Jacko

Smells like f**kered FRM

I heard the Munich facility is doubling the floor area to deal with production of new kidney grills.

Incoming supercheap axle stand recall?

Looking at 130 wheel bearings, FAG are apparently the OEM for BMW.. and are a third the price of things like SKF. Are they actually the OEM, and if so why are the aftermarket ones so pricey?

Yikes, wonder what happened

It might be worth low balling them with the car, the scrapes and dents and coolant etc etc with an offer of like 7k (which is about more inline with what its actually worth) If they dont take it, walk away, if they do it'd be a decent car (with the knowledge that the waterpump will likely be due soon) By the way, Id concerned with a workshop that says they will do a rocker cover gasket, leaking washer tank etc for $800. Parts are relatively cheap (probably $500-600ish), but its a few hours work (and all DIYable if you can swing a spanner and read a manual). Somewhere they are cutting corners...

Not really , the damage has been done. Unless they are changing out the waterpump etc. 325 wagons are relatively common, Id hold out for the right one. Near 9k for a 325, even with low km (which doesn't actually mean much) is at the high end of what they are worth, Id be wanting an immaculate example that has been looked after at that price. Again, there are better cars in better condition out there.

If its got green coolant in it, it hasnt been serviced properly, *walk away*. Someone who owned in past has been trying to save a buck. The waterpump motor is wet, the rotor is lubricated by the coolant. The block is a mishmash of magnesium and aluminium with a bunch of interface materials between them, coolant flows through both. Magnesium corrodes like a mudda, and using the wrong coolant turns the engine into a battery. Using the wrong coolant kills water pumps, and results in corrosion of expensive engine bits. The first things to look at with N52 BMWs - Is the coolant the right stuff (has it been serviced properly) Does it have decent quality tyres on it (is the owner a tight ass and saving a buck) How many oil leaks does it have (aka how many have been fixed) From those three things, you can tell a lot about the car There are way nicer examples out there, id be looking at 330s personally.. use the same amount of gas and go faster.

And such an awesome back catalogue...

Does it have a massive vacuum leak? One of the CCV lines maybe?

Depends a bit on whats in the service history, has the rocker (etc) gasket/starter/ccv/waterpump ever been changed on either?

Still better than RFB.

Not schnitzer, its something else, kinda looks like kerscher KM1

Yeah something looks whacky, exhausts definitely bent, and the badge being stuck back on suggests rear end respray... has it got the wrong profile tyres or something on it, I agree... looks off.

Looks like the ACS1 spoiler, or a aliexpress ripoff

*real N52 195kw

Im no Z4 expert, but would it not be worth waiting for an N52 manual, Im assuming they are much more energetic to drive and will hold their value more?

This is the equivalent of rolling up to concurso de elegancia with a PT cruiser.

They're not as confidence inspiring or refined feeling as F1 Assys in the wet, not terrible but you can realllly lean on the F1s assys in the wet, but I suspect on raw off the line traction RE003s are better. My 0-100 5.4s was on Re003s, they certainly grip.

Tony's actually really impressed me, the guys in Takanini actually appeared to give a fudge, and did stuff like torque the wheels to manufacturer spec..

Already done, sony xavax3000 slapped in the dash. Feel like I should be wearing a visor and gloves whilst driving...

Did you ask to speak to the manager?

Its cool for a funny little sh*t box, someone definitely loved it in Japan. The headunit would have been worth a couple of grand in 2011 when installed (maps, digital TV, DVD, MD, et c etc), and the speakers are all Focals and all professionally installed. The roof has been resprayed black with gold fleck, so have a couple of the dash panels... very early 2000s ricer!

Serviced everything down to a new waterpump, still got to research how to change fluid on the CVT, but Seri graphics did a slick job. Things actually pretty fun to drive. Its slow as sh*t but it actually grips fairly well, and the TRD exhaust sounds hilarious once VTEC kicks in yo (even got a pop!) and the CVT paddle shifters nearly behave like a DSG