Car appreciation... the aesthetics, the engineering, etc

I bet the changes in how company car BIK is calculated has impacted the Outlander PHEV sales, loads of people were getting them to pay 5% BIK, but they then changed the rules so that it takes into account electric only range, so the rates shot up.

£76k for a nu-rave molerat makes the Kia look a bargain though!

Fair point...

And why was the change neccessary?

A standard unrestored 1100 and sub 10k
https://collectingcars.com/for-sale/1971-ford-escort-mk1-1100l

We had a Visa GT when I was a kid. My dad has been hankering after a Visa GTi since and would buy one now if he would find one.

Anyone interested in a ton of EVO magazines? Pretty much every issue from the last 3 or 4 years. Free if you can collect from E15, or they go in the recycling.

Magazines are an interesting one.

I have savoured copies of Auto & Design from my academic? Days. So much crap on the shelves of newsagents over here.

I thought it would set me up for life, but got just £10 for EVO issue 1. I've still got issue 1 of Revs magazine if anyone is keen, it was like Max Power but worse.

Maybe, cut out the car adds and mount them on card and frame them ;)

Better chance finding one in France or the EU rather than here.

Does the Visa GTI have a cult following as the 205 gti does?

hello, anyone in camberwell with an axle stand and decent jack please? i’ve somehow broken my windscreen washer reservoir

Prob been sat in a hedge for 15 years.
The comfy mans 309 MI16.

Long post alert! I went to see the blue manual 550i touring yesterday. It’s absolutely as good as it looks and I like it sooooo much better than the black auto one. It’s just lovely. The seller has got some seriously awesome motors (DB5, Daimler Sovereign, E46 M3 manual etc), is a real car guy seems like a genuine bloke.

So here’s the rub. He’d called me on Wednesday as he knew I was making a special trip, to say sorry but the engine warning lamp had come on. He had talked to the guy he bought it off who swears it hadn’t happened before. He had the codes read with ODB scanner (2A8C, 2A90 and 2A88 if you’re keen) and his BMW tech told him to try changing timing chain tensioners. So he did, he told me on Thursday, and the light went off. Then, the next day, it came on again. Then went off on its own. The stored codes are the same.

So as it stands, there are no warning lights. The 4.8 V8 runs great. No rattles, no smoke. Pulls like a train with no hesitation. One theory suggested by him is the DYnamic Management System was just relearning it’s parameters after the chain tensioners and threw the light back on temporarily.

He’s offered to take it to the dealership (where said BMW tech works) for full diagnostic. Or knock 2k off if I take it as is and acknowledge there was an EML on. His point is that he doesn’t really want to get dragged into (possible) endless engine works, nor would it make sense to keep bringing the car back up to him (about an hour’s drive) if the light did come back on.

On the one hand I applaud his honesty as he could probably have got away without telling me. On the other hand, my lizard brain thinks everyone is trying to trick me and it’s a triple bluff.

Think I’ll probably ask for the full diagnostic and see what the outcome is. I’d rather have peace of mind than a ‘bargain’.

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So close to the mythical 80085 69 420

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That generation of 5 series is a whole huge heap of trouble. I’d personally take the discount and stick the 2k in the bank for when - not if - it broke in a very expensive way.

You can get a lot of repairing done for £2k.

Based upon my experience that statement needs qualifying very heavily.

Is this era of motor one with Vanos? My (imperfect, skin deep) understanding is that it can be expensive if it starts to go wrong.

However, these are so rare I’d probably buy it and then deal with whatever the issue is. I doubt you’d ever find another.

The blue 550i looks great... That is probably one of the few perfect family cars... Proper estate, potent enough engine, manual and probably handles nicely. If there's no rattling or smoke then it tends to suggest the mechanical parts are good... Might just be sensors/Vanos stuff. It wouldn't turn me off. (I have poor judgement). As for the dealer, sounds like a lot of trouble to just triple bluff someone... I'd tend to take the discount and use the savings at an independent specialist.

Yes the N62TU is a vanos-equipped motor. Never has a word struck such fear into the potential BMW owner! However the design is apparently much less problematic than that used on the in-line 6 motors.

The error codes all related to vanos/timing which could have been caused by bad tensioners.

Thanks for the advice all!

Having owned an older BMW for a while, I’m more inclined to trust a specialist (other than those fuckpigs at Munich Legends) than I am a BMW dealership’s service centre.

I’ve been to one main dealer in almost twenty years of ownership, and after some of the younger “technicians” had stopped laughing about the fact that the steering wheel is on the wrong side, it’d NEVER run so badly. I didn’t return to them and found the guy in Gidea Park who’s worked on it ever since.

Found so many problems over the last month but it’s coming together slowly, got the electrics sorted, new blaupunkt Bremen stereo and alarm system installed. Had a lot of problems with the gearbox, radiator, a fair few leaks in the engine and air suspension and steering box was on the way out. Tried to make it as solid and useable as possible but it’s a long road ahead. Switched tires to something beefier too and found some overfinch clear light covers on ebay. Gonna bite the bullet and order some of the Rostyle wheels for that older classic 2 door look along with some older decals.

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Love it!

Calling @Fixedwheelnut, please come to the courtesy phone in reception.

What is the mileage, the vanos system has issues, but people have worked out what the issues are and the repairs. Not just replace the whole thing. Would you be doing the work yourself or paying someone.

Do the engine have timing chain/tensioner issue and how expensive it is to replace.

Any love for commercial vehicles here? Saw this today and the wife agreed it was quite cool and agreed I could have one for our place in Ireland (tad impractical unfortunately), I think she may have been humouring me by that stage.

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