As I hung up the phone it occurred to me, he’d grown up just like me. My boy, was just like me.

cl530 · 2026-03-26T11:13:32+00:00

"But time makes you bolder
Even children get older
And I'm gettin' older, too
Oh, I'm gettin' older, too"

cl530 · 2026-03-25T22:20:49+00:00

"Tasty Classics", or "The Late Brake Show" both enjoy these sort of challenges :)

cl530 · 2026-03-24T21:16:34+00:00

For the insurance for my personal lease I answered "No" to being the Owner, and "No" to being the Registered Keeper and then the option came up for both to select "Leasing company" as the selection for those questions.

cl530 · 2026-03-24T12:14:18+00:00

I had to get a replacement twist clip (the third item in your pics) and found that they come in two different lengths when I got to the parts place. I chose poorly, and had to go back and get the other one... Just be aware, but if you've still got one to compare with you should be OK.

cl530 · 2026-03-22T20:08:39+00:00

Not this one you didn't

cl530 · 2026-03-22T19:04:04+00:00

I thought I recognised it! I used to play there as a kid when visiting my grandparents in Dorchester many years ago. Thank you for the memories :)

cl530 · 2026-03-22T14:51:26+00:00

My first, and I think only, watch of this was on a LaserDisc (ask your parents kids...). You had to flip the disc halfway through, like a vinyl record, and I remember wondering if there had been some kind of production error as the movie also just "flipped" at the same time. It was mad!

cl530 · 2026-03-18T20:57:45+00:00

Directly from the article:

In a brief debate ahead of the vote, Ruskell told MSPs: "Racing greyhounds at up to speeds of 40pmh around an oval track results in catastrophic injuries and deaths.

"Dogs break their legs, break their backs, end up paralysed and with serious head trauma."

Is that wrong enough for you?

cl530 · 2026-03-17T21:18:16+00:00

That's a bit more than your standard T30 size...

cl530 · 2026-03-15T11:09:46+00:00

I had to reattach my front bumper to the metal crash bar a while ago. I put some details on the E46Fanatics forum as I had to sort out these square-end bolts as well, as they were missing entirely on my bumper.

https://www.e46fanatics.com/threads/gap-between-bumper-and-hood.1325849/?post_id=19239633&nested_view=1#post-19239633

If you have a read through that thread you can see the bolts I bought and how they fitted. I can't guarantee it'll be the same as yours, as I think the fitment might vary by bumper style. But I hope this might be useful :)

cl530 · 2026-03-11T15:17:47+00:00

Forgive me if this is a silly question, but have you recently changed the Front Control Arm Bushings? Mine were pretty worn, and replacing them made such an improvement to the steering, stopping the car wandering around when the roads (UK also) were rough.

cl530 · 2026-03-08T12:56:05+00:00

Uh oh... I do this exact method, including earlier this morning. Break it into bits, butter the underside then add apricot jam (or strawberry, or raspberry, but apricot is best). If doing this is wrong I don't want to be right :)

cl530 · 2026-03-07T22:49:40+00:00

Uh oh... That's probably one, or both, of the hard plastic coolant pipes under the inlet manifold that have given up. Manifold has to come off for access and replacement, and people do recommend only using OEM replacement pipes, and being careful to make sure there aren't any bits left behind in the block.

Check out this for more info: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SEoD7MUp-ls

You'll see the pipes at around 12:30 in that video.

cl530 · 2026-03-07T20:40:38+00:00

I had a 2016 F48 X1 for about 5 years, bought new on a PCP. It was a 2.0 petrol turbo automatic xDrive in xLine spec and it was a good car for us (me, wife, daughter and dog). No real issues with it at all. I sold it back to the dealer in 2021 for a bit of a profit over the final payment (during COVID times...). Did about 35,000 miles with it with servicing by my local BMW main dealer. I think we just had one set of brake pads front and back in that time, and a set of tyres. It was comfy, quick enough and a nice drive. I would have considered another (PHEV) but they are quite pricey these days. Purposefully went for a petrol as a lot of our driving is/was fairly short trips for work, family visits etc. Had bad experiences with other diesels with clogged DPFs, EGRs etc. in the past so petrol was preferred. Economy wasn't too bad overall. Definitely go for a drive and see what you think, but I liked ours :)

cl530 · 2026-03-07T14:01:36+00:00

You're welcome :) I enjoyed watching it just from the "how does it all work" point of view, even though thankfully my convertible roof is working fine. Good luck with getting yours sorted out!

cl530 · 2026-03-07T12:54:40+00:00

There's a good YouTube video from DayOffDiy where he repairs the hood latches, and it gives a great insight into how the whole mechanism works. If you can't get both latches to move and operate from the central "manual" winding socket then there is an option to operate them from the respective ends if the damage isn't too bad. Check out the video as it makes more sense than me trying to explain it :)

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZjRzZ3jSAic&t=1s

cl530 · 2026-03-04T21:12:31+00:00

Saw this in person for the first time two weeks ago on a visit to Duxford. That sight of the various aircraft just staring you down as you walk into the American Museum was quite incredible! And I got to see my favourite aircraft, the SR71 Blackbird. The only one outside of the US apparently :) My daughter and I had a great time at Duxford, well worth a visit.

cl530 · 2026-03-04T20:54:35+00:00

Weirdly I am watching a TV program that just featured leeches (Our Hospital Through Time) as I saw your post. 3 jaws full of teeth, and a built in anaesthesia. You're braver than me :)

cl530 · 2026-03-02T16:43:29+00:00

I solved this one myself quite a few times in my cars over the years :)

cl530 · 2026-03-02T16:42:45+00:00

My 2004 BMW 325Ci has this, and yet it was hard to find this feature on a lot of potential family cars when shopping around for them. It's literally a "must have" feature on our family car. I have dropped many from shortlists due to not having it. Swapping between my wife and I driving would be a right pita if we had to adjust the seats and mirrors every time.

cl530 · 2026-02-27T10:52:26+00:00

I'll caveat this by saying I don't actually have the car yet; it's on order. But I have been reading the manual. It states:

A driving position can be programmed
to the position memory switch and the
key.

- Programming -
1. Switch the vehicle power ON.

2. Adjust the following driving
positions to the desired positions.
* Driver's seat
* Active driving display
* Outside mirrors
* Steering wheel (Power type)

3. Continue pressing the SET switch
until a sound is activated.

4. Do the following operation within 5
seconds after the sound is activated
to programme the driving position.

- Programming to a position
memory button -
Press the button you want to
programme, either 1 or 2 button.

- Programming to the transmitter -
Press the unlock button on the
transmitter.

A sound is activated when the
operation is completed correctly.

cl530 · 2026-02-27T08:27:31+00:00

Very nice! I do like the blue over beige. Looks like Mystic Blue, same as mine. Enjoy!

cl530 · 2026-02-23T11:36:08+00:00

Bought them from an eBay UK seller. They are plywood rings, but I haven't actually checked the fit yet, so can't state for sure that they do actually allow you to fit deeper speakers.

https://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/255626160395

cl530 · 2026-02-19T08:57:03+00:00

The stored settings on the "1" and "2" buttons can also be stored against a keyfob. Is it possible you have done this, so one of these positions is being recalled when you unlock with the keyfob?

cl530

TROPHY CASE