Ground Clearance... Problem!

B

Beemer_Ben

Member
Hello,

I picked up my new Z4 yesterday from a private seller in Wigan, I had a 2 hour drive to get back to my home in the Midlands but loved every second of it.

The only problem I have is that I have developed an extreme fear of speed bumps and slight inclines on the road...

The clearance at the front seems very low despite the seller assuring me it hasnt been lowered?! My next door neighbour has also got a Z4 and his appears higher than mine by a good 20-25mm and as a result he has far less problems when it comes to speed bumps.

Mine is a 2003 ('03) 2.5 SE with 18" wheels and run flats. The seller also assures me that it has sports suspension but again im not to sure about that as ive been told that helps reduce the risk of hitting speed bumps with such a bang due to the coils not compressing so much?!

Does anyone have an idea as to what the standard clearance should be?
Also what I can do to avoid ripping my bumper off on the way home?! :(

Regards,

Ben.
 
I avoid all speed bumps too! They all seem to scrape the bottom of my Z once I've got the front wheels over them! I can't even get on one side of my drive as its too much of a downward hill! (it's not steep!!)
 
Beedub said:
all the non m z4s seemed lowered than my ///M.
Click to expand...
For sure as my ///M will clear a few speed bumps that my previous 3.0si would not and that I had to go out of my way to avoid.
 
Beedub said:
all the non m z4s seemed lowered than my ///M.
Click to expand...

+1 no problems here either, it clears all speedbumps, donkeybacks and sleeping policemen. Suspension is OEM (for now).
 
Stupid question maybe, but could it be you have an oem sport suspension or worse: broken/shortened springs?

Mine has about 16 cm clearance all over, how much cms do you have?
 
Congrats :thumbsup:

As said, pics will help.

If the car has Sport suspension then it is already 15mm lower than the standard non-sport suspension. Aftermarket springs will drop it another 15-20mm, to the point where you may *just* be able to get your hand flat on top of the tyre paralel to the ground with the back of your hand touching the arch. I have just fitted Eibachs on mine, and that is the clearance I have. Nice quick test for you ?

TBH even before mine was lowered I took speed bumps slowly and avoid them altogether if I can. It scrapes with the slightest provocation if you are not careful - remember that even if you are going slowly, if you are still on the brakes as you get onto the speed bump at that slow speed you will still hit it as the front of the car is dipped under braking. If that makes any sense at all :D

I learnt this the hard way and now make sure I have slowed and come off the brakes before I get to a hump, and stay the same speed all the way over and off it.
 
Bad_Pritt said:
Stupid question maybe, but could it be you have an oem sport suspension or worse: broken/shortened springs?

Mine has about 16 cm clearance all over, how much cms do you have?
Click to expand...

Be unusual for all the springs to be broken, but possible :thumbsup:

However, did you means mm rather than cm ?
 
I have my Z4M lowered and have no problem what so ever.

The M sport sus is lower than the SE, but I seem to think you could spec you car with the sport suspension. But its no way low enough to scrape anything. If anything it should still look like its on stilts.

Quick way to check, whip a wheel off. All the springs have a logo on them mine have H&R near the top of the spring. But are black so look OEM so have a look!
 
Thanks for all the information/opinions so far...

I'm still trying to get the pictures up, in the mean time I will whip one of the wheels off and see what I can find.
 
winny said:
Or was it 16 cm from bottom of car to the road surface?
Click to expand...

Good point :oops:

Beemer_Ben - load the photos onto Photobucket (there is a really good iPad app) then paste an IMG link into your post.
 
My 3.0i SE (on standard BMW Sport suspension) was far more susceptible to grounding than my Z4M.

I'm certain it sat lower, and the overall diameter of the tyres is less on the non M cars.

Also the SE bumper is lower in the centre than the M bumper.
 
Ok here is a picture I've got from the advert.

Thanks for the help with photo bucket!

b52d67f1.jpg
 
Doesn't look too low to be honest - is your driveway sloped ?

Here's a couple of mine, on stock sport springs, both facing down slight slopes which I think tends to make the front sit a bit lower :

BrandNew.jpg


BearstedGreenApr2012.jpg


Sorry, not exactly the same angle...
 
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