rxsumo

err.....noover the years I've had 2 radar detectors stolen from my cars, while the insurance company was the same, I've never declared the radar detectors. Its never been an issue.

What insurance company do you insure with.The only stipluation on my insurance is that I need to declare any modifications from standard, and that I should advise them of any fitted accessories valued at over $1000. When my V1 got stolen out of the 535, in a smash and grab, the insurance company replaced it as soon as they had seen the Police report.

Having as laser jammer is all good, and from what I've read most of them actually work, and work well. The only hitch is there arent actually that many lasers out there in comparison to other radar units. The Stalker radar units initially fitted to the Highway Patrol units and filtering generally to most other road patrol vehicles is the issue. The Stalker unit has a very narrow and short detection beam, and it is extremely quick to lock on. In the NZ Driver or Car radar detector "road test", you cannot scrub any speed off, once your Radar Detector goes off. Basically if the cop is running on "instant on" mode, once your detector goes off the Cop radar is already locked onto you. The only time the detector is potentially any use is if there is traffic in front of you that the cop has zapped. As for a jammer that works for the Stalker unit....good luck. I had a fairly good discussion with the manufacturers of a US built X and K band jammer, that actually worked against the old Hawk units (most of the time!) The problem is processing power required to receive and retransmit the "coded" signal coming from the Cop Radar, as the only real way to confuse a Cop radar is to fire back at the Cop the same signal, but at a frequency that either is varying or so fast that the radar gives a stupid reading. The old "Interceptor" unit that would block Hawk, could turn a signal around in around 10 milliseconds, the Hawk locked in 12-15 milliseconds....hence occassionally the Interceptor wouldnt jam. I think the reaction time on the Stalker is sub 5 milliseconds, so for a jammer to work, it must recieve the cop radar signal, recreate the correct signal and transmit back at the cop probably within 2-3 milliseconds, and from the discussions I had at the time, it was not possible with the technology at the time, and also be contained within a unit that could be powered on 12V and mounted on or around the windscreen, the other consideration was the power/heat that the box emitted. At the end of all this.... you can have a Laser jammer and it will work well, but as the majority of Police radar are stalker units, that cant be easily beaten....its only a matter of time before you get snapped. I've been a habitual speeder, but my licence is more valuable to me than getting from A-B very quickly, I done enough research to determine that there is no easy way to beat the Stalker. And the cops are everywhere with the things......

My understanding is that the Nikasil issues, were related to the fuel that was available at the time in Europe and the US. As a good proportion of NZ fuel actually comes from BP's plant in Perth, I'd be guessing that Aussie gas on the whole should be similar to NZ gas, and there shouldnt be a problem.

I'd research the L a little more, I was warned against the L as they have some driveshaft "issues".I cant see any real differnces in running costs between the E32 and the E34, especially if they end up being cheaper on fuel (taller diff ratio?) The twin cam E34 525 actually runs similar HP to the 535 from what I can recall. Horribly under powered would be the 518 E34 and perhaps the 520, but I cant see to much of an issue with the 525, although I've never driven one.

My 50c worth...... Depends what your needs are.....if its for a second car, so fuel economy may be an issue, and back seat space for adults isnt then my choice would be a 3 series. A "baby six" early 5, isnt too thirsty, but if you are concerned about fuel economy, I wouldnt be buying a "big six" 5. The old cars I run typically achieve 20-24 MPG on a run, whereas my 535 manual averages around 19 (according to the trip computer), and this drops to about 16-17 around town. These are similar figures to a friend of mine, who had a 535IA from new. He actually reckoned that his E32 735IA was more economical that his E34. We queried the fuel economy with our BMW servicer, who assures me that this is pretty typical for these cars, and that our car is fine emissions wise. He should know he is a factory trained BMW speciallist, who runs a E32 735. Some of the reasons to buy a E28 over a E34 are suspect, they are lighter, but you are unlikely to encounter rust problems in an E34. The motors may be quoted as 218bhp v 211bhp, but that in real terms could be different measurement methods, but as you are buying an old car, the HP figures are unlikely to still be at these levels anyway. And as for the manual debate, I brought our car on a whim, and knowing a little more after 6 years of ownership, I probably wouldnt buy another E34 5 speed manual. The manual is great once you are out touring but it isnt nice if the car is going to be used as a commuter, the clutch is heavy, and the gearchange is a bit baulky at low speed. In fact the old 4 speed in my opinion, especially the old ZF box (in the 2800) is actually a nicer box to drive with. If you decide on a 5, I'd probably go for a E34, the E28 has lightness and "character" in its favour, I would suspect the E34 has a better body, better spec's, better safety features, and better driving characteristics in its favour.

Price now $8000, on 15 x 7 "standard" E34 X-spokes

Especially Blue/Green/brown cars in clear conditions, and silver and white cars in foggy/misty condition.No doubt by checking Volvo's website somewhere will give you the stats on the reduction of open road accidents by driving with your lights on during the day.

Interesting discussion. I thought that a true fog light is less likely to dazzle than a headlight. The highlight is designed for long range "punch" whereas the fog light is highly lens'ed to give a broad very short range light. Get in fog and you will find that your headlights will probably have 500m range and you get blinded by the reflected light (hence driving on sidelights in the fog you "see" more). Run in the same conditions in with fog lights and while your light range is probably between only 50-150M you can actually see. Couple with the fact that generally the factory fitted ones are mounted low to prevent dazzling the driver, a foglight should be no less offensive than a daytime running light. However a number of the aftermarket lights and some of the Aussie low lights have no lens, so they are more like a "driving" light and hence will dazzle oncoming cars. As a side comment, I dont recall ever being blinded by factory fitted foglights. I've been blinded by towing/loaded SUVs Foglights, but I've also been on the other side of that. The softly sprung 4WDs have a tendancy to sag in the ass once you full them with all the crap require to go rallying, and the rally car on the hook (not my setup), as a result at night you spend the entire time "spotlighting possums", the foglights actually give you some vision (unfortunately like any mal-adjusted light, its fustrating for other road users). The worst setup is the "boy racer" Kamakooza brand 55/100W no lens lights, or the SUV aftermarket lights that have never really been adjusted in their life. When we were doing a tour of Oz a few years ago, (we were using Rental Mustangs,Volvo C70 Convertibles and BMW Z3s) the Mustang guys run foul of the NSW Police for running the Fogs and the Headlights together. The Police didnt really like the combined response, which was ...this is a rental sold new in Australia, if the law says its illegal to have the fog lights and the headlights on together, why does the car have this capability, after all it must have a current roadworthy and ADR compliance. Cop gave up in the end.......

Its looks like I've tee'd up a new ute, so the 535 is definitely on the market. If you are interested drop me a PM, or give me a call/TXT during business hours on 029 2481431

ah....thats what I was getting at with my sentence about heat.The standard cooling for the transmission (with the exception of Borg Warner 35s which are air cooled in some applications), is by heat sinking into the radiator. Hence the oil feeder lines into the radiator. As mentioned before, as the transmission fluid gets hot, this may cause the engine coolant to increase in heat, as the water flowing into the radiator is reheated (prior to going through the cooling fins on the radiator) by the transmission cooler (sorta like a jug element). I wouldnt recommend running without any trans cooling for any distance, but the the fitting of an external trans can improve things as it should sink the heat to air. The other gotcha, one of the things that can happen over time, is that the trans coolant element can corrode and eventually leak. Radiator water = pressurised hot water that can be blown into the transmission fluid and then thru the trans. Not nice! An external cooler will eliminate this occurring if the radiator element is bypassed.

You probably want to have a think about a trans cooler, if the weight of everything you are towing and in the car exceeds the weight of 4 adults and luggage.If you are exceeding this then the trans will get a workout. Taking a break now and then probably wont help that much, as in my experience the trans only needs one good cooking and the damage is pretty much done. And the time that the heat is really built up is the slugging up the hills. The normal cooling path through the radiator doesnt really assist to much because because the trans fluid heats sinks into the cars normal cooling system....which in turn will raise the engine coolant temp....which in turn wont cool the trans fluid as much.....and so the cycle goes on....

I dont know what the 3 series towing ratings are but I'm guessing you are probably exceeding them.I you want to do this, my suggestion is that you would want to get a HD oil cooler installed for your auto trans, and you should have the trans serviced/checked prior. The trip will probably work the auto trans harder than the engine so you really should know what sort of state its in prior to loading up. I'd also ensure you have geniune BMW or quality performance brake linings fitted, as I suspect they will take a bit of a hiding. What are the ratings on the towbar....or who manufactured the towbar. If the towbar mountings are a little iffy, you may rip the towbar off the car. The only real concern I would have apart from that ,is to be aware of the trailer. As the trailer is likely to be heavier than the car it will potentially push the car around, especially in the tight corners over the roads you are travelling. Watch your entry speeds into corners

MateAs we have discussed before .....the HP in your car is pretty strange considering the work with the head etc. My understanding is the only modification to your car is a tidyup of the head, a little more compression, and a freer exhaust.....surely the car should actually run ok with this minor work, and not have all the issues you have at the moment. Have you run the computer through BMW diag's to see if the car doesnt have a fundamental fueling/timing/ignition problem that is the root of your low HP and all other ailments. You might not need an aftermarket computer.....you might just to need to fix something that is crook, and all of your issues might go away.

Go to a Horse Riding/Saddle Shop and get a Saddle Leather Conditioning Product. We use a product called Joseph Liddy "Jay El" Beeswax Leather Conditioner. Ideally the Leather show be warm (sunny day)to allow the product to be easily absorbed into the Leather. The same company also makes a Glycerine Saddle Soap for cleaning the leather. Most of the automotive stuff that I've come across is a liquid, the Beeswax product comes in a tin, and is more like waxy honey (funny that!), and needs to be worked into the leather. The "proper" Leather Conditioners will probably work better and be cheaper than the Automotive stuff. PS make sure you get all of the crap out of the stitching of the leather. The crap can open up the stitching holes, and will wear the cotton stitching out, causing the leather to let go at the seams...

Alpina + Schnitzer = GermanRacing Dynamics = Italian

Automatic........

rears DBA, supplied via Team European in WellingtonFronts local aftermarket Brake supplier, custom slotted

So the car. 1990 NZ New E34 535 5 speed, 180K, Silver LSD The NZ new cars had most of the options ticked so...... Mtech Bodykit and Suspension Dark Grey Sports leather seats, front's electric, Mtech wheel and gearlever Dual Region Climate Air BMW Security (Central Locking/Deadlocks/Alarm) Premium 10 Speaker sound (head unit is now a Clarion MP3) Ski Bag Trip Computer Accessory Battery in the boot (both car batteries have been replaced in the last year) OBC Towbar, with relays isolating the trailer power and all the usual stuff a 535 had over the lower models. The car is basically original except for slotted rotors that went on about 8 months or so ago. The factory toolkit is complete, and the first aid kit is with the car, along with all the original owners manual. I have the full service history on the car during the time of my ownership (at Page European), and the gearbox has been rebuilt around 30K ago. The car has just been serviced, and at that stage a blown exhaust manifold gasket was replaced. Asking price is now $8000 Problems: (Photos can be found at )http://s13.photobucket.com/albums/a273/rxsumo/535/) Body Cosmetically: Small Scrape of LH rear bumper corner, grazed bumper skin, just needs tidying up and painting. Couple of small dents in LHS Front Passenger door, should be able to be sorted by Dents Plus man... Fog light washers dont work (the washer units havent been on the car in my ownership) Other stuff: Front control of the LHS passenger rear window doesnt work. Passenger control is ok. On the same door the external door handle is sticky Rear Cigarette lighter doesnt work (or so Page's told me when they checked the car out)....nobody smokes in my cars, so never really bothered me. My collection of cars seems to be growing at the mo, so the garage is starting to bulge at the seams, and I need to think about selling a few. $8000 is my "bottom dollar", and if it wont sell for this then I'm happy to keep the car as a daily driver. *The car will be sold on 15x7 E34 X-Spokes. If you are interested...PM me

Back on Holiday, this time the Classic Marathon Parked up on the Molesworth Station after about 140km of Gravel Day 2 was a lttle more challenging this was ford 3 of about 10 or 12 The old gal after day 2's gravel sections, parked up while I found some more rubber donuts to attach the exhaust, we lost them all through the ford crossings, and ended up driving the car with the exhaust tied up with No 8 and race tape Some of the cars at the Ashburton Air Museum. These guys have a Harrier Jump Jet....IN ASHBURTON!

I've put this in the for sale stuff as well but I thought I'll put in the General as well. To buy some bits for the E3 restoration, I ended up buying a job lot of "stuff" from an old BMW dealer, who closed up shop in the late 70's from what I can gather. Its trinket stuff some of which has been listed in the for sale section Amongst the stuff was some New Klasse stuff, and some bits and pieces for E12, particularly the early 520/4. I would like to see this stuff go to a deserving home in NZ, otherwise its either tip time or see if my supplier in Germany wants it. There is some inner window chrome for E12, along with the window weather strips (I think there are no part numbers on the stuff, it looks similar to the stuff that came off Sparkles old 528!), and this may fit E28s as well, but you would need come down and have a look at it to confirm want it is. I really want the stuff gone, so if you have one of these or know of somebody who has one does PM me, or drop an email to rxsumo@paradise.net.nz

As part of a job lot of bits...see the '02 listing, I've ended up with some trinket stuff for the 2000 cars and E12 particularly 520. There isnt a huge amount of stuff things that come to mind are... 2000 LHS Headlight Lens Hubcap Some chrome E12 Hoses Heat Control valves Hubcaps Rear Wheel Cylinder Carbie Diaphram Windscreen Wiper arms Tan plastic door pocket There may be more, some of the stuff doesnt have part numbers so I cant identify it. I'm not after moonbeams for the stuff, in fact I could well be tempted to swap for a glass container containing brown liquid with the label Jim Beam or Jack Daniels. If there is no interest, its either going to the tip or I'll see if my German parts supplier has any use for it, but I would rather it found its way into a garage in NZ for somebody that has one. PM me if you are interested

Hi All Got a 2002 or know of anybody with one. Check out: http://www.trademe.co.nz/Browse/Listing.aspx?id=51090935 I brought the stuff from an ex BMW dealer, and it had some E3 bits that I wanted. The deal was I took the lot. I now want my garage back so this stuff has to go. Somebody is going to probably get a bargain, as I stated the windscreen wiper control switch is probably worth more that the buy now price and there are 3 of them.

We have just pulled the bearing caps off a E23 735 engine with 230K on the clock, and my mechanic reckons there is at least another 100K + left on the engine.This car was brought off some of the "boys" in Gisborne, and based on the state that the discs were in, maintenance wasnt high on the menu. Since the gotcha on the M30 is good maintenance, I'd be guessing that I wouldnt be worried about owning a car that has over 200K with a service history. But as Paul has mentioned, watch the English and SE Asian (not Japan and South African), imports because they have their own unique set of issues...rust...electrical problems

Are you asking about the engine or the gearbox?I'm assuming the gearbox..... Do you know the history of the car that the box has come from....has it had any work done? Our gearbox, in our 535 required work at around the 150K mark. The problem started as a very occassionally jumping outta first gear. Once the gearbox was pulled down, the jumping outta gear problem was assumed to be causing by a slight amount of movement in the bearings, however it was discovered that the synchro rings were just about completely worn out. So if the box has no history, and you cant have a drive using the box, I'd be inclined to have the box checked out by a gearbox specialist prior to putting into the car (unless you like pulling gearboxes in and out that is). If the box has problems, you better have deep pockets, mine was done by GearTech in Palmerston North (and I can recommend these guys), under a vehicle warranty. Due to the nasty contract, I ended up paying for the Synchro rings, and they were $500, Anton (the owner of GearTech) reckoned I got away lightly, because he reckons the bearing were FN expensive, and well and truely exceeded my bill.........