jimbo01

Typical. Rather than build a public transport infrastructure that people want to use, these wankers want to make the alternative so costly that people will have no option finaincally but to use run down overcrowed public transport. In Wellington they are talking about taking out the seats to make more standing room - so from Wellington to Upper Hutt thats 45 minutes standing in a unstable train 2x a day. OOhh lets. In Summer we can enjoy the afternoon armpit odor of some bogon who has never heard of anti perseperant. Everyone can sweat in the non airconditioned units, sometimes with heaters going. Who needs a sauna? Bonus! In winter you can slide arround on the wet floors, freeze your butt off, for sure the heaters that managed to be on in summer won't work. Enjoy the subtle aroma of wet people in a crowded space. Then walk another 10-20 minutes to the centre of town in the icy cold / wind / rain / or all 3 combined. Then walk back at the end of the day - now with a cold. Of course you could take a bus, for another $2 each way. Then when the trains don't run - then what - when your kids are 30km away? I just don't understand why more people don't use it. Whats wrong with us! What idiots for whats to drive in our own self contained little worlds on wheels. We deserve to be punsihed. This is the same public system that puts's it's prices up when petrol / deisel prices go up. THE TRAINS ARE ELECTRIC!. So what has the price of diesel got to do with it? They do it so that the buses don't end up more expensive than trains or some similar bullshit justification. When the Wellington system got a 20% spike in usage, when uour cahnce of getting a seat went down, they put the prices up (even though the trains still only had 1 driver, 1 ticket guy, and the same number of carridges - so there revenue was already up, and their cost were the same!). So based on such wonderful performance lets take more money from drivers and give to these people to spend in such a obviously effiecient way. Face it - we live in a democracy where single agenda greenish facists can get their policys in, with only 5% or less of people voting for them, so the so called majority party can protect their misrable 200k a year jobs (bugger bettering the country - or the voters). It doesn't matter if it doesn't work, it doesn't matter if it screws us over, what matters is that they stay in power. Aaahhh - that feels better - now where is another beer?

Thanks - I'll add that to my list of things to do. I guess this is Jeff Grey job then.

There is an amp in the rear on the left hand side behind the CD stacker. If the installer hasn't connected this up then yes, a lot of your speakers won't work. I havn't seen the need to add a new head unit - the radio is better than any after market unit I've seen recently, it's got a 6 stacker, it has integrated TV, it has steering wheel controls, and the sound is very impressive. Is your an import? - mine is a 99 NZ new . Mine appears to have 8 speakers, 2 in each door, although the spec sheet from red book says it should have 10. If so beats me where the other 2 are.

I'm with you on this. Our old BMW 323 Coupe seemed to handle well, or so we thought. It had the M Sport Suspension then one day I drove it over enthusiastically on the road from Tamuranui to Tekuiti. When it hit large bumps on some of the tight corners the whole car left the ground, or all meaingful contact with it. So a car with little contact to the road does not go arround a corner very well. And when grip was restored we were well into the other lane. Luckily no one else was coming. Now that had what I beleived to be a standard BMW suspension, not some after market botch-up. And if it wasn't compatible with the worst of our NZ roads, what chance some lowered on cheap botch up done for pure appearance. Yes you may get away with it on the motorway, or around town. Try some of NZ's 'C' grade roads and see what happens. Now if you know that and drive according - fair enough - if you flick the car, will the next owner. Thats why we have standards, and certification. Yes I'm older (44 this month) - and I'd rather have genuine handling and perfromance than a 'look'. And this was important to me when i got my 1st car at 16. I find it hard to understand people screwing the handling of a good motorcar then claiming it handles better - which may fool other uninformed youth - not us oldies who know better.

My work mate has had an original 750i V12 for the last 4 or so years. Picked it up for about 11,000 as a trade in special. The only problem he's had is with the suspension (it was adjsutable and relied on high pressure oil, a sela burst. He's tracked all his costs and while maintence is expensive in temrs of 12 spark plugs a time (that sort of thing) it hasn't been that bad on a per km basis. In terms of perfromance the E38 model 750's are only marginally faster than the 740, and only marginally more thirsty (according to the BMW manual). My moto is enjoy such engineering wonders while we still can - if Labour stays in they may ban them or tax them off the roads to appease the greens.

I've got very big 20 inch wheels on the 740, shod with Dunlop SP01A* tyres (245 x 40 profile). Since fitting the new tyres I've noticed that on certain course chip surfaces there is quite a vibration through the steering - noticably worse at just on 100kph (of course). On other surfaces it's perfect, no vibration at all. One of the front wheels had it's rim machined. Could this have unbalanced the wheel somehow. I had this done at the same time as I put the new tyres on it. I've had the wheels balanced (twice) and the wheel alignment done. Any ideas?

If I won $19 million I'd be buying one of these, not an Aston Martin. Saw a black one in Wellington a few weeks back in the dealler show room, then 1/2 an hour later we passed it on the motorway - being driven very sedately by a middle aged couple - what a waste!

Just to jump in here - I know nothing about the fuel star BUT... My brother swears by some damn magnets, plus a fuel addiitve, and oil additive that he put on his work 2006 Comadore. Anyway I've seen 900km travelled on the trip computer, with 200km to go to empty; and hes not driving any differently. His firm is considering putting their entire national fleet on it; they've seen the guy with the worst fuel consumption across the fleet go to the best. This is a guy who has lost his licence 3 times on speed demrit points - he does not drive for economy. He 1st put this this setup in his 1989 VR4 rally car and got more power on the dyno, and good results racing (1st equal around Mansfeild in 2007 daybreaker rally, and on a gravel suspension set-up). Apparently Peter Brock used to back these and took a huge dent in his credibility for it when he publically endorsed it. Scientifically there is no possible effect magnets can have on the fuel - I know this - I try explaining this to my brother but he just points to the trip computer with a smug grin, "Then big bro EXPLAIN THAT!". Even the local Holden dealer won't accept the economy hes getting; "Impossible" is their answer. Make you wonder whats in that bloody additive!

Has a new Alpine IDA-X001 stereo fitted to my wifes SLK today. This is the one with full IPOD connectivity, and displays the artwork etc just like the iPOD. Anyway all up $750 installed including adapters for the Euro style connectors, and to the Bose subwoffer AMP. I'm really impressed with the sound. Given that it is MP3's off an iPOD that is the audio source I didn't expect it would be as good as it is. It is way better then the original fit stereo. It is LOUD, and the base is very very good. Radio performance is good (as expected from Alpine). It's easy enough to use - and in my opinion looks a bit better than some units out there.

Check the line sync speed on your broadband modem? You can usually find this by using IE to log into your modem and you should be able to see this. Also try and do a line speed test using a local site to get a true indication of throughput here in the NZ Network. It is possible for a modem to have corrupted settings that dramatically affect through put, or even a faulty modem. I swapped my single PC Dlink modem for a DLINK wireless / 4 port modem and got 5x better throughput with the same line speed test. Line Sync speed is 7mbps, througput on test is 4mbps (previously about 800kbps). For ADSL1 technologies 7mbps line sync is about as good as it gets, 8mbps would be excellent. Selling speeds higher than this on ADSL1 would be naughty. Another thing that affects our perception of speed is that much of the content NZders enjoy is off shore. Think of a motorway, having a BMW M3 and an hugh on ramp is of little good if the motorway is jammed. It's a bit like higher access speeds, they are often not the major factors affecting throughput, although my faulty modem certainly was. Things that can also affect the speed: - a faulty copper cable, water ingress etc. Your service provider should be able to do a loop loss test that should show this. it possible for voice services to work pto our satisfaction over cables that are sub optimal for broadband. - house wiring, missing line filters etc. It is possible to have a linbe splitter fitted which makes one jackpoint a dedicated Broadband access point for your DSL modem. No filters are required on the other jackpoints. This can eliminate household wiring issues, but may have no impact if that wasnt the problem. I'd recommend talking to niegbours to find out what their broadband perfromance is like. If yours sucks comapred to theirs get it looked at, insist! I accepted my low throughput and gave up trying to get it fixed, and only discovered my modem was faulty when I replaced if to get wireless connectivity to the PS3.

Telecom has ADSL2 technology in some areas, although they are not making a big thing about it (yet?) However without the fibre to the node (cabinets) to shorten the copper lines to the more optimal length of about less than 1km those living several km from an exchange won't see 24mbps even with ADSL2 or 2+. Telecom has already started the cabinetization rollout process. It is subject to a certain level of tension, the public in general want to keep them small (Who wants a big green cabinet outside their house?), but the industry want room for their equipment to be located in the cabinets along side Telecom equipment, so there is pressure to make them bigger.

Achieving a line sync speed of 24mbps is usually only possible on ADSL2/2+ technology if the modem is within less than 1km of the exchange. It is unlikely that throughput is anyting like this. ADSL2 performance drops off rapidly beyond those distances, and at longer distances ADSL1 can outperform it.

740i 15 litres per 100km 80 litre tank About 500km range Can do the Upper Hutt - Wellington commute at about 11 litre / 100km if you get a good run (which is almost never!). Stop lights on what is basically a motor way is absolute shite for economy when you car is as heavy as a 740. But then most of the time I'm in the 740 economy is not my objective. I enjoy slipping it into "1" and planting it, flicking it up to "2" and backing off at just under 110kph. There is usually a big gap back to the cars behind. I love how subtle the 740 is - no big exhausts showing, no spoilers.

Upgrade? From a BMW to a Subaru - that 's no upgrade!

I agree with you on this one - I'm surpised just how many beleive that THEY can do this safely! It like all the drunk drivers of the past who could "drive as well with a few under the belt as sober", they genuinely thought this was the case. They were wrong. If your eyes are focused on a cell phone 18" from your face, they are not focused on the road, if you are reading something, you are not focused on driving. Now we know another reason why the road toll is going up, over 40% of Bimmer Sport drivers, who one could assume are of at least average intellgence, are txting while driving! Even scarier - many seem to think it's OK.

That appeared to be what the moron was doing that almost took me out. So exactly what makes texting while driving more important than someone elses safety?. I'm curious, are txters just really stupid, selfish, or both?

The thing is that the people txting don't seem to think it affects their driving, however study after study, and accident investigations prove otherwise. I used to commute every day on a motorcycle, (you get to pass many many cars) and you could spot those using a mobile, their erractic driving stood out, (and you take extra care passing them, they make sudden course corrections) and the most erractic; obviously txting! I wonder if attitudes on this subject will change, as they have with drink driving. 20 years ago many driver occasionaly drunk and drove, and people were sympathetic if someone got done for it.

On my way to the Gym yesterday and a Honda Prelude comes round the corner heading towards me. I notice he is slowing drifting towards the centre and think he must be going to stop and turn to his right. But he's not slowing, and he's now in my lane. I hit the horn, brake, and swerve to the left. As he flashed past I can see the f'ing cell, both hands on it, with his forearms on the wheel trying to steer, and his attention somewhere else. He might as well been driving with a blindfold on! Hopefully he will soon be fully qualified for a Darwin Award before he hurts anyone else.

I think that was what he meant. He's more alert because he's on the look out for cops. Personally I would rather be on the look out for idiots, who pass when it's not safe to do so, who cross into the other lane taking 'racing' lines through a corner, who are distracted (text, phone, books, makeup, noisy kids in the back seat, etc) and driving erractically, and especially those not paying enough attention to the task at hand. This is an attitude I developed through over 25 years of riding motrcycles. When riding I assume 2 things, (1) Car drivers want to kill me, (2) i'm invisible. Someone merely going fast, passing safely, and keeping to their lane, repsecting other road users - I don't worry about them, but unfortunately they seem to be the easiest target to detect, fine, and pretend that is making a difference. So if trying to catch and fine speeding motorists works how come the road toll is up this year? Thats the current fixation. How come the Australian state with the most draconian speed laws has the higher road tool than states with a more relaxed attitude. As the recent UK study found, inattention is the single biggest cause of accidents, not speed. Yet inattention is hard to detect, although the results are easy to find - they are the majority of people who cause accidents. At least some effort is now going in that direction - the campaign on not drivin g while tired is a step in the right direction. Banning stupid acts like texting, and perhap using a mobile while driving, would all help; except none of these are in the new proposed NZ laws.

120kph is what I term a comfortable speed for many of our roads, although I don't have a problem with sticking to the unoffical limit or 110kph (which is about where I try to drive these days, except when passing). What makes driving frustrating are the ignorant creeping along at about 80-90kph, and to safely pass these I will exceed 110kph, so yes I want to know when cops are about.

Aparently this is also going to save lives. In my expereince (Valintine 1 & Escort 8500) the way the cops operate their radar means the moment you detect it, they have you. All you can hope for is they have got someone else. What I find mine useful is: detecting when a cop is about, and be prepared for the non speeding cars to suddenly slow when they see the cop. As it also has GPS and provides a speed read out it's also useful to keep to the speed limit, especially in cars like the 740 which has a speedo which reads 100kph, but is actually doing just on 91kph. Detecting cops hiding at the end of a passing lane. Detecting mufti cops operation in a provocative way, i.e. driving unesseisalry slow but speeding up where there is any oportunity to pass (grrrr) - example mufti SV6 cop crusing at 85-90kph just north of Tokoroa Nov 07, and building up a big tail. When a passing lane appears he's doing about 105kph! In my experience prior to my Valentine 1 being stolen I was able to drive at a comfortable speed, without having to be on the lookout for cops; as a result I was able to enjoy driving a lot more, and I was more alert. So waht are your views on radar detector?"

On the mounting plates - two thumbs up - no holes in your plate and easy as to mount!

The thing to always remember in cases like these - get the plate. On the bright side those young hoons are much more serious trouble if they fail to stop at an accident. Lets hope they get caught.

I'd tend to agree in principal - I could have put my car on new 18" rims and tyres for the quoted price of my 20" tyres alone. Finding a replacement 20" tyre can be a bitch even when it's not new years eve.

As you can see my 740 is on 20"x9.5" rims. The ride is fine. Mine is on 245/40ZR20 which give a great ride, and it was on 245/35ZR20's when I bought it, and the ride was fine. On the original Nexten tyres it all up it cost the original owner $4000. I got rid of the Nexens as he had one fail in the sidewall, and I had another fail in the sidewall - all within 8000km, and they were 50% worn after that 8000km! If you are on a budget then run for the hills - the replacement tyres alone on this are worth about $3200!, and rims are worth about $2400. Anyway if that doesn't deter you then here some good info: According to the manual the original tyre for a 740 are: 16" - 235/60R16, (688.4mm diameter) or 245/55R16 (675mm diameter) 18" - 235/50ZR18 (front - 692mm diameter) and 255/45ZR18 (rear - 686mm diameter). A good site for sorting out possible tyre sizes is: http://www.alloywheels.com/tyrecalc.asp. This would tend to suggest that the following would be a suitable fit: 20" - 245/35ZR20 (front - 679mm diameter) 265/35ZR20 (rear - 693mm diameter). 20" - 255/35ZR20 (front - 686mm diameter) 275/35ZR20 (rear - 700mm diameter). Good luck!