M3_Power

Actually even if you do the CSL SMG flash it only gives you some of the CSL shift features - as part of the coding in the software works with the CSL DME (for e.g. off brake downshift rev match, different speed in S5 and S6, auto up shift in launch control mode aren't available). But it's a good upgrade worth doing. The latest software isn't always the greatest. I would only ever recommend versions 1, 2 and 3 of the CSL SMG software .. .the last 3 were absolutely rubbish and dumbed the system down by quite a bit.

No disrespect ... but spoken like someone that knows nothing about the SMGII system. It's a standard H pattern gearbox 99.9% identical to the other 6 speed manual in the E46 M3 ... it CAN skip a gear or 2 if you are fast enough ... it's NOT tricky electronics that has to cycle through every gear. Technically it's not a true sequential gearbox - just a H pattern with hydraulics that mimic the standard H pattern shift. I can write you a thesis on how the SMG2 system works if you want as I am sure I can explain it pretty well.

If the car is built after March 2005 it'll also have CSL headers as standard. Not many 05 cars around that's for sure. Used to ahve this interior combination in my old car, loved it!! Well priced car, good luck with the sale!!

Incorrect ... it can skip as many gears as you want (i.e. you can skip from 5th to 1st if you ever need to - you just tap the paddles faster and it'll do it without going into the other gears) Nothing wrong with buying a SMG car - if you don't like it you can always convert it to a 6 speed, it's not that hard and the hardware off the SMG is worth a bit of $ so you'll almost end up with at least 50% of the cost of the conversion back (or if you know how to do it on your own you'd probably end up with close to 80% back). Oh and chances are you'll never have to change the clutch on a well maintained SMG car with regular calibration done.(proviso on this however - the plastic guide ring and the stupid release bearing will wear out faster than the clutch ... so you'll still need to get in there once in a blue moon ... LOL) Also well known that you can flash the CSL SMG program on any SMG car - it'll make it loads more fun to drive : )

Tell me about it .... I wish there was a way to get him back there!!!! Haha ... Bit of both I think ... unlucky and I also order some fairly obscure parts that often have never been ordered before in this Country ... lol ... I think I even once ordered something that didn't even have a RRP on it because it was so obscure!! As for my Schmiedmann saga ..... still waiting on that one I am afraid ...

Yep ... been waiting for some parts since November last year ... still no ETA .... Apparently the longest anyone has ever waited for a particular part from BMW NZ is 7 years ...

Lol I was about to say it must be a Northern Europe thing!!! I feel like I am emailing and talking to Kimi Raikkonen with the brevity of each communication!! Frustrating!!

And the saga continues .... I honestly can't understand how any of you guys have actually had good experiences with Schmiedmann ... I should have stuck with UK retailers - wouldn't have had to deal with any of this bullshit.

Appreciate the contact Julian ... apparently Soren isn't dealing with this ... only just got a reply (after 3 emails!!!! Soren has forwarded this onto someone called Lau Pedersen to deal with. The reply email was about as short as it can be with little to no information other than "Thank you for your email, have forwarded this onto our shipping company" - not even an utterance of apology. NOT LOOKING GOOD!! As above .... not happy at the moment at all about this and Schmiedmann is going on holiday soon - I highly doubt this will be sorted before then!! Have to honestly say I am having a real sour experience with this company so far!!!

Update ... Have been having email exchanges with FedEx all day today - sent in photos and gave details ect ect ... turns out the package was marked with "damages" when it arrived in Germany - so it was already on FedEx's system that it was damaged - WTF!! But despite all my efforts, I still get nothing out of this - FedEx have admitted fault to damaging the package and the contents inside (somebody had bent the package accidentally or something heavy had landed on it) - but because I am not the account holder, FedEx have credited Schmiedmann with the freight and it is now up to them to complete the claim with FedEx in Denmark over the damage. Doesn't help me however as I am still out of pocket with damaged goods. I still haven't got a reply from Schmiedmann about this - Have forwarded them all my correspondences with FedEx and how they have admitted liability - no replies ... This sucks big time - I guess if a retailer really wanted to shaft its customers it could always just pocket the freight reimbursement given they own the account and claim for the damage and then I am left on my own to fight this through the credit card company system. Awesome!

This is how they packaged my item - two pieces of 1mm flimsy cardboard taped together and the items inside sitting in plastic bags with 'no' protection whatsoever - the items are the easily damaged type also (so they are unsurprisingly dented and bent and broken) - the creases you see on the packaging is where it has been bent somehow. Going to call FedEx tomorrow and see what they say - didn't have a chance today as the FedEx driver turned up at 6:40pm ... I had another two basket loads of stuff loaded on my Schmiedmann account ready to purchase (was waiting for this to turn up first to ensure they were good before I made the commitment) - if I don't get a satisfactory outcome with this they won't be earning another cent from me ever again ... Man sometimes I think I have some of the worst lucks when buying online!!

Just snapped a whole bunch of photos and sent a nice email to them to see what they would like to do about it. Highly pissed to be honest, as it's $350 worth of stuff. Couldn't believe the packaging when FedEx showed up at the door - basically two flimsy pieces of cardboard taped together to cover the parts with "no' protection whatsoever to stop the parts from being bent or dented. No surprise, opened it up, huge dents on the parts and broken clips - very angry right now! Good to hear you've had good experience with the gearnob - I love it when sellers go overboard with packaging and do it right. The worst I've experience was a retailer first sending me the wrong product ... resent ... broken product ... returned, sent again still slightly damaged - by then I'd given up on them and just took it on the chin. Oh well, sometimes you win, sometimes you lose!! The joy of online shopping.

Wow nice job with the dents!!! I am always amazed what these dent guys can get out!! I've actually tried to do this myself in the past and it's lot harder than it looks. I've damaged a panel attempting this myself before on a Honda : P Glad your Schmeidmann parts arrived all good and well - mine came all damaged, very poor packaging, highly pissed I have to say : ( Now going through the motion of seeing what they want to do about it. Love how the car's coming along Julian : ) Must come check it out one day ... perhaps get your little man another fluffy : )

Well my Schmeidmann purchase arrived today. What a disappointment. I don't think I've seen poorer packaging ever in my life!!! No surprise the product inside was damaged!! Now to go through the motion of seeing how good they are at dealing with damaged delivery .... VERY DISAPPONTED!!!

Who on earth are you buying from in England? I've had nothing but the best of services from that part of the world and I've actually stopped buying stuff from the USA now for 2 main reasons: 1. Faster shipping and tracking system 2. Better service and part stock. The only time I've ever encountered an issue was the business was located in a rural area and their freaking post office guy that runs it opens at random hours (one of those small local towns). Once I had a package turn up from the UK in less than 24 hours ... completely blew myself and the sender away as to how fast it go here!! Wasn't even a courier service, just run of the mill Royal Mail stuff. Have just tried to buy some stuff from Schmeidmann like Julian does above - will let you know how I get on. I've noticed their shipping rates to be really good for Fedex parts and even for semi large items - the tracking system also seems to be really good and they appear to be able to source a huge range of items. I like how their website automatically takes VAT (25%) off with online orders - unlike some where you have to actually ask for it to be taken off. NEVER and I mean NEVER buy anything from the Aussie ... about the worst place you can ever buy anything online from. My other experiences: - Never buy from anyone from Florida, USA half the time it's a con. - Germany ... mixed on this one. Have had some really good experiences and some terrible ones. Mostly down to communication. - If buying from the US, the west coast retailers and the central part of the USA seems to be really good - the East Coast, forget about it. The central guys tend to not mind going to the Post office to post even really large items (I had a guy ship a front bumper to me via usps once for like $80 versus the usual large freight carriers). Parts from the West Coast also tends to arrive about a week faster compared to the East Coast. Central can be a hit or miss depending on where it's coming from. Some good retailers I've used in the past: - Turners Motorsport - Vorshlag - Quarrymotors UK - Tirerack - Skeller in Germany

Cheers Matt ... looks like their Toyo's are very competitively priced ... I worked out roughly $2550 for a set of 19s shipped to NZ. Their shipping prices are definitely very competitive .. Very (especially when compared to the current tirerack prices). However I think their Michelins are very low on stock and the pricing is only okay from what I've seen in the past from other sources.

Shipping costs from them is boarderline ridiculous. Having said that USPS have raised shipping costs to NZ by quite a bit recently - must be so they can pay for that jumbo jet flying directly to NZ from the USA.

Have personally never used www.design911.co.uk - how fresh are their tyres?? I know for a fact that the tyres you get from tirerack are usually about 6months old or less. I've seen overseas seller sell cheap tyres that are two or three years old - so just be weary of this when you are buying abroad - make sure you ask what the manufacturing week and year is on the side wall

Freight's gone up substantially recently from tirerack ... it used to be about US$270 to ship 4 x 19 inch tyres. I got a quote recently and it was US$370 to ship 4 x 19inch tyres. You'll also have to pay 5% duty on tyres + 15% GST on the freight, tyre and duty components. Still worth it for some brand of tyres however to import - eg. Michelin and Continental ... (savings used to be about 45% on these brands, now it's about 33% compared to the best local quotes I've had - and I know a lot of people in the tyre industry so the rates I get are pretty damn good).

I have a mothers rotory buffer from repco many years ago ... donno if it's any good - have never really used it myself. TXT me if you want to try it.

Wonder why it'd go to the auction ... seems minor for the Insurance to write it off ...

Sorry just read this Julian, but looks like other members have come to the rescue ... Not behind an anonymous proxy myself ... they must be onto you Julian

Update ... I don't think anyone would object to pictures said Airbox ... ready for reproduction ... now let's see some no.8 wire enginuity from the abundant number of engineers on ths forum shall we??!!

Julian I used this website when the others were down last night: http://www.bmw-z1.com/VIN/VINdecode-e.cgi

Chassis numberJM10139 Vehicle codeBM52 SeriesE46 Model328Ci Body type coupe Catalog model ECE Production date1999 / 03 Engine M52 Transmissio nUnknown Steering Right Catalyzer YES Additional Information for Vehicle code BM52 ProductionFROM : 1998/07/01TO : 2000/06/30 EngineM52TUEngine Oil6.50 Liter TransmissionAutomatic Transmission ModelA5S 325Z Transmission Oil8.90 Liter Rear Axle Oil1.00 Liter Coolant(w/o Air Conditioner)8.40 Liter Coolant(with Air Conditioner)8.40 Liter Brake fluid1.00 Liter Remarks : Final drive (rear axel), Automatic transmission: lifetime oil filing