Palazzo

I'm surprised how good the colour looks, wheels are OK and I owe Graeme? (Bravo etc) an apology, as that looks like a standard 2 dr interior (still not sure about the $1k bit though), BUT, otherwise, just not a fan. Old story though, if it's cheap enough and YOU like it, who cares? I'd still go a full cab though. . . .

Leather interior for $1k? Where? Unless the Baur is different to my cab, they have a completely different rear seat, so you can't just plonk any 2 dr interior in. I've had a quote for $1800, which I thought was pretty good. There is a Meguiars product that polishes the "milky" crap off the windows, otherwise, imo, go for the full cab, I've never liked the Baur, although I could conceivably be accused of bias.

Supposedly, the centre carrier bearing decided to give up 1 day after the new donut was fitted and will now be replaced shortly. Naturally, another mechanic reckons this doesn't sound true at all. If the new bearing doesn't fix it, I will not be happy.

Steve Crow is the porn guy and David Blackmore is the other. He now lives in Akld and all the cars are his. Arnage Turbo (with blow off valve), Mercedes Pullman 600 Limo and Lambo 002 (?) 4wd. Most of his Bentleys have big bores and chromes and some have matt black paint, with skulls instead of Bentley emblems on the bonnet. They're all kept in a warehouse near where I live. he has a Pullman 600 convertible too, which is sweeeeet.

Cab lights are standard, maybe I'll try pulling the switch apart.

I think that price is about right. A cautionary tale though. Some years ago, a Lotus Esprit Turbo was rented from Giltraps in Akld for a GM TV commercial shoot in Wgtn. Strict instructions, no more than 5km on the clock blah blah. Car was pushed around the studio, then groomed, then driven on to the transporter. It then disappeared for 5 days and was found in the transporters yard in Turangi, covered in dirt, with 2,500 more kms on it than previously and a blown motor. Transport company denied all, until GM threatened to move their contract and two guys from the transport company were fired. I'm sure that won't happen here though. . . . . .

I've just had the front driveshaft coupling replaced on the 325iM and whereas before, I had a smooth drivetrain, now I have a bad vibration/knocking from the driveshaft when accelerating hard (seems to only be in first, but prob not). There's a banging I can feel through the seat, any ideas beofre it goes back to the garage on Monday?

Curious, have the same problem on the cab, power, but no light, bulbs are fine apparently.

Sounds like the same part I got quoted for yesterday, 2 quotes, one was $199.77, one was $131.65.

What the? I need an explanation for that.

Would that radiator fit a '90 325? Cheers.

BMW have them, for some reason or other, I've paid between $56 and $96 each for them at different times, as the ones on the M325 keep falling off. . . . . . .

There is/was a 740 on TradeMe with $10k worth of rebuilt motor from "a known factory problem" and I've seen at least one other. I suspect on cars from Singapore/Japan. A rough idle is supposed to be one of the giveaways and I've heard a few like that around the place too. In theory it shouldn't happen here, but when you import cars from everywhere, a t least a few are bound to be here.

Big (ish), heavy, thirsty, nikasil problems. . . . Check the door handle surrounds for wear, if pitted has prob come from Sing as they get eaten away by pollution, make sure the computer works if fitted and try something simple like turning on the head lights, then stepping on the brake pedal, moisture can get in there somewhere and throws up error codes on the dash.

A good friend oif mine owned a car yard specialising in fast turboed japanese cars and told me to stay away from the 4G63 Mitsi (or whatever it is). Rods through the block are common up to Evo 5 and whilst you can get big power out of them, they will go bang. Question, why are we even discussing this on a Bimmer website? Put a Bimmer V12 in whatever you have and make us all proud.

I had a '91 facelift RS for 9.5 years and 140,000kms. Clutch was replaced at 93k as a precaution, was about 70% worn, as long as you're not an ape, they're fine as is the rest of the car. Regular oil changes are key. Steering racks leak, header tanks can fail (replacement aluminium fixes this), brakes can't stand up to hard use as they fade. Sunroofs leak and are $400 to repair, run a hose over it to check. Mine had an appetite for CV joints. Other problems with the car were all minor (split hoses etc), although look out for replacement plugs ($23-35 each) and coils ($100-135 each) which will drop fuel consumption to the mid teens (mpg). Performance? I had 4 magazine tests, ranged from 6.1, 6.5, 6.9, 7.1 for 0-100 and 14.9-15.6 for quarter mile. Don't know if I still have them as I lost interest when the car was stolen, which it will be without a top immobiliser/alarm.

You're quite correct, changing one item would make sod all difference, but this was part of an idea to upgrade quite a few different componenents. My main question was has anyone done it and how hard is it? Does it make sense to do along with other upgrades as I've read or, in the opinion of those who have done it (Gus), was it a waste of time. Cheers.

I've got the 60GB which has ample capacity. I run it through an iTrip, which ranges from excellent sound quality. through to "throw that f**king thing out the window". Annoyingly, this appears to be completely at random, works fine one trip, then useless the next, in the same car. But unless anyone can tell me how to get a hardwire hook up to my existing units, it'll do.

The convertible is the same height, maybe that thin metallic scraping noise on the way back from Coromandel wasn't a muffler. Hot exhaust and petrol, you were lucky.

Why not moan? I did. I had this in mind for an earlier project, but found the idea of paying $12k for an old V8 with "about 100kms mate" absolutely ludiicrous. Still do.

An LS1 and box was (last time I asked) $12k, a figure which you've already moaned about. Lexus V8s aren't legendary for using 3-4 litres of oil every 10,000km either. Reliability? But hey, whatever floats your (dream) boat. Oh, and remind me, which Ls1 produces 400hp out of the box? An HSV motor? The above $12k was for a stock SS motor, '99 model producing 225kw with a slushbox.

A Supra or Nissan RB25 box, almost certainly, a 328i box, almost certainly for a while.

Lexus 4l V8 with Supra g/box on TradeMe last week, $1750, plus fitting and supercharger. 420 reliable hp is easily achievable with that combo.

Looks like a bargain, if it stays at or near that price.

Hmmmn. You've just confirmed what I was thinking. As usual, hp = $.