coop

Very nice. 

Audi also don't do it for me, but I'd have no worries having that (or an RS4) parked in the drive. 

You can't beat the price of larger Euro luxury sedans. I guess this is one benefit of having all these brain dead sheep flock to SUVs and Utes... The best all round driving vehicles on the road have now become forgotten about, they aren't as trendy as a Hyundai soft roader or similar tacky POS. 

The E65s are truely vomit inducing, and more so on the inside IMO... All of those buttons on the dash, centre console, doors that scream turn of the century. 

What sorta figure did the S8 set you back? I have my eye on this, I think these are 1000nm. Not a lot of cars for this money will come close for performance and luxury...

http://www.trademe.co.nz/Browse/Listing.aspx?id=1176386498

Recompiled, on 29 year old tyres. Nice. 

Cool find though. 

What dramas are they facing? I looked into importing my JK Wrangler to OZ when I was working in the mines but it was far too much hassle than it is worth. The Aussies love their rules regulations red tape BS far too much.

Nice car and be good if it stayed in NZ. With the sort of power the V12s should have had all along.

But to compare this to a 560SEC isn't that fair... These came out when the 10 year old W126 platform came to an end. The W140 V12 or 5.0 V8 coupe would be more fitting, even though none of the big Merc coupes are sports cars.

I have a W140 S500, used to own a 560sec. W126 is better in the corners thanks to 400kg less. 5.0 quad cam kills the old 5.5 at everything. I could only guess the BMW V12 kills both of them in the corners and the straights.

although going off topic, as mentioned the m43 is an old motor and she's pushing a rather heavy car. Still acceptable power and torque figures for the early 1990s and they feel more lively than the 320i. But it must be mentioned the latest rubbish from over rated Hyundai n/a 2.0 in the 2016 lantra is 112kw and 190nm. Couldnt believe it when I read it, worse is all the muppets rushing out to buy this tacky crap because their neighbor or mate has.

There is a place in east tamaki on springs road who was ace on LPG conversions. But there days it's not worth it, even with the advances in LPG technogy going injection etc. back when LPG was 60-70 cents per litre compared to $1.70-80 for 91 ulp would have possibly made it viable as long as you are doing mega kays. Last time I looked LPG was anywhere between $1.25-1.65/l.

Also consider that LPG robs the vehicle of low down torque and takes up usable storage space. Over the past ten years I've had two Falcons on LPG a 4.0 and a 5.4 and I ended up running them on petrol especially for towing. The 5.4 v8 had a decent vapor injection in it. Open road would return 9.0 on 91 and 11.5-12 on LPG.

Also consider most people aren't going to want to touch a used E70 V8 running LPG.

You still haven't laid out your purpose for this X5 you want to purchase. If it's to drive around Auckland like most of these mobile road blocks then save a good ten grand over the diesel or V8 and go the 3.0 petrol. Also consider DPF and their dislike for short distance city driving.

If it's to tow and go open road occasionally then the 4.8'would be then winner.

Regular towing and regular open road high mileage then the diesel would be the best bet. Work a petrol and they start to drink. Even if you can afford the gas of the V8, stopping every 600km to put in nearly $200 worth of fuel will get tiring trust me.

If you don't need to tow anything decent then save a good 20 grand and go an E60 wagon. There's enough of these effn SUVs on the road as it is most of them full of retarded braindead drivers. In saying the the high end Euro stuff seems to have more switched on drivers than those horrible tacky jappa/Korean crap.

Nice car antwill, quite tempted myself, does this have a towbar? Cheers.

2 valve clunking 6 litre V8 in 2016 really ? weight distribution is average technology is average give me the BMW any day. The Camaro behind the E36 in the technology and no where near the current M cars

What makes you think twin/quad cams are packing so much more technology. Both layout are 100 years old. The internal combustion engine is ancient and it is really laughable the gains if that, that have been made in the past 120years. It is even more laughable that some who drive 20 year old clapped out jappas or Euros claim the high horse techno bragging rights because they have three extra cam shafts and another 20 hp/liter that matters f**k all in reality. The people who knock GMs winning formula have their heads firmly up their arse quoting text book or magazine figures and are obvious to real world performance. Fact is the all alloy small block chev has been handing the Euro and other American dohc V8s their arse since the late 1990s. Don't even mention the ability to consistently pull 500k plus km with basic servicing. No weak heads, cooling systems, excess oil leaks or fragile timing/valve train issues to burn a hole in your wallet like a lot of so called more advanced Euro money pits.

Not very economical at 8.1 for a diesel

That is suppose to be combined. A pointless figure because there are so many variables - a car driving around wellingtons hilly narrow streets with a several motorway runs will burn more than the same car living on the north shore.

But like for like a 530i petrol might be another 2.0 l/100km which puts a question over whether the diesel is worth it. My daily commute mostly open road in the Waikato saw my e46 320d at 6.2-7 l/100km while e39 530i was mid 8s. Puts a question mark over the financial benefits of the diesel not to mention the e39 being a superior open road driver.

Yes I think he's full of sh*t. That member muzza won my auction and is flying into Wellington next weekend with his missus to pick it up so I'm not sure what he is on about re changing his mind, or TC issues as there is none. Unless something has gone wrong with it while it has been sitting since new years I will be driving it during the week to confirm but again I'd say he talking sh*t. Only one person came to look at it and he was local but he may have been acting on behalf. My E39 was described as it is as I don't want any dramas come time to hand the keys over, the whole point of a $1 reserve action. Maybe he is a bit butt hurt since realizing E39s including his immaculate one of a kind 540i are worth pretty much scrap value these day (m5 excempt).

http://www.trademe.co.nz/Browse/Listing.aspx?id=1024604813

$1 reserving my 530i MS as I work in Oz 9 months of the year. I bought this a couple of months ago when I planned on living full time in NZ and it was the ideal open road commuter that I was using it for. Plans change.

Awesome cars these, I've had VE Commodore and FG Falcon, With the exception of the 4.0 Falcon 6 engine, this beats them in every way despite its age.

Most drivers ride the brakes or backs off for bends, and varies their speed of around 85-100km regardless of a retarded tolerance.

It is amusing in a way, after 7 deaths over the weekend the police are rather quiet regarding how this low speed tolerance will work wonders for the road toll. But it happens every long weekend.

It was the second long weekend they brought it in (Easter 2011 or 2012?) that the toll for that weekend was 0 I think... But the weather was so crap no one went out of their house. The first weekend was Waitangi Day the same year, and it didn't reduce the road toll at all.

And this whole thing highlights how piss poor journalism is in this country. Good luck getting any of them to grill the cops over this revenue raising BS. Just tow the line that they spin and fool the brainwashed brain dead public.

Factor in up to 15 mins by the time the plane lands til you get out of the airport. That's if it's running on time. Then a sh*t yarn with the guy you bought it off. Then stopping into the servo to fill it up/take a piss. I'd say yep book the later ferry. Nice bit of the country not a bad idea to have a few hrs up your sleeve for a look around as well.

I've just bought an e39 530i. A bit more suited to highway driving and towing my motorbike around. So my diesel gets $1 reserved. Buggered ifI know what it's worth or what it will end up at.

http://www.trademe.co.nz/Browse/Listing.aspx?id=991668041

As for the E39, beautiful cars, should have bought one years ago.

1200 GS is on the wish list as well.

What ever you buy be sure to follow NZ distance riders Facebook/website.

I've done a couple of rides including the 1000 miler on my 1098. Not the ideal bike to do it on but still fun. Hanging out for a GS for the next one.

Funny, old 3 pedals has the nerve to lecture someone on what their kid shouldn't be driving then goes on to disclose his own drives an old Pajero! If the shtf at any speed an unstable Pajero would be one of the last vehicles I'd want to be behind the wheel of.

He does have a point in that anything around $3k will need money spent.

For something safe and relatively reliable I'd be looking at a VT commodore or AU falcon. They go for ever and most parts can be bought from repco/supercheap on a Sunday arvo.

I had to buy the old lady a car as an inbetweener. It had to be reliable and decent on gas. Picked up a mid 1990s Honda Accord 2.2 for $2500. Spent $800 on cambelt water pump etc and that car just keeps on going and will probably outlive us all.

Snap on sockets are a waste of money. Save 2/3rd and buy Koken, or Caterpillar sockets which are rebranded Snap On at half the price.

I've found that torx and hex sockets, it doesn't matter what brand, they all break. Snap On, Blue Point, Cat and Koken I've broken. Replaced no questions asked.

Snap on ratchets 80 tooth are well worth the price, easily the best out there. Once you e used these you'll never go back to Koken, SP etc.

Where are you located?

And Auckland now has electric trains running on 80% green electricity , what about all those dirty old diesel trucks roaming around the country doing between 50 and 200 litres / 100k depositing a kilo of contaminants per 500 metres ?

Maybe you could take the lead and refuse to purchase anything these 50-200l/100km trucks carry....

Off the top of my head w124 rims will not fit on 126s (?).

Great cars. Used to have a nz new 560sec. Euro spec so the full 300hp. Made 167kw at the wheels with 255k on the clock.

I've had a look at the 560sec on trademe in Levin. UK import, and unfortunately plagued with rust around and under neath the parcel tray.

Also had a look at the 560sel that was on the market in Auckland for a while a couple of months ago... Described as concours condition but was far from it, although not a dog just needed some tlc mainly cosmetic. He wanted 12500, I would have paid maybe 8-8500.

When do you need the down there. I will be doing the trip within the next few weeks.

So what is the point in basing fuel figures off l/100km anyway. I've always thought km per litre is easier to understand.

Some figure I've been impressed with over the years.

All open road as I don't take notice of city consumption as there are too many instances that can change the figure significantly.

E34 540i 8.6l/100km around the north island.

FG XR6 Falcon 7.2 running between Akl and Hamilton.

VE Holden Caprice 6.0 8.2 l/100km between Sydney and Melbourne

Chrysler 300c 3.6 V6 petrol, 6.2 Melb - Syd, or 6.7 with the retarded cruise control activated. Makes my 320d 5.4-5.6 figure look like a waste of time.

The ones I won't use as commuters...

My old Jeep JK wrangler 3.8 V6 2" lift (or should that be 50mm...), front & rear bars, 4.11 gearing, 14l/100km with a light foot.

FG XR 8 ute 10-10.5 north island driving.

Ducati 1098 up around 10l/100km if I keep up it and manage Akl-Wgtn in less that 5hr 30min.

Volvo 12litre 460hp 40-45 tonne 55l/100km around NZ

Mack Titan 15litre 620hp 170 tonne 95l/100km Western Australia holdin it flat.

I'd say a know all pen pusher customer who doesn't have a fckn clue what he is on about, yet retarded mainstream media gives him a voice. What would have happened if there was an issue with the car at higher speeds than 50knh... Or an issue that took longer than 500m to appear. This is a case of buggered if you do buggered if you don't for the workshop, because the customer is always right even if they know f**k all.

I work on 50 meter road trains in Australia and our test drive route is 40km each way. Good way to kill an hour, and I don't sleep easy until Ive test driven after completing any major-work cyl head replacement, g.box rebuild, electric/fueling repairs etc.

what diesel economy?! It may better the petrol by 1.5l/100km open road and maybe double that around town. Nothing to write home about. Then the added expense of when it's shits itself. More expensive parts. Less of them on the road so parts aren't abundant like the 318/530/540 petrol etc. water pump for my 320d, BMW have none in stock, 10 days ex Germany etc.

That's before taking into account the extra asking price of the diesel over the petrol equalivent, which will take years of driving to make up the difference.

If our diesel was priced the same as oz then fair enough. About 5 cents cheaper per litre and no road users.

Put simply with ruc it makes no sense owning a diesel car.

At the same time modern efficient petrol engines are making diesels redundant in anything less than a SUV capable of towing decent weight.

I'd guess, generally, at 110k you may get another 40 to 50k worth of stress free motoring before you may need to do stuff, bushes, wheel bearings, gaskets/seals, water pump etc. Not BMW specific but any brand really,

E60 530i Touring would be the best bet. I'd look into a warranty or some type of insurance.

Some will probably suggest the over priced 3.0 diesels which are a waste of time considering both of the 3.0 petrol engines deliver out standing fuel economy especially on the open road.

530 touring v X5 3.0 or 325/330 touring v X3 a no brainer considering all the high mileage E53 X5s (at that mileage where thing start or have gone south) go for a similar price as a 530i touring with under 100k on the clock.

Then you get the higher fuel consumption and added complexity of the 4wd system. Put simply the only reason why these things are popular is because every bastards neighbor has one or wants one.

Who here has done this with success? Any performance/efficiency gains?

I did it with my E46 a few months ago. First long drive there was no noticeable performance or economy improvements, just no smoke holding her flat.

Just had a look under all the covers this week and it looks like the cooler is now leaking coolant at the output clap leading to intake manifold.

I assume hot exhaust gasses end up being trapped inside the cooler with no where to go, rupturing the cooler, pressurizing the cooling system and allowing coolant to leak into the exhaust port when the engine isn't running.

Think I may order a new cooler and fit the original vale back in there.