Recent content by cheburator

Absolutely... I run a hot V8 BMW - turbos inside the V of the engine, hence under-bonnet temperatures are off the scale. In addition, the engine is designed to run hot - about 105 to 110C optimal coolant temperature in order to meet and exceed EURO6 and 7 emission standards. And yet BMW's...

I was just about to say that Maserati has far more history and tradition than Aston Martin or Bentley. It was never a cheap alternative - a real Ghibli or a Bora had no real rivals from pretty much anyone but Ferrari or Lamborghini… I got a feeling that while a new Bentley would be on another...

What are you trying to achieve? 231.XX NCRs can be reflashed and so can 301.XX found on the later cars such as F430, F599, GranTurisno or last of the Quattroportes. But what are you trying to accomplish? A 575 NCR won’t work in a 4200 for sure. 4200 NCR will work in a 360 and it’s actually an...

i would think that £95 + VAT for real expertise is ok value for money in the context of today ... my local BMW dealer is charging £212+VAT per hour and they would not recognise an E46 M3 even if I park mine in the middle of their showroom ... OPC South London is £204 + VAT...

Alpina are indeed the masters of suspension, also their engines are great. I remember driving the Alpina Z4 roadster - the 3.4 stroker based on the old S52B32 was an absolute masterpiece, and somehow the car rode very well. Chalk and Cheese compared to my Z4MC at the time. The M3 engine was more...

Don't get me wrong - the E36 M3, especially the LHD E36 M3 GT is a superb car and the chassis is to die for. I also really like the little driver orientated design flourishes in the interior, while the Vader seats are an all time design classic. Where the E46 M3 wins is the quality of materials...

Following an E24 M635CSi, an E28 M5, Italian E30 320iS, which had been converted to M3 5-lug suspension and brakes, E34 M5 Touring, E39 M5, Z3MC G-Power, Z4MC, E61 M5 Touring, F85 X5M and about 8 E46 M3s - yes, I think the E46 M3 is the best ///M car ever made. Not the best in terms of power...

With all due respect to your friend, but the best BMWs were probably made between 1995 and 2005.... E46 M3 - the best M car ever made by a mile E39 M5 - the best 5 series E38 740i Sport - the best 7 series Z3MC - the coolest sports car BMW has made for a very very long time Quality wise the...

2004 bought a 1989 Atlas Grey Golf 2 GT 16v with 160k miles on the clock for the princely sum of £450. It had a full service history and loads of receipts. Once I dived into them, I found a proper VW invoice for an new engine fitted 60k miles ago,. Result! Also, not a spot of rust on it. Had...

I did the French/Swiss/Italian part of the trip in a 928GT 20yrs ago - Gavia is single track on the Southern side indeed. Stunningly beautiful, but also pride denting - the cyclists were way faster on the way down :eek:

****! That’s a great price. The part is widely available - panic over - it’s also fitted to Lamborghini and Audis and it’s also available as an OEM unbranded part. It’s a potentiometer, not a nuclear switch… The problem of course is the Lamborghini/Ferrari and Maserati tax. The former is £1617...

This year we are going - London to Reims, Reims to Grimsel via Colmar. Grimsel to Bormio via Furka pass, Oberalp pass, Fluela pass and Stelvio, Bormio to Modena via Passo Di Gavia and Passo del Tonale, Modena to Ancona, Ancona to Igoumenitsa with a ferry, Igoumenitsa to Sofia, Sofia to Belgrade...

That is correct and it is easy to pop off - I have seen cars where it's either satin black or carbon fibre - looks quite nice actually.

The trouble with a new unit is that you still have to disassemble the centre console to get to it, since it's held with screws at the back. If you go that far, you may as well just clean/refinish the buttons. By the way - if you are set on getting new buttons - get the cheapest option...

There is a third way - take apart the console and remove the offending buttons. It’s not difficult at all - 30mins from getting in the car with the tools to having the 1 and R buttons out on the table ready for cleaning. If you are lucky, the actual black paint would be undamaged and you can...