jom

You may think that the tyres are fine.... once upon a time I had 2 Metros, one on old Michelin Xs and one on Continentals (both euro spec, in the UK). The difference in the dry around a mini roundabout was 20 mph faster on the Continentals. Don't ever think that a cheap tyre is "OK". You'll only find out when you really, really need the grip.

All supposed to go away in September when the Gully opens... but since they've chipsealed most of it you could be in for more of the same.

Don't know about 550s but if it was a 2.8 I'd be looking at the low coolant sensor. life is about 3 years max.

I discovered after 2 flat near new batteries that now they use calcium on the plates. These batteries can't be charged by old battery chargers - you'll need one that specifically charges calcium batteries. It's the only way to fully charge the battery.

Castrol R is Straight 30. I use it in my 4 stroke lawnmower. It makes mowing the lawn a real pleasure....

I used to think that anyone was better than Bangle. I'm so, so wrong 😞

Used to belong to Ian Taylor. I don't think he paid nearly that much for it.... Also had the rego M3TOY (afaik?) for part of it's life.

The M25 around London was started in 1975, and at that time they used concrete as the road surface. Its still there after 45 years.

It is never as bad as you think it is. Look at your position, make an escape plan.... What happens if you get let go? IT IS NOT THE END OF THE WORLD! Something better always come out of it - at least in my experience, and I've been where you are now. I am constantly amazed that the prevailing NZ management style is bullying - coming from a progressive and world leading company in the UK I couldn't believe how any company managed to be successful. I now realise that they only appear that way in comparison with their peers. Get out and find a company that values and encourages its staff to be the best that they can be, instead of putting them down in case they may be better than their boss. Toxic environments are created by toxic people. You don't need it in your life...

A bypass on the E36 is a diode and 2 resistors. About 90c worth. Try googling...

My E36 has the same key. Try this... Infra-red key reprogamming instructions.pdf

Seatbelt chime - drives me batty too. On the E36 I removed the connector to the chime (above the driver's footwell) and on our old 96 Honda CRV I desoldered the speaker from the circuit board. I guess software driven cars are more difficult to hack....

I claim insanity. I had a pilot's licence before a driving one. Still scan all the instruments, keep looking around, check the altitude.....

Find someone with an ordinary 328 and try their dipstick. Otherwise you'll need to find where Alpina hid the other 3l.

Shame they don't teach that anymore. Now it's brake in the middle of the road randomly, turn and indicate (optional) at the same time. And Mirror comes before signal (or it used to). Another loss to the Art of Driving.....

I was only giving the historical perspective. Gearless cars have superseded the requirement - although I'm impressed if you can change gear and indicate at the same time. Re the brake cylinder - renew the brake crossbar bushes on a Mk I Golf GTI. The brakes are fantastic! ...for 3 months or so....

It used to depend on RHD/LHD. The indicator stalk was on the opposite side to the gearlever, so for RHD drive cars it was on the right. UK cars changed to "align" with the EC - so it was the in the wrong place. Trying to change gear and indicate with the same hand at the same time became difficult (there was already a problem with foot operated dipswitches and using the clutch at the same time - but I digress). So when we drive LHD country sourced cars, the manufacturers don't bother to change the indicator position over. (Not that long ago they didn't even change the wipers, or the position of the brake cylinder either - like on the E30.) We'd be used to this if the Japanese hadn't continued the correct way on their cars - indicators on the right...

Is that Paul Ardern's old car that he had at BMW Wellington? It was almost completely rebuilt 10 or so years ago. At that time it was probably the best in the country.

I know the controls were tight, I owned some. Interestingly pistols were not banned in Northern Ireland. What I was getting at is that governments always knee-jerk in the direction of the biggest lobby. We nned to be completely on-side with the rulemakers to avoid these reactions. They come out of left field after an incident and nobody is properly prepared to argue the case.

Just to put things in perspective, it was Dunblane that triggered (sic) the complete removal of pistols in the UK, even though the guy illegally owned rifles. If we want to maintain a realistic firearms community in NZ we need to support the police 100% - or as has been suggested, get an independent licensing authority. The police have proved several times that they just can't do it.

Even better is a multi-way plug with only two contacts connected. It can look like a diagnostic outlet.

Here's what the BMW NZ Owners book for the E36 says

Every Mini I had was fitted with the obligatory seat bracket extenders and the drop bracket for the steering column (Les Leston, I think). It wasn't safe for me to drive otherwise....

+1 - what he said