Haitoman

Ben, There are some knowledgeable people on here too .... Talk to these guys, they have what you want. http://www.racechip.com/chiptuning/bmw/1er/f20/116i-100kw/index.php

Buy a Sony HDR-AS30 Tim. After the GoPro you will be disappointed with the nanocam

They've got a cheek calling that 'blue'...I think charcoal is more appropriate.

Okay..the fact that you have done work on the handbrake is a clue. If the handbrake switch is now jammed on it will be sending an earth to pin 23 on the A2 module and lighting the handbrake light. The ABS light comes on with an earth on pin 22 of the A2 module. I would say that you have a short between pin 22 and pin 23 and the handbrake switch has suddenly jammed on with the work.

That mess will never sell for anything over 5k

If you are driving to work then I assume you have a car park. During peak hours you will be lucky to drive into Wellington from anywhere in 10-15 minutes and pay 350 bucks rent. Wellingtonians fit into one of the following categories: Kapiti Coasters (Waikanae, Paraparaumu, Paekakariki, Pukerua Bay) There is a goog BMW independent, Mike Page European, in Paraparaumu. It is a 40-55 minute train commute and a good 40 minute drive into Wellington - it gets very busy in the morning and evenings. The weather on the coast is better than the rest of Wellington. Hutt Valley (Upper Hutt - cold in Winter, Lower Hutt - okay but avoid Naenae and Taita, Petone - eclectic mix of young and old) Good train service 20-40 minutes, 20 minute drive from Lower Hutt on a good day. Johnsonville & Newlands (Cheaper rents but can be cold and very (very) windy) 15 minute train service from Johnsonville. Broadmeadows, Khandallah, Ngaio - all expensive rents but an easy 10 minute drive to town. Jeff Gray BMW located near Ngaio Tawa & Grenada - Okay but can be a bit damp, lower rents. 12-15 minutes to Wellington. Central city (Karori, Kelburn, Aro Valley are very expensive but also low cost student rentals.) Newtown is expensive for what it is - forget it Island Bay is popular but a bit isolated. These are a 25 minute bus ride into Wellington city. Nice area Plenty of apartments available in central city Mt Victoria, Roseneath, Oriental Bay - Expensive...forget it Through Mt Vic tunnel to Kilbirnie & Hataitai 15-20 minutes on the bus to town - Popular rental spot Lyall Bay - Popular spot for surfies Maupuia & Miramar (airport noise) Seatoun (isolated) - forget it.

I should have guessed there was a catch...thanks

I'm about to start cleaning up the suspension components underneath the M3. There is a big V shaped brace the point of which bolts near the diff with a square plate at the V. The legs of the V face forward and bolt to the sides of the chassis. Does this have a name? and can I safely undo the three bolts and drop it down without something falling on my head?

I actually find it difficult to park straight in a BMW. Really wierd.

Pre-facelift and in need of some TLC. When I see dirty M cars like this I can't help thinking they haven't been looked after very well. Could be a bargain though.

The letter "E" in e28, e24, e39, e46, e60 is short for the German word, "Entwicklung" which means, "Development". The letter "F" ie. F10 is short for the German word, "Forschung", which in English means "Progress".

Someone really knows their BMWs then?

All E46 models are susceptible not just the M3. It just doesn't happen to cars driven normally on the road, and as 318, 320 etc are not usually tracked they don't fail as often. A popped spot weld does not usually constitute sub-frame failure to BMW and to be honest there are plenty of other things that fail on any other cars. All of the sub-frame failures you speak of are in reality only on a small percentage of cars ie. I could only count 14 instances of MY2001-2003 failures over the last 3 years on that forum - out of all the USA and UK users on there. Some people just like putting the frighteners out but under normal (and some spirited) driving its not an issue. If it happens to me then I may change my mind but I love my car and rarely hammer it, and anyway it knows it goes to the knackers yard it if it does. To be honest I've never revved it over 6k so it owes me!!

Whoever it was in the M3 going the other way who beeped as I went by in my M3 convertible on the Kapiti Coast this afternoon...I heard you :-)

Wife just rang sheepishly to say she has badly kerbed the front passenger rim on the M3. Who does wheel repairs in Wellington?

This is becoming really stupid. You didn't hydroplane on a sharp bend when it 'suddenly started raining', it doesn't work like that. You went into the corner too fast for the conditions and lost control. A classic case of someone thinking they are bullet-proof. The tyre may be at fault, who knows, but the way you are talking up speeding I suspect not. Face it, you took a risk and got caught out. We all do something stupid and hopefully learn from our near miss - this is your opportunity to learn something. As for the breach of licence conditions, suck it up and sort it out before you get caught again.

Get ready to pay the 400 notes...no excuses. Your original licence was obviously not from a listed country and you were required to sit a practical test to have the supervisor condition removed, and you didn't. Read this from NZTA : Practical testYou do not have to sit the practical test if: you have a licence from Australia, Austria, Belgium, Canada, Denmark, Finland, France, Germany, Greece, Hong Kong, Ireland, Italy, Japan, Luxembourg, the Netherlands, Norway, Portugal, South Africa, South Korea, Spain, Sweden, Switzerland, the United Kingdom or the United States of America, and your licence is current (or has expired within the last 12 months), and you have held that licence for more than two years. You may need to provide proof of the issue date of your overseas licence. You do have to sit the practical test if: you have a licence from a country not listed above, or you have a licence from a country which is listed above but you have held that licence for less than two years, or you have a licence from Hong Kong or South Korea and you are converting a heavy traffic licence. What happens if I pass the theory test?When you have passed the theory test requirements, you will be issued with a New Zealand driver licence. If you have been issued with a New Zealand driver licence you will no longer be able to use your overseas driver licence for driving in New Zealand. What is a supervisor condition?If your New Zealand driver licence has been issued with any conditions, you must adhere to them. For example, if you are required to pass the practical test and have not yet done so, you will have a supervisor* condition. This means you must be accompanied by a supervisor at all times when you drive. *A supervisor is a person who: holds a current full New Zealand driver licence for the class of vehicle has held their full New Zealand driver licence (or an equivalent overseas driver licence) for at least two years, and does not have a supervisor condition on their New Zealand licence. If you are converting a motorcycle licence you do not need to have a supervisor. You will be issued with a learner motorcycle licence and will need to comply with the learner conditions until you pass your practical test and are issued with a full licence. That means you: must ride a LAMS-approved motorcycle (for more information on LAMS see factsheet 28, Learning to ride: getting your motorcycle licence.) must not carry passengers on the motorcycle or in a sidecar must not ride between the hours of 10pm and 5am must not tow another vehicle.

These are a nice little cosmetic extra for an M two door. Any takers? http://www.trademe.co.nz/Browse/Listing.aspx?id=683254416

What a bargain...I wouldn't sell my E46 Bentleys for three times that price.

I would definitely send a recent UK autotrader ad for a similar year condition car and explain the problem They are quite reasonable about such things especially with classic cars.

It will probably be the plastic expansion tank which are known to split after 10-15 years. A relatively easy job if you are lucky but the bugger is you will need to bleed the coolant system as it will have air in it after replacement. Expect an hour labour plus 100-150 for the parts.

I agree, I don't condone lying but under the circumstances if the OP genuinely believes that the tyre was at fault, and there is no other way to be heard in court then a slight embellishment given that no-one was injured is harmless. In the end it comes down to self (wallet and licence) preservation.

I'm in my 50's and have lived in the UK for the last 6 years. Since returning to NZ I realize how absolutely stupid our 100km/hr limit is compared to the 120-130km/hr I am used to. I drove motorways every day in England and saw no more than 5 police cars on them in 6 years, and never saw an accident (I'm sure they happened though). Always remember that some people are nervous drivers and are not comfortable driving fast - respect their feelings and abilities. Experience does count - so if you have been driving only a short time remember you are not invincible and follow one simple rule - don't take risks. In the end we have no choice, the 100km/hr limit is the law and apart from the odd brain fart I grudgingly stick to it. As for the OP...go to court and tell the judge you heard a loud bang as you went into the corner and ended up in the ditch. There is no proof you were careless as it could have been the tyre. He might give you the benefit of the doubt.

This car looks really nice (and expensive)...BUT...the seller states that he has always run it on Gull 98. Now I am led to believe that ethanol mix fuels are not recommended for the e46 M3, or indeed for any pre-2006 cars. Does anyone know anything about the effects (good or bad) of running the e46 M3 on Gull 98? http://www.trademe.co.nz/motors/used-cars/bmw/auction-679474028.htm

Always look at the care taken under the bonnet. It is a good indicator of how much a car is loved....say no more.