BMW Z4 3.0si

Author
Discussion

monkeymax

9 posts

161 months

Friday 1st June 2018
quotequote all
Thanks for this write up! (Yes, I'm a bit of a lurker and this has drawn me out of the shadows!!)

Some great information here for someone who is also currently seriously considering one of these! Well, it's a toss-up between another shed, an MX-5, Boxster S or one of these (I know, slightly different budgets and different characteristics, etc) so it's great to see how you reached the Z4 conclusion and I'm leaning that way myself!

Fordo

Original Poster:

1,535 posts

223 months

Sunday 10th June 2018
quotequote all
Cruise Control Retrofit

Unfortunately most Z4s weren't specced with cruise. But I was keen to see if it could be retro fitted, as I always get a sore foot on long journeys, and cruise makes average speed camera zones easier to navigate.

Early Z4's have the cruise control loo wiring already in place - you just need to fit the cruise control stalk in place, and plug it in - no programming required. The facelift Z4s, like mine, however, don't have the loom.

BMW do sell a retrofit kit, including the wiring - however, after a bit of research, it turns out the BMW kit isnt actually that great - it involves cutting and splicing into the existing car's loom, which i didn't like the idea of. Also, it turns out BMWs own retrofit instructions aren't correct for the N52 engined models.

However, a clever chap under the name srhutch, on Z4-forum, has figured it all out, and makes up a much better loom. He's wired the loom to terminate in pins, that can be slotted into the cars loom plugs. Very neat.

So i got hold of the new loom, and a new cruise stalk from BMW.



First step, cut the lower cowling to fit in the stalk. Thankfully there's already markings on the cowling where it needs to be cut. Using a drummel, and a little sandpaper, it fit perfectly.





Then the wiring. Initially this seemed a complex, but it was actually fairly easy.
The new loom from the cruise stalk needs to connect to the cars loom in a few places. First off, behind the light control switch - picture below shows the light switch removed, and the loom plug disassembled.



All the cables going into the plug terminate in pins, that are designed to pop out. There's two particular pins / cables, that need to be removed. These are then replaced with two cables / pins, from the new cruise loom.
Then, the two cables removed from the cars loom plug, need to T back into the new loom, so they end up connected back to where they were from. The new loom is all made up with little cables for this - so you just connect up the cables you removed, from the tail cables coming off the new loom. It's all designed to just plug together.

Picture below shows one of the new cables fitted into the connector block, and the cable it replaced hooked up to the tail cable. After this picture, I added some heat wrap to keep the connection neat.



Then, there is one cable left which needs to be run to the engine bay. Routing the cable isnt too tricky - theres a cover under the AC controls that pops off, and theres another cover under the glovebox, where theres a grommet where a large amount of the cars loom goes through to the engine bay.

In the bay itself, the cable pops up in the box on the right, where the cars ECU and a nest of cables are routed. For the N52 engined Z4s, the cable has to be routed through to the black box on the left, which meant it needed to be routed alongside a loom bundle through a black rubber tube.



To get the cable through, I unplugged all the connectors int he black box, and straightened up tube to make it easier. I then used a blunt, thin, bamboo BBQ skewer - gaffer taped cable to one end, and gently pushed the skewer alongside the cars loom in the black tube, and out the other side to feed the cable through. It was a pretty tight fit, but i took my time as i didn't want to accidentally jab or stab into the loom bundle.



Once routed through to the box, the cable just need to be slotted into the correct pin of the grey loom plug.

And that was it, all done - I put everything back together and it works perfectly. Im very pleased with the installation.



G600

1,479 posts

186 months

Monday 11th June 2018
quotequote all
How much was the stalk? I've been thinking about fitting one to mine.

Fordo

Original Poster:

1,535 posts

223 months

Monday 11th June 2018
quotequote all
G600 said:
How much was the stalk? I've been thinking about fitting one to mine.
About £100 - The people on z4-forum, recommend this dealer - http://www.soperbmw.co.uk

Molinites

10 posts

142 months

Tuesday 19th June 2018
quotequote all
Owned my 3.0si manual roadster for over 2 years which is a record for me.
I'm not a fan of its looks from the front or side but I can't bring myself to change it.
Simply removing the clutch delay valve and changing to the ZHP knob improves gearchanges.
Quaife LSD makes such a difference I wish I had done it sooner.
Great allrounder (for a 2 seater), I do not suffer the throttle response criticisms, the car is beautifully balanced on track but is perfectly fun and useable on road. I have a calm auto family bus too.
Drive mine all the time with Sport activated.
There are sponges either end of the cabin sound generator you may wish to tamper with?!
They're great value. Enjoy it.

FLGirl

1,177 posts

190 months

Tuesday 19th June 2018
quotequote all
Great choice! I have a black with red interior but mine is the coupe. It’s my daily and on over 100k miles. It’s been extremely reliable and cheap to run. I’ve owned it for over 3 years and can think of nothing I’d replace it with. Most cars get changed after a year but this has really got under my skin!

Someone mentioned tyres - Contis vs the Pilot Sports 4s. I had the Conti 6s on mine for the last couple of years. They’ve lasted brilliantly but I’ve never found them very good in the wet. I’ve driven the car in every condition except snow.
I’ve just swapped to the Michelin’s and they’ve done about 400 miles now. I already prefer the feel of them. They seem somehow more ‘nimble’.
Not tested in the wet yet but they get good reviews for wet grip hence the change.

Gratuitous pic (mine also came with black wheels, but it’s known as the BatCar so I kept them). It’s also a YR reg so they must be brothers biggrin


Molinites

10 posts

142 months

Wednesday 20th June 2018
quotequote all
Good cruise install write-up. Worth while addition.

Fordo

Original Poster:

1,535 posts

223 months

Wednesday 20th June 2018
quotequote all
FLGirl said:
Great choice! I have a black with red interior but mine is the coupe. It’s my daily and on over 100k miles. It’s been extremely reliable and cheap to run. I’ve owned it for over 3 years and can think of nothing I’d replace it with. Most cars get changed after a year but this has really got under my skin!

Someone mentioned tyres - Contis vs the Pilot Sports 4s. I had the Conti 6s on mine for the last couple of years. They’ve lasted brilliantly but I’ve never found them very good in the wet. I’ve driven the car in every condition except snow.
I’ve just swapped to the Michelin’s and they’ve done about 400 miles now. I already prefer the feel of them. They seem somehow more ‘nimble’.
Not tested in the wet yet but they get good reviews for wet grip hence the change.

Gratuitous pic (mine also came with black wheels, but it’s known as the BatCar so I kept them). It’s also a YR reg so they must be brothers biggrin

My car has a brother!

Thanks for the tyre info. Had a peek at your garage on your info- did you previously have a non SI 3.0? How’d they compare?

Fordo

Original Poster:

1,535 posts

223 months

Saturday 23rd June 2018
quotequote all
Just had the car's 4 wheel alignment looked at;



It had previously felt a little 'wandery' on the motorway - and it feels much more planted now.
Looked like the geo was way out before. I blame BMW's awful choice to use runflats, I bet the hard sidewall transmits a lot more vibration and shock through the whole setup, which must over time really not help keep things aligned correctly.


FLGirl

1,177 posts

190 months

Saturday 23rd June 2018
quotequote all
Fordo said:
My car has a brother!

Thanks for the tyre info. Had a peek at your garage on your info- did you previously have a non SI 3.0? How’d they compare?
I did yes! I had a 3.0 SE roadster before this.
I’d always wanted the coupe TBH, but they were too pricey when I was ready to buy and my roadster was a massive bargain for a well looked after example.

I enjoyed it much more than I was expecting to. The engine was still brilliant but the power difference is clear with the SI. Much more linear torque all the way through the rev range. I can’t pretend I see any huge difference in rigidity. The car is certainly a little stiffer but it wouldn’t be something I’d say was a feature making the coupe ‘better ‘ than its cousin. I prefer roof up driving and the looks hence the swap.

If one didn’t have coupe money, the SE is a perfectly decent car and still a great drive.

Both excellent cars now both real bargains and true ‘everyday sports cars’. As it’s my DD, the bigger boot helps.

Glad you’re enjoying yours. I bought the Connect2 you recommended will fit it soon so thanks for the write up thumbup

Fordo

Original Poster:

1,535 posts

223 months

Sunday 24th June 2018
quotequote all
FLGirl said:
Glad you’re enjoying yours. I bought the Connect2 you recommended will fit it soon so thanks for the write up thumbup
Cool! If you're not far from London, and want a hand fitting it, give me a shout. Be good to have an excuse to look around a coupe! Ive never actually been in one

FLGirl

1,177 posts

190 months

Sunday 24th June 2018
quotequote all
Fordo said:
Cool! If you're not far from London, and want a hand fitting it, give me a shout. Be good to have an excuse to look around a coupe! Ive never actually been in one
Oh thank you! No not too far. Will pm you, very welcome to take BatCar for a spin smile

Mr Tidy

22,065 posts

126 months

Monday 25th June 2018
quotequote all
Great write-up on the retro-fit for cruise control. thumbup

But if you have, or are considering having, a Z4 the z4forum is well worth browsing as there is loads of information and plenty of "How To" guides on there.

I'm 4 years into ownership on my 2nd Coupe, so it's probably time for gratuitous photos. laugh





Fordo

Original Poster:

1,535 posts

223 months

Saturday 14th July 2018
quotequote all
Met up with FLGirl, to help her fit the same bluetooth module I used on my car.

Great to finally get a closer look at a coupe - The spec of hers is so similar to mine. Very surreal to see them side by side - there really is something infinitely cooler about the Coupes.

Naturally we went for an impromptu photoshoot:






sjj84

2,390 posts

218 months

Saturday 14th July 2018
quotequote all
Great write up. How much was the loom? Looks a pretty simple install.

Fordo

Original Poster:

1,535 posts

223 months

Saturday 14th July 2018
quotequote all
sjj84 said:
Great write up. How much was the loom? Looks a pretty simple install.
£20, which I thought was a bargain. - That chap who makes them 'srhutch' from Z4-forum.com, also helpfully labels up all the wires, for the particular engine you have, which made installation very simple.

FLGirl

1,177 posts

190 months

Monday 16th July 2018
quotequote all
PH at it’s best! Random stranger offers help, lives round corner!

Thank you so much, Fordo, for your help smile BatCar loves banging choooons.

The photos are great too. They look so good side by side, but you’re right, the coupe is way cooler wink

The beautiful condition of yours has however inspired me to give BatCar some love and TLC, starting with a wheel refurb. Next time he gets all posey with his brother he needs to look his best!

Mr Tidy

22,065 posts

126 months

Tuesday 17th July 2018
quotequote all
FLGirl said:
They look so good side by side, but you’re right, the coupe is way cooler wink
+1. laugh

FLGirl

1,177 posts

190 months

Tuesday 17th July 2018
quotequote all
Mr Tidy said:
+1. laugh
thumbup

hehe