gjm 3258 Report post Posted October 20, 2020 Under capitalism, man exploits man. Under communism, it's just the opposite. 2 3 Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
gjm 3258 Report post Posted November 3, 2020 Bl**dy Americans and their big engines in their cars! Looking for parts for Miss Ms 318i, or a Merc 190E 2.0 I have here... Weren't typically sold new in the US, so parts often aren't available on the 'big' sites. Usual German car parts price premium applies in NZ, especially for the Merc! Actually, that extends to cookware... Looking for a nice set of pans for Mrs M and the ex-Germany price (not shipping worldwide at present) is way less than half the price of the identical item in NZ! Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
LemonHunter 583 Report post Posted November 3, 2020 And they thought slapping GST on small purchases would make us shop local. Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
gjm 3258 Report post Posted November 3, 2020 30 minutes ago, LemonHunter said: And they thought slapping GST on small purchases would make us shop local. The price disparity seems to have grown. Suspension top mounts for the Merc - (equivalent) $26ea from the US (plus shipping). NZ - $68ea for something which is an unknown brand. (Plus shipping.) Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
LemonHunter 583 Report post Posted November 3, 2020 I’ve ordered items from the UK and Auckland on the same day, guess which turned up first... 1 2 Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Navin 180 Report post Posted November 3, 2020 Same here but from the US. 3 days quicker than the local parcel, ridiculous Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
qube 3570 Report post Posted November 3, 2020 Got a NZ Post card for parcel non-delivery so signed into the website to organise re-delivery and says unavailable. So following the pick up instruction "collect from X between 8-6pm" I drove an hour thru traffic after work to get there and sign on the door says sorry we will be closing from 1pm as of JULY 2020!!! 1 Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Matth5 471 Report post Posted November 10, 2020 What's with some mechanics who seem to believe utter bulls**t and press you to pay for unnecessary crap. I just want to swap brake pads on my M4 in advance for a trackday. I have the pads. The places I'd prefer to do the job are either too far away or too busy to do it in time so I call up some others... One workshop I call insists that I can't just swap pads on existing rotors, and they need to be checked and machined. This is without even looking at them, will not swap the pads without machining the rotors and insists that the pads would only be touching "like 20%" of the rotor if I do this because the surface will not match. I think if my rotors were that uneven, I'd notice... As if it isn't common for people to swap pads for trackdays? Just found another shop to do it. Really need to get my own tools ect to do this myself and avoid this kind of idiocy with basic jobs... Last time I did this, the place threw away my existing pads despite me telling them I wanted to keep them (and they were clearly far from worn). I made them dig them back out of the rubbish... Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
LemonHunter 583 Report post Posted November 10, 2020 Did they know they’d be installing race pads? Due to the hardness, the effects scoring are somewhat exacerbated. plus, if I was installing high performance brake pads for someone, I’d assume they’d want the most out of them. my 2c, I do install my own though, so the only cost other than the pads is the machining. Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Matth5 471 Report post Posted November 10, 2020 (edited) I did say it was a trackday and I'd be happy to take on any risk... still no go. I figured it was easier to go elsewhere than try to argue with someone who wasn't keen on the job I'm going with Endless MX72 which are a bit of a middle ground anyway, not a full race pad but (hopefully) enough for some fun when I'm just using street tyres. I do know about potential issues with pad deposits ect that can happen when swapping pads and track use, but I've never heard of people who track their machining their rotors every time they swap pads unless they actually have vibration/noise issues. If I get really into trackdays, then maybe I'll get myself the right tools, proper track pads, separate wheels with semi slicks ect But life makes that difficult right now. Edited November 10, 2020 by Matth5 Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
gjm 3258 Report post Posted November 23, 2020 Feckin' roads. Y'know - the slippy slidey loose gravel bit that's laid around the potholes. A little bit of rain and there's a hole where my left front wheel would run. Dark, rain, can't see the hole and ***CRASH***. One lightweight forged alloy with a split in it. ? Of course, they're rare (isn't everything when you need it?) and because it's forged, it's apparently more difficult to repair. 3 Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
E30 325i Rag-Top 2963 Report post Posted November 24, 2020 That is a very accurate description of roads in NZ, they seem to be getting worse as well. Even when they are “repaired” it just seems to be a half-arsed patch up job. 1 Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
coop 261 Report post Posted November 24, 2020 (edited) Its a bloody joke. From the end of the Waikato expressway (Karapiro) all the way through to Mangaweka SH1 there are multiple road works between all of the towns. Not full sections being resealed just the quick patch job all in succession. They finished one part north of Tokoroa two weeks ago and it was pot holed the day they removed the 50kmh limit. The speed restrictions are too inconsistent. Put out cones for 500m and drop the limit to 50 for nothing. Then some have loose metal or gap 20 and it is also 50kmh. People become complacent and start to ignore the speed restrictions. Cops dont appear to police it (buggered if I know why, it would be a huge cash cow). The re seal south of Taihape on the weekend was 50kmh with loose metal everywhere. I'd hate to think how many cars received chipped windscreens or paint work. Glad I didn't take a classic thru there & there were a lot heading to/from Karapiro show. Edit, my rant. BMW, VAG and Peugeot drivers who think they need their rear fog lights on. Edited November 24, 2020 by coop 2 Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
NZ BMW 368 Report post Posted November 24, 2020 1 hour ago, coop said: Edit, my rant. BMW, VAG and Peugeot drivers who think they need their rear fog lights on. OMG!!!!! This!!!!!!!! Why?! 2 Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
gjm 3258 Report post Posted November 24, 2020 (edited) 1 hour ago, coop said: Its a bloody joke. From the end of the Waikato expressway (Karapiro) all the way through to Mangaweka SH1 there are multiple road works between all of the towns. Not full sections being resealed just the quick patch job all in succession. They finished one part north of Tokoroa two weeks ago and it was pot holed the day they removed the 50kmh limit. . etc This. As far as I can tell, it's nationwide. Do the effin' job properly, ferchrissakes! Edited November 24, 2020 by gjm Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
zero 1162 Report post Posted November 24, 2020 On 11/23/2020 at 4:47 PM, gjm said: Feckin' roads. Y'know - the slippy slidey loose gravel bit that's laid around the potholes. A little bit of rain and there's a hole where my left front wheel would run. Dark, rain, can't see the hole and ***CRASH***. One lightweight forged alloy with a split in it. ? Of course, they're rare (isn't everything when you need it?) and because it's forged, it's apparently more difficult to repair. You cant vote for less money to be spent on roads, and then complain when less money is spent on roads. 1 1 Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
gjm 3258 Report post Posted November 24, 2020 1 hour ago, zero said: You cant vote for less money to be spent on roads, and then complain when less money is spent on roads. It was a rural road, funded by a District Council. The NZTA funding is sufficient to rebuild roads not just resurface them. It is simply a lack of oversight and preparedness, coupled with a profit-driven contractor motive, which compromises state highways. Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
huff3r 347 Report post Posted November 24, 2020 Don't forget the apathy of drivers towards temporary speed limits, which i the case of chip seal especially serve to allow the tar to rest and cure. Speeding through fresh chip seal (even if only doing 50) is enough to cause the tar to lift, and the seal doesn't last nearly as long as if it had cured correctly. The fog lights is mostly ignorance I think, they legitimately have no fkn clue they even have rear fogs. Button got pressed one day and hasn't changed since. 1 Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
gjm 3258 Report post Posted November 24, 2020 41 minutes ago, huff3r said: Don't forget the apathy of drivers towards temporary speed limits, which i the case of chip seal especially serve to allow the tar to rest and cure. Speeding through fresh chip seal (even if only doing 50) is enough to cause the tar to lift, and the seal doesn't last nearly as long as if it had cured correctly. That's at least in part because drivers think the speed limit is to reduce the number of loose chips being thrown up by vehicles - the reality is to allow a second-rate road repair system (regardless of diligence of those applying it) to have a chance of curing properly. It's exacerbated by (in the case of some local work) 3km of 30km/h temporary sped limits applied through a normally derestricted dual carriageway area before seeing 20m of so-called road repairs taking place on a hard shoulder where no-one should be driving anyway. And the piece of road in the carriageway that was in truly bad condition sits maybe 5m away, but is untouched until someone shovels some leftover bitumen into a hole. 1 Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Bennyboy 200 Report post Posted November 25, 2020 cycleways 1 Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Matth5 471 Report post Posted November 25, 2020 23 hours ago, coop said: Edit, my rant. BMW, VAG and Peugeot drivers who think they need their rear fog lights on. Fixed Gotta include those special folk that treat them like daytime running lights or turn them on with headlights. Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
E30 325i Rag-Top 2963 Report post Posted November 25, 2020 thEyR dRivNg LiTes Bro! 1 Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Driftit 2093 Report post Posted November 25, 2020 23 hours ago, gjm said: That's at least in part because drivers think the speed limit is to reduce the number of loose chips being thrown up by vehicles - the reality is to allow a second-rate road repair system (regardless of diligence of those applying it) to have a chance of curing properly. It's exacerbated by (in the case of some local work) 3km of 30km/h temporary sped limits applied through a normally derestricted dual carriageway area before seeing 20m of so-called road repairs taking place on a hard shoulder where no-one should be driving anyway. And the piece of road in the carriageway that was in truly bad condition sits maybe 5m away, but is untouched until someone shovels some leftover bitumen into a hole. The entire Wairarapa Region has a serious problem with this. Looking forward to summer where all the exposed bitumen melts and sprays up the side of my car. Chip Seal is sh*t. It didn't exist in NA and Europe while I was there. And I did not miss it at all. 2 Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Willy Sea 46 Report post Posted November 26, 2020 On 11/24/2020 at 9:07 PM, gjm said: It was a rural road, funded by a District Council. The NZTA funding is sufficient to rebuild roads not just resurface them. It is simply a lack of oversight and preparedness, coupled with a profit-driven contractor motive, which compromises state highways. No need to worry boys, the amount of quantitive easing going on recently, surely some of it will filter thru to roading. All the new expressways tunels etc from the last drop back in 2008 are nearly finished now. 1 Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
leichtbau 525 Report post Posted November 26, 2020 Tradies who charge both a mileage rate AND an hourly fee for the travel time. You can have one or the other, not both. 1 Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
