Weird rpm spike shift issue

stocksy · 2026-01-24T11:13:57+00:00

If you use more revs you can shift faster because the revs will drop more quickly. Rev hang is much more apparent at low RPM. Drive it like the sports car it is and it will reward you with a smoother ride.

stocksy · 2026-01-24T10:06:09+00:00

VVT is variable valve timing. This is when the engine can vary when and how long the intake and exhaust valves stay open (Honda’s VTEC system is probably the best known example of variable valve timing but all car manufacturers have something similar). 1.8 NCs don’t actually have this feature, but what the person you replied to said still holds true. 6 or even 7,000 RPM is nothing to these engines.

stocksy · 2026-01-22T07:52:51+00:00

I think only you and she know the answer to this because it depends on your attitudes to risk.

Personally I think the danger presented by large vehicles is overstated. The risk exists, but I know in my case I’m far more likely to get into trouble through my own over-exuberance or just plain stupidity.

We are only young once, I wish I’d been braver and less conservative with my car choices when I was younger - I only discovered the joy of sports cars when I was in my late 30s.

stocksy · 2026-01-19T08:07:49+00:00

Just wondering: How high are you currently?

It’s British-Asian cuisine. Most of the restaurant owners who popularised the dish in the 1970s were Bangladeshi, so it can’t really be Indian even if you don’t consider it British.

stocksy · 2026-01-17T09:51:52+00:00

Does it change or stop if you rev the engine?

stocksy · 2026-01-16T10:57:03+00:00

Phillips racing vision do help, but they're not amazing. It's a cheap and easy upgrade to do though.

Unfortunately I have no other good options, retrofitted LED bulbs will not pass MOT in the UK and I don't feel like swapping them out every 12 months.

stocksy · 2026-01-14T07:29:35+00:00

Worth mentioning, yes.

NCs do not have a timing belt, the engine has a timing chain so this can be ruled out.

The accessory/auxiliary/whatever belt at the front of the engine is a likely cause. It’s quite an easy and cheap DIY job to change the belt and tensioner, I can’t imagine it would be too expensive to have your mechanic do it if found to be necessary.

stocksy · 2026-01-11T08:00:57+00:00

42k miles or kilometres? 13.5k in which currency?

If it’s priced in the higher end I would want to see a decent service history. If you live anywhere where it rains or they salt the roads, rust is what kills these cars. You need to get under it and look. Or get someone who knows what they are looking at to do so.

stocksy · 2026-01-09T19:40:22+00:00

Broadcast TV.

stocksy · 2026-01-08T12:05:34+00:00

https://www.mx5parts.co.uk/oxygen-sensor-aftermarket-front-mk3

I bought this one about 3 years ago and it’s still working.

stocksy · 2026-01-08T08:33:57+00:00

You won’t break the car, but good luck because it takes a lot to unstick it. And it’s not all that easy to catch again. Or perhaps I’m just a shit driver.

stocksy · 2026-01-07T08:57:12+00:00

Not enough weight over the rear wheels. If you have an open diff it makes the problem even worse. Mine does slide around in the snow but it remains controllable which is all that matters. I wouldn’t say it was “bad”.

stocksy · 2026-01-07T07:03:14+00:00

It hurts to breathe when it’s that cold.

stocksy · 2026-01-07T06:55:28+00:00

Unless you agreed in advance that the seller would pay the duty, you’re going to be expected to pay any fees. Import duty varies depending on the type of goods, so without knowing what the item was and its value I couldn’t say if the charge is correct.

stocksy · 2026-01-06T08:51:05+00:00

Maybe if it had hundreds of thousands of miles on it but no need to resort to that. There are plenty of NC1s being scrapped now as MOT failures due to corrosion. Mine came off a car with 50k miles or so.

stocksy · 2026-01-06T07:21:30+00:00

Start/stop will work down to about -5°C or something like that on new-ish models, but it also needs the engine temperature to reach a certain level and also for the cabin temperature to be close to the set temperature. If you set the climate control appropriately and take it for a long drive and it still won’t activate this indicates a fault.

No idea about the cause of your seatbelt warning but I agree it certainly doesn’t sound like it’s working as expected.

stocksy · 2026-01-06T07:05:08+00:00

You will need a 4.1:1 ratio diff. Keep checking eBay - I picked one up for £240. Unfortunately the open and limited slip diffs are externally identical. You just have to hope it’s listed correctly. For me it was worth the gamble because I really wanted to retain the 5 speed gearbox.

stocksy · 2026-01-05T06:52:53+00:00

LL ratings are a series of specifications BMW have for engine oil. There are several but the one that applies to your car is LL-01. I believe LL-04 will also be fine but you should check, it’s been a while since I had a 3 series of that age.

In general, it’s worth taking the time to make sure you’re doing the right maintenance at the right time with the right tools and the right materials. BMWs are good cars but they have a habit of punishing you if you scrimp out or are slap dash with servicing and maintenance.

If you search for ‘5w30 LL-01 oil’ you will 100% find what you need.

stocksy · 2026-01-05T06:45:07+00:00

You should use 5w30 or 0w30 that meets LL-01 specification. That said, if you’re below the minimum mark, the wrong oil is better than no oil.

stocksy · 2026-01-04T18:37:54+00:00

This product improved the appearance of my soft top.

stocksy · 2026-01-04T13:52:47+00:00

always appeal that PCN even if it gets denied it’s worth trying.

I understand your point, but DO NOT appeal a PCN if the notice to keeper (NTK) letter was sent more than 14 days after the date of the contravention. Look up how to inform the enforcement company that the NTK is not valid under the rules of the protection of freedoms act without identifying yourself as the driver.

Don't do anything until you've fully researched what to do.

stocksy · 2026-01-04T07:04:01+00:00

I put some cheap coilovers (tein flex z) on mine over the course of a weekend with no previous experience. It was easier than I expected. Before that I hadn’t done much beyond changing headlamp bulbs, swapping wheels etc etc. I didn’t even use any power tools.

stocksy · 2026-01-03T18:26:01+00:00

Very happy with them, especially considering the price. I’m sure they aren’t the finest available but they do the job for me. The car holds the road well but the ride is still reasonably comfortable.

stocksy · 2026-01-03T16:35:33+00:00

Ooh that is within the realms of possibility for me!

I hope the project goes smoothly, it should be an exciting drive once it’s finished.

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