Don't let your dream car die!

[theosinc930]

Forgot to post that it's all done. This was a massive project with a lot of problems and stress on the way. But we slowly worked our way through and I'm super happy with the end result.
After the body and interior were done, it was time for a round of mechanical maintenance. The Z4 therefore went to another workshop where we replaced the oil pan gasket, engine mounts, idle control valve, new differential from the parts car with fresh oil and gaskets, accessory belt, pulleys, tensioner, and secondary air pump. The final touches were an alignment and an A/C recharge for the Z4 to be ready for summer.
I tested the result by driving it 1500km to Munich. It all held up nicely. I'm very happy!

Getting rid of the airbag light caused by the RHD seats was a bit annoying. I wanted to simply code out the seat occupancy sensors but I couldn't get INPA and NCSExpert to connect to the left and right "satellite" modules. In the end I was helped by a kind member of the German Z4 forum who explained that I had incorrectly selected COM Port 1 for the K+DCAN cable. It all worked out and now the dash is error free.

 

[MikeyH]

Wow, just read this through, what a journey. The result looks fab, well done for not giving up on your car.

 

[Mr Tidy]

It may have been a challenge, but looking as fantastic as it does you must be pleased with the end result.

 

[1536Z4]

Great work . Well saved

 

[wiseguy]

So glad to see stories like this. Too many people discard fixable automobiles, many of which end up as scrap. The zed e85 is a classic; the lines, the driving experience. It deserves every shot at staying on the road. Even with all the hell I’ve been through with the continually fogging/burned out xenon headlights/igniters/controllers, multiple failed roof hydraulic pumps, and the convertible top rear window issues, I still love driving mine. It could use some tlc, and I have little time to do that, but I’m still happy I bought it 15 years ago.

 

[theosinc930]

So glad to see stories like this. Too many people discard fixable automobiles, many of which end up as scrap. The zed e85 is a classic; the lines, the driving experience. It deserves every shot at staying on the road. Even with all the hell I’ve been through with the continually fogging/burned out xenon headlights/igniters/controllers, multiple failed roof hydraulic pumps, and the convertible top rear window issues, I still love driving mine. It could use some tlc, and I have little time to do that, but I’m still happy I bought it 15 years ago.

Mine has simple halogen headlights. I feel like this has spared me quite a few headaches :rofl:
I've had a bulb or two burn out and replacing them is pretty much pocket change!

As for the roof motor, we inspected it when we took the roof off in order to replace the rear wings. There was no rust on it and it looked just fine, though I suspect the previous owner already replaced it. In my 4 years of ownership all I did was keep the rainwater drains super clean and it's given me no issues.

 

[RossT]

Great work, the car looks fantastic again. Will you be switchng to the 108s from the donor car or stay with your original wheels?

 

[theosinc930]

Great work, the car looks fantastic again. Will you be switchng to the 108s from the donor car or stay with your original wheels?

I thought looong and hard about those wheels. The 108s are the best looking Z4 wheels, I absolutely love the design.
However, in the end I sold them, for the following reasons:

1. They are quite a lot heavier than my current style 103 wheels.
From my research, I have the following figures:
STYLE 108
front: 11.23kg
rear: 13kg

STYLE 103
front and rear: 10.25kg

Obviously, more unsprung rotational mass will have a negative impact on driving dynamics.

2. The style 108s needed a refurb, and I was afraid it would become a nightmare because the bolts would break when taking the wheels apart.

3. 18 inch tyres are expensive (the tyres that came with the wheels were junk) and because of the different front and rear wheels, I wouldn't be able to rotate the tyres for even wear.

4. The ride quality with bigger wheels would probably be worse and the risk of punctures/ bent wheels would also increase.

5. My current style 103 wheels have already been straightened and they have good Michelin Pilot Sport 5 tyres.

So in the end it was a painful decision, but going with the 108s meant spending a lot of money on tyres and refurbishing to have a slightly worse driving experience. Just wasn't worth it for me, even though they are beautiful.

 

[futureZ4buyer]

I had the same reasoning when I was thinking about 18" setup. Decided it is the best to leave square 17" wheels.

Nice to see your car in perfect shape again!

 

[Gebbly]

Congratulations on reviving the car. Always good to see a classic brought back to life.

 

[gcsa]

What a fabulous story here, very well told and with comprehensive pictures along the journey. Well done for your patience and perserverance to bring your Z4 back to better than it was before. And love that registration plate

 

[theosinc930]

Just a quick post to help anyone having wiper issues.

My E85 wipers had two annoying problems:

1. The wipers would not return to the base of the windshield when turning them off.
First I took the wiper motor apart and cleaned the grease on that electrical contact area. Sadly it didn't help.


Then I ordered the K36 wiper relay. It was a massive pain in the ass to remove the fuse panel, because the relays are on the back. But in the end after a lot of sweating in a terrible position underneath the dashboard, I got it done. The wipers now finally go all the way down when turning them off.


2. They were super squeaky. I tried two sets of Bosch Aerotwin blades and one set of Valeo wipers but they all made noise.

In the end I found these SWF Connect U08 wipers. They're made in Germany and they're nice and quiet. Recommended.

 

[Gebbly]

SWF Connect U08 wipers.

Thanks for the heads up. One of my wipers just started squeeking in the latest rain storms. Could you post a link to where you got them please?

 

[theosinc930]

SWF Connect U08 wipers.

Thanks for the heads up. One of my wipers just started squeeking in the latest rain storms. Could you post a link to where you got them please?

https://www.amazon.de/-/en/dp/B0CWLRHYMF?ref=ppx_yo2ov_dt_b_fed_asin_title

 

[MikeyH]

Thank you for that I have Bosch wipers on my z4 and my transit and they both squeak :headbang:

 

[Gebbly]

https://www.amazon.de/-/en/dp/B0CWLRHYM ... asin_title

Thanks very much. Does anyone know if the Z4M would be the same fitting?

 

[theosinc930]

https://www.amazon.de/-/en/dp/B0CWLRHYM ... asin_title

Thanks very much. Does anyone know if the Z4M would be the same fitting?

Yeah it's the same for all E85 and E86 cars

 

[Mr Tidy]

I fitted a pair of the Bosch non-Aero blades to my car earlier this year and they have been squeak free.

 

[gcsa]

I have the Bosch AeroTwins - squeak and streak free (ooer missus...)

 

[theosinc930]

I replaced the radio because the CD player on the old one didn’t work. My replacement radio had a grey front panel, so I had to swap the black front panel from the old radio onto the new one. It’s pretty straightforward—just a few screws and one electrical connection. But you have to be veeery careful with that electrical connection; it’s super delicate.

I have to say, removing the radio was really difficult, because of the vent and those stupid clips that hold it in place.

I also installed a BlueMusic Bluetooth adapter. It sounds way better than my old FM transmitter.

The old CD player didn’t work because someone had inserted two CDs at once. But I wasn’t able to get them out.