The new news 24 thread

[Skizzer]

Stony Stratford

 

Looks more like Windy Watford.  Ouch.

[Sigmund Fraud]

I have a spare 085 coming out of my Golf when it gets weighed. Syncromesh doesn't work though. Also pops out of second. Also rarely engages first, so you have to ram it in repeatedly to get it to engage (like my missus). Also has a constant whine. Top-quality VAG machinery.

 

In all seriousness though, I know of a few about in Devon for not much cash if you're struggling.

 

The Golf box sounds royally fucked, but is still better than the one currently in the Loopoo.

 

Complete failure to proceed suggests that the previous owner had decided that the best way to deal with the loud gearbox whine was to turn up the volume of the radio... Which is the best way to turn an 085 with tired/dry bearings into cog soup. Nice.

 

Anyway, it appears that the local scrappy have a selection of 085s for £80 - I just hope I'll be able to find one that isn't completely broken and has ratios that won't make the tiny 1l engine struggle... Watch this space !

[Coprolalia]

If you can, try and find a CHV or CHW code box from a golf driver. Leggy final drives for motorway peace and quiet. Think they're compatible with the Lupo lump.

[beko1987]

Filled the screenwash up earlier, and checked the other levels. The rad was only half full... I know it has a very very slow leak from the stat housing, and it's never been fully full since I;ve had it, so I scraped the max level indicator out of it's crap on the outside and topped her up. Hope it doesn't pressurise and blow the rad cap now...

[JohnK]

Bit premature I know but for when this gets into shite territory, I thought a comparison of moderns and their 'shite heritage' May come in useful.

 

2008 525d 2993cc straight 6 turbo diesel manual - 197bhp

 

 

This replaced an E39 528i and the E60 is absolutely nothing like the previous car in any way. The epitome of Bangle styling at the time, it was a good looking car, a car I always wanted. RK58 RWJ was a bloody good car, covered 56,000 miles in total with us and surprisingly economical - 45mpg average.

 

One thing that always bugged me about this car was, despite a classy looking interior, I feel

It was made of cheap tat shit in comparison to the E39. Quite plasticky and the seats were poor on this SE model, comfy initially but allowed lower back pain on longer journeys no matter what seat adjustments were made.

 

Now, with this specific car, modern diesel woes weren't specifically an issue. I sold it on 123k, in ownership it costed 2 x pairs rear tyres, 1 x pair of front tyres, a few services and a DPF clear out (soon after purchase - it had covered little miles in the time prior to buying so was clogged, but never repeated itself).

 

Would I recommend one? Yes. Soon to be on a shite page near you.

 

2011 520d 1994cc 4cyl turbo diesel manual - 184bhp

 

 

So, it's the newer model and supposedly 'better'. Okay, it's a nice car, it really is.

The interior dash design strangely does echo very much the old E39 dash, modernised. For the previous E60 model, BMW deviated from the 'facing driver' dash for a flat dash, but the F10 returns to the traditional BMW thought process.

 

Interior is class. It looks mint. Does it drive better than the E60? Probably not actually.

 

So, if you want to spunk a shitload of money right now, buy an F10.

 

If you want a JohnK recommendation... Buy an E39. A 530i Sport would fit the bill, but the nice 530d is a good car if you really need a diesel.

 

Final verdict? Spunking a load of money actually does leave you feeling disappointed and buying shite is actually a good idea.

[cort16]

I had an e60 it was shit. I really hated it, the e39 seems better in almost every way. Those new fangled ones are a step up in quality but pretty much indistinguishable from the 3 series in my eyes. I believe the 518d is a 3 pot.

[JohnK]

Must admit mate from the back end, it's so hard to tell the difference between the 3 and 5.

 

F10 is so much a nicer car build wise, but drives so remotely compared to the E60.

 

I have a feeling this F10 won't stay too long before I bite the bullet and just buy a 530d if I'm honest. I did look at one yesterday but plumped for the 520 as the missus drives it more than anything and she would shit herself with the 530.

 

Plus this was 8k cheaper.

[JohnK]

I think the 518d is a 4 pot, just a detuned 520d lump, same as in the 120d and 320d.

[cort16]

My boss has a new model 330d and it's as fast you'd ever need a car to be.

[JohnK]

Mate of mine has a 225d Auto, same engines as in my 520 but with a twin turbo in a small package. It's like a mini supercar!

[twosmoke300]

The e61 520d I look after is terrible . Is done less than 70k with fsh and recently it's needed a crank pulley , wheel bearing , suspension arms , keyless entry and radio aerial control unit as well as having to have the wiring looms in to the tailgate repaired cos about 10 wires had broken . An absolute cunt of a job that was . It also eats Bridgestone run flats at an alarming rate cos it has no spare despite a massive hole in the boot for one

[HillmanImp]

I had a ride in a GT the other week (not sure which one, I don't really pretend to understand how new cars are 'ranked' as they are not L, GL, GLE......) and I thought the interior was awful. Was disappointed. 

 

The GTs also look very tall. I was hoping they were going to be a lot sleeker when they were first announced several years ago. The almost look like one of those awful 6 coupe things which is just awful.

 

More practical than the saloon though so there you go. I will never own one so am not sure why I am complaining. 

[meshking]

I can safely say that I don't know what all the BMW model codes refer to, and I'm actually quite happy with that. It's a bit like when I mention to my colleagues at work that I have never watched star wars.

[Six-cylinder]

I have been to Earls Barton (Northampton) Classic show this evening, something for everybody from a V reg Renault Magane to a Ferrari 430. I took my 1988 BMW 735i to meet up with friends from the BMW Club. My mother had a Standard 8 when I was a small child and I drove beside this one along the dual carriageway on the way there. 

 

 

[Ghosty]

BMWs:

 

1 series: effectively 3 series Compact

2 series: 1 Coupé... but also a FWD MPV, that's on the same platform as the current Bini

3 series - obvious

4 series - 3 Coupé

5 is 5

6 - uh... it's a coupé. But there's also a saloon thingy, called a coupé - surely that's a 5 series?

7 is 7.

8 is now the i8?

 

3GT and 5GT are tall ugly liftbacks.

 

X1,X3,X5 are SUVs increasing in size

 

Z4 is by itself.

 

Uuugh.

 

I'd like to see a 1M V8 in hatch flavour..

[D Spares & Tyres]

I can safely say that I don't know what all the BMW model codes refer to, and I'm actually quite happy with that. It's a bit like when I mention to my colleagues at work that I have never watched star wars.

I didn`t watch it til I was 35

 

It was shit

[wuvvum]

I read somewhere that the next 1-series is going to be FWD.  It's sad in a way that BMW has been reduced to this by the shallow narcissistic image-obsessed consumerist fucktards that seemingly make up 95% of today's society.

[Ghosty]

BMW have been losing it slowly but surely since the X5.

[Six-cylinder]

Don't forget the 4 series has a Gran model, coupe shape that's a four door saloon!

[stillOrange]

I very shyly have to say that I quite like the 6 series Gran Coupe ....

[STUNO]

I remember when the almost local car Holden made 2 models, named Standard and Special.

And you could tell them apart by the lack of chrome trim on the Standard, otherwise no real difference.

[Skizzer]

Ghosty, you've also forgotten (wisely I'd say) the bog ugly 3GT and 5GT.

 

Don't forget the 4 series has a Gran model, coupe shape that's a four door saloon!

 

They do, although it's actually a 5-door hatch.  Here's mine [awaits flames].  

 

BMW 428i Gran Coupe by Skizzer, on Flickr

 

It's almost exactly the same size as my SD1 on the outside, but much smaller on the inside and a whole lot less interesting.  One day I'll do a back-to-back road test, Dollywobbler stylee: the Rover will win on everything except drag race and fuel consumption.  (Don't plan to do a crash test.)

[Pillock]

 

Behold the BMW M4. Unique that it doesn't move at all between 8am and 10am on a weekday.

[Sloth in a bowl]

 

 

Behold the BMW M4. Unique that it doesn't move at all between 8am and 10am on a weekday.

 

Shouldn't the left hand side be painted red to show where the bus lane goes?

[fordperv]

I finally got to weld up the front chassis legs on my mates mx5 this morning/afternoon, it has been a right pain for both of us to be off on the same day with decent weather, he can put his rebuilt engine in and get it back on road now

[strangeangel]

I fixed the 205's broken cooling system today. I did wonder how the header tank could have still been full when the rest of the coolant had been lost - turns out it was so full of silt the opening at the bottom was blocked   Cleared out as much of the crust as I could, filled it up with fresh stuff, bled it and took it for a run out. Seems fine now.

 

Thing is, it's not full of Radweld anymore... how long before it starts leaking from every ofifice? The radiator looks like shit, but a new one is only £80. I think I may treat it to one

[NorfolkNWeigh]

BMWs are just good at doing exactly what I need from a car. My current 530d estate has gone from 115,000 to 173,000 in 7 months . A lot of those miles were covered at quite high speeds often fully laden . ie 4/5 people and boot loaded to the roof. The overall mpg on the OBC is 42.3, occasionally I'll reset the journey mpg and have seen 50 odd without dropping cruising speeds much below 80. In that time it's had 4 rear tyres and 2 front ones . 1 set of rear pads and 4 oil filters plus oil,it uses a litre every 7 or 8,000 miles . To say new BMWs are all style over substance is just a little disingenuous , in a couple of years when the ex-Police manuals are worth pennies, this place will be full of em- 155 mph,40 mpg £500- WCPGW?

Whenever I drive some other modern car it inevitably feels a bit flimsier than the 5 even fellow Teutons. I have a couple of customers that have gone down the same path as John and both made the same comment about it feeling much softer, almost Lexus like compared to the e60/61.

I'd like the much hated 5GT next but their rarity means they hold their value too well for a skinflint like me, what I really need is for the licensing restrictions to be abolished and then I'll get an e23 with a 3.0 dizzler shoved in- my perfect car for work.

[Lacquer Peel]

The last couple of pages are vomit-inducing. STOP IT.

[NorfolkNWeigh]

 

Here's a picture of my BMWs, just for LP.

My pride and joy is a 316 auto in AS racing beige truly The Ultimate Driving Machine.

[cort16]

BMW 3 series are just german MG6's anyway