Allanw

Actually, that sounds familiar - think you are right - when the TU engines tended to take over (M52TU for the 6's etc, M62TU for the 8's) I suspect you are EXACTLY right, in fact

Converting to AUTO???

Hmmm... I'm not sure on the exact changeover date, but I suspect it may have co-incided with the change from single to dual stage airbags ( starting March '99 from memory?), so maybe yours got the dual system, and the replacement is an earlier one? They changed again, for the facelift in september 2000 too, when the 20pin plug disappeared from the engine bay, though I think that cluster is compatible with the version you probably have originally. The replacement cluster won't be the REALLY early one, but the more common early type, which possibly uses a 935s56, instead of the later ones M35080 I suspect if Tom has trouble, there must be a hardware incompatibilty though - he's a clever guy! You probably need to find a cluster with the same EEPROM on board, or at least from closer dates. I've not heard of other software to do it, only physical connections to the board to change the EEPROM data, or replacement of the EEPROM.

BMW scanner 1.4 It'll do the VIN, not the milage, unless it a SUPER early E39. If you fit a cluster with lower milage, it'll update to match the car soon enough. If you buy a cluster with HIGHER milage, the rest of the car will update to match the new cluster... so a lower milage one is the best idea ;-) Then to code the cluster to the car settings, an INPA setup is best, though BMW Scanner generally allows manual setting of some of the options... INPA will do it automatically based on the ZCS etc. INPA etc will NOT work on a used cluster to change VIN.

Nissan Wingroads

M43 =

I saw that recently - It makes me sick watching it! I'd not be able to see out, because of all the barf on the inside of the canopy

But it's a 2003... isn't that N42? We know what Glenn will say (rightly so too!) OP: If you really want your own tool, x-car360.com has BMW Scanner (a chinese ripoff anyway) cheap, I used them several times for various things. For INPA, google Cable Shack. I've not seen anywhere local (commercially) that I'd bother buying from, unless you want to get a used item, like M3AN. You either need to spend decent moeny for something good, or buy a chinese ripoff. Also - don't do the thing people who think they know stuff do: If it has a code, it does NOT mean the item mentioned in the code is faulty, it's just telling you that that item sent an unusual signal, which may be caused be something entirely different (eg, Lambda probe code caused by vacuum leak after the MAF, etc). You still need a brain to diganose, the car only tells you what it sees as a symptom.

Shame excel would still be sh*t though... all those "features" that change what you're trying to do, into exactly what you didn't want..... Have to deal with that, and Access on a daily basis

I clicked "Like this", just so I could UNLIKE that afterwards!

You either want an "INPA" setup, or "BMW Scanner". Generic stuff is crap for finding what the codes really mean, a lot of the time.

Needs more fire from the pipes

You're trying to rark up Ron, right?

http://www.trademe.co.nz/Members/Listings.aspx?member=550396

It'd be easier if they made everything standard, but the US changed their stuff! There's a UK based forum and a US one I read, so have to convert stuff for it to make sense to me... annoying as hell!

That's a whole different skill! Respected too!

They should all do that... people stop looking after old cars though :-(

And US mpg even! 7L/100kms is 40 miles per real gallon.... or 33US Unless your readout is set to US MPG, then it's only actually about 8.5L/100kms... Is everyone confused now??? That's not so bad... we only get a tiny bit better from The '29 Ford... and it's only 40 hp (US ones too!)

Balls. You need them to understand.

What he said^^^^^^ Common as muck. Use butyl sealer or tape to stick it back down. Then you can get them off when required.

I'd look very closely - I suspect those are a Metric rim, not 15", but 390mm - you can't put 15" tyres on them, only very expensive and very average TRX / 390mm tyres. The tyre size will end with "390", instead of "15", IF they are metric They look like the ones mostly seen on the E24 6 series, the "usual" E28 ones looked a bit more like E30 bottlecaps, and were 14". I'm not real cluey on the details Brent probably knows all the details.

Especially when I have experience with the two entirely different, SPECIFIC cars I made the comparison of and was talking about during my post. My experience with them is as I say. It's not perceived, you can actually measure these things Even Dad agrees - he's drives the E39 faster, simply because it's more comfortable to do so. It uses less fuel driving around here than his E30, including the month he exclusively used the E39 while the E30 was having work done over Christmas. He often found himself going faster than he thought going up to Kaeo. Dunno how you explain that any simpler. It just IS. Not sure where the racetrack ever came into it. We use them on the road. For going places. Anyway - I not going to waste more time on it. The whole actual point, was that E30's ARE an old school car. It's doesn't make them bad, but technology has moved on a lot since the E30, and in not very much time. It's moved on a lot since the E39 too of course.

Pretty sure I can't type slowly enough for you to understand what I'm saying - just like last time. I'll leave you to it.

Instead of picking the single most economical E30 year, you can average all the E30 325i and 325is years upto 1991: http://www.fuelly.com/car/bmw/325is http://www.fuelly.com/car/bmw/325i Then they average 10.3, and if you remove the (clearly incorrect) lowest 3.3L/100km one from the 1991 325is, and the '84 325i one at 16.9 (highest year, skewed by this entry), we come up with a realistic average of 10.9. I reckon they're both pretty close to 10 or 11 L/100kms - like most people get from one. The E39 525i average out at 11.1, and I bet a whole lot more of them are autos, than the E30's are. Dads around town average in the E30 is 11L/100kms. I did 9.2 in the E39, though my wife can never manage it and ends up nearer 11. They're both manuals remember, and in the same town. We have climate air on all the time, they never use the AC. We have 3 boys, seats and gear, they have a handbag dog. Like I said: But thats not why you buy an E30!

I could say the same... but I actually have both to compare. Not many (if any) E30 325i owners will have similar economy to that.