318Touring

Thanks, google's translation: A common drive assembly for map DVD and audio CD. No MP 3-Fähigkeit. On board computer with extended extent. Goal guidance by arrow representation. Shelf above ashtrays in center console. Inclusive SA 663 “radio BMW Professionalâ€. Note: Navigation DVD is not contained in the scope of supply and over BMW the partial selling to refer.

Jeff Gray in Wellington. It's so easy to lay rubber in the 530. I think NAV is a $7000 retrofit item, wonder whether the missus will allow me ...

It's been through the inspection, needed 2 rear tyres (run-flat), broken cup holder, aux water pump leaking. Total cost $2200. Obviously not from my wallet. Taking delivery this Saturday (fingers crossed). Does anyone know what Option Order number '606 - Navigation System Business' means?

Age: 36 & 37 Location: Welly Car Year/Model: 1996/ Compact Insured value: $7400 Driving Record: clean & 1 speeding ticket at 61kph Insurance company: State Insurance type (3rd party or full): Full Additional features of insurance (road side rescue, windscreen): w/s Yearly premium (inc GST): 331 Excess: 300 Comments on customer service: luckily the team I lead at work consists of a few people of middle asian descent. So I do understand the accent. Age: 36 & 37 Location: Welly Car Year/Model: 1998/ 528 Insured value: $21000 (yeah right) Driving Record: clean & 1 speeding ticket at 61kph Insurance company: State Insurance type (3rd party or full): Full Additional features of insurance (road side rescue, windscreen): w/s Yearly premium (inc GST): 450 Excess: 300 Comments on customer service: as above

It's traded in that's why the dismantling of aftermarket parts (and euro plates).

Thank you for the vote of confidence!! Both the local BMW dealer and independent BMW garage actually recommended the AA-Swann insurance. However It's now changed to AA-Vero so hopefully I'll get the same good service. I (hope) don't think its got run flat (I hate them) as it has the space saver spare tyre. It rides like a normal car. At the moment I'm dismantling my clear lights etc. from the E39, so anyone who wants rear and side clear lights, PM me (self promotion). I also have BMW genuine rubber front mats (new $150).

Done! E60 2003 530iSE, 36000km, ex-demo and 1 local owner, 18 inch wheels, auto rain and lights, Olivin on black, FSH and other stuff as usual. No TV or sat-nav. Warranty will go with AA-Vero with 3 years cover, $125 excess(?). Will post more pictures in the Rides section when I actually take delivery. Now where's my Meguiars wax ..... The E65 has actually just arrived in JG Wellington, in case anyone wants to see it. Here are the pictures

I'll probably go with the E60 since it's '03 with only 36000km and NZ new! I'll get a good warranty but will be non BMW unfortunately. I don't want the 745 although martyyn might be interested?

See my previous post for summary of my conversation with the old boy. The long story is, he's bought this privately. Never really uses it due to the people vandalising cars. He drives his Honda hybrid around town. He doesn't want to use the bimmer to tow his boat. Never get the hang of iDrive, has the car for 2 years and just managed to get the radio stations set (this was done by his grandkids). As I said he offered to drive to Palmy 'under no obligation' if I want to take a look at the car. He's been servicing it at JG Palmy. When asked about the servicing costs he didn't remember. I don't know, could be a real good catch. From talking to the owner he seems genuine and not trying to pull a fast one. I asked same questions backwards and forwards and the answers were still the same. BAD: no service book, and the fire under the car GOOD: NZ new, 745 (no simple climate control), cheap Another good bargain is that X5 at WCD in L Hutt. The only issues with that truck are: missing pixels, bonnet color imperfection, and one of the rear PDC has died. For $55k? It's a bargain. BTW, the missus is also leaning towards to the E60 now, mainly due to the posts on this thread. The E-meter E60 -|---- E65

For $45K? I don't mind a dirty car if I can save $20k plus :-) I know about the L Hutt one, that's also a Sing import, more expensive than JG's and doesn't have any warranty. A very bad combination.

I think DriveRight has a maximum claim limit of $5000 per claim. Hmmm that'll buy one bolt :-) Is the oil leak a common problem on Sing E65? The E60 sales guy called at least 15 times from 9 to about 2, unfortunately I was in (different) meetings all that time. He at least managed to get me at 5pm!! Re X5, that's what I figured. Although I need a vehicle to go skiing, I'll just jump on the shuttle bus to go up to the ski fields.

Exactly About a year. I looked at X5s first then realising that to get the TV I need to get the 4.4 which I think is too much for me. Don't really want another E39, while the new 3 is still very expensive and spec-wise, quite low while paying $70k + X3 is too ugly. That leaves the E60 and E65 which will give me the new toys. Of course you can count E240/E500 as well, but ALL reviews say 'very good car but ..... still can't beat E60'. M-class, very agricultural. Audi A4s, FWD unless Quattro but no cruise-control...... So there you go, kind of hard finding the perfect wo ... car.

When changing I'd like to get something that is completely different not just upgrading the year. I am still undecided, although I think the E65 will lose more than the E60 because it's a Sing import and older, and the E60 is 10k below whatever BMW is selling for. Although $ is not the main deciding factor. However I still have 14 hrs to choose ..... Eni Meeni Mini Mo

Right, scrunch time!! Who around here knows about a good third party warranty that WILL cover cars like E60 (or E65). Problem: with cars this complex the issue mainly will rise from software needing to be upgraded. However the upgraded software sometimes can't be run on the existing hardware. Meaning that the hardware needs to be replaced as well. The warranty company balks at replacing the hardware while it's fine with the software upgrade. So which warranty company is used in dealing with this kind of issue, and will pay! And the one without any excess. TIA At the moment it's like this E60 ----|-- E65 because of BMW Premium Selection warranty. BTW, look at this one http://www.trademe.co.nz/Browse/Listing.aspx?id=92430617. Have spoken with the owner, the only things are missing service book, and it had had a (small) fire near the exhaust where the fuel line came off. The owner offered to drive to Palmy for inspection.

I have put lower spec climate control and perished rubber etc. in my list of questions to the sales guy. Thanks for that. BMW Power, I think the sales people will be losing more sleep than me at the moment! One guy has just been in the job for a few days. And the E60 has been in the lot for awhile so they are keen to move it! We'll see, big day tomorrow with lots of phone calls.

Yeah I thought I would've nailed down a car on Saturday, just negotiate a little bit more and sign the paper. Then BAM! There's something else to consider. Arrghh I can't sleep! I wonder should I wander down to the MB dealer and take a look at the E240.... Just kidding!!! What is the best after market warranty, regardless of the cost?

Thanks for that, much appreciated. You're right, this particular one is imported by BMW NZ and will go through the 100 points check, like all NZ New vehicles, for preparation for Premium Selection. This one has the full warranty and service plan so I only have to fuel the car up and replace the tyres for the next two years. So hopefully all the issues (if any - knock on wood) will be sorted out by month 12. ESP is DSC - dynamic stability control? I'll ask the sales guy. Unfortunately I've never taken my bimmers to anywhere else except the BMW dealers Isn't the Armstrong's one a Jap import? The plate is too young for a 2002 and number plate area at the boot is for Japanese and America market (smaller). I know, I'm a BMW geek It isn't really about the money but don't want anything bigger than 3.5l (of course I have a budget I have to stick to) also more whether it's going to be a better buy given the warranty, history, spec, ease of ownership and where they are going to end up on the 'Cool Wall'. Remember though I'm not going to pick up Kirstin Scott-Thomas in it, my missus will have something to say about that.

I don't want anything bigger than 3.5l, that's why I've gone away from X5s, which the only variant with decent spec is either 4.4 or 4.8 anythng else will be like my E39 on a higher platform. So BMW Power, can you elaborate a bit then? Maybe from personal experience at work?

I actually like the E60 in brown better than in silver, because it looks different The missus woke me up and came up with the same argument as yours. I wonder who'll be driving the 7 more ..... My son is still not sure about NAV especially as it can tell him off when he's forgotten to brush his teeth TV module from eBay http://cgi.ebay.com/ebaymotors/BMW-Genuine...bayphotohosting

Yep. It's at a mainstream European yard, while the 7 is at Jeff Gray BMW. kiwi535, re the interior my wife agrees with you completely. She's indifferent to the 5 but completely taken by the 7. I can probably start a car pooling with the 7 :-) As of now (12 hrs from the 1st post), we (my wife) are/is leaning more and more towards the 7 due to warranty and we're most probably trade it again in 36 months time. Hmmmmm ....

Hmm, sounds rather hard work ....My son freaked out when the NAV started saying 'turn right 800m' etc. The PDC went crazy after the car's parked, showing red on all 4 sides.

Cool, thanks for the replies, keep 'em coming :-) Yeah I agree re the diesel E60 unfortunately it's not easy to find one within what I want to send. Jochen: what's involved in getting TV, the sat-nav will work in NZ just need to get the CD. Martyyn: I think there's about 10 cm and 20 cm spare space front & back respectively when the E65 was in my garage. And my garage is 1980's not the ridiculously small 1960s Wellington garages. E60: Active steering takes some time to get used to. I somehow constantly found that the A pillar gets in the way while trying to see my 2 o'clock. My son can't sit in the middle rear seat as his head hits the mechanism to open the rear hand rest. I can't get visual PDC while it should have come with that option. No BMW warranty. E65: I can't test drive the car as it is in another town so I went out in a $200+k 750. Hmmm, I felt like driving a house... Seriously it was so smooth making the E60 felt like an uncultured school boy. This is a BMW vetted car so everything should have been fixed before it goes on sale. Comes with BMW Premium Selection which is a 2 yr warranty and service plan. More photos of the E65:

Right so it's that time of the period again where I trawl the car yard looking for the replacement of the E39. I'd like to get opinions from those who have experience or heard about their reliability on these cars that I'm looking to get, primarily to avoid getting nasty surprises. Remember that both cars are from the first year of production of its model. I won't be disclosing any prices as they are similar and the least of my concern at the moment. 1st car 2003 E60 530iSE Metallic Brown 36000km NZ new active steering the headlight thingy (I don't remember what it was called) 1 NZ owner FSH no NAV or TV iDrive 18 inch wheels no warranty no Xenons 2nd car 2002 E65 735 Titanium Silver 70000km Singapore import but brought in and vetted by BMW NZ, has gone through the 100 points check basically BMW NZ imported soft close doors rear blinds NAV no TV iDrive loaded with the usual stuff 18 inch wheels BMW Premium Selection warranty with service plan for 2 years no Xenons After thoughts: - will be fun to see an E65 on gymkhana or driver raining day - hard to put in the garage or any parking place for that matter - thirsty? These engines are gettingbetter and better unless you're going crazy on the pedal - Cool Factor???? PS: the missus is very keen on the 7 .... Although at the end of the day there is nothing wrong with the E39 ......

A TV program about how dangerous 4x4 is. Will focus on the ones without any active safety features apart from ABS. As we know all 4x4 will be categorised into one basket, without mentioning that '00 X5 has more safety features than '07 Holden while they cost around the same. Hopefully will be able to see the self-proclaimed car expert (Clive Matthew-Wilson) telling everyone to buy Toyotas, because BMWs are for yuppies. See here for an article from Stuff. I've uploaded a number scans about X5 from BMWCar, click here here to download. Keep me posted, as we're on the same path (maybe :-)). Go X5!!!!

From a British magazine, enjoy. x5001.pdf x5002.pdf x5003.pdf x5004.pdf x5005.pdf x5006.pdf x5007.pdf x5008.pdf x5009.pdf x5010.pdf