RobD

Hey thanks for the replys guys. Torque quoted me 1000 bux for the remap and two hours on the dyno. They said they have done heaps for 335is. Beeker2 what sort of increase in power/torque did you see and on what vehicle?

I might need to do coils and plugs as she's running a bit rich based on the exhaust smoke.

My recommendation is a Cobb Accessport 3 which is a complete reflash. $1,150 at current exchange rates. Average power gains at the wheels of 30% HP and 38% torque. Don't go for a piggyback.

Which is better, bmw Import from Singapore vs japan?

It is far too subjective and dependent on numerous factors to answer that question with any meaning. The same applies for UK imports, South African imports, and NZ new. People who own a car from each location will defend the provenance, including me. You can find a good car from any country, and you can find a bad car from any country. It depends on how it has been treated and stored in its past lives. Helpful? I thought so too....

I'm with a Broker.. I will have to try Swann which is under my current NZI/IAG Insurance company pretty sure. 

Trial and Test right. At least it's not like a 6L V12 or something I'm driving lol. I could understand then. 

Definitely. And working in the industry (though not motor insurance) I can tell you that although there are "raters" they are just guidelines and prices can be amended to a degree. If the broker is well liked by the insurer in question there is often room for movement. Good luck!

 

 

 

Thanks guys but OEM 19s only.

No worries. Totally understand the OEM preference. Hopefully a set comes your way soon!

Eg: lovely *cough* 40 yr old women who reversed into me at speed because she 'wasn't thinking'

Damn age. 

Unfortunately all I can offer my car is a make shift marque/tent or car cover - no garage until I find one!

This classic insurance surely wouldn't cover a car in the yr2000s mark though?

I have a feeling there are conditions in respect of age, so that could be an issue but hopefully not for your sake. My best advice would be to use a broker.

Honestly, nearly every motorway journey I make results in aggressive 40-somethings tailgating me.

Try Apex wheels on the Turner Motorsport website. They're hugely popular in the US and offer a more race focused look than the semi-pimp factory M3 rims

Hmm.. I haven't 'claimed' anything.. but I did get reversed into and the other ladies insurance she had to pay out for her damage to my car.. This shouldn't hinder it..

I pay $700ish for 3rd Party on one of my cars - if I went under business I would be paying that much for full... I am however under 25.. Still interested to see what the restricted Ks could offer..

Yes sadly there is no distinction between a 25 year old enthusiast who is careful and loves their car and a 25 year old lunatic. All lumped in the same basket unfortunately. Things get cheaper beyond 30. But in my experience there are plenty of incompetent and terrible 30+ year old drivers around to make me question that logic.

Still seems reasonably expensive. My car has an agreed value of $33K and for comprehensive cover with glass extension it's $940 per annum. (I'm 34 with no claims)

Pretty simple. Only an enthusiast is going to buy that car. There are only so many of those around who don't already own one (or want a second one). So as much of an awesome car as it is, your pool of potential buyers is very, very small. Try listing it on the NZ BMW club for sale section perhaps.

Got a full service done on the 335i at Burgers. New air filter element has added some extra zing! Next up is a Cobb, Konis and some new Toyo T1 Sports.

 

Get to have a look at the Turbo E21 Alpina too.

I wish he wasn't always so busy whenever you try to talk to him though. Would love half an hour of his time to pick his brains! Just think how much knowledge he has!

you just need to post something controversial....

 

Post this:

 

Mercedes Benz.... just how much better are they than BMW really? 

If I'm honest I've always had a soft spot for both the C32 and C55 AMG of the early 2000s! Brawny, and rather nice seats!

OP why not just do the oil and filter yourself? By far the cheapest way.

Hey guys, I used to do my own oil changes on previous cars, but I guess with the E90 I wanted to have some sort of "official" service history should I ever come to sell it. Plus I don't think I have the right tool to get the oil filter housing off? Qube that's super generous of you, much appreciated. I would definitely take you up on the kind offer otherwise!

I have a jack and jackstand or car ramps and also oil catch bucket etc if u wana do it and need the equipment.

I live near sylvia park. Can come do it here or borrow them if u like.

As others have said, def the cheapest way.

Let me know

If I was still out East I would be going to Glenn.  Always trusted his shops work and advice.

On the shore there is huge number of Euro specialists.

But I have always had good experiences from Burger at Burgers Motor Works and Ernst at Bavarian Motor Works.

Pricing is always fair and the parts are up to standard.  And these guys have been in the industry since the E9 was in the showrooms

 

Their are cowboys up this way though.  But I don't want to hurt any feelings.

Burger has been my go-to. Totally genuine.

I'd need a lot more info before "judging" either place, but my random thoughts are along the lines of:

 

Are they using the same oil? Is the oil to spec? Are they actually doing the same job.

 

One may just do the oil and filter, and nothing else.

 

The other might do the oil, filter,  filter housing cap O-ring, sump plug washer, and a quick check over for faults or upcoming problems, trans fluid level check, diff oil level check and brake fluidlevel check.

 

So, depending on what they're quoting for, the cheaper one could be the actual ripoff.

 

If you had the cheaper service done, and then the diff destroyed itself because it was low on oil, would you go back and complain they hadn't checked it? (rhetorical - some people do!)

 

We have a specialist mechanical business in the family, and they only do the "proper" job, or won't do it, simply because people will come back complaining about the bit they didn't pay to have done.

 

So I'd want to know:

 

Is the more expensive one doing a better job than the cheaper one?

 

Is a BMW 3 series a ripoff, when a Chery is cheaper?

 

 

We have a mechanic up here that charges $35 an hour. My father in law goes there because it's "cheap". I would NEVER go there, because it's cheap. FIL pays bucket loads for stuff, because he gets this "cheap" guy to fit used parts (sometimes 3 times).

Completely understand the concept of a full inspection as compared to a basic oil and filter service, but in this case I specifically just asked for an oil and filter replacement to factory spec for an N54. But as mentioned, the process of replacing the oil and filter is no more than 30 minutes including getting the car up, drained, and down again.

i just bought 2 bottles of castrol edge 5w-30 for $120 (usually cost $80-90 each) and the filter at team mcmillan for $35.

 

total cost: $155 + an hour of my time (still have half a bottle left over for next time so i only need to buy 1 bottle)

 

 

 

the mechanics would be getting the oil in a drum (much cheaper than what we pay for the 5L bottles)

 

lets say $15/L @ 7L ish is $105

1 hour labour $100?

filter say $30

 

so total: $235 + GST

 

not sure how 1 place got $340.. would have to be some special as oil.. or a filter made of gold.. or they are charging for like 2 hours of labour..

 

even 1 hour is heaps. cuz it will take 1 minute to lift on hoist. 5 minutes to undo undertray and/or remove bolt.. drain for an hour or so while working on another job/car

then come back plug back in, fill up oil. its realistically a 20-30 minute job...

Couldn't agree more. It's really a 30 minute job on a hoist. Maybe 10 minutes to do a general check around under the car while it's up. I don't mind paying the lower price at all as it seems fair, plus of course they do need to make a small profit. But the other crowd who shall remain nameless seem to be adding in an hour extra labour! I HATE the idea of being ripped.

Guess they have the oil available in bulk, but still. This is for an N54 engine so requires 6 litres of Castrol Edge. I figure $125 or oil, I know it's $35 for the filter, and then maybe 30 - 40 minutes labour at their rate of $90 an hour. That seems fair and reasonable. Not sure where the other crowd adds the extra hour plus of labour!

Rang two well known and respected BMW indys to get a quote for a basic oil and oil filter replacement using factory recommended parts. $340 + GST vs. $220 + GST. $120 isn't huge but the percentage difference is. I know where I'll be going and it's north over the bridge.

I wonder if they take paypal? Because I work on an oil rig but my father needs a car asap.

Ha, so you've had that too then.....

Definitely. I've had it serviced twice in my 18,000 km of ownership but ideally I'd like to keep intervals down to 5,000 - 7,500 km.

Unfortunately the work was done a couple of years back. I was more curious as there was a decent gap between the oil change prior to turbo replacement and the first oil change noted after the turbo replacement. I just hope they didn't bolt new turbos on and keep the old oil on there. Guess things are all okay though because the car literally uses no oil at all, at least according to the electronic dipstick.

May be an odd / stupid question, but when BMW replaced both turbos on my 335i back in the UK, is it likely they would have also replaced the oil? I'm guessing they would have needed to due to the oil feed lines having to be disconnected?

 

Yeah I guess it went into hiding in Te Puke hah!!

 

 

 

Roger. 

 

Got those three things from the brief research I did, fingers crossed some of it has already been replaced but if not, I'll brace myself for it. Any idea what I'd be looking at if none of it has been done? Something like $2k or more like $5k or even crazier? It'll help to get a sense of it so I can weigh up the price etc.

 

 

 

Excellent idea. Anyone have any recommendations for contacts near Te Puke?

 

 

 

Thanks for the tip and seems like a great deal but I'm gonna need 19" for sure

No worries. My thoughts are that for all three to be carried out it would be between 3 and 5 grand, (probably closer to 5) but your best bet would be to run some hypothetical repairs past a few specialists to get some indicative prices.

SMG, Vanos and subframe cracks are the big ones for these cars. If they haven't been done already then as above there is every chance they will need to be done soon. Additionally, being an M car instantly means that maintenance items such as brakes are dearer than cooking model BMWs. If you can afford around a grand a year in servicing and general maintenance (excluding the three big ticket items above) then go for it if it all checks out! Looks nice to me and the wheels can always be replaced. Great colour and a great car.

Just have it scanned and ensure it is all functioning as it should. Give it a good service with the right fluids and filters and then enjoy it. You can always look at subtle exterior modifications too, like black kidney grilles and some larger rims.