in E30's are vulnerable as we know - particually in a lowered car, In the cars I have had or dismantled I have sold 2 sumps & seen some with repairs from a previous injury. Bear in mind that (I think) only the S/A cars came out with them which means the vast majority on the roads here don't have them fitted. They do weigh a shitload (20 something kgs from memory) so if terrain is not an issue & car is not ultra low then I would be inclined to leave it off. Then again....

This is bloody interesting! Just come in on it - is the car in the UK? -Send it out here then back again if you don't like it - YEA RIGHT!! :drugs: To right to send a reply - will be interesting to see how you can string him along with it. Would be good to be able to dupe him into depositing into your acc instead :confused:

Looks great, orange bonnet even better!!

E21 M20's must surely have come out in two forms then - probably early & late -I have seen them with the Solex 4 barrell carb (OE fit) as my E12 M20 had until I converted it to L- Jet injection.

Unlikely to be a programming issue if they still work. If it has been the same since you have owned it & being Jap it will be as I described earlier. Still check batteries though as they will further lessen range as they discharge over time.

Thats what I wanted to hear, even the bit about difficulties getting the 1.3 wiring through the firewall rings true to what I've been reading about this transplant Have removed & replaced lots -L jet & Motronic systems - although tight they do remove/refit without disassembly of plug