balancerider

All the NZ new 330xd's came with adaptive headlights and pro nav. I think there were a few pre-production non xdrives with halogens / otherwise low spec. The sports seats and M sport wheel are definitely nicer. I think the black NZ new F31 330xd in Chch is a better bet

I would say the price is fair given the spec is so poor on that one (halogen headlights on an 80k NZD car wtf) This for me is the best VFM F31 atm. Great spec and NZ new https://www.trademe.co.nz/motors/used-cars/bmw/auction-2157020647.htm?rsqid=ec9605f13abd481eac91d1f1603c7b01-002

330d/335d are probably overkill for your needs if you have an M3 - though N57 is a nice motor. In gear performance from the 320d is absolutely fine for DD use. B47 (in LCI F3x) possibly slightly less trouble from a timing chain perspective than the N47 in the pre-LCI. I didn't think the 320i/328i were anything special when I test drove them.

A Daytona Violet E34 M5 (?plate - KALAYA) in Whitby today. Sounded nice!

the below news is upsetting...

Looks like you'll be aiming for avg fuel consumption of 20L/100k with that fleet!

Looks reasonable (given crap photos), decent warrant history although wheels definitely need changing and no clear reason why it's had 4 different plates (doesn't appear to have been re-registered though). Nice spec with F+R PDC, xenons, bluetooth and m-sport.

pretty cool although it looks rather involved for those of us without an electronics background! next project replace the kombi for a kph only one?

No jap import LCI 330i's (in either body style) so would have to be from the UK.

I would guess that will be slim pickings. Probably <15 LCI ones with N55 sold NZ New and not all of those would be m-sport. there's one non-M 2011 jap import on TM.

Another reason for spec'ing the cheaper alcantara instead of leather is because the (F3x at least) japanese cars often have other expensive spec choices as standard (xenon lights, frequently adaptive cruise, big screen nav) so presumably some measure of cost saving involved. I have read that in general the japanese don't like leather seats, to the point where the JDM limo's (e.g Toyota Crown) come with wool or velour interior instead.

The non 3L versions are running Navara engines

This is top of the (sh*t) pile

stock pics of a US car?

Haha that may have been lost in translation. I thought BMW NZ were in charge of what gets put on the license label for the NZ New ones though Jon?

And a black one this morning

Concur - the majority of the imports seem to be luxury line version without sport auto gearbox / m-sport suspension (presumably cheaper at japanese auctions). I test drove a low km brown 335i a couple of years ago, not sure I'm old enough to own a brown car yet though

Tidy looking (though non m-sport) NZ new LCI with the N54, seems a reasonable price if the service history stacks up. Photos are a bit sh*t however... https://www.trademe.co.nz/Browse/Listing.aspx?id=2023844753

The real thing in Seatoun this arvo. Estoril blue is such a nice colour.

As a follow up to this - the 335d had a spirited outing up the Remutaka Hill this morning. Xdrive is just awesome with a slightly damp road, there’s a little rear end shimmy and then it just shuffles the torque to the front and grips. Initially I’d wished they still made a rear drive 335d and had second thoughts about getting a 340i instead but now I think the xdrive + diesel torque is the perfect combo

A white 340i touring in Kelburn - I think @340iMPT?

Thought you might be able to come up with the exact numbers Jon! How many F31 335i's were sold here? I've only seen 3, manual EBII and two auto's, one blue and one black.

Not an insignificant number, mainly pre-facelift ones. I've seen probably 8-10 come up for sale in last 12 months. They were the highest performance wagon til they brought in the 340i in 2017 (apart from a handful of special order 335i tourers)

not horrible by any means. just the straight 6 has more refinement / less clatter compared to the diesel 4cyl

I believe the E90 335d used the M57 all the way through, whereas the 330d changed to the N57 around facelift. Still a nice engine but fairly old tech now