What'd you do to your BMW today?

[KwS 2425]

Ive been pounding on a supercheap DA for years now (one of the green ones) and it still goes hard. Its done some pretty hard work. I did change the backing plate for a standard 5" one to use normal size Hexlogic pads, which was available on ebay. Not sure if they still use the bigger backing plate.

[E30 325i Rag-Top 2956]

Took the mighty 116d for its warrant…

…and it passed with flying colours not even an advisory!

Finally, some good news with a vehicle in our household fleet, albeit the wife’s daily.. but I’ll take that for now.

[Sammo 2544]

On 4/19/2022 at 10:43 PM, KwS said:

Ive been pounding on a supercheap DA for years now (one of the green ones) and it still goes hard. Its done some pretty hard work. I did change the backing plate for a standard 5" one to use normal size Hexlogic pads, which was available on ebay. Not sure if they still use the bigger backing plate.

Good to know - I've got a new one sitting in the basement with some CarPro pads and products to give the E30 a going over!

Just got to find some time haha

[balancerider 757]

Replaced the low tone horn - embarrassing squeaky horn output now gone, with a big thanks to @Spinner99 who loaned his jack and expertise!

[Braydon 40]

Drove it to Christchurch and back over the weekend. 
First decent drive with the mods and tune. 
I was pleasantly surprised at no drone at all on the open road, the cheap tyres are definitely louder. 
Far too easy to lose your license when passing people though, just floor it past one car and you're easily at 150 😟

[E30 325i Rag-Top 2956]

Not strictly today, but took the vert to the cars & caffeine meet at Mount Smart, what an absolute cluster f**k on my part!!

Was supposed to be going with the wife, but she wasn’t feeling well so bailed on Sunday morning. It was early start (for me) and roads were damp but looked like sun was coming out so I thought - yup go for it. Need to use the car more.

Drive off, top down (as you must in a vert) realise five minutes up the road that I’ve forgotten to wear a hat (as you must in a vert).

Now driving towards ominous rain cloud… keep positive thoughts… starts raining “only a few spots”.. more rain “it’ll stop soon”.. now really raining… bugger, stop to put hood up.

Get to Greenlane Maccas for E30 pre-meet up, already a few E30s and lots of other cool cars there. Grab drive through beekkie and a coffee, start to feel human.

Lots more E30s arrive, lots of new faces and a few familiar ones. Good chats, and smiles all round.

Time to go to Mt Smart for main meeting, wagons roll, E30s driving off… mine won’t start. Realise I left my lights on while parked up, bugger. 
Find Good Samaritan with jump leads amongst group of old Skool American muscle group, and get a jump off the last remaining E30! Starts first pop with the leads, phew.

Drive off realising I don’t know exactly where I’m going and no one to follow - hoping to see the lights of the stadium, but no… By watching the car behind and some last ditch lane changes manage to get there, but no chance to park with other E30s.

Start to wander around looking a lots of cool cars and start to feel sub-optimal. Find a seat in cafe but still not coming right..

Decide to head off home before things get worse, but put hood down again, as sun is shining brightly.

Do the crawl of shame through lots of people to get out and head home… a bit more rain.. but couldn’t be arsed to stop and put hood up.

Why do I own a classic car again.. it’s fun they say… yeah right! And even better I now have the cold from the wife (nothing to do with getting wet in the rain, honest.).

 

[Sammo 2544]

@E30 325i Rag-Top bugger about leaving the lights on - on mine if I leave them on only the park lights stay on?

I was nursing a hangover Sunday and completely missed where the other E30s parked too - looking forward to a sunny outing next time in full health!

[Kees 594]

Yesterday I was looking over my E34 which I hadn't driven in a couple weeks, and spotted some masking tape and half a can of gloss black plasti-dip. I decided I should mask off the front license plate filler, which was pretty battered from 370,000km of NZ's finest roads, to see if I could make it look any better. 

Didn't bother to do any prep work other than give the area a quick wipe with a rag and then began spraying. 

Took all the masking off this afternoon and it actually looks decent enough, and will be a good temporary fix until I can be bothered to order a new one. 

 

[C-130 Hercules 571]

Now you need a new plate ^^

 

[Kees 594]

5 minutes ago, C-130 Hercules said:

Now you need a new plate ^^

 

Agreed! Will most likely get some snazzy euro plates at some point in the future as my other car is sucking all my money at the moment. 

[thegreatestben 14]

330D needed it's thermostat replacing, was getting DPF codes as regen not able to do it's thing. As I mentioned in another thread, I hadn't encountered stretch fit belts before. I decided to replace the drive belts while I as in there and had been supplied a non stretch belt. I ripped the PS pulley clean off the pump 🤐

Not easy to track down on this side of the globe, I got a proper gates stretch fit belt and my old man spun up a pulley out of aluminium (what a legend) put it all back together and took it for a blast over transmission gulley to get the temps up. All seems happy, gave it death and nothing flew off or broke. Temps are now reaching up to 92c where as before couldn't get it over 70c.

The 335d we've bought to replace it doesn't seem to hit the mark with us the same as the 330d so wondering whether we just keep the 330d after all! The 335D pulls like a freight train but we miss sports seats, radar cruise and comfort access 😢

[balancerider 757]

20 hours ago, Kees said:

Agreed! Will most likely get some snazzy euro plates at some point in the future as my other car is sucking all my money at the moment. 

$23.15 for a new pair of plates @Kees - that's probably the equivalent of driving 40k in the W8 🤔

[Kees 594]

2 minutes ago, balancerider said:

$23.15 for a new pair of plates @Kees - that's probably the equivalent of driving 40k in the W8 🤔

Good point, I probably should order a new set.

Do you have to send them your old ones back?

[balancerider 757]

3 minutes ago, Kees said:

Do you have to send them your old ones back?

Yes once you get the new ones

[KwS 2425]

39 minutes ago, Kees said:

Good point, I probably should order a new set.

Do you have to send them your old ones back?

If you order a new set of govt plates you will get a new number (only personalized plates can be remade). Keep the old 2 letter plate, it's more in keeping with the age of the car. 

[Kees 594]

3 minutes ago, KwS said:

If you order a new set of govt plates you will get a new number (only personalized plates can be remade). Keep the old 2 letter plate, it's more in keeping with the age of the car. 

Is the duplicate plates option on the LicenSys website a remake of my current plate combination?

Definitely don't want to lose the original combination! I'm very OCD about NZ New cars having original plates. Was one of the things that attracted me to my 540i and my W8 in the first place, as well as my daily driver 207 GTI. 

[balancerider 757]

1 hour ago, Kees said:

Is the duplicate plates option on the LicenSys website a remake of my current plate combination?

https://consumer.licensys.co.nz/plate-vehicle-details

Dropdown box gives options for replacement reason - 'damaged' etc

[KwS 2425]

Huh, that must be "new" as remaking original Govt plates wasnt a thing a few years ago.

[E28E30 335]

I think you can “restyle” your standard plate at KiwiPlates, fees vary but should be a goer?

[balancerider 757]

23 hours ago, thegreatestben said:

The 335d we've bought to replace it doesn't seem to hit the mark with us the same as the 330d so wondering whether we just keep the 330d after all! The 335D pulls like a freight train but we miss sports seats, radar cruise and comfort access 😢

@thegreatestben Sports seats are the biggest single upgrade on E9x IMO. Shouldn't be too hard to retrofit a pair of front leather ones out of an E90, they're the same as the E91. Radar cruise would be a rare option on an E9x, can't recall ever seeing one with that.

Edited April 30, 2022 by balancerider

[GorGasm 563]

Broke my oil filter wrench and removed a layer of skin from my fingers trying to remove my oil filter.  Had to screw driver the bastard to get it off.

Oil filter 2, Logan 1.

GG.

[thegreatestben 14]

On 4/30/2022 at 3:04 PM, balancerider said:

@thegreatestben Sports seats are the biggest single upgrade on E9x IMO. Shouldn't be too hard to retrofit a pair of front leather ones out of an E90, they're the same as the E91. Radar cruise would be a rare option on an E9x, can't recall ever seeing one with that.

Yes definitely so much better. I did think a set of seats from a sedan would also fit.

apparently E9* was the first model to have radar cruise as an option. We really love the 330D! Such a great all rounder but it does feel a bit slow now!

when shopping for a car with equivalent specs the only things that come close are 3x - 6x the price. I wouldn’t mind an X5 but too big for my GF who is the main driver.

[Sammo 2544]

Dismantled my E30 drivers seat and ‘fixed’ a few wobbles with washers and cable ties (lol) before I can get a broken tab welded - also bent bolsters back in shape - feels like a different seat even though it’s still clapped out (not for much longer).

Adjusted my handbrake and identified a Leaky hose as culprit for my power steering leak.

Installed a carplay unit in the F31

Then Spent $700 or so at FCP Euro on bits and bobs 😂

 

 

 

[E30 325i Rag-Top 2956]

Spent a wee while staring at the arse end of the convertible - decided it needs a little something, namely a boot spoiler.

I can’t decide between the Tech 1 or the more subtle “SE” lip spoilers I have sitting in the cupboard.

I do also have an M3 Evo III style spoiler from the race car, but thought that would be a bit OTT for a road going ‘vert.

[Gaz 1060]

59 minutes ago, E30 325i Rag-Top said:

Spent a wee while staring at the arse end of the convertible - decided it needs a little something, namely a boot spoiler.

I can’t decide between the Tech 1 or the more subtle “SE” lip spoilers I have sitting in the cupboard.

I do also have an M3 Evo III style spoiler from the race car, but thought that would be a bit OTT for a road going ‘vert.

Tech 1.. I've got an alpina 157 on mine and the side profile is perfect with the top down