Allanw

Agreed! Most AA checks aren't worth the money spent - they're often inspected by someone who has NO CLUE what they are looking at! E30's have their own set of problems, and I'd doubt there's an AA inspection man in the country who'd know what to look at. Bad luck dude! Try to find a good one for your money then tidy it up. Rough ones can be money pits!

http://www.kiwishipping.co.nz/

SOME of these lights can be dismantled, and the mask can be flipped over to give the right beam pattern.

The manual trans probably makes more difference than the engine size Plus, manual is my favourite . your economy isn't too bad really, I can squeeze the E39 down to 7L/100kms, probably a bit better on flatter, straighter roads than we have up here. Was talking to a mate last night, with a 97? 750iL V12. He's getting about 14l/100kms in auckland, but it gets a bit better on the open roads. He can make it much worse with lots of loud pedal too! Your car does look in awesome condition.

Agree. The weight of the car makes FAR more difference than the engine size (to a point, obviously). The ti might be a bit lighter, so a bit better. You could end up swapping it for a car that isn't as good as yours, and you end up spending the difference in repairs. How much do you spend on petrol a year anyway? Even if you save 20% in fuel costs, is that enough to bother? If you do 15000kms a year, and swap to a car that uses 2L/100kms less (and I'm not convinced you'd get that), you'll save about 300L per year - maybe $660 a year (coz your 323i is on premium, which I think it about 2.20 a litre???). $660 could easily be eaten up in a simple repair. You'e be better off swapping it for a vitz/echo What's your average economy on the 323i? (off-topic: anyone see the Top Gear thing with the M3 following a prius on their track? M3 got better economy )

Dads has only had shocks, rack ends (and a rack of course ) and control arm bushes in it's 210,000kms. Must be you

Wow! Mine is only 6 (I pay for the cheapest wireless speed), but it's up and down and it's constant. My house has no physical data connection to the outside world, so I don't have shitty telecom wires ruining my internet speed, like my neighbours do Just had my data limit doubled for free too

Wow - and that has "supposedly" occured since it's last WOF???You're going to need some corrugated cardboard and a tin of newtech filler

You already did the seals didn't you? The solenoids have a gauze filter in that could be blocked.

Yeah, not to mention: Chrysler, Jeep, Dodge, Jaguar ,Volvo, Renault, Fiat, Alfa Romeo!

WASTED??? Did he pay the fines? If it's all outstanding... he hasn't lost much. They'll probably wipe them. That seems to be a standard "consequence". edit: pictures don't show at work . I can see them now!

Did I post this before??? http://forum.bmw5.co.uk/topic/55302-here-i...dye#entry573653

The V8's aren't actually very hungary, maybe 15% more than a 6 around town, and pretty close on the open road (in my experience anyway).

Sweet! Wierdly, I was in Dads today, and it has a weird almost-miss/vibraton at idle His valve adjustment is very due, but we're doing the cambelt soon, so will do it all then. Glad it's better, hope it STAYS that way!!!

Hmmm... not my experience - I seemed to find South African ones with bubbles in the door corners and even under the mirrors on the top edge of the door. I'm not sure you can beat the German rustproofing. Dads E30 still seeps wax out of the doors and bonnet sometimes and the entire underside is stonegaurded under the paintm the undersealed over the top, then the sheilds and stuff fixed on.

Pfffffffffffft! TUI AD. Heaps of NZ cars were leased. Why pay for extra kms when you can unplug the speed sensor? Real estate agents were a classic for it - more than one agents late model car we travelled in during the 90's had no speedo reading. It's as common here as anywhere.

They don't need to be super tight - the engine tries to tighten them all the time. I only do them up like you tried - then give the spanner a dong with a hammer. Never had one come off!

I'd plan on spending 3K on ANY E39 after purchase, more on one I doubted. Even with a "Full Service History", the dealer only does what the owner approves, so they can still need craploads done to them, and they are a complicated car. The suspension is GREAT, but it wears, because of the work it does. The cooling system will need an overhaul, unless it has been specified as being done, and ALL done. Vanos seals will need doing too.

You should have mentioned that earlier..... You could change your user name to Jeffbeebee

For E30 specificly, I'd worry more about the condition, and where it was made. You'll get a lot of varying opinions and not all will be based on facts! German assembled is usually preferred and avoid ex UK cars, as the rust bug has usually taken hold by now. SA cars don't seem terribly well rust proofed (which I have also found true for VW's) and may have more issues here than over there in the dry climate, but not a real issue on a well looked after car. Really, each car needs to be looked at on it's own set of merits - Unless it's a collectible model, what difference will it make later? There are a lot of crap E30's out there, but still a surprising number of good ones (Like dads 2 owner, manual 325i SE that he's had for the last 14 years!).

Only the auto which will be fine for hairdressers. The manual seems to be a full 2 seconds faster.

Oooooh... the vote could go either way! starting to change! It would match your dog nicely! and not look old manish in cinnamon.

Hmmm... can't really hear anything much. When did it last have a valve adjustment? If it's only when it heats up, it could have a tight valve, and not running properly on all cylinders once hot? That video sounds very ticky.

Obviously this is all very subjective, as YOU have to like it! I LOVE our grey leather with the aluminium looking trim, but I'd pick you'd HATE it based on what you say you like. Of the two choices above, I'd go cinnamon too. The burgundy one looks a bit washed out or something. It needs more red, or more depth or something. I'd take the cinnamon over the "normal" tan - that tan looks wrong in a dark E39 (especially black exterior ones!) and feels old man-ish. The cinnamon looks luxurious, not sporty, but not granpa and his pipe either. It's a nice strong colour, without being frightening like some "individual" interiors are! Go Cinnamon!

try Ebay UK. A lot of them will ship here, even if they don't have it listed.