Olaf

this may be the radiator supplier you are looking for... I've no experience with them. If you use the search bicycle you may find threads indicating Bimmersporters outcomes with Fenix radiators. HTH

your car is looking sh*t-hot, man. looking forward to reading your reports of on-roaded-ness.

dude, you're going to be seriously indebted to your parents. they look good on the driveway together. the cars, not your parents.

love the wheels on this, Kyu. What are they?

happy endings, Ray!

nice work mate, they'll sell this weekend for sure. new workshop - awesome! looking forward to the bragging pics

Let me see if I've got this right. 1. Taxi industry over-regulated 2. Industry de-regulated 3. Mayhem ensues - passengers at danger from dodgy drivers 4. Better regulation introduced - passengers safer 5. Cameras introduced for the safety of Taxi drivers 6. Uber arrives - better, safer, more convenient service for the modern age, at a lower price. Customers still safe - drivers need Taxi license. 7. Dinosaur taxi model continues - drivers up in arms as they can't compete with Uber 8. Today: Government answer to the Taxi companies whining: relax the rules. I use Uber, and rarely use Taxis these days as the service is normally pretty sh*t, and pricey with it. Relaxing the rules in an industry that has rules as a result of poor performance may be a way of accelerating it's demise.

come on Francois, get the details onto your ad. ET, CB, perhaps the part numbers? With this much interest, they'd probably be sold by now... if it weren't for the guessing game.

I wonder if Penrite 10Tenths 10W60SN meets the grade. One can source it in a 20L pack, too.

yeah, and do put your new exhust on too - otherwise it'll be floppy *and* noisy!

brilliant on the track, cool piece of kit. can't say I'd see the suitability on the street - should a pedestrian go over your roof, they'd end up julienned.

if you did want to source that particular exhaust, you could take them up on their free shipping to your box in Florida, and forward from there. MyUS.com and google "MyUS.com visa promotion". you should be able to get it here much cheaper than USD1600.

nicely engineered driveshaft hoop, John. Is that a bespoke item, or off-the shelf? I trust your shifter is back to normal. #8 )

If you talk to Andy, he may well be doing a freight run this weekend? or at least, soon.

w00t!

Mind you, there's the RE050 variants, and S001's to try as well #8 ) as well as some of the Pirelli's etc (and they might come with a Pirelli Callendar?)

Hi Eli; yes - though based on recommendations of my tyre man (whom I trust) and the accounts I've read on here, rather than my personal experience. I've only driven the PS3's on a mk5 GTi.

oh, you asked about TZ700's. I had a couple of them on my Maxima. Avoid. Brings up uncomfortable memories of Charles and Camilla. "ohhhh, Squidgy". Falken FK542. Consistently well-reviewed and talked up. So were Falken Azenis 115's - everyone told me they were excellent performance tyres at a good price (read mid-range)... I found myself driving on poor wet weather performance, no communication, and ABS activations in the dry that were eliminated by binning them and installing T1-R's. I'd like to try FK452's to see if they live up to the hype.

Hey Mitchell, I've just done the same as you a month ago. Driving John Herbmiester's well-sorted 330Ci ruined me! It drove like I expected a BMW to, and was fun and rewarding, and well beyond the level of enjoyment my stock-box was providing! My biases (well published here previously): I don't beleive in cheap-ass tyres. The improved braking performance that a good tyre brings can translate to the absence of scraped paint and dented panels, or worse, blood and broken bones, in an emergency stop. False economy! Wet weather performance for me is paramount; I like to drive in the wet. Grip is more important than fuel economy to me. I choose not to drive a Prius. Yes I've driven a few, and riden in many. Right then, having declared my biases, on to my current (recent) experience, and it's relevance to yours. e46 Touring, 325i previously updated from a couple of different Bridgestrone JDM tyres that were on the car when I bought it. Stock size, 205/55/16 on 7J's. was running Toyo Proxes4 (Toyo's equivalent to Bridgestone's Sporty MY-02) have run Toyo T1-R established my thinking on directional tyres was hopelessly outdated! Refreshed the suspension on my e46 - totally stock - Sachs Shocks, strut bearings, ARB bushings, tie rods, boots, bump stops, fasteners, shock reinforcement plates front and rear, rear meyle HD mounts. Result: much improved, no more dive, much better ride. But when later compared with John's 330 or pushed through tight twisty corners, like a well behaved German saloon - but not a sportscar. It was like it was on Pogo Sticks. Next step was good advice (thanks again, John Herbmeister!) and research, which brings my ride closer to yours: the staggered setup, and MSport ARBs (24mm/20mm). Springs may still be on the cards. Tyre Choices - 225/45/17 & 245/40/17. I'm running Style 194's, wich provide the same track as the 7J's, but wider track than the Style 68's (staggered) due to the different offsets. Pricing and choices - broadly the same as you've mentioned above Also included Proxes4's Was wondering about GT's as well Hyper direct turned out more expensive than getting pricing from local real businesses in my local community The choices, summarised: the lower-mid to mid-ground which includes Proxes4, MY-02, Hankooks, most Dunlops will run you around $800-1100 fitted. the bottom end are not considered. Anyone who tells you "HiFly or Nexen or Nangkangs are "fine if you're just pootling around town" probably haven't put a price on crippling someone in an accident. It came down to a choice of two for me, I think of them as 'Entry Level Serious'. Bridgestone Potenza Adrenalin RE003, or Michelin Pilot Sport 3 My choice: I chose with my wallet in conjunction with my head. The PS3 would be a bit better riding, and a bit better gripping, and a bit better wearing, but for about $350 more. I was also factoring in the rim updates - at least the 17" choices were cheaper than the last set of 16" tyres (Toyo Proxes4) I put on! RE003's were under $900 on my car. So, how are they, Olaf? quiiiiiiet. shhhhhh! they're oh so quiet. compared with the Toyos (that get noisier as they wear), the 003's were much quieter than new Toyo Proxes4 or T1-R. No, I didn't get out my dB meter! Yes, I do have a dB meter - not just a phone app! sticky. grippy. Oh man, it's grippy. And not just because of the wider rims; I tried the car for half a day on HiFly 805's (in the dry). The RE003's offer way more grip in the dry than the HiFlys, or T1-R's. They seem great in the wet; though it's been so dry in Wellington lately, I've hardly had a chance to assess them. My first impression is they're well beyond Toyo T1-R's in the wet. Sidewall stiffness works much, much better with my e46's suspension; I can run lower pressures than before. I'm still experimenting, round town seems ok at 35 front, 40 rear. But now I start again as I've just added the ARB's and had the trailing arm bushes done. Subjective warning: I had them off on Saturday; even when they're cold, (ambient 16c) the face of the tread feels slightly tacky. Surprising for a road tyre. I drove 320kms yesterday (on a fresh alignment), and marvelled at how the 003's are on the open road. Grip, communication, progressiveness. They're without doubt the best tyre I've ever owned. Yes there are better tyres, no doubt. But for under a grand, in the staggered 17" setup on an e46? They're excellent. Summary: RE003's FTW. Great performance, work well on the e46. And great value to boot! What's not to love? PS: did I mention they're oh so quiet?

I think this is where these new-fangled electric welders aren't much help. this is where you need a gas set, and if I recall correctly, the flame trimmed orange... slowly heating up the area till it's glowing orangey-red, cooling (naturally), then another cycle or two.

could that be Rotary Motor Trimmers, Paul?

and I'd buy it when you were done! I was sorely tempted last time, but had no cash. hmmm, I still have no cash, but more available OD #; )

I think they look great with your e46 M3, Christian. The colour combination really works too. Kudos.

as planned, today my e46 received its 20mm rear Msport bar, ARB bushes, rear trailing arm bushes and delrin reinforcement shims. Also new rear washer pump; w00t! After 4 years without it, I now learn what a clever wiper pump it is on the rear hatch. Every other car I've ever had/rented/driven just sprays the rear screen when you activate the pump. Regardless of what the wiper's doing. the e46 times it's pump to spray in bursts, synchronised with the movement of the wiper. pull the stalk, you get three wipes, with the spray timed so that it doesn't hit the wiper blade. cool! yes it's small beans, but cool beans. The trailing arm bushes were torn, but not totally shagged. good time to replace them. A plug for Page European from me, very good to deal with. Tomorrow, 4 wheel alignment. And then a road test. #8 ) oh, and fit new wiper blades front and rear, rain-x the screen.