jeffbebe

Good question. I want a really fun weekend car, that's still comfortable for the odd road trip and has enough get up and go for an occasional foray to the track (am I asking too much??! ) PS No chance of that... If I'm going to win her over it needs to be minimal effort. Plus I'm not a very patient teacher!! EDIT: I should add that it's really fun already, I just really enjoy making it better. I guess I'm looking for bang vs buck for performance and power.

Hehe.... No return policy. Hmmmn!! haha

Yes, what I thought... But a little part of me would love to try it out. Got a donor car? hahah

http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/BMW-E39-M5-E52-Z...=item27d2f17e7a It's probably been discussed before but I couldn't find it in searches. 441HP seems pretty high! Anyone dare getting the soldering iron out? Amazingly their feedback seems okay (though quite a few of the positives from people who haven't even installed the chip yet!).

It looks pretty good. What bumper do you have currently? I guess I'd be asking myself whether it's $2K+ worth of better looking?

I quite like the idea of getting upgrades from the same source. Dinan do a 3 stage suspension kit. I can probably stretch to stage 1 at the moment - http://www.dinancars.com/shop/D190-5711K-S...NLY.aspx#page=3 - but wonder how much better it would be than the m-sport II suspension on the car already (I am asking because I really don't know, not because I'm being a pain in the ass). Is the difference going to be significant? Trying to weigh up the benefit vs cost of new suspension + stage 2 tune vs stage 4 tune with CAI and HF MAF and throttle body. Thoughts please, gentlemen?

I'm on it.

Spot on, Andy. Not only that, it's hard to justify the $4-6K price tag of the manual conversion when I can get a US$299 SW upgrade for what is a great auto box (as autos go!), and it it helps win the missus over to German-built V8s (instead of US or Aus) then it's got to be a good thing!!Have had a good chat with a guy at Dinan so think I'm going to begin a programme of upgrades with them. I like how they're upgrades are in Stages. Great for someone like me upgrading on a budget over time and also kind of cool building for that badge!!

Didn't mean the actual interior... Just the styling and no, not for you, for the OP!

Personally, I don't care much for interior LEDs. Just get leather and refurb your trim. Ray's got an E39 tourer with a beautiful Individual interior. Everything's leather (arm rest, centre console, door arm rests, seats) with blue stitching. If you do something like that, it would be special!

Does seem like a bit of a no-brainer. Hoping the Dinan software works with Euro-spec car and that it's a simple install.

I imagine you researched the options pretty extensively... Any insight you can give would be great.

So even the stock M5 brakes weren't up to it for more than a few laps? Good to know.

I did... 2000 motorsport Cosmos Black (again!)

Ouch... Yes, didn't intend to power it up and leave stock brakes on there! Also won't be heading to the track anytime soon, nor that frequently once the car's ready... I just want to know that I can once in a while! Incidentally, was that an M5 or a stock E39 you took to the track? General web feedback is excellent for the auto trans upgrade but not sure if it works with Euro spec cars... Were the auto transmissions the same for US spec cars?

I hear you. I do love driving manuals (and don't get do it very often) but the auto is more practical and obviously by far the cheaper option. If the Dinan SW upgrade is possible on a Euro spec car, that would be a brilliant compromise.

Popped one of them in today to test and xenons work fine with no errors... Cool! Just need to get a couple of new plugs to fit the different indicator and park light bulb housing.

https://www.facebook.com/photo.php?fbid=518...e=1&theater

+1 to the welcome and +1 to the pic request!

Ray's got my 528i at the moment to replace the air con compressor for its new owner. Going to have a chat to him when I pick it up later today. Don't worry, I know it's not cheap. That's why the Dinan SW upgrade interested me so much.

Definitely Ray. I wouldn't have a clue how to do it. Would like to get involved though if Ray doesn't mind me getting in the way! haha Also, have a look at this - http://www.bimmersport.co.nz/forums/index....mp;#entry486745 - could be a cool (and cheap) alternative.

Got a few plans for my new 540i. As it's going to be a weekender they are mostly performance related. I'd like to build a car that will be really fun to take to the track but still a great cruiser for a Sunday drive. One of the early upgrades I've been considering is a manual upgrade. If I do that, it will exclude my wife from driving it as she can't drive a manual - some of you on here may see that as a good thing, but since she already hates the 'money I waste on BMWs', I see it as a negative. I've just read about Dinan's auto trans software upgrade which sounds pretty cool. In straight auto mode it raises the gear shift points to higher RPMs which is great but I think the really exciting thing is that it holds the gear in manual mode, so you're completely in control. At US$299 that seems like a really good option - at least in the short term - anyone have any experience of this software, or have any idea if it can be done in NZ? And if so, where? Who?

Looks in fine order and a great colour. So pleased to see an E46 M3 that isn't grey (or any car that isn't grey these days). You must be stoked!!

I reckon about $12K all up give or take - so car plus upgrades would be just under $21K. Hard to find a decent M5 for that kind of money plus, the all important factor, I can afford to upgrade piecemeal... I can't afford $21K in one hit. Plus, if the stuff I've read is correct the supercharged M62 will be a bit more powerful (at around 420bhp) than the M5, though I expect handling, etc won't be as good.