Olaf

OOOOH, New turbo at last eh? like for like, or more modern? What's your mileage now, Graham?

here's a good example.... I'd feel obliged to remove that M badge from the back of this e60 545i motorsport. If it were mine, of course.

I'm using WhisBars. they're reasonably quiet, well-made, and durable. http://www.whispbar.co.nz I have the railbars [S43W RAIL BAR] I bought them from the Roofbox Company, from memory... they're based out near Plimmerton, prices good. Also have the bike racks. Easy enough to remove. Here's a pic.

Interesting what you say (quite rightly) about being left in the sun when they're low in value. I've been using a sun shade on all my cars for more than 20 years. Keeps sun from the dash, and if you use a foil one, keeps the car much cooler when it's sunny. I think folks think I'm crazy, treating old cars this way... it's cheap insurance, and I don't have the dashboard cracks. If it's shutting the stable door after the horse has bolted, a leather re-trim sounds cool.

And so now Bernie is gone, deposed by an 'murican. what do you folks think about the new developments? More F1 in USA? What will Donnie Trump say? You wealthy F1 fans will have to wait at the border!n Your driver's a muslim? OUT! One shudders to think.

better still, an AMG badge - Assured of Mighty Getaways

I..... errrrr...... bloody kerbed a wheel. arghhhhh! Oh well, in to get repaired next week I reckon. Wet conditions, not used to pulling in to three empty parallel parks, in a rush... bam. Never in my life have I done that before - steels or alloys. And an RF lamp warning indicator came up. So I checked it out, got the RF side light working again... and the warning came back. Found my high beam plug disconnected, reconnected it, and all going sweet. Net cost: Nil. Nada. Zilch. Still recovering from grinding my lovely rim against the kerb. Wow.

So back to the opener for this thread... what's wrong with a de-badged BMW? Although I don't de-badge mine, I appreciate some don't want the badge and select that option when ordering new... I guess they like the sleeper aspect. Others like em bare and smooth... so they remove the badges. Case in point, I've been considering (dreaming?) around a 5 series diesel or two, some of which are de-badged. Would I bother adding a badge to it? Or just an ///M? I think not. One man's meat is another mans poisson, etc...

so have you finished the re-power, Allan? Did I miss the 'other Euros' project thread on this? I'd been waiting with much antici-p-p-p-p-p-p-p-ation.

If some day I acquire a 535D I might have to badge it 518i just for shits and giggles of course.

I remember one of my mates in the DMW Drivers Club back in blighty had a track hack e30, it was super-clean 316i, he left badges and hubcaps intact, ran it with 320i M20 running gear on club track days, much hilarity. I might have to badge up my first track car as a Volvo. Or a Bolvo.

Indeed, I suspect the North Shore will soon be renamed "Little South Africa" in the same way many cities have "Little Italy" or "Chinatown", celebrating the cultural richness of the predominant immigrant population. Mark, the ability for prospective employers to assess your talents will be enhanced by the inclusion of your linkedin profile. Is "short term credit provider" a euphemism for Loanshark? Here's a useful link to navigating immigration as you attempt to find work in Godzone.

they're for the BMW bondage kit. It was the 80's after all.

Friday, clocked over 175,000 kms in my e46

your radio antenna should be built into the left side glass in the hatch area. Be worth checking if all your factory wiring and plugs are intact behind that (yes, really ugly) head unit install you have. Can you tell me more about the Anycar unit for use with CD43? cheers

uncertain. I've just put the Evo's on my volvo after 2 years with Repco euro-type blades, no issue. Mind you, I had replaced wiper arm with new part to get correct pressure. On my e46 I'm using the BMW blades (clamp-down in same way as the Bosch Evo's on my Ovlov), no issue whatsoever. I'm unsure as to why yours are releasing; sorry I have no additional info.

I'm really stoked. My fuel consumption is down to 12.0l/100km and slowly dropping (more highway miles, higher average speed has helped) Most particularly, the LAMBDA light has extinguished and stayed gone. A new fuel filter and a solid Coolant Temp Sensor connection will undoubtedly have contributed to this, along with a good tankful of BP's finest 98. Usually it runs on Caltex 95 with some BP 98 from time to time. Happy Olaf

works for me from flickr...

welcome back, Charles! looks very much like your old one, just, well, newer... #8 )

Today I have mostly been: 194452 kms 29 Jan 2017 replaced spark plugs with genuine Volvo plugs fitted new brake callipers (Carbone premium rebuilt)- solved pulling under braking flushed brake fluid and bled system (BNT fluid) - firmed up pedal contact cleaned contact on CTS (.25 k-ohms when hot) - resolved hot starting issue oil and filter (Penrite HPR-10 6.5 litres, Mann filter) air filter (Mann air filter_ fuel filter (Bosch filter) replaced failed gearbox mount with used item. She's going well

like you say, "throwing money at the usual N46 bits". It'll be character building. Good luck with your journey, keep us updated!

very cool project! You're nearly there

PS - I'll give her new oil and filter as a birthday present, too.

well, last week I found a crack in the cap (had an old spare, and later found a crack in the reservoir. A few days later I found the Nissens radiator I had replaced 3.5 years ago had let go on the drivers side. drip----drip----drip----drip when I got to work. Read up on the reviews for the rad on FCP - including mine - and found many people finding they crap out. Ordered new reservoir & cap, and genuine Volvo radiator. Drove home that night, the leak had turned into a steady stream drip--drip--drip--drip--drip--drip--drip--drip so stopped driving it. Parts arrived this week; I was too busy with work and visiting family stuff, so turned to Page European for the work. Got a precautionary gas test (in case of HG blow pressurising cooling system; passed. Phew. All sorted, now to see about freight cost RMA for refund of old radiator. This sunday: fitting rebuilt front callipers and bleeding the brakes (she's been pulling badly under braking. (6-8% imbalance noted during WoF test, worsened since... a sticky caliper). I elected to go with rebuilt calipers rather than seal kits and potentially screw around with car off road if pistons too far gone. Summary: I guess despite being well-cared for and constantly fed a diet of OEM and Original parts during 12 years of ownership, she was feeling the need for another parts infusion at 20 years of age and a (comparatively youthful) 194k kms!

hi George, and welcome. Yes, I think there are other X3 owners here. Take a look at the Meetings/Wellington section, we try and get together from time time. You might be interested in the trip we're doing to the Shannon car show in Feb. Tell us about your X3! cheers Olaf