E30 325i Rag-Top

8 hours ago, 3pedals said:

$400 figure is straight off the NZTA website for exactly the classes of vehicle you refer to - figures depending on axle configuration vary from $370 odd to 400+ a bit. 

That's just for the front end...

Don't forget to add on the bit that's being dragged along behind (or both bits if it's a B-Train)

So as an example a 44 Ton 4-axle Truck and 4-axle trailer combo, would have $401 worth of RUC on the truck AND $238 worth on the trailer for every 1,000kms. So a TOTAL RUC of $639. A few more multiples of the light vehicle RUC, but arguably not enough to account for the wear and tear.

8 hours ago, 3pedals said:

Put your 116on 235/18's and you have a case- but thats not how they come from the factory 

Already on wider tyres than that anyway, so wouldn't want to go go onto thinner pizza slicers. The fact that the whole RUC system doesn't take into account the tyres on the vehicle is a bit of a bug bear as well. However, when you try and factor in all the possible variations for every vehicle that could be covered it gets totally un-feasible. Even having guide tyre pressures for the government fuel efficiency web-site came a cropper when the manufacturers pointed out the huge number of different sizes available ex-factory, let alone after market.

The boat is worth a mention as 1) it is much more likely to be pulled by an X5 than a 116d, 2) that trailer would not be subject to RUC as under 3.5T even though it would be contributing to the road wear.

1 hour ago, balancerider said:

The N57 quad turbo is extraordinary for performance:economy ratio - just wish I got to open the taps on mine a bit more over over the hill!

Fixed that for you ?

The offset number plate still triggers me after all these years. In a country where you don't need a front plate - que bella!

Sssshhh! Keep it on the down low.

15 hours ago, aja540i said:

 It smokes like hell when its cold, nice blue oil smoke, so that will need sorting....

I would look at your CCV to see if it’s the old loo-roll design, or the newer cyclone type, and how clean it all is. 
Sounds like it’s been neglected in terms of servicing, and when that’s all clogged up it dumps a lot of oil from the crankcase into the inlet making for the lovely blue smoke you describe.

More stuffing around...

Wife’s 116d lit up the dash like a Christmas tree, turned out the PDC control unit was sitting in its paddly pool in the boot. 
Water seems to have been coming in around the vent behind the bumper but changed the gaskets behind the rear lights as well just to be sure.

Once there is enough water in the boot it then splashed up around the recess where the module sits, and soaks the module which is not fully sealed.

Fingers crossed this will stop the water coming in and then I can try plugging the module back in (now it’s dried out) to see if anything has been fried.

Hose turned up from the UK for the 330d charge pipe so put that all together and back into the car, fired her up and all seems to be good there now. Can chuck all the plastic covers and stuff back on around the engine and off for a WoF soon.

Hopefully once those two dramas are out of the way I should be able to divert my attention back to the race car..

I think I should have been a juggler as I’ve got so many balls up in the air!

Finally putting stuff back on the car rather than taking it off, turned the corner so to speak... new wider arch on, without setting fire to the fuel system behind - win!!

Also got the correct width shield from an M3 to keep the stones and crap out..

Also got some adjustable rear springs to go in..

On ‎9‎/‎17‎/‎2020 at 1:38 PM, 3pedals said:

I don't get the obsessive negative perception in NZ regards RUC on diesels the rate for a light vehicle is $76/1000km and in Auckland the current fuel prices in our area  are $1.28 for diesel and $2.39 for 98.

No negative obsession here, just part of the calculations if you are making the petrol v diesel comparision (as you have in your calcs).

On ‎9‎/‎17‎/‎2020 at 1:42 PM, 3pedals said:

What really shits me is that a 43 tonne truck only pays around $400 in RUC - you can't tell me that a juggernaut pounding up and down the same road only does the same damage as 5 light vehicles - thats B.S ??? 

That $400 figure seems a bit light to me... but then it's been a while since I looked at HT RUC. To be up around the 43T you would most likely be looking at a truck and trailer combo, or a prime mover and a full trailer, so there would be two lots of RUC to pay, and then there are all the axle groupings, etc. to take into account. However, I do take you point about the comparable wear and tear each would put on the road. I think the on-cost of putting up the price of freight v an increase on personal transport is a big factor there.

The bit that gets my goat is the fact that the lowest band of RUC covers everything in the light category, upto 3.5T, so I pay the same amount of RUC per Km on an E87 116d as an X5 towing a boat, etc. No comparison there in terms of road "usage"

@kalcobmwwhich engine and chassis is it for? I believe there are a couple of variations for the bellhousing and mounting points of the back end of the box.

Nice grey 4-door pre-fl on the Southern Motorway about 7.30 ish.

3 hours ago, Cammsport said:

Did you go with Cigweld through supercheap? 

Yup, seem to be reasonably well made from what I can see and is more than upto my welding abilities.

Running the fluxcored wire at the mo (takes a little bit of getting used to, but again I’m no pro) saves all the stuffing around with gas bottles. Can use gas on other materials if needed at a later date.

Good point, you need to factor in the quality of the bakery / cafe for your stopping point.

Been a long while now but Turangi bakery was excellent (@FIAT131R for the tip) and The Old Copper Kettle In Taumaranui was always good.

That’s a reasonable budget for a hobby welder I would suggest! Should be able to get a pretty good piece of kit for that price I would suggest.

I am more than happy with my little Supercheap Auto MiG that I got for just over $300 when it was on special.

17 hours ago, 3pedals said:

Not sure I could live with the fuel bills of a petrol 1800kg vehicle propelled by a 3 litre NA engine 10 - 13l/100k vs 7.6 for the diesel 

This would be the biggest drawback IMHO, the fuel consumption on the 3.0ltr can be a bit ferocious, especially if you use it for lugging stuff around or towing trailers / boats / etc.

If they are keen on the X3 then I would steer them towards the diesel variants, maybe a bit more expensive but even with RUC it would pay off in the long run I would suggest.

12 hours ago, Driftit said:

But it's just another FWD hatch. There is plenty already. 

Hate to break it to you Dan but the 1 Series are all FWD Hatches now.

I think it might have been mentioned somewhere on the Internets, but you might have missed the e-mail. (I nearly said memo - showing my age!!)

Unfortunately emissions controls and fuel consumption over-ride every other consideration these days.

Interesting... I will drop you a PM rather than clog up your WTB thread.

Depends on what you are looking for I guess but I used to enjoy the Road through National Park rather than Desert Road, less trucks and long sweeping bends.

Desert Road gets very twisty just before Turangi so I tried to avoid that bit when towing.

Which S14 crank.. 2.0, 2.3 or 2.5?

What are your plans for it, have you got all the other parts to build up  complete S14?

Pretty sure that Volvo have never made an M3 Touring... But I get what you mean, yes Volvo did a "hot" wagon many moons ago, and the Audi RS4 and RS6 are certainly more prevalent in the Avant version (not even sure you can get the RS's in a sedan any more...)

The point of the post is that BMW have never offered a version of the M3 in a Touring before, and many people who are BMW fans have been hanging out for one.

It's unlikely that an M3 would appear in a hatch versions (never say never) as the version of the 3 Series that is a liftback (some might call it a hatch) has not been touted as M Car material.

New ESC import regulations, COVID, shortage of supply from Japan due to exchange rates.

Many different reasons in that part of the market. Seems to have bounced back quickly and strongly in terms of demand.

I think 35d should still be higher torque and power than 30d even though both are single turbo. 

Rather than make a heap of engines in different capacities the recent approach has been to use the same core engine and either “unter” or “ober” tune it, so engines are technically referred to as XxxB30O or xxxB30U depending on outputs - which may be just a tune or might be more turbos.

Due to the number models this then theoretically gives some markets may offer the 30d version of the 3.0ltr diesel whilst others may opt for the 35d version. I still believe it’s a different model (although very similar) with different power.

To be totally sure find the exact model code, the four character code, for the two different models then google that to check the power outputs. Pretty sure the NZ 30d was a KW42 model code...

As you are being a Great New Zealander and giving it away for free I will let you off the requirement for photos on the post.

Good to see the old Rangie is in its natural habitat - in the workshop with the bonnet up!

Cant quite make out if it’s a 2-door or 4-door from the photo, I know the 2-door ones go for moonbeams nowadays.

PM incoming.

I think I may have found the reason the 330d is losing a bit of power...