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Not just hidden under the plate surround?

Today's task was pulling, cleaning and reinstalling both vanos solenoids, followed by oil and filter change. Managed to spill about 2l of old oil on the drive by using a shitty, bendy, too small drain pan. 2 hrs and 1/2 bag of kitty litter later, good news is that limp mode and error codes all gone again Spirited test drive and seems good so far. Have spent the last week frightening myself with everything that can go wrong with N54 vanos.

Go 3rd party and bank the premium difference. If it's stacked, you still have the wreck to extract parts to tart up your replacement.

Recently put the Bilstein B4's all round on a 135i and can recommend. Primarily driven on shitty roads, so didn't really want anything stiffer. They are a million times better than the shagged old Sachs, but that was how it came, so I don't have a like for like comparison. Web wisdom claims the Bilstein B4's are "10% stiffer than stock". I'm very happy with them. Edit: ended up getting them from FCP as Spareto took my order then a week later said they couldn't supply them, last December. (Well, they could do 3, but not front right ... which wasn't much good to me!).

Give the car a weekend run and go pick them up

I thought the same thing when I first got mine and determined to do the same fix at some stage. But the more I've driven it the more I like it - up or down with either (or a single) hand. Not looking forward to going back to "normal" on a future vehicle now ...

Fresh shocks in front (rears a couple weeks ago - had to borrow some spring compressors for the fronts). Bilstein B4's. Pretty painless process. Hardest bit was getting the boot carpet back in!

I ordered a set of front and rear struts and a towing flap just before Xmas. The box arrived in 12 days, with 3 struts, 2 rear and one front... Week later, last strut arrived. Another week later a medium sized box with just the towing flap! An email after each arrival was answered promptly, assuring me the rest of the order was still coming, so that's ok, but it all seemed a bit silly.

Hi all Looking for an under tray and front right pressure lip for an e82 135i (2008). https://www.realoem.com/bmw/enUS/showparts?id=UC73-USA---E82-BMW-135i&diagId=51_6995 Part no's 51758046494 & 51758046128 The 'pressure lip' seems to be NLA - some sites list it but turn you down when I've tried ordering. The tray looks to be a shipping hazard so thought I'd see if anyone's got one in a shed first. In Chch so shipping hassle might still apply.

Need to take your brave pills and check wallet depth before buying that ...

Social Media Narcissist fits the bill.

Front brake pads - TRW GDB1802's Contrary to popular belief, it's much easier to remove the entire caliper with the 18mm bolts in behind, rather than splitting the caliper with the 10mm hex that's looking at you. You also don't need to remove the 4 holding pins or the spring clip - the pads can be wriggled out and new ones in without much hassle. Also broke the brake wear sensor getting it out, so cut and twisted the wires and taped up out of the way. New tyres too - Bridgestone Potenza Sport 225/40/R18 NON runflat. Initial impression is MUCH better NVH than the runflat R050A's that came off.

Sorted out today by Elite Wheels (thanks @Gaz!). 5 stars - would recommend. Dropped off this morning, picked up this arvo. Just need to get some new rubber on now (not related to pothole - just old and shagged).

Cheap and nasty - just twisted (tightly with long nose pliers) and taped over. Access is pretty restricted and the wires are very small and short - I was worried about getting a soldering iron in there without touching the other ones.

Reco has sale on until tomorrow Sun 24th. Picked up a 20l ecobox of Penrite HPR5 5w40 for $246