Apex

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2bLqnFKUYok&feature=youtu.be Have you got the sound clip for the 335i? I love the spool.

Just finish the bloddy thing, its only a couple of days work.

Nope, it had an OEM open diff... I think the heavy weight, narrow tyres and fact I was trowing it hard just kept it sideways through inertia, its easy on Taupo. You can drift anything if you turn in hard enough at speed and keep your foot up it, I have had people look for a diff in the back of my FWD rally after opposite locking most of the track and drifting near the entire last sweeper at Hampton downs. Made my passenger go poo pants.

I have sky and didn't watch any of it.. like a boss. Watched the Billy T omnibus instead, was way better! Also drove 900km this weekend and overtook 23,000 Holdens.

Option 4 is actually the english translation for Direkt-Schalt-Getriebe or DSG as found on VW's, Audi's etc. Its just my opinion, not a fan of automated manuals or even Automatics TBH. If SMG was any good BMW would not have given up on it.

Ha, just dawned on me that I only needed x4 also, would be expensive at x8 or 12! haha

To be practical. Just like a BMW, you just need to find a good one that has been looked after. The Mk5 is an old car now and there will be a string of failures over the time you own it, expect 800-1200 a year in proper maintenance if the car has near 100,000km. Account for major service costs above $3,000. I would say if its for the missus and not an enthusiast car go Japanese or Korean if you can, the VW or any euro is going to cost you good money to maintain properly in NZ and if its a car you have no passion for this will grow tiresome very quickly.

Good point, seems BMW NZ thinks we all want automatic. When I went to test drive the M135i I asked for a manual car and I was told that all local stock are automatic and manual is "special order" he then went on to tell me I didn't want a manual and brushed the idea aside as if was no big deal. I hear that BMW are doing a special M4 next year to coincide with 100 years of BMW, that may be the one to look out for.

How much are new BMW ones? I just replaced mine for the race car and it was bugger all more than what it costs to have them cleaned!

Just get a E39 M5 and be done with it. Or a E30 M3. Personally. Maunal > Walking > Automatic > crawling through glass with cock out > SMG

Those wheels look way better IMHO. Spotted your car on Facebook didn't recognize your car, you must be mates with Jay! +1 on the colour, my car is the same grey and apart from silver it has to be the best colour I have had, it looks good even after a week of driving yet still looks nice when waxed up.

Welcome Stu. Cool car!

Welcome. Forget the 320i. What you want is a E39 M5 or a E30 M3. Good luck finding a car, as stated just get out and test drive, its a buyers market!

Any E34 with a Motorsport kit was optioned/ordered that way, there was no factory built M540i (other than america) like there was the M535i. The IS was run of cars optioned in a certain way at the end of the E34's production run, 1994 and 1995, its not a factory recognized model or special edition. There are a few threads on here with more specific information from people who know more about them than I do, I remember the advertisements for them when they were new and I have driven a couple over the years but that's about it.

Not really. The 540is was a NZ/AUS only model and different spec to the North American M540i that we never got down under, the Americans received the M540i as an alternative to the M5, it had all the M5 fruit minus the engine. Our 540is was mechanically identical to a regular 540i only with a Manual transmission.

Nice vid, some mean cars in that series, that Corvette is sexy!

Spotted this f**king beast of a car at Rally Wairarapa on the weekend.

Hot topic. It was a reasonable price for what looked like a mint 540i, and at least it had a LSD fitted unlike the factory cars with the open diff. Does seem like a lot of mucking around with the tags and reg etc.

NZ assembled SS, these cars have fantastic local history and were proper fast, faster than the Ausi version. http://www.trademe.co.nz/motors/used-cars/holden/commodore/auction-628554744.htm

So in a way you owned the first ever BMW motor car Glenn?

Some real talent around here!

Cheers, Went down the other way down, the drive from Taupo to Napier is mind numbingly boring... as we found on the way back, took the 50 after Norswood and that was a nice road though. Best section of the drive down: http://goo.gl/maps/DBBSy Joy of driving right there, great country road followed with a gorge. Andy was not wrong about Masterton, it sure has an interesting vibe. Best of all we won our class.

X3, with a manual and the M Package... But would actually rather a E36 M3 for that money.

Yep, our first attempt at Wairarapa.

Ha, well you clearly aren't a rally driver! There is a f**king E34 entered in the event though, a E34 Rally car on gravel tyres ripping it up can only be a good thing!