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Time for an e90 so the wifes e46 is up for sale. You all know BMW's so without broing you I'll cover off the basics: '98, 89,000kms, e46, 323i, 2.5l 6cycl VANOUS, 5 speed triptonic, elec memory seats, auto dimming mirror, Ex-Japan Diplomatic car, Service history avail, AA report Avail This car is absolutely mint. Largely stock, it's just had new Kuhmo Ecsta EST tyres fitted and serviced at Mike Page European. Serving up to date, barely a scratch or chip on the car. - I recently had new genuine BOSH head light lenses fitted. - It's lowered 25mm on King Springs -prof fitted with receipts avail -more for cosmetics than anything else. - It also has genuine e90 BMW 17" wheels - JVC MP3/USB headunit fitted. I have the orginal springs and headunit which I can had professionally fitted back in if buyer prefers. On for 11.5k but open to offers. TradeMe Link: http://www.trademe.co.nz/Browse/Listing.aspx?id=386172256

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If your car is auto don't bother. Sounds 'more awesome' at low RPM, in fact, in general a more aggressive note but I found it really droned inside the cabin and horrible for long trips.... kinda makes it sound like the motor is labouring and every minor rpm movement you can HEAR i.e when the road inclines the drone gets louder. After a week or 2 I put it back to normal. If you've got a manual I would assume it'd be much less irritating and worth it for the cool factor.

e46 323i I brought a multi-function steering wheel from a different model BMW but after I'd removed my orginal wheel I changed my mind as my wheel's leather was in better nic. Anyway, I put my wheel back on and now when driving, when turning there is a minor bump in the steering as if the wheel is catching on something. It's not bump steering, there is no wheel play or vibration. I think I might have stuffed something any ideas? hoping it's not the slip ring. Only think I can think that stuffed it was the massive amount of force it took to get the centre bolt out when removing the wheel.

TradeMe auction. http://www.trademe.co.nz/Browse/Listing.aspx?id=357828187 Includes airbag. $120

I'm wanting recommendations and approx. cost to get my e46 4dr tinted. Past cars have usually cost me around $300 - $350 I called a Tint Magic place in Porirua would said $420 for the 5yr warranty or $480 if I wanted the really good stuff with higher metal content which reduced heat better and had a life time warranty. I’ve drive a company car for the past 5 years and they always use a ‘titanium x’ life time warrenty film and an outfit in Petone fit it (some guy from Wainui comes over and does them) and I’m pretty sure leaseplan isn’t paying $480! I would've thought $400ish would be the premium. $350 for the good stuff, and $280 for the repco/supercheap quality film. My question is - 1. What have other people paid 2. What is the difference in films (besides the tint level) and is it worth the money or just sneaky marketing. 3. Places in Welly / Kapiti / Hutt, maybe Palmerston North that people have used. NB: I don’t want the nasty stuff that goes purple after 18 months either!! Whatever that rubbish is

Thanks Keith, I'll give a you call tomorrow.

I'm looking to get King Spring lows (30mm) for a cosmetic drop and reduce the body roll however it's hard to find anyone with experience / pic of anything thing other than people using super lows. Anyone used kings with OEM shocks? Please don't hijack the thread with "get H&R's". I've done my due diligence. My Rationale I don't want to rake the car, meaning H&R and Tien are out. Ebiach prokit are 35mm all round however are $800ish!! B&G are an acceptable rake 35mm r, 40mm f and better quality (debatable) however a 40mm drop really should be mated to new shocks. I'd had Jamex's once before which looked great and rode nice however over 18 months I watched them sag till I was less than 100mm off the ground and failed a WOF. The way I see it I have 2 options. 1. Ebiach or B&G with new shocks 2. King Spring Low's However on a $10k car option 1 is over capitalising IMO.

Be interested to see what you think after installed. Are dyno's worth it? I've got a stock e46 323i, with K&N panel filter (wow what a mod!) and was thinking of a dyno but doubt there is any gains to be had. I threw in a probitz (www.probitz.com via ebay) diesel tuning box into my 2010 TDCI Modeo and it was decent, not wow but noticeably move shove in the mid range.... then took it out for the car's 20k service and man did I notice it was gone!! They claim a 25hp gain and I'd say that's not far off. That said, diesels are known to respond well to the tune boxes, I hear guys with 320d BMW's saying the same thing. Basically all I *think* they actually do in catch the ecu signal on the way to the fuel rail and 'over-fuel'. There is a little smarts to it but again I don't think it’s the space-age kit they'll have you think. Not bad for $200 NZD landed. I turned it up too much at one point and the car went into some kind of limp mode and I almost didn't make it up Ngarunga! But half returning it to the recommend setting for my car it was great. Never tried a petrol ECU chip / box

I’ve picked from springs to drop the e46 323i (B&G S2 Sports, 1.4r 1.6f) I want to replace the struts at the same time and looking at OEM or equivalent. My 323 is the non-sport model however since I'm lowering the car with slightly stiffer springs would it not make since to buy the m-tech OEM equivalent struts? Front what I understand the m323i or m-technik setup rides slightly lower and will have damping to match so logically would be the better match-up? I’ve googled around and no one has really considered this. I don’t know enough about the differences between sport and non-sport but if is as simple as the m-tech running say 10mm lower with a slightly stiffer spring and damping to match it seems the obvious way to go.

Get one!! they're amazing!! My brother had a mint 633csi about 10 years ago, picked it up for about 9k back then from memory (couldn't quite afford the 635csi). It was an amazing car. It was some time ago but if I remember correctly -4 speed manual, 200hp, (this is the 633 I’m talking about) comfortable, beautiful exhaust sound, enough torque to tow a house... everything about it was just fantastic. He took it to TSV in Palmerston North for a custom suspension job (coils, bushes and sways I think) and lowered it about 30mm, picked up some nice 16's of a 5’er, and had a full engine rebuild done by the Trentham Army workshop in-between fixing broken Rovers Never really had any issues.

Odd their site doesn't say anything about springs / lowering

Looking to lower the 323i 4dr non-sport. Looking at using the stock shocks or kyb excel-g OEM placements. Option 1. H&R Sport Springs (or Touring Cup kit) I understand they're high qaulity and perform well but they're so raked! 35mm Front, 20mm rear. Is there any I could use them but somehow drop the rear 30mm? (remove a spring pad or something) Option 2 Tien S-Tech ... not really an option because the rake even more than H&R Option 3 Ebiach Pro-kit. sound decent, 1.2" Front and Rear... where can I get them? Option 4 King Springs, 30mm Front and Rear which sounds ok, sound like they improve the car without being too harsh but sound cheaply made, carbon steel maybe? nothing to say they're CV like the H&R Option 5 Jamex.... cheap on TradeMe but I had Jamex years ago on my Honda Prelude. Over 2 years they sagged to the point a failed a WOF being only 95mm off the ground!! Option 6 Custom Job. TSV Suspension Palmerston North. He did an amazing job with my 2000 Mitsi VR4 years ago, custom build coils, shortened shocks, even drop and nice ride BUT.... cheap components maybe? Custom coils are surely cheap?, how could a little suspension shop make a better coil than say the King Spring factory. Anyone got a pic of their e46 drop and what they used?

Seen them on a green e36 in the Lombard parking building in Welly, the look good and made that car look 10 years newer.FYI I'll swap these for a new set of Falken ZE912 tyres for my other 17's

http://www.trademe.co.nz/Browse/Listing.aspx?id=336246599 TradeMe auction Start Price = res, $600