gjm

PM'd with my phone number.

Bear i mind the profile of the tyre - by which I mean shape, not height - can vary from manufacturer to manufacturer. I'm running 17x7 all round and initially found a 215/45-17 to look and feel over-tyred. Very comfortable, but turn-in was slow and it generally felt like they were running under pressure. I don't recall the manufacturer but will see if I have a note somewhere. We've since fitted Hankooks. Same size, but a completely different story. Really nice 'look', and feel great when driving. Cost $780 fitted (including old tyre disposal), IIRC.

When is too much power just about enough? While back in the UK recently, I was talking to a development engineer who works at Lotus. Aside from all the Norfolk-based stuff, he suggested looking up a guy called Erik Zackrisson, someone who isn't afraid of tripling the size of the engine in his car. He has built a Lotus Exige fitted with a S85 V10, managed by a standalone EMS. There's several videos on Youtube under two channels - Erik Zackrisson, and M3E30V10. The second one is a bit of a giveaway, too... Just as a little taster: Check the channels for more vids. I wonder if a development would see him nip across from Sweden to Norway to pick up one of these? S85 twin-turbo on methanol. 1851bhp. Sub-7s 1/4 mile...

That's different.

Got a part number for it?

I can confirm that genuine UK Marmite is so far ahead of anything similar Sanitarium make that it's like a completely different product. As for Sanitarium claiming trademark infringement - I think there should be a case from the UK against Sanitarium for misrepresenting a delicious product with the rubbish produced in NZ. I may need to revise the plan to bring a couple of jars back with us.

Is an E65 more to everyone's liking? I saw one of those for sale this morning... Scary stuff. A car which would have nudged $200k little more than 10 years ago, now selling for under $10k. There have always been bargains to be had on these upper echelon cars, but that still seems quite a staggering depreciation. Of course, it probably takes into account the repair bills when that huge list of options starts to go wrong!

I quite like the front grill. But like the front of a E85 Z4, too. (Gets coat...)

"I had to swerve three times before I hit him..."

I'll probably get shot down fo this, but them's the breaks... He got what could be an excellent deal when buying the E34. He's selling at a profit. It's what dealers do all the time. Seems expensive though, especially when I've been offered a good condition, WoF'd (but no rego) E38 740i for $1k...

http://bimmersport.co.nz/topic/52989-i-stole-an-e34/

In small doses, I suspect... How long before the impracticality wears thin? Still... Fun!

Mike Hoskins had a fairly scathing diatribe describing Kiwi drivers just now... Essentially, he's in favour of the UK law.

I wouldn't be surprised if you could use your phone to arrange for an onboard coffee machine to have a long black ready for you when you go out to the car on a cold morning! I drove an older S-class Mercedes (one or another of them) for years in the UK. Great cars. A little uneconomical for my current commute, though. The diesel F01s would be much cheaper.

Someone here must have driven one... Whassitlike, mister? One of the parents at our daughter's school has one - looks very nice. No idea which engine. And it more than likely cost several buckets of unaffordium so I'll have to dream for a while, but I'm keen to hear of driving impressions. I think the F01 would be enough compensation. The extra 5.5" isn't really needed.

The stupid woman in the outside lane of SH1 this afternoon, clutching the top of the steering wheel with both hands and leaning so far forward she could have bitten her nails at the same time, travelling at 85km/h - max - would have been better dealt with by a rocket launcher. Queues of traffic, lorries with blaring horns - nothing made the slightest difference. What excuse do these people have? "You can always overtake on the left", while it may be legally correct, is absolutely no defense. Grrr... $2000 is nowhere near enough.

I saw an F01 this morning. Lovely looking car. Thought I'd just have a quick carjam to see the runing costs, which surprised me by not being too ludicrous. Presumably that assumes no major mechanical catastrophes! While there, I checked the same for our 320d. The carjam quoted economy is actually slightly worse than we generally get, but only slightly.

A UK motorist has been fined a total of nearly £1000 for remaining in the centre lane of a motorway when the nearside lane was empty - reported in the Telegraph yesterday. This is colloquially known as lane-hogging, and has been a road traffic offence in the UK for a couple of years. Perhaps it could be introduced here? The NZ authorities would probably get (even) more revenue from that than they do from the camera vans!!

From Tuning LV? They are fine. It's the carriers / couriers that cause the problems.

Spent some money on some bouncy bits. Now to try to find time to fit them...

How embarrassing! Sorry!

Mine is the same. Possibly a tired motor? It's a good exercise in patience... At least, until it stops working completely!

Thanks Allan. I had a moment of confusion before I recalled the 328i stopped in 2000... Useful site for cross reference.

Can I fit the suspension from a 320 / 325 / 330 to our 320d? I have found several conflicting sources, some saying convertible and Touring suspension is interchangeable (H&R Cup kit) and some saying sedan and Touring kits are the same (Bilstein shocks). Then are those who overlook the existence of diesels completely! However, I did find suggestion that 6-cyl kit would be suitable for a 4-pot diesel. (What you do for a 6-pot diesel I have no idea!) Any thoughts?

On SH1 this morning heading south, between Hampton Downs and Te Kauwhata, a very yellow 3-series sporting a natty bodykit. Good morning Hans!