E46 BRAKE OVERHAUL • ALPINA B10 3.3 TOURING TALE!

NEW 3 SERIES E32 7 SERIES

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First impressions of the G20

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Independently written for real enthusiasts

CLASSE3IC9 orCE6H0:OboIC E
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Modified vs standard: who needs an M2, anyway? We test UK's only electric E9 coupé

E31 8 series bargain misfire fix My dream garage

Top 10 trouble-shooting tips Dealing with the N43 2.0-litre petrol Bob Harper reveals his BMW favourites
THE ULTIMATE IN
PERFORMANCE UPGRADES
AT DMS AUTOMOTIVE
WE’VE BEEN UNLEASHING
AUTOMOTIVE PERFORMANCE
FOR OVER 20 YEARS

DMS F10 M5 (EVO DEC ‘15) “730BHP, 200MPH+ TYRE-SHREDDING MONSTER”

DMS MCLAREN 650S (EVO OCT ’15) “REAL MUSCULARITY AND THE STRENGTH OF THE MID-RANGE IS STAGGERING”
DMS M2 (EVO SEPT ’15) “MORE POWER DOES MEAN MORE FUN”
DMS 1M (EVO MARCH ‘12) “THERE’S A REAL RIP TO THE WAY THE REVS PILE ON ABOVE 4000RPM”
DMS 997 TURBO 3.8 PDK (EVO JUNE ‘11) “DELIVERY IS ALMOST UNCOMFORTABLY FORCEFUL”
DMS SL65 BLACK SERIES (EVO OCT‘10) “IT FEELS LIKE THE LOVE CHILD OF AN SL65 AND A PORSCHE GT2”
DMS 135i (BMW CAR MAY ‘09) THE STANDARD CAR IS GREAT BUT DMS HAVE SOMEHOW MANAGED TO TAKE IT TO THE NEXT LEVEL”
DMS 997 TURBO 3.6 (EVO SEPT ‘08) “IT’S EPIC, HILARIOUS AND ADDICTIVE IN EVERY GEAR, YET DOCILE WHEN CRUISING”

BELOW IS A SMALL SELECTION OF OUR MORE POPULAR UPGRADES:

AUDI MERCEDES-BENZ PORSCHE MACAN TURBO (ALL MODELS) » 480+BHP

RS6 4.0 T V8 » 700+BHP (+DE-LIMIT) A45/CLA45 AMG » 420+BHP 996 TURBO/GT2 » 600+ BHP MACAN S DIESEL » 318+BHP
RS6 V10 » 680+BHP (+DE-LIMIT) AMG GT/GTS » 560BHP (+DE-LIMIT) 997 TURBO 3.6 » 625+ BHP PANAMERA TURBO » 600+ BHP
2017 R8 V10 » 650BHP (+DE-LIMIT) C43/E43/GLC43 AMG » 455BHP 997 GT2 RS » 670+ BHP PANAMERA DIESEL » 305+ BHP
R8 V10 » 592+BHP (+DE-LIMIT) C63/63S 4.0T AMG » 620+BHP 997 TURBO/S 3.8 INC PDK » 611 BHP
RS4/RS5 » 488+ BHP (+DE-LIMIT) C63 6.3 AMG » 530+BHP 997 GT3 RS » 480 BHP EXOTIC / MISC
RS3/TTRS » 420+ BHP (+DE-LIMIT) 500 4.7 BITURBO (ALL MODELS) » 498+BHP 991.2 GT2 RS » CALL FERRARI CALI T » 660BHP
RS3/TTRS (NEW) » 480+ BHP (+DE-LIMIT) 63 AMG 5.5 BITURBO (ALL MODELS) » 991 TURBO/S (ALL MODELS) » 750+BHP FERRARI F12 » 780+BHP
S3 / GOLF R » 375+ BHP (+DE-LIMIT) 700+BHP 991 GT3 3.8 (ALL MODELS) » 490+BHP FERRARI 599 » 647 BHP
3.0TDI (ALL MODELS) » 315+ BHP 55 AMG KOMPRESSOR » 600+BHP 991 GT3 RS 4.0 (ALL MODELS) » 525+BHP FERRARI 488 » 750+BHP
3.0 BI-TDI (ALL MODELS) » 380+ BHP (+DE-LIMIT & SUSPENSION LOWERING) 997 CARRERA S » 376+ BHP FERRARI 430 » 525 BHP
Q7/A8 4.2 TDI » 400+ BHP S65 » 780BHP (+DE-LIMIT) 997 CARRERA PDK » 368 BHP MCLAREN MP4-12C » 700 BHP
SL65 AMG » 690BHP (+DE-LIMIT) 997 CARRERA S PDK » 400+ BHP MCLAREN 650S » 720 BHP
BMW SL65 BLACK » 720BHP (+DE-LIMIT) 997 CARRERA GTS » 435 BHP MCLAREN 675LT » 750BHP
M2 » 435BHP (+DE-LIMIT) SLK 55 AMG » 420BHP 991 CARRERA (ALL MODELS) » 500+BHP MCLAREN 570/S » 680+BHP
M3/M4 » 540+BHP (+DE-LIMIT) 200 CDI (ALL MODELS) » 173BHP 991 CARRERA S (ALL MODELS) » 500+BHP AVENTADOR » 750+BHP
M5/M6 » 730+BHP (+DE-LIMIT) 220 CDI (ALL MODELS) » 230BHP 991 CARRERA GTS (ALL MODELS) » 540+BHP HURACAN LP610 » 650BHP
X5M/X6M » 730+BHP (+DE-LIMIT) 250 CDI (ALL MODELS) » 260BHP BOXSTER/CAYMAN 718 GTS » 420+BHP GALLARDO LP560 » 600+BHP
X5M50D/X6M50D » 450BHP C300 HYBRID » 285BHP BOXSTER/CAYMAN 718 S » 420+BHP BENTLEY 4.0 T V8 » 700BHP
M135I/M235I » 410+BHP C300E » 350BHP BOXSTER/CAYMAN 718 » 380+BHP BENTLEY GT/F-SPUR » 680BHP
i8 » 415BHP C400/E400 » 400BHP BOXSTER/CAYMAN 981 GT4 » 430+BHP GT SPEED / SUPERSPORT » 690+BHP
120I/220I/320I/420I » 275+BHP 350 CDI (ALL MODELS) » 315BHP BOXSTER/CAYMAN 981 GTS » 375+BHP BENTAYGA W12 » 700+BHP
116D/216D/316D » 160BHP 420/450 CDI (ALL MODELS) » 358BHP BOXSTER/CAYMAN 981 S » 345+BHP MASERATI GHIBLI 3.0S PETROL » 470 BHP
118D/218D/318D » 225BHP CAYENNE GTS » 450 BHP MASERATI GHIBLI 3.0 PETROL » 400 BHP
120D/220D/320D/420D » 240BHP ALL 2017 RANGE ROVERS AVAILABLE CAYENNE TURBO 4.5 » 565+ BHP MASERATI GHIBLI 3.0 DIESEL » 312 BHP
328I/428I » 295BHP RR 50SC/SVO/SVR STAGE1 » 600+BHP CAYENNE TURBO 4.8 (ALL MODELS) MASERATI GT/QPORT » 438 BHP
335I/435I » 410+BHP RR 50SC/SVO/SVR STAGE2 » 650+BHP » 650+ BHP MASERATI GT S / MC » 479+ BHP
330D/430D/530D/730D » 360BHP 2.0/2.2 DIESEL (ALL MODELS) » 220+BHP CAYENNE TURBO S 4.8 (ALL MODELS)
335D/435D/535D » 395+BHP RR 4.4 TDV8 » 395 BHP » 650+ BHP
550I/650I » 555+BHP (+DE-LIMIT) RR TDV6 3.0D » 305+ BHP CAYENNE 4.2 DIESEL » 450+ BHP
640D/740D » 395BHP (+DE-LIMIT) RR SDV6 3.0D » 350+BHP CAYENNE 3.0 DIESEL » 318+ BHP
X530D/X630D » 360BHP DEFENDER 2.2 » 180BHP MACAN S » 420+BHP
X540D/X640D » 395BHP MACAN GTS » 440+BHP
/DMSAUTOMOTIVE

WWW.DMSAUTOMOTIVE.COM
UK: 0800 030 5555
UK & WORLDWIDE INT: +44 800 030 5555
INSTALLATION
CENTRES SALES@DMSAUTOMOTIVE
 FIRST WORDS
After nearly 20
years in storage,
my E9 3.0 CSi was
Independently written for real enthusiasts reluctantly moved
BMW Car, Kelsey Media, Cudham Tithe Barn, on to pastures
Berrys Hill, Cudham, Kent TN16 3AG new in 2014.
Website: www.bmwcarmagazine.com

EDITORIAL
Editor: Chris Graham
Email: bmwcar.ed@kelsey.co.uk
Sub-Editor: Rachel Eady
Art Editor Lorna Mansford
Contributors Guy Baker, Andrew Everett,
Neil Furber, Bob Harper, Shane O’ Donoghue,
Matt Robinson, Elliott Stiling
ADVERTISEMENT SALES
Martin Jenkinson Tel: 01732 447006
Email: martin.jenkinson@talkmediasales.co.uk
PRODUCTION
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MANAGEMENT
Managing director: Phil Weeden
Chief executive: Steve Wright
Chairman: Steve Annetts
Finance director: Joyce Parker-Sarioglu
Publisher: Phil Weeden
Welcome
Retail distribution manager: Eleanor Brown Regular readers might remember that, when I became Editor of this magazine back in May
Publishing operations manager: Charlotte Whittaker 2017, and was running through the BMWs I’d owned over the years, one was an E9 3.0
Audience development manager: Andy Cotton
Print production manager: Nicola Pollard CSi. It was a 1975 model that I bought back in the late-1980s, while working on Practical
Print production controller: Georgina Harris
Brand marketing managers: Debra Hagger and Nikolas Lovely Classics & Car Restorer magazine.
Events manager: Kat Chappell
I cost me £2,000, and came with eight or nine months to run on its MoT certificate. I
SUBSCRIPTIONS
13 issues of BMW Car are published per annum was well aware of the Karmann-built model’s reputation for corrosion and, even though
UK annual subscription price: £64.35
Europe annual subscription price: £77
my car was only about 14 years old, the most cursory of inspections revealed it to be
USA annual subscription price: £77 full of filler and bubbling with rust. But this wasn’t a problem as I’d bought the car with
Rest of World annual subscription price: £84
restoration in mind, so I spent a happy few months running it here, there and everywhere,
CONTACT US:
UK subscription and back issue orderline: 01959 543747 until the MoT ran out.
Overseas subscription orderline: 0044 (0) 1959 543747
Toll free USA subscription orderline: 1-888-777-0275
The bodywork repairs were dealt with and then, come the respray, I decided to change
UK customer service team: 01959 543747 from the original black to BMW’s Baikal Blue paint. The oatmeal cloth interior was re-
Customer service email address: subs@kelsey.co.uk
Customer service and subscription postal address: trimmed in light grey leather with a dark blue piping, and all was going well until a change
BMW Car Customer Service Team, Kelsey Publishing Ltd
Cudham Tithe Barn, Berry’s Hill, Cudham, Kent TN16 3AG, UK in my personal circumstances put
a squeeze on finances, and work
DISTRIBUTION
Seymour Distribution Ltd, 2 East Poultry Avenue, London EC1A 9PT on the car ground to a halt. It then
I spent a happy few months
Tel: 020 7429 4000 Email: www.seymour.co.uk
PRINTING
sat, neglected in a garage for almost running the car here, there and
William Gibbons & Sons Ltd 20 years before, due to a need for everywhere, until the MoT ran out
WEBSITE space, it was sold.
Find current subscription offers at shop.kelsey.co.uk/bmwc
Buy back issues at shop.kelsey.co.uk/bmwcback So, you can imagine my surprise
Already a subscriber?
Manage your subscription online at shop.kelsey.co.uk/myaccount and excitement when I discovered – quite by chance – that Electric Classic Cars was
INDEPENDENCE converting a car that looked very much like ‘mine’. A few emails later it was confirmed as
BMW Car is published monthly by Kelsey Media for all owners, drivers and
enthusiasts of the BMW marque. It is available entirely independently of
the very same car. It had been through a number of different owners before finally ending
BMW UK Ltd or its dealers, or of any club or association. up in the sanctuary of Richard Morgan’s Electric Classic Cars workshop.
CLASSIFIEDS The prospect of being reunited with the car was just too good an opportunity to miss
Tel: 0906 802 0279 (premium rate line, operated by Kelsey
Publishing Ltd. Calls cost 65p per minute from a BT landline; other and, once the project was finished, Richard kindly offered me the chance to see and drive
networks and mobiles may vary. Lines open Monday-Friday,10am-4pm)
Address: Kelsey Classifieds.
the old girl, once again, which was a fantastic treat in so many ways. You can read all about
c/o Talk Media Sales, Kelsey Media, PO Box 13, it, starting on p52.
Cudham, Westerham, Kent TN16 3WT.
Email: cars@kelseyclassifieds.co.uk Finally, let me take this opportunity to wish you and your families the happiest of times
Kelsey Media 2018 © all rights reserved. Kelsey Media is a trading this festive season.
name of Kelsey Publishing Ltd. Reproduction in whole or in part is
forbidden except with permission in writing from the publishers.
Chris Graham, Editor
Note to contributors: articles submitted for consideration by the
editor must be the original work of the author and not previously
published. Where photographs are included, which are not the
property of the contributor, permission to reproduce them must
have been obtained from the owner of the copyright. The editor
cannot guarantee a personal response to all letters and emails MEET THE CONTRIBUTORS
received. The views expressed in the magazine are not necessarily
those of the Editor or the Publisher. Kelsey Publishing Ltd accepts no
liability for products and services offered by third parties.
Kelsey Publishing Ltd uses a multi-layered privacy notice, giving you
brief details about how we would like to use your personal information.
For full details, visit www.kelsey.co.uk, or call 01959 543524.
If you have any questions, please ask as submitting your details
indicates your consent, until you choose otherwise, that we and our
partners may contact you about products and services that will be of
relevance to you via direct mail, phone, email or SMS. You can opt out
at ANY time via email: data.controller@kelsey.co.uk or 01959 543524.

Kelsey Media takes your personal data very seriously. For more
information about our privacy policy, please visit kelsey.co.uk/
privacy-policy. If, at any point, you have any queries regarding Andrew Bob Elliott Guy Neil Shane
Kelsey’s data policy, you can email our Data Protection Officer at: Everett Harper Stiling Baker Furber O’ Donoghue
dpo@kelsey.co.uk.
Workshop guru All-round BMW Something of a Market and Performance Chief road
and technical aficionado serial car buyer sales trend driving coach tester
expert expert

BMWCarMagazine @bmwcarmag
Part of the Fast Car
ISSN 1353-7954 Entertainment Family
www.kelsey.co.uk www.fastcar.co.uk
JANUARY 2019 3
CONTENTS

18

CONTENTS
Independently written for real enthusiasts

Regulars
Independently written for real enthusiasts
6 News and views qualities of his extremely rare
Alpina B10 3.3 Touring
11 Comment: Bob Harper
50 Market watch
18 Buying guide: Always the bridesmaid and never
E32 7 Series the bride? Not any longer because,
Chris Graham spotlights one of as Guy Baker explains, the E34 M5’s
the less frequently talked about big day has finally arrived
BMW models, the E32 7 Series,
which he believes deserves its 84 Subscription offer
moment in the sun
94 BMW Car classifieds
26 New products
Another great selection of what’s 98 Next month
new and interesting

30 Readers letters Features

Your thoughts on all things 13 First drive: New 3 Series
BMW-related The 3 Series is the core of the BMW
range, so this latest G20 version
32 Me and my car needs to deliver the goods. We
Meet Chris Green; a man who’s get behind the wheel to discover
been wowed by the seductive whether it lives up to expectations

4 BMWcar
 CONTENTS

32 40

13

52
BMWCarMagazine @bmwcarmag

January 2019
Workshop
40 My dream garage 66 Valeting bay 90 Trouble-shooter
Given an unlimited budget and the We enjoy the rare chance of seeing E31 8 Series: Top 10 tips for buying,
full BMW range to choose from, a magician at work, repairing a running and repairing this
Bob Harper picks the three cars that dented panel on a car, paintlessly! complicated but desirable model
would be in his dream garage
72 E46 handbrake DIY
45 The acid test Is your E46’s handbrake next to
As Steve Hall discovers, if you want to useless? It probably needs a pair of
assess a modified M235i, it’s best to new discs and shoes but, as Andrew
put it head-to-head with a standard Everett explains, the job involves
model, around the track at Spa some tricky spannering

52 Current thinking 78 Our cars

Chris Graham samples a very different More ups and downs from the
E9 3.0 CSi; one that’s undergone a home fleet
unique and fascinating conversion
86 Bargain misfire fix
58 Blasts from the past If you’ve got a BMW that’s fitted
Shane O’ Donoghue gets to sample with an N43 2.0-litre petrol engine

66
E39 and E60 M5s, back-to-back, to that’s playing-up, it needn’t always
assess how these performance icons be expensive to sort out
have stood the test of time

JANUARY 2019 5
NEWS

BMW
News
EVEN BETTER HYBRID
BMW says that its new 330e plug-in hybrid saloon represents Together, the two drive units develop a total output of 252hp and
something of a revolution, offering more efficiency, an increased a peak torque of 420Nm, but extra power can be sourced when
electric-only range and the opportunity to take advantage of more selecting the SPORT driving mode. This activates the XtraBoost
power, with standard-fit performance-boosting technology. system that draws on power stored in the high-voltage battery.
Due to be launched next summer, the on-paper credentials of The XtraBoost system can be used up to the minimum
the new model certainly look impressive. It will be 30% faster charge status of the high-voltage battery, and is also available for
than its predecessor, deliver a 50% increase in electric-only range kickdown manoeuvres and in the M/S gear modes.
and boast a 10% reduction in CO₂ emissions. The new 330e can accelerate from zero to 62mph in six
What's more, the new 330e will feature the standard-fit seconds, then on to a top speed of 143mph. It can also travel
XtraBoost – an on-demand performance system that increases at up to 68mph when running on electric power alone, which is
power output by 41hp, at the touch of a button. The car's 18mph faster than the previous model.
electric-only range has been increased to up to 37 miles, while Virtually the entire range of optional equipment features for the
the average, combined fuel consumption will be 138mpg and new 3 Series saloon range will be available for the plug-in hybrid
the CO₂ emissions, 39g/km. model and, as alternatives to the basic model, the 330e offers
The 330e's drivetrain comprises a 184hp, 2.0-litre, four- SE, Sport Line and M Sport versions. It can also be fitted with the
cylinder petrol engine with BMW TwinPower Turbo Technology, Adaptive M suspension, including Variable Sports Steering and
that's linked to an electric motor which generates a continuous the M sports brake system.
output of 68hp, and a peak figure of 113hp. At the time of going to press, prices have yet to be confirmed.

The new 330e brings with

it a number of significant,
practical improvements
over the previous model.

Festive fun at Forge!

Forge Motorsport flung its doors open such a diverse and exciting world to be a starting with a spring one in May. The
at 7am on December 1st to welcome part of. dates have yet to be set, but keep an
visitors to another of its Brunch Club Despite the disappointing weather, eye on forgemotorsport.co.uk, and the
events. Despite the drizzly weather in people were coming and going company's Facebook page, for more
Gloucestershire, owners of interesting throughout the morning, and the Forge details as they're released.
vehicles responded with enthusiasm and merchandise station was manned and
festive cheer. busy selling branded goodies. The cars
It's a fairly simple concept – rent a van inside the main garage area were of the
that does awesome bacon sarnies and usual high standard, with one of the stars
a mean cup of coffee, then invite your being Colin Moody's E30 3 Series.
friends, customers and family to pop Zac and Alex, from Forge, were really
down for the morning to have a natter pleased with the attendance, and the
with some friendly strangers about their fantastic variety of cars that descended
modified motors, the cool parts that make upon their company HQ. Plans are The pre-Christmas Brunch Club event at Forge
them unique and the wonderful people already being made for a series of Motorsports' Gloucestershire HQ proved popular,
who make the modified car community similar Brunch Club events in 2019, despite the drizzly weather.

6 BMWcar
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NEWS
8 SERIES The striking new 8 Series coupé;
BMW's range-topping GT cruiser.

TRANSMISSION
TRICKS
The two launch models of the new 8 Series coupé – the 840d While the optional, crystal-clad gear
and the M850i – which will be in UK showrooms this month, will selector in the 8 Series might not be
to everyone's taste, the interesting,
both feature an improved version of the eight-speed Steptronic technological revisions to the eight-
Sport transmission. speed automatic transmission it
The new unit offers reduced weight, a newly-developed controls, certainly should be.
controller and a significantly-increased gear ratio spread, and offers
significant advantages over the previous versions of this much-
praised transmission.
As a result, it's possible to achieve worthwhile efficiency gains
with reduced engine speeds, particularly when driving in higher
gears. Shift paddles on the steering wheel are included for manual
gear selection, while the transmission also features a Launch
Control function for the quickest possible getaway.
Of more practical use is the transmission controller's ability to
adapt shift strategy to the current driving situation, by means of
intelligent networking with the standard Professional Navigation
system. This enables the system to take the planned route into
account so, for example, it will have the ability to shift down early
when approaching a junction, to maximise the slowing effect of
engine braking.

NEW online car auction site

normanspond.com is a new, live, daily auction site for classic and
enthusiast cars in the United Kingdom, that's run by car enthusiasts
for car enthusiasts. The site, which went live recently, is being
branded as a ‘game changer in the pre-owned classic and enthusiast
car market'.
The launch information provided suggests that the site is easy-
to-use, informative and, most importantly, secure. Visitors will find
only curated cars that are well represented and in great condition
on the site. Each car goes through stringent vetting by a team of
automotive enthusiasts, to ensure that only the worthy cars make it
on to the platform. With each listing, you get the full history, detailed
photographs and, for sellers, nationwide promotion of the vehicle.
"We're about quality, credibility and ease-of-use; and we offer
you access to an exclusive community of buyers and sellers," says
Norman Shum, founder of Norman's Pond. "Collectively, my team
and I have the experience and a wealth of contacts and resources
to procure interesting, exquisite and much sought-after cars. I only
accept cars that I would not hesitate to bid on myself. We want fellow
enthusiasts to find their dream car and create their own car story."
Norman Shum founded the Cars and Coffee event in Liverpool,
which started in 2015 and, before that, started the Porsche Register
which now has over 115,000 followers on its Instagram account.
He's joined by experienced motoring journalist, Andy Talbot, and
Matthew Eaton who is a web specialist and devoted Mini enthusiast.
"We deliver results for sellers," Norman adds. "Once an auction
goes live, you can expect a sale that meets and often exceeds market
value, at the end of the seven-day auction. We pride ourselves on our
transparency – the seller pays an initial listing fee, followed by a very
reasonable commission upon a successful sale. Similarly, for buyers, a Just one of the interesting cars we found being
sensible fee is charged for locating their dream car." auctioned on the new website, normanspond.com

8 BMWcar
 NEWS
Vehicle cloning increasing
The arrival of a congestion-charge-
Cases of car cloning in London have risen by a staggering 50%, with concerns that related penalty charge notice is the first
similar levels may be occurring across the rest of the UK, according to official Transport that an increasingly large number of
for London (TfL) released recently. innocent motorists ever hear about their
car having been cloned.
The consumer motoring website, HonestJohn.co.uk, analysed previously unseen TfL
data for the Congestion Charge zone, and found that the number of Penalty Charge
Notices (PCNs) being cancelled due to car cloning has soared.
In 2016, the number cancelled on the grounds that the car was a clone was 1,099.
Then, in 2017, this figure increased by 50%, to 1,652, and data for the first six months
of 2018 shows PCN cancellations continuing to rise, up by a worrying 30% on 2017.
In the event of a PCN being issued due to a cloned car, the legitimate registered
keeper is required to provide evidence to satisfy the issuer of the ticket that their car was
not at the time and place where the alleged offence occurred.
There are a number of steps car owners can take to protect themselves, with the
most obvious one being photos of their car to show the subtle differences between the
clone and legitimate vehicle. Legal number plates usually have the manufacturer's logo
on them, while the clones are usually blank. CCTV footage will also prove a car's location
at a certain time, along with footage from a dash camera with GPS tracking.
As part of its detailed response to HonestJohn.co.uk's findings, TfL said: "Prior to
issuing the PCN, we manually verify that the image of the vehicle observed in the zone
matches the vehicle information provided by the DVLA. Only when there is a match is a
penalty issued. At the point of issuing the penalty, we would not know if a vehicle had
been cloned.
"On receipt of the penalty, a motorist can follow the representations and appeals
procedure and challenge a PCN. If we receive a representation stating a vehicle has
been cloned we request evidence to confirm this."
The Congestion Charge zone is enforced by a network of roadside automatic number
plate recognition cameras (commonly known as ANPR), which record the registration
and image of each vehicle as it enters and leaves the zone. Drivers who do not pay the
London Congestion zone fee are sent a PCN for £130, which they need to pay within
28 days. TfL usually reduces the penalty to £65 if it is paid within 14 days.

Make sure you drive safely in fog this winter

Road safety and breakdown organisation, GEM Motoring Assist, is encouraging motorists to ensure they – and their vehicles – are
ready for the potential challenges of driving in winter.
Road safety officer within GEM, Neil Worth, makes the following points relating to driving in fog:
• Always drop your speed
• Use dipped headlights and fog lights
• Remember to switch off fog lights when visibility improves
• Don't use the rear lights of the car in front as your guide; you may end up following too close,
leaving yourself insufficient reaction time
• Don't follow the white lines in the centre of the road as a guide in thick fog
• If you need a visual guide, follow the edge of the road
Check out GEM's advice on winter driving techniques on its website at: motoringassist.com, where you'll find a video, leaflet,
tips and a free eBook to download.

Make sure you

take extra care
when driving in
fog this winter.

JANUARY 2019 9
JAPFEST SILVERSTONE FORDFEST
05 MAY 2019 21 & 22 SEPTEMBER 2019
Silverstone Peterborough Showground
www.japfest.co.uk www.fordfestshow.co.uk

CLASSIC FORD SHOW TRAX SILVERSTONE

02 JUNE 2019 06 OCTOBER 2019
Mallory Park Silverstone
www.classicfordshow.co.uk www.traxshows.co.uk

FORD FAIR
04 AUGUST 2019
Silverstone
www.fordfair.co.uk

VOLKSWORLD SPARES DAY BROMLEY PAGEANT

27 JANUARY 2019 OF MOTORING
South of England Event Centre 23 JUNE 2019
www.volksworldshows.com Norman Park
www.bromleypageant.co.uk
VOLKSWORLD
23 & 24 MARCH 2019 MINI IN THE PARK
Sandown Park 18 AUGUST 2019
www.volksworldshows.com Mallory Park
www.minishow.co.uk
 COMMENT

BOB HARPER
… is ranting about the styling of the new M340i this month

I think that the front-end

styling on the new M340i
looks like an absolute
dog’s dinner.

T
he late Peter Wheeler, of TVR fame, is widely reported result is an absolute dog’s dinner – it looks bad in the head-on
as saying that the air intakes around the front shot and truly atrocious from the front three-quarters. It reminds
indicators on the Chimera were the result of some me of a cross between a praying mantis and some sort of
overenthusiastic chewing from his beloved German unsavoury alien-insect from a particularly bad B movie!
Pointer, Ned. “He was charging about as usual,” Where is the subtlety, where is the elegance that used to be
Wheeler said, “and took a bite out of the polystyrene model of the a BMW hallmark? I’m sure BMW’s design team was aiming for a
Chimaera we had on the table.” suitable level of aggression, but I think it’s gone way overboard –
Whether this is an apocryphal story or not – and I’d suggest not it’s just too fussy to be anything other than faintly ridiculous.
as the above quote comes from the TVR website – what I’d like Couldn’t the standard M Sport bumper have been used? Even
to know is whether Ned has any progeny who might be available that’s already overly busy, but at least it’s not a caricature of itself.
to pop over to Munich to take a chew on some of the latest But the bumper’s not the only disaster. What on earth is going
BMW designs? on with the kidney grilles? For starters, I’m not a fan of the way
I’m not talking about the obvious munters that are beyond BMW’s latest designs have fused the two parts of the kidneys
help, such as the X7 and the iNEXT, together. It worked when the kidney
but the recently revealed M340i.
While it’s not the greatest design to
Where is the subtlety, where grilles were taller than they were wide,
but this new take on them makes it
emerge from Munich’s drawing board, is the elegance that used to look more like a gone wrong Kia than
I reckon the new G20 3 Series is a BMW. And if BMW really wants to be
quite a tidy-looking piece of kit, and be a BMW hallmark? associated with Kia, then the best way
its general proportions look pretty to do that would be to adopt its seven-
decent. It wasn’t helped by a set of particularly uninspiring press year warranty policy, not its front-end styling.
photographs that did little to accentuate its shape but, overall, it And where are the slats? Kidney grilles need to have slats –
looks smart and I’m sure it’ll drive delightfully. these little lumps of ‘metal’ (I’m assuming they’re plastic for cost
As is BMW’s way these days, the M Sport model will be reasons) look like the metal teeth of some second-rate hoodlum
available straight from the launch, and looks suitably aggressive, in a 1990s Hollywood film – and the X-shaped lines that run
although there’s a lot going on around the front bumper area. between them are all wrong.
But now we have the M340i and BMW, it seems, isn’t just happy If I worked at a BMW aftermarket company, I’d already be busy
stuffing its largest current straight-six under the bonnet – it’s had designing a front bumper and set of kidney grilles that would do
to fiddle with the styling, too. And the front corners… well, they’re the car justice – I reckon they’d sell like hot cakes. Either that or
just a mess, in my opinion. I’d be buying up German Pointers and releasing them en masse
There appear to be about 20 different straight edges all into the BMW design studios – the Chimera was a good-looking
competing to be the one that catches your eye, and the overall car after all, unlike the M340i. l

JANUARY 2019 11
 C h r i s t m a s g i f t s
F OR O N LY £ 6 .9 9

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GIVE SOMETHING UNIQUE THIS YEAR. SIMPLY VISIT:

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 FIRST DRIVE

It’s a cracker!
The 3 Series is the core of the BMW range, so this latest G20 version needs to deliver
the goods. Shane O’ Donoghue gets behind the wheels to find out if it does
Photos: Barry Hayden, Tom Kirkpatrick, Gunter Schmied and Fabian KirchBauer

P
ortimao race circuit, on the M Performance Vehicle called the DRIVING MODES
Algarve in Portugal, is no place M340i xDrive. For now, this is the only Experimenting with the driving modes,
for nervous novices or ordinary six-cylinder model in the line-up, so it’s I discovered that the Sport Plus setting
cars. It’s characterised by its definitely shaping up to be the choice of best-suited the conditions, together with
many blind crests and extreme the enthusiast that can’t quite stretch to the middle setting for the DSC (Dynamic
undulations, not to mention a wickedly the price or running costs of the full-on Stability Control). This allowed for a
long final corner that eats tyres before M3. And, as the M340i won’t go on sale surprising amount of oversteer on the exit
spitting you on to the long main straight until the summer, we won’t lean on this of the tighter corners under full power,
at high speed. engineering vehicle too heavily for a final making it huge fun. Evidently, the xDrive
The likes of Porsche, McLaren and judgement. system sends lots of the engine output
Mercedes-AMG frequent the facility and Nonetheless, we do know that the to the rear axle. Saying that, in the faster
indeed, BMW held its international launch M340i will be powered by a new version bends you could sense more power
of the F80 M3/F82 M4 here, back in of BMW’s exalted 3.0-litre straight-six, being diverted to the front, making the
2014. It’s a brave place then, to bring us turbocharged engine, producing 374hp car more stable and safer. This certainly
to try the all-new G20 3 Series. But you and 369lb ft of torque – that’s a lot of bodes well for this car’s all-weather, all-
wouldn’t bet against BMW knowing what torque. Power is sent to all four wheels roads ability.
it’s doing, would you? After all, ever since using BMW xDrive, and the set-up features So, what are the regular versions like,
it started telling us about the seventh the electronically-controlled M Sport at realistic speeds on the road? First up,
generation of the 3 Series lineage, it differential at the back as standard, plus the was the big daddy of the diesel range, the
hammered home the point that it was revised, eight-speed Steptronic automatic 320d. In Sport guise, it looks pleasantly,
refocusing on dynamism. transmission and upgraded brakes. well, sporty, without going over the top.
With all that lot helping us out, it was The new look is quite evolutionary at the
RANGE-TOPPER easier to keep a professionally-driven front, and unmistakably from the recent
Unsurprisingly, the track BMW M2 Competition in sight than I school of BMW design. But the rear is
element of the 3 Series was expecting, in this heavier, four-door causing a little controversy, as the taillights
launch this time was saloon. It wasn’t the pace of the M340i can look like those of the Lexus IS, from
limited to a pre- that stood out, though, but the way some angles.
production it engaged the driver and made this Rest assured, though, they look great
version of really quite senior race track a veritable in real life, especially when lit up, and
the range- playground. The brakes stood up to a the LED technology means they’re really
topper; a half-dozen very fast laps well, and so did bright and quite distinctive. Another
new the tyres. aspect of the rear that’s worth noting is
The new G20 3 Series will initially be made
available in 320d and 330i forms, with a
sportier 340i following in the summer.

JANUARY 2019 13
FIRST DRIVE
TURBO TALK BMW had also fitted the optional M Sport
There’s a small, high-pressure turbo plus a suspension, dropping the ride height and
second, large low-pressure unit that uses firming everything up – and firm it was.
variable turbine geometry. BMW says this Stopping short of being uncomfortable, this
set-up offers many advantages over a single 320d’s suspension was certainly busy over
turbo installation, namely fuel economy at some surfaces, and didn’t absorb bigger
low speeds, throttle response at all times bumps as smoothly as some might like.
and higher, full-throttle torque. There are Saying all that, the damping is superb,
new injectors too, delivering fuel into the controlling body movements quickly and
combustion chambers at up to 2,500bar. imperceptibly. That’s likely to be due in
Bizarrely, the 320d felt rather flat and part to the new ‘lift-related damping’
unexceptional in performance terms to design used front and rear, which passively
start with, but then I noticed the speed I alters the damping according to vertical
was travelling at, and just how easily more wheel travel. Clever stuff – and standard
could be accrued. Then I realised that the on all cars. Buyers can go for fully adaptive
new torque curve is flatter, so more of it damping, too, of course, mapped with the
is available more of the time. Humans are driving modes.
better at sensing changes in torque than
a sustained high level of it, which explains GREAT STEERING!
this phenomenon. Variable Sport Steering comes as standard
What’s more, another factor that with the M Sport suspension, so I’ve not
Smart sports seats feel as good as they look,
especially when clad in the luscious new
disguises the performance is a tangible tried the standard steering yet. However,
Vernasca leather. improvement in refinement. This engine this system (adding variable steering ratio
is much quieter than before, partly due to to the standard steering rack’s Servotronic,
the presence of an exhaust on either side the inclusion of an acoustic windscreen speed-sensitive power assistance) is great
of the bumper – that’s a standard feature and sound insulation within the A-pillars. from a driver’s point of view, though,
across the line-up. Indeed, the 3 Series, in general, is quiet, with virtually no slop or play at all. It felt
Glancing at the specifications of the new though the way it handles the road could incredibly responsive on the entry to a
320d, you’d be forgiven for assuming that never be confused with its more comfort- corner and there’s even a modicum of
the diesel engine has been carried over orientated big brother, the 5 Series. feedback through the steering wheel’s rim,
unchanged. The 190hp and 295lb ft of The test cars I tried in Portugal may so you can detect when you’re getting
torque maximum outputs are the same, not be truly representative of the majority close to the limits of grip.
but this is a substantially new unit. The of BMW 320ds that’ll be sold in the UK, As it turns out, in the dry, those limits
most pertinent modification is the addition as they rode on 18in alloys shod with are remarkably high. The chassis of the 3
of multi-stage turbocharging. Michelin Pilot Sport tyres (not run-flats). Series has clearly been tuned to eradicate

3 Series tech spec

MODEL 320d 330i
POWER (Hp): 190 258
TORQUE (Nm): 400 400
TOP SPEED (mph): 149 155
0-62MPH (secs): 7.1 5.8
ECONOMY (mpg): 62.7 39.5
CO² (g/km): 118 135
PRICE: £TBC £TBC

14 BMWcar
 FIRST DRIVE
understeer completely. And yet, the rear
end doesn’t move out of line unless
you provoke it, so the car corners with a It was easier to keep a professionally-driven
neutral stance most of the time, allowing
you to accelerate out of tight corners
BMW M2 Competition in sight than I was expecting
quickly, while easing back off the steering
lock. It’s highly dependable and stable,
yet also quite involving. No doubt the
lower centre of gravity of the G20 model
combines with the wider front and rear
tracks to achieve all of this.
But while the 320d was one of the
best-selling variants in the past, Europe is
slowly rediscovering petrol and turning on
to hybrid in a big way, all of which BMW
is quite prepared for. The 330e plug-in
hybrid we’ve been told about already, but
driving it is for another day. Conventional
petrol power will kick off with the 320i and
sharing the same core engine is the new
330i model, tested here in M Sport guise.

PETROL POWER
Under the bonnet is BMW’s turbocharged
2.0-litre four-cylinder engine, putting out a It’s evolution not revolution at the front of the new 3 Series,
chunky 258hp and 295lb ft of torque (the with BMW obviously reluctant to fiddle too much with such a successful model.
320i makes 184hp and 221lb ft). Unlike
the 318d and 320d, which get a six-speed feels perkier than the 320d when you’re loved the quotation from the press pack
manual gearbox as standard, the petrol pushing on – and a 0-62mph time of 5.8 on the subject, which stated that the
versions only come with the eight-speed seconds is impressive by any measure. differential ‘allows the new BMW 3 Series
Steptronic auto. Detail changes have What’s more, choose Sport Plus mode and Sedan to accelerate out of the bend with
been made to this engine, resulting in it emits a sportier sound, too. satisfyingly lavish levels of dynamism’.
slightly more output, plus the addition of That’s entirely in keeping with the
a particulate filter to get through the latest driving experience, as this is definitely MORE INTERIOR SPACE
rounds of emissions legislation. It certainly something you’d class as a sports saloon. But, while BMW is clearly making a lot of
Along with the Variable Sport Steering and noise about the driving experience of the
lowered M Sport suspension, the 330i new 3 Series, for many, the interior and
test car was kitted out with the optional technology within will be of just as much
M Sport differential. This is a fully variable importance. The really good news is that
locking design that takes input from the new car is larger than its predecessor,
the Dynamic Stability Control system to meaning more shoulder room up front,
decide which wheel to send more of the a little more legroom behind and more
engine output to. headroom all-round.
It’s subtle at work on the road, but it The front and rear seats have been
does help with the car’s stance on the exit redesigned for long-distance comfort,
of a corner, and it should also assist with while the optional sport seats up front can
stability in an emergency manoeuvre. I be upholstered in luscious new Vernasca

The 330i model is powered by

a 258hp, four-cylinder petrol
engine that pushes the car to
62mph in a nippy 5.8 seconds. The interior is dominated by the two display screens, which help manage the new car’s impressive levels of tech.

JANUARY 2019 15
FIRST DRIVE
Although the 320d’s outputs remain
the same as the outgoing model,
the four-cylinder diesel engine is a
substantially new unit that benefits
from multi-stage turbocharging.

Stopping short of being uncomfortable, this 320d’s

suspension was certainly busy over some surfaces
leather upholstery. I also got to sample the
One of the few criticisms electrically-adjusted side bolster function,
concerns the rear light clusters, which works a treat.
which have been likened to
those on the Lexus IS. To be honest, few prospective buyers of
the car are likely to notice all that, even if
they’re upgrading from an older 3 Series,
as the cabin is dominated by the new
dashboard layout. It’s very similar to what
we’ve already seen in the new X5, Z4 and
8 Series, though there will be two versions
available in the UK market. The standard
offering, called BMW Live Cockpit Plus,
pairs an impressive 8.8in touchscreen with
colour instrumentation on a 5.7in screen
in front of the driver. It includes a wealth
of connected technology including Apple
CarPlay and satnav.
The Professional version of the same
system brings with it a large touchscreen
and the full-on, customisable instrument
screen, measuring 12.3 inches across
the diagonal. That’s what’s pictured on
our test cars here, and it looks fantastic.
Augmenting this is the BMW Intelligent
Personal Assistant, which responds to your
voice when you say, ‘Hey BMW’ (though
you can change the activation word to
pretty much anything you want…). This
might seem like a gimmick at first, but
it turns out to be useful, and has been
designed to respond to normal speech,
not just rigid commands. What’s more, it
should improve over time as BMW rolls
out remote software upgrades.
Unfortunately, given the limited space
available, I’ve only scratched the surface
of what the new G20 can do in terms
of technology. It’s saying something that
there’s so much to write about how it
drives, that there’s not enough room to
feature it all, but that reveals how cut-
throat the sports saloon segment has
become; how competitive it is in an
automotive world obsessed by SUVs. It’s
no place for ordinary cars and, thankfully,
the new G20 BMW 3 Series most certainly
isn’t one of those. l

16 BMWcar
 The Ultimate
Driving Machine

TREAD
CAREFULLY
THIS WINTER.
BMW WINTER WHEELS AND TYRES.
Give yourself enhanced grip as well as peace of mind during the colder months with a set
of BMW Winter Wheels and Tyres.

Reducing braking distances on icy roads by up to 50% and on wet surfaces by up to 10%,
these specialist tyres make light work of the heaviest conditions. As well as being safer,
they also wear more efficiently than standard tyres in low temperatures.

To find out more, contact your local BMW Centre or visit www.bmw.co.uk/wintertyres
BUYING GUIDE

Simple luxury
Chris Graham spotlights one of the less frequently talked about BMW models,
the E32 7 Series, which he believes deserves its moment in the sun

B
ig, luxury cars always depreciate maintenance and repair costs. together and, as you’ll see, this has served
frighteningly. While this is However, it’s not all bad news as there the E32 extremely well in terms of how it’s
inevitably a financial nightmare are still models out there which offer buyers aged and just how usable it remains today.
for the first owners, it can a better-than-usual chance of enjoying the
offer rich pickings for the best of both worlds, and I believe that the A NEW DAWN
canny, used car buyer with an eye for an BMW E32 7 Series is just such an example. The E32 was the second iteration of the
automotive bargain. It’s a model which arrived just a few years 7 Series, BMW’s flagship luxury model. It
But buying an ageing executive cruiser before automotive electronics started to get arrived in showrooms in 1986, and had a
can be a risky business. While these really complicated. production life that ran through to 1994,
frequently high-spec and tech-heavy At the same time, it possesses enough during which time just over 311,000
vehicles can offer luxurious motoring at technology to deliver a premium quality models were produced. It was a much
a fraction of their original cost, get your driving experience, even by modern-day more modern and appealing design than
purchase wrong and these cars can also standards. It also emanates from an era its predecessor, the E23, and sold a good
prove financially crippling in terms of when BMWs were particularly well screwed deal better as a result.

18 BMWcar
 BUYING GUIDE
But, in keeping with its flagship status, the Nikasil bore coating in the new V8 engines, represents a relatively manageable and
E32 was innovative, too. It was much more which was to cause no end of trouble affordable ownership proposition.
aerodynamic than the previous model, with with loss of compression and engine “Most of the consumable parts
a sleeker, lower design. It also provided replacements under warranty. an owner is likely to require (brake
the platform for features such as state-of- components, couplings, bushes, ball
the-art CAN bus electronic control systems, GOOD REPUTATION joints), are still available from BMW at very
electronic damper control, xenon headlights, Andy Walker, who now runs independent reasonable prices. It’s also quite an easy
traction control and double-glazing. BMW specialist Walkers Autotech car to work on, from a mechanical point of
The model was launched with a choice (walkersautotech.co.uk, tel: 01403 view, and routine servicing on a DIY basis
of straight-six or V12 engines. The M30 751646), began his career with BMW in is perfectly possible.”
six powered the entry-level 730i and 1996 and remembers that, even then, So, so far, so good. However, it’s not all
735i models, but there was also the the E32 had already earned itself a good plain sailing, and I wouldn’t want you to
M70 five-litre, V12-equipped 750i. Prices reputation for being a well-made and get the impression that you can go out and
ranged from £21,250 to £49,950, but reliable car. “It was a car capable of taking buy the first E32 you see and look forward
long-wheelbase versions existed for each high mileages in its stride and, in those to years of happy, trouble-free motoring.
model, too (another first for BMW), and days, the relatively poor fuel consumption Obviously, with the oldest examples now
the 750iL would have cost you £53,750. simply wasn’t an issue,” he told me. being 30 years old, the E32 also has
Then, in 1992, BMW bolstered the “The E32 came from an era when most the potential to be a money pit; it’s just
appeal of the E32 by introducing a V8 of its design, mechanical componentry that it might not be such a big money pit
option. The new M60 was used in two and electronics were relatively simple, as some of the more complicated, later
forms, to power the 730i (replacing the certainly compared to the E38, and models. So, as always, it’s essential to buy
M30 straight-six) and the 740i models. the more recent 7 Series models that with care and to go into the process with
Both benefited from a new, five-speed ZF followed it. The combination of the your eyes wide open.
automatic transmission; there was never original quality of build, combined with the
a manual version of the E32 in the UK. straightforward, no-nonsense engineering A FORGOTTEN MODEL?
Unfortunately for BMW, it chose to use the approach mean that, today, the E32 As things stand, the E32 appears to be

The E32 7 Series is a

rewarding car to own from
a classic era of BMW. The
hardest job is probably
finding a good one to
buy these days.

JANUARY 2019 19
BUYING GUIDE
tappets and indirect fuel injection, and will issues, although the rocker cover gaskets
WHAT TO PAY? run and run given decent maintenance. do leak oil, which drips down on to the
The E32 remains something of a fringe However, it’s also an engine that loves exhaust manifolds. Any burning oil smells
model, in pure popularity terms, but to leak oil, thanks to the many cork or during a test drive are a tell-tale sign of this.
those qualified to comment – like Andy fibre gaskets it used. Of course, this wasn’t The V12-engined models are very rare
Walker – feel it’s high time that the much of an issue back in the day and, as nowadays, and we’re extremely fortunate to
model started attracting more interest. long the levels were regularly checked and have Elliott Stiling’s smart example to feature
But, as things stand, E32 values topped-up, all was well. Now, though, oil here in the photographs. The M70 V12
are all over the place, with ‘barn finds’ leaks can be more serious, thanks to the was obviously a more complicated engine
available for £1,000, decently-specced recently-introduced ‘environmental risk’ to work on than the V8s, nonetheless, it’s
examples selling for £5,000-£6,000, MoT regulations. Obvious oil leaks will now stood the test of time well, and serious
and the best 750 is pushing towards result in an MoT test failure. mechanical issues are rare. However,
£10,000. regardless of the engine fitted to the car
SMOOTH OPERATOR you’re looking at, it’ll be worth thoroughly
something of a forgotten model and, The introduction of the M60 V8 engines checking all rubber pipework for the cooling
judging by the online sales listings, in 1992 brought additional refinement to system, for hardening and cracking.
the number on the road today has the model range, and proved a popular
dwindled dramatically. When I looked on addition. While neither was massively RELIABLE SHIFTING
Pistonheads there were no E32s for sale, powerful, and the three-litre version The gearboxes used across the range
AutoTrader had just two and Carandclassic struggled somewhat with the E32’s bulk, were very straightforward and have proved
boasted eight! So, the first hurdle for they were good, strong and quiet engines reliable. The early cars were four-speed
prospective buyers is likely to be finding a that enhanced the driving experience. autos, while the V8s got five-speed ‘boxes.
car to look at in the first place. Regrettably, The aforementioned Nikasil issue turned The changes produced were reasonably
this doesn’t appear to be a model for out to be just about the only serious smooth, and still should be today. So,
which buyers will be spoilt for choice. problem and, with most of those having beware of any you come across that are
Andy’s thoughts regarding the M30 been replaced with Alusil units under jerky or noisy when selecting gears. They
straight-six used in the entry-level models warranty, there shouldn’t be much else to aren’t known as troublesome units so, as
is that it’s rather an agricultural engine so, worry about. Nevertheless, it’s still worth long as everything’s operating quietly and
while not offering the levels of refinement checking with BMW that a V8 car you’re with a decent degree of refinement, there
we’ve become accustomed to nowadays, interested in had that work done. These should be little to worry about.
it’s a tough and fundamentally reliable unit. engines aren’t known to suffer with timing Something else to watch for with the
It’s ‘old school’ technology, with adjustable chain stretch or valve stem oil seal wear V8-powered models is catalytic converter

This smart 750iL was

originally owned by
Status Quo frontman,
Francis Rossi.

20 BMWcar
 BUYING GUIDE
The glorious M70 V12 five-litre
is certainly a thing of wonder,
offering effortlessly smooth
performance.

failure. While not an especially common inspection. Make a point of moving the
problem, it is something to be aware gear selector from drive, through neutral,
of because replacements are hideously and into reverse, and pay attention for any
expensive (as is the exhaust system as a clunk that’s felt as this happens. This will
whole – assuming they are even available be an indicator that the slack created by
from BMW). However, the metal used was worn bushes is being taken up as reverse
thick, so exhaust patching is an option if gear is engaged.
the corrosion is relatively localised. It’s not unusual to find that these bushes
The differential is another strong and will have collapsed due to age and that,
reliable component on the E32. When this once the axle has been dropped to replace
car was new, BMW was all about regular them, there’s corrosion in the mounting
servicing and maintenance; the service points above the subframe as well. Mud
interval was every 8,000 miles and the inevitably collects in the areas above the
Service 2 occurred every 36,000 miles. rear axle and, as with any car this old,
The diff’ oil would have been changed at corrosion is always a possibility.
every Service 2 (together with all the other Elsewhere underneath the car, rust can
fluids), as part of a proper, ‘old school’ also affect the jacking points and sills, so
maintenance programme. Now it seems these need to be checked carefully and, to
clear that the gearboxes and differentials do that job properly, the car will need to be
on this model are reaping the rewards from raised on a vehicle lift. At the same time,
that more attentive care and attention. cast an eye over the condition of the rear
Also, given the price of the cars at the suspension top mounts, where they bolt
time, and the sort of owners who were into the bodyshell – another area where
running the E32 7 Series, it’s unlikely that rusting can be a problem. Overall, though,
any would have been forced to endure any the anti-corrosion measures taken at the
sort of skimped-on servicing regime during factory were pretty effective on the E32,
those important first handful of years of and badly corroded examples are very rare.
their working lives. Nor were they the There’s nothing to get too excited
sort of car to attract aggressive drivers, so about with regards to the suspension; it
‘mechanically abused’ examples are rare. was a pretty basic set-up in most cases.
Accordingly, it’s stood the test of time pretty
GENERAL WEAR well, but will often be found to be suffering
Worn rear axle bushes are a relatively with worn bottom arms and suspension
common problem which is worth checking thrust arms, and the centre drag-link
specifically for during a pre-purchase assembly on V8-equipped models (listen

JANUARY 2019 21
BUYING GUIDE
OWNER’S VIEW:
ELLIOTT STILING
“I’ve always liked the E32, this being the
second one I’ve owned; the first was a 1993
black 730i V8, which was smooth but a touch
underpowered. My appreciation of the V12
750i, in particular, goes right back to a poster
of one that I used to have on my bedroom
wall. I had the official, dealer-issue brochure
for the car, too, and spent a lot of time trying
to convince my stepfather to buy one!
“This car cropped up completely by chance;
I hadn’t been looking for an E32 specifically, but came across this
1988 750iL V12 and was attracted by its condition and its interesting
history. Its first owner was Francis Rossi, from Status Quo, and it came
with a V5 bearing his details, plus a signed letter verifying that he had
been the original owner.
“I actually bought it online and unseen, from a private seller in
Cornwall. It certainly wasn’t a textbook car purchase, as I spotted the
car on eBay just an hour before the auction was due to end, and
placed a bid.
“The description of the car wasn’t as thorough as I would have
liked, but I decided to take a gamble on it anyway. I’m an ‘eBay
sniper’ so always like to put my bid in with just a few seconds
to go and, on this occasion, decided to bid up to £4,000 and
was successful!
“I had an interesting start with the car. The seller agreed to drive
the car to Truro, I travelled down there from Lancashire, and we
met in a car park for the exchange. The trouble is, the car broke
down before I even had the chance to drive it away! While he was
demonstrating a few of the car’s features with the engine running,
acrid-smelling smoke started pouring out from under the rear seat.
“Luckily, the seller knew exactly what the problem was, and reacted
quickly to switch the car off and isolate the problem. After fitting a
new battery under the rear seat, he’d forgotten to re-fit the cover,
and the terminals had shorted out on the metalwork of the cushion
frame. With disaster narrowly averted, the seller shot off to get a
replacement battery while I was left to consider just what I was letting
myself in for!
“Nevertheless, I went ahead with the purchase and, thankfully,
the car tackled the seven-hour journey home without missing a
beat. Since then, I really do feel that the car has lived up to the
expectations I had for it. The fact that it remains such a serene and
comfortable car to drive at today’s motorway speeds, it’s remarkable
to me, considering it’s 30 years old. I can only imagine how good it
must have felt to drive back in the late 1980s.
“I think that the car has aged well and is still capable of turning
heads. The V12 engine is still a beauty and performs really well
when needed. I haven’t found it difficult to live with and certainly,
mechanically speaking, it hasn’t been a problem. I think it’s the
ancillaries that have given me more cause for concern. The V12
has a reputation for being complicated but, in comparison to
modern engines, it’s not at all. It’s a mechanical car rather than an
electrical one, so can be dealt with using a conventional toolkit,
rather than a laptop.
“I certainly haven’t struggled to find people to work on the car for
me, both independent BMW specialists and more general motor
mechanics. I’ve owned the car for three years now and the only
notable problem I’ve had was with the brakes; the accumulator failed.
BMW doesn’t make the V12 version of this part any more, but we
managed to modify the six-cylinder version, which worked well. The
other thing I’ve done is ditch the EDC suspension system in favour of
conventional, passive damping. Looking back through the car’s service
history, I discovered that it’s had three whole new EDC systems fitted,
and I didn’t fancy paying the £5,000-£6,000 that would have been
needed for the fourth!”

22 BMWcar
 BUYING GUIDE
Equally-sized high beam for squeaky, dried-out ball joints). part of the drive flange, and will have to be
and dipped light units The one exception to the ‘simple’ replaced with good, used items.
and a wider kidney grille approach was the electronic damper One important point to note is that,
gave the E32 a fresher,
more contemporary look
control system that was available as an like a few E24 6 Series, some E32s
compared to the E23 it option on the 740i, and came as standard were equipped with metric wheels, and
succeeded. on the 750i. this is something to watch for. The only
manufacturer to make the tyres needed
EXPENSIVE EDC to fit these wheels was Michelin, and
Should problems occur with this – and this remains the case today. So, if you
they often are faulty – then putting it right find an E32 shod with Michelin TRX
can be extremely expensive. Andy has a tyres, then this is the giveaway that it has
couple of 8 Series-owning customers who metric wheels, and that you’ll have to buy
both ditched the EDC system in favour of these tyres for ever more (or change the
a conventional spring and damper set-up. wheels!). The last set Andy specified for
The prospect of £1,000+ per corner put an E32 cost just shy of £1,700 and, to rub
them off the electronic version. salt into the wound, there was a four-week
The braking system used on the E32 wait to get them!
was pretty archaic, in many respects but,
nowadays, this counts in its favour. The BODY BLEMISHES
fact that it’s not a high-tech, electronically- Rear wheel arches can be found to be
monitored system means that rusty, as can the front end of the car if
maintaining and repairing it is a relatively there’s been any badly-repaired accident
straightforward, DIY-type process, which damage or stone chips etc. You can also
is a good thing for the enthusiast. There’s sometimes find bubbling along the rear
nothing complex like traction control or wheel arches, the bottoms of the doors,
advanced diagnostics to worry about, just and where the rear of the sills meet the
discs, pads, calipers and a rudimentary wheel arches.
but effective ABS system. All that you’re This type of rusting tends to work its
likely to come across, problem-wise, way through from the inside, meaning
is the occasional faulty ABS sensor or that it’s often worse than it looks, so be
a corroded/broken driveshaft flange- warned. There are no commercially-
mounted reluctor ring. The sensors are produced repair sections available for the
still available, but faulty reluctor rings are E32, so putting such problems right will be

Although the E32 was much

sleeker and aerodynamically
efficient than the E23, the
vestiges of the older model’s
heavy haunches are still
visible from this angle.

JANUARY 2019 23
BUYING GUIDE

The E32 interior is spacious, comfortable and well

equipped for its day. Even now the car can be a
surprisingly relaxed, long-distance cruiser. This car
features an optional, Nardi steering wheel.
The long wheelbase versions like this one featured
electrically-operated rear seats, and provided an
additional 4in of legroom for back seat passengers.

expensive to do properly. You either have longer available), but it’s a simple matter brings with it a fear factor that’s sufficient
to source a new panel and cut a suitable to record mileages and work out service to put many potential owners off. But don’t
repair section out of that, or make a repair intervals in the old-fashioned way. write-off a straight-six powered model, as
section from scratch. In many respects, then, the E32 7 these were tough, no-nonsense units.
Elsewhere, water leaks into the boot can Series is a car that can be treated with a In many respects, the E32 continues
be a problem, as can failed seals allowing ‘back to basics’ attitude, which makes a to get overshadowed by the newer E38,
water into the rear light clusters. Also, the refreshing change these days. Whichever which is a great shame considering the
sunroof panels sometimes rust but, overall, model you opt for, you’re likely to be practical advantages that the older model
most examples that have been properly rewarded with an affordable, modern can offer. Whether or not it’ll ever start to
looked after should be clean and tidy. classic that shouldn’t cost a fortune to run appreciate significantly in value remains
Inside the car, take your time with all and remains durable enough to use on a to be seen; in reality, big, luxury saloons
the usual equipment and switchgear regular basis. rarely do. On the flipside, though, this
checks. The air con system isn’t cheap The V8 740i is widely regarded as being helps ensure that they remain within the
to fix, and many owners simply deal with the sweet spot in the range; the 730i wasn’t financial range of most enthusiasts which,
such issues by opening the sunroof! really powerful enough and the V12 750i like the E32 itself, is a good thing. l
The instrumentation is illuminated by
traditional, tungsten filament bulbs, so it’s
quite common for one or more of these E32 7 Series tech specs
to have blown. The instrument cluster 730i 730i 735i 740i 750i
itself, though, is pretty reliable, although Capacity (cc/cyl) 2,986/6 2,997/V8 3,430/6 3,982/V8 4,988/V12
there is a printed circuit board/LCD which Power (hp) 188 218 211 286 300
operates the service indicator lights and Torque (Nm) 260 290 305 400 450
0-62mph 9.3 8.5 8.3 7.4 7.4
displays check control messages, which
Top speed 138 143 142 149 155
can fail with age. These will need specialist
Economy (mpg) 24.1 25.9 24.7 23.7 21.4
attention to fix (replacements are no

Well-proportioned and
desirable; BMW built just
over 311,000 E32s, but
they’re certainly thin on
the ground nowadays.

24 BMWcar
With an experienced sales-team, passionate manufacturer-trained technicians, and a state-of-art workshop with
diagnostic equipment, RENAISSANCE puts exceptional customer service at the heart of everything we do, allowing
you to focus on enjoying your ownership experience.

We offer a full range of sales, financing, maintenance, restoration and performance engineering services. Whilst
guaranteeing that our prices for parts and labour will always remain competitive versus main dealers.

We are also proud to be an official AC Schnitzer regional dealer and installer, offering performance enhancements
across all BMW models.

SALES • SERVICE • R E S T O R AT I O N

www.renaissance-classics.co.uk

2000 BMW Z3M Coupe, 3.2 Inline 6 (S50B32), 2004 E46 BMW M3 3.2 Coupe, 6-Speed Manual, 1994 E36 BMW M3 Coupe, 3.0 Inline 6, 5-Speed
Manual Gearbox, Genuine 62k with FSH, Dakar 62k with FSH, Metallic Titanium Silver with Manual, 73k with FSH, Hellrot Red, 17” BMW
Yellow II with Black Nappa Leather Interior, 17” Contrasting Imola Red Leather Interior, 19” M ‘Sunflower’ Alloys, E36 M3 ‘Vader’ Seats,
Staggered M Sport Alloys, Heated Seats, Harman Double Spoke Alloys, Heated Electric Sports Electric Sunroof, M3 ‘EVO’ Boot Spoiler, Electric
Kardon Stereo System, Air-Con, £34,995 Seats, Auto Xenons, Sat Nav, Sunroof, £19,995 Windows, £19,995

WA N T E D
MODERN CLASSICS & SPORTS CARS

2005 E46 BMW M3 3.2 Convertible, 6-Speed We are always looking to purchase desirable, 2001 E46 BMW 330Ci SE Coupe, 5 –Speed
Manual, 79k with FH, Metallic Grey with Full unique and rare BMWs, from barn finds, Manual, Genuine 37,000 miles with FSH, Metallic
Black Leather Interior, Climate Control, Sat Nav, restoration projects, daily classics to Topaz Blue with Contrasting Cream Full Leather,
TV, Cruise, 19” Alloys, Wind Deflector, Stunning concours and race cars. Sunroof, Cruise, SatNav, Stunning Car
Condition Throughout, only £14,495 at only £9,995

01483 225878 sales@renaissance-classics.co.uk

Trackspeed House, Portsmouth Road, Ripley, Surrey, GU23 6HB
WHAT TO BUY

New
Products
You can rejuvenate the handling of your
F3x 3 Series with the new Bilstein B12
matched spring and damper package.

Much better 3 Series springing

Bilstein, the respected German suspension manufacturer, has After full dyno analysis, each kit application has been signed-
released one of its much-vaunted B12 matched spring and off by Bilstein test drivers and engineers, at both the Nürburgring
damper packages for the F30/F31/F34/F35 3 series. and the Papenburg test facility. The four springs have been pre-
As the early cars are now some six years old, this kit can make stressed, shot peened and tempered, before receiving a two-
a huge difference to vehicle dynamics. It consists of four Eibach stage zinc-phosphate and electrostatic epoxy coating for a long
Pro-Kit springs and four, matched Bilstein dampers, making for and durable life.
the ultimate ‘real-world' handling upgrade that balances great ride The kit comes with a comprehensive, two-year, unlimited
quality with excellent handling and poise. mileage warranty and full TÜV approval. The combined effect
The well-proven set-up offers a drop of approximately 30mm of the complete kit is reduced body roll, better cornering
at the front and rear, and several kits are available to cater for all performance and vastly improved dynamics. Thanks to reduced
engine and gearbox combinations. squat and dive, acceleration and braking characteristics are also
The Bilstein dampers draw heavily from the firm's motorsport enhanced.
heritage, and are carefully matched B8 units, which make use of The kit retails from £695 (plus VAT), and more details are
the company's pioneering design and gas pressure technology. available by visiting: bilstein.com

Plugging the gap! Retro bush!

As the capacities of modern By looking to the past, Powerflex is determined to shape
petrol engines get smaller, the the future. Launched at the recent NEC Classic Motor Show,
units themselves are getting initial models covered by the new bush range include
physically smaller, too. Tight legends like the BMW E30 M3.
dimensions and clearances mean By bringing new-age materials to practical, performance
that the (smaller) spark plugs classics such as the E30, Powerflex is looking to retain OE
are deeply-recessed, and you'll looks with modern-day handling, performance and feedback.
invariably find that your trusty The bushes will be available in a dark grey, so they won't
spark plug socket will no longer draw as much attention as the usual yellow and purple
fit. offerings.
However, the new, thin-walled For more information, visit: powerflex.co.uk
spark plug socket set from New Powerflex
Laser Tools could provide just bushes for the E30
the answer. It's a three-piece, M3 are available in
⅜in-drive set of dedicated spark a this more subtle,
dark grey colour.
plug sockets designed to fit
these narrow, modern spark plug
recesses. New slimline plug sockets
Manufactured from chrome from Laser Tools.
vanadium steel to keep them
strong, the sockets also feature a
rubber insert to grip the spark plug. The three socket sizes are
14mm (18mm outside diameter of socket), 16mm (20.4mm
outside diameter) and 18mm (23mm outside diameter). All
three are of a 12-point (bi-hex) profile and 63mm in length.
The set represents good value at a typical price of £12.50,
and more details are available from: lasertools.co.uk

26 BMWcar
 WHAT TO BUY
Super-flash M4 tail-lights
If you fancy something really special for your F82 M4,
then the latest release from independent BMW specialist,
Schmiedmann, should be right up your street!
The M4 GTS OLED tail-lights are now available for the
standard M4. Applying this technology for tail-lights can really
change the appearance of your BMW's appearance from a
more static look, to something completely dynamic. They will
captivate the eyes at shows and track days.
These lights are original BMW equipment, and the
complete set costs £6,850.51. Find out more and place
orders at: schmiedmann.com

The B12 kit matches

Eibach Pro-Kit
springs with Bilstein
dampers.
The OE OLED rear lights for the M4, from Schmiedmann.

Polished Autoglym's UHD

Shampoo would
pressies! make an ideal
Christmas present.
Autoglym always
delivers the goods
during the festive
season so, if you're
looking for that last-
minute Christmas
pressie for the car
enthusiast in your
Tightened to perfection life, then here are
some suggestions.
If a nut or bolt is not tightened sufficiently, it'll eventually Autoglym's new
work loose and may even drop off, resulting in damage or Ultra High Definition
a dangerous situation. Conversely, if a fixing's tightened too Shampoo is a
much, it may either strip its thread, snap, or stretch the stud great option. It's a
being fastened. fragrant, velvety
A torque wrench is specifically designed to avoid both of shampoo that
these situations – it applies the correct amount of tension in produces a rich and
the bolt that's necessary to hold the parts together, without luxurious lather for a great wash.
the danger of distorting the bolt, nut or the parts being held. Autoglym also offers a range of fully-laden gift packs,
The torque wrenches in the new range from Laser jammed full of all manner of similarly impressive car-
Tools are strong, accurate and great for a wide range cleaning goodies. So, no matter what your price range,
of applications. There are four in the range: ½in-drive x there's bound to be something to suit.
595mm length, ¾in-drive x 970mm, ¾in-drive x 1150mm The UHD Shampoo sells for £18.20 while the gift packs
and 1in-drive x 1250mm. start at £17.10 and rise to £69.50 for the range-topping
All are dual-scale, with a separate, easy-to-read unit Bodywork, Wheels & Interior set.
graduation, a locking ring to maintain the setting and a For more details, or to purchase, visit: autoglym.com
calibration certificate. Prices start at £154.46, and more
details are available from: lasertools.co.uk

One of the impressive new torque wrenches from Laser Tools. The gift packs from Autoglym range in price from £17.10 to £69.50.

JANUARY 2019 27
WHAT TO BUY
F90 M5 carbon upgrades
M-Style is delighted to announce that it can now offer the latest
in carbon styling from 3D Design for the BMW F90 M5. The first
items to arrive are the Carbon Front Lip Spoiler and the Carbon
Side Skirts.
The Carbon Front Lip Spoiler retails at £1,968 (plus £160 for
fitting, if required). The Carbon Side Skirts cost £2,136 per pair F90 M5 3D
(plus £160 for fitting, if required). Design carbon
For further details visit the M-Style website at: mstyle.co.uk, upgrades from
M-Style.
send an email to: info@mstyle.co.uk or call: 02085 989115.

X5 lightweight flywheel BG Racing

Fidanza, America's leading performance flywheel specialist, large
has a direct replacement, lightweight aluminium flywheel to
improve the performance of the 2001/2002 BMW X5 3.0. It's folding
designed to replace the heavy, standard unit, and improves
the power-to-weight ratio as well as making the engine more
table
responsive and improving performance and acceleration. BG Racing's
large folding
The flywheel is made from high-quality machined 6061 T6 table; ideal for
aluminium, with a 1050 steel friction surface, CNC-machined the garage or
fastener holes and chamfers. The friction surface of the workshop.
flywheel is a replaceable steel plate so, when the surface
eventually becomes worn, it can be replaced without requiring
a new flywheel.
This Fidanza flywheel, which costs £305.24 plus tax and
shipping from summitracing.com, is suitable for use with just BG Racing's
about any clutch disc material available, from organic to Kevlar large folding table is ideal for use at home, in the garage or
and even sintered iron. They are very durable units and come workshop. It features a sturdy, six-foot work surface which
with a heat-treated ring gear and military-grade fasteners. folds in half for ease of storage and transportation.
Orders can be placed online at: fidanza.com, and readers A pair of shelves can be purchased separately, together
can obtain a 20% discount with a pair of specifically-designed Kart Tyre Rails, that can be
if they enter the promo positioned in several different arrangements to suit the user's
code ‘Fidanza' when requirements.
ordering. Weight-rated levelling feet on the bottom of each leg
Improve the
make it quick and easy to achieve a level working surface,
responsiveness regardless of the ground the table is standing on.
of your 2001/2002 The table is built from high-grade mild steel, features a
BMW X5 3.0 with this
durable, silver-grey powder-coated finish and is priced at:
lightweight aluminium
flywheel from Fidanza. £479.99. Contact Brown & Geeson Ltd for details on 01268
764411, or visit: bg-racing.co.uk

G30/31 carbon splitter Convenient leak fix

As official distributors of 3D Design products, M-Style is also Coolant Seal is a product
stocking the dramatic new carbon front splitter for the very latest developed to be poured into the
G30 and G31 5 Series models. cooling system as a quick, pour-
The splitter is made from genuine carbon fibre to combine and-go solution to coolant leaks.
strength and durability with ultra-lightweight and dynamic looks. Containing carbon fibre for a
It retails for £1,349 and fitting can be provided at the M-Style flexible, hard-wearing seal, Coolant
workshop for £72. Seal provides a permanent repair
For more details visit: mstyle.co.uk, or call: 02085 989115. and protection against future leaks
Coolant Seal from Power
in the cooling system of Maxed, designed to deal
any vehicle. effectively with coolant leaks.
By using carbon fibre instead of
copper, Coolant Seal is resilient to normal engine operating
temperatures, sealing the leak for life, and with a money-
back guarantee for ultimate reassurance. Just one bottle
treats up to a four-litre engine.
The carbon fibre gets drawn into the leak in layers, making
a sturdy, resilient repair to the damaged area, and any
remaining carbon fibre remains in the cooling system to seal
future leaks should they occur.
Power Maxed Coolant Seal is available for £9.99 from
The dramatic new 3D Design carbon front splitter for the most automotive retailers, or online at: coolantseal.co.uk
very latest G30 and G31 5 Series models from M-Style.

28 BMWcar
 £1695 *
The C8 Power Reserve Chronometer

*
A-List celebrity not included

We love quality watches - so much so that in 2004 we started making

our own. Combining award-winning British design with the finest Swiss
watchmaking skills, and concentrating on craftsmanship rather than
salesmanship, we’ve successfully created watches that stand comparison
with the world’s greatest watch brands in every respect - apart from price.
Do your research.

christopherward.co.uk
YOUR LETTERS

You
Write...
BARGAIN WINTER RUN-AROUND!
Last winter I fitted a different set of alloy wheels to my E39 M5, agreed and now I’m the proud owner of my second Compact
because I wanted to protect the mint originals from the winter salt (oddly enough, I had my first back in 2002, from new). The ‘new’
and gritted roads. The replacement set cost me £600, and came car has covered 125,000 miles and comes with a full service
fitted with useable, good-brand tyres. history supported by all the original books, tools and torch etc.
However, this year I decided to take things a stage further by It was originally supplied by Sytner, and still has the rear window
not using the M5 at all during the winter months. It suddenly sticker and original dealer number plates to prove it. It’s an
struck me as crazy to expose the car to the bad weather and Individual model finished in lovely Imola red and, inside, there are
terrible roads when, ultimately, it isn’t really necessary. half-Alacantra seats which, rarely, are heated (great for the coming
My son has a 316ti Compact which I had the chance to drive winter!). Other notable features include optional, electric rear
recently, and I have to say that I was impressed with its comfort windows, a centre armrest (another option), ice-cold air con (not
levels, and the smooth way that it drove. That got me thinking. The that I need it now!) and a Parrot hands-free ‘phone kit.
next thing I knew, I found myself scanning the used car listings, and The car is fitted with a decent set of good-brand tyres and drives
compiling a list of ‘cheap’ Compacts which I felt showed promise. really well. It accelerates smoothly and with no smoke from the
Eventually, I settled on a smart-looking red 318ti. It had exhaust, and corners and brakes just as it should. Also, with UK
automatic transmission and had been built in 2002, so I arranged petrol prices reaching record highs, it will be a welcome relief to
to go and have a look at it. My initial impression was that, overall, experience some good fuel consumption figures for a change. My
it looked like a pretty clean car, although I could tell that it was in M5 can be something of a challenge on that front, although I do
need of some pampering. Of course, I immediately felt that I was see 24mpg regularly from it when I’m behaving myself.
the man to take care of that! At the time of writing this, my plan is to get a full service carried
After a test drive, I made the seller a low offer, a deal was out on the Compact, including new V-belts for my own peace of

30 BMWcar
 YOUR LETTERS
DIESEL SUPPORTER
In response to Colin Wilmott’s letter
in the Winter 2019 issue, entitled
‘Diesel vs Petrol’, I and my extended
family run six, modern BMW diesel
cars between us, the oldest being
three years. All of us, like Colin, find
them reliable and economical to run,
and they all produce less CO₂ than
petrol engines.
No matter what is said about all-
electric cars, they have a long way
to go yet before they’ll be generally
accepted, and I believe that they are
best suited to city driving or short-
distance travel. The only drawback
to diesel and petrol driving in cities,
is that the engines never reach
optimum running temperature,
due to all the congestion and slow-
moving traffic conditions. However,
the automatic stop-start system
Above:
mind. Looking further ahead, I reckon I could be tempted by a set I reckon I could be
helps a lot in that respect.
of E46 18in MV2s or M3 wheels, plus a sports exhaust. tempted by a set of E46 Another important factor, I believe,
I’m also happy to report that the car passed its MoT the other 18in MV2s or M3 wheels, is that electric cars aren’t proven
day, with no advisories. It also completed a 230-mile trip to plus a sports exhaust. yet, in terms of overall battery life,
the West Country, which included a mix of stop-start city traffic, or residual values. A modern diesel
A-roads and congested motorways (complete with deserted engine car can be driven all day
roadworks and average speed cameras). Through all of this, the around the legal limit at below
Below, left to right:
Compact performed brilliantly, taking everything in its stride. If you • I settled on a smart- 2,000rpm, in contrast with a petrol
didn’t know it, you’d think you were driving in its bigger brother. looking red, 2002, 318ti engine car, which runs at a much
As an added bonus, the car returned 38mpg for that six-hour with 125,000 miles on the higher rpm at those speeds.
clock.
trip, which I reckon is pretty impressive for an ageing automatic. • To get a reliable,
Who knows what the future holds
So it should be perfectly possible to exceed 40mpg on clearer comfortable and cheap- for travel, but one thing’s for sure,
roads, with a bit of care. to-run winter run-about we are near the saturation point with
Oh, I expect you’re wondering how much it cost me to buy the for well under £600, is the volume of vehicles in cities.
pretty impressive value
Compact? Well, all I’m saying is that it was a good deal less than for money. By the way, I am on my seventh
that set of winter wheels I bought for the M5 last year! To put a • Inside, there are heated, BMW diesel car now. It’s a 320d
cherry on it, I’ve already had several people come up to me and half-Alacantra seats, xDrive M Sport Touring auto, and
electric rear windows, a
offer over a grand to buy the car from me! centre armrest, ice-cold
I’m as pleased with it as I have been
I’d call that a real bargain, wouldn’t you? air con and a Parrot with the other six.
Richard Stern, Stansted, Essex hands-free ‘phone kit. PD Swales, via email

PD Swales has nothing

but praise for BMW
diesel models.

If you’ve got a point to make, a view

to express or a burning, BMW-related
bee in your bonnet, then we’d love to
hear from you. You can send an email
to the Editor at:
bmwcar.ed@kelsey.co.uk, or you
can write to: BMW Car magazine,
Kelsey Media, Cudham Tithe Barn,
Berry’s Hill, Cudham, Kent TN16 3AG

JANUARY 2019 31
ME AND MY CAR

Happy T
hey say that everything comes
to he who waits, and that old
adage is probably never more

New
applicable than it is to those
looking for their ideal car.
Obviously, there are exceptions to the rule
and, nowadays, a good many ‘shes’ as
well as ‘hes’ are engaged in the waiting.

Year!
But the principle remains solid; if you’re
searching for the right car, then it’s going to
take you time to find it.
Chris Green is a natural researcher
and a planner; characteristics which
perhaps stem from his scientific and,
more recently, his medical training. The
purchases he makes need to be properly
Chris Graham meets Chris Green; a man who’s considered and never rushed, which is
why it took him a good while to find and
been wowed by the seductive qualities of his finally buy his superb E39-based Alpina
extremely rare Alpina B10 3.3 Touring B10 3.3 Touring.

32 BMWcar
 ME AND MY CAR
LATE-STARTER to one side after my ninth year with the TEMPTING PROSPECT
I met Chris at his Georgian home close to Polo, and suggested that I really ought to But Mike, being a BMW enthusiast at heart,
the spectacular Clifton Suspension Bridge be driving something more interesting!” kept chipping away at Chris and, after
in Bristol and, once I’d recovered from So, with Mike’s offer of help and advice, showing him the famous ‘fastest car on
climbing the seemingly endless flights Chris agreed to start looking for something the planet’ BMW M5 advert on YouTube,
of stairs up to his flat, and admired the better to drive. “The trouble is,” explained suggested that he ought to set his sights
panoramic view out across Bristol docks, Chris, “I’m one of those annoying people on an E39 M5. “I had to agree that it was
he began to tell his story. “I was quite a who likes to do lots of research, and never an impressively appealing car and, the
late starter as far as my enthusiasm for rushes into a purchase without giving it more I looked into it, the more tempting it
cars is concerned,” he told me, “my first plenty of thought. So, it took me a long became.
car was a Mini Metro, which I had for three while to make a decision but, eventually, I “However, I’d set myself a budget of
years. This was followed by a VW Polo, settled on a two-litre Audi TT. £10,000 and, for that sort of money, I was
which I ran for a further eight or nine years, “As it turned out, that was a great car really stuck at the ‘bargain basement’ end
and both were simply A-to-B machines in and, even though it was a bog-standard, of the E39 M5 market. All the cars I could
which I had next-to-no interest. entry-level model, for me coming from find were either high-mileage examples,
“However, my brother, Mike, (who was the Polo, it was like going from a tortoise scruffy, or modified to some degree. I
featured with his imported E39 525i M to a rocket ship! Driving instantly started drove a few of them, but couldn’t find
Sport in the February 2018 issue of this to become a real joy, and I began to anything that was just right. Also, the more
magazine), is a confirmed petrolhead, and realise what I’d been missing for all I thought about it, the more concerned I
it was he who got me started. He took me those years.” became about the potential running costs

Alpinas are never cars that need to shout

about their performance abilities, and
this B10 3.3 Touring is no exception.
After nearly a year of ownership, Chris
Green is delighted with his rare,
desirable and practical Alpina.

JANUARY 2019 33
ME AND MY CAR
Typically understated
was getting ready to go out, I found myself
chin spoiler ‘Alpina’
lettering on this E39- with 20 minutes to spare, so opened
based B10 Touring. my laptop and started scanning the
motoring classifieds. It was while searching
carandclassic.co.uk that I stumbled upon
a 2002 Alpina B10 3.3 Touring that I
hadn’t seen before.
“Judging by the advert’s text and photos,
the car seemed to be in more or less
mint condition. What’s more, it had only
covered 47,500 miles and, with a price tag
of £11,000, seemed almost too good to
be true. So, even though it was New Year’s
Eve, I threw caution to the wind and called
the seller there and then. As it turned out,
he was working on an oil rig off the coast
of California, but told me that his dad was
handling the sale of the car, which was in
East Grinstead, West Sussex.
“We chatted for a while about the
car, and he seemed very genuine
and enthusiastic about it, which was
encouraging. He’d owned the B10 for

of such a high-performance car.” THE ALPINA OPTION

Although he didn’t need a car for “While chatting with my brother, he had
everyday use because he’s able to the bright idea of something from the
cycle to work, Chris explained to me Alpina range, which set me off on a whole
that he wanted something that wasn’t new area of research! After some more
quite so highly-strung as the M5, and time, I’d narrowed the list of possibilities
that would cope better with the more down to the B3 saloon, which I thought
occasional use it was likely to get with would be ideal. Although there weren’t
him. He didn’t feel that an out-and-out many around, I found a few to go and look
M car was right for him and his situation. at and one, in particular, in Dorset that was
Fortunately, it was Mike who came to the a pretty good example, but over-priced.
rescue, again! “Then, on New Year’s Eve in 2017, as I

I was quite a late starter as far as my enthusiasm for

cars is concerned… my first car was a Mini Metro

The 3.3-litre, straight-six engine in this Alpina B10 produces 276hp and 335Nm of torque.

34 BMWcar
 ME AND MY CAR
three years, but had only covered a few “When I got to East Grinstead and saw so that I could make a BACS payment in
hundred miles in that time. He knew that the car, it looked every bit as good as I’d exchange for the keys.”
it wasn’t getting enough use, and had been hoping, and I had to work hard to try However, Chris wasn’t planning a gentle,
decided that it should go to a new owner not to appear too eager. After driving it and ‘finding his feet’ run back to Bristol from
who would drive it more.” looking closely at everything I could think West Sussex. Instead, with a few days of
of, I was even more impressed, so made a holiday in hand, he’d scheduled to drive
HELPFUL SELLER snap decision that I wanted to buy it, and his new car straight to Yorkshire to see
“I asked if he could supply me with a pic negotiated a good price. friends, then to visit his brother in East
of the official plate inside the car, so that “I came away having agreed to return Anglia, before returning home to Bristol.
I could check the build number, and an five days later to collect the car, and felt He was putting a lot of faith in the Alpina’s
email arrived from his dad 10 minutes very happy. I’d taken loads of photographs ability to tackle big mileages after a lengthy
later, who’d obviously just been out to the for my brother to see but, because the spell of very limited use.
garage and taken the photograph. This car looked so good, he was immediately “As it turned out, the car was superb
enabled me to do a bit of research through worried that I’d come away without sealing right from the moment I set off from East
the Alpina Register online, and everything the deal, and that I’d get gazumped by Grinstead. I immediately felt as though
seemed to check-out. another buyer, and lose the car.” I’d made the right decision and, sitting on
“A quick chat with my brother then the motorway in the comfortable, heated
followed, who couldn’t believe what a ANXIOUS TIMES leather seats, I quickly came to appreciate
good deal it sounded, and his advice Chris started to feel anxious about this just what a great car the Alpina was. The
was to go and see it as soon as possible, and, to put his mind at rest, got back in level of refinement it offered – especially in
before somebody else snapped it up. So I touch with the seller and arranged to comparison to the TT – was just amazing.
called back and made an appointment to collect the car within a couple of days. “That whole trip went really well, and
view it the next day, New Year’s day! “That all went to plan and I took my laptop the car coped without a single hitch.
The practicality of
the Touring body isn’t
something you always
associate with a high-
performance Alpina.

JANUARY 2019 35
ME AND MY CAR
Nevertheless, once back in Bristol, I was stop journeys or use it for shopping; it
keen to get it properly checked. It was just gets used for long journeys so that it’s
nagging at me that I’d bought the car always properly warmed up. However, I
without the reassurance of a professional hurt my leg in a cycling accident earlier in
inspection, so I booked it in with local, the year, so had to start using the B10 for
independent BMW specialist, Redish my daily, 28-mile commute to and from
Motorsport (redish-motorsport.com, Bath. It’s a nightmare of a journey which
tel: 01179 781889), for a thorough is essentially grid-locked both ways, which
assessment.” meant that my usual 400+-mile fuel tank
range came right down to 280! It wasn’t
EXPERT ATTENTION a happy environment for the Alpina and,
“James and the Redish team were thankfully, I – and the car – only had to
excellent, taking a whole day to go right endure it for a couple of weeks, before I
through the entire car with great care could start cycling again.”
and attention. They provided me with
a video summary of everything they’d ON-STREET PARKING
found, together with an itemised list of Chris doesn’t have the luxury of a garage,
checkpoints. Thankfully, their conclusion so the car gets parked on the street.
was that they hadn’t seen a B10 as “I was obviously concerned about this
sound as this one for many years. In fact, aspect, and did look into renting a garage,
they thought it was so good that they but there was nothing available close by.
recommended getting it off the road and What’s more, I knew full well that if it was
reserving it for high days and holidays, to tucked away somewhere more than a few
keep the mileage down. minutes away, I’d be far less inclined to
“The trouble with that idea was that I use it, which I didn’t want.
needed to have a car available to me at “So, my plan was to park it normally,
all times, so it would have meant buying play it by ear in terms of how it fared,
another as a run-around, then I wouldn’t then re-assess after a year and see where
be enjoying the Alpina to the maximum. we go from there. I’m relatively happy, so
It would have defeated the purpose of far and, although the car has collected a
buying the car and, anyway, it wasn’t as if couple of small dings and scratches over
I was going to be putting on 2,000 miles the past nine months, nothing disastrous
every month. I think I’ve only added about has happened. The way I’m thinking at
4,000 miles so far since I bought it, but the moment is that the car’s mechanicals
I’ve had access to the car all year, which are more important than the aesthetics.
has been great. As long as it’s being properly maintained
“I don’t drive it around Bristol on start/ to keep the engine, gearbox, brakes and

suspension in good nick, then minor

blemishes on the bodywork can be dealt
with every now and then, without too
much drama.
“There wasn’t anything of real
significance on the Redish summary
sheet, with minimal corrosion and just
some minor fluid leaks here and there,
some minor rust/bubbling on the rear
wheel arches, and, since then, I’ve noticed
that the tailgate hydraulics are a little
intermittent. New brake discs had already
been fitted before I got the car, and the
Michelin Pilot Sports 3 tyres have only
covered about 6,000 miles, so are still in
good shape.”

WORK MANAGEMENT
Chris’ plan now is to prioritise that list and
schedule a timetable for the work that
needs doing. The car had been serviced
just before he bought it, so another one will
be organised soon, to be undertaken by
Redish Motorsport. “I’m determined not to
get too obsessed by the car because I want
to be able to enjoy using it,” he told me.
“The last thing I need is for it to become
too precious, and to find myself worrying
overly much about every minor defect. It’s
Typical Alpina design touches lift the E39’s already smart interior to stylish, new heights. important to me that it continues to put

36 BMWcar
 ME AND MY CAR
On the move, this
B10 is quiet, refined
and rattle-free.

a smile on my face when I drive it, but if

I start to fixate on its condition, then that
It had only covered 47,500 miles and, with an
could stop happening. excellent price, almost seemed too good to be true
“For example, the other day I put a
slight nick in one of the wheel rims while
parking, and my initial reaction was to get
upset. Then I took a step back and put it
in perspective; things like that can always
be put right, after all. The same applied
to some seagull droppings that I tried to
clean off the bonnet with a wet sponge.
I wasn’t careful enough, and the rubbing
put some swirl marks in the lacquer which,
like the wheel, was initially upsetting. On
the overall scale of things, though, I know
it’s pretty trivial, and is something that’ll
take a professional detailer with a machine
polisher about 10 minutes to put right.”

PROS AND CONS

“There’s very little that I can really criticise
about the car, because I think it does
everything so well. Just about the only
practical niggle I have concerns the palaver
involved in checking the tyre pressures. I
like to keep an eye on things like this on a
regular basis, and find it quite a nuisance
Chris’ car is believed
to have to unlock and remove the hubcap to be one of only seven
from each wheel before being able to get Alpina B10 3.3 Tourings
at the valve. Then afterwards, replacing the imported into the UK.

JANUARY 2019 37
ME AND MY CAR

Just about the only niggle Chris has with the Alpina concerns the locked wheel caps that need to be removed to gain access to the tyre valves.

There’s very little that I can really

criticise about the car, because
I think it does everything so well

The Alpina’s road manners

are impeccable, and it’s
still a comfortable and very
accomplished mile-muncher.

caps can be a fiddle, too – unless you get value of the car. As far as I can tell, there mind concerned the transmission. My TT
the alignment just right, they won’t lock are only seven B10 3.3 automatic Tourings had been manual and the M5s I’d tested
into place, and that gets me worried about in the UK. were too, so I was slightly dubious about
snapping off the key! “What’s more, I’ve had nothing but the automatic in the Alpina. As it’s turned
“I found it quite a big car to manoeuvre positive comments about the car so far, out, though, it’s not been the slightest issue
after being used to the Audi TT, but that and it never fails to generate interest for me. I did play with the change buttons
soon passed. The front and rear parking from those who appreciate what it is. on the back of the steering wheels a little
sensors are very effective, which is a great Of course, to most onlookers, it’s simply to begin with but, to be honest, I just leave
help. But those minor niggles are forgiven another, elderly BMW estate, and I love it in the standard automatic setting now,
once I get the car on to the open road, that degree of anonymity. It’s not a car that and never give gear-changing a thought.
and can start driving it as the designers needs to shout about its abilities and, as “As far as the future’s concerned, I’m
intended. There really is an addictive a result, very few people appreciate the delighted with the car and the way it goes.
quality to the controlled surge of power performance potential it has. I have no plans to modify or change it in
from the engine. I also appreciate the rarity “One doubt I had in the back of my any way; it simply doesn’t need it.” l

38 BMWcar
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FAVOURITE BMWS

My dream garage Given an unlimited budget and the full BMW range to choose from,
Bob Harper picks the three cars that would be in his dream garage

B
eing asked which is your BEST-LOOKING BMW drives; cars that turned a normal day at
favourite BMW is a bit like To my eyes, it’s the best-looking BMW the office into something special, that
being asked which one of your of the past decade, and has a glorious reaffirmed and personified that Ultimate
children you like the most – it’s interior. It can certainly pamper as I Driving Machine tagline.
an impossible task. But if the negotiate the snarled-up roads of the First is the E9 CSL ‘Batmobile’. I spent a
question is what are your top three BMWs, south-east, yet can cover huge distances glorious day with one back in 2004 and,
the cars you’d have in your dream garage, at the bat of an eyelid when the need while the old adage about never meeting
then it’s a little easier – I’ve got three arises, and will make a pretty decent fist of your heroes was ringing in my ears as I
kids after all, so I won’t have to choose everything in between. What’s more, when approached the Polaris silver left-hooker,
between them. you arrive at your destination, a quick I knew that if it drove half as well as it
First up is the quandary of a daily driver. glance over your shoulder at its stunning looked, I was going to be in for a treat. I
It’ll need to be something relatively modern shape will confirm that it’s one of the love the fact that the aerokit turned the
with ample performance and enough ultimate, modern BMWs. CSL from a good race car into an all-
creature comforts to keep me soothed But with what will my M6 share a conquering one, and also gave the car
while I do battle with the south circular garage? There’s a plethora of potential huge presence on the road.
road. New M5 perhaps? An older M5? No, candidates, but I’m going to go with a Despite its years, the doors still closed
I’ll go for the F06 M6 Gran Coupé. brace of BMWs that have given me dream with a satisfying BMW ‘thunk’, even if the

Above: The F06 M6 Gran Coupé; my ultimate daily driver.

A quick glance over your shoulder

at its stunning shape will confirm that
it’s one of the ultimate, modern BMWs

40 BMWcar
 FAVOURITE BMWS

frameless windows did rattle a little as the wasn’t about outright speed, it was about it was everything I could have dreamed
door shut. The injected ‘six erupted into the way it went, the way it flowed down a of. The lusty yet oh-so-melodic straight-six
life and settled into a busy idle, and we sinuous stretch of road while bombarding sounds positively symphonic, but it was
headed off west as the sun rose in the your senses with oodles of feedback the car’s innate chassis balance and supple
rear-view mirror. through the steering and through the seat ride that really impressed on Yorkshire’s
of your pants. A glorious machine, steeped finest roads. The car’s small footprint –
CSL PLAYGROUND in competition history yet also hugely it’s shorter than a 2 Series coupé – and
Our playground for the day was the capable and entertaining on the road. its deft steering, allow you to position it
Brecon Beacons in South Wales, and As for the third part of my triumvirate? perfectly on the road and, with a gear
the CSL proved to be a very capable Well, it could only be the M1. It must be lever that’s literally a handspan away from
companion getting on the steering wheel, you can play fabulous
on the for 20 years tunes with the straight-six as it howls its
motorway.
Small wheels
You can play fabulous tunes with ago that I
first had the
way from one corner to the next.
It looks stunning and, unlike its Italian
and big
sidewalls
the straight-six as it howls its way delight of
sampling
supercar contemporaries, it’s usable
every day and likely to be utterly reliable.
made for a from one corner to the next BMW M’s What more could you want from a late
comfortable sole mid- 1970s supercar? If forced to choose
ride and, engined between my top three, the M1 would be
while there was a modicum of wind creation, but what a way to pop your my ultimate BMW – if only M would be
noise, the Scheel seats were supremely cherry. I drove the mid-engined marvel allowed to make a modern-day version
comfortable, despite their minimal design. from Sussex to the North York Moors, and based on the i8.
Once on to the back roads, the CSL was spent the best part of two days hooning So, there we have it, my top three
a delight. Only a smidgen over 200hp around for the photographer. BMWs… or at least, my top three BMWs at
seems almost laughable these days, but it Bar its appalling rear three-quarter the time of writing. Ask me tomorrow and
made use of every last one of them, and visibility that made lane-changing on the it’ll probably be an E39 M5, E30 M3 and
sounded glorious while doing so. But it motorway a nerve-wracking experience, an E46 M3 CS, or maybe… l

Above: The fabulous BMW

M1; it looks stunning and,
unlike its Italian supercar
contemporaries, it’s usable
every day and likely to be
utterly reliable.

Left: The E9 CSL ‘Batmobile

offers glorious performance,
striking road presence and
racing pedigree.

JANUARY 2019 41
DRIVING TIPS

Ask DOWNHILL BRAKING

After recently seeing several signs to use
a low gear going down steep hills, could
you please explain why this is necessary,

Neil…
and if such a measure is still relevant
now many people have automatics?
Frank Bowman, Wigan, Lancs.

Dear Frank,
During a steep descent, a vehicle will
try to accelerate due to the effect of
gravity pulling a significant portion of
Performance driving coach Neil Furber its mass down the hill. To prevent this
begins a new, regular feature in which leading to an inability to slow enough
for a hazard, the driver must control the
he answers your driving-related questions speed of the vehicle. The most obvious
way is by using the footbrake which, for
short distances, is OK. However, during
long descents, there can be a huge
build-up of heat in the brakes which,
if left to continue, will cause a form of
brake failure.
The problems that overheating brakes
can lead to include severe friction
reduction at the disc-to-pad interface,
boiling of the brake fluid leading to no
brake pressure, or even a fire. In fact,
this happened to the driver of a coach
in which I was a passenger, during an

ROUGHED-UP ON TRACK
Racing drivers often talk about
smoothness, but when I was a
passenger for a hot-ride in an M4 with a
pro driver recently, it felt very violent and
far from smooth. I’m confused, and was
hoping that you could explain.
Deborah Trelawny,
Cheltenham, Glos.

Dear Deborah,
Yes, smoothness is very important for
both good performance driving and
circuit racing. Obviously, I can’t be sure
about how the driver was using the
car for the hot ride in your case, but I
think it’s important to bear in mind that
you were being given a demonstration.
Sometimes these are a little more for
show than going really fast, and so
the car gets chucked about more than
usual, simply for the entertainment
value and to provide a memorable
experience. However, there is a
significant difference between smooth
driving and gentle driving. Perhaps you
were unaware of how true race-pace
driving feels, and the g-forces involved
with that?
To ask Neil a question, To travel really fast around a race
either email him direct at: track, one of the most important things
enquiries@drive7tenths.com is not to overload the tyres. Harsh,
or send it to
bmw.ed@kelsey.co.uk erratic inputs will cause a tyre to give

42 BMWcar
 DRIVING TIPS
Alpine descent many years ago. Luckily,
The best way to control speed
there was another coach in front and we on a long descent is by using
had a low-speed collision to prevent us engine braking to prevent the
from going over the edge. Clearly, though, speed building up to start with.
this form of braking isn’t ideal!
The best way to control speed on
a descent is by using engine braking
to prevent the speed building up to
start with. When off-throttle, a car will
naturally decelerate due to air resistance,
frictional losses in all moving parts and
pumping losses in the engine. Minimal
fuel is introduced into the cylinders giving
essentially no ‘power’ strokes.
The lower the gear, the greater the
rotations per minute of the engine and,
therefore, the more the losses (braking/
resistance etc) for any given distance transmission aspect of your question, manual-style approach is much safer.
travelled. So, for a given hill and vehicle these and modern, twin-clutch, Not to mention a great way to minimise
speed, off-throttle in second gear could automated-manual gearboxes are wear and tear on the brakes.
lead to a reduction in vehicle speed, while certainly popular with BMW owners There is generally an option to select
third gear may hold the speed constant nowadays. But, in practice, most drivers a specific gear or a ‘manual’ mode with
and fourth gear could allow the vehicle to tend to use just the brakes. Although modern automatic transmissions, which
start to accelerate gently. Clearly, fifth or this approach is often OK, as I’ve will hold a gear when it’s chosen. So it’s
higher would allow yet more acceleration. already mentioned, this may be more beneficial to properly understand what
So an appropriate choice of gear will give through luck than judgement in many options your gearbox has, and how to
the driver the control they need. cases. During longer descents, steeper choose a specific gear quickly to retain
With regard to the automatic gradients and higher temperatures, a full control and save those brakes.

up and slide before it’s reached its peak tyre will enable it to work harder. experienced are significant and can
grip potential. Gentle driving is suited to A good racing driver will brake very take some getting used to. As with
road conditions but not to the race track. heavily, but they will squeeze the rollercoasters and other high ‘g’
It is achieved by minimising the amount brake pedal ever harder instead of just situations, it can be too much for some
of acceleration generated in any direction. stamping the pedal to the floor. They people, and even I have made the
Gentle braking, acceleration and steering will also generate huge cornering loads odd passenger feel rather queasy after
make for a pleasant ride and minimise, by progressively and slowly turning the some high-speed laps! If the driver
wear and tear. A passenger could easily steering wheel instead of swerving. looks relaxed and as if they aren’t
sleep during a gentle drive. They will accelerate very strongly, yet having to work the car, it’s likely they
However, the race track is about squeeze the throttle pedal progressively are doing things right. Of course, the
performance – heavy braking, strong to the maximum, instead of simply other possibility is that the pro who
acceleration and hard cornering are all snapping it down. drove you may not have been as good
part of this. But you’ll notice that I haven’t The forces and accelerations as some…
used words such as ‘harsh’ or ‘aggressive’.
The accelerations in the various directions
are very strong. As a passenger, you’ll
be forced into the side of the seat,
relentlessly pushed forwards by the seat
or heavily pushed forwards into the safety
harness during a ride. Smoothness is not
about reducing these forces, but concerns
the subtlety of how you get to that point.
The simplest way to communicate this
is by comparing a punch and a push.
A punch on the arm may knock you off
balance, but a hand gently placed against
you and then pushed harder and harder
can achieve more force. You can brace
against the hand to support this force. The race track is about
The punch is a shock, yet the push is performance – heavy braking,
strong acceleration and hard
progressive. Shocking (punching) a tyre cornering are all part of this.
will lead to a slide. Progressively loading a

JANUARY 2019 43
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 TRACK TEST

The acid test

As Steve Hall discovers, if you want to assess a modified M235i,
it’s best to put it head-to-head with a standard model, around the track at Spa

B
lanchimont, Les Combes, The brainchild of Ron Simons, RSR the depth of the RSR garages.
Pouhon and, of course, Eau takes its name from original company But you’re reading a BMW magazine,
Rouge; the most iconic corner Ron Simons Racing; established in 1995, which is why I’m here to sample a car
of arguably the most iconic the company grew from a background that’s been somewhat overshadowed
Formula 1 race track of them of racing and tuning track and sportscars. by its M2 big brother, the M235i. I’ll
all. With its combination of speed, With a solid background in racing and be experiencing both road and track
elevation change and length, a lap of Spa instructing himself, Ron spotted an programmes to ensure I develop a
Francorchamps is an incredible test of opportunity to take things on to the next meaningful depth of feeling for the
driver and machine. level in 2002, and RSRNurburg was born. dynamic changes RSR’s modifications
Winding its way through the tree- With an impressive array of machinery bring, and the schedule begins with six
lined countryside of the Francorchamps on offer, operations at the Nürburgring, laps of Spa in each car.
district near the town of Spa, this circuit Spa and Iberia (Portimao and Ascari), plus Now, if half-a-dozen laps doesn’t sound
is picturesque in a manner that’s alien to a solid background in event organisation like very many, consider for a moment that
the new breed of modern, purpose-built and management, it’s easy to see why Spa is the longest track on the Formula 1
race tracks. It’s also a palatable three-and- RSR has become one of the go-to outfits calendar; its 4.352-mile lap makes it twice
a-half hours' drive from Calais, making it in the world of high-end track experiences. as long most UK track day venues. With so
accessible for UK enthusiasts wishing to Conceived by Simons as the ultimate much to learn about car and circuit, take it
visit for a track day, or to attend one of way to demonstrate the difference from me, six laps is plenty!
many events run there during the season. wrought by track-focused upgrades,
the Standard vs Modified philosophy is RELAXED START
TESTING VENUE simple; take an already capable track car, The day started in relaxed fashion, as we
All-in-all, then, it’s difficult to think of a sprinkle it with a selection of dynamic gathered around steaming hot tea and
more testing venue to experience RSR improvements, then sample them, back- coffee dispensers, and washed down
Spa’s Standard vs Modified programme. to-back, with expert tutelage alongside. the abundant snacks on offer. Briefing
You’ve probably heard of RSR, given that With 11 different cars on the books from completed (a sensible, grown-up affair
they’re one of the longest established and Megane and M4 to Cayman and GTR, it’s which allows passing either side with a
best-known track day organisers in Europe. a comprehensive list which demonstrates liberal dose of common sense expected),

RSR Nurburg has become one of

the go-to outfits in the world of
high-end track experiences.

JANUARY 2019 45
TRACK TEST
we headed out first in the standard car – a with all stability systems on, and while you gentle understeer the early sign of an
2015 M235i auto. can feel a few tenths slipping away exiting approaching breach of grip.
Technically, we’re not quite in a some of the slower corners (where a little It demanded smooth inputs to allow
standard car, as the brake pads have been slip angle would be faster), the systems do the car to settle, particularly through
upgraded to WinMax Endurance pads, with a sterling job of keeping things neat and the left-right transitions encountered
compound W1 up front, and W5 taking tidy through the faster sections. midway through a lap of Spa. It’s a great
care of things at the rear. This change introduction, though, and you can see why
was implemented as much to improve SMOOTH AND PRECISE the M235i makes a terrific daily, with the
durability as performance – an entirely Given the ‘arrive and drive’ nature of this ability to play occasional track day tool,
understandable concession for a 320hp programme, it’s a sensible measure that straight out of the box.
coupé weighing the best part of 1,700kg doesn’t detract from the fun. With plenty But for the lack of rear seats – and the
with passengers and fuel. of encouragement from the instructor, Wiechers half-cage that takes their place –
It’s actually been a while since I last you find yourself driving as smoothly and the modified car would make an excellent
drove an M235i but, after a lap to bring precisely as possible, trying to extract as daily, too. But on track, the performance
everything up to temperature, I’m reminded much speed as you can without triggering orientated upgrades really came to
about just what a superb package the the systems. In fact, I can’t recall being the fore. Being turbocharged, the N55
M-performance 2 Series really is. Although encouraged to push harder on a track straight-six lends itself well to performance
I’d prefer a manual on track, the eight- event for a long time – the instructors enhancement, the DTE Systems
speed auto absolutely makes sense for a seemingly just as keen as I was to get the Powercontrol tuning box delivering a
car in the track rental market. It removes most out of my laps! welcome 370hp and 401lb ft – increases
any possibility of missed shifts, and allows The M235i proved to be an excellent of 48 and 69 respectively.
drivers to focus completely on perfecting foil for Spa; plenty of grunt down the
lines and getting a feel for the car. straights, a lovely benign chassis balance SUPERB PACKAGE!
Once the preserve of big barge limos, (even when I overcook the entry to Chassis-wise, the standard springs and
the quick response, instant lock-up and Bruxelles), and enough communication dampers make way for a KW Coilover
perfectly rev-matched downshifts, adeptly through the steering and seat to prove Clubsport two-way adjustable suspension
demonstrate just how good automatic an immersive and enjoyable ally at kit, with adjustable top mounts, BBS CH-R
gearboxes can be – I think it’s excellent! all other times. Being a road car, it 18in wheels and Michelin Pilot Super
As you’d expect, we’re running the cars naturally felt a little soft on the track, with Sport tyres. Everything works beautifully

It’s easy to see

why RSR has
become one of
the go-to outfits
in the world of
high-end track
experiences

46 BMWcar
 TRACK TEST
in unison, to give the chassis a level of
The DTE Systems Powercontrol
precision and response well beyond the tuning box fitted to the RSR-
standard car. RSR hasn’t gone all-out in modified M235i, delivers 370hp
terms of choosing the most aggressive and 401lb ft of torque; enough
to keep it ahead of the standard
set-up, so it’s still usable on the road
car on both track and road.
(important, given the road element of
the Standard vs Modified programme),
while retaining the pleasingly benign
characteristics of the standard car.
The modified car carries broadly the
same kerb weight as the standard model
– the stripped-out rear and lightweight
wheels being countered by the addition of
a roll cage, so any weight loss is marginal.
Of course, the wheels lose weight in a
critical area; the loss of unsprung mass
helping the KW suspension work even
more efficiently.
Combined with the new suspension and
tyres, the substantial power upgrade of the
modified car delivers a stark improvement
on track – Spa lap times typically see
an improvement in the region of 5-6
seconds. But the real story lies in just how
much more enjoyable the modified car
is to drive. Where some of the transient
corner combinations required a delicate
approach in the standard car, I can really
attack the direction changes here, knowing

I can’t recall being encouraged to

push harder on a track event for a long time
that the modified car will keep up. Spa rightly known as the race track that
Braking into slower corners feels much winds its way through the Eifel region,
more precise, stable on turn-in with less there are also some spectacular driving
lateral yaw, and a faithful response from roads to enjoy in the area as well. We
the front tyres. Through the high-speed head out nice and early to get some action
stuff – particularly the intimidating Pouhon photographs in the bag, before sampling
left-hander – that stability inspires the each car, back-to-back on the superb roads
confidence needed to push harder. south of Nürburg. These are all beautifully
surfaced and sprinkled with every corner
NO COMPROMISE radius you could want. They truly make for
With an emptying track, I’m really starting an excellent testing ground.
to find a rhythm, revelling in the modified Inevitably the modified car has less
car’s ability to be driven hard without opportunity to enforce its dynamic
compromise. It’s impossible to pick out advantage on the public roads, as
how much each component is contributing we’re less concerned about ultimate
individually but, as a demonstration of the pace. But the same traits that made
benefit of a well-thought-out package of it so encouraging on track, still make
complementary upgrades, it’s incredibly themselves felt during this session. As fun
instructive. as the standard M235i is, even at a brisk,
Six laps of Spa at this speed is plenty B-road pace, the sharper responses and
and, thanks to the excellent Race Navigator extra power make the tuned car a really
system fitted to each car, you can relive enjoyable coupé to punt.
The RSR-modified your laps from the day via USB videos, Impressively, the suspension set-up
M235i proved just as together with full telemetry. retains enough compliance to soak up
accomplished on the
road as it was while Having decamped to Nürburg for the whatever the admittedly well-surfaced
lapping Spa. next day’s road driving, I woke up to bright German roads throw at us. If anything,
sunshine and T-shirt temperatures. With the sharper damping keeps the car

JANUARY 2019 47
TRACK TEST
The modified car’s
rear seats have been
replaced with a
Wiechers half-cage.

You can see why the

M235i makes a terrific You just get on with attacking
bends, then powering out of them
daily, with the ability to
play occasional track
day tool, straight out
of the box. without a hint of traction loss

more composed, so you just get on with exactly what Ron Simons had in mind ensures hours of fun as you play at being
attacking bends, then powering out of when he conceived the programme. a data engineer, and compare your lap
them without a hint of traction loss. Looking at parts in isolation tells you very times and apex speeds!
little, but being able to sample them back- So I have no hesitation in
BRILLIANT TIME! to-back against a standard car, offers a wholeheartedly recommending the
And then, all too soon, it’s time for me to perfect demonstration of what is possible. RSRNurburg Standard vs Modified
give the keys back, which makes me very The €1,499 fee gives participants experience, and can’t wait to try the
sad indeed. It’s been a fantastic couple of access to one of the most enjoyable exciting new BMW programmes coming
days with RSR, and a particularly instructive driving experiences you can have on a for the 2019 season. l
one at Spa, where the advantages track, which truly deserves its legendary
provided by the modified car were status. It’s also important to appreciate that
abundantly clear. the package includes not just time in the FIND OUT MORE
So, if you’re considering updating your car, but excellent instruction, helmet hire There’s lots more information and event
own car there’s no better way to sample and a USB video of your laps from the details on the RSRNurburg website,
the benefits for yourself. Which is probably onboard Race Navigator system. The latter which you can find at: rsrnurburg.com

48 BMWcar
MARKET WATCH

SIX INTO FIVE DOES GO

Always the bridesmaid and never the bride? Not any longer because,
as Guy Baker explains, the E34 M5’s big day has finally arrived

T
he 1989-1995 E34 M5 is air away from the brakes to aid cooling. focused M5,” suggests Robert Redman,
an immensely accomplished Technically clever, but cosmetically less forecast editor at trade experts, Glass’s,
performance saloon, yet for appealing, they looked rather like wheel “And demand is strengthening for used
many years it’s been largely covers. M Sport sill covers plus front and examples. Just a few years ago, they cost
overlooked. Finely engineered rear bumpers were fitted, along with an M a couple of thousand pounds. Now values
and boasting a manual gearbox, a steering wheel, gear knob and instruments, are climbing, and entry into E34 M5
naturally-aspirated straight-six and a while popular options included leather ownership starts at around £12,000.”
limited-slip diff', it’s a car that appeals to upholstery and the Nürburgring pack – At this level, however, there’s a higher
the BMW purist, and values for the best- with upgraded dampers, Servotronic power risk of large ownership costs going
kept examples are now rising. steering, thicker anti-roll bars and wider forwards, through either maintenance or
Launched in 1989, BMW’s second- rear wheels and tyres. repair. “With this in mind, those seeking a
generation M5 was hand-assembled at The original, self-levelling suspension used example should look for examples
the Garching Motorsport plant, and was was replaced with switchable electronic with the best history and provenance,
originally fitted with a 311hp, 3,535cc dampers in 1992, and a LHD-only although this will cost you close to
straight-six engine, mated to a five-speed Touring version was also launched. The £20,000,” Robert confirms. This actually
manual transmission. A limited top speed M5’s original wheels were replaced with overlaps with later E39 M5 values, giving
of 155mph and a 0-60mph time of 6.3 five-spoke ‘throwing star’ alloys which, in some indication of just how well-regarded
seconds, gave it performance on a par 1994, were swapped with split-spoke 18in the older E34 car now is.
with contemporary sports cars. ‘M Parallel’ alloys. A six-speed transmission I really like the look of this Avus Blue
But owners wanted more and so, in arrived in 1995. 1994 3.8-litre car at Avantgarde classics
1991, the engine capacity was increased BMW also released four special editions (avantgardeclassics.co.uk). With a
to 3.8 litres, to produce 335hp at – the Cecotto, Winkelhock and 20-Jahre reasonable 123,900 miles on the clock, it’s
6,900rpm and 295lb ft of torque at Motorsport for the European market, and advertised for a hefty £27,500, but it’s a
4,750rpm. This 3,795cc straight-six now the 1995 M5 Limited Edition for the UK. mint-looking, right-hand-drive six-speeder.
enabled the M5 to top out at 166mph, Many of those original LHD cars have now It also boasts a grey Alcantara interior plus
and hit 60 in just 5.8 seconds. been bought by UK buyers. the factory Nürburgring package with a
The car’s spec was impressive too, with “With a manual gearbox, straight-six switchable adaptive M-Sport suspension,
unique, 17in black, five-spoke alloys fitted engine and relatively simple suspension, automatic air-conditioning, electric seats
with bolt-on covers designed to draw the E34 M5 is perhaps the most driver- with driver memory function, 18in

50 BMWcar
 MARKET WATCH
M-Parallel alloy wheels, an electric slide
and tilt sunroof, and its original Sony radio
with a 10-CD auto changer. Supplied new
by BMW Colchester on the 6th December,
1994, it also has a comprehensive history
file – with the original handbooks and a
full service record – and has had just four
former keepers.
Earlier 3.5-litre cars can be much
cheaper, like this Dark Blue, two-owner,
1989 3.5-litre F-plater I spotted at
Yorkshire specialist, Motor Hub (motor-
hub.co.uk). Another right-hand drive
example, the asking price is a mere
£12,989, and it’s covered a relatively low
122,000 miles, the last owner having it for
17 years. A Toad Cat 1 alarm is included,
as are an electric sunroof, black leather M
Sport electric heated seats, 18in M Sport
alloys and a folder containing the complete
service history and original book pack.
A lack of available UK, RHD cars has led Above: Earlier 3.5-litre cars
can be much cheaper, like
some enthusiasts to opt for LHD European this Dark Blue, two-owner,
examples instead, like a 1992 Calypso 1989 3.5-litre F-plater at
Red Metallic saloon I saw advertised for Yorkshire specialist, Motor
Hub (motor-hub.co.uk),
€24,950 at popular Dutch dealer, ER
advertised for £12,989.
Classics (erclassics.com). This car has
covered 189,000 kilometres, and comes Left: Even the early,
with an optional black leather interior, an 3.5-litre car’s interior
was comfortable and
electric sunroof, a full service record with decently equipped.
the original service books plus a factory
on-board telephone.
But wherever you decide to buy,
remember that the E34 M5 is a classic car,
so always pay for a specialist inspection
before parting with any serious cash.
Rust, suspension and steering issues can
prove very expensive to rectify, so always
buy the best example you can. Rust The self-levelling EDC suspension
can affect almost anywhere on the E34, set-up is also complicated, with failing
This Avus Blue 1994 3.8-litre
car is at Avantgarde classics especially the underside of the car, around accumulators or a knackered regulating
(avantgardeclassics.co.uk); it’s the jacking points, the wheel arches, the valve problematic, and the dampers
covered 123,900 miles and is bottom edges of the doors, the sills and and hydraulic lines can also leak.
advertised for £27,500.
the area around the fuel filler. Proper Refurbishment is your best option
maintenance is essential to ensure the here, as new units are few and far
engine’s longevity, and valve clearances between (replacing the system with
should be checked and adjusted – as an aftermarket alternative is not a
necessary – every year or 15,000 miles. straightforward option). l

I’m very grateful to Graham Beeson at Renaissance Classic Cars (renaissance-

classics.co.uk), the BMW Car Club of Great Britain (bmwcarclubgb.uk), British
Car Auctions (bca.com), Silverstone Auctions (silverstoneauctions.com),
bimmerforums.co.uk and Robert Redman at Glass’s Guide (glassbusiness.co.uk),
for their help with this feature

Recent M5 E34 Saloon (21989-1995) auction prices* BMW Car retail

Model Transmission Reg year Mileage Sale price price guide
BMW M5 E34 Saloon 5-speed man. 1991 110,000 £9,519
BMW M5 E34 Saloon 5-speed man. 1993 76,717 £14,950 Poor: Under £12,000
BMW M5 E34 Saloon 5-speed man. 1994 115,000 £9,940 Good: £12,000 to £18,000
BMW M5 E34 Saloon 5-speed man. 1994 175,000 £7,700 Excellent: £18,000+
BMW M5 E34 Saloon 5-speed man. 1994 157,000 £8,360 Special editions: Low-mileage,
BMW M5 E34 Saloon 6-speed man. 1995 148,000 £13,219 limited-edition models (and
*Sale prices of good-condition examples sold recently at Silverstone LHD Touring) can fetch well
Auctions (silverstoneauctions.com) and Classic Car Auctions over £30,000
(classiccarauctions.co.uk)

JANUARY 2019 51
ELECTRIC CONVERSION

Electric
Conversion
Chris Graham samples a
very different E9 3.0 CSi; one
that’s undergone a unique
and fascinating conversion

N
obody can have escaped the PRACTICAL ALTERNATIVE surprisingly, Richard begs to differ!
emergence of electric power However, for those wanting a car for His background combines a career in
in the modern car market. It’s short-journey use, or stop/start city work the energy industry and a life-long passion
been greeted with everything where overall range isn’t so much of for classic cars. “I’ve been involved with
from excitement and relief an issue, electric power is becoming an classic cars since I was 16,” he told me as
among the ‘early adopters’, to horror increasingly attractive and practical option. we sat drinking coffee in his warm kitchen
and aggressive ridicule from dyed-in-the- Interestingly, a similar option now exists on a grey and drizzly November morning.
wool petrolheads. But the large mass of for those enthusiasts looking for a more “I’m 45 now and have always owned cars
motorists in the centre has yet to react classic twist to their electric car motoring that are older than me. My first car was a
either way. As is so often the case with the needs, thanks to the ground-breaking work VW Beetle and keeping that on the road
public majority, significant action is unlikely being done by Richard Morgan, who runs taught me the mechanical basics.”
to be seen until it’s triggered by legislation a company called Electric Classic Cars
and/or financial incentive. (electricclassiccars.co.uk). MINOR MODS
As things stand, today’s electric vehicles Tucked away in the beautiful mid-Wales “Then I started modifying it and lowering
are very much at the cutting edge of countryside, Richard and his team have the suspension, and my interest started
technology, with models such as BMW’s been designing and producing electrified to broaden into improving other classics;
innovative i3 marrying state-of-the-art classic cars for three years, and business making them look and handle better. As
construction and design techniques, with is booming. But what drew us to this soon as I was old enough, I got involved in
the latest in battery and electric motor company was the fact that one of its most historic motorsports, and tried everything
tech. But vehicle range and the still limited recent conversions has been made to a from drag racing and hill climbs to circuit
charging infrastructure remain the two 1975 E9 BMW 3.0 CSi coupé. racing and rallying; I took part in the British
primary pinch points for most potential Now, I’m sure there will be some Historic Rally Championship for seven years,
buyers who might be considering an among you who simply can’t imagine driving a classic Porsche 914. But once
electric car as their next daily driver. why anybody would ever want to remove my young family came along I thought the
So, with big question marks still hanging this model’s fuel-injected, straight-six, responsible thing to do was to give up the
over the practical use of electric cars as 200hp engine, and replace it with an rallying, which left me with a lot of time for
go-anywhere, everyday vehicles, there’s electric motor. Surely the petrol engine is pottering around in the workshop.”
evidently a way to go yet before motorists at the very heart of the car and, without it, It was at this point that Richard’s interest
large are going to feel completely confident you’re left with a characterless shadow of in electric cars started to develop. “A
about switching away from fossil fuel. a once vibrant and glorious car. Well, not friend showed me a YouTube video of an
Richard Morgan wants his
electric conversions to draw
more people into classic cars
because he makes them easier
to live with than ever before.

52 BMWcar
 ELECTRIC CONVERSION
electrified Beetle in America, and I was
hooked. I reckoned that with my electrical
industry background and practical workshop
skills, I’d be able to have a crack at doing
my own, and that’s exactly what I did.
“That first Beetle was an evenings and
weekends project and it took me six
months to complete the conversion. In
practice, it was quite a simple exercise and
the conversion worked well, producing
a car with decent performance and a
practical, real-world driving range of about
60 miles,” Richard told me.
“Not long after it was finished, somebody
stopped me in the car park at our local
Tesco, asked me about the car and then
offered to buy it. Well, that set me thinking.
“I knew that with what I’d learned from
the first conversion, I could do a better job
with a second one, and the funds from the
sale allowed me to do just that. That was
three years ago, and I spent more money
on the important components, buying
better battery technology and a superior
electric motor. The first Beetle relied on
prismatic battery cells which, as well as
being the size of bricks, don’t have a great
energy density, which limits both storage
and output potential.”

BETTER BATTERIES
“In comparison, Tesla batteries are
physically smaller and have a better
power density, so I went with those
(sourced from written-off Tesla vehicles) The car’s charging port is hidden behind the
as they’re just about as good as you can original fuel filler flap. Plugged into a 13A
get, at the moment. I also opted for a domestic supply, it’ll take 22 hours to charge
brushless, AC motor instead of a DC unit from empty to full. However, most electric car
owners use dedicated wall pods at home,
because it offered zero maintenance and which run at 7kW and will fill this 54kW
regenerative braking. And now, here we battery pack in just over seven hours.
are running as an established classic car

Surely the petrol engine is the very heart

of the car and, without it, you’re left with
a characterless shadow
conversion business, with the order books times the power output of whatever was
looking healthy.” originally fitted in a car; I’ve been there
But before we got into the detail of the and done that. I also know, only too well,
E9 conversion, I was interested to find the input that’s needed to keep those
out Richard’s own attitude towards electric engines in tune and running reliably,
vehicles, and the conversions he’s now and the painstaking hours that have to
making to classic cars. “I’m a complete be devoted to routinely stripping and
electric vehicle convert now,” he explained, rebuilding them. So to suddenly have
“which is quite a turnaround given that I’d all that swept aside by the simplicity,
been an enthusiastic petrolhead all my life. efficiency and inherent reliability of an
My epiphany moment came when I drove electric motor, was staggering.”
that first VW Beetle I’d converted. Within a
few seconds of switching on and pressing GAME-CHANGER
the accelerator, I’d been blown away by “Installing a physically small electric
the simple, pure performance. It was a motor that can power any classic car
revelation, especially compared to how the more effectively than its original petrol
car had been with its original motor. engine, was a complete game-changer
“Now, I fully appreciate the time, effort for me. The fact that there are no messy
and expertise it takes to build a racing oil changes to do, filters to be changed,
engine that produces perhaps two or three distributors to be fiddled with or

JANUARY 2019 53
ELECTRIC CONVERSION
There’s no access to the
of calculating the number of batteries
battery packs in this car;
they have to be securely needed to power that motor and provide
protected for health and the necessary range. Once I knew the size
safety reasons. of the battery pack, I could start thinking
about how to site them.”
Richard calculated that a 54Kw/h battery
pack would be perfectly adequate in this
case, and that this could be split in two,
with half in the boot (occupying the space
in the spare wheel well and that previously
occupied by the petrol tank), and half under
the bonnet, close to the electric motor.
He explained to me that one of the
primary aims with his conversions is
always to enhance the vehicle’s handling
by not only achieving a desirable 50/50
weight distribution between the front
and rear of the car, but also by using the
battery packs and motor to lower the car’s
centre of gravity.
In another measure intended to
minimise the level of change to the E9’s
structure, Richard decided to mount the
electric motor at the front of the car,
and to bolt it directly to the car’s original
gearbox. “Having the motor’s power run
through the original gearbox is a neat
solution that allows the back end to
remain unchanged. The motor is fitted
with a clutch operated by the original
pedal in the footwell, and it’s still possible
for the driver to use all the gears in the
exhaust systems to be repaired, is just an HAVE YOU TRIED IT? conventional way.
added bonus! “Of course there are the critics – especially “This car was the first BMW E9 that
“Then, of course, there’s the fact that on social media – and I accept their point we’ve tackled and there’s always a certain
these motors are clean and green – of view. I think if I wasn’t where I am now, amount of heading off into the unknown
there’s no pollution. It’s a complete I’d be feeling the same as they do about with any conversion, until you have the
win-win situation in my view, with the what I’m doing. But, until you’ve tried one vehicle stripped and measured-up in the
added benefit that the cars we convert of our products, you don’t know what workshop. In this case, though, by far the
handle immeasurably better than they you’re missing!” biggest aspect of the conversion was the
ever did originally.” Richard was also keen to point out bodyshell restoration.”
So, it’s clear that Richard is utterly that the conversion work he does is all
convinced by the electrification concept very sympathetic, and as non-invasive
but, surely, with a car’s engine being as possible. “I think what a lot of people
such an integral part of its character, forget is that the only thing I’m replacing is Within a few seconds
he must miss that aspect of the driving
experience? “I thought I would miss the
the engine. We’re not cutting chunks out
of the bodywork or altering the chassis, of switching on and
noise of an internal combustion engine,”
he told me with a smile, “and the
and virtually everything we do is easily
reversible. We simply replace a dirty,
pressing the accelerator,
changing exhaust note while driving, but petrol-burning engine with a clean and I’d been blown away
I’ve realised that I simply don’t. typically more powerful, electric one.
“I just find it so much better to be able “With regard to the CSi,” Richard told by the simple, pure
to drive along and listen to the birds
singing instead. The other important fact
me, “the first thing we did was to have a
long chat with the owner about exactly performance
is that it’s so much easier to drive an what he wanted from the conversion, in
electric car; far less stressful and so much terms of looks and performance. Then we
more enjoyable. had to decide on the size of the electric
“In fact, the whole process has motor needed; I usually ask customers
renewed my interest in classics cars, whether they want a good amount of
and that’s not something I expected to power, or a silly amount of power! In this
happen. After being so involved with case, the answer was the former, which
restoring, driving, racing and rallying them I was pleased about, given the style and
for 30-odd years, the constant fettling nature of the E9.”
they required, and the uncertainty that
using them brings, does start to wear you PLENTY OF POWER
down. But the simplicity of what can be “The output of the electric motor was
created with a good electric conversion specified at just above the car’s original
sweeps all that negativity aside.” 200hp, and then it was simply a case

54 BMWcar
 ELECTRIC CONVERSION

Left: This is the diminutive electric motor that now powers the E9. It weighs 68kg and is just 20in in
length. Right: The front battery pack being test-fitted in the restored but unpainted bodyshell.

RESTORATION SAGA than the original engine. Apart from that, electric version is no exception. Richard’s
“With the car having been off the road everything was left as standard, with all done a superb job with the complex,
for at least the past 30 years, and various components being stripped, cleaned and bodywork restoration, and I was pleased
efforts made at restoration during that time, powder-coated as part of the renovation to see how little had been changed inside
there was a lot to be sorted out before process. We fitted replacement bushes the car. Apart from a small instrument
we were happy to start thinking about a and springs, while the braking system panel with battery condition and motor-
respray. In fact, the whole project has taken was completely overhauled with new, but related gauges and a discrete radio that
us over a year to complete. The car arrived standard spec, parts. now blanks off part of the oddments tray
with us in quite a state; with plenty of rust “Externally, the only changes made ahead of the gear lever, the rest of the
on show and the stripped interior jumbled include the loss of the front bumper (I interior appears as standard.
together in 20 cardboard boxes! think it spoils the lines), the fitting of a Turning the ignition key switches the car
“So, getting the car back on the road front chin spoiler (for a slightly more on but, apart from a few LEDs blinking into
was by far the biggest challenge for aggressive look), and replacing the rear life, nothing else happens. It’s then simply
us,” Richard said. “Electrifying it was the bumper with a cleaner-looking version a matter of selecting 3rd gear and pressing
easy bit, by comparison. Sourcing parts, from a 2000CS (supplied by a company the accelerator to move off; that’s it.
both here and from the USA, was a in Vietnam!). We also chromed the front Of course, the silence of the departure
constant struggle. Some bits were simply wing side vents, added clear lenses to the is eerie, as is the way the speed builds
unobtainable, and so we ended up having front indicators, and fitted a set of BBS so effortlessly. But with the Welsh roads
to fabricate those ourselves. alloy wheels.” slippery with drizzle and dead leaves, and
“The only change to the running the excited new owner due to collect his
gear we made was to lower the front WHAT’S IT LIKE? new pride and joy the following morning,
suspension, to compensate for the electric If there’s one thing that the E9 coupés there was no way I was taking any risks.
motor and front battery pack being lighter always had, it’s road presence, and this I had my kid gloves on and contented
At the back of the car,
eagle-eyed observers
might notice the lack of
an exhaust tailpipe, but
that’s the only clue about
what lies beneath. The
car weighs just 50kg more
than the original.

JANUARY 2019 55
ELECTRIC CONVERSION
The ‘instant torque’ characteristics of Top to bottom: The interior woodwork was
the electric motor mean that you can pull brought back to life by a classic boat restoration
away from rest in third gear and then, at specialist • The rear seats are resplendent in
about 60mph, change straight to fifth; new black leather • This panel, housing the
those are the only two forward gears you battery and motor gauges plus the radio, is the
need to use in this beautifully converted, only non-standard fixture inside the car.
mid-1970s ‘3.0’ CSi.

Outwardly it retains all the visual appeal and

clean-lined excitement of a 1970s E9 coupé but,
under the bonnet, there beats a new kind of heart

myself with a very leisurely, 15-minute This car has a realistic driving range of
dawdle. Nevertheless, this was enough 160 miles, and might even touch 180
to tell me that this is an interesting if driven carefully. But the instant torque
and engaging car. Despite its high- characteristics of the electric motor are
tech powerplant, it retains the feel and addictive and, unlike a petrol-powered
satisfying ambience of a 1970s classic; the engine where there’s some ‘wind-up’ time
character of the car is still present. as the power builds, an electric motor
delivers its full power instantly, regardless
INCREDIBLY PLANTED of the speed it’s spinning at. So I think
But, at the same time, it feels incredibly that driving it carefully would demand a
planted and more sure-footed than a massive amount of self-control!
standard CSi. The brakes retain a credibly I can’t imagine what the combined
period feel, and the wind noise leaking in restoration and electrification of this car
around the frameless door glass is as it cost, given the time and expertise that’s
should be. But, without a big six purring been lavished on the project over the past
away under the bonnet, your senses 12 months. However, Richard did mention
quickly become more attuned to wind the car’s recent, independent insurance
whistle, tyre roar, the odd rattle and the valuation to me, and it’s been set at a
creaking of new leather. It’s a strange figure that would raise many an eyebrow.
driving experience and one that feels But what the new owner will be buying
so different from what your brain thinks is a unique vehicle which, in its way, is as
should be happening. cutting-edge as the i3. It’s a beautiful-looking,
I wish I’d had more time – and a sunny 43-year-old classic coupé that can be
day – to really get to know this electric E9, driven and enjoyed in ways that its original
and to develop more of a feel for its road designers could never have imagined.
manners. But, even after my short time in Outwardly it retains all the visual appeal
the car, I could appreciate Richard’s point and clean-lined excitement of a 1970s E9
of view. Electrification does bring a new but, under the bonnet, there beats a new
dimension to classic car motoring, and kind of heart; one that’s clean, green and
would certainly simplify the ownership healthy, and which is capable of delivering
proposition of one of these cars. a driving experience to savour. l

56 BMWcar
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M5 BARGAINS

Blasts
past
from the
Shane O’ Donoghue gets to
sample E39 and E60 M5s
back-to-back, to assess how
these performance icons
have stood the test of time

With V8 and V10 engines

under their bonnets,
power delivery doesn’t get
much more exciting than
what’s offered by the E39
and E60 M5s.

58 BMWcar
 M5 BARGAINS

I
f you cast your mind back to the July predecessor, especially when finished in
2018 issue of this magazine, you’ll the Avus Blue metallic paint of our test car.
remember I started an occasional series This vehicle was registered in 1999, and
in which I was able to drive and compare has been in BMW’s collection ever since.
various M5 models, all prompted by the The bodywork is pleasingly smooth
launch of the current F90 M5. and free from much in the way of
In that first instalment, I talked through additional adornment, save for the tiniest
the almost skunkworks-like origin of the of integrated boot spoilers at the back
sports saloon in E28 form, and how that (which buyers could delete for no cost
car still engages, although it doesn’t feel when ordering). There are the subtlest of
at all fast anymore. Then we looked at the M5 badges on each of the front doors and
M5’s evolution into a mainstream product, another on the back though, once again,
in its second generation E34 guise, which buyers could opt not to have these.
even sired a ‘sensible’ Touring estate. Looking deeper into the design, it turns
Although the Touring has never been a out that the kidney grilles up front are
major part of the M5 offering, that E34 larger on the M5 than on the regular 5
certainly can be credited with defining the Series of the day, while the front and
template for the M5 ever since. rear bumpers are unique, too. Obviously,
the most dependable visual cue is the
SUBTLE POWER presence of four exhaust outlets, though all
Now it’s time to grab the keys to the third E39 M5s got clear indicator covers as well.
generation, the E39 M5. If anything, this I’ve saved the best until last, however, as
model is even more subtle looking than its the M5 also featured the simply gorgeous

JANUARY 2019 59
M5 BARGAINS
‘M Parallel Spoke II’ alloy wheels; 18in
rims with a smoky finish that still look
fabulous today. They’re shod with
Dunlop SP Sport 8080 tyres on this
BMW Classic example, measuring
245/40 up front and 275/35 on the
back (on wheels that are eight and
9.5in wide, respectively).

V8 PERFORMANCE
When you start the engine you’ll
instantly be glad of that extra rubber
at the back. For this M5, BMW shifted
away from straight-six power, to a
naturally-aspirated V8, codenamed
S62. Based on the 4.4-litre V8 used in
the E39 540i, BMW M made extensive
modifications, increasing the bore,
Things look decidedly stroke and compression ratio for a start.
more modern inside Along with the dimension changes
the E60 M5.
and further strengthening, oil-cooled
pistons were fitted, as was an uprated
oil supply system, hollow camshafts,
The E60 M5 marked
VANOS continuously-variable valve
the start of BMW M’s
For the E39 M5, BMW
strategy to allow drivers
shifted away from straight-
to customise their cars’
six power, to a 400hp,
settings to their liking
naturally-aspirated V8,
and the situation.
codenamed S62.

The E39 M5’s interior highlights

include electrically-adjusted and
heated M sport seats, an alloy foot
rest, unique instruments and an
illuminated gear shifter.

60 BMWcar
 M5 BARGAINS
timing on both the intake and exhaust, cabin that is restrained in the extreme. and predictably through the corners and,
plus an upgraded cooling system. Finally, There were a few different upholstery what’s more, it proves to be remarkably
a Siemens MSS 52 Motronic digital and colour options for the interior, but supple over undulations and poor surfaces
engine control system was drafted in, and all were relatively sombre. Highlights – a truly excellent all-rounder.
individual, electronically-controlled, throttle include electrically-adjusted and heated The E39 M5’s suspension featured
bodies were fitted for each cylinder. The M sport seats, an alloy foot rest, unique lots of detail changes from the standard
numbers tell you this engine produces instruments and an illuminated gear car’s, but nothing too drastic. Notable
400hp at 6,600rpm and 369lb ft at shifter. The button designs and graphics differences included a modest drop in
3,800rpm, but they can’t convey how in the digital part of the instrumentation height, firmer springs and dampers, thicker
rousing this engine sounds on the move, look out of date today (as does the brick- anti-roll bars, bespoke front wheel bearings
through its free-flowing exhaust. like integrated phone), but the clocks are and steel ball joints instead of rubber rear
At lower speeds, it rumbles along crystal-clear and everything feels solidly suspension bushings.
smoothly and doesn’t intrude when you’re put together. The recirculating ball power steering
cruising on the motorway. But find an open system was reinforced and made a
road and use the full, long travel of the ONLY 4,000 MILES! little more direct, too, and it features
accelerator pedal, and it really lets loose, Indeed, the test car is like new, with Servotronic, altering the assistance
coming noticeably alive at about 4,000rpm, not much more than 4,000 miles on between two levels depending on speed
emitting an unmistakable V8 roar that’s the odometer. That shows in the way or if you’ve got the Sport button pressed.
overlaid with quite a mechanical cacophony. the chunky six-speed manual lever That also adjusts throttle response, and
The two sounds combine to make a very moves between ratios and in the way it’s particularly keen in its sportiest setting.
serious-sounding noise indeed. the dampers crisply deal with body Surely nobody needs more performance
The car may look subtle but, once you movements; there’s no floppiness in this than this car delivers; a perfect blend of
hear it in action, you’ll be in no doubt car’s chassis; a shortfall that often betrays a response, flexibility and usability?
it’s the real thing. And that’s despite a classic car’s age. Instead, it moves fluently But engineers at BMW M don’t think like

‘M Parallel Spoke II’ alloy wheels;

18in rims with a smoky finish
that still look fabulous today

JANUARY 2019 61
M5 BARGAINS
The E39 M5’s suspension
featured lots of detail
changes from the standard
car’s, but nothing too drastic.

The car may look subtle but, once you hear it in The E60 M5 pushed the

action, you’ll be in no doubt it’s the real thing performance bar even
higher, with a screaming
V10 producing 507hp!

that. Why else would they decide that the over the car’s attitude through a corner,
next iteration of the M5, the E60 variant, before the electronic nannies intervened.
needed a stonking great V10 engine, with The test car may be one of several
some 25% improvement in performance? E60 M5s that BMW Classic has on its
Of course, the high-revving V10 concept books (and it was specifically bought by
was straight out of Formula One (though the division to allow people to drive it),
it shares no components with actual race but I didn’t intend to trouble the DSC.
cars), and it set the theme for the E60 M5, Saying that, it didn’t take long behind the
which also got a sophisticated paddle-shift wheel to become intoxicated by this car’s
gearbox for the first time, with no fewer performance.
than 11 different modes of operation, plus The 5.0-litre V10 (a blank sheet design
a variable locking rear differential. designated ‘S85 B50’) is visceral and
aggressive, and I’d forgotten just how
DRIVER CONTROL melodious a tune it sang at low revs
The tech-fest didn’t end there, though, as well as in the mid-range. It truly is a
as this M5 marked the start of BMW M’s special engine, even if its bespoke and
strategy to allow drivers to customise highly-strung nature does mean incredibly
their cars’ settings to their liking and the high running costs. But I trust that owners
situation. The Electronic Damper Control agree with me that it’s worth every penny
(EDC) button allowed three levels of just to hear it strung out to that 8,250rpm
damping, the Power button switched rev limiter! No fewer than three, 32-bit
the car from the default 400hp mode processors were required to enable its
to release the full 507hp (and throttle wide band of operating conditions, along
response could be further sharpened by with advanced ion-current tech that allows
programming the M button on the steering running maximum spark advance without
wheel). In addition, the new Dynamic running into knock issues.
Stability Control (DSC) system came with
a mid-level M Dynamic Mode (MDM), to AGEING ‘BOX
allow keen drivers to have more control While time has been kind to the

62 BMWcar
 M5 BARGAINS
engine itself (it stands out in a world wonderfully detailed and dished when you almost appears as an afterthought, though
of turbocharging as something truly inspect them, but there were similar alloys that’s required to customise which settings
memorable), transmission development available at the same time for the regular you’d like to store in the M button on the
has moved on considerably from the 5 Series, so it can be quite difficult, even steering wheel.
Sequential Manual Gearbox (SMG) fitted today, to spot the M5 model. What may not be immediately
to the E60 M5 – and this one has some That continues the trend for subtle obvious are the active seat bolsters that
40,000 miles under its belt. This is the visual upgrades. The unique M5 ‘gills’ aft automatically move to hold you in place
third generation of the SMG concept, using of the front wheels give the game away, of during cornering. I remember thinking
a robotised clutch, but it shares nothing course, as do the obligatory quad exhaust these were a bit of a gimmick when
with the previous iterations of the gearbox. outlets. But when you take a closer look, driving the car at its launch back in 2005,
Though it was some 20% faster at you’ll realise and their
changing gear than the previous SMG, its
age is showing now. Compared with the
that the front
end is all-
This M5 marked the start of BMW operation
hasn’t aged
latest dual-clutch units, or even just well- new (the test M’s strategy to allow drivers to well, distracting
developed torque converter automatics, car features you from
it feels surprisingly slow-witted, leaving non-standard customise their cars’ settings the driving
chasms of time between gears. That’s even black kidney experience
the case in the most extreme of the 11 grille surrounds, which we’re told will be rather than enhancing it. Thankfully they
settings. It’s better going down through the replaced by the chrome bits in time), with can be switched off.
seven ratios than up but, even so, it dates larger air intakes and wider wings. The rear While the E60 M5 is far from perfect, it’s
the car. Only North American markets bumper houses an aerodynamic diffuser perhaps the most interesting generation of
received a manual gearbox option. as well, and there’s a slender boot spoiler. the nameplate, as BMW M no doubt spent
Regardless, this M5 is still great fun to But, even so, the E60 M5 isn’t always a heinous amount of money developing a
drive. I was advised that the test car sits immediately discernible as just that. car packed with several bespoke high-tech
lower than standard, as BMW Classic hasn’t components that more than justified a
had a chance to change it back following SPORTY INTERIOR marketing link with motorsport.
its purchase from a private owner. But, Inside, it’s more obvious, thanks to lots of It also signals the last naturally-aspirated
even so, the E60 rides remarkably well on M badges, a sporty three-spoke steering engine in an M5 and, for that V10 alone,
its 19in wheels. As with its predecessor, wheel and the distinctive stubby SMG it will go down in history as a landmark
there are mixed tyre sizes front and rear lever in the centre console. That’s flanked car. Sure, its successors have moved the
but, unlike the standard E60 BMW 5 by big buttons for Power, EDC and DSC, sports saloon game on considerably since,
Series, the M5 didn’t get run-flat tyres. The plus the Drivelogic toggle behind, to alter but that doesn’t make the E60 obsolete,
wheels, simply called ‘Style 166M’, are the transmission settings. The iDrive rotary that’s for sure. l

Classic M5 tech specs

1999 BMW M5 (E39) 2005 BMW M5 (E60)
Engine: V8 V10
Displacement: 4,941cc 4,999cc
Power: 400hp at 6,600rpm 507hp at 7,750rpm
Top speed: 155mph 155mph
0-62mph: 5.3 seconds 4.7 seconds
Unladen weight: 1,795kg 1,830kg
Gearbox: Six-speed, manual Seven-speed SMG III

JANUARY 2019 63
 Workshop
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66 E46 handbrake
overhaul
Is your E46's handbrake next to useless?

Valeting bay
It’s a kind of magic! Chris Graham enjoys the rare chance of seeing
Well, it probably needs a pair of new
discs and shoes but, as Andrew Everett
explains, the job does involve some
a magician at work, repairing a dented panel on a car, paintlessly! tricky spannering

86

78 90
Our cars Bargain misfire fix Trouble-shooter
More ups and downs among the home If you've got a BMW that's fitted with an E31 8 Series: Andrew Everett provides
fleet, with contributions from Bob, Elliott N43 2.0-litre petrol engine that's playing-up his top 10 tips for those interested
and Chris, this month then, as Andrew Everett explains, it in buying, running and repairing this
needn't always be expensive to sort out complicated but desirable model

64 BMWcar
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VALETING BAY

T
here can be few things that
are more infuriating for the
car-proud motoring enthusiast,
than discovering a fresh dent in
the side of their pride and joy.
Whether it’s been inflicted by a careless
parker or trolley-pusher at the supermarket,
or a youngster on a wobbly bike, the end
result is the same – an irritating eyesore.
Putting such damage right has traditionally
involved a trip to the bodyshop, especially in
more recent times. The advent of modern,
two-pack paint finishes, as well as the
increasing use of complex and subtle metallic
and pearlescent colours, have removed the
prospect of a DIY spray job completely.

TOUGH MATCH
But the trouble now is that even well-
equipped and experienced bodyshops are
finding it increasingly difficult to match the
factory paint finishes achieved by the vehicle
manufacturers. The investment made by
the likes of BMW in state-of-the-art, robotic
paint application machines results in levels
of consistency that are all but impossible to
replicate.
With the paint-nozzle-to-panel distance
kept millimetre-perfect all over the vehicle,
and the paint being applied at unwavering
pressure under absolutely ideal booth
conditions, the final finish and colour
consistency have never been more perfect.
Many BMW dealerships don’t even operate
their own paint facilities nowadays, preferring
to farm-out the work to local bodyshops
instead. The quality of these inevitably varies,
as does the final finish they achieve.
While most should be perfectly able to
achieve a good colour match when using
straight, flat colours, the situation can be a
good deal more unpredictable with modern
metallics. The subtlety of these colours has
a lot to do with the speed at which the paint
is dried. The longer this takes, the more time
the flakes will have to settle and sink into
the paint layer, and their depth will have a
significant effect on the finished colour.
Unless a bodyshop is able to replicate
the exact paint drying process undertaken at
the factory, then it’s unlikely that an accurate
colour match will be possible. It’s for this
reason that even with a relatively minor dent
in just one door, a bodyshop might advise
Jon Taylor is a that the whole side of the car will need
Dent Devils master to resprayed to avoid an obvious original/
technician, and
plies his trade over
new paint comparison. I even heard of a
much of the south- case recently where one, smallish dent in
east of England. the front wing of an M3 30 Jahre Edition

66 BMWcar
 VALETING BAY

Chris Graham enjoys the rare chance of

seeing a magician at work, repairing a
dented panel on a car, paintlessly!
finished in Frozen Silver Metallic paint, for main dealerships, on their used car Modern paint finishes are tough and well
required a complete respray as part sales vehicles. Nowadays, though, I applied, so it’s quite often the case that the
of the repair process! specialise in repairs to high-end, privately sort of car park-type damage we’ve been
owned vehicles; I much prefer working talking about, can occur without breaching
ORIGINAL CHOICE for discerning owners who appreciate the paint covering. But if it has been
So, hopefully after reading all this, you my efforts, rather than the trade where damaged, then a skilled technician like
should now be coming to realise that opting everyone works to a price, rather than a Jon will be able to produce what’s called a
to have new paint applied to your cherished quality of finish. ‘push to paint’ service which, as the name
car should always be regarded as a last Dent Devils, having been formed in 1995, suggests, will restore the damaged panel
resort. It’s important – both in financial now runs on a franchise basis, and provides to a ‘ready to paint’ condition. This will
and originality terms – to explore all other industry-leading training and support avoid the need for the use of filler, which
options before entrusting a precious BMW to its franchisees. “It is possible to get can become visible over time as it shrinks
to a bodyshop. Top of your list of alternatives independent training, but most courses I’ve and settles. Modern body fillers are so soft
ought to be the paintless dent repair; an come across run for about six weeks,” Jon to make them faster and easier to work
amazing technique which, when done well, explained. “But the Dent Devils training takes with, but this can lead to issues down the
will leave no trace of the panel damage and three months, and is the longest and most line. Nevertheless, respray work will still be
your car in pristine, original condition. comprehensive in the industry. It’s a full-time required, with all the potential problems
As always, paintless dent repairs are course run at the company’s head office already mentioned.
only ever as good as the technician who in Colchester. All applicants are carefully
performed the work so, for some expert assessed before the course begins, with HOW DIFFICULT?
guidance into what’s involved in this exacting particular emphasis being placed on hand/ The easiest areas in which localised repairs
process, we went straight to one of the eye co-ordination skills. If these are found to can be made are those where there’s access
leading and best-respected specialists in the be wanting, then applicants are advised that to the rear of the panel, allowing pressure
UK, Dent Devils (dentdevils.co.uk, the course probably isn’t for them.” to be applied directly to the damaged area.
tel: 0800 458 6700). However, there are lots of areas on modern
Jon Taylor is a Dent Devils master ESSENTIAL SKILLS cars where the bodyshell is double- or
technician with 17 years of experience “One of the most essential skills that comes triple-skinned, which can make it impossible
behind him, so there isn’t much he doesn’t with experience is the ability to judge what to gain direct access to the rear of the
know about the technique. He kindly agreed is repairable and what isn’t,” Jon continued. damaged section. In such instances, the
to meet me at Marells Detailing’s premises, “This is important from a business point repair will have to be dealt with from the
and to demonstrate his skills by repairing view, as Dent Devil technicians generally front, using a technique called glue-pulling.
a couple of dings on an E91 330i which work on a ‘no win, no fee’ basis. So, if it’s As Jon explained: “This involves using
happened to be booked in for some of discovered that a satisfactory repair can’t hot glue to stick a tab to the centre of the
Mark Farrell’s expert attention at the time. be made, then no fee will be charged, dent, then attaching a puller to the tab
regardless of the time that might have been so that the damage can be pulled out.
LOW AWARENESS spent getting to that point. Inevitably, though, this results in a slightly
Chatting with Jon, the first point he made was “The business has grown a lot here in the proud panel surface, which then has to be
that the motoring public’s awareness of the UK in recent years, with techniques and the skillfully tapped back into shape to complete
paintless dent removal technique remains at equipment used being refined all the time. the repair. A classic example of when this
a pretty low level. “Most people still imagine The internet has made a big difference in method might be needed is the sort of roof
that dent correction must be tackled by the way techniques and experiences are damage that can be created in a hail storm.”
their nearest dealership or local bodyshop,” shared among dent repairers around the Over-pulling is the big risk with this
Jon explained, “and, because of the often world. Much of the progress made here technique, which is where the experience
considerable cost involved in that, lots of results from what’s been learned from the of the operator is so important. Going too
owners choose to live with the damage. American market. But there’s also a lot of far will stretch the metal and, once that
“Unfortunately, this business also suffers interesting expertise now coming out of mistake’s been made, it’s unlikely it’ll ever
to an extent from cowboy operators who Eastern Europe. Before the fall of the Berlin be recoverable. Another risk is that the paint
set themselves up as specialist repairers, Wall, those in Eastern Block countries had to can be damaged if the metal is tapped back
but are often poorly equipped and usually become ingenious with their repairs simply over-enthusiastically, or the wrong knock-
inadequately trained. Consequently, the because new panels were in short supply down tools are used.
results they achieve are typically sub- and unfeasibly expensive.” However, the first example Jon tackled
standard and very much governed by price.” Of course, there are limits to what even on the 330i was a small dent on the
Jon, on the other hand, is something of a the best paintless dent repair technician driver’s door. He assessed it carefully from
perfectionist and always sets himself the can tackle, and one of the determining the front, establishing that there were two
target of achieving a 100% repair – he factors is whether or not the paint layer distinct impact points, and then inspected it
prides himself on leaving the original has been broken or not. These techniques from the rear. By lowering the window and
damage undetectable once he’s finished. are designed to be used in cases where moving the rubbers aside using a wedge
“When I started in the business, the the paint remains intact, despite the or an inflatable airbag, a torch can be used
majority of my time was spent working deformation of the metal panel beneath it. to illuminate what’s behind. In this case,

JANUARY 2019 67
VALETING BAY
Jon found a strengthening bar running make the work look so easy. is more difficult to work with than steel).
across the inside of the door, plus sound- But, as Jon explained: “The striped light is “The amount of component stripping
deadening pads stuck to the door skin, but actually quite a recent innovation. It wasn’t that may be required will also be
neither was close to the damaged area. too long ago that all we had to work with factored-in where necessary, and all of this
was ambient light and the reflection of a is done in the presence of the customer,
GENTLY DOES IT! light-coloured piece of board with a line so that the charging process is completely
The repair process itself involves the gradual drawn on it! That made life much more transparent. As a guide, the first example
and systematic application of pressure from difficult; the lights we have now allow for shown in the photographs here would cost
behind the panel, using long-handled metal much greater clarity and precision.” about £160 (plus VAT) to repair, and the
rods with smooth, contoured tips. It’s a slow Finally, I wanted to get an idea about work could be carried out at the owner’s
process which Jon describes as ‘massaging pricing, and how Dent Devils charges for the house in about 30 minutes.”
the metal’. “The worst thing you can do is work it does. After all, with such a variation in Seeing Jon work, and watching the
rush the process and/or apply too much damage types – and the time it takes to put damage disappear as he worked it from
pressure, too quickly. The metal must be things right – how’s it possible to calculate a behind, was little short of wondrous. I came
massaged slowly and with great caution and fee structure? away from our meeting with a much greater
every dent will be individual in the way it “Dent Devils pricing is based on an app appreciation of exactly what’s involved in
needs to be tackled. It’s all about relieving nowadays,” Jon explained, “which accounts paintless dent removal and, perhaps more
the stresses that have been put into the for various factors such as the size of the importantly, why it’s so important to use
metal by the impact, and tackling the various dent, the orientation of the crease (horizontal an expert service provider like Dent Devils,
stages in the correct order. is always more difficult to repair effectively rather than Darryl from round the corner,
“You can’t simply get behind the centre than vertical), whether glue will be involved who you might find touting for business in
of the depression and push that out to the and the metal type being repaired (aluminium the classified section of your local paper. l
correct level. Impacts like this cause a ripple
effect in the metal, producing a slight ridge
that borders the damaged area. This, of
course, is a permanent ripple, fixed in the
metal, so pushing out the central depression
will leave the ripple in place, creating a sort
of crater effect. So the ridged edges of the
damaged area have to be dealt with first
and, once they’re flat, the centre can be
massaged back up to the required level
without any other issues.”
The other thing to bear in mind with this
sort of work is that you don’t get endless
chances to get it right with damaged metal.
If you work it too much, it’ll simply harden
permanently, and that’ll be that. Trying to
rectify it then will start to stretch a bigger
area around the outside, and the extent of
the damage will actually grow. In addition, 1
the panel will lose its rigidity and, in the
worst cases, will start flexing like the side
Accurate dent assessment is a vital part of the repair
process. Notice the battery-operated light panel on 2
the left, that’s used to create a striped light effect and Repairs are costed based on the extent of the
of an oil can. If that unfortunate stage is make damage and panel movements more easy to damage, its location and the type of metal affected,
reached, then the situation is unrecoverable. see and monitor. among other factors.

WHAT’S GOING ON?

Obviously, a good view of what’s happening
as the repair is made, is absolutely essential
but, of course, things are made extra difficult
with this type of work because it’s being
done at ‘arm’s length’ – literally – and to
a great extent, ‘blind’. Given that precise
and perfectly directed pressure has to be
applied from behind the panel, but the
technician can’t actually see the point of
contact between the tool and the damaged
area, adds enormously to the level of skill
involved in this repair work.
So how do they do it, you must be
wondering? Well, nowadays the secret lies
in nothing more technically involved than a
light that’s angled so that the stripes that it
projects on to the panel surface can be used
to identify exactly where the pressure’s being 3 4
Paint depth is always a good indicator of whether or
applied, and how the metal is reacting. It’s an not a vehicle’s paint has been resprayed. A typical The first job that Jon tackled extended over 55mm,
incredibly impressive skill and I have nothing factory finish from a manufacturer like BMW will be and had two distinct impact points, which needed to
but admiration for experts like Jon, who about 100-150 microns thick. be dealt with one at a time.

68 BMWcar
 VALETING BAY

5 7
A glass guard is slid down into the door to cover the
window glass, and protect it from being scratched 6 A bright torch provides all the light needed to see
or even cracked, as the metal tools are manipulated An inflatable bag is used to push back the window down inside the door, assess structural obstructions
to apply the necessary pressure from the back of the rubbers, creating enough space to see in and assess and any other problems that may hinder access to
panel. the damage, and allow smooth access for the tools. the damaged area of panel.

8
This is one of the dent removal tools that Jon uses 9 10
for this sort of repair. Its tip is lowered down inside The range and sophistication of panel dent removal
the door and then rotated from the handle to provide tools has come on in leaps and bounds in recent These are the hand tools used to correct high spots
the corrective force needed on the inside of the times. Jon can remember the days when all he had to in a panel; an extremely delicate process.
panel. work with was a handful of long pieces of bent metal!

11
The first job is to make sure that the rounded tip of
the metal rod inside the door is positioned accurately
behind the damaged area. The only way to do this is 12
to flex the metal gently with the tool while watching
closely for the way in which the reflected lines
The initial part of the door dent repair involved
removing the first low spot, and massaging it slowly 13
A bit more flexing from behind the panel, with the
from the panel light are distorted. Experience, skill out so that it was standing slightly proud. Then it
and excellent special awareness are all essential could be carefully tapped back with a panel beater’s light moved to a new position at the hinge end of
requirements for a good Dent Devils technician. hammer and an appropriately-sized punch????. the door…

JANUARY 2019 69
VALETING BAY

14 15 16
… resulted in the complete removal of the first of the Then Jon repeated the same process with the Further back on the same side of the car we found
two depressions. second damage point, and this was the result. this dent just above the rear wheelarch. There was no
access possible to the rear of the panel at this point…

19
17 18 … after which it was pressed on to the dented area. A
hand-operated dent lifter was then positioned so that
… so Jon opted to use the glue-pulling technique Then, after the damaged panel area had been de- its jaws could grip the stem of the tab, at which point
to deal with this one. The first job was to select an greased, adhesive from a hot glue gun was applied to Jon began exerting pressure to start pulling the tab –
appropriately-sized plastic tab. the face of the tab… and the metal beneath it – upwards.

20 21 22
Different glues are available to pull at different As you can see, the glue-pulling left a high point on … Jon expertly tapped back down into perfect
strengths before releasing. The glue pad that remains the panel’s surface which, as before… alignment; job done!
on the panel can then be simply removed with a
spray of release agent.

70 BMWcar
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WORKSHOP WISDOM

E46 handbrake
overhaul
Is your E46’s handbrake next to useless? Well, it probably needs a pair of new discs
and shoes but, as Andrew Everett explains, the job involves some tricky spannering

F
ollowing on from my recent article on changing front need to adjust the shoes through the wheel bolt hole, until they
discs (DIY disc-changer, Winter, 2018 issue), I’ve moved are tight, then back them off, operating the handbrake lever
on to the tired old E46’s rear brakes, which are a lot more regularly to settle the shoes. The lever end is the last bit and, the
tricky to deal with. This is due to the handbrake being chances are, you’ll need to adjust them again, later. It’s basically a
built into the drum or ‘bell’ of the rear brake discs. The bloody awful job, and certainly isn’t one I relish doing.
trouble is that, even though this model is nearly nine years old, Incidentally, many thanks to febi Bilstein, for supplying a pair
the chances are that it’s still on the original rear discs, and that of new rear discs at short notice. Unlike many discs, those from
these will have never been off during all that time. febi are coated in a protective oil film that needs washing off
The normal answer to a crap handbrake is for a mechanic before fitting. l
to just pull the handbrake lever gaiter up and adjust the cables
from inside the car. While this might improve the handbrake,
the inner handbrake shoes will still be out of adjustment, the
operating lever clogged up with rust and brake dust and the
whole thing a bit rubbish.
What should happen – to tackle the job as BMW intended –
is that during a big service, the rear calipers are removed and
cleaned, the rear discs are removed and the inner workings of
the handbrake cleaned-up with brake cleaner and the shoes
adjusted. These days, however, all they get is a ‘visual inspection’,
whatever that means!
The car featured here is a late model E46 but really, BMWs going
right back to the E28, and including the likes of the Z4, E60 and
E90 etc, are all much about the same in terms of rear brake set-up.
A few pointers, though. Rusty rear back plates are common on
really old stuff, like the E46, and it’s worth fitting new ones. The
official way – due to the (not very) clever design, is to remove the
rear hub. But that’s a LOT of work. My alternative recommendation
is to cut the new back plates at the narrowest point, and ease
them on past the hub. Once they’re bolted-up they’ll be fine, but
you can add a dab of weld to the cut to reinforce it, or rivet a
small plate on, if you wish. Using long screws and locking nuts to
1
Here are our tatty old rear brakes, like something from the Titanic. You can see the
secure the shoes is another way around this annoying problem. small operating area of the pads, and it’s machined a groove into the knackered
Finally, adjusting the handbrake properly is an art form. You rear discs.

72 BMWcar
 WORKSHOP WISDOM

2 3
The first job is to lever the pads away from the disc, using an old, flat-bladed There will be one brake pad warning sensor, normally on the driver’s side on cars
screwdriver. Never adopt this method with nice, reusable discs! If you find that the like the E46. The chances of getting it out intact are slim, so buy a new one – the
pads are reluctant to move, then the caliper piston will have seized. metal clip is easily lost.

4 5
Use a breaker bar and an Allen socket to release and remove the slider pins on the With the caliper removed, you can now undo and remove the small Allen screw
rear caliper. Before refitting, clean the pins and lubricate them with Ceratec brake that secures the disc to the hub. It’s worth ordering a new pair of these as they
grease, so that they slide easily. often require some ‘applied butchery’ to remove!

6 7
With that done, the rear caliper bracket can be removed. These are anything from From inside the car, release the handbrake and fully slacken the cables on the
15-18mm depending on the car you’re working on, but it’s worth using a tight, six- lever. This will make removing the rear drums a lot easier – clout the ‘bell’ of the
pointed socket to avoid rounding them off. discs to assist them.

JANUARY 2019 73
WORKSHOP WISDOM

8 9
This was the appalling state of the old drums – just look at that rust! A wear lip Here’s the adjuster. The idea is that you poke a screwdriver through a wheel bolt
builds up around the edge, that makes getting the discs past the handbrake shoes hole and flick the adjuster teeth around – trial and error! Try and get the disc off
hard; you may need to de-adjust them. without getting involved in this…

10 11
With the disc removed, we can see that part of the handbrake shoe lining has This shows the other side of the shoes – they fit up against the big metal centre
broken off – a new set of handbrake shoes will be needed as well. These are stop, and you can see the handbrake operating lever in its usual, terrible state.
cheap enough, although it’s a pretty horrible job to fit them. The whole lot needs stripping and cleaning.

12 13
First use a long Allen key as shown, to remove the brake shoe retaining pins. Fight the retaining springs with a flat blade screwdriver until you release them,
These are pushed inwards against spring pressure and rotated through 90 degrees and pull the whole shoe assembly away – they’re great fun to reassemble and new
to release them. springs are an excellent idea!

74 BMWcar
 WORKSHOP WISDOM

14 15
Here’s the handbrake operating lever in a typically rusty state. Note which way A common problem is that the holes in the backplate for those hateful spring pins
it fits (always take loads of photos as you work), then clean and grease it until it become elongated. Either fit new backplates (see text) or use the small slotted
operates perfectly, and refit it to the cable. discs you get in some replacement clip packs.

16 17
Another plan is to replace them with long screws, self-locking nuts (not standard Here are the shiny new rear discs from febi Bilstein. There is no need to spend a
ones!) and washers. As long as they are loose enough to move when the fortune on discs, and you can buy a pair of high-quality discs like these vented
handbrake is applied, they’ll do fine. E46 rears, for around £50 – why skimp?

18 19
The febi discs are supplied with painted inner bells to prevent premature Here’s the finished job. The handbrake shoes will need adjusting to the drums
corrosion, and the pad wearing surface is cross-hatched for better performance first, and the lever-end last. They will need a period of bedding-in plus a couple of
as well as rapid bedding-in of new pads. readjustments to be at their best.

JANUARY 2019 75
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OUR CARS

Our
Cars As dedicated BMW enthusiasts, the BMW Car magazine staff
all like to run their own cars and write about them. This is their
chance to share experiences – both good and bad – and report
on what’s happening with their BMWs

looking its best. At this time of been nearly three months

year, it only takes one journey since my last report – gosh,
F30 335d xDrive to transform a car from sharp- how the time flies when
YEAR: 2018 looking and shiny to drab you’re having fun! The 335d
TOTAL MILEAGE: 9,560 and dirty. The hour or two of has been racking-up the
MILEAGE PAST 3 MONTHS: 3,953 the weekend you devote to miles faultlessly since we last
MPG THIS MONTH: 48.6 carefully clearing the muck ‘spoke’, and I’ve added 3,953
COST THIS MONTH: Nil from your car, can be undone since mid-September, which
by the shortest of trips if the has taken the total covered
With the season of mellow roads are the least bit wet. to 9,560. However, despite
fruitfulness a distant memory Even if you keep an extra-long a few long trips, the average
now, and the UK’s roads distance between you and the fuel consumption continues

CHRIS
covered in a horrible mix of car in front to avoid its rooster to creep slowly upwards,
mud, wet and decaying leaves, tail of spray, it only takes one and now sits at 48.6mpg.

GRAHAM
salty grit and general grime, tipper truck coming the other Despite my best efforts to
winter motoring is well and way at speed, and your pristine drive economically, and resist
truly with us. panels will be soaked by a the temptation to exploit the
F30 335d It can be a dispiriting time to
be a car enthusiast, especially
greasy road wash that dulls
shine in the blink of an eye.
engine’s addictive, low-end
torque, I’m obviously not trying
xDRIVE if you’re keen to see your car Looking back, I see that it’s hard enough!
SHADOW
EDITION

78 BMWcar
 OUR CARS
The car has proved nothing
but sure-footed so far this
winter, and long may that
continue. It’ll get a wash
soon, I promise!

Talking of trying hard, one bodied lance and, boy, what a Shadow Edition, was equipped its own thing. After all, the
thing I bought recently that’s difference it’s made. with them as part of the eight-speed is just such a
made my car cleaning duties The thick, luxuriant foam specification, but I’m not sure great transmission that, even
much easier – especially at produced allows ample time that I’d bother to specify them in standard auto mode, it’s
this time of year – is the Pro- for the product to start lifting if was ever to buy a new BMW excellent in 98% of situations.
Kleen Snow Foam Lance. The the surface dirt, and hangs in the future. Those of you who are old
middle-of-the-range Karcher around long enough for me While I can appreciate the enough to remember the
pressure washer I have to scoot around the window controllability such a system terrible, power-sapping
pumps water out at a decent edges, badges and grille etc offers on-track I think that, for automatics of yesteryear, can
pressure, but the snow foam with a soft detailing brush, most types of road driving surely have no complaints
lance that came with it was a to gently lift out the already nowadays, most drivers feel about the precise, intuitive way
terrible disappointment. The loosened dirt from these happiest and more relaxed these new ‘boxes perform.
thin, watery foam it produced, awkward-to-get-at and often when letting the gearbox do Chris Graham
regardless of which product neglected areas. I’ve yet to
I used – left next to no dwell start experimenting with
This excellent Pro-Kleen Snow
time, draining off the car in different brands of snow foam,
Foam lance delivers snow foam
what seemed like seconds. and am happily still using the just as it should be delivered!
So, I finally got around to Pro-Kleen product that was
splashing-out about £30 supplied with the lance.
on a properly-made, metal- On another subject, my chat
with Chris Green, who owns
My still faultless, the stunning Alpina B10 3.3
but very dirty, F30
335d xDrive.
Touring featured in our Me and
my car story this month (turn
back to p32), made me think
about the way I change gear
in my car. I was asking Chris
whether he uses the ‘manual
change’ buttons on the back
of his steering wheel very
much and, when he said that
he tried them for a bit at the
beginning, then reverted to full
auto mode, that struck a chord
with me.
I experimented with the
paddle-shift feature on my
335d soon after I got it but,
to be honest, hardly ever
give that option a thought
nowadays. I wonder how
many other BMW drivers
feel the same and, with the
benefit of hindsight, feel that
the flappy paddles were an
option that hasn’t proved
worth having? My car, being a

JANUARY 2019 79
OUR CARS
minute it’s perfect and the next would be far easier to keep it
it just won’t run properly at running. Anyway, the injection
all, and it seems to have got idea is on the back burner for
significantly worse now the the moment, as I’ll wait to see
E61 530i SE Touring weather’s colder and damper. how the Webers fare.
YEAR: 2006 I’ve spent a long time on The E61, on the other
MILEAGE THIS MONTH: 186 the e9coupe.com forum hand, has been far easier to
TOTAL MILEAGE: 60,968 (the E9 coupés have virtually live with… although it hasn’t
MPG THIS MONTH: 23.2 identical running gear to the been a cheap month! As I
COST THIS MONTH: £550 E3) and just about every post mentioned recently, it was
(service, MoT)
referring to the Zenith carbs is due a host of service-related
best, but I should imagine that less than complimentary about items – Vehicle check, MoT,

BOB
even when I eventually replace them. So, I’ve decided to bite brake fluid change, spark plugs
them, the 3.0L will have a the bullet and replace them and an oil service – and these
great ride but be slightly less with a pair of Weber 32/36s. were all attended to by BM

HARPER floaty. The list of jobs is more

or less complete although,
This seems to be a common
conversion, and the Webers
Sport and, as it was cheaper
to buy a complete service kit
2006 E61 530i when I come to drive it every
day, no doubt I will end up
are meant to be far more
reliable, so we’ve got a set on
from BMW, the car was also
fitted with a set of microfilters
SE TOURING with a long snagging list. But
the only way I’ll find out the
order. The best thing is that
the Webers allow for the use
plus a new air filter.
As I suspected, the spark
majority of those will be to of the original air filter housing plugs were well past their
It’s been a month of highs start using the car regularly. so, to all intents and purposes, sell-by date – they were
and lows on the E3 front and, However, before I can begin the engine will still look original absolutely shot after having
while I’ve yet to bring it home doing this, it’ll need to run under the bonnet. been in the 530i for 12 years!
from BM Sport I have, at last, properly, and that’s something Ultimately, I might consider Since the service, the car runs
been able to have a proper it won’t do at the moment. carrying out a conversion to smoother and feels quicker
run in it. The good news is We’ve checked and re-checked fuel-injection in the interests of when you boot it, too. I think I
that it’s a real peach to drive; everything, but the bottom perfect running and reliability. mentioned a couple of months
the engine pulls well, the line is that the Zenith carbs on Part of the problem is that as I back that it had a tendency to
gearbox slurs nicely between the car just don’t want to play live in London, and encounter pink very slightly, particularly
its three speeds and it has a ball. You can set them up so heavy traffic on just about when under load when
wonderfully supple ride that’s the engine’s idling absolutely every journey I do, I can’t climbing hills in a higher gear.
a real antidote to stiffly-sprung perfectly… but, 20 minutes have a car that will misbehave But I’m glad to say that the
modern cars. later, it either won’t idle or in traffic, especially when it’s new set of plugs has cured this
It could well be the case it’ll be idling at 2,000rpm. It’s equipped with an automatic irritating problem completely.
that the shocks are past their incredibly frustrating as one gearbox. If it were a manual it Also, while it was in with

80 BMWcar
 OUR CARS
It’s been a relatively
expensive month with the
E61, but it was nothing that
I hadn’t been expecting.

the BM Sport chaps, they also

carried out a repair to the
wiring loom for the heated
rear screen. It’s the common
E61 Touring problem of wires
breaking where they pass by
the tailgate hinges, and it was
ultimately cheaper to pay BM
Sport to repair this than to
have it put right under the car’s
extended warranty – the policy
has a £250 excess. Still, for
an hour’s labour, I now have a
functioning rear screen which
is handy now the cold weather
is upon us. Before I can begin using the
Now everything else on the E3 regularly, it’ll need to run
car is tickety-boo, I need to properly, and that’s something
it’s refusing to do consistently
get the bonnet attended to; at the moment.
it’s suffering with a touch of

Far left: Unfortunately, the E3’s engine

is suffering with running issues, and
all the research I’ve done suggests
that it’ll be the original-fit Zenith
carburettors that are at fault. Left:
Replacing the apparently troublesome
Zeniths with Weber 32/36s seems
like a popular solution to the running
issues, so I have a pair on order. If that
doesn’t work, though, fuel-injection
could be the answer.

lacquer peel, and there’s also

a dent that was caused by
road debris, which is a little
bit of an eyesore as it’s right
next to the BMW roundel.
While I’m about it, I might
have the front bumper blown
over, too. It looks to me as
though it’s been done in the
past, but to a pretty shocking
standard – there’s more
orange peel on show than
you’d find in a warehouse full
of Jaffa’s finest citrus!
Once that’s done I can get
on with selling it, although this
might have to wait until the
spring as the Christmas period
isn’t really the best time to be
moving cars on.
Bob Harper

JANUARY 2019 81
OUR CARS
for any classic car owner, but steering failed followed, could be either a failed power
I had faith that Maggie’s test shortly after that, by a loss of steering pump, air being drawn
wouldn’t produce a fail sheet brake pressure. Thankfully, we into the system, a drive belt
as long as my arm. Thankfully, managed to get all the photos failure or a brake bomb failure.
as it turned out, my hunch was we needed for the feature, However, it shouldn’t be the
spot-on! and then limped Maggie home latter as that part was replaced
The fail list consisted of two without further incident. She’s fairly recently, but I’ll just have
tyres which were not fitted now sitting patiently, awaiting a to wait and see what the
in accordance with the side slot at the garage to investigate garage can find.
wall instructions, a windscreen things further. As you saw last month, I’m
wiper that doesn’t clear the Early research would suggest also having some challenges
windscreen effectively, the that the most likely culprits with the Alpina. It’s never

ELLIOTT horn not working, a rear

seatbelt buckle that was found

STILING to be broken and a ball joint

dust cover that was no longer
preventing the ingress of dirt.
1988 E32 However, all things considered,
750iL V12 I didn’t think there was actually
terribly much to put right and,

2017 F22 to be honest, most of them

were things that I was already
230i M SPORT aware of. What’s more, the bill
wasn’t too bad at all, either, at
COUPÉ just £136.14, which included
the test fee. Sadly, though, that
1983 ALPINA inner glow of well-being wasn’t

B9 3.5 (E28) to last.

While I was out with the
car on the photoshoot for
this month’s E32 Buyers
Last month I made a promise Guide (see p18), I suddenly
to update you on Maggie’s became aware of an odd,
MoT and the Alpina’s non-start groaning and grinding sound The annual MoT test can be a
nerve-wracking ordeal for any
issue, so here goes. emanating from somewhere
classic car owner, but I had faith
The annual MoT test can under the bonnet. It lasted for that Maggie’s test wouldn’t produce
be a nerve-wracking ordeal a few miles until the power a fail sheet as long as my arm.

Despite the MoT test

success, Maggie
rather blotted her
copybook on a recent
BMW Car magazine
photo shoot, with an
as yet unidentified
power steering and
brake pressure failure.

82 BMWcar
 OUR CARS
once failed to start in all the
time I’ve owned it, but is
definitely showing not the
slightest interest in firing-up
now. In an effort to isolate the
problem, I bought myself a Alpina B9 3.5 (E28) E32 750iL V12 F22 230i Coupé
multimeter and began testing YEAR: 1983 YEAR: 1988 YEAR: 2017
various parts with that. But, TOTAL MILEAGE: 138,520 TOTAL MILEAGE: 119,572 TOTAL MILEAGE: 18,934
in the end, I think it’s better MILEAGE THIS MONTH: 0 MILEAGE THIS MONTH: 12 MILEAGE THIS MONTH: 851
to just replace the most likely TOTAL COST: £25 (relays), £10 (fuel MPG THIS MONTH: 18.7 MPG THIS MONTH: 38.7
candidates, on the basis that hose), £40 (ignition coil), TOTAL COST: £136.14 (MoT work), £10 TOTAL COST: Still none
they will all then have another £20 (distributor) (seatbelt buckle), £50 (storage)

fresh lifespan on them. that, also. forced to eat those words!

Finding parts hasn’t been If there’s one positive thing It does mean, though, that
overly challenging, although to come out of the current the car won’t see the light of
you can’t really buy bigger situation, it’s that I get to spend day this side of Christmas,
parts from BMW any more. a bit of time getting hands-on because I’m struggling to see
Thankfully, though, there are with the Alpina; E28s are a time when I can get the
plenty of alternative options always nice cars to work on. subsequent MoT sorted before
online. So far, I’ve picked up a Of course, if the problem turns we go away to the West Coast
new distributor and rotor arm, out to be more involved than of Scotland in the New Year.
a DME relay, fuel pump relay I’m currently hoping, I might be Elliott Stiling
and an ignition coil. Hopefully, I
Below: The E28 is a good car to work on which, as it turns out, is a good thing.
will find time in the next week For the first time since I’ve had the Alpina, it won’t start and I’ve yet to isolate the
or so to fit these myself, and problem. But among the new electrical components I’ve already sourced online, is
see if that does the job. a new distributor.
I’ve also noticed a strong
smell of petrol coming from
under the bonnet, and have
traced that back to the fuel
pipe that runs to the cold
start injector. I don’t think it’s
related to the starting issue
but, clearly, a weeping fuel line
in the engine bay is never a
good idea, so I’ll be tackling

The Alpina’s also developed

a fuel leak, coming from the
pipe that supplies the cold
start injector.

JANUARY 2019 83
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WORKSHOP WISDOM

Bargain misfire fix

If you’ve got a BMW that’s fitted with an N43 2.0-litre petrol engine that’s playing-up,
it needn’t always be expensive to sort out as, Andrew Everett explains

B
MW’s N43 petrol engine, The engine would rev up OK sometimes It’s maybe also worth replacing the
from late 2007 onwards, is but, the next minute it would be stuttering spark plugs as well if there isn’t a record of
a fickle beast, with misfires and misfiring. In this instance, though, the them being changed within 30,000 miles.
that trigger the EML (engine problem hadn’t lit the engine warning light. These are special NGK plugs, part number
management light) being a A quick scan with diagnostics revealed ZKBR7A-HTU or ZKBR7AP-HTU. A word
common occurrence in many instances. that there were misfires on cylinders of caution here; unlike most engines, they
Unfortunately, there are plenty of other two and four, and moving the coils on are not a regular ‘straight down’ fit, but
horror stories associated with this engine, to cylinders one and three transferred are angled in the head due to the injector
too, with problems like timing chain the misfires to those cylinders, which being there as well.
stretch, NOx sensor failure and fuel injector confirmed that it was the coils that were So, always use a proper spark plug
faults being among the most usual. at fault. socket and also a wobbly extension, so
All of the above can cost a lot of money Removing the old coils showed a date the plug socket can work at an angle, and
to put right and will, in the not too distant stamp from 2012, so they had already be very careful when refitting. On average,
future, cost more to fix than the individual been replaced before, probably by a BMW you’ll be paying about £45 for a set of
cars are worth. So, the reality is that it dealer under warranty. But six years is a four, and replacing all four plugs and the
won’t be long before the owner of an early good life for one of these, and so they coil packs will take you about an hour, two
model that’s only worth, say one-and-a-half were replaced again. The part number at the most, including a tea break!
grand, will be presented with a £1,200 from BMW is 7594935 but, from your Once Parkside replaced the coil packs
repair bill, at which point losses will be cut local dealer, they’ll be about 60 or 70 quid and inspected the plugs – which were
and cars will be scrapped. each. Don’t do that, though, buy Bosch found to be in good condition – the 318i
However, I found this 2009 318i coils at around £23 each from an online was restored to full health with the misfire
Touring at BMW specialist Parkside Autos supplier, or a local motor factors. The cured. Not a bad result at all considering
in Worksop (01909 506555), suffering Bosch number is 0221504471 and really, how expensive these things can be. The
with an intermittent misfire the other day. you may as well replace all four. photo sequence here shows what we did. l

BMW models fitted with

the N43 2.0 petrol engine
can throw up all sorts
of problems nowadays
which, sadly, are often very
expensive to put right.

86 BMWcar
 WORKSHOP WISDOM

1 2
Here’s the N43 engine with the rear pollen filter housing and top engine cover The top engine cover is secured by three, 5mm, dome-headed Allen screws that
removed, which involved a few clips and 8mm bolts, and it’s all removed in about are easily removed. There is often a bit of oil around the oil filler cap hole, caused
10 minutes. You might take the opportunity to fit a new pollen filter as well, while by the oil filler cap seal being old and tired. A new filler cap will put a stop to this.
you’re at it.

3 4
Remove the coil by flipping up the top clip, pulling the electrical plug from the coil Here is one of the old coils with the BMW part number visible as well as the date
and yanking the coil upwards. You may need a tiny, flat-bladed screwdriver to get stamp – ‘11-07-12’, in this case. Forget about used coils unless they are very
the plug out, but they’re normally easy to remove. Look for oil in the plug tubes, cheap and nearly new – at £23 each, it just isn’t worth messing about, so just buy
indicating a cam cover oil leak. new ones.

5 6
BMW coils are apparently made by Delphi, and you can buy these aftermarket for This excellent NGK cutaway clearly shows the angle at which the spark plug sits.
around the same price. They’re perfectly OK, of course, but many garages just Notice the injector to the right of it. You could probably buy cheaper spark plugs,
prefer Bosch – look at the 2012 coils in photo No.4, and you can see the Bosch but it’s not worth trying to save a few quid. Also, see how the end of the coil bends
part number. around slightly to fit the plug – they do need a good push to fit them properly.

JANUARY 2019 87
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TROUBLE-SHOOTER

BMW E31 8 Series

Andrew Everett provides his top 10 tips for those interested in buying,
running and repairing the complicated but desirable 8 Series

1 2
THE M70 ENGINE M70 CAMSHAFT WEAR
The old V12 first saw the light of day in 1987, in the E32 750iL. It was an all-alloy, The M70 – and the 850CSi S70 engine – used the same finger rocker arrangement
five-litre unit that delivered 300hp on a good day. With 450Nm of torque, it went as the four-cylinder M40 engine found in cars like the 316i, 518i and so on. While
well enough, and it’s a pretty reliable engine. However, the twin-ECU engine it’s nowhere near as prone to cam lobe wear as the four-cylinder unit, regard any
management system can be tricky. Luckily, a lot of bits like distributor caps and ‘tap-tap-tap’ from the top-end with suspicion, as this will be pretty expensive to
MAF units, were shared with less exotic BMWs, so often don’t cost silly money to put right. Problems are typically caused by a blocked spray bar, so regular oil and
replace today. filter changes are essential to avoid trouble. The M73 V12s used roller rockers,
which are fine.

90 BMWcar
 TROUBLE-SHOOTER

L
aunched 30 years ago this year, the original E31 8 Series
went into production at the Dingolfing plant in July 1989.
Originally as an 850i, the new car broke all protocols,
and was very far removed from both the previous E24
6 Series and the high-performance M635CSi. Bigger,
heavier, and far more expensive, the E31 pretty much tanked in
sales terms.
BMW had made a similar mistake to Jaguar’s, when it had
launched the XJ-S some 14 years earlier. It had produced a car that
the buying public didn’t really want, once the initial newness had
worn off.
Ten years later, the final 8 Series went down the line, never to
be replaced – well, the current car to bear the 8 Series name is
probably nice enough but, as far as I’m concerned, lacks the wow
factor of the original.
Because they’re all pretty old now, the 8 Series requires a lot of
caution when buying. The V12 cars were OK but, really, the 840Ci
did just about everything the 850i and Ci could, without using quite
so much fuel. The 380hp 850CSi model is now expensive to buy,
after going through the inevitable ten grand phase a while back, but
even the shiniest E31 needs close scrutiny by a prospective buyer.
Although the 850i was launched in late 1989 deliveries didn’t
really start until 1990, with models being available with both four-
speed auto transmission or a six-speed manual. The 840Ci arrived
in 1994, powered by the four-litre, M60 289hp V8, bolted to either
a five-speed auto or a six-speed manual. Then the 380hp 850CSi
appeared, with 17in wheels, AHK four-wheel steering (AHK =
Aktive Hinterachs-Kinematik), bigger vented brakes with floating
front discs, differential oil cooler and an engine oil cooler.
The 850i was rebadged as the 850Ci, although the early ones
used the M70 – the revised 5.4-litre M73 with the five-speed
auto for the new E38 7 Series, arrived shortly after the rebadging,
although RHD sales of the car were suspended just after the
840Ci’s UK launch, and then discontinued.
An 840Ci Sport arrived in the 1996 model year, with the CSi
wheels, trim and bumpers, plus uprated suspension, and the
850CSi was discontinued late that year. In all, around 30,000 E31s
were built during a 10-year production run, which compares to over
86,000 6 Series cars produced over 13 years.
In short, BMW made a mistake in overpricing the E31. At
£45,000 I’m sure that it would have found a ready stream of buyers
but, at £62,000 (£20,000 more than the outgoing M635CSi!), it
was too expensive for what was, essentially, a one-trick pony.
What follows is my summary of the key areas to check and be
aware of, if you’re thinking about buying one of these cars today. ●

3 4
M60 ENGINES M60 OIL PUMP BOLTS
The V8 in the pre-1996 840Ci is a superb unit. It’s an all-alloy motor with 32 valves, A rare problem with the early V8 was the oil pump bolts working loose and
coil ignition and Nikasil bore coatings, but has problems in old age. The Nikasil dropping into the front sump, resulting in the low oil pressure warning bong
bore coatings can flake off with too many cold-start bore washes – a shot of oil sounding, as well as rattly tappets (insufficient oil pressure to pump them up).
down the plug holes was often needed to give a worn one enough compression However, it’s a simple enough fix because the front sump pan unbolts easily, after
to start! The Duplex timing chain gives no trouble, and the cooling system uses a which you can retrieve the bolts and refit them with a bit of thread lock.
standard thermostat – cooling problems are rare, unlike on the later, M62 engine.

JANUARY 2019 91
TROUBLE-SHOOTER

5 6
M62 ENGINE M70 SUMP GASKET
The M62 is, on paper, a better engine. It’s got the same power output but a bit The sump gasket – and its propensity to leak – is an M70 Achilles’ heel. These
more torque, due to being enlarged from 4.0- to 4.4-litres. But, overall, they’re not are a nightmare to change because the rear bolts are within the auto gearbox bell
as tough. The Simplex timing chain and the rails give trouble (the 2,000rpm rattle), housing. The official fix is to remove the gearbox first, but holes can be cut to
and the high-pressure cooling system can have issues due to the tremendous enable a long wobbly drive with a 10mm socket to get them out. On a ramp, I’d be
pressure it’s under. Fitting an Arab market thermostat drops the temp by 20 inclined to remove the gearbox rather than drilling holes, and also to replace the
degrees, and is virtually an essential modification now. The E31s didn’t use the converter oil seal as a bit of preventative maintenance.
1998-onwards Vanos M62TU engine, though.

7 8
ELECTRONIC DAMPER CONTROL SERVOTRONIC STEERING
Fitted to many cars as an option, electronic damper control (EDC) is something Many V12 850i/850Ci cars were fitted with Servotronic, which makes the steering
you don’t need now. This is just as well because BMW cannot supply a new pair very light around town, but firms it up at speed. It was available on the V8 cars,
of front struts, and they were an insane price, anyway. Converting to Bilstein too, but only as an option, and couldn’t be specified on the CSi at all. It’s more
dampers with a new set of decent springs – I’d opt for factory 850CSi ones if successful than the E32 system, but when it goes wrong, the steering is light all
available – would cost a lot less and be bulletproof. Inserts are available for the time. Try another relay unit first before swapping steering boxes. Note that a
standard dampers, but can be tricky to find. Try not to pay BMW a four-figure sum new relay will cost a few hundred quid new, so test with a used one before buying.
for new struts. Wokke Performance in Germany (wokke.de) can rebuild EDC struts, Servotronic cars can be converted to a standard steering box, although this isn’t
though. a pleasant job.

9 10
AUTO GEARBOXES OTHER TROUBLE
These units are now at the stage where they can go wrong, with the 4HP24 on the The E31 was never as rust-prone as the E24 6 Series, but they need a good
5.0 M70 V12 cars being possibly more prone to trouble. A rebuild is expensive at inspection underneath – particularly in the seams – nevertheless. The rear wheel
around £1,500, and used units are rare – the E32 750i uses the same box. These arches can rust, as can the roof, around the sunroof and screen tops. Milky
units run ordinary Dexron II fluid that should be changed every 30,000 miles. The screens are common and pricey to replace. The E31 uses virtually nothing from
5HP ‘boxes on the V8 and M73 850Ci cars were better units, and used a synthetic the 5 or 7 Series (engine and gearbox apart), so almost everything is will be
Esso fluid. A bad cam sensor or ABS sensor, one of the two batteries dying or a dealer-only. This almost guarantees that parts will be expensive, or NLA. So, when
faulty alternator, can all trigger the dreaded ‘TRANS PROGRAM‘ error message, so buying, make sure that everything works, including the air conditioning, power
a thorough diagnosis is essential. seats and headlights, and be prepared for some steep running costs.

92 BMWcar
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(The goods advertised are not offered by way of trade.)
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 TRADE ADVERTISERS CALL - 01732 445300

2 SERIES Z4 316I

M2 Z4 SDRIVE 2.3I (E89)

2011, 47,000 miles, £28,000. Duke

2018, 3,100 miles, £POA. 6 speed manual in dynamics full wide body kit (only the doors
metallic black. Very rare in the specification. and roof are original). I have all the original 60,000 miles, £3,995. Auto, factory sunroof
Fully adjustable M sport suspension £3K panels if you want them. Full air bag and parking sensors. Also original purchase
option. M performance exhaust system £3K suspension system by Arez Air, 20” Projekt invoice from Wheatley Hall Doncaster. Will be
option. Harman Kardon sound system, Apple P1 staggered alloys. 9” fronts, 11” rears. fully serviced and full MoT. Please call 01924
car play, full leather and Alcantara interior, Rear quad exhaust by street racer, no engine 256426 (T).
heated seats, traction control, SatNav, modifications, runs and drives just like a 6239
Isofix rear seats, BMW overmats and BMW standard car, no faults or issues, pretty much
warranty. Please call 07703 007098. in mint condition, very well looked after. 316I 1.8SE
Please email danny@bryanmorton.com. (T) 33,000 miles, £2,750. 1 previous elderly
5 SERIES owner. BMW service history up to 2015.
BMWS FOR SALE Rear parking sensors, great drive and good
5 SERIES condition. Please call 07500 042650.
6193
3.0SI E3
320I SE

2014, 149,600 miles, £12,500. In really

nice condition. This car includes full service
history, black leather part electric seats
with matching black headlining, 8-speed
steptronic gearbox, CD player, electric
windows, switchable suspension settings and
new MoT. Please call 01427 839745, Lincs. £29,500. A fantastic example of these rare 1990, 147,000 miles, £3,795 ONO. History,
1635 and increasingly desirable classic BMWs. alarm, immobiliser, all electric, 2 door, steel
Restored to original specification. This car roof, metallic blue, genuine MTech, body
M5 PERFORMANCE EDITION is an Australian import so has survived kit, steering wheel, timing belt kit, auto oil
remarkably. Will come with 12 months MoT. service, MoT and drives 100%. Please call
Please call 07967 339424 (T). 02082 929138, Middlesex.
6687 6343

118 328I

£42,999. A very rare opportunity to purchase

1 of 30 performance edition models. With
only 10 of each colour this is by far the most
desirable colour combination and upgrades. 1997, 65,500 miles, £2,500. One family 1996, 96,000 miles, £3,595. Gorgeous 6
Comes with many individual features that owner, blue/green sunroof, tow bar, new cylinder Cabriolet. Excellent condition, lots of
are not available normally, full BMW service MoT and exhaust. All service records are in work done and money spent. Cheap classic
history and just serviced. Full BMW warranty. excellent condition throughout. Please call insurance with lots of history and 2 keys.
Please call 07912 482253. 01202 885629, Dorset. Please call 07801 064679.
2809 6261 6545

FEBRUARY 2019 95
EMAIL YOUR AD TO: cars@kelseyclassifieds.co.uk

330 SE CONVERTIBLE E38 740I M3 E4

2002, 85,500 miles, £12,495. Finished

in titanium silver. Just had an oil and filter
service, brake fluid changed, climate control
re-gassed, full black leather, 6-speed
2004, 82,000 miles, £3,995. Metallic grey manual, tons of history and receipts. Much
with black hood and beige leather trim. loved car. Please call 07923 090204,
Automatic, power assisted steering, alloys, Gloucestershire.
5425
CD/radio, SatNav, air-con, sports gearbox 1999, 147,980 miles, £4,995. Full service
and electric mirrors. A very nice original car history with new MoT. Advisories done and
with long MoT and service history. Please call M3 EVO
showroom condition. Service book and
07836 548731, Essex. all manuals. Please call 07851 732747,
6444
Lancashire.
6106
518 E28
1986, 132,000 miles, £1,500. Original E46 AC SCHNITZER 330I
condition, never painted or welded. Runs and
drives well with MoT till May 2019. Please
call 07739 855966, Essex.
6449

52I AUTO
1997, 97,600 miles, £17,995. In amazing
condition throughout, with no dings, dents or
scratches, the alloys are almost unmarked,
the interior is excellent with no rips or tears
on the seats. There is no rust anywhere on
the car. The car genuinely looks as good as
it does in the pictures. Please call 07711
2003, 87,000 miles, £9,995. Automatic 645465 (T).
5-speed gearbox, full service history, black 6713
metallic paint with black leather interior,
full AC Schnitzer supercharged conversion, M3 E36 SALOON 5 SPEED
18” AC Schnitzer type III alloys, climate
1991, 109,000 miles, £675 ONO. Glacier control, SatNav, cruise control, rear parking
metallic exterior with cloth trim. Two owners, sensors and auto headlights. Please call
radio cassette, sun roof, two new tyres, 01483 225878, Graham 07801 235272,
two keys, MoT Oct 2019 and in an all round James 07775 647037 or email: sales@
usable condition. Please call 07732 653970, renaissance–classics.co.uk. (T)
Suffolk. E46 M3 3.2 COUPE
6456
1995, 95,000 miles, £9,995. The car has
525 just had new engine coil packs fitted and a
change of oil and was fault free on test. The
car comes with stacks of invoices and 17
service stamps and is MoT’d until Sept with
no advisories. Please call 07885 742090 (T).
6679

BMW MINIS FOR SALE

COUNTRYMAN COOPER S ALL4

WAGON
2005, 76,000 miles, £18,995. 6-Speed
manual, full service history, metallic carbon
black with contracting Imola red leather
35,000 miles, £13,995. The car is fitted interior, 19” m double spoke alloys, electric
with a 3-speed automatic gearbox, power sports seats, electric folder mirrors, auto
steering and a factory steel sunroof. Comes xenons, sat nav, climate control, rear parking
with all the original handbooks, service book sensors, multi-function steering wheel, sport
and dealer blue wallet. Includes the original button. Please call 01483 225878, Graham
dealer-fit coconut mat and Blaupunkt radio 2013, 46,263 miles, £10,355. Automatic,
07801 235272, James 07775 647037 or
with its instruction manual. Please call 01622 Email: sales@renaissance–classics.co.uk. black with carbon black interior. Please email
851841 (T). (T) autosportgroups@gmail.com (T).
6618 4618

96
96 MAY
WINTER
20182019
 TRADE ADVERTISERS CALL - 01732 445300

JOHN COOPER BMW ALLOYS MINI SEATS

£150. Good condition. Please call 07979

£600. Just re-furbished, 2x8 J 18”, 2x8 ½ J 406536, East Yorkshire.
4829
2005, 96,000 miles, £3,000. Only 2000 18” with Pirelli Soto zero run flat winter tyres
sound kit made, my no is D492. Full aero which have good tread. Please call 07875
kit. All John Cooper Works, ECU exhaust, 484127. VARIOUS BMW PARTS
steering wheel, gear knob, strut brace, air 6160 POA. Specialised Car Covers - indoor cover
filter, 17” alloys, 215/45/17 new tyres and ½ for BMW E92 M3 with BMW roundel on the
leather seats. Please email geoff_marple@ BMW ENGINE N47 bonnet. Specialised Car Covers - indoor cover
aol.co.uk. £1,600 ONO. 2-litre diesel, engine code C, for BMW F10 M5 with M logo on the bonnet.
4206 complete engine with turbo and excilatries, F10 5 series front & rear rubber floor mats.
may split. Please call 07951 852452, Kent, F10 5 series rubber boot tray/mat. E92 3
MINI COOPER 6527 series coupé rubber boot tray/mat E71 X6
-year 2009 rubber boot mat/tray. E71 X6 -
BMW STYLE 98 ALLOY WHEELS year 2009 Carpet boot cover - embroidered
X6. E91 3 series touring roof bars to suit 59
plate model year. E91 3 series touring roof
bars to suit 61 plate model year (LCI change).
Please call 07774 245999, North Yorkshire.
5908

VARIOUS ASSORTED NEW/USED

MINI PARTS AND ACCESSORIES

2010, 68,880 miles, £5,000. Please call

01424 423006, East Sussex.
6033

PARTS FOR SALE

BMW 3.0 M30 CRANK 3.0CSL £400. Unused since refurbished and powder
3.0CSi coated. Please call 01667 454451, Highland.
6379

E237 SERIES PARTS

1985, POA. Spares for sale including body POA. Garage clear out. Please call 07379
panels, suspension legs, diff auto, gearbox, 074555, Gloucester.
etc. Please call 07739 855966, Essex. 6385
6448

MINI FOUR ALLOYS MISCELLANEOUS FOR SALE

BMW CAR MAGAZINES

£299. Perfect used crank for above, 1971-76

3.0 M30 crank, very low mileage, perfect
journals, never reground and requires no FREE. January 1998-December 2006. First 3
work. You will not find a better one. Please £200. 5 X 12 MPI alloys in good condition. years in binders. All good condition. Buyer to
call 07557 380156. Please call 07979 406536, Yorkshire. collect only. Please call 07771 516238.
5420 6191 5911

FEBRUARY 2019 97
NEXT MONTH
E83 X3
BUYING
GUIDE
The earliest examples
of the first generation
Plus
My dream
X3 are now 15 years
old, and you can buy
garage
yourself one of the
first cars for little more
than £2,000 today.
Me and my car:
But does the car E31 8 Series
represent a credible
and worthwhile
alternative to the X5, Meet the
and how reliable is an
elderly used example
sim racer
likely to be?

Next month The February 2019 issue will be available to download

on January 17th, and in the shops from January 18th

Diesel express
We finally get a chance to sample the delights of one of
Turbo treat
Bob Harper digs into the background of BMW’s 1972 Turbo
BMW’s flagship diesels, the 840d. This is a grand tourer that’s concept car; a vehicle which, although only two were ever
packed with luxurious technology and capable of whisking you made, proved surprisingly influential on a number of exciting
effortlessly across continents at indecent speeds models that were to follow

Bag yourself a bargain Market watch: Z3M Roadster

This burly version of the curvaceous Z3 roadster endured a
If you’ve only got £3,000 to spend on something with a bit of reputation as a car that lacked torsional rigidity, which is one of
interest and individuality for the weekend, then one of the six the reasons why the oddly-styled ‘bread van’ coupé version has
models we spotlight – including the beautiful E46 330Ci coupé – always been more desirable. Now, though, the roadster appears
should tickle your fancy! to be becoming a good deal more collectable

These are just some of the features planned for the next issue, but circumstances beyond our control
may force last-minute changes. If this happens, we will substitute items of equal or greater interest

98 BMWcar
 BMW Service

YOUR BMW IS OUR

PRIDE AND JOY TOO.
Why use BMW Service? Because we know every part of your car and have a
range of services designed to suit you. Our trained technicians are experts in
your vehicle and ensure only BMW Genuine Parts are used, meaning that your
pride and joy gets the service it deserves.

Visit: bmw.co.uk/valueservice THE BMW CONNECTED APP.

WE’LL TAKE CARE OF
EVERY BUMP AND SCRAPE.
Sometimes, accidents happen. That’s why your local BMW Approved Bodyshop
offers a complete range of car repair options for your vehicle, bringing your
BMW back to its best. Benefit from the expertise of BMW Trained Technicians,
who ensure that only Genuine BMW Parts are used – with the added bonus
of a lifetime workmanship guarantee on all major repairs.

Contact your local BMW Retailer to find out more.