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gjm

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Posts posted by gjm


  1. OK - so the original post is looking increasingly like a balanced list of pros and cons. Nothing specifically wrong with either, but no clear winner.

    @balancerider - I commuted an E46 320d for a few years, in all conditions. That had the standard E46 lights and while xenons are certainly better (and preferale), I'd be OK with the halogens.

    Miss M came up with an alternative that I would never have considered. An E64 645Ci convertible. Like all cars (it seems) not without it's issues but if cared for seems capable of some big mileage. The N62B48 is likely a better engine, but I'd never expected to find a decent 645 in budget. Very tempting. I even find myself thinking "drive it for 12 months, sell it, get something else."


  2. The E46 I've found is (according to Carjam) NZ new, first registered in NZ in late January 2004 but has an August 2002 build date. Hmm. Low mileage though. (I can change that. :) ) It has the usual M57 engine.

    The E90 is ex-SA, first registered in NZ late February 2020 (originally registered in SA November 2005. This has the more powerful M57S engine. Higher but by no means silly mileage, and (as might be expected) slightly higher price. Still under $7k.

    Both look good in pics (both are in Auckland), both are automatics, both are well-specced, both have good history and long current ownership, neither have any Motorsport options.

    My feeling is that the E46 is the better bet for my purposes, is simpler to work on and will be cheaper to keep on the road. The E90 may have a removable towbar but that's not a deciding factor; the E46 has through-loading which may be useful.

    No idea if either would be more economical at a constant 100km/h; Carjam suggests they would be the same, another site suggests perhaps a 0.1 l per 100km difference. If we get that far, perhaps have a chat with Pramod to optimise what is there.

     

    • Like 1

  3. 1 hour ago, Palazzo said:

    Great. Dad has just told me that the local mechanic has replaced the cluster 2-3 times because the odo gears stopped working, I’ve just told him today to replace the gears.

    So we could have anything despite it saying Motometer on the front?

    Yup.

    Ours has a VDO-branded cluster, and a Motometer speedo unit. Someone had done something with it before, and actually superglued the gears to the spindles. That made life 'interesting' but it's sorted now.

    Pulling the cluster isn't a huge job. Apparently it can be done with the steering wheel in place, but I'd take it out.

     


  4. Let me check what I have here - I know I have at least two sets of gears. And if I don't have what you need, I'll forward details of a reliable NZ source.

    The only way to be sure what you need is to remove the cluster from your car. VDO clusters do have 'VDO' on the front, but (as was the case with our car) people will replace a non-working cluster with anything they can find. So a VDO-badged cluster may have a Motometer speedo in it. And there is no way to tell without pulling the cluster and checking.


  5. 1 hour ago, KwS said:

    My impression was that the person giving them away was hoping they went to someone that wanted parts for their car, not for some wanker to try and make a buck. Chucking it on trademe isnt "putting in the effort".

    That was the impression I got, too.

    I doubt stripping some parts from it and then chucking it on TradeMe was the anticipation (although it was obviously always a possibility).
    And the description - "Was planning on turning it into a crazy track car but with too many projects on the go it's best to see if anyone wants to score a bargain..." Pure fabrication. Picked it up on Saturday, had it on TM a day later.

    As for effort - I tried, but by the time I had arranged a car trailer, they had gone. :( 

    Not saying the seller is a bad guy, but a little more honesty about the acquisition and sale wouldn't go amiss. From the questions it seems others have already rumbled his game.
     

     

    • Thanks 1

  6. On 11/15/2023 at 9:42 AM, Apex said:

    If you want to go real cheap and colorful look out for a 306 diesel, they are likley the cheapest car to run available, talking over 1000km per 60L tank, have comfortable (sometimes colorful) seats and are really really fun to drive if there are corners involved. 

    200km commute sounds punishing.

    I've worked in Auckland and Wellington, and found it can take an hour (sometimes more) to get into work. This is only a little more than that although I'd be driving, not riding a train or similar. And it's likely to be 3-4 days a week, not 5, so there are compensations.

    Virtually zero corners of significance for 90% of the trip, but a 306D is certainly the 'right' price. ;) I used to drive a 405SRDT - great car.

    • Like 1

  7. There will be N46s with big mileages on them. Bloke I used to work with bought a E90 320i new, still has it, and aside from regular servicing, has never had an issue. That said, the N46 is certainly not one of BMWs better engines. (Understatement.)

    To the OP - quit with the 'fanboy' trolling. It really doesn't help.

    And if you want a BMW specialist in Hamilton (other than SD) try Greg Hantz. I've always found him to be very helpful and knowledgeable.


  8. Why do such a huge proportion of cars have black interiors?
    Hoping to be starting a new job soon. It's going to mean a long-ish 200km round-trip commute , so something economical, comfortable, and perhaps a little interesting is being researched. (The 500SE fits 2 out of 3, but really is not suitable!)

    I'm balancing service costs and RUCs for diesels against likely better economy.

    But almost everything I have seen which looks vaguely interesting has a black, anthracite, dark grey or similar interior. I don't want white, but something a little less dark would be nice!

    (Disappointed that I missed a Mercedes CLK320 CDi with tan leather,,,)


  9. 5 hours ago, Apex said:

    Also, they are also bugger all more practical than a regular hatch back because of the way the boot opens and how the cargo area is lined. 

    That was my experience with the one I had in the UK. Nice car, certainly, but somehow not as engaging to drive, and the expectation of useful boot space was only that - an expectation. You could get a bit more in it than the boot of a coupe or 4-door, but not as much as you'd expect. Now, if BMW had done a 2-door wagon version, like the 2002, that might have been better! (Even with no more space inside. :rolleyes: )


  10. I used to buy through a parts wholesaler in Germany. Because they shipped so much stuff all over the world - they'd have a BIG truck collecting at least once a day, so equivalent of a 40' container of parcels every day - they got a great rate from the couriers.

    Then the couriers decided they didn't need to offer the special rate and shipping more than quadrupled overnight. That was before Covid. It meant the wholesaler had to re-plan their business model, and they started focusing on 'local' (Europe) sales which worked within the EU. (So the UK got left out. :rolleyes: Not that it was an issue for us in NZ.) Feedback is that they actually dropped that courier completely, 

     


  11. 6 hours ago, Apex said:

    Feeling ranty today.

    Real estate agents not listing asking prices.

    It would seem many of the established agents have moved on to other work and have been replaced with uber drivers looking for day jobs who don't seem to understand that the prospect of mortgaging a $1.4m house in a South Auckland slum area is a daunting prospect to many people.

    Do. Not. Get. Me Started.

    (Sur)real Estate Agents have surpassed the [can't write the word I want to here ] that lawyers are supposedly known for. There seems to be a preponderance of ill-educated, slimy, self-entitled tossers around masquerading as people pretending to sell houses and property. PBN, POA, tender... All are pathetic excuses for not doing the job they are paid far to well for. Try offering any amount for a house and you're always told "the vendor has indicated that they'll not accept less than $ludicrous..."

    SO WHY DIDN'T YOU PUT THAT ON THE LISTING AND SAVE ME THE BOTHER OF HAVING TO TALK TO YOU?!?!?!?!?

    There are some good ones around but the days where an agen represented a vendor and worked to find a buyer, or would take a buyer's requirements and find a house, are loooong gone. It's a self-regulated industry.

    And when you do finally get a house that a sensible offer is accepted on, the agent wants you - the buyer - to pay a hefty sum into a 'holding account' while contracts are sorted, titles are issued - whatever. I have never seen this done anywhere else. Who gets the interest off that money? Certainly not the seller, or the buyer. :angry:  

    • Like 2

  12. 4 hours ago, Apex said:

    Was a hypothetical. Although some of the "specialist" quotes I have seen lately it wouldn't' be hard to spend 100k in 2023. Cost of E30 living is out of control. 

    Market has stalled, nothing is selling ATM.. I mean, borrowing money to buy a BMW at current interest rates would be a bad idea,  especially when you consider prices on used and collectable cars are down 20-40% vs 2021 peak and demand has dried up. If you put this car on the mortgage right now and financed it over 10 years it would owe you close to 300k.. Maybe it will be worth 300k in ten years, who knows? But that is not an investment and it is not a 300k experience. 

    In this market, I would be buying clean e46's now and enjoying them.

    Listed the Baur at $12k, no reserve.

    Not one single nibble. Lots of watching - no bids, no questions.

    OK - it's not a manual, and it is less usual. But it is in excellent condition, rust-free, straight six, and pretty much every option that was available.

    Fingers crossed I get work soon, in which case we'll keep it.

    • Like 1
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