gjm

SOLD BMW E46 318Ci (coupe), <120,000km. WoF 'til 27/06/2019; rego 'til 26/12/2018 With a build date of 11-05-2001, this is one of the last cars fitted with the M43TU engine. More reliable than the later N42 engine. It was first registered in Singapore in October 2001 where Opera Autotechnik fitted a Kerscher bodykit: front and rear bumpers, sideskirts, small bootlid spoiler. The fitting included electric folding M3 wing mirrors, and a Opera dual-exit exhaust. It was also lowered on Eibach springs. I have removed the side skirts as we prefer the look of the car without them, but they will be supplied as a part of a sale. 'Dressing' a car is common practice in Singapore - no point having anything with any sort of performance as there's just nowhere to use it. Uncommon and very attractive Graugruen (grey green) metallic paintwork, with undamaged Schwarz (black) leather interior - some wear, but no rips, tears or burn holes. Includes sports leather multifunction steering wheel. Some scratches and similar to the bodywork, but nothing major. Rims are Mille Miglia Revenge II 18x8.5 et45, recently fitted with 225/40-18 front and 255-35/18 rear tyres: tyres may have covered 2000km - see pic for tread. The rims have some kerbing but no great big chunks missing. I had them checked for true, round and balance at the end of last week. Options include glass sunroof, aluminium interior trim, electrically adjustable front seats with memory on the drivers seat, aircon, and 6CD changer (in boot). Just been to Coombes Johnston in Hamilton for the drivers and passenger airbag recall. All fluids changed in the last 2 months, cooling system overhauled and flanges have all been replaced; fitted with a K&N filter in stock airbox. Currently has two problems: 1. Passenger door does not open from the outside (no problem from inside). The cable connecting to the handle has come away - nothing is broken and the cable is intact, but it does require the door to be stripped in order to refit the cable. 2. One of the exhaust tips has come away from the exhaust and requires re-attaching (welding). This doesn't affect performance or make the car excessively loud. I will fix both problems in the coming days if the car does not sell first. Great first car (cheap insurance), and economical for commuting or longer drives (we drove down to New Plymouth a couple of weeks ago). Inspection and test drive welcome. $3250.

If it looks good, it is good? No-one cares that it drives like sh*t with those stretched low profile tyres... Aside from that, a M57D30 with a 6-speed manual box should be good fun! (Being a diesel it doesn't need 6 speeds, of course, but that's another matter.) /grumpy

Why not get some rims that fit, and then fit some tyres to the rims so they fit properly, too? Maybe I'm just getting old...

Some years ago I sorted the cloudy plastic headlights on a Mazda Tribute using toothpaste. Worked a treat. (Smells fresh, too. )

That's interesting, and useful to know. I didn't know that an insurance payout on a 3rd party basis still required an excess to be paid by the insurance holder. Kinda negates any purpose in having 3rd party insurance if he can get away with that.

I've found that one suspension bush a day is about my limit, too!

SH1, Greenlane, most mornings...

I wonder how much of the extended delivery time problem is NZPost (which includes YouShop) and how much is down to customs processes (outside the control of a carrier)? Fedex, DHL and other non-state couriers seem to be able to get their shipments through customs in a reasonably timely fashion, while NZPost seem unable to regularly get things processed quickly. I have two packages which (sender) tracking tells me have been in customs in Auckland for over a week - NZPost don't even acknowledge their arrival in NZ. Neither are big, neither are valuable. (An OBD2 cable, and a regulator for an alternator.)

Thought I'd ask here before going to suppliers - Anyone got a coolant thermostat for a M20B25? Mrs M's Baur is showing a little cooler on the gauge than it should. (Preventative maintenance time.) And the o-ring? Ta.

318Ci: Took it for the airbag recall Cleaned up the 18x8.5 rims (and near-new tyres) Refitted the 'big' wheels All in the name of getting it ready for sale. Kind of a shame as it is a nice car, but it doesn't fulfill the design brief for Miss M - they have some BIG speed humps at Uni and this doesn't much like them. And it's not as if I'd planned to buy this one at this time anyway! Oh - took it CJ in Hamilton today too, and had the airbag recall sorted.

"1986 BMW 318I E30 Baur Edition (essentially the coupe version with the roof and back window cut out) Automatic Car runs well and has had a long life of regular servicing, exterior is in a very tidy condition (near perfect) and the tyres are new, brakes have been recently done, as well as a new radiator. Unfortunately time hasn't been all kind to this old girl, the rear plastic window was torn out during a storm over summer, and since then has been garaged and only driven on fine days, the driver seat fabric is torn, and a few interior aspects have cracked and/or broken. The rear badge is peeling off slightly. Apart from this she is a real original classic, always gets great looks and feedback from the public and the perfect summer cruiser." Something funny about that one. The VIN is for a silver E30 (as advertised) but for a 4-door 320i (M20 engine). More bizarrely that VIN also has 'preparation for cabriolet version'.

Barely able to find a decent manual E30 for $6k these days, let alone a convertible!

Cheap. Probably... Depending on spec and condition, of course.

You're my hero. And an inspiration. Truly. I was wondering only yesterday evening how you were getting on and had thought of calling today. I can find any number of reasons excuses not to get on with stuff, and then you pop up with progress despite everything. Great work. ?

TBH - I was thinking the same.

Aye - the volumetric calculations add zeroes to the shipping costs.

Would you like jam on that, sir? Wow.

My apologies, Kyu. Got a bit carried away. Are you after a quote for repair? Or a pre-accident valuation?

If it becomes a rort, others might enter the market but there are truly monumental hurdles to that happeniong. And they'd only do so in order to also make money. Underwriters don't indulge in competition - that's left to the insurance suppliers. The only thing that varies are the conditions on an insurance policy, and the profit being made. IAG made a profit of $1bn in 2017, and an insurance profit of $1.3bn (figures are for Australasia, not just NZ) despite having underwritten and paid out on earthquake insurance for Christchurch. Nope. Insurance is not about helping people. It is solely about making money for a few people. As I said - buy insurance for yourself. That way you know you are covered in the event of accident, fire, theft, loss, whatever. Compulsory insurance won't help you if you're hit by an uninsured driver.