cainchapman

I send mine in for whatever it needs. They are the experts. That's why they deserve my money.

Yes, BMWCC BBQ at St Heliers and then the Bimmersport beers at the Speights Alehouse in Albany (somewhere that requires a passport) Anyway 1800 now. I should be there by 1805.

No problem. Call whenever. I guess I'll take the 540 over to Albany then. Better get ready for the first beers.

Hi Ian No worries. My mobile number is 0274 824 713. I'm leaving tomorrow for a week in the South Island. Cheers Cain

A nice little collection you have there. You can just about see my house in the last photo. Cheers

Ahh, see, that's your problem Simon. If you'd been from Canterbury, you'd have loved Palmy. As both Universities teach you to sleep with Animals. Palmy has some decent pubs and has a race-track nearby. Wouldn't want to live there, but I do enjoy my business trips there. Without Tim and his 4 Vet-nurse flat mates, I'm low on drinking associates now.

If you want a test drive. Show up at St Heliers tonight and you can take mine for a spin. I'm not in your price range, but you can see what they are like. Cheers Cain

Don't the dealers do it with your servicing? I would assume that mine gets changed as per the service schedule. I'll check when I drop it into McMillans tomorrow morning for a warrant.

At the time that was done. It would have been an NZ New 540/6 and then given the treatment by Lyall's boys at Motorsport Lifestyle in the Strand. I doubt it is a genuine S5, although it does have all the external cosmetic bits. Still a lovely car. I'd say his pricing isn't too high either. Knock 2-3 grand off it and it'd be perfect, in my opinion.

Fiat 500 is my choice. Would you like a copy of the electronic brochure? I have a copy from Conti's. $30k for one. I'd really like the Arbarth 500 though. Italian style with Mini cool. It's got to be good.

Scum bags. I hope they get caught too. Regardless of what they drive.

Ah, OK Emma. I used to coach a very good womens football team up here. Most of them were better than the equivalent age males. I'll see you on Tuesday.

If that was a Touring. I'd be on my way for it.

http://www.stuff.co.nz/4349300a10.html Super effort.

Very nice car. And my 2000th post goes to a 5 series, Karma!

Time you drove mine Paul! But they are all very fair comments. I did drive Brent's hotted up 535 manual and really missed the torque of the V8. However the cars themselves are excellent and when his hit the upper rev range, it took off like a 2 stroke.

I think those comments could have been made about the E30 M3 in the past too. And good ones are now worth their weight in gold. I think the rarity of the Original M5 will help these retain their value if looked after. I'm not saying they are equivalent to an E30 M3 either. Each generation of M cars has watered down the rarity of them (due to their popularity). Just spotted it. Someone might want it.

Gee, Emma. That's not a comparison I'd want to open up with. Considering there are no competitive female drivers at any top level of motorsport (that chick in Indy is going OK, but is as successful as Anna K was at Tennis so far). A bit like saying that Man U and the All Whites have a different 'style'. P.S. I'm not knocking female drivers. I'd love to see more of them. Fiona Hamilton could have gone further, if she'd kept the passion she had when she was younger.

I'd sell the Datsun and get the Scooby and keep the E30

http://www.trademe.co.nz/Trade-Me-Motors/C....htm?key=946684

What about the Alpina Dynamic wheels? 9 x 20†245 / 40 ZR 20 front 10 x 20†275 / 35 ZR 20 rear They fit the E65. Don't know about E38. They'd be hot.

We get 300 horsepower out of the S14 2 litre and slightly less stressed in the 2.5 litre form. Brian used to work on these motors for us. I would think that 300 horsepower is easily achievable from the 6 cylinder block naturally aspirated. It just costs lots and doesn't last long before needing a rebuild. Hence the question about running time. I'd be surprised if you got 200 hours of running at that output. It would cost closer to $20k to get that power too, in my experience.

So, anyway. Driving home from the Mount today, I got to see some of the most insane manoeuvres. Contestant number one, driving an early nineties Mitsi Lancer (white, ST2721) came haring up behind me as we entered Katikati. Then decided to pass me just outside with next to no visibility. The way his car handled, it appeared to have springs and no shocks. I've seen Jellies get around corners with more stability. It lurched into the long grass as he re-entered the correct lane. Then contestant number two arrived on the scene. An E36 325 (Blue, YO3210). I will give the young lady her dues. She was definitely trying to get her passing done as quickly as possible. She must have been doing 160kph and was passing on a blind uphill bend just shy of the Athenree turnoff (passes contestant number 1). Contestant number 1, then spots a hitchhiker at approaching Athenree forest. He slams it into the left lane and spins it around on the grass. Into the Forest and contestant number 2 decides that everyone is not going fast enough (as we're doing 100kph) and passes in the breakdown lane another 5 cars (technically safer than her first stunt). Coming out of the forest, contestant number 1 catches me again (passenger on board) then proceeds to have me guessing how long he can keep his car on the road. Into Waihi and I shoot around the back bypass (with contestant number 1 in tow). He decides that he'll pass me up the inside (as the road narrows back onto SH2). Unknown to him, I don't give a sh*t about my much nicer company car and he takes avoiding action and slams into the (quite large) kerb. He gets in behind and then I can only guess that the hitchhiker asked to get out, as he bailed then. I never saw contestant number 1 again. I followed the 325 through the Karangahake gorge, and to give the girl her dues, she didn't try anything stupid to get passed the truck we were following. I passed her and the truck leaving Paeroa (ah, horsepower, you have to love it). She then flew by me through the sweepers coming into Kerepehi (like a bat out of hell) and then turned right at the pub. Good luck to them both. I'm sure a volunteer fire brigade will be meeting them too soon. P.S. this was all on a greasy road as it wasn't really raining all that hard.

That is a pretty sharp deal for a full motor rebuild. I'd ask Brian how many hours running before you need to refresh the motor again though. Good luck.

The V8 Alpina is nice. The one in Pukekohe. I don't know that I'd spend $25k on a car that was slower than mine. A 540iS is much better value for money. A Bi-turbo Alpina, now that's a different story. I agree with the comments about Kiwi535 and mr E34's cars. Both of them are excellent examples of 535iS. Good luck with finding a car Creaver