spike60

I'll have to wimp out I'm afraid due to family shiz, No2 son drove up from Kent and got terrible sciatica for his trouble a month ago. This resulted in him having his S1 vertebra removed within 12h of seeking medical help.😮 He's recovered enough to go for the return to Kent on Sunday and I want to be around, not that I can do anything.

Pennies sent!

I should be good for it, confirm bit nearer!

As a reformed 5 series perv I think early 530d E39's were 184 bhp with autos having swirl flaps but not the manuals, then after a couple of years 193bhp with swirl flaps for all. The 525tds E34 was 143 bhp so I assume it was the same in the early E39 525 tds before the 530d came along. E34 525 td was 120 ish bhp. I paid £500 for broken seedy 1999 530d estate manual and took it from 233k to to 270k before a cracked manifold was the end for me and it.

That'll be me then. I worked as a diesel fitter for a Leyland truck and bus dealer in 1981 and we used to get those and FG's in for service etc .

I don't think it's particularly a new problem, 10 years or so ago BMW E39 ARB links from ECP didn't last until the next test/8000 miles. The do usually offer a price/quality range, I guess you get what you pay for to some degree. I usually keep my cars a fair while so I'll price original manufacturer and better branded parts but sometimes still do the "buy shite, buy twice" mistakes. We have a couple of older Mercs and about half the time buy genuine, prices and availability are generally OK. W126 rear exhaust, S211 front pads and discs , gearbox service kit all competitive and delivered. Anybody tried making a warranty claim on Chinese stuff sold within the UK? Good luck. We tried to claim on a BMW E61 rear air bag compressor, 2 year warranty, fucked at 3 months. They won, they wore us down by going off on a tangent all the time. Replaced with an American Arnott one for triple the price. I fitted a Chinese rear wiper motor on the Merc S211, within 2 months it parks where and when it feels like it. Crap. But is one from a 15 year old scrapper better? Original MB £250 IIRC, mebby should have just manned up and opened the wallet!

I think it's for the automatic headlamp dipper, when I was a kid not so far from Fylingdales a neighbour had several Chrysler 300's with it IIRC

1996 Wilkin Gig. One of three made apparently. https://www.facebook.com/marketplace/item/1821200781581142/

Hold the press! A late addition to the fleet, I don't think it's tat (yet) and hopefully not shite either but in a change of plan I got a Honda CRZ hybrid. I wanted a V12 while still doable, then when I got cold feet I decided on another Corvette but the prices are a bit too rich for my blood at the moment. So I got 1.5 hybrid, if anyone can explain why to me please do. Does this mean I have to hand my AS card in? Definitely a fleet clear out in the spring involving 2.8 Z3 and 500 SEC!

Dog dick red 1985 SEC 500 Lorinser owned 4 years for sale in the spring. Probably. 2000 Z3 2.8 has had a makeover since this, currently has a hardtop on and 17 inch black OZ wheels. Cat C before I bought it, it'll possibly be for sale in the spring. Been a good little fella for the last 11 years. E320 cdi that stayed, it was living a life of leisure until June when changing circumstances meant it had to work for a living. Now on175k with few problems over the last 4 years Departed very smart and very troublesome 530d. Owned and used by my son for a year until became surplus. My fleet has been static for a couple of years but I decided this would be about my last chance to get a V12 with way the world is changing. So a couple of weeks ago I drove 200 miles and went to see a Mercedes CL600 that was an actual colour, the car was lovely for age, mileage etc and I know CL's reputation goes before them but I hadn't anticipated the V12 shocking reputation for oil leaks etc, I got cold feet and bailed after talking with the helpful local indy. In a change I couldn't explain I now have an interest in getting a Honda CR-Z, totally out of character for me!

Redcar so not very nearby!

I used to cycle into work regularly and you see much more then, especially as the last 2 miles are on Teesdock road, wagons galore. Best find from memory 16" Bluepoint (Snap On) eagle beak pliers but even as a plant fitter I don't use them.

Norbar are good quality torque wrenches, look after it. They also make them for Beta, the Italian company who supply tools ( or used to) Ferrari.

He can afford to get it fixed!

Last week I did a test on my work run, 8 miles. Mercedes E320cdi estate v6 using the speed limiter, BMW Z3 2.8 manual trying to obey the speed limits to keep it fair. Results? Merc 32.2 mpg, Z3 31.7. In normal local use Merc averages 29mpg, Z3 27mpg. On a 60 mile run figs are 38 and 35. I also have a 1985 Mercedes 500 SEC which didn't play this game, the only time I checked it did a genuine 21.7 over 400 miles with quite a lot of long runs. I'd guess 17mpg local shunting about.

My 924 was a shit to start if you switched it off while hot but no bother if switched off at lower temperatures. I bought some 'good condition' used injectors which were worse then pissed about running carb cleaner through them, blasting with air and checking spray patterns but all to no good effect. I sold it. When my 6 cylinder merc 300se with similar system started doing 4, 5, 6 cylinders on start up I got the Bosch part No and after a google search I bought a set of brand newies at £19 each, Problem solved. This was about 4 years back , not sure how easy they are to find now but they seem interchangeable across various brands and models.

Cadillac ETV Coupe. Not something you see every day. Cadillac ETV Coupe - Stunning Concept by Mike Vetter's Car Factory | eBay

As there can't be many red Deloreans in the UK I assume that car was for sale late last year on Ebay somewhere near Pickering.

Birmingham a bit of a run from Redcar, Cleveland!

Friend of mine has a 1960 Chevy pick up with a V8 Lexus engine running on gas and last time I saw him he said it was a struggle getting gas in Cleveland. Said this to RR man tonight and he said there was a lot of campervans use LPG now. With a 52 year old Roller I doubt fuel costs are going to be the biggest worry one way and t'other!

At the petrol station tonight spoke for a minute or two to an old guy with a purple 1970 RR Silver Shadow getting filled with LPG. 🙂

1968 volkswagen nova Project rhd. These used to be regular sight when I were a lad. 1968 volkswagen nova Project rhd . rare car. tax and mot exempt | eBay

Nissan Maxima £1500 classic cars | eBay

Perhaps wrong to label 159 with old Alfa probs but I had Sud Sprint, 916 Spider, 155 2.0 Twinspark. All good enough to forgive the shortcomings. I bought a 10v 156 2.4d which was a royal PITA. It was ok on fuel but cost £100 a month on parts alone over 10 months, I changed it for a 180k Merc 320 CLK which cost less to run, go figure. I'd have another Alfa, just as a toy though. I see you're planning few miles, I'd advise against a daily driver.

I was coming on here to bail but it seems you've beaten me to it. As someone who had 6 winters in the north Pennines in Northumberland it's a sensible move. Bring on spring!