jochen

Get it from eBay Germany - the cheapest and most plentiful source around

Hi Yuen, I've converted heaps of Jap cars with Jap nav to Euro-spec to work in NZ. I've done E46, E38, E39, X3, X5, Z4 and Range Rover. They all work. The Jap E46 330ci's often had nav. And I gues the M3s as well. With a Jap car... a) the screen doesn't change at all the TV tuner (video module) doesn't change, unless made prior to Sep 99 c) you swap the radio only if you want to, and only if prior to 09/00 d) the nav MUST be changed, and the wiring adapted from Jap to Euro wiring e) and of course the amp, CD changer and speakers don't change Then it all works... Jochen (in Cali-forn-i-a)

Oh, and don't forget - get yourself the integrated BMW bluetooth interface so you can read text messages on the nav screen and make handsfree phone calls - the interface works REALLY well and gives super cool total nav integration via a bluetooth connection to the telephone in your pocket. See it working at www.bimmernav.com - the best place to read about everything BMW Bluetooth Jochen (still in LA, California, and sick of driving a Chrysler Town & Country 7-seater Van)

Good on you Josh! All by yourself, with no help from me:-) I am proud that you got it going so quickly! Looks like you did a good job. There is NO difference in the hardware version - you just program the BM54 to be Area=Europe or Area=USA. And the programming is done using fingers, no special tools required. So now you have to add some more features - like the integrated Valentine One radar detector - if you can lay hands on the hard-to-find and no-longer-made Stealth-One ibus interface ..... ...and then you need to upgrade to a Mk4 nav, because then you can show the NZ speed cameras on the nav map display.... and lots lots lots more..... the Mk4s allow you to do HEAPS of customisation, lots of fun... Enjoy your car! Jochen (currently in LA, California)

For those whom I knew and helped: bye bye. I am now in California en route to Europe. I sold my 540i - and wept when it left. Beautifully cared for, the day before it departed I spent another $4 on original BMW underbody bolts to replace 2 that were missing. I told the new owner to look after it well... Have fun with your BMWs in good ol' NZ, if you get stuck with nav and electronics questions, hunt me down on the other forums (x5world, bimmerboard) - you'll find me there. Don't be scared of BMW electronics - they are easy to understand when you listen to what they are speaking - and my software does a lot of that (That's a small plug for 'NavCoder', which helps show you what your car is saying to itself by interpreting the BMW databus traffic into plain text) Enjoy these cars, the E46/E38/E39/X3/X5/Z4 are marvels of engineering, and, in my opinion, better than the newer vehicles. See you down the track in a few years or so, J o c h e n

(crappy hotel supplied computer with crappy firewall - sorry for the double post)

Not true, I have been dazzled many times at night following someone with rear fog lights switched on in good clear night time visibility. They are as dazzling as oncoming headlights So please, if you have rear fog lights, use them in the fog only!

You are not allowed to use rear fog lights if the visibility is good. they are called fog lights for a reason :-) So just because you have been ignoring the road rules and doing what you want, doesn't mean it is allowed. The cop was right - you were wrong. Accept it and move on with life.

Josh, what are you doing leaving the car on the ROAD overnight? Mine lives in the garage - always - never left out overnight.... for exactly that reason.... Better get the GF to build a garage...

If a battery cannot hold a charge, then the battery is faulty The alternator charges the battery, but has nothing to do with the battery HOLDING its charge. The ability to hold a charge is a function of the battery, and only the battery. If you think the battery is not being charged fully, then you can suspect the alternator and/or battery But for a battery not HOLDING a charge, it can only be a faulty battery

Yep - read my emails to you. Totally possible. I've done cars in Malaysia and all through NZ. Nothing to stop doing one in the UAE.

See my listing: http://www.trademe.co.nz/Browse/Listing.aspx?id=127895864

Buy 1. The Becker Professional RDS CD player, or 2. The Blaupunkt Business RDS CD player They are both better than the original BMW Business RDS tape player (made by Philips). Sell your old radio, and if it's a Kiwi-band radio you'll get another $100 to $200 back for it. Then add an iPod through an iPod interface, which pretends to be a CD player and can be controled by the stereo Then change the speakers :-)

I disagree. the speakers are not that fantastic, but the headunits can be very good quality. If you have the high-power amp on the headunit, eg: if it is a Becker Business RDS, then the tuner and the CD player are really really good. The Professional RDS has 2 x radio tuners and is just superb! That's my 2 Euros worth ;-)

Yeah, I had the snip last year, so I have lots of spare rubber... Seriously, no! I need more for my other doors - visit BMW and buy some, it ain't expensive!

LOL! You are so very RIGHT !! I've driven one too - all I can say is WOW!

Makes a massive difference. BMW released a service bulletin outlining the problem and the fix in 1999. When the car is on an angle - ie parked on a slope with eg left hand side of car lower than right hand side, then the water drips through the gaps around the bottom of the window, and hits the foam liner, and runs rown the side of the liner. If the liner is not sealed to the door, the water then sits on the inner door liner, and drips through into the inside of the car, and onto the carpet. I had cupfuls of water inside after washing the car - I had to lay a towel inside when washing to catch the drips. Dunno what it does when heated - I didn't heat it :-). It is a super sticky gluey butyl rubber strip of 6mm diameter. I got it from BM Workshop, they have the original BMW-specified stuff. It works really well. If you have a pre-2000 E39, you know if you have leaky door seals if a) your footwells get wet when it rains you open the door after rain and observe the sills - any water on them, you have a leak When fitting new seals, do ALL DOORS at the same time!

Sorry sydwayz, but the old E30 way of diagnosing lights and relays doesn't work on the E39 The brake light switch is a hall-effect sensor, you cannot measure it with an ohmmeter. There is no brake light relay. The LCM switches the lamps on and off using short-circuit proof transistors, and monitors the bulbs individually, and hot and cold. Regards, Jochen

There is no relay: "Brake light switch The brake light switch is permanently monitored by the LCM when terminal R is activated. It is designed as a Hall sensor and features 3 lines (terminal R, terminal 31, signal line). The test switch is not necessary." Additonally... Brake-light switch cable <h2 class="chapter">Possible cause(s) of fault:</h2> Brake-light switch incorrectly set Cables to the brake-light switch defective Brake-light switch defective <h2 class="chapter">Storage condition(s):</h2> If the control unit for traction control detects that the brake-light switch has been activated for longer than 60 seconds, but at the same time braking appears illogical, this fault is set. Simultaneous operation of the accelerator pedal module, for example, is an argument against braking. <h2 class="chapter">Troubleshooting procedure:</h2> If the fault is currently not present, there is no change in status when the brake-light switch is actuated, i.e. the success of the repair can be seen from the renewed change in status of the brake-light switch. The change in status can be read out via the diagnosis queries. Adjust brake-light switch Check the cables between the brake-light switch and control unit for traction control. Signal name (depending on model series): S_BLS or BLON or 54 Replace brake-light switch Pin 4 of the brake light switch (S_BLS signal, blue/red wire) is connected to pin 25 of the light control module (LCM)The LCM switches on the brake lights electronically That's why you know where the fault is without even looking: if all 3 x bulbs were blown, the LCM would tell you 'CHECK BRAKE LIGHTS', and you'd know you had blown bulbs. As the LCM controls all 3 brake lights separately, - each has its own transistor driving it - a fault that affects all 3 lamps at the same time cannot plausibly be the LCM. Your issue now is simply the switch adjustment. Note that the switch also feeds the DME engine control unit, so the engine can also provide braking power when braking. J

My drivers side passenger door was leaking heavily into the car during heavy rain, or when washing the car. So I knew the issue was the sound proof foam liner was no longer sealed to the metal door frame So I got some original BMW butyl-rubber sticky goo, and took my door panel off tonight The foam was only just hanging on in 2 places! No water-proof seal whatsoever! I fitted new butyl rubber seal all the way around, and re-stuck the foam liner on. Now my door is surely to be sealed properly, but I bet I need to check every other door now too.... Oh well, only takes around 1 hr per door. But I'm happy, no mor water in my car :-)

CD43 = new gen You can get one from Europe, USA or Japan, and change the AREA setting to EUROPE for proper New Zealand use. Also has ibus CD changer control, or can drive an ipod interface.

I'm not.

Make sure you go back and show him the whole nav and radio and TV system working And reverse camera, and AV input from your iPod, and extra screens in the rear, and Nz telephone... etc etc etc It can all work, BMW NZ just don't know how.......

For sale, E46 radio/tape, starting bid $45 NZ frequencies, with RDS! http://www.trademe.co.nz/Browse/Listing.aspx?id=127029017

For sale, starting bid $45, on TradeMe http://www.trademe.co.nz/Browse/Listing.aspx?id=127031024