jjs

If it is the car I'm thinking of, it used to commute from the Wairarapa to Wellington daily. A technician I knew at Shelly / JG BMW said it was extremely tidy considering the k's, and was always serviced according to BMW guidelines. Would probably be in better nick than many imports which have done "100,000km". In saying that, I think it's pretty expensive at $7k. I bet it will sit around for quite a while, but could be a nice opportunity for someone to make an offer and see what happens?

Back on topic... Josh, have you had any interest or offers on the car? I ask as a good friend of mine has been trying to sell a nice mid 90's Benz S500 at what I beleive to be a bargain price, but has had no interest at all. I also recently looked at a Range Rover 4.6HSE which was very nice and well priced, I was probably the only person to have viewed it as the seller would have done just about anything to sell it to me. I thought the decrease in petrol prices would have increased demand for these type of cars, but maybe people are still scared. Your 7 looks like a nice car though, hope you can find a buyer soon.

I always thought they were a run-out model, rather than a celebratory model (well thats probably what it was according to the marketers). From memory they were South African made cars with the twin cam from the 318is/2 and Z3 plonked in it. No idea how many were sold, but there were quite a few in rather awful colours (like the one you linked to). Didn't someone on here recently buy a nice navy blue one with a smacked up front on it? All in all, I think they are a nice car. However, it may be rare (like a E36 M3 Sedan) but I wouldn't go and pay a premium over a coupe for one (again like the M3 sedan).

Cheers guys. Had a great day in the sun and a very messy evening! Happy new year to you all.

I flash my headlights to warn of speed cameras and highway patrol frequently. I also flash my lights when I see someone driving like an ass!

Hmmm... maybe to be on the safe side I should tell the mrs not to drive far unless it is absolutely necessary, will have to check it out when back from holiday. Do shagged bearings make noise when they are on their way out?

Thought this problem had fixed itself, but it has reappeared. It's a constant deep humming noise coming from the front. Gets more noticeable at 50km/h plus and is there whether in neutral or drive. Do I need to take the wheel off to check for said stone?

I know this has been covered heaps in the past, but am after a little bit of advice. My 96 328i has developed quite a snap between first and second when cold. It has only developed over the last couple of weeks and during this time I have only been doing city driving and very little of it (the furthest I've been from the CBD is Sylvia Park...), could this type of driving be a cause? When operating temp reaches the standard level, the snap seems to go away. I have no other shifting issues and overall the gearbox seems to work well. I've had a similar problem on a 94 MB E320 and a South African 95 325i. I was led to believe with those that it is a standard quirk with the ZF / Getrag transmissions. Is it OK to keep driving it as is, or is there some preventative maintenance I should undertake? And, is it likely to be terminal? Cheers and merry christmas!

Merry christmas everyone!

I have just added a comment too. Everyone on here should add something. Surely that would give Peter Gill a bit of encouragement to investigate more thoroughly?

Spotted this when trawling through TradeMe... Keen to buy it myself, but "328 CI" won't look right on an E36 (no much thing as CI then...). Cheap at the current price of $150 328ci personalised plate Whilst we are on the topic of plates, I love this one ( IIIM ), put don't think its worth anywhere near what he is asking.

Spotted this article on Friday... Link to the NBR Check that personalised plate – it could land you a ticket by Peter Gill | Tuesday December 16 2008 - 11:42am The New Zealand Police are to crack down on a trade in illegal vehicle number plates. In a confidential memo to staff obtained by NBR, the Police have ordered officers to be on the lookout for fake personalised number plates which they say are being sold by web traders both here and overseas. Officers wanted the matter kept confidential within the police, claiming publicity would encourage more people to seek out the websites and purchase the illegal plates. Officers are concerned that the availability of illegal plates may be used for criminal purposes, such as disguising a stolen car, and to avoid detection when driving away from a gas station without paying. NBR decided to publish anyway, as a warning to readers of the NBR news site and the print edition, that buying illegal plates can lead to prosecution, even if the buyer did not realise it was illegal to buy any plate other than the official authorised one. Some car owners have apparently ordered duplicates of their genuine vehicle registration from web traders because they can get a bigger, fancier plate by doing this, for about a sixth of the price of ordering a deluxe wide plate from the official supplier, Personalised Plates. The unauthorised plates are distinguishable by having a different font to the official ones, and sometimes having unusual spacing between characters. The Police say there are instances of people buying a car that already has illegal plates without realising the problem.

Looking good! Motivates me to wash my E36 and take some snaps of it this weekend

TradeMe link Nice looking NZ 523i in a good colour combination (with no wood!), FSH and NZ new. Might have to check it out in the weekend. These guys seem to have all the bargains, their 99 328ci manual is down to $10,995....

If I take the wheel off, what should I look for?

The latest in BMW's long and successful roadster family has been revealed. The all-new BMW Z4 will go on sale in the UK in May 2009 and features a host of innovations never before showcased during BMW's 75 years of roadster heritage. The BMW Z4 is the first to come with a two-piece, electro-hydraulically operated Retractable Hard-Top roof that can be raised or lowered in 20 seconds. The new roadster is also the first vehicle to be offered with Adaptive M Suspension. Electronically controlled dampers offer three different configurations and lower the ride height by up to 10mm for a more dynamic drive. By way of comparison, the Sport+ setting of the new car is comparable to the outgoing Z4's standard ride comfort level. The standard Drive Dynamic Control function is another first and allows the driver to alter, depending on model specification, the throttle and steering response, level of ride comfort, Dynamic Stability Control response and, on automatic or Double Clutch Transmission cars, gear change times. Powering the new BMW Z4 is a choice of three six-cylinder powerplants. The range flagship is the current International Engine of the Year-winning 3.0-litre twin-turbocharged engine. Producing 306hp at 5,800rpm, the BMW Z4 sDrive35i powers its way from zero to 62mph in 5.2 seconds (5.1 seconds for a Double Clutch Transmission-equipped car) and on to an electronically-limited top speed of 155mph. The twin-turbocharged 2,979cc engine with high-precision direct injection technology produces 400Nm of torque from just 1,300rpm for effortless in-gear acceleration. The strong performance credentials are matched in terms of economy and emissions. The Z4 sDrive35i records a combined consumption figure of 30.1mpg (31.4mpg) and CO2 emissions of 219g/km (210g/km). Joining this model in the launch line-up are the Z4 sDrive23i and the Z4 sDrive30i. Both use the same magnesium aluminium alloy engine with Double VANOS and VALVETRONIC technology, but with varying capacities. The 2,497cc entry-level Z4 sDrive23i produces 204hp at 6,400rpm and 250Nm of torque from 2,750rpm. This equates to a zero to 62mph time of 6.6 seconds (7.3 seconds for the Sport Automatic) and a top speed of 151mph (149mph). In contrast the Z4 sDrive23i is capable of 33.2mpg (34.4mpg) on the combined cycle and CO2 emissions of 199g/km (192g/km) respectively. All three six-cylinder powerplants surpass the latest strict EU5 emissions standards. The BMW Z4 sDrive30i comes with a 2,996cc powerplant offering 258hp at 6,600rpm and 310Nm of torque from 2,600rpm. The six-cylinder engine records a zero to 62mph time of 5.8 seconds (6.1 seconds for the Sports Automatic) and an electronically-limited top speed of 155mph. Like the Z4 sDrive23i, the Z4 sDrive30i posts impressive combined consumption and CO2 emissions figures, recording 33.2mpg (34.0mpg) and 199g/km (195g/km). Transmitting the power to the road in all three Z4s is a six-speed manual gearbox as standard. Customers of the Z4 sDrive23i and the Z4 sDrive30i who prefer the characteristics of an automatic can specify a six-speed Sport Automatic transmission featuring gear change paddles on the steering wheel. Buyers of the Z4 sDrive35i can choose the more advanced seven-speed Double Clutch Transmission, again with gear shift paddles located on the steering wheel. EfficientDynamics All of the latest BMW Z4s come as standard with facets of BMW's award-winning EfficientDynamics programme. Technologies that improve engine performance while enhancing economy and cutting emissions include Brake Energy Regeneration, Electric Power Steering with Servotronic, Reduced Rolling Resistance Tyres, on-demand control of the engine's ancillaries and Optimum Shift Indicator on manual transmission cars. The BMW Z4 also adheres to a philosophy of lightweight construction with the front suspension and subframe being largely made from aluminium. Enhanced packaging The new BMW Z4 is larger than its predecessor measuring 148mm longer at 4,239mm and 9mm wider at 1,790mm, and this results in greater interior space and luggage capacity. With the roof up, headroom has been increased by 44mm while the greater car width and design enhancements have led to 20mm more shoulder room and 43mm more elbow room. For the first time on a BMW Z4 there is a bespoke storage facility located behind the driver and passenger seats. This approximate 15.5-litre single compartment stretches the width of the car's interior and features netting to hold the contents in place. It can be complemented by an optional Storage Package that adds further stowage capacity. BMW's latest generation of iDrive makes its first appearance on a Z4. The BMW Professional Multimedia Navigation system features a hard disc drive capable of 12Gb of audio file storage and BMW ConnectedDrive functionality. The system also comes with eight programmable Favourite buttons as system shortcuts. The unique roof construction of the BMW Z4 creates a boot that varies in capacity from 180 to 310 litres - large enough to stow a full set of golf clubs. For the first time on a BMW Z4 customers can specify a through-loading system for additional storage capability. A hatch between the two seats permits a second full set of golf clubs to be carried. Driver visibility in the BMW Z4 has also been improved. All round visibility is up by 14 per cent while, courtesy of the four electric windows creating a larger glasshouse, side visibility is up 40 per cent. The Retractable Hard-Top roof features a glass rear window and this too improves visibility by 52 per cent. Technical specifications BMW Z4 sDrive23i Power: 204 hp Torque: 250 Nm 0-100 km/h: 6.6 s Top Speed: 243 km/h Fuel Consumption: 33.2 mpg CO2 Emissions: 199 g/km Price: 35,900 EUR BMW Z4 sDrive30i Power: 258 hp Torque: 310 Nm 0-100 km/h: 5.8 s Top Speed: 250 km/h Fuel Consumption: 33.2 mpg CO2 Emissions: 199 g/km Price: 42,900 EUR BMW Z4 sDrive35i Power: 306 hp Torque: 400 Nm 0-100 km/h: 5.2 s Top Speed: 250 km/h Fuel Consumption: 30.1 mpg CO2 Emissions: 210 g/km

I've got M3 evo wheels (M double spoke II) on my 328i. Was wondering if there is a quick way (without taking the wheel off) to tell if they are OEM BMW items. They have the M sticker on them, but I figure most of the replicas do too.

+1 The difficulty in getting insurance would be the biggest deterrent for me!

Looks like a Singaporean one to me...

I'm after the E36 clear lights. Are these the front headlight indicators, side indicators (door), or both?

Just when moving. Sounds a bit like metal on metal.

Jumped in the car yesterday for the first time in about week and noticed quite a lot of noise. At first I thought it was a wheel rubbing, but that wasn't the case. The noise is similar to a excessive road noise from bad tyres. It "whines" when going down hill too. Maybe this is a gear box or drive train issue? Its a 96 328i with a jatco. Any ideas what this could be? I am a complete noob when it comes to mechanical issues...

They do have some very good buys. I think their business model is small margins, quick turnarounds. I come very close on a 2001 Audi S4 V6 turbo manual done 110k, NZ new for $18k. A couple of weeks ago the also had a very nice NZ Porsche 964 manual in guards red for about $37k.

It's miles, not kms. Still, would much rather have an ex UK car done 140 miles than a ex Jap or Sing car done 140 k's

Nice being NZ new. Paint work looks very rough though!