Life after the Z4 - update Sept 2012

[Swiftly]

Nice choice

[a11y]

Eibachs

Nah, it's pretty low as it is - perfect arch gap all round. Of course if the springs snap then I might be forced to reconsider

Very nice ally, good choice. Now we have a pace car/safety car/support car/icebox car for our Scottish runs

Is the house up for sale as well or is that the neighbours? Upgrading to one with a nursery! If it's you and you're using Clyde, then we looked at some of the properties they were marketing. They did very little chasing us as buyers to provide feedback etc to sellers - didn't bother checking up we'd even bothered to go to some of the viewings.

Just need a flashing light for the roof and we're sorted - Jo or JimmyPop can probably arrange that too

Yes, was our house for sale but we've decided to stay where we are: we've been on an assisted sale with Ogilvie, trying for a move into the High School development in Kings Park in Stirling, but that's been since February with no joy. The arrival due in Nov means we're happy to stay put and enjoy all the space: 6 double bedrooms, 2 ensuites, dining room, lounge, living room, sun lounge (2400sqft). Just hacked off with the uncertainty as there's some alterations we've got planned and want finished before Nov and at least now we'll be able to start them.

Great choice. I'm always looking for 6 cylinder 330is and 335is and they hardly ever come with xenons, and even rarer to find one with memory seats, which is what I am used to these days. Good to see you went for a manual too - never understood wht so many of the higher end 3 series models always get specced as autos.

Tell me though, given you aren't due an arrival until November how come you sold on the Z4 so soon? Timing it with the arrival of good weather?

Yeah I'm a fan of manuals even if sometimes a good auto can shift quicker. I'd looked at manual 335i's but was put off by reliability reports hence stuck with n/a, and I looked at 335d's but couldn't believe they're only available with an auto box!

Basically chose to sell now to hit the peak sale season for convertibles. I'd have loved another "summer" of top-down driving, but I didn't want to be stuck chasing a sale at the end of the summer when there's many more on the market traditionally. Saying that, I'm looking at the weather outside right now and being very grateful I don't have a soft top, it's fecking poruing down and windy too...

[Stuart Truman]

That looks really nice. Just run in too!

[AndrewP]

Nice, is it not the 272ps N52 (more power than mine ) in those later ones too?

[srhutch]

Very nice

Recession White and non Flimper Spec

[andysat]

Very nice,i could be looking for one of those if my zed keeps playing up as it is!

[a11y]

Nice, is it not the 272ps N52 (more power than mine ) in those later ones too?

Nah, this is one of the pre-LCI ones and doesn't have the more efficient, direct injection petrol engines. Just as well as from what I read online there's more issues with the newer engine. Would've been nice with the extra mpg but this should still be better than my pre-facelift Z4

[mrlozzer]

Nice car! Nice spec too... love that style of wheel on the E90. If you've got to have a family car, this is a pretty good choice! Just needs a few mods....!

[paddy wright]

lovely car- I'm going to get one like it or an e60 for my work run and keep the z for sunny days- 5 years of daily driving the z has been great but now I have a longer commute i need to keep the miles down.

[a11y]

Covered approx 130miles yesterday in the new car, hard not to think of it as a 4-seat Z4...

+ves:
+ copes better with broken/rough surfaces than the Z4, i.e. UK roads...
+ nice toys
+ doesn't feel big when driving
+ deceptively quick

-ves:
- deceptively quick: not got the same excitement factor as the Z4 (but that's not surprising)
- far too quiet: it needs more engine noise into the cabin

Probably being harsh but it's so well insulated and refined that you barely hear the engine at times, I'd be as well having a diesel 90% of the time. But that other 10%: wow. Just wish it had a sound generator that I could remove foam from like the Z4

[a11y]

UPDATE: September 2012 - a big clean and a few mods

* Finally had time to clean my "new" car in more detail to remove years worth of crap baked onto the paintwork
* de-tarred, clayed, polished, glazed and waxed
* I was sad enough that I even scrubbed the arches...
* brake calipers and hubs tidied up - see the "before" pics to see what a disgrace they were
* engine bay cleaned up - forgot the "after" pics though
* registration plate finally transferred over
* front number plate mounting plinth removed
* M3-style bootlid spoiler added


Before:


^ 76k miles and doubt it's seen the slightest bit of cleaning under there...




^ previous owner obviously hadn't heard of detailing clay...


^ nice BMW quality on show there...


^ number plate plinth soon to be removed


After:








^ much happier with the reduction in swirls but still not 100% done - hoping to attend a machine-polish instruction class soon


^ it wasn't until AFTER I'd hosed the inside of the engine bay that I found the driver's side headlight access cover wasn't attached properly - still trying to dry it out




^ big improvement using leftover black hammerite








^ plate mounting plinth removed - much cleaner-looking with the plate stuck directly to the bumper IMO


Still have a list of stuff do to including repaint the black trim around the windows and a bit more time on the interior. Also waiting on a suitable date to attend a machine-polishing master class in Glasgow but the dates haven't suited to date. Now have winter alloys and tyres sitting in the garage awaiting a refurb. And also have a Disklok on the way and the bits to relocate my OBD2 port, but the less said about that the better...

But, 2.5 months and 1.5 tanks of fuel (~450 miles so far ) I'm loving the e90

[Bing]

Lovely job a11y

Mrs B has her heart set on one of these

What did you use to clean the engine bay ?

[a11y]

Lovely job a11y

Mrs B has her heart set on one of these

What did you use to clean the engine bay ?

Stop all this pish about buying yourself an ///M and treat the good lady to one of these

I used Flash All-Purpose Cleaner - it would've been Tesco own brand but the Flash was on special . Sprayed the engine bay beforehand with warm water in a portable garden sprayer (didn't have the confidence to use anything with more pressure), used a sponge and a brush to get into all the bits, then rinsed again with the water sprayer. Yet to dress the plastics, etc hence the lack of pics.

[Carol M]

Looking lovely a11y! You've done a cracking job, well done.

[Bing]

Lovely job a11y

Mrs B has her heart set on one of these

What did you use to clean the engine bay ?

Stop all this pish about buying yourself an ///M and treat the good lady to one of these

I used Flash All-Purpose Cleaner - it would've been Tesco own brand but the Flash was on special . Sprayed the engine bay beforehand with warm water in a portable garden sprayer (didn't have the confidence to use anything with more pressure), used a sponge and a brush to get into all the bits, then rinsed again with the water sprayer. Yet to dress the plastics, etc hence the lack of pics.

Cheers a11y.

You have actually managed, in one succinct instruction, to strip bare all the bollocks and reveal a major plank of what I have been referring to as The Plan

Once she has a new car, the possibilities become much more, well, possible