RvT

A friend was doing some spirited driving a few nights ago and was wondering what the fine structure is incase a ticket arrives in the mail. Anyone care to share some experiences ? Also for the record, at what speed on a camera can they take your licence off you

Sounds like you did the BMW Advanced Driver Day Level 1. I took my management team to do the Level 1 course last year to Puke and we had a blast. Before I did the course, I thought the 130i was a bit too entry level for BMW until I drove it around Puke. That changed my view of the 1 series. This year we did Level 2 course at Ruapuna which is similar but everything was a bit faster and more fun coz we knew what we were doing. Of course the team can't wait to do Level 3.... If anyone can't think of a good present for someone for Xmas, buy them a voucher for the Level 1 course. I shouted my wife the experience for last Xmas and she really enjoyed it. So much so that she now lets me do some spirited driving and feels totally at ease where as before driving with her was a bit like driving with the hand brake on. (i hope she doesn't read this lol It is the best money you can spend as now when I take a potential car for a test drive, the first thing I do is test the brakes. I would have never done that before this course.

I stand corrected if i am wrong, but I thought insurance companies insure the car, not the driver. Unless you have a bad record or a younger driver, I was sure this is the situation. The only condition is that the driver of the car has to have a current driving licence (maybe NZ?). If you can only insure yourselves, what happens when you selling the car, someone crashes the car during a test drive, you have no insurance suddenly? I am with AMI so State may have different rules?

Hey Paul Thanks for a great day out with our other halves. It isn't often you can open the taps and try to replicate Top Gear without the handbrake beside you telling you to slow down After that session, you get a lot closer with your car and understand its handling a lot better. Crazyarab and Riley showed me that taking the right lines and knowing where to plant the foot was more important than sheer power. I believe both of you would have been doing better lap times than me as every time I looked back, there was one of you in my mirror lol. The only time I felt safe was on the main straight doing 210+km/hr. What I did like was that the day was about tracking, not about racing. However it was fun trying to catch the person in front or in my case, get away from the BMWs that were behind me and trying to sniff my exhaust I enjoyed hunting down the odd Ford and Holden though which you can never get sick of. Again, thanks Paul for organising a fun and safe track day. Definitely looking forward to the next day out ....

It is the "fat cats" that spend the money, buy more toys, buy more machinery, employ more people, have to pay more wages, country gets prosperous and everyone gains. While the past few years have been "good" for the working man (which I don't have an issue with), as a country we have gone backwards internationally with lower product output per person as we have spent more profit on wages than on investment in machines and technology. The key is to have a balance and the last few years have been one sided.

What area of NZ is she in ?

If this is an e46 model, then my understanding is that if you drive very carefully, then it is 25k till your next service. If you drive more spiritly, then the km wind back quicker and you may end up close to 15k till next service. It has been a while since I had an e46 so others may chime in ...

Haven't followed the E39 M5. Checked online but only 4 for auction and they are all E60 M5s. Will update this thread when an E39 turns up.

Well that is the unknown. I know Toyota is changing from discounting for fleets etc to practically sell at list over the next few weeks. They are saying it is because Toyotas are that good they don't need to discount but I believe it is to counter the Yen drop. The BMWs are in Euros and that has dropped only 10% over the period from .50 to .44. One would assume the new prices will increase accordingly. There is always the arguement that Jap cars are better speced than the NZ new cars and the purists out there have a thing about Jap cars. I think that the NZ new and Jap BMWs will probably become closer priced than currently out there. It will be a demand / supply equation and if everyone buys up the NZ new ones, then the price should increase.

I bring them in for my own use then normally on sell after about 6 to 12 months use. Have done about 12 units over the past years and have quietly imported mostly BMWs from Z3, Z4, e39, e46 and now the beast. For the wife it has been Audis mostly from A4 to Allroads. I have been thinking about a 911 as a weekend toy for my next car but now with exchange rate "crisis", the price is cheaper on Trademe which is VERY unusal. While the $ is screwed, I am stopping importing for a while.I have also mentored about 10 other people thru the process of their first import - usual fee is a dozen Heinies

Not sure if you all have watched the currency markets but the Yen is now at 52c yesterday compared to 84c 2 months ago. To most this doesn't really matter but if you import cars ex Japan like me as a hobby, it means the cars that are about to land here are going to be expensive. Example ... 2 months ago a Y1,500,000 car would have landed here on the road for $NZ 23,700. 8 weeks later that same car costing Y1,500,000 will land here on the road for $36,200. As it takes about 7 weeks for cars to get to our shores, you are going to see some serious carnage out there as new stock will be a lot dearer than what is in NZ at the moment. Clever dealers will increase the ticket price now on their older stock but it is likely that dealers with old stock will appear to have bargain prices when the more expensive cars hit these shores. I would really hate to be a car dealer in these times. My best advise is that if you are thinking of updating or trading your ride, it will only get more expensive till the $NZ increases in value and the experts are saying not likely for next 6 to 12 months. Just thought I would share my 2c worth

There was an M5 (can't remember the colour) on TMe a few months ago on auction with reserve met at $96k but TMe shut it down with3 days to go. I would guess it would sell for $100k given the "higher" kms. Then again, Black is the most expensive colour to buy in the Japan s/hand M5 market If someone goes to the auction, can you post here what it sold or passed in at?

Just landed this plate yesterday for the wife's Audi from germanplates.com so they are still making them. Price was $US 46.80 incl freight to NZ

From past knowledge, you will get raped by import duties, luxury car tax and GST. The web site is useless but from what I just read, your vehicle will be taxed at the value a local valuer will put onto the car. I know they only import special cars ex Japan like GTRs as there is some law that says if a car was never imported by a dealer when launched, like a GTR, then you are allowed to bring them in with minimal tax. Unless you have a unique BMW that they never got, then you are pushing shite up a hill. Suggest you send an email "Obtain a "VEHICLE IMPORT APPROVAL" from the Vehicle Safety Standards Branch of the Department of Transport and Regional Services. Phone: 1800 815 272 (Australia only) or (02) 6274 7506, Fax: (02) 6274 6013, email: [email protected]" stating what you want to bring with you and what are the indicative costs. If you have held it in NZ prior, you may get a better hearing. I would guess freight at $3k for a container ?

How did you get onto that track day ? I am dying to take the beast for a strop but haven't found the window of opportunity as yet. If there is a BMW track day at Ruapuna, I will be a definate starter !!!

I agree but there are 2 detectors which are stealth to the Radar Detector Dectectors - RDD for short. The Bel STi Driver and the Escort 9500ci are invisible to the Police RDD units. http://www.radarbusters.com/spectretestsarticle.cfm

Having done a lot of research on what is best etc, the web site preferred by overseas BMW forums in the US for independant research is Guys of Lindar. Check out this link and you will see where the Sti sits ... http://www.guysoflidar.com/august-2007/rad...ector-test.html If you have $ have a look at this beast ... http://www.escortradar.com/9500ci.htm the latest, stealth and no one can see it

Welcome to the world of M cars. If you want ecomony buy a Prius; if you want HP buy an MMMMMM. 24l/100 - I am jealous

Hi Glenn Wouldn't say I am ultra keen but definitely interested depending on what value the seller puts on it. When the price has been set a price, let me (us) know. Ron

The Beast is still selling new for $240+ now and a 3 year old is model is around $110k = Loosing $46k per year in depreciation..... If you wait another 2.5 years they will be free then

+1 That was a classic http://ca.youtube.com/watch?v=RPofRQdREyU&...feature=related

There is a lot of opinions out there but I would suggest you narrow your range down to V1 and the Escort 9500i. I have just sold both of these types on TMe as my car needed a remote system due to issues with the front windscreen interference on signal. I was loyal to V1 due to it coming out on top of tests but the 9500i I bought from fleabay was brilliant. The GPS functionality and the fact it "learnt" the false signals and stored them definitely had the thumbs up. If no member offers you something, bring it in yourself from fleabay and save some bucks compared to the TMe prices out there.

Legend ... THANKS Jochen

Brother in law has come over to the other side and bought a e39 Touring 09/2000 build (GL80138). The dealer put a band expander in but clarity is not the best nor is range. It has TV which works but no need to upgrade Sat Nav as he won't use it. Searches says that pre 01 radio is not world radio so needs to be replaced. Jochen, feel free to chime in with your thoughts Basically looking to replace the radio only if that can be done and is it a plug n play or a bit more complex. Where is the radio module found or is it part of the TV module? Had a look at the menus but couldn't see anywhere to change in the menu. Image attached

Been following this thread thinking warranties are just for everyone else then ... On Friday spent $2200 on replacing a front bladder in an Audi Allroad front shock absorber. I am now thinking that warranties may be an option on my cars. Couple of questions ... Any company "better" than the rest ? What to look for in fine print? The more expensive the car, the higher the premium ? Appreciate some experiences