Allanw

I had none of the usual ignition switch syptoms/test results either... but after repalcing it, the scarily common ABS/DSC/Traction lights stopped coming on while driving, the code for o2Sensor low voltage cleared and the non-playing CD's started working. Sometimes when the ABS light trifecta came on, the speedo wouldn't work, or the indicators wouldn't work. The switches are a pretty crappy design, but are easy to change (ish). Might not be your problem, but I reckon a LOT of people out there have paid some workshops a LOT of money to sort out stuff, that was probably just an ignition switch all along! I think they're about $160 maybe? Can't merember.

Some people Have too much time! It's like the Honda Cog and the Touchwood vids.

I want a replica 356. I could actually drive it, parts are easier to get, cheaper, and if it gets bumped or scratched, not a big deal. Plus... The replicas are usually a better drive . I think I'll make a replica of a Porsche 959 based on a landrover and put it on trademe for $40K.

In the facelift lights, the Xenon ones have the low beam projector much closer to the lens than the Halogens - I assume the focal lengths etc are different??? The Halogen ones actually look better, but the Xenons allow you to actually see where you're going. I fitted a pair of brand new Halogen headlamps (Hella, OEM), and they were OK, but the Genuine BMW XENON Retrofit kit (complete lamps with ballasts etc) I then fitted is FAR(!!!!) superior. I can actually see. Both my ancient VW's had better low beams than the E39 Halogens!

Hmmm... I don't like your chances, but I'll ask him!

I have a 3.5 YO and 1.5 YO. That's my excuse Besides, it's the proper clay animated one. My 3.5 YO is really into Transformers - him and his mates don't know its the 1984 version I watched as a kid though

My wife munched the bumper on a parking block, and it's still really easy to scrap it on stuff, even with the extra height. It looked a bit silly too! I raised the front a while back, and had to make the rear match

Group buy!

She's a keeper! (both the car, and the Mrs!)

Dads got one, 325i SE manual, but I don't think he really wants to sell it - he's had it over 15 years! Looks like the one ray had AGES ago here: http://bimmersport.co.nz/topic/44179-bmw-e30/#entry482584 except his has the 15" weaves, as mentioned. Lots of info on them in that thread It's the "Fancy" version - they have some cool stuff on them!!! See the thread above

Fitted the lift kit to the M-Technic suspension equipped E39... 10mm spacers on top of every strut mount with longer studs - raised it up about 20mm

HAHA! I have a radio link from a local company - Ubernet. I only pay for the "cheap" plan - 6mbs each way, but speed tests are usually between 8 and 9 mbs . I downloaded 13 Gigs on monday (from about 9AM to 5PM) by accident, after leaving utorrent running... They weren't even common stuff - Remington Steele, Quantum Leap, Wind In The Willows

A rough calculation for any car resto project: add up the car purchase price and your bank balance, then add 1 wife/girlfriend and the cost of something really cool and very expensive, that in 10 years time, you'll wish you'd brought instead of the unfinished pile of crap you've got in the shed Been there, done that. ALWAYS buy the best car first (even though I never do )

Oh yeah - well done. It's nice to have it done proper, and not require the balleasts etc. My genuine xenon retrofit required to coding, but had error eliminators. I took them off, and it worked anyway, but still coded the as required for the retrofit. It's just tidier. PS: keep a list of the settings, so if you ever have to code the car, or LCM, you can set it up correctly

Download NCS Dummy NCS is a breeze then It decodes most of the options and changes the TRC or PSW file automatically, ready to write.

Yeah... manual conversion

As above, take off sway bar mounts. Mine pretty much fell in. Mines I not II though.

in ALL cases, each car has to be looked at on it's merits, not what country the first owner lived in - The same owners might live here now anyway! Don't plan on NZ new cars being looked after very well either, and especially so if they were a lease car. Not a single one of my leased cars was ever done "by the book" - just the bare basics were done (and not even the minimum required by the car maker) and work recommended by the dealer wasn't done until it actually failed (they once made the Toyota dealer in Kaitaia leave brake shoes in that had less than 1mm of lining left - They showed me before they put the rear drums back on!). I also personally know two people who had VW Golf TDi's with trans failures under new car warranty (40K and 65K) - is it because they're crap, or because of the lease company servicing? I dunno, but at that milage, I wouldn't expect servicing to matter. Cars are disposible here, so most people just do the minimum they can get away with, and buy another one later As far as seats go, each car is registered as having a certain number of seats. When I had my VW Van certed, the guy was worried, as the Australian compliance pleate said 2 seater, but it was complied in NZ on entry as an 8 seater, so we were OK. IF you fitted an extra row, using all OEM parts and mounts, it's still need to be registered as havinng the aditional seats, though I can't say if that actually required a cert, or some other inspection/change.

Someone else shot off the other side of the same corner on Friday night! Skid mark starts just after the apex, and goes straight into the bank on the other side of the road (on the right side, by the closest marker in photo one, post one). Where do these people learn to drive???

The 525i When I rebuilt the front suspension, I fitted a 10mm strut spacer (like a small version of the ones on the rough road versions). I'm fitting a 10mm one to the rear now, to match. It had factory M-technic Sport suspension, and it's just a touch too low sometimes, and it needs to match the front arch gap anyway. I just fitted a set of Bridgestone Potenza Adrenalin RE002's too, so I'll sort out the lift, and get it all aligned. They're fricken awesome tyres! Feels like a new car!

WooHoo... such a simple thing that cause such bizarre issues! It's a pretty average switch design... the Germans tend to do that for some reason - My old VW van is the same - needs another switch now, after replacing it 3 or 4 years ago. They only cost about $12 though Enjoy your new found luxuries - call the last owner and tell him it's all sorted - just needed a switch

Haha! I wondered why he'd posted a VR Commode piccie, but it does somehow make it look Holdenish! Weird!

It wouldn't work...I don't think anyone wants a big, annoying w@nker as Mayor.... Oh,hang on... Besides... Mayor's are mostly decorative - They're the PR department, not the Boss

Probably not... ACC would "cover" the human damage, so why worry??? Ermmmm... up here, the council CREATES hazards and road dangers as a matter of course - a roundabout on an angle (trucks have to be careful, as the longest, sharpest side is the lowest side!) then plant bushes on it, and the islands, so you can't see the cars already on the roundabout. They build a new intersection, and put a stone wall in the "garden" as well as the bushy plants so you can't see very well from the free-turn lane if there is traffic coming (unless you are in a van or truck etc). Phase the lights so 2 or 3 of the 15 waiting cars get through on the green, then complain about red light runners in the papers... and tell me the lights work perfectly, even though at 645AM, you can wait at a red for over 2 minutes with ZERO cars using the 3 other looooong green phases, and they can tell you that is considered "working correctly" by looking at their computers in their offices - the line of waiting cars is probably just some kind of hallucination, I guess. Build a shared pedestrian/cycle path, but put "driveway crossings" through it repeatedly, so it's bumpy and a trip hazard - mostly just to drain water, seemingly. Build a cycle path, then cut a drain so deep/sharp across it, that you can't use it and have to go on the road, where there are islands, so it's narrow. I had to call *555 last year, as I'd just left work, drove down Maunu road to cross State Highway 1, and a car shot through a gap in the line of cars I was in... there were two green light phases at the same time! crossing each other. They've also started putting red light arrows everywhere - usually at the START of a phase, so half the traffic can't move anywhere, regardless if there is oncoming traffic or not. Tarseal the ONLY direct way to the airport on a weekday afternoon/evening (right into "rush" 1/2 hour), so the 10 minute trip to the airport (even in peak traffc) takes 50 minutes. Build a completely new road, then start the car parking on the side at the exact spot where the busiest right turning spot on the whole street is - the Mitre 10 Mega entrance, so you have to wait for there to be a gap, just to be able to keep the traffic flowing, on what has become a major thoroughfare, as it's the most direct way to cross that part of town..... need I go on??? - It would be better if they employed some dentists, or hairdressers or something, I'm sure it would improve the roading safety no end. I do like our new harbour bridge though - I can drive home going through only one set of lights , or avoid the whole lot on my bike... and I live on the complete other side of town . I can avoid most of these marvels of the genius minds on my (assisted) bike, and it takes less than 15 minutes extra per day, and the power to charge the bike is about 1/100th of the cost of petrol (plus I've lost 15kgs ). Right, I've used up my words... off to bed now.

Built the Lift Kit