M3AN

That's a bugger John. Did you buy it direct from HellBM? Have you spoken to them about it? If you did buy it from them, they may well be responsible for fixing it, I imagine they sell enough cars to be considered a dealer. Although given the geographic distance I can see that being problematic for you.

Yeah, the ECU swap thing is not a simple exercise I think because of the VIN/EWS/Whatever security but it would help eliminate the "brain is the problem" option. I had to send my M3 ECU away (to Christchurch coincidentally) to be repaired some years back to fix an unfathomable problem that had cost me a lot in replacement parts already.

Worth also pointing out that my boost/fuel examples above were examples only, you'd need to look at a lot more live data, possibly with an expert eye, to cover most/all possibilities. On that note, if you needed to throw money at it, it might be worth finding a local N54 dyno tuner (not just a mapper), to actually run the thing to failure on their dyno, whilst logging all of the data so that it can be interrogated. I can't see that costing you much less than $1k though, possibly more.

Edit: I'll ask the idiot question: you're running it on 98 exclusively right?

15 minutes ago, Palazzo said:

I’ll make it simpler. Has a component of the car failed after 3 days, having been sold by a dealer who is bound by the Consumer Guarantees Act to provide a good or product that is fit for the purpose for which it was purchased and of quality commensurate with the price paid?

Yes.

The dealer is responsible.

I don't need it simplified.

By my reckoning your explanation would depend on the definition of "failure" in this case. Would you expect the dealer to cover the cost of new wiper blades if yours started to squeal after 3 days of ownership? Or to replace an indicator bulb if it failed after 3 days of ownership? Just trying to get a feel for your threshold for "failure" and dealer responsibility, I personally wouldn't expect either of those things to be covered by the dealer for a used vehicle, perhaps I'm wrong?

You may well be right, as I say I'm "not sure", but I know the law doesn't make a used car dealer responsible for every imaginable wear and tear item on every car they sell. Sometimes you simply end up dealing with bad luck, as sucky as that might be.

Only questions, no answers I'm afraid...

Has it always done this in your ownership, or did it just pop up one day?

Does it have a N54 DME, or some hacked up N52 version (not sure if that's even possible)?

Have you tried another DME? That's not a straight forward exercise but might tell you something.

Have you tried to view live data whilst reproducing the problem? Requires a passenger plus at least INPA, and lot's of time (and patience) but it might tell you something, e.g. momentary massive overboost, fuel pressure drop etc.

20 hours ago, Palazzo said:

It has to be fit for purpose, would you expect a car to break down after 3 days? No. Take it back.

It didn't break down did it? If it did then sure, dealer is responsible.

5 hours ago, KwS said:

Yeah nah. Dealer should foot the bill. 

As I said, I'm not so sure, it's my understanding that you'd have to demonstrate that the dealer should have reasonably anticipated the failure and, if it's a pulley, that wasn't complaining at the time of purchase, I'm not sure how you'd do that. The law does not require every component of a vehicle to be indemnified from fault by a dealer.

No harm in asking, I'm suggesting expectations are managed. A negotiated outcome might be the most cost (and time) effective way of resolving it, sometimes standing on principle is pointless.

I'm not so sure. I'd certainly try and negotiate a favourable outcome but I wouldn't expect one, a 50:50 split might be fair.

A pulley is a wear item, it can be fine one day, broke the next, through normal use. No dealer can be expected to anticipate such a failure and if they can't anticipate it they can't be held responsible for it. Unless of course you can prove they should have known.

Unlikely to be an expensive fix, see if you can do a deal but starting with an expectation that they're 100% responsible might lead to a defensive dead end.

I'm not sure about the I-beam rear bumper but at least the front end looks a lot better than the other rubbish they're putting out, if not a bit 90's JDM (maybe that's why I like it?). It give me a bit of a R34 GTR mixed with something else feeling.

I want to say we've seen it or discussed it before but I can't be certain. I don't recognise it as a member's car.

It looks tidy though, if it's not clunky or dripping with oil I think "your friend"  should probably take a very close look at it.

That's what I do when I fail a WoF by a pip on the tyres. Still using the heirloom re-groover passed down from my Viking ancestors. 100% foolproof.

Have you seen this James?

https://www.babybmw.net/threads/cruise-control-retrofit.23933/

Make sure you read the third post of this thread before you start coding:

https://www.babybmw.net/threads/cruise-control-retrofit-pre-lci-e87.137228/#post-1681902

2 hours ago, Vass said:

Not sure I get the reference. Is it to do with that tunnel or something?

I didn't expect you to, don't worry, it's not public yet but nothing to do with a tunnel, much cooler than that. I'll post back in this thread when I can make what I know public.

I agree with @Eagle, pistons look fine for reuse as long as they weren't previously leaking or binding, I've seen much, much worse that were still perfectly functional.

Barbara is set to take on new significance as a name soon, perhaps more so in Tāmaki Makaurau than Ōtautahi, but it will be pretty awesome wherever you live in Aotearoa. 😉

I would have gone for standard or Euro on the rear, the small one is a bit lost in the space but otherwise the black plates are a great look, and well done on "THE135". I agree with removing the silver 135i, or perhaps replacing it with matt black.

I'm not sure BMW ever made a ///M gear knob during that era in that horrible plastic did they? 

21 hours ago, ciderbeard said:

what does the m3 control arm upgrade do?  

Two things, with two sets of arms:

1. The M3 "lower control arm" increases camber, you'll need an alignment after fitting - the arm is longer.
2. The M3 "tension strut" (upper control arm) improves the inner bush so it has less undesirable flex - the arm itself is the same so you can achieve the same (or better) outcome by poly-bushing your existing arm.

Change these, and do the camber pin mod, and add a tiny bit of front toe out during your alignment and you'll experience a much more dynamic front end.

Lighters have always been okay, since the days of smoking on planes it's been very, very difficult to ignite any fixture or fitting in the cabin of a commercial airliner. And since nobody considers a lighter a weapon, they're on the whitelist.

On the other hand, US CBP stole my brass cigar punch, from my checked luggage, because it was shaped like a bullet. FUCBP, I liked that punch, and it was a gift.

11 hours ago, Allanw said:

Bunnings appears to be $198 today... so 15% lower discount on that if you get the Mitre 10 price gaurantee? 😋 Unless they've already lowered to match (as they do, to avoid the 15% discount!)

Yep, they lower to match... almost caught them out when Mitre 10 was doing a 20% off Philips Hue kit a few weeks back... by the time I'd reached the Bunnings Customer Service counter early on a Saturday morning, I want to say ~20 mins after checking online and before 10am, they'd updated their pricing and were exactly $1 lower... checkmate.

14 hours ago, KwS said:

Ill add to the list; 

Loud motorcycles with no mufflers being ridden at WOT around residential areas in the early hours of the morning.

Please seriously maim yourself.

Heck, loud motorcycles at all, do they really think their mix of a long sloppy fart and a bad trombone sounds good?

This. Try living 150 metres from the Headhunters HQ in Mt Wellington (edit: sorry I meant the "Fight Club" because of course it's not a gang headquarters at all, despite the row of dumped, tinted, black Mercs out front). Add the gunshots in the middle of the night as the 'Bees fire shotguns at their windows, ugh. 

Since moved to Epsom, no longer a problem. 

1 hour ago, Driftit said:

Its a shame the exchange rate is just plummeting right now.

This. My set from Amazon a couple of years back cost me the same, but in NZ dollars! And ~$24 shipping IIRC.

6 hours ago, Blackie said:

Bit of a defensive response? 

Your original one, since edited? Yes, I thought it was quite defensive.

Dremel is a well regarded brand, I'm not sure that many people would disagree. If anyone breaks or wears through three of them in short order then I'd argue they've either got their money's worth out of them, or they're holding it wrong.

It's pretty common for warranty replacements to be 'return to base', that's often not the retailer's choice, you can't really blame Mitre 10 for that.

As I originally said: "Your personal experience is bad, that's unfortunate, it doesn't seem widely shared though." Take that at face value, it's not at all defensive. 🤷‍♂️

2 hours ago, Blackie said:

Get a die grinder.

If you have workshop/industrial needs then yes, otherwise that's just overkill.

Very few home mechanics or DIY enthusiasts would go through 3 rotary tools without working out that was the wrong tool for the tasks at hand.

Your personal experience is bad, that's unfortunate, it doesn't seem widely shared though.

$199 - might end after Father's day. That's a pretty sharp price for the genuine article.

https://www.mitre10.co.nz/shop/dremel-4000-4/50-rotary-tool-kit-175-watt/p/169123

FWIW I've had one of these 4000 series Dremels (in fact I think it's actually the same kit) for over a decade now and it's still going strong, so much better than the lessor brands. Adding a "workstation" press adds an enormous amount of versatility too.

Oft, why would you spend that much to make your tyres look more black? For how long? And you need to dilute and have a means to apply? Seriously, unless you need a multi-month concours car that's just wasting money.

Just use something spray-on for short term, or rubber nugget (like the shoe stuff) for longer term if you need it. Save $$$.

I'd just wrap them up, surely they're less dangerous than wielding a laptop. I'm sure they don't come with handling instructions, they don't have sharp edges.

Interesting question nevertheless, and given that Customs seem to have the authority to arbitrarily and unilaterally apply subjective rules, it's probably a valid one!

Let us know what you do, and how you get on.

I avoid the Apple ecosystem like the plague, being told how to use my tech, and being tracked whilst using it, is the worst consumption model I can think of.

1 hour ago, gjm said:

Apple. 🤢🤮

I know the adage about not judging a book by it's cover and not letting first impressions affect future decisions, but having had to integrate Apple with Unix, Linux and several version of MS Windows, it was only the Apple that really caused continued, repeated issues. For weeks, and weeks, and weeks...

The irony with the the Unix thing is that both macOS and iOS are Unix. The proprietary nature of Apple tech, and their arrogance, breaks more things than necessary.

1 hour ago, Gaz said:

Working in the car industry, 99% of Bluetooth/phone pairing issues are with Apple phones. Most of the time it's because Apple go and update everyone's phones without allowing car manufacturers a peak at the update to ensure it'll work. Next thing it's out the customer domain and we are getting the heat from customers for it

They need to join the Apple Developer Programme... sure you don't get a lot of time but a couple of months preview should be enough. https://developer.apple.com/programs/

A large part of the problem automakers face is that they've built their digital platform also on proprietary tech... they've done if for competitive advantage but it's both dumb and unsustainable. They didn't learn the hard lesson mobile phone manufacturers like Nokia and Motorola have already demonstrated. Silly boys and girls.