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bootyman
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Post Thu Sep 29, 2005 9:39 am

Hmmm. Is it me or has anyone else noticed that the standard of cars in PBMW is going downhill fast. I'm in no way shape or form blaming the mag it'self cause i know they do try very, very hard to find the best BM's out there.

I think the reason is because folks just aint spending their hard earned cash on their cars like they use to anymore, so the face of the modding game is changing which is understandable. I've just ordered new wheels as my old ones cant take my new big brake conversion and it cost me over Ԛ£3k for the wheels and tyres, so it's not a cheap game. Even the yanks who by tradition spend a fortune on their cars are backing off now and i think all we'll see from now on in the modding game is very subtle styling with a bit of power and ICE and the occasional beast being produced by someone. I picked up this months edition and there's a E30 with a E36 M3 lump in it, but not much else. Whilst the transplant is impressive, there are several E30's here running around with the same thing hence my determination to do one with a super charger or Turbo next year.

It's a real shame cause PBMW was my bible before and I couldn't wait until it came out so i could get my hands on a copy, cause i knew it will be full of fat cars with new ideas i could copy or something, but now it's near the end of the month and i've only just got a copy cause i couldnt be bothered to rush cause i know i wont get blown away anymore and that's the point i'm trying to make. Again, like i said, it's not the fault of the mag cause they do try. After all, if there are no nice cars out there, then there's not much they can do but fill their pages with whatever they can get their hands on. :cry: :(
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BrAdZ
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Post Thu Sep 29, 2005 9:46 am

i think fuel prices are a big problem, its just getting so expensive, people are not spending money at the moment, i work for a small buisness and its very quiet at the moment, and a lot of the retail shops are complaining its quiet at the moment :x
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E30BeemerLad
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Post Thu Sep 29, 2005 9:58 am

people are just starting to take stock of the huge debts they have on credit cards etc after many years of irresponsible lending from banks, credit card companies etc. The high streets are quiet as people are not spending as much etc.

I think a slight change is going on in the modding world too, whereas it has been for at least the last 5 years nothing but mental jap bodykits on anything with 4 wheels and nothing done to enhance the actual performance, people are doing more in the performance dept and keeping stuff looking more standard. I have always been a fan of the basic smoothed euro look (like my mk2 golfs, euro look on ronal turbos)

I think your car Ben is one of the exceptions where it looks far from standard Mtec kit stuff on it but still carries it off very well without looking like it crashed into the local ripspeed branch.

About 2 years ago, whilst still in my late 20's I was still buying Revs & Redline magazines until I found mags like Retro Cars and Practical Performance Car mag. Much more into modified 70's 80's and early 90's stuff now.
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Post Thu Sep 29, 2005 10:06 am

yeah i know what u saying, the most people do in SA, a Turbo, supercharger or nos. kits are pretty standard and a few guys do a flip paint job.
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bootyman
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Post Thu Sep 29, 2005 12:24 pm

Beemerlad i agree with you completly mate. I remember friends of mine taking out huge loans to do up their cars etc, but now most have realised that it's one thing borrowing money, but it's another when you have to pay it all back.

My point was proven at this years Max Live. The only individual cars there were your usual Saxo's and Chav cars like that. All the nice cars were built by Companies except my mates car that was on the BM Heaven stand with me. It's a Supercharged 5 series with every toy you could imagine and it's had well over Ԛ£100k spent on it, but then he's in a league of his own so i wont even bother going there. It's funny cause he wanted front cover of Max, but they wont give it to him cause it wasn't Chav enough for their front cover :D I think it's going to be the front of PBMW next month or the month after.

I cant ever see myself spending stupid money to do up a car again. The furthest i'll go now id dropped sus, fat wheels and a bit of ICE and that's it cauuse i too love the Euro look and it doesn't break the bank. Sometime i go out in my car and people say "Nice Car Mate!". It flattering to get compliments like that, but then i ask myself "Are those compliments worth the near Ԛ£40k my car owes me? "HELL NO" If i had my time again i'd a nice E36 M3 cab, a nice M-tech 2 cab and still have Ԛ£20k in the bank for a rainy day, but i guess that's life :D :wink:
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dsio
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Post Thu Sep 29, 2005 12:48 pm

There is still some massive admiration of tastefull (key word) custom rides. Just so you know Bootyman, I saw your modified cab in the totalBMW magazine (I think?) back months ago, and alot of E30 owners here in Australia that I go to uni with were extremely impressed by it all. Your car has a following even on the other side of the world lol.

I still want to do a custom E30 one day when I get some decent money up after uni. A local guy here has a motorsport cab with a nissan SR20DET in it, in bright red (red red as opposed to orange red) with a blue and white checkered (about 1 inch squares) soft top that looks absolutely magic, so I would love to get one of those custom cabs.

Everyone in this country is preoccupied with massive local cars with big engines that handle like boats (American infulence) or japanese cars. Japan has that rule where old cars get forced off the road, and as a result, Skylines, Supras, and RX7s cost nothing here compared to in the states, and we get used as a ricer dumping ground. I could have bought an S13/14 silvia for the same money as my 318i, but every tool in the street has one now.

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Post Thu Sep 29, 2005 1:04 pm

There's only so many highly modified cars apparently 'worthy' for a feature, only bought PBMW once or twice, Max Power of the BM world!
Gwynleym10
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Post Thu Sep 29, 2005 1:09 pm

Surely its also important to remmember that there are only a certain amount of things you can do to a car, there are only so many different BMW engines that you can do.

A number of years ago before the zone a E36 m3 engine in an E30 was very special to us all, just because it has been done before it doesn't mean that it isn't special.

I know the whole modding game is about individuality, but if you were to look at each modded car on its own (forgetting all the others) they are still very special, still had loads of work done and time spent on them.
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Gwynleym10
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Post Thu Sep 29, 2005 1:11 pm

Also as your in Milan your always be surrounded by beauty and elegance (not just cars buy girls also winkeye ) so this may be making your standard higher!
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E30BeemerLad
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Post Thu Sep 29, 2005 1:18 pm

Gwynleym10 wrote:Surely its also important to remmember that there are only a certain amount of things you can do to a car, there are only so many different BMW engines that you can do.

A number of years ago before the zone a E36 m3 engine in an E30 was very special to us all, just because it has been done before it doesn't mean that it isn't special.

I know the whole modding game is about individuality, but if you were to look at each modded car on its own (forgetting all the others) they are still very special, still had loads of work done and time spent on them.
This is why I'm contemplating putting one of these under the bonnet, be a bit different winkeye

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Gwynleym10
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Post Thu Sep 29, 2005 1:27 pm

be a bit different
Different; yes
Putting a "alien engine under the bonnet"; no

IMO

:wink:
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E30BeemerLad
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Post Thu Sep 29, 2005 1:32 pm

Alien, maybe Gwyn but think of the ease of increases in power that can be had. Extra 100 bhp with ease. And it's still a 6 pot at least.

I was going to go down the M30 route, but thought i'd soon be hankering after more power. Not interested in my car being a constant bed of development with heath robinson turbo antics on any of the BMW lumps.

I can get hold of a shabby Supra for Ԛ£300, so full donor car, retain supra box, keep E30 rear end. OK so a bit of fabrication work needed for engine mounts etc and not sure about the sump yet, but it won't take that much to have a 13 second car, maybe even 12's depending on what happens
Gwynleym10
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Post Thu Sep 29, 2005 1:38 pm

don't worry i'm not questioning your reason, all very valid. I just wouldn't do it, but wach to there own!

Just don't go down the route of those Honda owners in the states who start grafting on BMW badges and kidney grills to their civics.......
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E30BeemerLad
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Post Thu Sep 29, 2005 1:41 pm

I might have to add a 24V sticker :mad:
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Post Thu Sep 29, 2005 1:46 pm

Seems that a lot of the "Yoof" genuinely believe that increased performance can be had by the addition of bodykits, which is a shame.

I bought a copy of PBMW about 3 weeks ago for the first time. They seemed to be raving on about a 320i with some speakers, and a 528 (I think) with some M5 wheels. Must admit that I'm a bit lost for the performance increase of either of those mods!

Don't think I'll buy it again TBH.
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bootyman
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Post Thu Sep 29, 2005 1:51 pm

dsio are these red enough for you ? :D I'm more of a poser than a speed freak, but i had my 2.7 done cause i wanted an all round car. It hasn't taken long for me to realise that i'm being left behind in the power steaks, hence my plan to sell myself at Kings Cross next year and hopefully get enough money to do another transplant. 350bhp will be nice enough for me. Surely there must be a demand for a hairt guy in Stokings lol :eek:

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dsio
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Post Thu Sep 29, 2005 1:53 pm

Gwynleym10 wrote:don't worry i'm not questioning your reason, all very valid. I just wouldn't do it, but wach to there own!

Just don't go down the route of those Honda owners in the states who start grafting on BMW badges and kidney grills to their civics.......
Not just civics, but fords too. Anyone remember this Ford Escort turned E36 BMW on Pimp My Ride?

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dsio
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Post Thu Sep 29, 2005 2:02 pm

bootyman wrote:dsio are these red enough for you ? :D I'm more of a poser than a speed freak, but i had my 2.7 done cause i wanted an all round car. It hasn't taken long for me to realise that i'm being left behind in the power steaks, hence my plan to sell myself at Kings Cross next year and hopefully get enough money to do another transplant. 350bhp will be nice enough for me. Surely there must be a demand for a hairt guy in Stokings lol :eek:
lol, turbo the 2.7 dude. You saw that 2.7 turbo baur cab putting out 410hp I posted in another thread?

Personally I feel content with my 105hp M10. I had a pair of M20 525is before I bought the E30, which is what turned me off those engines (the better of the two E34s had $1800 worth of headwork in its first 3 months.).

What I would really like to do as a cheap powerfull engine is a 3L M60 V8 twin turbo setup, which is cheaper to do than the S54 conversion here. The 3L M60s are just discarded as being too slow, but a couple of locals found that its an incredibly tough and reliable lump in its 3L form.

So thats what I'm aiming for. Just spend $1400 on new computer 3d cards though, so ill have to wait till I get out of debt to start on that lol.
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Post Thu Sep 29, 2005 2:02 pm

That escort is just sheer nastyness, amongst the list of sins, look how wrong the side profile looks with the wheels compared to the arches, not exactly central are they :roll:
dsio
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Post Thu Sep 29, 2005 2:04 pm

E30BeemerLad wrote:That escort is just sheer nastyness, amongst the list of sins, look how wrong the side profile looks with the wheels compared to the arches, not exactly central are they :roll:
lol, and to make it worse, the rear end and tail lights are off a C class mercedes. So its a BMW/Merc/Ford with a sound system. Should see the poor girl when she takes it home and was all proud of it. It looked better as a rusting escort TBO. :roll:
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bootyman
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Post Thu Sep 29, 2005 2:07 pm

Ha, ha :eek: . They could have saved themselves a lot of trouble and lots of money, but just going out and buying the guy a new BMW instead of that contraption. I'd have cried if i'd taken my car to Pimp ypur Wife and it turned out like that :D :cry:
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E30BeemerLad
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Post Thu Sep 29, 2005 2:10 pm

what you doing in Milano anyhow Ben?
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Post Thu Sep 29, 2005 2:21 pm

i saw that episode, i was shocked and disgusted, if i was the owner i would have been gutted... and too embaressed to drive it.
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Post Thu Sep 29, 2005 2:26 pm

yea, I reckon. We should get an E36, and put an '88 ford escort front end on it, and ford badges, just to teach them a lesson. and they would be all, that isnt a REAL 88 escort, tryhard. :P
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bootyman
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Post Thu Sep 29, 2005 2:29 pm

I work for a Oil Company mate (AGIP). We design Rigs and stuff. I'm more in the Information Management side. It's hard work, but someone has to do it :D

Watching Pimp My Wife, i'm impressed by their technical knowledge, buy i get the impression that they just chuck a load of things at the car and hope it turns out ok. What they need is a style Guru, someone who's been there, and done it all. Someone with a Red Rieger, In Milan at the moment winkeye Anyway you get my drift. I get really upset when i get Pimp My Ride shouted at me sometimes when i'm out cause everything i done on my car, i did with careful though to improve it in my eyes anyway, but as we all know, you cant satisfy everyone and as i'm the one having to eat bloody pasta everyday to pay for the car, I think it should be only what i like that counts :wink: :D
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dsio
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Post Thu Sep 29, 2005 2:51 pm

Thats probably more because your car is towards the pimp/drugdealer end of the custom car scale lol. Being a BMW makes it look many many times more expensive than a comparibly modded civic, and hardly anyone knows how old E30s are except BMW owners.

People ask me if my '89 E34 is a new car, because they dont know any better. Old civics just look old, and are so common, that people know their age.

90% of the female population would think your cab had just rolled out of the dealership.
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bootyman
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Post Thu Sep 29, 2005 3:12 pm

I dont mind as long as they ticlke their toes for me mate :D That's the one advantage havingb a nice car. Yes i know about if a woman only wants you for your car, then she's not someone you'd want to be with thing, but who said anything about settling down? I do my business and then i tell them wait here, I'll be back in a minute and then drive off and go home winkeye
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Post Thu Sep 29, 2005 4:07 pm

The downside being, to find you, or better yet, to find your car, all she would have to do is ask people in the street which way you were headed. You cant hide when your car looks like that.

I usually park my car next to a ricer if possible, just so when thieves and vandals have a choice, they know who's car to key and de-ICE. So I would definately park next to you.

Fusion gear sells better than Blaupunkt ;)
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Post Thu Sep 29, 2005 5:14 pm

pBMW cars are less interiesting in my opinion now, lots of similar mods. I sent them info on my car just out of interest whether it would get to the 'show us yours page' (out of pitty!) and also just becasue i live 5 mins from their headquarters down my road!! They never even sent a reply saying NO lol. :(
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bootyman
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Post Fri Sep 30, 2005 7:36 am

I keep my car in a garage mate. I've learned the hard way after some tosspot key's my other cab. The paint on that was Ԛ£200 a litre. They keyed half the car 1st, then came back the next week and finished the job. Good thing i didn't catch him cause i'd be locked up for tripple murder now, cause i would have beaten him to death, brought him back and then beaten him to death again winkeye

As for PBMW sometimes when you send things in, it never gets to the person it's meant to get to, so i wouldn't take pit personally mate. Just send it again mate. :D
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Post Fri Sep 30, 2005 8:52 am

I always keep a copy of PBMW in my outside loo, it comes in handy when i run out of bog roll, actually i prefer it to bog roll ! :)
It is quite satisfying to laugh at a really sad loser and his molested turd and then wipe your arse with said page ! justice.
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Post Fri Sep 30, 2005 5:23 pm

hope you aint calling my car a turd pete !!
they do have SOME decent cars every now and again, but the uk based ones are built by companies pbmw are in bed with!!
i wanted to take mine to the last thrash but they would let me, saying i wont be quick enough!
you know what its capable of but the are too scare dto let a home built motor spank a car thats had 40k spent on the engine and is crap.
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Post Sun Oct 02, 2005 3:35 pm

Just picked up the October edition, couple of things.

In the Past Masters bit about the 02 Register's Brooklands day, does anyone else remember there being 50 6 series cars being at Brooklands.

I arrived a bit late at 2pm but I dont think there were hundreds of E30's, mabey 70 or 80 but not hundreds, and not a single pic of any of the other cars attending.

Also why is there 9 (well I lot count at 9) pictures of Louise (feature writer) in the magazine.
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Post Sun Oct 02, 2005 5:43 pm

Total BMW seems to be a better magazine for the most part, PBMW has been a bit trashy of late ;/ Everythings to over the top looks wise.
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Post Sun Oct 02, 2005 6:18 pm

rare wrote: PBMW has been a bit trashy of late ;/ Everythings to over the top looks wise.
Yeah, but only after the MAY issue... winkeye
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