gjm

Picked it up last night. Something I noticed then, and again this morning, is just the slightest notchiness in steering around straight ahead. Could be alignment, or could be indicative of having spent a lot of time on the motorway. It's not significant, and I doubt a problem.

You're absolutely right. The 2.6 was the largest engine fitted to the W201 190E (if you ignore the AMG and Carlsson versions). But it is the M103 engine, and was fitted as a 2.6 and 3.0 in the W124 E-class, and (typically) as a 3.0 in the W126 (although some countries got the 2.6, too). However, the block is identical in terms of appearance. Short of checking the engine number, it is impossible to tell a 2.6 and 3.0 block apart. Yup.... Mine (now) has a 3.0 block. It may get the crank from a US-market 350SDL in due course, at which point it'll become a 3.4. :D The Merc is definitely more luxurious than the BMW, be it a E30, E36 or E46. It is so easy, so comfortable, and generally so nice to drive... On a road that isn't too twisty or demanding. That's when the BMW steps in. Both will be sorted ASAP. The gearchange, up and down is pretty smooth, but I've seen what can happen when those fluids aren't sorted.

It's a little more complicated than that in the short term, but yes - we will look to move. We have a 13-year old daughter who is at school here and in trying to minimise disruption to her education (again) we're likely to stay where we are for another 9 or 10 months. In the meantime we're looking at schools for teenage girls in the Hamilton area (an activity which sounds so much worse when I write it down) and having decided where she'll move to, we'll plan where we will live around that. Unfortunately that may mean we need room for a horse or two, a couple of dairy beef, chickens, an orchard, a large barn (or two - can't have enough barns), great views, and so on. So I'm saving up.

The battery change would wait a while... I was told that if you leave the car for a week or so, it can be slow to crank. Of course, this could just point to a 'leak' somewhere, but I suspect that a BMW-badged battery may be an old one. I was wondering if someone may have simply taken the number from the odometer and used that when paying RUC. Naughty, if so, but among the paperwork are several RUC sheets. I'll check them; the car really does appear to have a few thousand kms to go before it needs doing again. Transmission fluid and filter are things I'll also look at changing ASAP. There's no mention of it ever having been done, and the seller tells me a garage effectively dissuaded him from having it changed, citing "sealed for life" and "it's your risk", or similar. Sounds like a job they didn't want to do.

Since posting, I've done some more reading and there's a suggestion that buying a replacement breather from a BMW dealer will achieve the same end - there's been a redesign at some point. I don't know enough to be able to say. I will do, eventually. Almost a concern is having found blanking plates for the EGR as fitted to a M47TUD20. Oh well. It's early days.

Thanks Jon. I found someone in Dublin (Ireland) who is selling the 22mm versions, which I anticipate I'll need, complete with all gaskets and so on for about the equivalent of NZ$75 inc 'International Priority Shipping'. The 'vortex' engine breather - similar source?

Errmm... Yes. Well, tonight. I'll 'fess up. I registered because I'd seen it and hoped for some more info, then saw it listed in the TM section. It looks to be in generally good condition, and the description appears very fair, with the possible exception of the potentially misleading distance travelled info. (Why do we measure in kms, and talk about mileage?) The odometer is in miles, not kms. (I wonder how that fits, or has fitted, with RUC...?) I wasn't quickly or readily able to check swirl flaps or engine breathers, hence my question in maintenance. The battery probably needs replacing - it's a BMW battery and could possibly even be original. The centre console cubby sliding cover is broken. The rims are a little curbed. The drivers door window is a little slow to rise. But that is about it. Yes, it is a high mileage car, and frankly I'm a little concerned about the service intervals - I get the impression that the service indicator has been adhered to, which in my opinion is not often enough. But it's a reasonably eyes open purchase and the price leaves enough for a turbo rebuild if necessary. Everything seemed to work. It sounded a bit like a tractor, but a 3-year old 320d that I drove in the UK sounded very similar. Driving it isn't an isolated environment like, say, a Mercedes or an Audi A6, but road and engine noise isn't especially intrusive. There's no smoke that I could see, no real lag, and it feels eager when driven. Huge pile of receipts, including details of a recent ecu replacement, front lower arm replacement, and much other stuff. Actually, I found details of at least two if not three instances of front lower arm or bush work. It drives well, brakes to a standstill in a straight line, doesn't rattle or bang over bumps, doesn't shake or unduly vibrate, and there are no odd knocking noises. Fingers crossed!

Where in NZ should I go for parts like the swirl flap blanking plates, and replacement breathers (vortex breather)? Available via eBay, of course, but it'd be nice to know where to get the parts should I need them in a hurry. Ta.

E31s are great cars. I forgot earlier to mention I had an E34 M635CSi - the 8-series was a good successor, in my opinion. Neither is something I'd want to consider, from an economy perspective, for a daily 250km round trip, though! I've managed to get my W201 Mercedes down to 9l per 100km, but it'd be incredibly hard to better that, in that car. Having spoken to a former owner of an E46 320d (saloon) I'm likely to better 5l per 100km; maybe it was a tall story, but he claimed he had once seen below 4l per 100km. That'd be nice, but I'm not holding my breath! Regardless - many thanks for the welcome.

Aye... Seemed like a good idea at the time! It's the little things that cause problems. Y'know, rent, petrol, food, electricity... Fingers crossed that's all behind us now.

If anyone would like it looked at, let me know. It's nearly opposite where I work. They have another BMW in there that I'd not touch. It must be the 320i but I thought it was a brownish colour; it' s advertised as gunmetal. Sounded like a bag of nails when I walked past earlier. Many of their cars are ex-Japan imports. Obviously not the object of the OP, though.

Just walked up to Greg Hantz - he's maybe 10 minutes alk from work. He was very helpful. Several BMWs of different ages around including an E23, couple of E36s, and an E34 (might have been an E39 - I didn't look closely enough) Touring. Other cars including a Mk 5 or 6 Golf, and a Japanese SUV. So, a BMW specialist, but not exclusively BMW. Makes sense. Happily spent a few minutes chatting and giving me some pointers.

I pass SD twice a day... Definitely an option. Servicing and similar in Hamilton has benefits as I'm here all day, every day. However, I've no plans to sell the Merc so it could be used if a BMW is 'in' somewhere in Auckland. (Mrs M has seen a 318i Touring that she rather fancies - we'll need to get some money saved first, though.) On the Hamilton end, I found details of European Specialists Ltd at 7B Tasman Road, Hillcrest Auto Services at 50 Riverlea Road, and Greg Hantz Autos at 36 King Street. I've not gone looking for Auckland-based specialists yet.

Hi all, We arrived in NZ at the end of June last year, staying at a friends house for a few weeks before renting near Clevedon, south-east of Auckland. We're long-term German car fans having had many Mercedes, BMWs, VWs and Audis. My first BMW was an E21 323i, followed later by a 840Ci. (My brother had the 850 - interesting comparison.) My wife drove an E30 320i coupe for several years. Work for me was very slow to be sorted. We didn't want to jump into daily life straight away but after a few months here, we decided it was time. And Telecom laid off 140 or so IT Project Managers... My field. That didn't help at all, and marked the start of a long slog, and money worries, before I found work in Hamilton. It's a nice drive south, but quite a distance, and my Merc really isn't suitably economical! I've been looking for cheap (try living for 14 months with no income!), economical, sensible, practical yet fun wheels for a while and have found a 2002 E46 320d Touring which would suit. (A 520d might be better, but beggars can't be choosers.) I'm aware that there can be a number of issues with the M47TUD engine, but also that it is a good engine provided it is looked after. So, it's an older car. It will doubtless need some attention. So the first of (doubtless) many questions is: who are the good guys for looking after 10-15 year old BMW diesels? I've been on many forums in the past, especially while in the UK, so 'normal' rules apply - let me know the good'uns here perhaps, but PM (in confidence) details of anyone to avoid! Long term I may look to make some minor changes to the car and engine, but these will be more around maintaining reliability and power, and increasing economy. I know it could be tuned and tweaked, but 120km each way to work means this isn't really a car to 'play' with too much. Thanks folks. Graham