E30 325i Rag-Top

Expensive parts (insurers can’t use their usual tactics to force suppliers into a race to the bottom on pricing) and expensive repair procedures = very high repair costs, pushing it beyond point of economic repairs. Even on not too big an impact, one of the side effects of making cars crumple to protect the occupants.

No. A couple were brought in a good few years back, but since then no.

Have used lots of the paint film on fleet cars and rental cars. Do make a big difference to the general nicks, chips and damage. Would certainly improve the condition and help resale value. Worth it on a new car you’re keeping. Plenty of people out there doing it so shop around as that price does seem a little on high.

Pretty few and far between in NZ unfortunately. Been on the lookout for a long time as well. Lots of other ways to go 5-stud now, but imho this is still the best set up.

That’s a nice cooking set up you’ve got there. Been intoduced into low and slow recently, lot of work but soo nice! Big fan of the beef short rib now. Starting to experiment with my hooded gas barbie, but not made the commitment to buying a big green egg yet!

There are a couple of companies that do car hire for classics and sports cars. One in Napier and I think the other one is down your way, CHCH maybe? Not sure if they have any Bimmers but they might know of someone that does?

So not what's in the new M135i then..?

I thought the Haldex systems were all electronic, and didn't have mechanical locking diffs in them? Could come down to your definition of a "Haldex" system as there are quite a few of them under the generic name of the company.

From back in the day when there was a great NZ Touring Car series, that didn't involve V8s and only two manufacturers. https://www.trademe.co.nz/motors/specialist-cars/competition-cars/auction-1918862706.htm?rsqid=4f9cb40ba47748879a5a0e4c8bd75de4 This would have to be one of the few E36s I would like to own, this or one of the STW cars. As the seller says, this one is a LOT cheaper and probably a lot cheaper to race and maintain as well tbf.

Are those two photos to the same scale? Looks like the wheel size has gone up about 3 inches between the two... so rolling on 21"s G?

Got a bit distracted on the replacement of the timing belt for the E30 cabrio, now proceeding to order all sorts of little bits and pieces that are either broken or brittle. Even splashed out on a couple of new front grille pieces - the LH and RH black grilles. Hopefully they wont sit in the box as long as the timing belt did, LoL.

Check the diagrams in the MSNZ manual around shoulder straps and angles and stuff, it’s pretty well drawn out I think. Particularly if you are using a HANS device the straps should be trying to stop forward movement, not squash you into becoming a dwarf.

It's not related to the fuel quality, it is related to the emissions level required by the market. Only markets that have to meet the tougher Real World Emissions Testing (WLTP or RDE in BMW speak) require the additional emissions control systems, which include the particulate filter, to be fitted. As the additional controls are quite expensive to add to the vehicle they are only fitted when necessarily. NZ is still only an EU4 emissions level for new petrol vehicles, so the EU6 version without the ppf more than meets the homologation requirements to be sold in NZ. I think the VIN decoder you are using may still have old descriptions for the option codes, as option 858 has been referred to as "engine for poor-fuel countries" for a while now rather than the "lower compression engine" - probably more managed through the knock-sensors and ignition advance timing rather than a mechanical change in the engine. My understanding is that it is the sulphur levels in both the diesel and petrol that can be available that cause the issues.

New. Zealand is a seperate market to Au and has a number of key differences, most notably the fact of the ADR that applies to all new cars in AU that do not apply in NZ. As a result of the different homologation requirements all Aussie cars have to be built as Market specific, NZ only the general EU compliant model code. Not all Models offered in NZ are offered in AU and vice versa. There are usually a number of new technologies and features on cars in NZ that are not “allowed” in AU - I think they have finally given the green light to head-up display after it being in NZ for many years. So yes there are differences, and some fairly significant ones.

Please remember to post the TardMe link in here Driftit, so we can watch the carnage unfold!

Really, and why would that be..?

BMW NZ / Westphalia NZ bars always come with the chain attachment points as you would expect. There are also chain brackets available for factory fitted swing-away bars that don't have the chain attachment points. However, there are only certain models that are covered as most models are not offered with the ex-factory tow bar. For the F31 I think there may be one in existence as it fits across F30 / F34 and others as well.

Mate, you seriously have wheel issues!!

Hello Lola, yes your MINI is a BMW version . Not many MINI owners on here, there is probably another forum that specifically covers both generations of the MINI. To answer your questions, yes you would fail a WoF for faulty ABS. I would suggest that it would be hard, and expensive to repair. Your best option cost wise might be to look for a working used part from a wreckers. @BM WORLD have you got any MINI bits?

There was an interesting test case where a trade-in sold by a dealer "as is where is" was adjudged to still be bound by Consumer Guarantee's Act. I believe the logic applied was that it was still sold by a dealer, though the business and off the lot. Hence it should be covered by the CGA. If you take that same scenario to a Trade-Me Auction then I would suggest it would also apply if the conditions are the same. However, if it is somewhere like say, Turners or Mannheim, then I believe that then does not fall under the CGA and it truly is "buyer beware".

Except that within the VIN standard there is still the option to use the "0" designation for no MY code, which I believe is used unless the car is going to a market where the MY is mandatory information. So for example most NZ new vehicles would have that set for their MY.

Is your car NZ new or an import? The level of equipment that is provided ex-factory, even on the high-end models, is amazingly low. To bring the cars up to the NZ specification requires pages of features to be added, that is before you even start getting into the additional options that can be added on top. I guess the reason being is that the same models are sold all around the world, so there will be countries that are happy to take lower base equipment and then up-sell the features.

How do you mean? The registration by year part? I think it is only the americans and their "its a '67 Chev" type designations that are different, and even then it's more a Model Year type thing. Annoyingly I see a few people are trying to put the Model Year thing on their BMWs when selling them, which is BS when there are three lots of updates each year with BMW and MINI.

After a used car dealer brought in that thirteen year old Merc from Singapore the rules were tightened up on what constituted a "brand new" car, and the maximum age of the car is supposed to be two years and still qualfy as a "new" car.

I have seen what is most likely the same car (there can't be that many Blue 3.0CS in and around Mt Welly) in the area, but I don't believe it is linked to BMW HQ as I haven't seen it in the car park before and it definately isn't part of the BMW NZ fleet of classics.