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Picked up a 2003 2.5i and drove it 770 miles to Germany

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AC5L4T3R
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Picked up a 2003 2.5i and drove it 770 miles to Germany

Post by AC5L4T3R » Fri Nov 24, 2017 1:12 pm

(Long post incoming..)

Hi All,

My path to getting a Z4 probably isn't as simple as most so if you have a spare 5 minutes, here's my story of how I got mine. Back in 2013 I bought a 2.0 Z3 from my Dad, who'd been letting it sit on our drive for a good few years since he'd bought it in 2003. It was still in good shape, ran great and after having only FWD cars previously, it was nice to find yourself spinning 360 degrees going around a snowy roundabout in the middle of rush hour in December.

In 2014, I got a job in Stuttgart as an Automotive CGI Artist where I work on all the brochure/website images and animations for Mercedes-AMG, which means I get to see all of the MB-AMG cars 2-3 years before they're even built, which is pretty interesting. If I ever owned an AMG, I'd have absolutely no problem taking one apart because I've got access to the CAD data, if only I had one of these for a Z4!

Anyway, after spending a good part of 3 years taking the bus/train to work and being too stubborn to buy a german car, I went about getting my Z3 to Germany..Which at this point had yet again been standing on my Dad's drive. I took it for an MOT last January and it was in a sorry state, corroded brake lines, warped discs, corroded steering column, broken springs and needed new tyres all around. The plan to drive my Z3 was on the backburner.

Fast forward a few months and my Dad left his job (also in Germany) and said he was going to get the Z3 and his Z4 in shape (which he bought after I bought his Z3 and also had been sitting on the drive). I was always more fond of the Z4 and after a bit of haggling, I managed to convince him to sell me the Z4. Off it went through an MOT - pretty much the same as the Z3 in regards to what needed repairing but the job was done and the car was road legal again.

I flew back to England last weekend with a one way ticket. My Dad had flown out of Manchester on the Tuesday and left the Z4 in an airport car park. He'd told me the battery *might* be flat because there was a compartment light that wasn't turning off so it was running the battery down. The guys at the airport had already jumped the car when I'd got there to pick it up and drove it back to Chester without issue. Popped in to see my Mum for a brew for a few hours and then when I went to leave, the battery was dead yet again. Charged it up with a portable charger and off I went to my mates. Hungover the next day, again the battery was completely flat. This continued throughout Friday and after taking it out for a while Friday evening, I had hope for the drive on Saturday that it would be ok. It wasn't and at this point I was in full panic mode. Took it down to Halfords at 9 and they diagnosed it as a faulty battery. They replaced it with a new one and off I went to drive down to the Euro Tunnel.

After spending the night in Calais, I was quite anxious when I woke up whether my car would start or not. So much so I could only stomach a bowl of cereal from the buffet after paying 9 euros for it. Thankfully, the car started and I let out a rather loud "GET IN" as it fired up. 8 hours later I arrived in Stuttgart with nothing but a small hole in my pocket. In total, the journey took 770 miles.

But yeah, there's a few things I need to do - Getting it to German spec so I can register it with German plates. Find out what's causing the airbag light to be constantly illumated, replace the broken rear 3rd brake light and give the headlights a bit of TLC as they're fogged up and the bulbs are horribly dim right now.

Sorry for such a long post but if you stuck with mere, here's the only picture I've got so far:


Image
2003 Sterling Grey 2.5i - RHD car living in a LHD country.

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ph001
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Picked up a 2003 2.5i and drove it 770 miles to Germany

Post by ph001 » Fri Nov 24, 2017 1:42 pm

Good story and loving your Zed. What's involved in importing the car to Germany? Any duties / taxes to pay and how difficult is the registration process?
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jabber
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Picked up a 2003 2.5i and drove it 770 miles to Germany

Post by jabber » Fri Nov 24, 2017 2:12 pm

Hi and welcome to the forum :thumbsup:
Z less again
14 E89 Z4 2.0 msport grey gone now
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maxman
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Picked up a 2003 2.5i and drove it 770 miles to Germany

Post by maxman » Fri Nov 24, 2017 4:01 pm

You want to sue your dad for selling you a wreck :evil: .😉
Your a brave man driving that distance having spent so little time with the car . :thumbsup:

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Picked up a 2003 2.5i and drove it 770 miles to Germany

Post by buzyg » Fri Nov 24, 2017 4:07 pm

Great intro post. :thumbsup: Nice looking Zed. 8) Welcome aboard. :)
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AC5L4T3R
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Picked up a 2003 2.5i and drove it 770 miles to Germany

Post by AC5L4T3R » Fri Nov 24, 2017 4:58 pm

ph001 wrote: Fri Nov 24, 2017 1:42 pm Good story and loving your Zed. What's involved in importing the car to Germany? Any duties / taxes to pay and how difficult is the registration process?
Thanks! Gotta get the headlights adjusted and I think also swap the rear fog lights although I'm not entirely sure. I have 6 months to get it registered with German plates. It's fairly easy I believe, just have to have all the relevant documents.. but after living here for almost 4 years, nothing's ever simple when it comes to German bureaucracy.
2003 Sterling Grey 2.5i - RHD car living in a LHD country.

AC5L4T3R
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Picked up a 2003 2.5i and drove it 770 miles to Germany

Post by AC5L4T3R » Fri Nov 24, 2017 5:02 pm

maxman wrote: Fri Nov 24, 2017 4:01 pm You want to sue your dad for selling you a wreck :evil: .😉
Your a brave man driving that distance having spent so little time with the car . :thumbsup:
Well, let's just say I got a good deal ;) I'd driven it before when I temporarily "lost" the keys for my Z3 (they were in the footwell of the Z4) so I was used to it. The one thing it's taken a bit of getting used to is the long front end. I've been driving Smart cars on and off for the last 2 years and obviously they have no front end almost. Bumped in to one of the plastic posts ever so slightly at Tesco's on Friday :oops:
2003 Sterling Grey 2.5i - RHD car living in a LHD country.

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Picked up a 2003 2.5i and drove it 770 miles to Germany

Post by Joneeboy » Fri Nov 24, 2017 7:29 pm

I'm liking your Z4, Sir!
What a great 'getting to know' drive!

I did a similar thing when I bought a land rover Defender a few years ago. Flew to Edinburgh, train to Perth and then drove exactly 500 miles home. Bit of a leap of faith, but it didn't miss a beat!

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Picked up a 2003 2.5i and drove it 770 miles to Germany

Post by firebobby » Fri Nov 24, 2017 8:37 pm

AC5L4T3R wrote: Fri Nov 24, 2017 4:58 pm
ph001 wrote: Fri Nov 24, 2017 1:42 pm Good story and loving your Zed. What's involved in importing the car to Germany? Any duties / taxes to pay and how difficult is the registration process?
Thanks! Gotta get the headlights adjusted and I think also swap the rear fog lights although I'm not entirely sure. I have 6 months to get it registered with German plates. It's fairly easy I believe, just have to have all the relevant documents.. but after living here for almost 4 years, nothing's ever simple when it comes to German bureaucracy.
Welcome to the forum, great story and epic drive, glad it all worked out. Then it is a BMW :wink:
Don't know if your converting your front lights, but these are on Gumtree and may help you :thumbsup:
https://www.gumtree.com/p/car-part-acce ... 1276067956
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Picked up a 2003 2.5i and drove it 770 miles to Germany

Post by Mr Tidy » Fri Nov 24, 2017 11:09 pm

Hi and welcome - your Z4 looks great in that photo, and having a hardtop is a bonus!

That is a brave first drive BTW. :thumbsup:

You need to find someone with a code reader - the airbag light may be due to something simple. On my E46 it was just a one-off issue with a seat-belt pre-tensioner - got the code cleared and it has been fine for over a year.
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Picked up a 2003 2.5i and drove it 770 miles to Germany

Post by ScoobyR1 » Fri Nov 24, 2017 11:22 pm

Hi there
Great intro story, makes my flight down to East And subsequent drive back to Edinburgh sound positively pedestrian ! :D
Incidentally that reg no identification SG I think originates from Edinburgh or at least Lothians.
Welcome aboard matey :thumbsup:
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Picked up a 2003 2.5i and drove it 770 miles to Germany

Post by ronk » Sat Nov 25, 2017 12:39 am

I don’t think the last two letters designate areas nowadays - it’s the first two with prefix registrations.
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Picked up a 2003 2.5i and drove it 770 miles to Germany

Post by Marlon » Sat Nov 25, 2017 12:43 am

Great story, and loving that picture - hard top looks the business :thumbsup:
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Picked up a 2003 2.5i and drove it 770 miles to Germany

Post by ScoobyR1 » Sat Nov 25, 2017 3:55 am

ronk wrote: Sat Nov 25, 2017 12:39 am I don’t think the last two letters designate areas nowadays - it’s the first two with prefix registrations.
My bike had the same reg "VSG" that's what made me conclude that it was registered in Edinburgh area. You may be correct as my current Z4 has the SG at the start of the reg. that was definitely registered in Edinburgh, :poke:
'03 Titan Silver 3.0 auto. Hand controls, CC, MFSW CSL reps, H&R ARB's, :thumbsup:

Now sold '03 Sterling grey 2.5 E85 :(

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Picked up a 2003 2.5i and drove it 770 miles to Germany

Post by paddy wright » Sat Nov 25, 2017 11:00 am

Great first post and story- surprised your car passed the mot with the airbag light on, if it was off for mot and now come on it could be a simple lose connection. What was the fate of the z3, is it backnon the road as well?
Z4 2.2 sterling grey,Msport seats,retrofit cupholders,cruise,footwell lights,sound gen and mfsw,18"ellipsoids,xenons+light washers,ZHPknob,folding mirrors,3"stubby,update wheel caps,gateway300 ipod, wind deflector to keep the wife happy!

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