Allanw

It's had a lot of options boxes ticked, for an NZ car. They often missed out. I wonder if it'd still be for dsale, had it been a manual

You need to fix this ASAP. For one thing, a temperature gauge will only read correctly IF it's in coolant - if they level drops below the sensor, they tend to read normal-ish, if that's what the coolant temp was before the loss - I drove a Subaru a VERY long way with no coolant, and the gauge stayed just slightly under normal!. Also, an air lock can stop or reduce coolant flow, and the temperature gauge in the E39's doesn't move above normal until the engine is REALLY hot - at LEAST 115C, but probably higher, especially on the V8's, as the map-controlled themostat ones can run at 110C anyway. The OBC won't warn of high temp until minimum 120C. I'm not familiar with the layout of the cooling system in the V*'s, so can't really help there, but I'd hate to see you cook the motor from coolant loss!

True! I only only know pretty much 2 people with mark 5 golfs - one works at ACC and had 2 diesels, which had trans failures at around 60K. The other was a local Union organiser, and he had a diesel, which had trans failure at about 110K from memory. All 3 just stopped moving suddenly (I think 2 were on the Auckland harbour bridge actually!). I'm not sure what trans they are, but it sounds like DSG from the posts above. the ACC 2 were still under warranty, the other one wasn't, and VW didn't come to the party on it.

Sweet! Now get a towbar, and one of those dog carrier boxes

Sometimes, when you take away the low end, the top feels much more powerful, because the difference is more apparent. A 0-100 time may feel faster, but might BE slower. I'm not familiar with the actual swap, but have heard mixed reports.

Haha, nice plate!

It's a very cool road! There is one corner I remember, I think it's actually signposted as a 10 or 15 km/h corner, it goes left AND uphill at the same time - the only way I had to get my VW bus around it was to keep the power on, and leave a cloud of tyre smoke around it otherwise the twist in the road meant no traction. Stopped in the republic of Whangamomona for a while too. Worth a trip if you're heading that way and got a few extra hours to go that way.

MINT! I absolutely want one, or better yet, a Chummy convertible - there is one in the Vintage Car Club collection up here, that I wouldn't mind adopting and looking after for them.

My VW van has a 2.5 Subaru, and after the cert process, it shows the engine size as 2450cc, so it probably should, yes - assuming the cert guy filled in the forms in their entirety.

Until the battery is poked... then it won't charge anymore Lasted 13 odd years though.

Have you got a bulb blown? I replaced the bulbs on dads probably 10 years ago, because one blew. I can't recall the bulb or how to do it, but it's probably more reliable than a used set. Google should tell you how :-)

For the Diamond one, go to RS online and order one - don't even need to go there :-) VL2020, is under $12 inc gst and freight. http://newzealand.rs-online.com/web/p/coin-button-rechargeable-batteries/0407877/ The tabs aren't the same, but I'm going to fit the bottom one, and either "adjust" the top one, or solder on a link. It's sitting on the kitchen bench right now... If only I could find my solder station.....

Agreed... but regular oil changes and a wash have little to do with it - and that's all some owners pay for. E39's love to eat suspension and cooling systems, the V8's can suffer from a number of "common" problems and any of them could be coming up, or in need of doing already. E39's are old car now, and Kiwis do not like to maintai old cars propoerly (on average). There are very few 540i Tourings around, and they do command a premium. With out a thorough inspecton though, the dollars required are anyones guess!

Everyday is like that for me dude I actually ride my bike though, leaving home at about 620AM, and most of the week I don't see a single driving car until I get to a certain roundabout, 4.5kms from home (half way to work!) I know what you mean though. I used to drive my convertible at night (when nobody could see me with the top down!) Heater cranking, just doing my own thing - sometimes I'd go the long way home (an hour, instead of 12 minutes) out along the coast, and back through the winding back roads (which is where I live, even though it's only 5kms to city centre!). No music for me though - just the aural delight of the engine

There's always a chance it'll be a complete money pit... maybe it's cheap for a reason, or maybe the V8 market is a bit limited at the moment??? At that milage, it could either be a nicely maintained, reliable wagon or in need of thousands of dollars of repairs/maintainance. I'd pick more like the latter - Mr average NZ isn't known to maintain a car that old very well, and the listing doesn't scream "enthusiast" to me - there aren't many truely well maintained E39 around, outside of places like this forum. If someone plans to keep it for a while, it's probably worth a look/risk with the apparent reserve. They're pretty hard to get hold of, and if the auto explodes, there's a good manual conversion justification . That interior must put a fair few off...

That's not bad, considering it's potential performance, when required. E39's are still a fairly heavy car, really.

WOW! That is SOOOO much 80's, right there!

There is a company in AUckland that refinishes them, and them coats them. Was about 180 a pair if you drop them in (from memory). Can't recall the name though

Ooops... no, I just still buy a lot of the stuff... plus when I was was staff, we got staff rates, which were VERY good

No... I have got a nintendo 64 in the garage somewhere. Never used it though - was given to me

Mmmm... Shiney discs! Good to see soem quality Wurth products in there too I was a wurth rep years ago, and my Bro in law still is. I have a lot of it at home too

Buy a new one from your favourite parts seller. They're really cheap. I needed one ASAP menay years ago, and partmaster had one, which I think was about $35 or something. It's been in for probably 5 years now.

What? Only $1K? Surely something like that would normally go on Trademe with a $9K reserve? Like the Amon corolla

Yeah. Red cows must be expensive. I'd rather hunt out an extended leather dash

Nah... it was a bit too modified for warranty... I saw him make an XR6 get out of his way up a passing lane on a club run one day Internals were stock, just bigger turbo, fuel injectors etc... hence the 13K,000 pop. I think he sorted it and went back though