nath

Looks great man. What do you use the roof racks to carry?

Happy birthday brau

Are you saying that the pattern is a 9 o'clock to 2 o'clock sweep? Isn't that what all RHD E30's have, to not blind oncoming cars? EDIT: I am wrong.

Try the regular tyre shops? I usually get trade- in prices when I get a new car and replace its typically bad tyres, maybe they will still offer you plain money

Raining today?

send it to Stuff

It would be a good idea Sam, although I would think hard about it. As with any site predominantly aimed at younger, easy- come easy go guys, there are always hotheads who speak well before they have facts straight as an arrow and mature communication lines wide open.

The condition is an indicator of it's condition, and if an import and an NZ new car are in the same condition, give me the NZ new one any day. If I think hard about it, it may just be my conditioning. As a kid I was interested in cars, as were my parents (not modifying, just getting the latest model of this or that every now and then) so I paid attention. I had it drilled into me that imports were rubbish. Back in the 90's imports had the stigma of being smokers cars, or having filthy exhausts and strange Japanese writing throughout them. So perhaps just unintended snobbery is what does it?

I agree with Crockett, in that an imported BMW has that after taste of a fake Rolex.... Obviously not exactly as it is still a BMW, but a good way to describe it. When I was first into buying E30s, it was common to buy from the original owner, who would often be a well known Remuera name, Fletcher or Court or such. It was a neat feeling having that quality history, impossible with a Jap' E30 regardless of the absence of tangible value in such knowledge. But I digress. NZ New has more value either way when comparing apples with apples. Be it monetary, saleable, or personal/ intrinsic value.

The viscous fan clutch has peculiar characteristics to test... Have a good read online for how to test one and at what temps. Just because you manage to spin it doesn't mean that it is bad. off- topic: How was elecs?

Haha I love the cameraman's passionate response to what is clearly a piss- take

Is that the 318i a guy from wellington owned? If so I saw you heading for constellation on the weekend

I'm with you on that, tempted to get one from germany

ADL have been recommended to me for my driveshaft, however am too busy/ scared at the moment to head there... I bet this job wont be cheap, nothing is on s cars. Automotive Driveline Ltd 129 Sunnybrae Road Hillcrest, 0627 (09) 444 6313

My old lady has had a 120i, a mk4 mk5 and mk6 golf gti (still has the mk6) and of all them she loved the bmw the most. most comfortable, nicest to drive etc. In saying that, her actual favourite is the 1999 rav4 that she still has :S

Hello Sam, please take your shoes off at the door. This guy's car is immaculate- not a single sign of wear! Someone hook him up with some Tasteful wheels.... it's granitsilber with shadowline so will look wicked on some M- pars or etc

I agree with an earlier post mentioning the difference between strictness of WOF inspectors; this does make it difficult for us sometimes. My dad has a few cars, 2 of them an imported 1999ish Wizard which he uses 90% of the time with about 150km, and the other a 2010ish E250 merc now with about 15km on the clock. The Wizard's shocks are STUFFED. Seriously non functional bouncy ride at the smallest rise in road surface. It passes every warrant. The Merc lives in a barn most of the time not driven, and failed it's last WOF on brakes. Now there's a difference. Maybe improve inspector education and continued development to keep them all as level as possible.

I second that Graham. I'm a weekend car enthusiast and even then, my car just had its WOF check and had a balooning brake hose, most of the stop light LED's dead, tie rod end bad. I wouldnt have seen the brake hose until it ejected all the fluid out and I crashed. Keep WOF's as is.

As above, does anyone happen to know the whereabouts of a 1992-1997 automatic Audi 100/A6 V6 or S4/S6 quattro centre driveshaft? Mine is making excellent shudders etc. They arent servicable with seperate parts, just a whole unit sadly. Cheers, Nathan

Once I bought a crappy one from trademe, then swapped it for the bonnet one on my mums brand new car... She was none the wiser!

My 1.9L 318iS had a STUFFED maf, and did not throw any codes.

Strange, as both the control/spool valve and also the pump are such basic hydraulic devices which should be able to put up with a degree of leak-past before it feels like there is no steering at all.

True, lobes and also actual camshaft radial wear causing play apparently.

Pretty sure it's not the eccentrics wearing that will cause clatter, but the pad on top of the valve. Thus when the feeler gauge is placed between the eccentric surface and the now-concave pad, it will give the clearance between the eccentric and the outer/uppermost limit of pad, as opposed to the eccentric and the inner/lower most depth of the pad. The first method is still nonetheless the correct way to do the clearances and put up with the noise. Inspect the eccentrics, inspect the pads. Also perhaps check the cam followers for wear. EDIT: P.S we read that they are noisy, but the only noise my M10's (essentially a shortened M30) have had when in good tune was a whisper and the click clack of injectors. I replaced the timing chain on one M10 at 125,000km due to an OCD- inducing clatter when warm and it became whisper quiet. 'Was very cheap by getting a master-linked aftermarket chain wound on by a competent mechanic. About $210 including parts. I have a spare, new chain also: simplex M10 fitment, unsure if M30's took the same simplex chain or not. (the diagnostic process on this went over the head of every mechanic I took it to)

Do you slide a screwdriver etc into the blue part and use it to lift out the plug leads?