Olaf

it's reverse psychology at work. BMW are expecting more punters to check the 'badge delete' option on the order sheets.

that's what my 855-T5 does around town #8 o no boat!

superb progress, Andy. What's left to do, and where are you at wrt budget?

looking sharp. And good on you for taking care of your old boy, it's what every good son should do. #8 )

it's interesting, in the 60's and 70's it was pretty much 'mind how you go'. Nobody will argue that alcohol - in increasing quantities - does impair judgement and performance behind the wheel. Until just over a year ago, our limit allowed a certain amount of impairment. There was no reporting or evidence to suggest that many accidents were caused by people driving in the region of the old limit - that is, above our new limit, and below our old limit. There was certainly much coverage of recidivist offenders driving at multiple times the (old) limit. And many accidents indicating a major contributing factor was impairment well over the (old) limit. What they have done, is used an elephant gun to kill a mouse. They've legislated to make you and I - or your neighbour, or your workmate - criminals. We used to enjoy two - perhaps three - glasses after work, perhaps with some food, and drive carefully home. Or not! Now, in the same circumstances, we're all criminals driving at that level of 'impairment'. What has changed? Has this reduced the number of recidivist offenders, or the road toll? The f#cking idiots who were driving pissed before, are still over the limit. Me? I take an Uber, or walk. I didn't have accidents as a result of responsibly driving with three beers after work. How great was the risk that this law change was designed to manage?

Hopefully Ron (3 Pedals) will be along shortly. I discussed this (what's an X5 like to run; what are the areas of concern) recently with my local independent; expect in the region of $2k/year maintenance, and be prepared for the occasional big (up to $5k) year. Not an inexpensive car to run. I like the idea of a diesel. I'm not game for this much risk, though. Need to qualify further, and am pleased you're asking these questions on your thread. Re autos, I think this applies to all BMW autos. Lifetime fluid is a crock; fluid and filter changes are essential to maintain the transmissions. HTH Olaf

That could be good. Did you ever read CrazyDave parody on Sniffpetrol?

Chris Harris is brilliant, Sabine Schmidt is uber - in that ring-taxi way (see what I did there?), and even Evans can be funny. He has exceptional taste, evidenced by his love of Fezzas and formerly of Billie Piper. It should be a riot, given a little time to settle in. I'm off to sort out my Amazon Fire.

crikey, I was reamed more than $300+GST when I sourced and replaced mine a few years back. yes OP, you should replace your e39 one - it's all part of the weather protection and design of the car.

thanks for your views. It's not hypothetical; I've been driving for more than 30 years, used to do 1200+kms per week so have been exposed to a number of RTAs, some mine, many more others. I may not have seen it all, though I have seen a lot. It's sad your perspective draws the race card; your experiences are in fact universal regardless of race. I've been there, done that, including the second language. The point I will reiterate is that where you choose to become a pushy ass seeking admissions on video at an accident, you are more likely to experience dismissal by those who count, or worse, end up assaulted. How you conduct yourself has greater bearing on your personal outcomes, after the accident. Denial of liability is natural for some. Car A is stationary. Car B runs into the rear. It matters not what driver of car A or car B says - Car B is at fault. Let the insurers work it out, concentrate on safety, welfare, rehabilitation. There will be plenty around with their blood pressure elevated; why contribute further? Any competent lawyer will destroy your video if it came to court. You'd be portrayed as a technology bully. Isn't that - bullying - what you were taking exception to? regards

you'd be sh*t out of luck with most people. All insurers advise policy holders not to admit liability. The key thing at the scene of an accident is to remain calm. Were you up in my grille demanding admissions of liability on a video recording, you'd find you'd strangely dropped your phone... and somehow it was stood on. Making rash demands and calling police to an accident where damage report to a police station is all that is required, once details are exchanged, just makes you look like a prick. Once the services arrive, you're on the back foot for behaving like one.

yes - clarity. you were stationary at the point that the other car continued it's turn, and hit you. You were clearly travelling slowly enough to stop - which police or loss adjusters will view positively. the other car hit you while you were stationary. you've done what you need to do. Do not call the husband. It's up to insurance companies to sort out. The garage whose loan car you were driving will be accustomed to this kind of thing; you've been clear with them. Contact him when he's back. If contacted directly by the husband or the driver of the other car, just say it's with the owner of the vehicle and has been referred to the insurance company and request they not contact you again. Chin up Graham, nobody was injured, just a little paint traded. A minor inconvenience for all concerned. Embrace 2016! #8 )

you said it yourself - whilst regurgitating the party line - contributing factors. ask: what was the cause? stop drinking the koolaid, ask the questions.

so Francois, how's this coming along? We need an update. Beach Hop creeps ever closer. Is your project gaining inertia? Oh I know, how about a theme tune? Inertia Creeps might do the trick. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=w3mn7EC-skg Anyway, keen to see the V8 swap. regards

there, that's better. having experienced most japanese and australian saloons of the time, read the un-ending assault of the australian motoring press on things being as good as the benchmarks of the roundel and three pointed star, then drove 300e and e34, I was left wondering what it was the motoring press were smoking in addition to their tyres. Sorry, lets get back to the Soarer love.

thanks for the heads-up. M54B25 kit is now on my list of planned preventative maintenance for 2016. http://www.ebay.com/itm/BMW-DISA-Valve-Intake-Adjuster-Unit-Aluminium-Rebuild-Upgrade-M54-2-2-or-2-5-/151042490072?hash=item232ad57ed8:g:usgAAOSwNSxVVRwf Olaf.

sorry for the late response; merry xmas, and best wishes for the new year!

very happy outcomes. the lads at Page European kindly fitted me in to their pre-xmas rush, found we'd not been tough enough with the upper strut mount bolts. they rattle them down. we used faccy spec on the torque wrench. Took opportunity to have the new steering inner rods installed, it's now aligned, clunk-free, and like a magic carpet... that handles the bends too! here's a few images: Parts Haul - pre-install. Dad Rock Alert: like the U2 song. Elevation? the finished product. "good enough for a couple-a kiwis".

the car gets older and needs *at least* as much maintenance/servicing as it did when new. so to answer your question - yes, it will still need the $200k car level of servicing. but then, you knew that as it aged, it'd need *more* - not less - quality servicing. Toyotas are prolly the only vehicle that can make do with less and continue to function. IMHO. It's a whole shitload of car for thirty k. It's not like buying a two year old Toyota for $30k; it's your new girlfriend who has a champagne and coke habit. she's yours for the price of the quickie vegas wedding, but needs the champagne, coke and leather constantly.

I like the look of the Tite-Reach. pretty handy - esp where you've passed the loosening/tightening stage. I'm very impressed with the Bahco 'Go-Through' socket sets. not a gimmick; really handy!

good point, Darren. The travel insurance benefits of the platinum cards are not to be sneezed at! checking of course that you're covered, not taking CDW and LDW on rental cars saves a bundle; accident just call insurance co, pay the excess, credit card travel insurance sorts it out and refunds you (less their excess). Medical costs - brilliant. I was rear-ended in a rental on one holiday, took the shine off. All sorted out on goldcard credit card travel insurance. Damaged leg on holiday, all sorted by platinum credit card travel insurance. return of rental car to another city, additional flights, medical treatment, x-rays, physio - they were great, and certainly made a difference in a downer situation. I wouldn't travel without it; these benefits are rolled into those (relatively inexpensive) annual fees.

oh, here's the best writeup I found: http://www.crookedriverwriter.com/downloads/E46Springs_Struts.pdf

great to read of your progress, Andy. I really dig this project.

you got that right! we finished at 9.50pm. The wagon trim takes ages to put back together. mine's stock as a stock thing, too. non-motorsport. I too used the strut tower reinforcements as a precaution, in the front - inside the shock tower, from underneath. rears - on top of the shock tower. Used Meyle HD rear bushes. #8 ) yep. The Sachs OEM shocks provide a beaut ride, though I have some 'clonks'. Will need to check it over tomorrow. Surely my rear LCA bushes and endlinks aren't gone again, and are now shown up? Could be back to my independent on Monday; though I've never had to have a business fix issues from my spannering before. Could this spell retirement for my tools? tune in next time...