Z4 Advice

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Justin S

Original Poster:

3,637 posts

260 months

Saturday 4th May 2019
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Going to have a look at a coupe this afternoon. Anything I should be looking out for ?
List so far is :
water pump change ?
rear springs
cracked alloys
ticking when cold and not going away
rear steel brake hoses
Car has just been MOT'd and has been clean for last 3 years . Serviced 1k miles ago and is on 72k miles. Has no run flats but Michelins instead.

Edited by Justin S on Saturday 4th May 10:28

G600

1,479 posts

186 months

Saturday 4th May 2019
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Mr Tidy

22,065 posts

126 months

Sunday 5th May 2019
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Or more specifically here:- https://z4-forum.com/forum/viewtopic.php?f=2&t...

I've had a Z4 Coupe for almost 5 years and love it!

Water pumps seem to last anything from 8 to 10+ years, so if you find one that has had one already you should be good for years. A new Pierburg (OEM) pump costs about £250 from ECP, or £500 from BMW!

Just be aware that if you want specific colours or spec you may need to travel and/or be patient, as less than 3,000 of them were registered in the UK.

And there are quite a few things that were standard on 3 Series, etc. that were options on Z4s. Like cruise control (can be retro-fitted fairly simply), rear parking sensors, Multi-Function Steering Wheel, cup-holders, heated seats, Bi-Xenon headlights and power-fold mirrors spring to mind. Although electric seats with driver's memory were standard. But if any of those are essential make sure you look out for them.

Plus they came as "SE" models which have "Sports" seats or as "Sport" models which have the way better "M-Sport seats, M-Sport steering wheel, black headlining and stiffer, lower suspension. However some SE models did have the "M-Sport" seats as a cost option - it's easy to tell from a photo as the "M-Sport" ones have the extending thigh support at the front of the base cushion.

Anyway, good luck finding one as they are great. The engine is a highlight - nobody makes a straight 6 N/A with a 7,000 rpm red line any more!



cerb4.5lee

30,175 posts

179 months

Sunday 5th May 2019
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Mr Tidy said:
Anyway, good luck finding one as they are great. The engine is a highlight - nobody makes a straight 6 N/A with a 7,000 rpm red line any more!
You can still buy a 370Z Coupe new with a V6 N/A engine with a red line at 7500rpm...and there are plenty of used ones too. smile

I've had both a Z4M and 370Z and I personally prefer the 370Z. Both are great cars though for sure. driving

Mr Tidy

22,065 posts

126 months

Monday 6th May 2019
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cerb4.5lee said:
You can still buy a 370Z Coupe new with a V6 N/A engine with a red line at 7500rpm...and there are plenty of used ones too. smile

I've had both a Z4M and 370Z and I personally prefer the 370Z. Both are great cars though for sure. driving
True, but they are both into the £500+ road tax band - and a Z4M revs to 8,000 rpm (plus it's a bit lighter than a 370Z).

I've never tried either but I'm glad they exist, because nobody will be making cars like that any more! frown

BFleming

3,589 posts

142 months

Monday 6th May 2019
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Justin S said:
Going to have a look at a coupe this afternoon. Anything I should be looking out for ?
Fully functional roof & cleared drain holes below it. They tend to fill with leaves & stuff, and if left immerse the roof motor in water making it non-functional.

Sticks.

8,706 posts

250 months

Monday 6th May 2019
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BFleming said:
Justin S said:
Going to have a look at a coupe this afternoon. Anything I should be looking out for ?
Fully functional roof & cleared drain holes below it. They tend to fill with leaves & stuff, and if left immerse the roof motor in water making it non-functional.
Absolutely. I've yet to see a coupe with a functioning roof motor wink

Correct me if I'm wrong Mr T but is CC easy to fit? I thought the wiring was only present pre-facelift. And should it be S, not SE? Agreed about the seats though.

dgm

97 posts

207 months

Monday 6th May 2019
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Sticks. said:
Absolutely. I've yet to see a coupe with a functioning roof motor wink

Correct me if I'm wrong Mr T but is CC easy to fit? I thought the wiring was only present pre-facelift. And should it be S, not SE? Agreed about the seats though.
Cruise retrofit on the facelift is relatively simple, full instructions are on Z4 Forum.

Justin S

Original Poster:

3,637 posts

260 months

Monday 6th May 2019
quotequote all
Cheers guys. Will join the Z4 forum when I have one. Looked at that one on Saturday and wasnt what I hoped for , so walked away. Wife is happy with what we want to get. We thought about one 3 years ago and then built a Westfield instead, but the yearn to get one is back. Found what we hope is the one locally ( 18 miles away !!) which is 61K miles , silver and black leather and spoken to the chap and is sad to let it go and seems more loved than the one last Saturday. But he is in the US until next weekend, so we have first dibs when he gets home.
The only thing I want to change is the 3 piece wheels for CSL style , as everyone does. They have just been refurbed , so will store them away. We intend to keep this car for a long time . MOT and HPI checks all clean. Roll on going touring the UK in it !! smile

BFleming

3,589 posts

142 months

Monday 6th May 2019
quotequote all
Sticks. said:
Absolutely. I've yet to see a coupe with a functioning roof motor wink
bks. Missed that bit. getmecoat

Mr Tidy

22,065 posts

126 months

Monday 6th May 2019
quotequote all
Justin S said:
Cheers guys. Will join the Z4 forum when I have one. Looked at that one on Saturday and wasnt what I hoped for , so walked away. Wife is happy with what we want to get. We thought about one 3 years ago and then built a Westfield instead, but the yearn to get one is back. Found what we hope is the one locally ( 18 miles away !!) which is 61K miles , silver and black leather and spoken to the chap and is sad to let it go and seems more loved than the one last Saturday. But he is in the US until next weekend, so we have first dibs when he gets home.
The only thing I want to change is the 3 piece wheels for CSL style , as everyone does. They have just been refurbed , so will store them away. We intend to keep this car for a long time . MOT and HPI checks all clean. Roll on going touring the UK in it !! smile
That sounds promising - good luck. thumbup

To retro-fit Cruise you'll need the stalk that goes in the lower half of the cowl on the steering column. On the inside of the cowl you'll see the outline of what you need to cut out with a Dremel or similar.

There is a guy on the z4forum who makes up the part of the loom you'll need to connect it for not much cash.

Justin S

Original Poster:

3,637 posts

260 months

Monday 6th May 2019
quotequote all
Mr Tidy said:
That sounds promising - good luck. thumbup

To retro-fit Cruise you'll need the stalk that goes in the lower half of the cowl on the steering column. On the inside of the cowl you'll see the outline of what you need to cut out with a Dremel or similar.

There is a guy on the z4forum who makes up the part of the loom you'll need to connect it for not much cash.
We have cruise in our last 2 Volvo XC60's and I have only used it once or twice smile
On another note, is the power socket permanently live with ignition key removed, as usually plug the battery conditioner on my cars in there ,

Sticks.

8,706 posts

250 months

Tuesday 7th May 2019
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Justin S said:
On another note, is the power socket permanently live with ignition key removed, as usually plug the battery conditioner on my cars in there ,
I find there's room to run a cable alongside the headlight and still close the bonnet.

Mr Tidy

22,065 posts

126 months

Tuesday 7th May 2019
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Justin S said:
We have cruise in our last 2 Volvo XC60's and I have only used it once or twice smile
On another note, is the power socket permanently live with ignition key removed, as usually plug the battery conditioner on my cars in there ,
I use cruise a couple of times a week as there are so many roads around here with average speed cameras now! banghead

On an E86 the Cigarette lighter socket is permanently live.

sjj84

2,390 posts

218 months

Wednesday 8th May 2019
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I've had my coupe for 8 years now, only thing I've had replaced is rear springs and just recently one of the calipers was sticking. Mine is on 67k miles now and is going to need the brakes replacing soon.

Interesting to hear that cruise control is a relatively simple retro fit, mine seems to have pretty much everything other than cruise so tempted to fit it so it's got everything.

Mr Tidy

22,065 posts

126 months

Wednesday 8th May 2019
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I'm days away from 5 years of Z4 Coupe ownership, although I'm on my 2nd. rolleyes

My 1st had Bi-Xenons, heated seats and the Professional Hi-Fi, my current one just has cup-holders, rear PDC and cruise.

But the cruise is really useful with all the average speed cameras around these days!

If you want to retro-fit cruise just go to the z4forum and look at the "How To" pages.

Justin S

Original Poster:

3,637 posts

260 months

Saturday 11th May 2019
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Bought a car today and sat in the sellers house for 2 1/2 hrs waiting for money to move to him and take it away. Sadly it never appeared, so taxed, insured and sat on his drive ................. Awaiting a phonecall to say money has arrived and back to Bristol to collect it !

Mr Tidy

22,065 posts

126 months

Saturday 11th May 2019
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That's a PITA.

Still' enjoy the drive home tomorrow. thumbup

Justin S

Original Poster:

3,637 posts

260 months

Saturday 11th May 2019
quotequote all
Just had the call . Money is there smile . Back to Bristol tomorrow. Also, dont need to fit cruise as already there and a foam is taken out the sound tube. Just need to sort some CSL style wheels now. The original need a refurb and may as well direct the money to 18 inch versions of those.

Mr Tidy

22,065 posts

126 months

Sunday 12th May 2019
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Result (finally)!

I think I've already posted on your thread on a more specific forum, but enjoy!

And I just seem to have a square set of 8J x 18" CSL reps that I don't need any more. laugh