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I have a tonneau for a Z3 which I will give free of charge. Not sure of the year I had the car but around 1999/2000. I live in Harrow area and it will need to be collected. Please contact by email stuart.sandra@btinternet.com.

Morning ED The big issue tends to be with cars that (like mine) come with a staggered set up ie: wider rear wheels and people fit tyres from different manufacturers to the front and rear. While the sizes may be correct the difference in rolling radius can be scary. If you stick to the better known Brands and change al 4 it avoids issues. Cars with a square set up (same size front and back) tend to suffer less but it's worth being aware. BMW have always had a list of recommended tyre suppliers as do Mecedes and others to avoid the issues. My experience and observation is that with the older cars where owners try to run them on a shoe string and buy cheap tyres, rolling radius can be wildly out and cause damage to the transmission. I had a lad from Brighton who owns a 3.0d X5 stop me in a petrol station and tell me what Cr**p 4x4 system BMW had when I asked him what was the problem he had broken 2 transfer boxes?? We moved to the car park to look at his car, he was running 20" staggered wheels same as mine sizes looked right but rears were a Chinese or some thing brand and nearly new fronts Dunlops. Apparently the garage he uses had changed the rear tyres due to wear on the inner edges, I put a chalk mark on the bottom of the front and rear tyres and we rolled his car forward 3 revolutions rear tyre chalk mark was at the bottom front was about 75 mm different in just 3 revolutions. His garage were happy to change/repair transfer boxes but seemed unaware of the cause, he contacted me later to say he had brought Dunlops for the rear and the issue had gone. Dave

Hi Ed Martin our sons friend thinks he is driving a racing car his right foot is made of lead?? So if he is in the 40's close to 50 should be achievable for a normal mortal. Dave PS Just text our son and the average for Martin is 44.7 since its last service 2300 miles ago mostly town with some dual carriageway work

Morning Ed I am not the one to ask about economy my 4.6is averages about 18mpg !!! Our sons friend has a 2010 X1 20d and he gets 40+ on average mixed driving if that helps at all. Can you not squeeze the Dealer on tyres? If they are not what you would like, that is what I would do. Dave

Hi Ed Welcome to the Forum To try and answer your questions the diesel variant you have experience of and your new car will very much the same motor if you go the Diesel route. Xdrive, when I brought my first X5 we had sold our Horse Lorry and decided to use a Horse Trailer so needed a vehicle capable of towing it with a couple of fat horses on board. At that time I was running an AMG CLS, I didn't like the Mercedes ML shape I had suffered a Range Rover so went for the X5. A good friend who happens to be a Land Rover Discovery fan said "what did you get that for they are rubbish off road". Well 18 years on and I have never been stuck with either of the X5's though I will admit a slippery field or snotty gateway even an isolated track when out shooting can't be classed as "Off Road". However the X5 has pulled many others out of the mire including a certain Gent with his Discovery and the only thing I add is a set of wheels with Wintrac extreme tyres mud,snow and ice it keeps going just pop in 3rd manual and let the torque do the work As far as I am aware it will come with runflat tyres summer flavour. So an investment in winter tyres and wheels may be worth while if you are off to Europe skiing (we haven't had snow in Sussex for years) All 4x4 cars have an Achilles heel with tyres, they don't tolerate differences in rolling radius between front and rear or across axles it puts pressure on the transfer box (transmission wind up) which can cause expensive damage. Apart from that drive it and enjoy it Dave