The Cyborg is dead, long live.....

Well I was very happy with mine too Slim, kept it for over three years, which for me is an eternity

 

Love it. Always liked the X6 for what it is. It's nice to have something people deride so much. The red & black wheels seals the deal with that engine.

 

Yeah It's pointless, stupid and therefore essential.

 

Harry, one thing regarding the emergency spare wheel you are after. Make sure you also keep a 74mm to 72.5mm spiggot on board, as the X5M and X6M (and only the M's) have a different centre bore on front and rear axle.
Front is 74mm and rear is 72.5mm

Cracking motor you got yourself there, been my favourite for a long time.

 

Well done Harry and congratulations on what must be a bargain considering the initial cost of these cars. Looking forward to the running reports.

I can well remember reading your reports on the 7, back in 2008 and onwards for a while, all good stuff and helped relieve occasional days of boredom when I was working on a rig in the Arabian Gulf, such a pity these reports are now lost.

 

Nice one Oli. Thanks for flagging that up. Ed might be able to help out on that front.

Thanks Rigeng. It's a shame that so much got lost from so many posters. As if losing Matt wasn't bad enough.

The V5 came today off the back of my putting my personal plate on retention. Three working days. Excellent.

 

Yeah I miss your 7 series running reports. Planted the seed in me to own an E65 one day, although like the E39 they're getting on a bit, but I think there's still time for a reasonably good condition facelift "one of the last" 7 series.

 

Very different, very nice! Looks like a lot of fun.

 

If i read the thread correctly I think Harry PXed the warranty machine with BMW direct, so expect it on their forecourt with a good few k added on to that shortly, and good luck to them. That's business.

I reckon Harry had the right idea getting shot before it started going wrong big time and becoming tiresome. Complicated cars with a lot to cause headaches. I know the car was warranty powered but I guess there's a limit to how often you want to drive the thing to the garage and like he points out, if it's used as a business tool then you can't have something rough around the edges if you're keen to make an impression.

Speaking of which, the red peril will certainly make one. Jealousy in my case.

 

Sytner Sunningdale will have it tomorrow and will put it through the trade. Rob Hicks is managing the process and I don't see any harm in contacting him. . It won't be sold as a BMW AUC. If anybody is seriously considering this I will be happy to give more details of The Cyborg, although it will be a good idea to check if Rob will deal first.

 

Thanks again lads. I was contacted by Sytner this morning to confirm that the plastic film is going on this afternoon and the sills are being machined. The badges came off the boot intact and are in the boot. They are putting a gift for Helen in the car as well as a set of my private plates with a fixing kit. They really really want me to be happy with their service because they really really want me to buy gap insurance off them. The navigation is up to date and if it arrives looking 100% tomorrow and they will come down to (or close to) £300 I might gap it with them.

Actually I'm being a bit cynical. They do come off as a bunch of petrolheads who like messing about in and with cars. They want their customers to be happy and keep spending with them. So it's a business (of course) and it's about the numbers (as always) but why not make people feel good on the way? Smiles are better than frowns and they tend to generate more money.

The proof of this pudding should be with me sometime over lunch tomorrow. I've cleared my desk for tomorrow afternoon

 

The extended warranty cost is (was!) £180pm. However, this was with £100 excess and roadside assistance.

I'll be honest Dunc. It's one of the best E66s out there and everything works. But is a 10 year old car and there are signs of this. Some corrosion around the driver's mirror base, paintwork a bit faded on a portion of the front bumper, probably because of an ancient repair. A few other minor niggles but it still drives superbly. I've been using it all this week and it's as fast and comfortable as ever. There is a big element of regret in selling it. I am genuinely sad. It's not like I'm dodging some big bills or forthcoming ownership misery. It was just time.

Still a complicated car though. It won't run on pennies and a hammer.

 

^

Has got to be the 'quote of the week'.

 

Nothing wrong with a bit of luxury in your life. It sounds like the perfect station car and a snip at £4k. Go for it!

 

I wish I'd had a camera in my hand because you just can't make this stuff up.

Driver rings at 11.00 to say hes about half an hour out. At 11.15 I go and stand in the front garden,with a cuppa, to admire the view, have one last long look at the Cyborg, and hear the distant thunder of Beast approaching. The 750 is parked on my neighbor's drive . I've been there for about five minutes when next door's daughter in law drives in for a visit. But nobody is in. So she reverses off the drive, gets first and roars off - straight into the O/S front bumper of The Cyborg. THUMP! We've all heard it - that cross between a crunch and a bang. The Cyborg looked unscathed. Close examination might reveal a scratch or two. Other than that, a normal looking, straight front bumper. So where did all the noise come from? From the front of her car - oh dear! Not a pretty sight. A nearly new car too (Skoda of some variety).

We had a natter and a damage check. The usual "sorry, I'll pay" and all that. She couldn't believe that she'd (a) hit it, and (b) hit it about a quarter of an hour before the new owner was to collect it. Or less as it turned out, because I had no sooner waved her good bye when Beast swooped into view. Like I said, you couldn't dream this up!

So poor old Cyborg arrived and left with a bang. Six days into my ownership I was tail ended by a kid in a Peugot.



^ written off. Cyborg lightly scratched on the surface, although the sub structure was replaced.

So far as Beast goes. it's big, it's red, the interior looks brand new and it's exactly as I remember it. Smoother sills, new protective arch films and flowers in the back for Helen. It rained yesterday afternoon and it's raining today so apart from configuring the multimedia and car settings I won't be outside with it much. Unless we have a better afternoon. I'd like to get the wheels off and clean/treat them while they are dealer valeted fresh.

When I first got The Cyborg I was tremendously impressed with it's cool, calculated and efficient way of doing everything but I didn't bond emotionally straight away. Some cars you never do, even good ones. I thought we would be companions more than friends but putting aside the not insignificant matter of what is now standing on the drive, I was sad to see it go and am sad that it has gone. But I know that it will just take a few days and a few miles in something red

Sytner informed me that The Cyborg was back safely and de-taxed. He was happy with the condition (so the Skoda has a lucky escape at least from my side) and he said he had "sent it straight to trade". Sounds like its wheels hardly touched the forecourt - although I may have misunderstood what he said

 

It beggars belief how some accidents happen. All cars should have a warning message on the dash that says, "Warning. Engage brain before driving this vehicle".

Just glad that it wasn't your new X6M that she hit.

 

Thanks chaps. Even before I assessed the (lack of significant) damage I was laughing at the utter ironic stupidity of the situation. Of course it would have turned out OK no matter what, but Murphy is always standing right behind you! Mother and baby on board, one unaffected, the other merely embarrassed. That's the important bit.

Sitting on the drive, loading CDs and sticks, I started it up from cold - the first cold start I've done in it. It rocked from side to side like a V8 can, and like some mad animal straining to escape and devour. Beast has named itself!