Olaf

What's "not the case"? If you want another hobby, by all means build custom PCs. If you want to execute everyday tasks without worry - such as processing images or video, designing web pages, surfing the web, etc - you have more time to do it, for longer, with a Mac. The PC is a project car. The Mac is a new BMW with three year's servicing. Sure, you may prefer the project car and the tinkering, but you can't argue it'll give you more time to drive. The Mac you pay once; you don't need to apply more money, though the PC's modular raison de etre is to provide opportunity to 'upgrade'.

RE003s are superb in the wet. Rather good in the dry. I've not tried anything better at the price point. Sticky enough yet still wear well, nice stiff sidewall, very communicative.

It won't last. Tony's Tyres throughout Welly (many branches) are essentially sh*t, they'll race anyone to the bottom on price, and the service follows. They do seem to usually manage to fit black circles on wheels most of the time.

The stahlgrau was great. But this Arctic Race Blue is the one. Do it!

yeah - $25k for a non-certed uber-modified unfinished e30 4-door. On this occasion I'd need to say "better your money than mine". Any certifier is going to be calling for a sh#t-ton of work before that gets a plate (or insurance).

I'm not biased. Orientblau is the best non-///M colour for e46 ?

I completely missed this one too! Wow. Great score Nathan!

Will that net you difficulties at WoF time, with a 110k increase in odo? And what about your RUC? Is our local transport beauracracy equipped to deal with this kind of seismic change?

BMW owner starts forum thread rather than telephoning local service department. ?

I gave this away nearly 12 years ago, it was interesting but now I have time for my family, photography, and even cars and DIY. You can laugh; I went mac. No more worrying about numbers - be they benchmarks, temperatures, incremental improvements, bios revisions, settings, driver versions, or how much that next upgrade part is going to cost. ?

tui billboard!

And you're recommending we... buy your cursed ex-car?!

Wow I hadn’t even looked at the price. The only e46 currently above $30k is M3.

it is! though unsure if we can import diesels from abroad with less-than EURO3 or EURO4 emissions ratings?

which filler are you using, Stu?

Damned fine work at a sustained pace! never mind the run, you can wet-sand that back with 1000grit when it's hardned up (or knock off the high-spots while it's soft, with a razor-blade). It'll be a great workhorse, well done, keep it up!

at least you know it's not far away, and is running like a swiss watch!

one of my facebook mates is in a constant battle of wits with one he's dubbed Flawed Tragic ?, though it seems it doesn't want to grow up and leave home (still under warranty, thankfully)... where 'home' is the dealership.

Caddy is a top idea. And then, this (because VW Lego):

Nikon D4S+AF Nikkor 70-200 2.8FL/E @adro... in bloody challenging lighting. Bavarian Flytrap - Nikon D4+AF Nikkor 24-70 f2.8, B+W Kassemann Pol Filter Nikon D3+AF Nikkor 70-200 2.8FL/E PS: none of these are my cars, though the photography is mine.

The only car I've regretted selling - and it was because a) I wasn't finished with it, and b) I couldn't afford to take it with me: 1989 e30 325i Touring, manual, sunroof, Alpinweiss. In the UK. In 2001. I did a whole heap of remedial maintenance on it. Trips to Euro Car Parts for plugs, OEM HT lead set, all the filters (incl a K&N - silly boy), belts, oil change, hours spent under the hood with WD40 and rags cleaning it all up... changed out the 80's spec Blaupunkt cheapy for a decent colour-matched 1997-spec Pioneer CD unit from my previous car. Cooks Ferry Engineering were engaged to do fuel lines, shifter bushings, Pagid slotted rotors and fast-road pads, diff gearbox and cooling system flushes and refills, brake fluid, engine and gearbox mounts, tie rod ends and LCA bushes. I replaced all the wiper blades, adjusted the antenna and lubed the sunroof, tidied the body and interior... and I tracked-down an odd fault with fuel pump and DME relays (respectively). I planned suspension upgrades with Konis and springs I hadn't decided on, and was looking for decent rims (baskets). I did a few trips around the country in it, went to a BMW Driver's Club meet at Castle Coombe, and then it was time to pack up in UK and return to Niu Zild, as the contracting market had flatlined in UK... and pretty much everywhere else for that matter. Don't hate on those dugly wheels. They were next on the list for replacement! Image from the day I sold it. I'd love to have brought it home to NZ with me. I sold it for GBP2350, from memory. All the other cars were sold for a reason. Although it was difficult (at the time) to let go of my A2 Golf GTi 16v after 2.5 years and ~25000mi, looking back I have no regrets, and viewed logically bringing a left hand drive hot-hatch into NZ in the late 90's made no sense whatsoever.

You’re a youthful gent for sure, Stu... but that young? ?

I reckon the Kenwood works pretty well with the ‘battle stations’ amber lighting of the e30 dashboard.

Their motivation for buying an e30 isn't important to me; though what price the market is standing, is of interest. Mine's not for sale, isn't an investment, it's driven regularly, and is fun. I have no plans to sell. However, if some CUB walked up and offered me a keen and serious price well above market - at a level that stops objections - I'd have to consider it, wouldn't I. Does that make me a degenerate? No, I'm an enthusiast.

I had trouble understanding your post. Do you mean that clean cars are achieving more than their asking, or significantly less? Are you suggesting cars sell slowly on trademe, and faster via other channels? But at what price? It's all very interesting, but where's the figures/clear evidence to support whatever your claim is?