Olaf

nope, they all have the ZF 6HPxx trans. the V8's have the 6HP26, the sixes have the 6HP19 (from memory). It's totally sublime the way it shifts. They have a sports mode (aka tiptronic in other marques) - sharpens the shifts, holds gears longer, kicks down sooner etc, plus you can manual shift it.

I love how the OP comes on, says he really likes a 550, and others start recommending 3ers. How soon before an e92 V8 M3 Coupe is recommended?

Welcome, Amrit. Pete has pretty much summed it up, above. My additional comments re e60 V8: PPI esstential: DO NOT BUY without a PPI from either a BMW Dealership or a known BMW Independent specialist. Anyone else just will not know enough about these cars to make the $150-200 you spend worthwhile. Acceleration: the 550i will give you the punch in the back you're accustomed to in your WRX, it just does it in a different way... it subtly propels you to 100 in the range of 5.4 to 5.7 seconds; I think that falls into the "quick enough" category. Info: If you can't find info on the web, you're just not googling hard enough! There's a bunch of fans of the e60 in the USA. There's a pdf from one of the forums that is frequently updated called "so you've bought an e60" (or similar), it gives you plenty of what you need to know about these cars. (I see Pete has provided linkage). DO Continue to ask here though; we're a welcoming community and all are happy to share knowlege and experience. an e60 - particularly a V8 - will not reward you for scrimping on maintenance. You're buying a $150-180k car at around 12cents in the dollar; there's a reason it was pricey, and a reason it's depreciated. Bangernomics does not apply here! Be prepared to open your wallet along with your heart, as the e60 V8 charms the pants off you and cries out for parts. MBI recommended. As Pete says, you should consider a comprehensive MBI from a reputable provider. There's no dissent amongst our ranks that the Vero-backed policies are preferred. You'll read about valve stem seals and the 550i. 5er vs 3er: As for the comment re preferring a 3-series, the 5 series is a far more sophisticated car; you'll be surprised about how capable the 'big' saloon is. True 50:50 weight distribution in the e60. And yes, I'm hugely impressed with the active anti-roll system Dynamic Drive. You should try both a Motorsport and a standard (with DD) and then choose what your butt needs. The 5er is remarkably capable in the bends. Try them both (3er and 5er). Transmission. It's the 6-speed ZF trans, it's a BEAUTY. What it isn't, is lifetime fill as per BMW advertised servicing. at 100k kms you should spend the money, have the trans serviced by a specialist... this requires new pan/filter, new bolts (x21), mechatronics sleeve, and the correct ATF for this trans. Do not f$%k around with the ZF6HP series, they'll bite you if ignored. Do read up on this, it's pretty straightforward - ZF has recommended service periods. Living with it - every time I drive it, it puts a smile on my face. Great brakes, amazing drivetrain package, 50:50 weight distribution, more power than I need, and reasonable fuel economy on a trip. The active steering is superb. People bag the origninal iDrive; I drove a brand new Commodore SV6 for the last two days and although the latest Holden equivalent has continued to improve, it's still nearly impossible to use while driving, in contrast to iDrive. There are a variety of interior finishes to choose from; take your pick. In summary: They're a comfortable, capable, spacious vehicle with excellent safety and a spacious boot. I call mine an SS Commodore in a German suit. They're not cheap to keep on the road, though they do reward. You can hunt out my thread in the showroom that I generally update with maintenance.

the armourer's dream. Speaking of armour, I saw the US Ambo's offical BMW 7er the other day, can't be sure but did think it was a High Security 760Li. the window frames were very different.

sounds super, nice work Michael! has it improved your perforance too?

those are rather efette looking rims!

there are a few in Wellington; my choice of the Bridgestone franchise in Torrens Terrace in Wellington is very good. I deal with the owner, he's been in the trade for many years, knows his onions, and is very good to do business with too.

you need to select the correct mode in the Prius. they can be driven very briskly indeed, though forget about corners. 'POWER' mode can get you away from the lights very quickly (think V8 speed).

great stuff, kudos!

+ Kelvin.

you could get some advice from your tyre professional as well.

Anyone sane would be adopting a coil-sprung Land Cruiser or HiLux for such a journey, so having presented your credentials as a card-carrying elbow-banging LRO, we recognise you as truly mad and your appreciation of things BMW is providing a tenuous balance! 7.50R16 were the 'standard' on series 2 and 3 back in the 80's (where fat rims and All Terrain T/A's weren't fashionably added), though they were plentiful. FWIW I'd be looking for indications that those Kumhos weren't 'totally shite' and considering them. You're unlikely to be travelling much above 90kph, yeah?

For those considering this, we're blessed in NZ; one can obtain the all-important sticker by simply joining BMW Car Club NZ; it's less than 10% of the cost of the airfare to Florida to view this M1, let alone buy it! 'muricans, however, would need to buy the M1. Hmmm, now we consider which is 'cheaper'; buying residency/citizenship in Godzone, or buying an M1 that has been domiciled here...

Hampton Downs, BMW Fest, apparently.

blimey, who can find a decent e36 328i Touring at circa $3k in godzone? I'd buy one of them for my kids!

this week I got my seat occupancy sensor mat replaced, and a new WOF on the e60. happy days. today I washed three cars, did the wheels, and chamoied them; 855-T5, e46, and e60. three hours later... all looking nice.

this week I got my seat occupancy sensor mat replaced, and a new WOF on the e60. happy days. today I washed three cars, did the wheels, and chamoied them; 855-T5, e46, and e60. three hours later... all looking nice.

welcome, Amber. what's not to love about e46 wagons, eh? I've had mine for more than 5 years now, still love every time I drive it.

Orientblau is beautiful. I'm biased.

I have a Dynamic VIP I bought at The Toolshed about 14 years ago. It was pricey - around $900 - and it's compact but weighs a ton. Was said to be good for painting contractors or cleaning trucks, paths etc. It's good for paths - I have a dirt-blaster attachment that spins a needle jet. If I'd had the coin at the time, I'd have bought a Stihl. I've had to repair this a few times over the years. I'd like to get a snowfoam lance for it. It's a grunt machine. I've used a couple of Bosch green blasters that are pretty good. My friends that own them have been getting good service from them. I've two basic approaches to suggest: - spend up and get a serious quality unit. You don't get much in this zone for under $750. Nobody regretted buying quality tools. Should have a long warranty - a rare thing with a domestic water blaster. - buy a cheapie - something like a $200 house-brand unit from Bunnings (or similar) with a 2 year warranty. Get it replaced when it blows up. After two years it's free, buy another next time it breaks. Whichever route you take, do use safety gear when you're using a water blaster. Boots, gloves, safety glasses. I use steel capped gumboots, work gloves, safety glasses, and ear muffs (hate the high frequency whistle of the dirt-blaster on concrete.

H&R Sportsprings are an entirely different question/consideration. If you were looking to get a motorsport ride and handling when you were doing a suspension service, it's "BMW Lego". Shocks, springs, ARB's, bushes to suit all from the parts catalogue. If you were wanting to *modify* your suspension - with a specific outcome in mind - you'd be considering which springs, which shocks to work with (damp) those springs, and which ARBs to match the rate you've selected. I understand many people use H&Rs with Bilstein Sports... on a thread for my 545i where I was considering what to do, @3pedals made a delightfully clear descriptions of the shortcomings and features of the usual H&R + Bilstein solutions. I did H&R Sportsprings on my Volvo, as I needed to replace self-levelling nivomat rears that were NLA. Sportsprings are very good on the highway firm and progressive. Round town, a bit too firm, at least for the Volvo application. And I should have gone for different shocks (I went Sachs OEM; the springs were supposed to be just fine with standard shocks). Based on my own experience, I'd not be blindly going with H&R on a BMW of mine for street use, as my family will soon let me know if it's too firm. If I was avoiding MSport I'd probably be going KoniSport with Eibach, though I'd need to be sure it wasn't too low (Eibachs are usually -30 to -45mm drop), and ensure I matched with the right ARB's. YMMV, HTH /

no; though one of them is promising to steal more of my money at source to pay for services we can't afford and sink us further into debt.

yeah that's not too significant is it? NOT.

I think I've played the stereotype almost to it's max...

indeed, though the relative lack of articulation on front axles don't appear to prevent the Aussies from getting places 'truly offroad' in the modern crop of Japanese utes! Possibly a genuine low-range and diff locks are also indicators.