Roads to do test drive

[318Touring 40]

Well here's the new thread.

I know that road very well, used to drive it at least twice a day for years (used to live up on Jubilee Rd)

I use that road quite often. My son goes to St Benedict's so at school pick-up time I always race up Onslow Rd because I am ALWAYS late! Always use that road to test drive cars. Also when I got really bored, going back to J'ville from town.

Got any favorite roads for test driving? The road between Churton Park to Tawa is also my favorite. Switchbacks, sharp corners, uneven road surface, Oh yeah!!!

same engine as the 645i.

Seen the new 6 yet? Shelly's has a black one at the showroom. Went in and sat the other day, didn't feel like a $200k car. Maybe it has to be driven on the autobahn to appreciate the car.

[*sic 1]

test drive on a track.. not the road

[shadowninja 0]

Got any favorite roads for test driving?

Yep I usually go from town up Marjoribanks Street, Hawker Street Mt Victoria to Roseneath (where I live) then down around Oriental Parade through city to the motorway. Then its out Tawa, back along that same back road of yours to Churton Park, along the motorway to city.

That combines the hills, corners, city, motorway and spirited backroad/uneven surface (plus its an excuse to take a nice car out for a good 40-60 minutes depending on traffic.)

I haven't seen the 6-series in the flesh yet, but was speaking with a friend of ours who upgrades his two new BMWs every year (currently owns a Z4 and an X5). They tried to sell him one but seems overpriced... I stand by my previous comments that its just a 545i with a bodykit (and two fewer doors).

I'd rather buy an M3 for $145k and spend the rest on a second car, or a 2-month touring the Autobahns & Autostradas around Europe.

[E30_318i 0]

Going up Brooklyn Hill. Try and hit the limiter in second before the long corner (before the passing lane finishes) at around 80-90 kmh at night time of course.

Bell road that runs sorta parallel to Brooklyn Hill isn't bad too.

If I'm going from Jville to town, I might take the Makara way (night time too), but last time I did that, I apparantly burned 1/4 tank of gas in the old mans car.

If your are heading towards Jville, theres this real good corner for a hand brake turn (not that I've tried it), going up hill. If you don't know what one I mean, take a drive down there and you'll know when you see it. Its f**king perfect.

I've already learnt my lesson though (got caught up Brooklyn Hill-69kmh) but you don't need to go over the limit on the Makara/Ohariu Valley roads.

Edited March 16, 2004 by E30_318i

[E30-323ti 66]

318Touring:

The GS300 is a real nice car and it has easy HP advantages too, a 2jz-gTe will bolt straight in, esp if it is an auto, then just plug it in with the supra ECU.

There is a guy on www.toyspeed.org.nz that has a 2001 VVT-i 2JZ-GTE forsale.

A friend has just bought a E39 540i (with the 4.4 V8), and I must say it was awesome, I believe there is one forsale on the cnr of abel smith st & cuba st, $39k with 18" M5 wheels (replicas prolly). Looks stunning, might be worth a test drive Daniel!!

My 2c

[318Touring 40]

The GS300 is a real nice car ....

What's caught my attention is the bullet-proof reliability of Toyota/Lexus built vehicle. Also at least I didn't feel like sitting on a Toyota, which I can't say when sitting on an IS200. I could see some parts that were lifted straight from my Corolla.

However for big-engined/fast Euro/BMW cars check these two out:

740i

or this:

B3 Alpina

A friend has just bought a E39 540i ...

Aro Motor had one before this current one with lower ks. I'm always wary about cars without FSH. Especially on big monsters like E39/E38s/GS300.

... got caught up Brooklyn Hill-69kmh

Yeah that's a nice speed trap down there. A friend also got ticketed at 9 am doing 61kph.

..  might take the Makara way

Never actually go that way. Always late trying to get somewhere in time. Some friends actually did routine lunchtime bike ride from J'ville to town via Makara!!

...  Mt Victoria to Roseneath (where I live)

You live in Roseneath and work in J'ville? Traffic jam isn't an issue for you then ...

I haven't seen the 6-series ...

The 6er a bit of a waste when you can only do 100kph, and 40kph around Ngaio/Khandallah!!! Saw a silver one this am at Courtney/Tory intersection, overheard pedestrians discussing the front of the car. They should wait until they saw its back!!!!

[shadowninja 0]

Not a big fan of the road from Owhiro bay to Brooklyn. Apparently there is a senior cop that lives out that way who has a kid at the local school... thus there is frequently a speed camera sitting just inside the change to the 50kph zone.

Or did you mean Todman Street/Mitchell Street & up towards the wind turbine.

Roseneath to Jville, yeah its against the traffic flow the whole way. Nice drive. My wife works down on the Cnr of Tory & Courtney, very conveniently one block away from Shelleys.

[E30_318i 0]

Not a big fan of the road from Owhiro bay to Brooklyn. Apparently there is a senior cop that lives out that way who has a kid at the local school... thus there is frequently a speed camera sitting just inside the change to the 50kph zone.

Or did you mean Todman Street/Mitchell Street & up towards the wind turbine.

Na theres no speed camera there. I take that route to Island Bay every time. If there is, it must be hidden.

And I was meaning the road where the tennis centre is, and passing lane. Real esay to get caught going over the limit as it is so wide. That way up to the wind turbine (Todman and Mitchell) has houses so bugga that, other wise it would be alright. Narrow too.

[shadowninja 0]

Na theres no speed camera there.

I've personally been pinged down there by a speed camera... and know at least 3 workmates who have too.

[E30_318i 0]

I've personally been pinged down there by a speed camera... and know at least 3 workmates who have too.

Ohh, yeah mobile ones. I though you meant fixed. sh*t, those vans are every where.

[318Touring 40]

Hey, are any of you guys planning to get a radar detector? Especially with the lifting of speed camera signs from next month(?).

shadow... which building is your wife's workplace. My building is 20 m away from Shelly on Tory St.

[shadowninja 0]

shadow... which building is your wife's workplace. My building is 20 m away from Shelly on Tory St.

She works for a software development company in Korea House (up above the Sports cafe on the corner of Tory & Courtney).

Her boss just traded his Z4 on a new M3 convertible.

[318Touring 40]

Oh hang on, does the M3 has euro plate, and is it black? I can see an M3 vert from my building parked behind Sports cafe. Damn, I probably should find work there then

Edited March 19, 2004 by 318Touring

[E30_318i 0]

Oh hang on, does the M3 has euro plate, and is it black? I can see an M3 vert from my building parked behind Sports cafe. Damn, I probably should find work there then

I think a black M3 vert lives on Bidwill st (off Taranaki) with a black Z4 too. I walk past it some mornings.

[shadowninja 0]

Yep touring up behind the sports cafe is their carpark.

And he doesn't live in Mt Cook, hes down on the wharf. He traded his grey Z4 on the M3 vert... still owns the black X5.

[318Touring 40]

Yep,that's right. The black X5's plate is COLCAN or something. I thought it was the cafe's or Chinese restaurant's.

[shadowninja 0]

The black X5's plate is COLCAN or something.

Close but no cigar...

The chinese restaurant guys own the entire building, they park their aging Mercedes in the allyway.