gjm

When I was sorting through lists, I found some surprising differences, but these were often subtly different rims. BBS are a particular example. Chrome, anodizing, painting - the difference for a 17x8 rim was quoted as up to 2lbs, despite the rim being of apparently identical structure. I used to run 17x8 and 17x10.5 Oz Futuras on a Porsche 928. When I rebuilt the rims, I used new titanium bolts to replace the steels used originally. Aluminium is lighter still, but has less corrosion resistance, an important consideration on UK roads. The bolts weighed just under half as much. Opting for a polished rather than painted finish saved more weight - end result was something over 2lbs per rim. This is academic. The tyre choice makes a significant difference.

Apologies - this should be in the wheels and round black stuff section. If a mod sees this, please could they move the thread...? I found a wheel weights list, and have added several hundred more to it. Can't upload it here, and at nearly 4600 lines long I'm not going to copy and paste it! So, I've uploaded it here. Doesn't answer my question, unfortunately, but may help others.

Specifically, I'm interested n the weight for an ACS (Ronal) 17x8 et38, but I thought this might become a useful resource for other rims too? I think these are Type 1s? Lots of (mis)information around.

Hmm. et38, too. Not quite perfect for an E46, but could work.

Washed it. Didn't take pics. Thought about getting some ACS 17x8 rims.

Agreed. I was being lazy with my terminology. I don't know what statutes and requirements are in place for a towing company, but they don't seem to fussed about adhering to anything that might say 'check validity of parking before removing vehicle', for example. Of course, there's no profit in that.

But that doesn't work! I was towed when legally parked in a designated space! That's a personal thing, of course, but I know I'm not alone. It is a form of legalised theft.

I'd love to be at Ardmore, but lack anything to enter into any comps of any sort! Bayswater looks interesting. I'll ask Mrs & Miss M.

I had a similar problem when working in London. The towing company are the ones liable, but they will have no interest whatsoever in dealing with you, answering queries or anything. It will take a lawyer, and possibly a court date, to get a reasonable response. My car was towed from a private car park, where I was entitled to be and correctly parked in clearly designated space. It was towed because someone in another area of the building, unaffected by my parking, didn't recognise my car. There were no enquiries, no-one asking who the car belonged to - he just phoned the company and said to take it away. The towing company will not release the car until they have money. I even had the owner of the building go to the company with proof of ownership and correct parking, but it made no difference; the people employed to drive the trucks and operate the yards aren't employed for their decision-making skills. I reported the car stolen, but you can imagine how may of those the police get in London. I finally got some action by flagging down a police car passing the impound yard (by standing in the middle of the road) and suggesting the yard was being used to fence stolen cars. Apparently it wouldn't be the first time that had been true - tow trucks make the perfect theft vehicle.

I like it. And it is rare... How many 333i models has anyone seen on the roads? Can't comment on the build quality. Sounds like a lot of fun, though.

If I had the faintest idea, I'd offer any advice I can. Is this system likely to be retrofittable to older cars, albeit with some wiring and suchlike, or does it depend on some electrickery gubbins which is only present on newer models?

Rats. I'd not been looking at gigs and the like, but would certainly have enjoyed that one.

When? Always liked them.

Tyres have gone. Still have the rims for sale...

Regularly saw Z8s for sale at the Techno Classica in Essen. The price tags just seemed unrealistic, although I guess someone must have thought otherwise. Stick some wire wheels on that Z8, and it'd look like an updated (and imo prettier) E-type.

Maintaining up to date tracking information falls into this basket, too.

I'm not really an E36 fan. Not sure why. They just don't 'do it' for me. Nice cars, and quite likely great to drive. But the E28 is iconic. Love it. Really enjoyed watching the chase in Octopussy (although that wasn't a M535i).

Not the sort of car we see on here so much, although there has been discussion of the F1 BMWs. The Elva Mk8 uses the same engine, but in a very different package. There's a footnote about an Osella fitted with a M12. I found this doc by accident, but it made for great reading. (Well, I enjoyed it!) A touch too big to be hosted here, so I've uploaded to Google docs. Original online doc here: http://vprace.com/press/ElvaMK8-BMW-M10.pdf

I'm entirely in the 'buy local if at all possible' camp. Sometimes it's not possible - some more specialist items may not be available here, but it doesn't hurt to ask. Certainly if you have an issue with something, you're more likely to get good support from someone local than you might from someone in Germany (for example) - the time difference can make life interesting, even if language doesn't. There does seem to be, in some fields (and I'm not talking specifically about cars) nothing to choose in terms of price between buying locally, and buying from overseas. When I say nothing to choose, I am referring to the total, delivered-to-your-door, price. Take the purchase price (normally retail), add shipping, insurance (and GST/customs fees, if applicable) and the total is often very similar to the same item sourced locally. Sometimes, an item is significantly more expensive than when sourcing overseas. If that's the case, talk to the local people and see if there's room to haggle, perhaps?

From Jon: "M50, M52 Single Vanos Seal kit: $68.90 shipped NZ" Cheaper than a single kit shipped from the US? Bulk buy would obviously help there, but local supplier, a phone call away, helps the forum...

Same car, another pic.

Spotted at 4400 Ashford Dunwoody Road, Georgia, during the Super Bowl meet: Obviously wasn't me, but a friend went along and sent this.

http://www.9news.com.au/national/2015/02/02/03/19/open-speed-limits-could-be-extended-across-the-northern-territory This probably refers to a 200km long, straight piece of road with no junctions on it... Oz is a big place after all! However, it has often been suggested that drivers drive better when they can drive at a pace of their choosing, and which suits their concentration level. Not sure it'd work with the driver of an overloaded Whanau wagon, eating a pie, driving with one hand and watching the match on his in-vehicle portable TV, though. (My apologies for the stereotyping - this is just what I saw using both lanes and the hard shoulder of SH1 between Mercer and Pokeno this morning.)

Enough of all these new-fangled models! Saw this today, in the car park at Sylvia Park, after the meet up at Kyu's.

Leaving TK and heading north on SH1, passed through the single carriageway piece before Hampton Downs, following a white Mazda Attenza wagon. Nothing in front of it, travelling at 85-90km/h through the single carriageway section. Got to the dual carriageway section, and the Attenza's right hand indicator came on. It accelerated to 95km/h and pulled into the right hand lane as soon as the hatching ended. Remember - nothing in front of it. This was a deliberate and conscious decision to make this move. I'd not been pushing hard or anything - it was as if this was just what this driver always did. I confess - I just don't understand!