Another week, another round of improvements for the E34. This time, I've paid special attention to the wheels and tyres, although you may remember I mentioned the fact that I'd fallen into the metric wheel trap via eBay a few weeks back already.

After contemplating just spending the money on an imperial set with better tyres, I stubbornly changed my mind, instead intending to make the best of a bad situation. However, a few longer journeys revealed a distinct wobble on at around 60mph, which suggested a wheel balance was in order. 

Indeed, a couple of the wheels had jettisoned their weights a long time ago, so I booked the car in with a mobile tyre fitter who did the job in 25 minutes for just £27. It was an absolutely massive improvement, and not just at 60mph.

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Next up, tyres. The set on the £100 eBay wheels were legal, but only just, and finding 230/55/390 Dunlop metric tyres anywhere was proving a headache. I, therefore, jumped at the chance when some nearly new ones appeared on eBay, driving down that evening to pick them up.

If you remember, I'd already been fortunate enough to find a brand new alloy and tyre for just £30 in Dorset, so I stuffed three nearly new tyres (still on their alloys from another broken E34) in the car and drove home. A quick call to the same tyre fitter and £50 later, the E34 was properly shod. 

In fact, it's worth mentioning SOS Mobile Tyres (08432 892175) if you need any tyre work done around West London way, because their prices and service are superb. And no, I didn't get a discount for saying this, those are their prices and I can genuinely recommend them. 

So, that leaves the indicator lenses being swapped back to orange - which are on order - and the rather, er, individual exhaust tip. I'll crack on swapping the lenses this week, although early research suggests it isn't as straightforward a job as it should be. I'll let you know how I get on with that. 

As for the exhaust, well, I think I might just have to leave it. You see, I'm getting married later this year, and it is with great sorrow that I must tell you the E34 will be going up for sale in the coming weeks to fund that. The proceeds will probably go towards a flower arrangement or something. Groan.

Sad times then, but I've really enjoyed being the only young male in the country actively taking fake Alpina parts off an E34 in a bid to return it to its former glory. The final instalment of this (just-decided) six-part series will be with you soon, then. Probably with a picture of me waving goodbye to it.