Quick rant thread.

[Driftit 1945]

8 hours ago, Palazzo said:

So, being semi tech ignorant and after reading this and the kodi site, I could run this on an old laptop? And remote through my phone somehow? Or just use Sky Go?

Yeah you can install Kodi on many devices.
The best all in one option is on a Google TV device.  They are between $70 and $100 usually.  Come with a remote and you can install any android apps you like on it.
Then you just need a skygo account login from mate or family member.

Then follow the guide from this guy https://www.matthuisman.nz/2021/05/sky-go-nz-kodi-add-on.html

Every now and then it needs an update.  But just return to this guys page and he patches it very quickly.

This is how I am watching the Supercars racing this weekend.

[Driftit 1945]

Bad timing to need a full set of rotors and pads.
Shipping is the most expensive I have seen to NZ and so few places don't charge GST at the transaction now.

[E63 56]

Pic from TradeMe. I can't stand the way the E63 rego has to be bent to fit in the cavity. I've considered getting a JP-style plate just so it fits.

On the JP-style plate, I don't like the Kanji on a euro. I think it looks good on JDM like S13/180SX/R32, but doesn't suit a euro. Does anyone think NZTA would take issue with whiting-out the Kanji and the numbers?

Option B is an M6 bumper. Not a particular fan of chucking a bunch of M parts on a non-M though. And my single tips would look atrocious coming out the back of a quad-trip cut-out 😆

[Cement 782]

I think you'd be fine providing you're not messing with the actual numbers ? Wonder if you could cut the top off without it looking too naff ?

[Driftit 1945]

They do a smaller plate now. I see all sorts of junk like Rav4s and Rangers with them. 

[TonyT 48]

NZTA says "All plates must be fixed securely to the vehicle in an upright position. They must be displayed so that all the characters (numbers and letters) are clearly visible at all times."  You can paint over any and all of the rest of the plate with body colour or whatever you want. I had the police stop me once to check this was a legal plate, then they admired my creativity. 

[E63 56]

2 minutes ago, TonyT said:

NZTA says "All plates must be fixed securely to the vehicle in an upright position. They must be displayed so that all the characters (numbers and letters) are clearly visible at all times."  You can paint over any and all of the rest of the plate with body colour or whatever you want. I had the police stop me once to check this was a legal plate, then they admired my creativity. 

 

Nice, I actually contacted Kiwiplates and they gave me some BS saying it was illegal to modify the plate. Thanks!

[Twistee 405]

Followed a Porsche Macan GTS into Mitre 10 this morning, absolutely flying through gaps in between parked cars. Was about to park and have a wtf were you thinking chat when grandma got out and ran into Mitre10. So don't judge a speeding Porsche driver by the cover, she was long gone by the time I parked and went into the store. Clearly she was in a hurry to get those bags of compost. 

[balancerider 702]

On 6/7/2023 at 3:02 PM, E63 said:

Pic from TradeMe. I can't stand the way the E63 rego has to be bent to fit in the cavity. I've considered getting a JP-style plate just so it fits.

On the JP-style plate, I don't like the Kanji on a euro. I think it looks good on JDM like S13/180SX/R32, but doesn't suit a euro. Does anyone think NZTA would take issue with whiting-out the Kanji and the numbers?

Option B is an M6 bumper. Not a particular fan of chucking a bunch of M parts on a non-M though. And my single tips would look atrocious coming out the back of a quad-trip cut-out 😆

 

If you have a pry tool I reckon the Japanese plate mount will come out and there will be a Euro-plate sized recess there (which will look heaps cleaner)

[E63 56]

55 minutes ago, balancerider said:

If you have a pry tool I reckon the Japanese plate mount will come out and there will be a Euro-plate sized recess there (which will look heaps cleaner)

Funny you should mention this today, I was just thinking about it an hour ago. I thought the bigger cavity was Pre-LCI. I’ll have a look at it and see if I can wedge it out.

[elias 230]

could always try see if a slim plate would work better, you can find the dimensions on kiwi plates

[E63 56]

55 minutes ago, balancerider said:

If you have a pry tool I reckon the Japanese plate mount will come out and there will be a Euro-plate sized recess there (which will look heaps cleaner)

Funny you should mention this today, I was just thinking about it an hour ago. I thought the bigger cavity was Pre-LCI. I’ll have a look at it and see if I can wedge it out.

[E63 56]

18 minutes ago, elias said:

could always try see if a slim plate would work better, you can find the dimensions on kiwi plates

The JP one will fit. I don’t really like the other markings on them though. Trimming my plate, or trying balancerider’s suggestion will also be a lot more economical.

[jon dee 500]

As I recall, the last time I fitted one of the standard size plates to a Jappa I just bent the last 10mm or so at each end around pretty much at right angles. Sat flat and looked OK. Never had any problem with it at WOF time. 

Cheers...

[E63 56]

I had a look today. Looks like the plate recess will pop out - but I've got a reverse camera attached to it. I don't have anything to reattach it at the moment so held fire on pulling the thing out.

I still think I'd prefer to cut the plate. I reckon I'll need to grab/borrow a jigsaw to do it. A rotary/dremel might struggle a bit.

[balancerider 702]

@E63 don't do it! the Japan market cars always look a bit janky because of the plates...so much cleaner with a proper euro mount. an sheet of alloy with a couple of holes drilled in it sitting behind your plate will let you mount the camera (or 3M double sided tape). and then you can put Europlates on as well

[E63 56]

When I've got a bit more time I'll yank the camera off and have a proper look behind the JP mount. Might be one for next weekend.

I saw a 650i recently that had a trimmed plate and it looks decent though.

[KwS 2373]

22 hours ago, jon dee said:

As I recall, the last time I fitted one of the standard size plates to a Jappa I just bent the last 10mm or so at each end around pretty much at right angles. Sat flat and looked OK. Never had any problem with it at WOF time. 

Cheers...

Yeah the one on my shitbox 650i was bent like that and looked 100x better than the OPs.

[E63 56]

Why is it a shitbox? 😢

That plate looks heaps better than my example. How did you bend it?

[KwS 2373]

29 minutes ago, E63 said:

Why is it a shitbox? 😢

That plate looks heaps better than my example. How did you bend it?

was already bent when i got the car, suspect it was probably done in metal folder.

Its up there with one of the worst cars i've owned. Constant problems, all common, and ended up with PTSD hearing the BING BONG noise whenever i drove it. Horrible car, its no wonder people say BMWs are unreliable. It was nice to drive when it worked though 🤣

[E63 56]

1 hour ago, KwS said:

was already bent when i got the car, suspect it was probably done in metal folder.

Its up there with one of the worst cars i've owned. Constant problems, all common, and ended up with PTSD hearing the BING BONG noise whenever i drove it. Horrible car, its no wonder people say BMWs are unreliable. It was nice to drive when it worked though 🤣

What problems have you had? I’ve read plenty about the usual suspects, but mine is still <80k. How many k’s is yours?

Guessing bing bong is CEL..

The only bing bong I get sick of is the fuel gauge whining about being under 1/4 because BMW seems to think everyone who owns one lives in some vast continental mountainscape.

[KwS 2373]

22 minutes ago, E63 said:

What problems have you had? I’ve read plenty about the usual suspects, but mine is still <80k. How many k’s is yours?

Guessing bing bong is CEL..

The only bing bong I get sick of is the fuel gauge whining about being under 1/4 because BMW seems to think everyone who owns one lives in some vast continental mountainscape.

I got shot of it ages ago, thank god. BMW uses the same bing bong for everything; door open? BING BONG. Ignition on? BING BONG. Critical failure of the active steering, causing the steering wheel to be on a 45deg angle whilst on a twisty single lane hill road? BING BONG.

I had issues with the valve stem seals and smoking (very common, even turners knew to look out for it and refused to buy the car because of it), the active steering regularly thew its toys out of the cot, dynamic drive would sometimes throw errors, as would the engine. I think almost every time i drove it something would throw an error. I chased error after error fixing things until it kept the errors away long enough to sell it. It had about 130k on it. I took a hell of a loss selling it just to get rid of it.

I've had a few BMWs now and generally liked all of them, except that one.

Im sure not all of them are that bad, but ugh.

[M3AN 4015]

14 hours ago, E63 said:

The only bing bong I get sick of is the fuel gauge whining about being under 1/4 because BMW seems to think everyone who owns one lives in some vast continental mountainscape.

On the e8/9x vehicles you can code that to a lower amount, I assume you can also do so on the e6x chassis.

[balancerider 702]

$2000 ORC. WTAF - very sneaky that the 'price' excludes this outrageous bit of dealer profiteering

 

[E63 56]

22 hours ago, KwS said:

I got shot of it ages ago, thank god. BMW uses the same bing bong for everything; door open? BING BONG. Ignition on? BING BONG. Critical failure of the active steering, causing the steering wheel to be on a 45deg angle whilst on a twisty single lane hill road? BING BONG.

I had issues with the valve stem seals and smoking (very common, even turners knew to look out for it and refused to buy the car because of it), the active steering regularly thew its toys out of the cot, dynamic drive would sometimes throw errors, as would the engine. I think almost every time i drove it something would throw an error. I chased error after error fixing things until it kept the errors away long enough to sell it. It had about 130k on it. I took a hell of a loss selling it just to get rid of it.

I've had a few BMWs now and generally liked all of them, except that one.

Im sure not all of them are that bad, but ugh.

Your steering issues sound scary as hell.

I'm kind of keen to deal with stuff like valve steam seals, alternator gasket, coolant transfer pipe, etc. to get some experience, but I'm fairly sure I'm not gonna wanna do it twice. I dunno man, V8's just have a special place in my heart. I think the S65 is the only other engine I'm interested in.

It seems worth investing in learning to DIY the N62 because there are so many bargains out there with different form factors - 550i, 550i touring, 750i, X5. Heaps of really good deals because people have been quoted $4k from a dealer to fix one or few of the above issues.

Of course it's pretty easy for me to say this - having never done any of these tricky jobs!

8 hours ago, M3AN said:

On the e8/9x vehicles you can code that to a lower amount, I assume you can also do so on the e6x chassis.

I've done that. It helped a little bit, but I still made the habit of treating 1/4 like 0 😀