nath

Edit: Went in to mechanic today, apparently the steering has next to no play in it. Totally confused, so went and got new front tyres put on and on the short drive home the shakes seem to have almost gone, theres still something there but no longer through the wheel. I'm thinking rear tyre flat spots for that maybe. Also will take the front brakes apart and clean/ lube them up. One caliper feels like it may be a bit seized. Rollercoaster

Cheers guys, very implementable advice. Thinking about the reality of it, (i'm an Engineer not a mechanic!) I guess that if there is play with only one wheel off the ground, then the rods can be expected to be bad . Fingers crossed. nathan

E30 318i 138,000km NZ new 1986 I've just had the control arm bushes replaced as they were shagged, the shimmy is less bad but definitely still there. Jacked the car up tonight and there is a grand old amount of play in each front wheel when manipulating each at the 9 and 3 o'clock positions. The tie rod end at the wheel seems fine, I cannot feel play in it. I can see the rubber rack-end boot moving as I jiggle, so the play is at that end. The power steering rack does not leak at all The steering wheel has no discernible play in it (but clearly it should, so forget I said that) I only jacked one side up at a time, that is how I found the play. Each wheel jiggles independently of the other, does this suggest tie rods? What is the test for bad rack vs bad inner rod ends? The car's handling and steering is remarkably tight for a standard E30. Does anyone have any of what I need? Cheers kids

65's are faster than everything arent they? Dearer than everything also. I like the sound of the Tq figure, I love the styling of that shape coupe, just dont like the engine and electrical complexity for down the track :S

How did it go? I had mine yesterday and I got 300,000 for a question that sam got 900 for. whoops. Balls up of an exam

The LandCruiser 24 valve diesel was wicked. The next V8 had probs but has since been sorted... Unsure about the smaller diesels

They arent too great in photos, but in person when one is parked on the street next to all the other cars; they are low, slender, V8 and quick. Theres a black one that I see around with dark gold BBS LM's and it looks a million bucks.

If you are genuine in your complaint and you don't throw the car around every corner that comes your way or enjoy losing traction then go back to the supplier. If they have a legitimate case to brush you away with, go straight to the manufacturer. They don't lose anything as suppliers always happily take product back so as to not upset the relationship over something of low big picture cost. Consumer guarantees act tells us that something ought to last a good product lifetime. If while proving km's travelled etc the cracks that your tires have can be deemed genuinely unsafe or defective, you have all the case you need surely? Unless there is legislation excluding such things as tyres.

No no, surprisingly Beacham are NZ. Masters at restoration and classic modification

So it was exported, and now it is being imported back? Nice car, great price! We have a daimler 250 Which has the V8 rumble just not the go of a 3.8/ 3.4

I basically threatened him when he bought it off me

I'm not up to speed with suspension part names, Part 5

Hi guys My E30 definitely needs new control arm rear bushes, (is that the correct description?) are the ones that litter trademe better value, or am I up for the same price for whatever other brand bushes that a mechanic will order? This is a fix on a budget, as I'm not interested in pouring money into this car like I did my last E30. After 7 E30s I am getting tired.

People's shipping charges are sometimes unusual.... From my mother's business a package of reasonable size (easily a flaming gasket set) can be sent nationwide for 10 bucks with fastways (I think those are the tickets, we have a few couriers).

I've only seen one, it's in auckland for sale every now and then. Dark blue. Sounds insane. throaty, raspy, whiney, all of the above! actually considering it is a BMW forum, I will say that the Vantage, the E34 B10 Alpina, the Maserati gran turismo and a lambo diablo are so far the best sounds I have ever heard downtown. Maserati was probably the best.

No these were the top model Aston, with the XK sibling DB7 being the lower range car. The Vantage was probably discontinued before the DB7, as the Vantage had been around for longer in Virage form. The Virage and Vantage had the classic 5.3 aston V8.

The V12 was at least appropriate in that it was the up- spec 6 cylinder. Ford did manage to make it a more well known company (if being well known to 12 year olds matters) by making their cars similarly priced to top spec BMWs and the like. Incidentally, when I was growing up, a neighbour and friend of mum's turned out to be David Brown's daughter, which no one knew until she died!

Now THAT is a real Vantage. Why did they muck around with the nomenclature and call their pissiest model after that a Vantage?? And then call the top model the DBS? 'used to be the other way around.

Toyota Avensis. Safe, wont break down, and isn't an old euro trying to be 'flash'.

The only thing that shows through the hole is that tab if I recall rightly.

That transmission feature is a pain. An S4 audi I had was like that, and was always sluggish when I felt like a sudden blast at the traffic lights. If you are getting fuel economy like that; aside from terrible around town driving skills, there's something wrong with the fuel mixture controls. It won't be carbon build up, wheel weight, wrong fuel or any such trivial things. It will be something that has a more direct relation to fuel than that. Bad airflow meter, seriously bad injectors or other mucky old sensors whichever ones it has.

Not bad eh! I think that most Quattros are NZ new, unsure of how many would be 20vT though....

How is dudlee?

I definitely paid less than that for new rear cylinders on my old 1985 318i

I love this shot, really nice detail image of sports cars of that era