nath

I used to help out in my mother's menswear store. Something that I learned was That the most common size was around 97/38/xl in trousers and shorts, so she stocked the most of them. This meant that there was good choice for everyone in that range and they always found something they liked. This customer is less picky than the smaller customer. The smallest size 30,32/82/S was a tiny market comparatively, and there was only reason to stock a small number, or often none. The small customer would come in, be unimpressed with the much smaller selection than other sizes, not find anything he liked and leave with some smart remark. We are then stuck with a few items that aren't being bought and are staying on the rack getting old. Without the gift of telepathy as to what styles to order in the small sizes in advance, it's not viable to offer that customer the same range as higher volumes. For every 1 small sold, I'd say 3 went on heavy reduction sales often 70% disc. Our smalls didn't break even. We generally say if you really want it, order it and we will get it for you. They still don't. What i'm suggesting is that perhaps the elusive manual transmission customer is a little/ lot the same? Stock a manual, and the customer walks away as he didn't have the yard option of colour, or seats, nav, etc.

So the car was scanned all over today and usual fluids etc done. Myriad accessory related faults in history, yet no real engine ones. Crazy. Battery tests fine. All cleared and he's sure it will happen again soon so will take it back to get scanned at that stage.

Err.. dad came down to Auckland for the weekend from Kerikeri and on the way back up the car shut down and would not start (for about 30 min each time) 3 times. He's booked it into the local agent for self preservation reasons! Thanks anyway Glenn

^ Well said. We don't just pay for that single item in our hand to come into existence. We pay for the ability of that business to continue to provide reliable service to us, for the assurance that there will be more available when needed, for the ability of any part supplier at all to remain viable in NZ.

That'd be the cheapest 3 series surely? Arent the diesels same price as petroils now

I have my 1983 E30 insured with AA I think for $115

Neat car and nice colour! Fold down seats would reflect the 'kiwi DIY' attitude for the market I think. In USA/ EUR I reckon there's more of a culture of 'have it delivered' or 'get a man in to do it' where we aren't seen as lowly by doing it ourselves. Hence we find it properly handy to have a load- lugging sedan on occasion.

Great thanks Glenn, I actually work in East Tamaki so you arent exactly out of the way for me these days. I'll see if I can car swap and get it in at some stage, you'll die when you see what is likely due on it :S Cheers

My father's Merc W211 is getting on now, it is a 2006 or 7 model and I'd say dealer servicing is too steep for the car's value now. So far as diagnostics and clearing service reminders, accessing proprietry systems etc, does this have to be on the Star Machine at a dealer or can independents do this? I remember when the brakes needed doing it had to be on the Star Machine. Anywhere best for this in Auckland? Cheers

Is that the one that has or had old X5 rims? I think I remember it at JCBMW in 2005. Oh hang on no it may have been an ix

They look like a 5/7 series wheel?

There are some here both e32 and e38 nz new

Change the title and badge on car to 525i, people have discounted the whole advert just by seeing the 520i title i'd say

looking at your current cars, surely the obv choice is a 2.3-16?

Picked up buffer off boat and dragged out my 3M polishes ready to attack the Audi to make her presentable for Bastion Point on Sunday. Truth be told I am mostly looking forward to the view and dragging a nice coffee along. Usual Audi- centric post, but VASK is a piece of sh*t forum and I'm loyal to BS.

Audi S2 sedan

Get a WOF elsewhere and just fork out the extra wof money. VTNZ are notorious for failing cars on rear imbalance, having owners get it all fixed and still failing.

M-Tech 1 m325i to keep forever. Won't take up too much storage space, or have electrics bite you in the arse after sit. My henna 1983 E30 I plan on keeping forever, as I am the second owner and bought it off a friend so may as well keep the theme going. 'Have a feeling my 6 speed urS6 I may keep forever too as she is pretty rare in NZ, and much like a 3.6 M5 isn't worth a whole lot so no great gains in selling. I'm lucky for storage space to mothball cars though if needed so maybe it';s not so easy for everyone to keep a car forever.

There are too many witchcrafty-requirements to do it yourself really. Angle as said above, filling temp within an exact range, fitting to fill it with, getting fluid all over self and fiddling with the horrible little bolts that hold the pan up, also the fact that usually 2/3 of the fluid stay in the car.... Probbaly more problems than that even. Will be 250-300 to get it flushed and is well worth it. Fat man on couch vs. broken ankle is a perfect analogy, and anyway you'd have to have a metal ants nest very lightly attached to the smallest fluid passages in there for flushing to 'do damage'. All they do is flow fluid through just like everyday driving, except new fluid this time!

Mint red E34 sedan going from Devonport to Takapuna today. 6 seed 540 perhaps? E plate

The black trim into that 1 series looks fantsatic, well done! Gives it that mod BMW-Individual look. How durable will the wrap be on trim? Nonetheless people must remember that woodgrain certainly has its place and isn't vermin to be rid of. Not everyone enjoys a car with a soul-less interior which lacks depth and character (proxy to the same of the owner??).

I drove when new, a customer's brown V10 M5 sedan in manual, 2005

Very nice! Also love the window sticker, I need one for my Orange Peril

E34 Alpina plate "I B10 I" ex-PISH at BMWorkshop Ti Rakau Dr just now. As ever, WOW

They tend to be rusty underneath... most of them. I'm way overdue to pick up one from Ray too, among other things which have taken the backburner after long and interesting dealings with the guy 'touching up' my car's paint (sorry Ray!)