TDP

Best thread EVAH! I am very interested to hear how that front end works out for you. Are you still using the original sub-frame and steering rack but with modified hub-carriers and custom control arms? I'm curious also about steering weight with wider tyres fitted?

M5 E39 would be a beautiful dream, one that my bank account laughs at with sadistic pleasure.

That black one is such a tease. It comes up under my 'transmission: Manual' search. I had all but booked the tickets to Christchurch before the photos tipped me off. Turns out 'steptronic' refers to an automatic transmission and not some sweet, electronically assisted, dance moves. Do these things ever pop up in actual manual?

Ah. I see. Cheers for the heads up. That sets me off on a whole different 'hidden costs' tangent.

I'm pondering an E36. This one has many appealing features. What do I need to be looking for though if I want one with an LSD? M spec?

At a rough estimate I would say that this car is approximately 1 billion times better looking than the abortion that it is replacing. I can safely say that the E60 never grew on me (possibly because I practise decent personal hygiene), but I find this new 5 series reasonably appealing. I am sure the management at BMW will be pleased to learn of this endorsement and I give permission for them to use it in any future advertising.

This is true. I think I can still remember every word to every song on Soul Asylum's Gravedancer's Union album. CD's were expensive when I first started buying them as a kid, so I think I tended to treasure them more. And you're right, there's something quite enjoyable about sitting on the floor, poking through your collection, finding forgotten albums and the forgotten memories that go with them. I do NOT experience this whilst trying to organise my itunes.

I still do (Bat for Lashes & The Big Pink just last week) but I am a bit of a magpie and I like having shiny things, things I can hold, things that won't be lost forever if my itunes sh1ts itslef again. Also, aside from buying music because I like it, I think for a while there, before the ready availability, or legitamacy, of downloads, I had managed to delude myself that the Ladies (Hullo Ladies, would youse Sheilas like a drunk?') would be impressed by a bookcase overfilled with tastefully selected albums. I have never received any indication whatsoever that this was the case, but the collecting habit has stayed with me.

I'm hoping to shortly. I've ordered a big brake kit and as soon as I source some rotors and zsome wheels to cover them my existing ones will become surplus.

Tail lights? $?

Saw Muse the last time they played the BDO and they were spectacular, however, my pick of the day for that day was Kasabian. And they're coming back. And they've got a new album to play. Them, Muse and The Mars Volta might almost tempt me out of my 'no more BDOs' resolution.

Welcome! My first bike was a Spada. They're neat little machines. Sounds like your car is going to be... interesting.

How much of a hurry are you in? I'm sidling ever closer to needing 15"s and will therefore have a set of 323i 13" factory alloys which I will no longer have a use for. Could take a couple of months though before they become surplus...

Speaking of typos... Ad claims an engine capacity of 3.0L?

Did not think of that. My E21 is running an M20b25 and all the plumbing was there from the k-jet debacle, but were the M10s carbed? That makes sense... Dammit! Even more work I'd have to do.