bravo

While we're on the topic, M3's like this one in OK, but not stunning cond. have fallen $5-8k in the last 6 months.

A chocolate fish to whoever finds the old thread. Seriously.

If it's the replica, then I would believe $35k. The stories I've heard about what they did. They basically started with a chassis and built an m5 using genuine parts. (Not all new parts though). Then again, Chinese whispers may be at work, who can say?

Like I said, I'm pretty sure it has to come backed up with an order through plates. When you buy a personalised plate, plates sends you the ownership paperwork, and a form to manufacture which you send to Licensys to have them make your plate. This is just the online version of that form. I'm pretty sure you can't actually just order up plates using it.

Tell that to Simon.

I suspect a misuse of unitech property?? Like a large format colour plotter.....

Licensys make all of the plates for plates.co.nz. They are the official plate manufacturer for nz AFAIK. I believe that form is the order form for having plates ordered through plates.co.nz manufactured. I'm pretty sure that if you havn't ordered a plate through plates.co.nz filling out that form won't get you anywhere. I'm a tad concerned it doesn't let you say what sort of plate (euro etc) you want as this means it probably has to be backed up by an arder through plates for those kinds of details. If it does work, you have just discovered a loop hole as any plate you get through licensys should be a legit nz plate.

Its also to do with the new number-plate reading cameras - they don't work on other fonts - one of the reasons nz standard plates font change a year or two back. I'm still rocking mine, but have altered them to look like nz plates. Got pulled up the other day in Whangarei becasue he thought they looked odd, but let me go happy that they were legit. I thinks its super gay that they are allowed to charge so much. If they were more reasonably priced I'd happily buy the legit ones. Anyone got any ideas about who we could write to to try and get things changed? As futile as it may be.

My knowledge (limited) is that multi-link has the wishbones split into individual arms that are often angled and designed to act differently than a solid wishbone (like the e90). The e36 setup works similar to a regular trailing arm plus control arm setup, just with two control arms/panhard rods (wishbones). I'm happy if someone who knows more about it wants to correct me, but that's always been my understaqding. Modern multilink would equate to less geometry change over the suspensions full range of movement. However, a search reveals sites referring to both trailing arms on the e36 and multi-link setup with a z-axle, so perhaps the combination of trailing arms and wisbones is an early form of multi-link with the trailing arms forming part of the system as you say. Regulr trailing arm setups often have 2 trailing arms, and a panhard rod/control arm. It seems a bit of a stretch to add a second control arm and then start thinking of it as a modern multi-link setup like on the newer VAG cars and e90. I've had a hunt and here are some links that seem to show what my understanding of the subject is: Wikipedia multi-link Wikipedia trailing arm in the case of the e36, there is a panhard rod, and a top wishbone, but it still utilises two trailing arms. a few good pics here So I guess, basically I don't really know, it was just my thoughts based on what I'd read and what I'd seen on e36's.

Link Door style from one of the worlds wildest cars on one of the worlds most boring.

There's the odd one around. The e28 525e is much more common in nz, and all the ones I've seen are RHD. I saw that auction and thought to myself - he's asking alot for a car that needs to be revinned and alot of work, and isn't all that rare in other partsof the world, and suffers a performance disadvantage against our more common 325i's.

+1 for vacuum leak - very common.

They're wron about being the same brand. Tyres on the same axle must be the same size, the same type of construction (eg steel-belted radial), and same tread type (eg directional, assymetric, etc). Ply ratings must also be the same, and load indices not vary by more than 2. Above is paraphrased from the WOF manual which is available online and I have a opy in front of me. However, fulfilling all those criteria may mean its easier just to fit the same brand, and may mean tyre shops find it easier to explain to customers that way.

lol have to be pretty new, was only posted 12 days ago. Link

Nope, e36 still trailing arm, just not semi-trailing like e30. Trailing arm with double wishbone. E46 much the same, and I had to check on bmwfans.info for e90, and it's multi-link. Don'tknow about 5 or 7 series.

repost dude. Search ken block.

I'm pretty sure most people have a n00b moment like that now and again. I've had mine. Doesn't make them any less stupid. Makes you be a bit more careful next time - just be glad there was no-one else on the road or you would have come a real cropper and taken some poor bugger with you. Drive to the conditions, if they change.... Happy Touring.

I think the SMG in the e46 is a shitload better than the e36 one, but not having driven one I can't fully comment. I do know I've only seen a couple of cars with them, and one owner I talked to likes it and has agreed to give me a drive sometime. Will report back when I get around to it.

I've heard of having cheap ones made in NZ, and there are NZ suppliers, but I run standard rubber mounts, so don't know where to get them. All my urethane suspension bushes are Powerflex sourced from dynamic race parts in nz (they have a web page). Again, not that cheap.

Haha Nice - I'm a bit concerned about the poor accuracy of the shooters in the gun store - Only half of the rounds hit the target at point blank range!

That's mint! Nice find. There are two other e46 328i manuals with higher kms for about $3k less on TM. Now if only we could get the 330i's with the 6 speed SMG down to that price...

Fair comments.

Nice, looks tidy. I'm not a prospective buyer, but would love to see more pics. Good luck with the sale.

You can get a 4-door with the msport kit on it. Add an LSD and a decent suspension setup, some sport seats etc and apart from the trainspotters telling you it ain't an msport, it may as well be. Goes just as well, with all the same goodies. See my sig below. Although my next e30 will be a coupe. Bought a 4-door to lug friends around, but now I have no friends. (Jokes, I am just sick of them tracking muck in all over my interior.) Welcome, and seriously, buy a bimmer - that Honduh is clouding your vision.

Yes to all your questions. Check your gearbox mounts as maybe theyve gone too. Check your driveshaft bearing and flexible coupling in case you wrecked one of them as well. You can get urethane/nolothane gearbox and engine mounts. Easy to fit - lift the motor with a lift or a chain block or similar off the front lifting point. Doesn't have to be lifted far - you can leave all hoses etc attached. Replace the mounts, then get under the car, put a jack under the trans and do the trans ones. Easy.