ThreeOneEight

If looks could kill...

Those wheels on the M3 look terrible- tyres are far too high-profile. And the rear end treatment of the bumper is quite poor. Mercedes is unresolved, especially with a body kit and in silver, looks much better as a base model in a dark colour. Audi RS4 still wins the looks competition in terms of fast sedans. However, my money's on the Ferrari V8 engined AWD Alfa Romeo 159. It probably won't be the best to drive, but I'll bet it will be the cheapest, rarest, and best looking small super-saloon.

I bet the woman who melts over a Cadillac Escalade also likes plasma TVs over the fireplace, and houses with columns. Terrible list. Hot women drive SAAB wagons, everyone knows that.

Thanks for all the offers of plastic fabricator recommendations, but call me Mr Fussy; I want glass. Rain sounds cooler on it, and it doesn't scratch/discolour or have audible 'boom' like plastic glazing can.

Wow, someone actually has them! Tried a while back, no one did. One of mine is cracked so may be in touch... that said, I take them off for photos! Not the prettiest things ever but it beats buying new headlamps everytime a Fonterra truck refuses to let you past...

I've got a set of the original ones on my car... would be happy to make templates if you can't find any others, you may be able to fabricate some yourself from cut perspex... PM me if you like. I think they are rare as, I asked around just about every parts place and no one had them.

Yea I've seen a build thread where someone put a glass one into a normal steel sunroof slot- only had to change the headlining from memory- could be wrong though. The normal E30 sunroof is a Webasto item so perhaps something they made/still make fits into the slot. Thinking it might be a bad idea for headroom, though. Anyone over 6ft almost touches the roof in the back of an E30, and I'm not friends with short people...

As above, I want one! Saw a picture of one once a long time ago- works like the normal sliding metal item most E30s have, but made of glass. So I take it they exist, but very rare... anybody else ever seen one?

I hate to alarm you, but I really don't think anybody in New Zealand has any decent bombs. They don't make good electioneering, you see.

I was talking about ash- a byproduct of gas chambers, and traditionally used in soap manufacture(though not usually from gas chambers!).

Autobahns and Porsches, yes. Just a shame about his oversupply of raw material for the soap manufactuing industry.

Why thankyou. I'm fairly cynical about politics, which is probably why I study architecture now. As usual I was taking the piss, I don't ACTUALLY want to burn all solo mothers. Just the ones who do it over and over again. But to a lesser degree I do wish we had proper 'welfare' rather than 'money for nothing and the taxi chits for free' style of benefit overindulgence that both major parties seem to provide for. Whether they admit it or not depends on whos votes they're after.

My apologies, I'll get out the 'Bimmersport Guide to Politically Correct Humour and Pandering to Minorities" next time I'm at the library. As for North Shore, well, it's a Lower North Island in-joke.

Says the guy from North Shore... You like solo mothers? I forgot that senses of humour were banned north of the Bombays.

The local Eastbourne candidate for ACT wants to cut benefits for solo mums, so I vote for her in my electorate vote. The party vote I tend to decide on the day.

.

I think they are $400ish new from BMW... don't quote me though.

Emma (Hi Tower) is a huge fan, so much so that she wanted to get a plate for her car with P4RIS on it.

In 1990 they probably would have been around the $110k mark, 1990 was pretty mad for inflation, car prices went up down and around in circles after the stockmarket crash. $87k would have been about 1987 money for an M325i... I feel sorry for the poor guy who had to compile car magazine pricelists back then!

Mostly cosmetic- this particular car has colour coded bumpers and mirrors, most SE's came with 14 inch basketweaves (though this one has 15 inch M325i type items), also a premium cloth interior (grey full vulgalour with diagonal stripes- very late 80s!), leather steering wheel/gearknob, air conditioning, a trip computer, full electrics including sunroof, and a myriad of other things like extra insulation in the boot, premium audio etc. Basically a high spec level, though it doesn't say anywhere on the car that it's an SE. Would have cost around $110,000 new, I'd imagine, if not more.

It's the carbon copy of David Brace's old 325iSE- exact same colour etc. This car is ex- Christchurch and on its fourth owner. It still has the original 1990 'P' reg plates on it so obviously never had the 'MBRACE' plates on it. Oh, it does differ slightly in that this car doesn't have leather. Which doesn't bother me personally, I quite like grey "Vulgalour".

Yes, I met Brian today- real nice guy, he was in a hurry (I was looking at the car outside his business just as he was leaving to pick up the key for his new BMW!) but he made time to show me over the car- it really is exceptional- the paintwork is like new. I've had my eye on it for about a year now, see it all the time on the way to my dad's factory up the road... almost crashed perving at the car once! I think he was a little worried that I was so young and interested in his car... I had to convince him that I like my BMWs just as they were built. Now, I suppose I should ask what a 1990 318i NZ new manual with 159,000km is worth? Martyn, did you forget when adding up, that your car wants a clutch for its birthday?

It may well be the one you speak of Gus... It's Sterlingsilbermetallic (love the long words!) and really is in outstanding condition- has a color coded iS lip and SE skirts. I hate the word 'showroom' but this car could quite easily qualify. I'm not too bothered about resale value but at the same time don't fancy paying more than I should... While I'm well aware M325i prices are disturbing, the asking price for this one is less than half of what it's more famous, tartier sister in the same condition and mileage would fetch to the right buyer.

Here's a question which, in light of competition from other members on other cars, I wish to remain hypothetical only! What's this car worth? 1990 NZ New 325iSE, 4 door 5 spd manual. Fully kitted with everything- trip computer, M-technic suspension, the list goes on. Perfect body and Full service history- it's like a 1 yr old car to look at. And only 120,000km, which is low for a 17 yr old car. A bloody good looking car on 15 inch BBS. It's a nice metallic colour too. Now I'm aware that it's not an M325i and consequently loses a lot of wank-worthiness, though I prefer SE for the understated-ness. That said, I much prefer Camilla to Diana(because hard-faced is preferable in a wife to nut-case). Anyway before I get completely off topic, your opinions on what you would pay... (Note: Scots, Jews, Dutchmen and Yorkshiremen are banned from proffering their valuations.)

Welcome. What's a 'gym' though?