sonic_attack

I've an e34 540i. The two button remote key is tired / stuffed, well the buttons are at least so I'll need a new one. Get a quote from JC-BMW $320. OK a bit costly but fine I'll use that as a base and have a look around. Go out to GT Metronix in Panmure and they've a replacement key for me - $350 but I won't have to wait for it to turn up from Germany. I consider it for 5 seconds and OK it so the key is cut. He steps into my car to program / sync it and it doesn't work! He tries another key and still no good. He'd been using the innards out of the old key, the chip or whatnot. I'm reluctant to pay for something that doesn't work (or pay $350 at least) and he's confident the key is fine and it's the infrared system in the car. It was a pretty broad and non-commital generalisation when I pressed though... So I leave my details with his keys that don't work and leave - Great guys by the way so hopefully I can get to the bottom of this and return there. I call into McMillan in Newmarket just to get a dealer perspective - I live in town so it was more convenient than travelling to JC-BMW on the shore (where I work). A bit of an odd experience, helpful parts guy but a bit cagey and a lot of ass-covering going on when informing me my only option was to front up with the cash to order a key from Germany and take my chances and hope for the best. If it was $32 I wouldn't mind. $320 is a pretty costly exercise if it turns out to be a round-about trip to nothing... One thing I do know - I need a replacement key. The one from Germany will have a new chip / transponder thing. The local one which is practically exactly the same will use my existing chip / transponder from the tired old key. That's fine, I'm up for that cost anyway. But what else am I missing? Where else can I look for a solution should the key's be fine but "something" else encompassing the infrared system is crook? There are no warnings or anything obvious flashing at me so I just don't know, I want to know so then I can direct any cash at it. I can't blindly go chucking money at something and hope. Is there a way someone can test the system with another key? McMillian had a spare chip / transponder to test - But it relied on using the customers outer key to use - My key's buttons are stuffed... So no use at all . I even resorted to approaching some stranger with the same car in Parnell on the way home but he had an aftermarket immobilizer! lol! Where do I go from here? Anyone deal with this before or have an opinion?

Ha. The SchnitzerII club alright. They do seem perfectly suited though, glad to read they're not uncommon cause I think I want to swap the spare out for one. There's a sad looking OG wheel in the boot that just won't do. Oom: I wasn't sure what to expect fuel consumption wise. Im using less than I guessed I would be. Seems I can run to work from my place in CBD to Albany on around $60-$70 per week which is more than reasonable. All mway driving though. I stopped watching the consumption needle because they way ive been driving it in this honeymoon phase os a little lead-footish. I haven't owned a V8 car for a while. The last was in the early 90's. An HK GTS monaro someone had dropped a 327 chev into. Didn't last long though, total cop magnet being rusty and matt black PA10. That seemed thirsty as hell with a cam and big holley carb. Thanks for the replies guys. Hope to see you all around and likely ask a few noobish questions. Ta.

I'd been a lurker for a long while before joining a while ago. I was always fascinated with E24's and a few times came this " " close to buying one. I decided it was a little impractical having a coupe and the way the window didn't wind all the way down always bothered me. Like probably everyone else I've a habit of hanging my arm out the window. I'm new to BMW's but no stranger to German auto's. I spent half my life stitching vintage beetles and split kombi's back together. Always fun but that particular brand is out of control price wise now. Kombi's were awesome when they were $300 - $800. Now you're paying $5000 - $8000 for a rusted start the shine is pretty much out of reach for me. Onward and upward. The appeal of BMW was always around and it seems I've bought in at the right time. After the E24 my fav was the E34, quite a practical car and I managed to keep my eyes open long enough to jump on the one I've been waiting for - Well not exactly, the idea was to pick up a motorsport 535 variant. This 540 popped up on Trademe so I jumped on it. I reckon I could have done a lot worse for 2.5K I don't know much of the history of the car - Tauranga vehicle for most of it's life it seems before finding it's way to Aucks a couple years ago. The previous owners have taken pretty good care of it. Exterior wise it's mostly tidy, one tiny dent in the rear passenger door, some barely noticeable loose trim some general use scratching but all in all tidy for a 200K vehicle. Oriental Blue seems to be the colour. Nice tidy grey leather interior with walnut wood trim. Motorised headrests seems to have slipped the cables and some cracked seatbelt trim from the rear seat, minor wear on the drivers seat. All very tidy though. I'm pretty happy with the purchase, It drives beautifully. Surprisingly economical too I've found. I don't have a whole lot planned for it. Lower the front a little for some rake and a more even look over the rims. Maybe the Aussie power chip and the dinan trans chip - Both seem pretty economical and worth the upgrade. And at some stage a proper diff ratio once I've decided on what's best. Find and replace some trim bits to bring it all back to OG state. I took the time to give it a wash and a little tidy this morning. It really needs a good cut and polish but my enthusiasm there waned a little even though I bought some cutting compound. Maybe best to leave it to someone more experienced. Crap day for pics I know, but here you go..

Those clear front indicators, the clear flashers on the side and the chrome surrounds from the grill. For now.

Are you selling it as a whole unit, or can we start ripping just the required bits off it?

I actually emailed you. Couldn't include an attachment in a PM.

Heyya, Yeah I started watching... I found it a bit painful to sit through after 30 seconds or so. A bit like watching paint dry, or grass grow etc. I'll take some plates and surrounds though seeing you're confident of quality. Will PM you now. Ta.

Hi, What's the story with the quality of the labeling? I'm more specifically interested in the German coat of arms plate than the NZ replicas. I understand the plate and text/numeral combo should be all tidy quality, but your preference to have the NZ rep labels printed/applied here makes me question that component of it. I'm a printer by trade so quite critical of everyone elses work! lol! I'd be a bit disappointed if I received a goofy looking low-res digitally printed sticker slapped on crooked.. Or does the quality issue only apply to the NZ rep labels?

Thank god for smartphones.. Ripped the fuse out from under the seat. Lost my computer? dash display but disarmed the alarm and immobaliser for the time being. I actually thought the hazards/headlight strobe effect was kinda cool, the horn noise was a bit grating though. Onward and upward! Thanks for the replies. Ta.

I know I know... The key transponder no good. Buttons broken batteries flat etc. Ive been locking/unlocking with the key. Ive owned the car a week. 1993 540i So im standing in the rainbows end carpark with a car I cant touch for fear of it sounding off while mum and son are no doubt flying around the log flume. There must be a way to do this with the key. I armed it with the key eh? Thanks...

Got a chuckle out of this answer. "ive already been offered $5000 so now your going to haveto rethink every thing else you thought you knew "

Have been considering buying one of these for a while - Or my whole adolescent/adult life really - But am getting serious about it now. I had a couple of questions for the larger NZ Krautwagen community and probably 6'er series owners in general. Being not your common garden variety Bim rolling around on NZ roads I suppose I might be a little concerned about availability of parts and replacement bit's 'n pieces that I'd need when owning one of these, as you do with any 25-30 year old car I guess. I'm a bit of a low budget dirtbag so generally I pull things apart and stitch them all back together again myself for the most part, and I understand that the six shares a lot of parts with the 5 series of the same era. So, would there be any particular year/s of six series I'd be looking at to widen/broaden the availability of major components I might need to rob from a 5 series to maintain this gorgeous beast? Also, if I was to use Trademe as a reference (doesn't everyone?), there seems to be a few left handers available - While I'm really not keen on the idea, is there any reason I wouldn't look at a left hooker if I saw something simply too hot looking to ignore? Are left handers all completely wrong in the way the components are manufactured so as to narrow the availability of used spares down to a tiny niche? I love my 1980's tack, but some of the int/ext colour combo's are simply too funky for me to love so I suppose I'm a bit picky really and don't mind waiting for the right car to come along. Cheers.

Cheers. What a horrible experience that was. The universe is functioning fine again. Hooray.

I know I know. First post and it's a bit of a whinge.. Well not really, but something's screwed up, likely it was my fault but I don't know how to fix it. I have been trolling through Bimmersport now and then on/off for several years, decided to join and was happily absorbing the wealth of knowledge, when, suddenly all topic replies evaporated and were condensed into a horrible clickathon mission at the bottom of the page, instead of the regular forum view and my regular method of fast scroll wheeling through the trash.. I mean banter - See image attached. I assume it's a simple fix, please someone rescue me from this click>right click>back hell I'm suspended in. Ta.