jochen

I have an E46 radio spare if you want one. PM me. Proper NZ band.

I just had my E39 serviced by BM Workshop in Great North Road, Grey Lynn, Auckland, and I'd like to say what a great job they do. I took it in for a scheduled oil change + service, and to have a leaking coolant seal replaced on the temperature valve for the heating. The leak was minor, but I thought I'd get it seen to by the experts. They also rang me to tell me my belt tensioner puller was noisy and needed replacing - that was fine by me. The job was completed the same day with no issues, and the total price for the service, including all parts (oil, oil filter, O-ring, belt tensioner pulley, coolant) was $538. Service lights were properly reset, service book stamped, everything was done perfectly. Engine now makes a lovely whine from the tensioned belts, sounds like a new engine. I've paid more for a service on my Honda, so I think $538 for my BMW is a very reasonable price, and one I am happy to pay. So if you are in Auckland and need BMW service, I am very happy with BM Workshop and I can fully recommend them.

Check a few simple things: 1. No stones in tyres :-) (happened to my wife once!) 2. No stones on brake discs 3. Driveshaft universals 4. wheel bearings and shake: 5. wheel balance My E39 540i is very smooth and quiet (quieter now with new idler pulley)

The E60 is all software controlled. The car has to be reprogrammed by the diagnostic system to change the radio from JAPAN to EUROPE mode. Call Guido Locher at BM Workshop, in Auckland, he has been able to reprogram these units. I cannot do it as I do not have the diagnostic software Jochen

Hi Willi Similar issue with my 1997 E39. Here's what I did a) fit new front glase, as the old one was crazed and no longer clear fix the broken headlight adjusters :-) c) align the lights myself d) get a WOF - and the lights got re-aligned. I watched what he did - he aligns on low beam only, and it's a rather rough and ready alignment, because his initial height reference is very coarse e) decided the alignment was crap (too low), so compared to my Honda Odyssey. Realigned vertical height and horizontal direction so that the beams were parallel, and the low beam was pointing as far as the Odyssey f) now its much much better :-)

FYI: if your car is a Jap-import, then did you know you can reprogram your radio to NZ mode? No need to fit a band expander.

power it from the same power source as the audio system, using the switched power source.The wire colour is violet with a white stripe, and appears on the video module, radio module, and navigation unit. Jochen

Don't know about Audis. Try a replacement European model radio, buy one on ebay

I've made some DIY kits with instructions - you can upgrade your nav yourself. My kits comes with the special hard-to-get parts, and full instructions. Contact me for details Successfuly DIYs done using my kits so far: E39 M-spec, Christchurch E39 540i, Nelson Z4, Malaysia Of course, some $$$ involved, as my knowledge is damn near unique, and there are very few ex- Japan BMWs on the road in NZ with fully functional navigation. But I provide you with full support throughout the process. Freshly converted by me: 1998 E46 328 4-door sedan (yesterday) 1998 E39 540i 1999 E39 530i Touring Coming up: Z4 convertible X5 If you want factory navigation working in your ex-Japan BMW, my method is the ONLY way to make it work. Jochen

Yes, your car is too old. World tuners were fitted to E46 from around end 2001. Only option for you is to replace the radio with a Euro/Oceania model - which in itself is an easy job.

Bear in mind that it is very easy for anyone to reset the service indicator on the dashboard, and someone may have reset it to make the car 'look good' so as to sell it. Resetting the service indicator requires only a few minitues, and a paper clip. No other tools required. You could look at the oil on the dipstick - if the car has 18,700kms to go before the next service, your oil will still be clean and yellow. If you have any doubts about the cars service history, you are better to get a service done, get a new label and get the service indicator reset. Then you have peace of mind. Always ask the garage if they know how to reset the service indicator, and if they can do it. If in doubt, go to an independent BMW garage - the independent BMW service garages are often lots cheaper than the BMW NZ garages. My BMW garage never writes kms on the label, they simply write 'according to service indicator', which is the correct approach that the manufacturer intended.

I have an original E34/E36 CD player stereo for sale. It's the proper OEM BMW unit, made by Blaupunkt High power amplifier NZ-model with FM-RDS for station name display and song titles on ZM Ipod-control capable - this radio can control your ipod and show ipod track titles (requires ipod interface) Made in 2004 Brand spanking new, never ever fitted to a car. Comes in original packagine with original security code card, window stickers, allen key for fitting. Shiny and clean, never ever used. No worn out laser here:-) If you want your BMW to look original with the original high-quality easy-to-use stereo, have a look at this unit. Make a bid: TradeMe auction for BMW stereo

I've got a brand new, never ever fitted to a car, BMW CD player for sale. Fits any E34, E36, Z3, or any BMW with a single-DIN radio slot (E28, E30 etc) This is the ipod-interface capable CD player, so you can control your ipod from the radio via an ipod interface. Brand new, never used, perfect working order, in the original factory packaging, clean and shiny. PM me for details. Jochen

Firstly: if you have the sunroof, you have switched ignition power available on the sunroof motor, easily accessible via the sunroof motor access hatch. So you don't need to run a remote power lead As for the remote/audio mute: tried fitting it in the pocket under the instrument cluster, RHS of steering wheel? Jochen

The one I did cost $1,500 for all the parts and labour. This got the latest, best GPS.Had to buy: nav computer (2nd hand) wiring loom (new) bracket (new) nuts and bolts, special type (new) GPS antenna (generic antenna, new) and it took the two of us 3 hours to complete If we had used new original BMW parts for everything, it would have cost about $7,500 Hardest part was fitting the GPS antenna and running the cable, rest was straight forward Jochen

It's the unit directly behind the CD changerJochen

E38 with Nav, amplifier wiring: Amplifier input: Connector X606 (with the small wires) pin3 = rear left +ve, yellow/black pin4 = rear left -ve, brown/orange pin2 = rear right +ve, blue/black pin1 = rear right -ve, brown/orange The amplifier inputs are normal speaker levels, you can use these to drive the sub's amplifier, or use can use the BMW amplifier outputs: Amplifier output: Connector X605 (with the large wires) pin11 = rear left woofer +ve, yellow/violet pin12 = rear left woofer -ve, yellow/grey pin5 = rear right woofer +ve, blue/violet pin6 = rear right woofer -ve, blue/grey These outputs drive the woofers in the rear doors. If you want power to drive your sub: Amplifier power: pin1 of X605, red/green, fed from fuse F69, 30A Warning: you may exceed the fuse rating. Amplifier switch-on: pin2 of X605, white, 12V when radio is switched on

OK. Easy peasy. I'll look up the applicable diagram. Also: did you know it is really easy for you to add original factory navigation to your car? I just added nav to a 2001 NZ-new M5 with the same system as yours, and man, it works really really well. Jochen

Do you have the HiFi system (non-DSP) or the Top-Hifi system (with DSP) ? Do you have Tv / Nav, or just the normal stereo? If you have non-DSP then you have options of: 1. Take the rear outputs from the radio, where they go into the amplifier. These are speaker level. 2. Take the rear woofer outputs from the amplifier, and feed your sub from these. The good news is that, if you have the amplifier, all the wiring you need is in the boot. I've got full wiring diagrams for every variant and option, just sing out for whatever you need. Jochen

Hi Huttey, I bought a cheap car DVD player on ebay in Germany. It's a generic, no-name brand, nothing flash. Just a player - no screen, no FM tuner, nothing else but DVDs, CD, MP3, Video-CD etc. Landed cost at my front door was 130 Euros, or about $260 NZD It was branded "CarMedia" by the shop that sold it. Yes, I connected it to the AV in on the video module. Also, the video module only does Mono sound, but it sounds fine. Picture quality is great !! Gonna show my workmates tomorrow, they'll love it :-) Jochen

So today my DVD player arrived from Germany Being the curious type that I am I stuck it in straight away - sitting in a box in the middle of the boot, tied down with the rubber strap :-0 Ran the remote infrared eye into the front of the car. Connected up power and AV cables Plugged in my DVD of Transporter And now on my BMW TV screen I can watch this 750i V12 manual (only 1 ever made) roaring around the streets of Nice - so cool! I bet in 1997 when they made my car they never even thought of DVDs :-)

Check your basics first: Spark plugs Air filter (fit a nice clean new one) Oil change This V8 engine delivers near 300 HP of power, very strong. Don't go a 0-100 unless you have a hot engine - they run at 108 degrees C. Check you engine temp from the digital display in the instrument cluster (assuming you have an E38) Check your fault codes and fix any problems if you have any fault codes stored. Then try a 0-100 on a hot engine but make sure you know what to expect first Jochen

To clarify: you must have an existing BMW Japanese nav system already installed, the $700 is for the computer + fitting and calibration and programming Jochen

OR HOW TO SPELL ?

Welcome. And here's a good tip: if you hate your headlights being squirted all the time by the automatic headlight washer, remove the headlight washer fuse. that's what I did - much better :-) Another tip: if you don't like the reverse 'ding ding' that the Jap cars do, remove the cover panel above the pedals to reveal the gong, and unplug the connector that has a single wire on it (there's only one). Result: no more 'ding ding' in reverse, but every other gong and ding still works.