aja540i

Unfortunately it is well known that if you don't do preventative maintenance on the S85 it will destroy the rod bearings, waiting until they NEED doing means you are up for a new crank as well!! I did mine at 150k and they were truly on their last legs.but for me it was money well spent for peace of mind and potential resale value if I ever sell it, which I won't, because M5 touring!! ?

I spent 7k all up including a few extras, BMW quoted me 5k, I doubt you could DIY it for less than 3k by the time you get timing tools etc, and that's if you don't find any surprises in there.

Seems to mee like "no, not in my ownership" is a reasonable answer to those questions. What more do people want?

Also, worst possible air filter placement!

Really says something when a BMW owner unloads a car for having too many issues!

That can be saved, have you got any photos of the back? I have 2 E21s and had a Honda city turbo so that doesn't look too bad to me!!

The simple reality is that even a worn out Leaf has fewer maintenance requirements than even the most reliable ICE car. When I say worn out I am purely referring to battery state of health, which is much easier to check than internal combustion engine state of health! Your $8k Corolla over 200,000 km will require possibly 20 oil changes, that's 20 more than a Leaf, plus spark plugs, coils, a starter motor and/or alternator, fuel and air filters etc, none of which a Leaf has. Real world range is a separate issue and one that each potential owner needs to research and compare with their requirements, mine is about 120km, slightly less if the a/c is on, which is perfect for the driving I do. The headlights don't affect the range in an EV any more than they do in an ICE car! I also think it's a bit .laughable to assume the government won't tax petrol further, or that the cost won't continue to rise for other reasons. I am not sitting on my high horse saying everyone should drive an EV , I don't believe that, but people who are in the market that they are who just dismiss them without a thought are missing an opportunity.

Seriously, you won't get a more reliable 10k car now than a Leaf, be wary there are some worn out ones in that price range, but some good ones as well. An EV might not suit the driving they are doing but they would be missing an opportunity if they don't at least consider it.

Leaf.

They still could have done that without reviving the Alpine name.

I don't get this fascination with reviving dead brand names. I don't have any issue with the likes of MG, Riley, Rover etc, but they failed. Why would a successful brand like BMW want to trade on the name of a failed car company? I can understand why a new Chinese company with no heritage would want to buy a previously respected brand and use it on their vehicles but who is walking around a BMW dealership thinking "if only it had a riley badge on it".

Are you using a surge tank?

Finally finished fitting all new suspension arms to the front of the M5, took it on the motorway for a test run, had a mild panic attack, went home, tightened the wheel bolts properly, went for another test run, all good!

I got mine from a wrecked sedan at SD European, genuine Westfalia /BMW bar, bolted straight up to the wagon, top tip, try and get one with the key for removable swan neck, mine didn't and it was a bit of a hassle to sort, also get the wiring module, I have the installation instructions from BMW if you need them.

have gone for lemforder complete arms this time around as the ball joints were getting a bit worn as well, have been thinking about monoball replacements for next time but im not sure yet.

PU has compressed to the point that there is now a gap either side of the steel sleeve, i can move the arms 3-4mm just by pushing / pulling them by hand!

Bit pissed off to see that the Powerflex bushes I put in the front control arms of the M5 have shat themselves after about a year and 5000 km, guess I won't be buying any more Powerflex bushes ever again!

It's an X7 with a nicer grille isn't it? ?

Can you choose a Jetsons flying car noise? because i would.

I am in 2 minds about this, I love the sound of my V10, but I also love the silence of my EV, I think it stems from the knowledge that noise is wasted energy and I'm not a huge fan of wasting energy (particularly energy I have paid for) in an ideal world it would be optional to have a soundtrack in an EV but I am just as happy with a good stereo and silent drivetrain.

I would expect that most manufacturers will be working on "high performance" EVs now or in the very near future, they just make more sense! We have reached the point of diminishing returns with IC engines and electric powertrains are a much more promising investment. Also, my Leaf is nothing special but i have owned it for 2 years and nearly 20,000 km now and have spent exactly zero dollars on maintenance!! I am sure that BMW will come up with a way of getting money out of EV owners going forward though!!

Not as bad as the new civic type r though!! I think they covered it in glue and drove it through an aftermarket stick on sh1t factory.

Just take note of the fine print, when the courier realises its bigger or heavier than you paid for they charge the extra to your trade me account.

I've got a spare M10 and 4 speed I could drop straight in that!! ?

I bet if they had dialled the original back to 600 hp it would have lasted that long too! Honestly, it doesn't seem like much of an accomplishment for a company that started as an engine builder.