Olaf

I've been a regular client of theirs for more than fifteen years. I think Pierberg might be the OE for your N-series? HTH

I like your use of "" around investment. All classic cars are speculation. Some have reasonable odds, but it's still not an asset, nor is it one that produces a return during ownership. Much as I love my e30, I'd not mention it as an asset in any statement of position. It's clearly a liability, soaking up coin for storage and maintenance [edit: and insurance] It's a Hobby - the kind of dirty secret the Govt currently has our bankers running around digging up the dirt on. "what's this $200 worth of lube every six months? Kinky."

Given their performance with Kiwibuild, that'll be conveniently swept away from any media briefings, and the bought-and-paid-for press won't question it.

we seem to manage that very well with LPG, and we used to with CNG as well. We just need to solve the problem. Perhaps the issue is that this govt will have racked up so much debt bankrolling hermitville lockdowns and wrecking the economy, investing a little in a distribution network will be viewed as "too costly". And they laid their bet on electric cars (pssst - do we have a distribution network to support the additional load?!, or the generation capacity?).

Toyota have been making it work very safely thank you for about a decade, with the Mirai on sale since 2014. Many manufacturers were researching (to the prototype stage) hydorgen fuel cells in the 1990's/early 00's. Great to see them heading back that way, far more sensible than bloody lithium batteries! If I could buy and run a Mirai in NZ tomorrow, I would.

That's a Euro Heckblende - a very desireable and costly item. You're essentially saying "if it looked exactly like I expect it to, it'll sell well". Do you manage to put aside your prejudices when buying a house? Or do you say "oh I don't like the colour of the bathroom. It'd sell easier if it was black. No, onto the next one". You really need to see the detail work on this one.

no need to worry mate, you've been chanting that e30's are over-valued for ages now (while the market's moved more than $20k), so set your concience free and list it for $4k. Easy! 😎

Would people actually borrow money to buy 30 year old e30's? Wow. Nearest thing to financing a car I've done - since 1989 - is extending my mortgage a little, and haven't done that for a car for 16 years. Usually pay cash for cars. If I don't have the cash, I can't afford it.

40F/36R - are you driving a Passat wagon? That's a very FWD setup (FWDs usually run higher pressures in front). Try 36F/41R - it's more in-line with the placard you'll find on the door frame. Adjust in 0.5 psi increments up and down (independently) to arrive at your ideal. HTH. PS: Love the photos!

the red mirrors are cool.

I go all the way to Marton to continue with Jon of Auto 38, at Begley Motor Works. You could try Peter Craigie at All European Service in Fifeshire Avenue, if you need to go local. I don't recommend Page European. And I wouldn't bother with VTNZ, they're not useful for PPIs, and barely adequate for WoFs.

@treone sister car

I reckon a 'how-to' would go down really well. Mine's "a bit" cracked beneath my dash mat.

(somewhat cheekily, I acknowledge!) - fixed that for ya 😎

I can't help you with your denial!

I was thinking the same thing. There's RON, and something else ==> US number is lower for NZ octane rating.

Having done shocks on eight of my own cars since 1994 (in one case two sets in 2.5 years), you'd have to be flat-lining not to recognise the improvement over worn out/ailing/or just old shocks. I've driven many, many cars in the mean time with shocks that are buggered or just plain beyond their useful life, and wonder why the owners haven't woken up and replaced them. And therein lies the root of the issue: deferred maintenance passed on to the next poor sap.

^^ This! Also agree with @E30 325i Rag-Top's point about not bothering with the remap. You can extract more HP, more Torque, better economy... but something's got to give. How's the emissions or long-term reliability after the remap? Shocks? Yep, 100-125k kms and they're best replaced along with all the bushes, spring seats etc. OE Sachs are great value, and where the genuine item is alloy bodied, the Sachs are too; Bilstein Touring usually close to price yet steel bodied. Sorting the suspension provides long term enjoyment, better braking and steering, increased tyre life, increased safety - especially for the shopping trolley.

loggin in this morning OSX treats Bimmersport as un-trusted, tells me the cert has expired.

that's more to do about a lack of skill from the mechanics test driving the cars, than any failing of the car. And perhaps QC from the foreman - making sure that an e30 is returned post-service feeling as it ought to. If you're talking late-90's on, most of the apprentices wouldn't have RWD experience. In the same way that more e30's are going to the great wrecking yard in the sky each year - often due to the ruthless combination of a damp road, and little-to-no RWD skill behind the wheel. Add cheap tyres, and worn-out suspension, and there'll be tears before bedtime. If you're sliding - without serious intent - at just 15 km/h in an e30, there's something wrong with your car, your're on a skid pan, or there's a diesel spill beneath you. They were the car all others in the class were judged by when new, and if they were that wayward, people realising a few extra bucks from the stockmarket in the 80's (pre-crash) would have bought something safer. EDIT: sorry, deleted reposts. D'oh!

sure is, well spoted @Sammo and thanks

I've had such a busy time with renovations, little time to drive my e30. Had a little time up my sleeve this morning, met up with @adro and we made some images.

+1, it's looking very classy. Great work!

that HDD-SSD trick sounds very interesting to me. I wonder if that'll work in my 2011 F25?

PPS - can bring jumper leads!