Olaf

Jason Shirt. Sorry, can't resist, despite the minor speling difference. Camisa is spanish for shirt.

welcome, Andrew!

woohoo! awesome. straight into the m535i now...

yes! thanks Kyu, and sorry Greg I meant if I bought it, it'd be street-parked and dailied...

sorely tempting, though parking it outside on the street and the daily commute would probably kill it. GLWS!

hmmm, interesting. Having owned and loved an e30 325i Touring (manual), and now owning and loving an e46 325i Touring (Auto), I see the e46 - overall - as a better car. It's certainly not as immediate, it's heavier... but brakes, steering, suspension, safety.... hmm - on the road from here to Auckland, it'd be the e46 every time for me. Still, that's a lovely e30 touring. he's acheived what I had in mind for mine, when I owned it.

another comical spelling mistake. It's actually called The Swinger. why? because it's the love-child resulting from the swingers party that was furtively attended by a Commodore, Maserati, Audi, Dodge, Jaguar, Ford, Mazda, and a Kia!

I give you: Ling Long HiFly insert cheap sub-standard tyres here. Darwin would disagree that purchasers of these products were blessed with even average intelligence!

I wouldn't be caught alive with one of these bypass systems, let alone dead. There are tons of cheap-assed tyres on the market as well. I don't care how many (stupid) people buy them, it doesn't make em good/appropriate/safe; I think your logic is flawed. I'm disappointed to note my e46 has been through two seat occupancy sensor mats in 4.5 years. It's not cheap, it's a product failure, and it's bloody inconvenient. I won't compromise on the safety of any passenger in my vehicle. A life is worth more than the mere cost of the repair job, and I'm not chancing it with a modification to the operation of active safety systems in the hope they'll protect effectively. Engineers spent many thousands of hours devising these safety systems. It amazes me to think that folks think bypassing them or modifying them is a *good idea*.

road trippin'! great to see your car getting used, and not living life as a garage queen. loving the new wheels, Barry!

^^ what Andy said. I tend to buy the whole kit, change it all out in one go, then you're sorted and your vehicle is in good shape for the next 100k kms. Any parts from the kit that you don't use, stay on the shelf for when they are needed.

agreed! it's got a classical feel about it, despite being cuttingly modern. plenty of line and proportion from the new 7er, as well, I think. I'd buy one, if the lotto gods are with me.

late-80's BMW NZ did a cool full-page advert for April Fools Day about how the new 7 series grill slats moved to change airflow with speed, for improved drag coefficient. Great that this has surpassed mere humour to become reality! Somewhere in the attic I still have a copy of the advert.

ha! necsis corners market in e39s!

Honest John warns that the air springs go on the 2001-2006 Allroads, they appear to be around USD300 a piece. http://www.honestjohn.co.uk/carbycar/audi/a6-allroad-2000/ "Audi A6 Allroad 2000-2007 rated 6th most likely car built 1997-2009 to suffer expensive problems according to Warranty Direct December 2012 Reliability Index , with an index of 502 (compared with a rating of 6 for the best)." Not exactly a recommendation for cheap motoring!

you really *must* do a project thread! Phoenix from the ashes, and all that.

oh wow. $5k-ish. notwithstanding your good lady's need in having a high seat height is pushing you to an SUV, you're right... $5k is not much to buy your list of needs. I had an A32 Maxima for about 5 years, it was a "good car"** - though not in the way a good Euro is. Today I was driving the Volvo thinking about replacement... and wondering if an X-Trail or similar would make a good replacement. Feeling the solidity of the Volvo I figured that was a very large ask. Good Car: It was a reasonably good drive, excellent engine, good for family transport on trips. And though it cost me a bit to maintain (100k km service was over a grand, new shocks, plenty of tyres, and needed a rust repair to the x-member), it never let me down... and compared to a Euro, it was inexpensive. The downsides were the maxima is not a solid car like a Euro is. The e39 5 Series is way beyond the A32 Maxima in terms of solidity, driving experience, capability... and now there are few A32s on the road, but tons of e39s. The e39, in contrast, would cost more for feed and watering, and back then, way more to buy.

Don't eliminate the X-Trail from your list. I was pretty surprised riding in a 2012 model on a number of occasions recently. He's had it since new, it's a very practical and spacious vehicle, with (I understand) good off-road capability. Feels a lot less tinny than the RAV4 or CR-V. Though searching 2009-2013 they ain't cheap.

no chance!

I think having an e30 in his back yard maintains equilibrium I've a mate with a CRV, he's had it about 4 years I think, an '07 model with the 2.4L. I asked him it he still rates it, unhesitating response was that he rates it as a practical, cheap to run family vehicle. The 2.4 has a wee bit of poke, he notes. "recommended". Do they all have beige interiors?

I tend to listen to what these guys have to say, in the same way I'd put my trust in Glenn from Botany Motor Works. They know their onions.

wow. it certainly lunched itself. hows general progress on your project, Nathan?

I think you're in the right place; I reckon many regular contributors are still on holiday so it's a little slow. There are others better informed than I who can confirm whether a 4cyl transmission will work with your 6 cyl engine; I fear they don't line up at all. Please, have a drink at the bar while you wait...

Yes, USPS and UPS all fine to the NZ Border, and then basically all bets are off. UPS call centre in NZ very helpful, though... and freight is handled after the border by Fliway (wearing UPS badges). Service good, just can't see (from tracking) where it is once it's at the border. DHL very good though it depends on your ultimate address whether it remains with DHL or handed off to NZ Post (Courier Post) where it all becomes a lot more average and significantly chaotic. Can be as fast as 3 days from the East coast of USA to Wellington business address (press "send" on Saturday morning NZ time, received in wellington Monday arvo). FedEx is the absolute best service to NZ in my experience. FedEx have bent over backwards to get me a parcel when they were a day late and I was headed down south, employing good old customer service skills and calling me to update, redirecting my package through NZ Couriers to my hotel in Invercargill at no cost. Their explanation: "you paid for the best, sir". When I have a choice, I use FedEx. Also as fast as 3 days, average 4. Best tracking updates.

they will charge GST on Freight, though. The good thing is, it's all rules-based and you can read all about it on the NZ Customs website I've used Pelican, my experience was that they fall a long way short of FCP Euro on service.