E30 325i Rag-Top

Even though it may look like a mess at the moment, and needs a lot of work, it will definately be sex on wheels again! Form is temporary, class is permanent.

I hate to come across as a whinging Pom, but I have noticed that the word "raped" is being used in posts to describe items on a regular basis now. It might be just me, in which case I will shut up and put up, but is this word not completely offensive due to the crime to which it relates? To me personally rape is the worst possible crime, due to it's nature and the effects the victims have to live with for the rest of their lives. To start using this word as an adjective is almost making light of this crime, and de-sensitising people to it. Can we please not use it on these forums? Mods - is this something we can do automatically please?

That's the next step, thought I would ask if anyone had some sitting in their shed needing a new home before contacting Ray.

How about this one...http://www.trademe.co.nz/Browse/Listing.aspx?id=223979784 Coupe, 6-cyl, tidy, not far from Welly, I'll even give it the once over for you if you want... Pretty cheap, add in a manual conversion, some alloys and some of your trick bits and its a winner??

I'm looking for some parts for my mates E36 Motorsport Coupe that he's dinged. It needs: - Right front indicator, clear lens type - The grille surround that extends under the front right headlight (all one piece??) - Motorsport front bumper - Right front inner guard liner Be good if the body kit parts were already in silver, no biggie if not. Apologies if descriptions / titles are not accurate as I'm not overly familiar with the E36 varieties. Please let me know what you have available and how much you are after for them.

Chaps, I have two sets, one ear-marked for Spud and one for Sydwayz. I have been pretty sick recently and haven't had chance to strip them out of the doors, once I have worked out how to get them out I will let you know a price - won't be much, just to cover effort and postage really.

Hey Brent, what history have you got for the car? Have you done much on it? Cheers, JTP.

Seeing as I am both an Engineer by profession and qualification and a manager by occupation I think that is spot on! My favourite quote: "Managing Engineers is like trying to herd cats"

Will the staggered fitment (wider rears) fit under standard arches on all E36 / E46? Or is it M3s only? I have a feeling the Mrs. might be getting an E36 or E46 coupe as her next car !

Nice, nice, nice, pf/l for the chrome everytime.Where were all these decent 325i verts when I was looking to buy before bringing mine out ?

You can NEVER, EVER have too many spares, or projects, or parts to fit, FACT! When I left the UK I had garages full of car bits that I got rid of on eBay, plus bits I brought over with me (which are still in the shipping boxes ). Now with the race car, and the intention of smartening up the 'vert I am collecting parts (and cars at a reasonable rate) now in need of more room, even though I have a double garage, a shed and a big drive. Currently talking to a builder about adding another double garage on the section (why did I let the Mrs talk me out of a lifestyle with loads of sheds??). I have a brand new, Genuine BMW chrome rear bumper end which I bought as it was cheap, but is still in the packing as I don't want to fit it to the car so it gets dirty Buying bits before you get the car is Ok, you have to buy things when they come up, you can never find things at all when you "need" them. Maybe we need to start a support group, HA - Hoarders Annonymous?

Not every car out of the UK is full of rust Plus there are benefits to ex-UK cars, some have higher standard spec and tend to come with more factory extras and the fronts aren't peppered with stone chips from poor roads Good luck with your search, not sure how good an E30 coupe you will get for around 2k, but you might find a little gem. Have you seen this one (not black, but looks quite good nick and standard)... http://www.trademe.co.nz/Browse/Listing.aspx?id=223979784

Is this the home of the Bimmer style police now then? Ok, so you don't like what someone has done, that's up to you, but everyone has the right to do what they like to their car, be it a Toyota, Honda or even a Bimmer.As most people do on TradeMe he is talking up the paint job, but that amount of pearl flake can't have been cheap - shame it was so badly applied! Must have flicked someone's switch, as the car is now listed as sold.

Just having a quick look at the interior of my 'vert and comparing it to the coupe there are q few obvious differences around the back seat area, including those mentioned above. Plus the rear de-mist vents in the parcel shelf which alter the top of the rear seat. Without unbolting it all and trying to put it in the coupe I can't say for sure whether it would fit, I would say yes you can get it in there with a few minor alterations, but there will be gaps and spaces where the vert hood fold away is. So not sure what you would achieve by putting it in, a good coupe interior would prob be a better bet?

A lot of the car clubs in the UK run a "register"" where they keep updated lists of who owns and drives what, can be good for targeting interested members on parts and services, etc. Also helps to keep a track of the number of certain vehicles in the club, I know the BMWCC do have details of what members own and drive, but not sure if it's kept in a listing or database of any sort. If anyone has enough spare time on their hands put me down for 1 in the E30 vert register, one in the E30 race series register, and half a one in the E30 coupe register please

Doh! It was a package that I booked, included hotel, etc. not flights only, so that was why I could pay part and part from what I can see on the web-site, sorry for the mis-information. Most flights are one-way prices anyway, so you can do one out on Airpoints, one back on credit card. Just found out I've got 560 Airpoints dollars, where shall I go this week-end??

I've got both, an ASB VISA, low fees, points on all spend and can redeem at loads of places dead easy, plus can convert over to Air New Zealand dollars if required. And the Global Plus card, no yearly fees on my Air NZ airpoints account (tend to fly Air NZ on business go get the points that way as well) only draw back is I went AMEX to get more points per dollar spend, and loads of places don't take AMEX! When I used some airpoints dollars to book some flights with Air NZ I'm pretty sure you just said how many airpoints dollars you wanted to use then the rest was cash dollars, so you can combine both Ollie? One airpoint dollar = one cash dollar, and can be used on any flights that are available.

I have a complete tow bar, with all the fixing bolts and strengthening plates, plus the 7 pin plug. It is pretty heavy so would cost a bit to get down to you, PM me if you're interested.

You can't even fart or pick your nose in London without it being caught on camera these days, still funny why people think they can drive stolen cars around though ?? Most of the systems over there are fixed cameras, hooked up to central plate processing, the system on the M25 can process 50,000 plates per hour and track them between two fixed points to see if they are speeding, which could in theory produce 50,000 speeding tickets per hour. Whilst also checking to see if any of the plates are stolen vehicles. The easy way around it, is "cloning" another vehicle's identity so all the tickets go to that owner, chances of ever being stopped are minimal! This system looks to be different in that it is mobile, and scans plates as it drives around, guess it links into a central IT system remotely, quite useful stuff. I remember the old days when they radioed in for a "registration and ID check" after asking you "is this your vehicle sir?"

Oh, is that what the H stands for, I always wondered! In that case, Holden must own some shares,No matter what your customer service experience from their dealer, the loss of any major manufacturer in Australasia, let alone such a large one, is a loss of jobs and skills that will never be replaced in the region.

The magnetic dampers were developed by a supplier, and then integrated into the vehicles at a later stage, plus it was with HSV, not Holden. The supplier wanted to work with Holden but they didn't reach agreement. A large amount of new technology is developed by suppliers, not the company with the badge on the bonnet, usually it is a case of who is prepared to take the risk or pay the most for the new technology.Plus the W427 is also a HSV and not a Holden. It may sound pedantic but HSV is 100% independent of Holden as a business entity, even though they basically build-up Holden's car and sell it through the same dealers. Will be very interesting to see the HSV business plan if there is no locally built large car? Holden's engineering was the GM world centre for RWD large platform development, which means all GMs big rear drive cars were developed at least partly by the engineering team in Aussie, including the North American only brands. Without the close ties to GM there is little to interest other car companies in buying Holden, unlike the other local manufacuturers mentioned previously, and adding to the list Opel & Vauxhall being sold to FIAT. Yes GM will survive, with much blood-letting and help, and Holden along with them, but it will be interesting to see if they have learnt any lessons from all this.....

The Austalien govt already subsidise the three ramaining manufacturers with millions of dollars each year. The biggest amounts tend to come from the State Governments, in return for investments in their reqion. That is why the Holden V6 engine plant is in Melbounre Vic., and the Commodore assembly plant is in Adelaide, SA. So every day a fleet of trucks loaded with V6 engines drive down the freeway, madness!Yes, 1 billion dollars was spent on developing the VE Commodore, but that included only an update on the V6 and V8 engines, not a completely new power plant - that would have doubled the whole bill. Due to the increasing complexity, and shorter life span, of modern vehicles, volumes need to be increased to spread the costs over as many car sales as possible. Unfortunately the 2.000 Commodores a month in Aussie and NZ will not pay for such development costs. Yes, Holden will survive as a local manufacturer, the Aussie govt will have to dig deep, but it will be in a much different form. My belief is that they will build a local version of a GM mid-size world car (like the Camry for Toyota built in Melbourne). But the days of local developed Commodores would be gone, and for local suppliers this is likely to mean less parts being supplied, as many would come from the chosen world wide supplier. Not a happy time in the OEM car world!

Sounds like you've got yourslef a good set up there Glenn, shame you aren't a little bit closer to Palmy or I would be using your services frequently. To avoid going of off topic on GM I will start a new thread.

Hmm...Right problem one, I would suggest a bounce of both the client and server. Problem 2, bounce client only. If that doesn't work, suggest they de-frag their hard disk and call back if that doesn't fix it I got pretty geeky at Uni (multi-thread OS/2 programming in 1988) but decided there was no future in it, so concentrated on Manufacturing Systems instead - doh!

It's not just Americans mate, without exports into the USA under the Pontiac brand the whole future of Holden is looking decidedly shaky. And my biggest customer is..... (drum roll)..... HOLDEN! So it's going to come closer to home than you think, and who knows where it will end. Back on topic, good stuff Glenn, its great you can appreciate the improvements already, nothing like coughing up on new IT, all the pain of putting it in, and it gives more problems than it solves. The reason you are probably busier now, is that when people are watching the pennies they start to appreciate good service more, long may it continue.