ssbmw
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Everything posted by ssbmw
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Jooles you should drop a line to Alan Ferguson- he may be interested in adding number 11 E31 to the collection!
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I'd like to know how much that beast is putting out.....
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For me personally, I drove 3 examples of 4.0 liter 840ci autos previously and every time walked away feeling underwhelmed -sad considering I had dreamt about owning a 8 since I was young in 1990. However, when I test drove my 4.4 manual I felt it was very different and a lot more fun. Definitely felt quicker. Not sure why BMW seemed to think that autos were the way to go for the E31- they do feel rather nice with a manual gear-box.
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We'll the Australian market has always been like that. They were extremely rare in Australia in the first place and they are highly sought after. Somehow I don't think many in NZ would appear for around 40k though. It would have to be a fairly high k example. By the way, I understand that the car depicted here that Alan owns was an ex BMW UK press car. The same one that Jeremy Clarkson waxes about on Top gear. By the way, I do have some intriguing market intel. Australia had over 100 4.0 840's delivered new. Then 52 4.4 840's. All were given the automatic gear-box. Nz had 17 4.0 liter 840's delivered. 5 with 6 speed manual gear boxes. We in turn had 3 4.4's delivered. One in manual. Bizarre - don't you think that Oz all got auto's and 30% of our NZ new cars were given 6 speed manuals? Mate I'd love to be involved in a drive. I am not going to home for the 25 year anniversary gig t Hampton Downs. Will be home around Xmas. Maybe we can catch up around then for a drive?
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By the way, talking of 850csi's, one of the 3 that were delivered to Australia new came up for sale recently. $100k AUD.
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Very jealous Jooles. Sounds like a great day. Many years ago we had a convoy of v8 powered E31's head out to Raglan for a day. I really enjoyed that. Everyone has their own opinions but I personally think the t-stars (despite being 17's) look dwarfed on the e31. To me, your wheels look superior. However, when the time comes around it will be a great idea to add that front spoiler. As you say, it really modernizes the look and gives it more of an aggressive profile. The old E31's that left the factory sans body kit that sat on those naff looking 16" cross spokes look vastly different to the vehicles equipped with the M tech csi body kit with m mirrors. Poles apart. Your car is looking great. Keep chipping away at it. I am obviously biased but I look at those photos and it reminds me of how beautiful the 8 series is. A one of a kind BMW which still impresses with its looks 25 years later after it was launched.
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Hi Jooles, Normally a bit skeptical of boot spoilers on what I perceive to be a nice posterior on a BMW coupe. I have seen some shockers that I believe detract from the lovely lines of the E31. However this is extremely subtle. Looks good. Any luck securing a CSI body kit?
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I am surprised this car hasn't been mentioned here earlier. I have been watching this advert for awhile and intrigued by what the market determines the vehicle is worth. One of my closest friends recently sold his 2002, NZ new face lifted example (with ultimate spec's) with identical colour combination ( including the 2 tone blue /black leather ). With only 20,000 kms more (180,000), my buddy 's car was sold for around 23k. It had an immaculate service history and was in excellent condition too. It was never marketed in any public forum and was sold to another friend of mine. Could he have got more? Most likely. However he wanted a quick sale as he is migrating. Not sure that in comparison this car has anything more to offer apart from the aforementioned slightly lower mileage and 'take it or leave it' ACS cosmetics. Worth another $20k? I doubt it. Where should it be priced - who knows? $30k-Ono?? That said, I truly believe that there are hard core enthusiasts out there who are prepared to pay premium for a very low k, show-room standard example of the last of the naturally aspirated, manual right hand drive m5's. I suspect people would indeed pay $40k for such a car.
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I live in Singapore - there are nearly 100 Aventadors that live here in a country barely bigger than the size of Lake Taupo. Bizarre but true.
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I recall the history on this car. Gerry had about $65k on this car when TMBMW were selling it on behalf all those years ago. It got snapped up by a guy who hardly drove it but popped it mark on the market a year or 2 later for around $30k. The current owner enquired about the car on this very site - and i recall, myself, and a few other people provided some information / history on the car. The current owner has a car museum / collection in the Wairarapa from memory. However, within a little while it appeared for sale again for around $60k and has been for sale intermittently ever since. I remember the car from the mid noughties and it was striking. No doubt it is still in pristine condition. However, I personally believe that you'd struggle to find a buyer at that level in NZ these days.No doubt there are people wanting one- however look at what other M-power options are out there in 2014 at that sort of price (and no doubt a lot more practical ).
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You know it's interesting when you look at comparisons. My old m635csi put out 286bhp. With the M88/3 the engine was lethargic until you hit 4500 rpm and then it went mental. My one was pretty quick and you'd feel the push into your seat. Upon driving a 540is the performance was so different - ample torque down low. When I got the e31 I believed that both the m6 and 540is were quicker. In reality, I have the opportunity to do some testing on rural Waikato roads and the 4.4 840ci 6 speed is marginally quicker than the 540 manual. This was backed up by a close friend. A E34 M5 however, maybe a smidgen quicker than the E31 - but in reality not by much. Driving all of them-you find that they all perform fairly similarly when it comes to overall performance. The E31 is by many unfairly maligned as a lethargic boulevard cruiser. It is not a M3 but the performance is deceptively quick.
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Hi Jules, good luck with your project man. Looking good. What are your current wheels like in the flesh? As I have probably said before - I am a fan of the m parallels. They rock. They are the only wheels I would have if I didn't have my factory Style 5's. Are they genuine? If so, wouldn't it be better to just restore them to better than new condition?
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I have not seen it but a reliable source has told me that there is a sub-20,000 k e34 m5 living somewhere in nz! Not bad considering nearly all of the e34 m5 these days in Nz have 200k plus on their engines.
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Jules I personally love the M parallels. Are yours staggered? I think they are the best wheel on both the E31 and e34 as they tastefully fill up the arches.
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Hi Julian, Congrats man! Being a e31 owner, happy for you to join the club. Guess what? I know your car! I recall it was for sale in Auckland- circa 2008. It was hell red back then and had the unusual pipes. About 6 months later I saw it again (now painted black). Spoke to the owner who said he lived overseas a lot who bought it on a whim and decided he wanted it in black. He lived less than a km from my house in Hamilton. The bizarre thing was at the time there were 3 black 850's and 2 840ci's all living within blocks of each other in Hamilton ! good luck on your future plans! I have seen a few of these engines powering e31's in both the US and the UK. It will be interesting to see how your project eventually fares against a factory 850csi. Keen to know what springs you intend to get.
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By the way if you go to the M registry pretty sure it's on there - depicted with its turbines.
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I know the family who brought this car in from SA. I saw it in 2000 when it had around 100,000ks on the clock. It was immaculate. Not too many examples with the original turbine wheels. It was then sold to an accountant called Graham Peddler in Hawkes bay who drove it heavily and within a few years brought it up to 200 plus k's. Then another guy bought it in Hb and didn't drive it much and now sold to you- correct? Great car! Good luck with the sale.
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That's the one - my memory didn't fail me. I have heard that if the AHK (4 wheel steering) function fails it is a 20k plus repair on a 850csi. I wonder whether that was also an issue with this vehicle. The US spec 850csi didn't evidently come standard with AHK. Irrespective I still think it is a beautiful car in that colour. Hope to see it restored to its former glory one day.
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Wasn't the guy who brought in the Technoviolet / Daytona violet 850csi ( can't remember which one) that is coated with rust a member here? I remember he was quite young and was waxing lyrical about this exciting new car he was importing. He was on Bimmersport regularly 6-7 years ago. There were photos of the car when it came in. Then he sort of went quiet. I recall seeing the car in BM workshop in Botany. Looked a little tired but must have been a beautiful car during its halcyon days.
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Ah yes the silver 850csi is owned by Peter Farmiloe. That car was discussed 5-6 years ago on this site when Glenn's customer brought it in for some work. Had 18000 ks on the clock then. Yes Alan has a dakar yellow acs 850csi, a pinky purple 99' 840ci sport et al. The crown jewel is that re-built alpina. Super rare.
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Yes I have heard of Alan Ferguson's collection but not seen any yet as they are fairly recent to NZ, and l live overseas. Must be a very passionate man. He bought a few from a guy called Peter Rice from the Uk who had e31's in both Canada and England. Anecdotally, Alan owns 8 e31's. Very cool!
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It was an auto. There were 850is with 6 speed manuals but not aware of any in NZ.
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Actually Milan I know the guy who owned Gerry's car in the tron ( as he lived 200m from my house). He certainly didn't let that car go anywhere! In reality he bought it with about 49,000 k''s and sold it with only a few hundred more 2 odd years later. When he had it it was like new - only driven every few months for a few k's. He had it on the market for along time for 50k. Not surprisingly at that price he didn't have any serious offers. Finally he told me that in April 2009 he had someone interested. Apparently the guy turned up with some big "minders" and offered him $43k that came in a suitcase - in $50 notes! Like a movie! He accepted the offer. So the car now lives in Auckland. I have not seen it in the flesh since. However a mate of mine took a photo of it a few years ago - and boy it looked like it needed some love. Had a Mitsubishi Gto rear spoiler sitting on the boot. Wheels were covered in brake dust. The car that was being used by a lady of the night was another e31 - a black English 850i that lived 300m away for my house ( in actual fact in 2009 there were 5 e31's in the same area in Hamilton). That was the hooker's car - not Gerry's old red one!
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I just remembered another nice m62 - powered e31. It lives in Auckland. Sent you a pm about it.
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Hi Jeff, I didn't know about the orient blue 4.4 but I figured they had to be around. That makes it 5 4.4's I know of. I know Carl the owner of the Tobago blue 840. I can see whether he still has it. Think he wanted 23k last time he marketed it. As for the total build for the 840's - there were 900 odd made in rhd drive auto with the 4.0 engine. However 54 6 speed manuals. With the 4.4 however, there were 1400 odd autos, and three 6 speed manuals in right hand drive. I bet the car you saw for 50k was Gerry hodges's old 4.0 manual. Sold in April 2009 for 43k ( it had 50,000ks on the clock back then). Funnily enough I bought mine in January of that year. At the time my car had clocked 48,000 ks ( now got 53,000). They are the only red manuals that have been marketed in recent years. Both uncannily similar in appearance with black leather ( mind you Gerry's car had BBS LM 18 wheels - mine has the factory Style 5's).
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