gjm

Assuming current shocks/springs need replacing - Koni sports / H&R springs. Check bushes. See how it handles and review swaybars and drop links accordingly.

True... I think they normally treat 50-60 litres. Bulk discount anywhere...?

Anyone have experience of both? Looking for some tyres in a 205/65-15. Can get either of these for under $145 a corner. IIRC, the Pirellis are more comfortable, but not so good on wear or handling.

Hastings is the big smoke!

Prices are quoted are for Waipawa BP, and for Gull down the road in waipuk. The Caltex in Waipuk seems to almost match Gull, once you take into account random special offers. The Gull pump price is 3c per litre less than the hoarding says. Always... And they do 'discount' days when another 10c per litre comes off. BP rarely matches that. From my perspective, if I can (on a discount day) get Gull 91 for (say) 166c, and 95 at BP is costing 65c or more a litre, more, and if a bottle of some sort of booster/treatment is $20, then why wouldn't I...? If someone offered you the chance to save $30 every time you fill up...?

If I could find a W220 S400CDi I'd be very happy!

Filling the 500SE (another mortgage!) this evening with 95 at the local BP, I found myself thinking "what am I doing?" No... I'm not selling the Mercedes. Don't be silly! ? But... 95 RON was 232.9c per litre. 91 was 186.9c per litre. (It's 10c cheaper than that at Gull.) That's a huge difference. 46c per litre. Who is getting ripped off here? I'm sure there isn't more than 10-12c per litre of additives, if that. So... And bearing in mind I'm talking up to 90 litres of fuel at a time, is there an octane booster which will turn 91 fuel into something more palatable? It could cost $30 a bottle and still be cheaper than using the supposedly better fuel from the pump!

There's a part in the door handle Mech that wears when the handle is lifted too far, as it wears, you need to lift it more, exacerbating the problem. Eventually something breaks, and the handle becomes floppy and stops working. I think I sorted this on a car we had, but y'know how it is. So many cars, such short memory.

Another thing on the list... The driver side front door handle on Miss M's E46 has far too much travel - needs lifting further than it should when opening. Is this the same as the E36 issue? Is there a fix kit avail?

Original rims were AMG 17x7.5 (et41, I think). I fitted a set of 'front' rims from the W210 E55 - 18x8 et31, and they rubbed on the front. I had a couple of mm machined off the inside hub face of the rim, and spaced the wheel arch to stop that. There were 7-10 RHD W124 E36s made in the T-model (wagon); mine was (as far as I know) the only one in Malachite green. It required the purchase of a W124 E320 estate which was then sent to AMG for the conversion work. This led to some interesting times at main dealers when trying to order parts because the car would still be listed as an E320, and led to them fitting the wrong exhaust centre section, bodging the AMG exhaust which was fitted in order to make it work. I had no idea - a subsequent owner of the car accused me of cutting corners. ?

I know a bit about the M103/4, from MB, AMG and Brabus. When that controller gives up, throw it all away and go MegaSquirt, Link or Haltech. It's cheaper. This was mine. And yes - two of the coil packs did give up...

I think that was a short-lived issue, applying to mid 90s vehicles. Of course, they'd also started using less paint of a poorer quality, and suspect steel for some suspension components. Manufacturing by over-zealous accountants.

Both front struts will be sorted on Thursday. And a full alignment, of course. It's debatable whether this is sensible expenditure given the value of the car, but the alternative was to buy another. I'm not averse to buying cars ? but while money spent on this car will never be recovered, we do know the car and know (despite student-car appearances) that it is mechanically good and safe. And a replacement could easily need work, too.

The new layout is painful. Lack of filters and so on - used to be able to choose multiple areas to search in (my region, and neighbouring regions) but can't do that now.

Sadly, probably too tight a timeline. She has to be in Hamilton for Friday evening for an interview - but we're seeing if that can be done remotely. I have the start of a plan. Hoping I can arrange something tomorrow morning. Always the way - bad timing. This is a recent problem (I hope) - passed a WoF about two weeks ago.

Replacing the pair is the plan. Aside from making for a balanced setup, if one has failed the other is likely to. Sadly no time to wait for an overseas delivery. Miss M is with us in HB and needs to head back to Hamilton before next weekend. But I have found somewhere local to talk to.

Does this present as a dash displayed fault?

Miss Ms car, 2001 E46 318i (M43), has one front strut which isn't doing much. Jack the front nearside (left, as viewed from the drivers seat) corner of the car, grasp the wheel rim, and it moves up and down far more easily than would be desired. There's signs it has been leaking. Strut top mounts look OK. Does anyone have any struts they're not using? Complete strut would be easier to swap into the car, of course. I'm very aware that using s/h ones is probably just delaying purchase of new kit, but budgets are ridiculously tight at the moment.

It reads like it is the M43 of the N52 range. Biggest difference I can find between the 323i and 325i is the intake manifold and a remap which is worth about 20hp. Capacity is the same.

Anything especially bad about this that I should know? Aside form teh electric water pump which should be replaced no later than every 80000 miles (125-130,000km). The earlier N52 had issues with rings and oiling, but I think that was sorted for the 'N' engine? Considering an E90 323i with the N52NB25 engine.