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I finally bought a Z4 - Ownership thread!
- Thread starter DaveP
- Start date
Very kind of you to say so, and yes I actually spent a long while chatting with a friend of Scott's but didn't meet him.damocell said:
I was the only Z4 of any flavour on the trackday, which was a nice surprise.
EDIT - Jesus Christ, this thread has had 28,000 views. Who's reading this crap? :rofl:
True to form, the Z4 hasn't moved once since I came back from Germany in late September. Every time I think about sinking more money into a track car, I have to remind myself that between the Discovery and the Tesla I'm very rarely reaching for the keys to the Z4. Perhaps having £20k+ of car sitting on the driveway for months at a time is a bad use of money?
Either way, the MOT is due on the 27th. While I'm anticipating no mechanical issues, the bloody airbag light where I fitted the aftermarket wheel is still on, and would be an immediate failure.
Two options.
1. Find a friendly MOT man. I have a bloke I used to use in London, who would pass anything that was fundamentally safe in exchange for a few beers. I'd really rather not take it back to London just for an MOT though.
2. Fix the airbag light. Knowing that I can't code it out, it's going to be a case of repinning the original airbag connector and fitting some resistors. I hate the idea of having two resistors flapping around inside the steering hub, particularly on track. But it's likely the only proper solution.
Finally, I'm going to liberate a bit of noise from the exhaust as the car is altogether too quiet outside. I don't want to do a backbox delete, because the videos I've heard make it sound horribly droney. The fitment of the Gravity exhausts I've seen looks awful, so that's out too. The only decent aftermarket options are hideously expensive, so that's probably also out.
Instead, I'm going to get the secondary cats chopped out and replaced with straight pipe. There's a company not far from me who have good reviews and have quoted a very reasonable fee for this. Hoping to get it booked in for next week.
Either way, the MOT is due on the 27th. While I'm anticipating no mechanical issues, the bloody airbag light where I fitted the aftermarket wheel is still on, and would be an immediate failure.
Two options.
1. Find a friendly MOT man. I have a bloke I used to use in London, who would pass anything that was fundamentally safe in exchange for a few beers. I'd really rather not take it back to London just for an MOT though.
2. Fix the airbag light. Knowing that I can't code it out, it's going to be a case of repinning the original airbag connector and fitting some resistors. I hate the idea of having two resistors flapping around inside the steering hub, particularly on track. But it's likely the only proper solution.
Finally, I'm going to liberate a bit of noise from the exhaust as the car is altogether too quiet outside. I don't want to do a backbox delete, because the videos I've heard make it sound horribly droney. The fitment of the Gravity exhausts I've seen looks awful, so that's out too. The only decent aftermarket options are hideously expensive, so that's probably also out.
Instead, I'm going to get the secondary cats chopped out and replaced with straight pipe. There's a company not far from me who have good reviews and have quoted a very reasonable fee for this. Hoping to get it booked in for next week.
I've given up and gone with option 2.
A new steering wheel loom (after I butchered one of the multiplugs on the old one) and a pair of 2.2ohm resistors are winging their way to me. Hopefully it will be a nice, quick fix that means I can chuck a year's ticket on the car and stop thinking about it.
Just need to make sure that the resistors are tucked nicely inside the hub, to prevent them flapping about and getting detached. Although at least by soldering them into the loom there should be a nice, solid connection.
A new steering wheel loom (after I butchered one of the multiplugs on the old one) and a pair of 2.2ohm resistors are winging their way to me. Hopefully it will be a nice, quick fix that means I can chuck a year's ticket on the car and stop thinking about it.
Just need to make sure that the resistors are tucked nicely inside the hub, to prevent them flapping about and getting detached. Although at least by soldering them into the loom there should be a nice, solid connection.
MOT booked for next Tuesday morning, which should give me some impetus to sort out the airbag light this weekend...
I've also been in touch with a well-recommended local fabricator to help free up some noise from the exhaust. I really wanted to avoid hacking the OEM exhaust around, but I'm struggling for options.
- The photos I've seen of the Gravity exhaust fitment are laughably bad, so that's out.
- Supersprint are the only aftermarket supplier for an M54 system I can find, but they are hilariously expensive. That's out too.
- I'm not cutting off the rear box, because I've heard 'muffler deleted' cars and they sound pants.
Instead, I'm going to replace the cats/boxes (not sure) in the centre section with some straight-through pipework. Hopefully this liberates a bit more noise, without sounding too boomy on the motorway. This was the video which persuaded me. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=INyoBc0jpVI&ab_channel=QuickCarReviews
I've also been in touch with a well-recommended local fabricator to help free up some noise from the exhaust. I really wanted to avoid hacking the OEM exhaust around, but I'm struggling for options.
- The photos I've seen of the Gravity exhaust fitment are laughably bad, so that's out.
- Supersprint are the only aftermarket supplier for an M54 system I can find, but they are hilariously expensive. That's out too.
- I'm not cutting off the rear box, because I've heard 'muffler deleted' cars and they sound pants.
Instead, I'm going to replace the cats/boxes (not sure) in the centre section with some straight-through pipework. Hopefully this liberates a bit more noise, without sounding too boomy on the motorway. This was the video which persuaded me. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=INyoBc0jpVI&ab_channel=QuickCarReviews
Exhaust was postponed until next week, because I didn't fancy slithering 30 miles across unsalted country lanes in subzero temperatures.
Meanwhile, I got busy with my replacement steering connector and resistors. It's certainly not a patch on what someone competent could do, but these heatshrink solder connectors are a dream for a hamfisted ape like me.
Hoping to get it all back in the car on Sunday and make sure that the airbag light is out before Tuesday's MOT.
The cold weather and lack of use have drained the battery a little too, so going to whip that out and pop it on an overnight charge. Would love to find a plug-in conditioner that can live outside, but the CTEK ones don't seem to like that kind of treatment. Any suggestions gratefully received.
Meanwhile, I got busy with my replacement steering connector and resistors. It's certainly not a patch on what someone competent could do, but these heatshrink solder connectors are a dream for a hamfisted ape like me.
Hoping to get it all back in the car on Sunday and make sure that the airbag light is out before Tuesday's MOT.
The cold weather and lack of use have drained the battery a little too, so going to whip that out and pop it on an overnight charge. Would love to find a plug-in conditioner that can live outside, but the CTEK ones don't seem to like that kind of treatment. Any suggestions gratefully received.
I hate cars.
In spite of my resistors showing the correct value and the horn working, and me being able to clear the airbag light with my code reader, I still get the same bloody error every time I restart the car. Airbag resistance too low.
I think I'm just going to suck it up, buy ANOTHER connector, and just refit my standard wheel for the MOT. Thanks for the inspiration, enuff_zed.
On the plus side, I do have two other cars so I don't really need the Z4.
Except that some mechanic's incompetence has left my Land Rover with an air suspension fault. Oh, and some berk ran over a huge piece of tree on the road, which flicked up and smashed the Tesla's windscreen.
It never rains...
In spite of my resistors showing the correct value and the horn working, and me being able to clear the airbag light with my code reader, I still get the same bloody error every time I restart the car. Airbag resistance too low.
I think I'm just going to suck it up, buy ANOTHER connector, and just refit my standard wheel for the MOT. Thanks for the inspiration, enuff_zed.
On the plus side, I do have two other cars so I don't really need the Z4.
Except that some mechanic's incompetence has left my Land Rover with an air suspension fault. Oh, and some berk ran over a huge piece of tree on the road, which flicked up and smashed the Tesla's windscreen.
It never rains...
In a bid to cheer myself up, I bought a new (genuine) windscreen surround trim to replace the existing tatty one.
I was going to order the lower trim piece too, as mine has started to flake where it meets the screen, until I saw the price of them! Looks like I might be holding out for a good, used one for a while yet.
I gave the car a quick clean for its MOT, and blasted a pressure washer briefly into the scuttle area to clear some leaves. I was greeted by a lot of condensation in the windscreen later that day, which makes me think this lower panel seal isn't doing its job terribly well. Anyone know whether this might be the case?
I've also ordered some clips to replace the sill trim that I accidentally kicked off in a German underground car park earlier this year. Baby steps, and all.
I was going to order the lower trim piece too, as mine has started to flake where it meets the screen, until I saw the price of them! Looks like I might be holding out for a good, used one for a while yet.
I gave the car a quick clean for its MOT, and blasted a pressure washer briefly into the scuttle area to clear some leaves. I was greeted by a lot of condensation in the windscreen later that day, which makes me think this lower panel seal isn't doing its job terribly well. Anyone know whether this might be the case?
I've also ordered some clips to replace the sill trim that I accidentally kicked off in a German underground car park earlier this year. Baby steps, and all.
Arses. The sill trim clips arrived, and they are the wrong ones. They are absolutely massive, and don't fit in the holes.
Then I remembered that I'd done exactly the same thing two months ago, so now have two bags of these clips sitting in the shed. Double arses.
For anyone travelling the same path, if you search on RealOEM it appears that the part #s are incorrectly listed.
https://www.realoem.com/bmw/enUS/showparts?id=BT52-EUR-08-2003-E85-BMW-Z4_30i&diagId=51_4940
The part I accidentally kicked off in a German car park is #4 in the above, 51477069121 (depending on trim level).
The diagram above shows that the clips I need for this are part #2, 51478262533
This is incorrect.
Looking at the clips in the diagram above, I actually need part #3, which is 51471840960.
Hopefully this helps someone.
Then I remembered that I'd done exactly the same thing two months ago, so now have two bags of these clips sitting in the shed. Double arses.
For anyone travelling the same path, if you search on RealOEM it appears that the part #s are incorrectly listed.
https://www.realoem.com/bmw/enUS/showparts?id=BT52-EUR-08-2003-E85-BMW-Z4_30i&diagId=51_4940
The part I accidentally kicked off in a German car park is #4 in the above, 51477069121 (depending on trim level).
The diagram above shows that the clips I need for this are part #2, 51478262533
This is incorrect.
Looking at the clips in the diagram above, I actually need part #3, which is 51471840960.
Hopefully this helps someone.
New plug delivered, old wheel refitted, airbag light extinguished. Finally the car is ready for an MOT.
Because no good deed goes unpunished, the long bolt that secures the left-hand side of the battery is no longer grabbing the thread. A quick look at the thread shows it's been rounded a few times, thankfully not by me. Joy.
Because no good deed goes unpunished, the long bolt that secures the left-hand side of the battery is no longer grabbing the thread. A quick look at the thread shows it's been rounded a few times, thankfully not by me. Joy.
MOT booked for the 11th, and expecting a pass. Correct sill trim clips have now arrived, so I might take a crack at that when I get a moment.
Also accidentally spotted the Tesla's MOT was almost due during the windscreen replacement this morning, so that's booked for the following week.
As an aside, Autoglass, via Admiral Insurance, were brilliant when it came to replacing the Tesla's windscreen. In and out in a couple of hours, with no fuss and only £100 of excess (to pay back the 10+ years I've been ticking the box for windscreen cover).
Ironically, it was the only car of the three that didn't need a windscreen. The rain sensor on the Z4 isn't working because it's come away from the screen, and the heated elements in the Discovery's screen are patchy at best. I wonder if there's a limit on the number of claims in a year?
Also accidentally spotted the Tesla's MOT was almost due during the windscreen replacement this morning, so that's booked for the following week.
As an aside, Autoglass, via Admiral Insurance, were brilliant when it came to replacing the Tesla's windscreen. In and out in a couple of hours, with no fuss and only £100 of excess (to pay back the 10+ years I've been ticking the box for windscreen cover).
Ironically, it was the only car of the three that didn't need a windscreen. The rain sensor on the Z4 isn't working because it's come away from the screen, and the heated elements in the Discovery's screen are patchy at best. I wonder if there's a limit on the number of claims in a year?
Nurburgring trackday dates for 2025 are starting to get published, which is exciting.
Rather than doing another two-day session in September, I think I'm going to aim to do two one-day trackdays in Spring/Summer. I REALLY want to get the opportunity to learn the track properly in the dry!
Spa dates are also out, but the only ones I can see are in early Spring or late Autumn. Love the idea of Spa. Don't love the idea of learning a fast track like that on a wet trackday.
Rather than doing another two-day session in September, I think I'm going to aim to do two one-day trackdays in Spring/Summer. I REALLY want to get the opportunity to learn the track properly in the dry!
Spa dates are also out, but the only ones I can see are in early Spring or late Autumn. Love the idea of Spa. Don't love the idea of learning a fast track like that on a wet trackday.