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

As long as it's not parked outside or driven in LDN I don't think it's that insane.

I'd be tempted to wait until next year though after the winter. 1) you'd have nice fresh paint for the summer, 2) it would have less change of damage over the winter, 3) you get to drive it over this summer rather than having it in bits.

Or worrying about the next car park door ding on the flawless finish :(

I'd prefer to address the stone-chip before winter, but that doesn't preclude this being a December project.

anyone fancy a car swap in july? can lend the jeeb or the gti in return for sommat interesting for a long weekend.

I'm in California early/mid-July if you wanted to borrow the 911?

Cool! I may take you up on that. I'll drop you a line.

It took me a while to get 'jeeb' but I don't think I know what the GTi is. CX 25? If so I'm in.

Golf

Or use airport valet parking

I'm sure the 911 will be fine with BRM, legendary frontman of the Fucktones. Rock stars have no history of crashing sports cars, often fatally. Oh, wait.

Anyway- does anyone here know E39 5 series well? Or can recommend a forum not stuffed full of douche bags which would?

Interested in spares availability, predominantly.

Is this the volvo 's replacement?

With any luck I'll be able to time you selling it with the need / permission from the other half ;)

Which one is the E39? I had an 02 or 03 530. Lovely car. Parts were fairly cheap and not a lot went wrong with until I sent it backward into a wall. At which point parts became altogether too expensive.
Would have another though, they drive like a much smaller car.

@brm @dammit does this mean I get to borrow the 911 intead of the green machine to go to Glyndebourne?

I'm not sure I can afford the daily maintenance costs of the silver money pit. About a grand a day?

Plus petrol

I've found forum.bmw5 to be the most helpful one so far.

Spare parts are pretty easily available, I've got most of mine from dealers. (Replaced turbo that have failed mainly).

Very very reliable car, very rarely misses a beat and is about to hit 170,000. Does 52mpg if you drive sensibly. 46 if you don't.

Main thing I have seen to watch out for is the swirl flaps (on the auto) degrading and being eaten by the engine. Otherwise if they are maintained well the do 200/300k by the looks of it.

Mines just had new bumpers / wing + is getting a sub.

Ps

Forum still full of Douchebags, completely unavoidable in BMW / Car forum world...

I'm looking at the 4.6 V8/auto Alpina B10 Touring, it's on 99k miles.

I don't want to buy it and then find out that you can't buy a replacement aircon compressor/window seals/wings.

I don't particularly mind if some of these things are stupidly expensive- just as long as they are available should I ever need one.

See: Neil buys car and tries to make it new again.

I'm less sure on the alpinas as they are rarer cars, but if stuff is interchangeable from the standard ones I don't think you would have any problems. The main problem I had with the wing was initially trying to find one in the same colour as the car (rare paint colour) after I submitted to repainting it was very easy to get.

tries to make it new again.

I'm not being fatuous, but have you thought about buying / leasing a new/nearly new car?

Yes.

I spent £1,100 on four new tyres and getting the wheels refurbished this month, plus £5,300 on the engine-out service. That's probably six months car payment on a hundred thousand pound car.

However- it's on my terms, next month I may spend nothing at all. And the month after that.

Also, I have always wanted a 996, it's the Porsche that came out when I was 20. I don't "want" a 991, although I'd have a Targa of you wanted to give me one.

Does it have to be a porsche specialist?

http://www.rmsothebys.com/ve17/villa-erba/lots/1985-audi-sport-quattro/1702954

neil's spend this month would buy you a pretty fucken sweet b :)

i jest, but i spent more than the purchase price of the brockley express on the engine build. the paint will be more again.

i will almost certainly take you up on that, neil. don't worry about me driving it into a pool - the passenger will be 8 months preggers...