CamB

Since you are in the UK... Schmidt wheels (super expensive though) - mean dish. I have a soft spot for Ronal Turbos on the right colour car: http://www.tunershop.co.uk/Wheels/15_inche...de61348b5fa3fdc And... maybe BBS LM replicas are available (in the UK anyway): http://www.stsmotorsport.co.uk/specialoffers.asp I also like the not-available-in-NZ Exim Mesh (just google it) ---> good offset.

So the cam lobes get plenty of oil during the critical bedding in process. For BMW Weapon, I'd have thought once it's up and running you'd want something which can maintain oil pressure under duress (it'll be turbo, right?).

Well apparently it isn't an Evo - it DID have 3200cc when I posted, but I probably should have looked at the year. Not such a flash deal any more. $35k has to be close for a new low-water mark on the E46 M3. Dodgy colour (I personally don't mind it), and it sounds like it has had a thorough (and expensive) service history ... but may have been thrashed. At least it is NZ new too... I dunno - $35k is a lot more than $20kish

Maybe so, but I don't buy the argument that hubcentric rings mean the hub is taking the weight rather than the bolts and their conical seats - most hub rings are plastic. There is no way they - or 5mm thick alloy - is doing the job of supporting the 400-500kg (on a 5 series) over each of the front wheels. I do believe they make it easy to centre the wheel on the hub though. (edit - bolts not studs)

It occurs to me that it might not be an M30 - I haven't spent much time looking at M30s, but isn't the oil cap at the wrong end for an M30?

This just showed up on Trademe: http://www.trademe.co.nz/Trade-Me-Motors/C...n-171910623.htm Km getting up a bit, but good price ($19.5k asking), an Evo, hawt wheels...

Hubcentric-ish (I had this discussion on the weekend and there was speculation that it could just be that it helps to have the hubs locate so you can put the stupid wheel bolts in - studs rule, bolts suck). I dunno - my 2002 hasn't got them, but I'm sure someone will chime in to say it took their car from feeling horrible to awesome. Either way, you only need plastic. It's only for a WOF - if non-hubcentric is ok for a 350hp 1.35 tonne Rover for racing, its probably ok for you. Size is 57.1 - I measured. You can certainly get them in the USA (for less than NZ$20 - edit - that's plastic).

It's aluminium - not the easiest thing to learn to weld on (alloy is extremely difficult, as is, I might add, cast iron). Welding either is a specialist job or risky.

Would be a fraction of the cost to get a custom plenum (with a forward mount throttle body) made by chopping up the existing one. You don't need the individual throttle bodies. See pics in Damo's thread: http://www.bimmersport.co.nz/forums/index....c=14509&hl=

They're 24v - not a possibility for you (without spending silly $$$): http://www.bmwmregistry.com/model_faq.php?id=5

I have done a little research on the Ebay manifolds (they look in pics just like the driven one). The M20 one apparently gets in the way of the oil cooler lines on a 325i, but appears to be of pretty good quality otherwise. I can't tell if it would hit on a RHD car but I'd be really surprised if it didnt. It takes up heaps of room. The E36 manifold is for a bottom mount turbo and definitely would definitely hit the steering. It could be modified as a top mount (cut and rewelded with a high flange). I don't know if either could or couldn't be modified to work on an M30. Given you'd need (at a minimum) the exhaust flange, I think it would cost the same for a simple custom manifold like topcats one. It also only just occured to me that the E28 has a steering box (??). That could give you even less room.

Are you CERTAIN those M20 ones fit a RHD car, or even fit at all? I am sure I read a thread on e30tech.com where someone had to modify a similar looking ebay manifold to fit a LHD car (it hit the frame rail and engine mount), which means it would be certain to hit the steering etc. The E36 one is cheap! I wonder if that fits a RHD car? In either case Kym, they would need to be modified to fit an M30 - might be easier to follow Mike's idea.

Just a guess, but no-one here has a left-hand drive 745i.

Unfortunately no E30* came with an M30. If its a cheap chinese manifold it will develop cheap chinese cracks (apparently). It also may not fit on a RHD car. You need to be careful. * No normal E30 - may have been tuner specials or SA specials.

That's what it is for me - Welcome Home (Sanitarium) by Metallica.

Slightly under 10l/100km on the open road driving normally, towards 14l/100km driving around town, and overall average 12l/100km (in the overall I'm probably 50:50 town & traffic / motorway & open road. He shouldn't buy it for fuel economy. It's not terrible (for a 3.2 litre engine making over 300hp), but it's not great.

I paid $21k for mine 4 months ago, but it needed a couple of things which were factored into the price (ie, due a service, front tyres, front CA bushings), so equivalent of $22-23k. I reckon its worth a bit less now - gas isn't cheap. Also, mine's a 4 door, but lower km (110km when I bought it). I think $20k is a good price for an M3 Evo with those km as long as it gets a close to 100% clean bill of health from a pre-purchase inspection. But then again, I have one and might be biased. Colour's a bit out there (not that I can talk), and I don't like the wheels personally.

Idle hunting could be vacuum leaks - look for cracked rubber pipes (yes on all of the 2 million pipes snaking around the motor). The spongy brakes could be deteriorated flexi lines - on JiB's car the brakes were crap until we replaced the buggered lines - one was visibly bulging under the strain of being used... The engine sounds a little ... unhealthy. I have a self-serving solution - give JiB a PM and buy his 323i engine for $100 (and get it out of my garage): http://www.bimmersport.co.nz/forums/index....showtopic=17365 Someone else can give you an opinion as to whether it is a straight swap or not, but I'll assume yes since it comes with the ECU. The engine has a couple of broken vac hoses, the same problem with the oil switch, and needs at least a valve adjust ... but hey its a 2.3 and its $100.

My M3 is a sedan, and people are usually surprised to find out it is an M3 - the assumption is its just a badge and kit. Suits me fine.

Certainly, but I reckon you don't have much chance unless they're desperate. I dunno if it has two airbags. Mine does, but it looks like that doesn't have a passenger airbag - I can't really see in the pic. Check out www.bmwmregistry.com for heaps of info on them - it's a Euro spec: http://www.bmwmregistry.com/model_faq.php?id=14

I have a 323i one kicking around. Its in MPH

M3 has another 1000rpm ... and its all more powa! That silver car looks pretty nice. In my opinion thw seller would need to accept a grand or two less than $20k, with towards $20k justified by relatively low km, good condition and NZ new.

It can be done - these ones have 220/240hp M10 engines: http://www.race-cars.com/carsales/crossle/...186041366ss.htm http://www.race-cars.com/carsold/chevron/b6dbe8/b6dbe8ss.htm Just don't expect it to be cheap or last long!

That'll be $100 (plus) per horsepower, thanks very much.

Oh those guys - I wondered if they are any good. I've seen the website: http://www.brugar.co.nz/