Z4 Sdrive 35i DCT

[PixelpeepZ4]

took the plunge, had some brave pills and put my big boy pants on.

Chopped in my 1.6 diesel civic for a 2009 Z4 Sdrive 35i DCT yesterday.

We have an i3 so i figured we are saving enough carbon day to day to offset something fun for the weekend!







it's not perfect, needs some cosmetic touch-ups here and there, and i think some mechanical suspension parts could do with a freshen up but overall, really happy. - Comments, hints, tips and suggestions welcomed.

[cerb4.5lee]

I've always really liked these and yours is a lovely colour combination.

I'm also a big fan of a folding metal roof, and they look much better to my eyes than a fabric roof when they are up.

Enjoy it.

[PixelpeepZ4]

cerb4.5lee said:

I've always really liked these and yours is a lovely colour combination.

I'm also a big fan of a folding metal roof, and they look much better to my eyes than a fabric roof when they are up.

Enjoy it.

Thanks lee - we had been looking at 135/335s as well but this came up and it just feels/looks so much more special. *braces for big maintenance bill at somepoint*

[PixelpeepZ4]

Spec:

Colour Tiefsee-blau metallic (A76)
Upholstery Leather "Nappa/elfenbein-weiss" (LZEW)

S431 Interior Mirror With Automatic-Dip
S441 Smoker Package
S494 Seat Heating Driver/Passenger
S459 Seat Adjustment, Electric, With Memory
S4CE Fine-Wood Version, Fineline, Anthracite
S493 Storage Compartment Package
S428 Warning Triangle And First Aid Kit
S470 Isofix-System
S423 Floor Mats Velours
S481 Sports Seat
S4UT Throughload Opening W/Int. Transport Bag

S633 Preparation, Mobile Phone, Business
S698 Area-Code 2 For DVD
S7SL Design Pure White
S616 BMW Online
S694 Provisions For BMW 6 CD Changer
S609 Navigation System Professional
S615 Extended BMW Online Information
S612 BMW Assist
S6AB Control, Teleservices
S6AA BMW TeleServices

S508 Park Distance Control (PDC)
S521 Rain Sensor
S563 Light Package
S534 Automatic Air Conditioning
S502 Headlight Cleaning System

S2VF Adaptive M Chassis
S2KV BMW LA Wheel V-Spoke 294
S2PA Locking Wheel Bolt
S249 Multifunction F Steering Wheel
S2TC Sport Gearbox With Twin Clutch
S230 Extra Package, EU-Speciifc
S2XA Sport Leather St. Wheel W/ Shift Paddles

[cerb4.5lee]

A very nice spec too!

[Macron]

Nice alloys. They can really make these.

Are they known for big bills?

Half way down this page is one with a few mods, might give you some inspiration.

https://z4-forum.com/forum/viewtopic.php?f=41&...

[wrayvon]

I had one of these last year in almost the exact same spec/colour combo. Only mine was a manaul.

Great car and sounds terrific once it's warmed up.

There is a well known exhaust mod to enable the exhaust to be fully open. They call it the 'golf tee mod' aptly named since a lot of people use a golf tee....

Enjoy!

[Parsnip]

I had a 35iS for a couple of years and loved it - I really miss the "best of both worlds" that the hard top convertible gives.

The DCT gearbox and the bigger engine makes so much sense in a car like the Z4 - the only time I felt it lacking was if you hoofed it in comfort mode, there was a bit of a pause as the car thought about what it was doing and then served up the right gear and the correct amount of boost - clicking down a couple of gears on the paddles before an overtake (and learning the timing to avoid the car shifting back for you) became second nature.

The only problems it gave were:
Two cracked alloys - a combo of stupid rubber band run flats, Aberdeen roads and badly designed BMW alloys (the 326Ms)
Coolant pump failure putting the car into limp home mode and needing a replacement.
Dry solder joint in the boot wiring meaning it wouldn't latch shut.

All of the above seem pretty common faults if you read online - but its that old thing of reading about car faults online. Every car ever made has a single make forum banging on about how there is something catastrophically wrong (Porsche IMS, Focus RS head gasket etc. etc.) that may go wrong, but isn't the end of the world that the internet would have you believe.

There are plenty of horror stories of roofs going wrong, but generally they seem well built (if complicated) cars. Its worth getting on the Z4 forums - there is a wealth of knowledge about spannering on them and things to watch out for.

Edit - forgot to add - I guess being an 09, yours has the weird push/pull gear shift paddles? I think there is a mod you can do to get the proper left/right paddles if you are that way inclined.

[PixelpeepZ4]

wrayvon said:

I had one of these last year in almost the exact same spec/colour combo. Only mine was a manaul.

Great car and sounds terrific once it's warmed up.

There is a well known exhaust mod to enable the exhaust to be fully open. They call it the 'golf tee mod' aptly named since a lot of people use a golf tee....

Enjoy!

That's an awesome tip, thank you for that!

[PixelpeepZ4]

Parsnip said:

I had a 35iS for a couple of years and loved it - I really miss the "best of both worlds" that the hard top convertible gives.

The DCT gearbox and the bigger engine makes so much sense in a car like the Z4 - the only time I felt it lacking was if you hoofed it in comfort mode, there was a bit of a pause as the car thought about what it was doing and then served up the right gear and the correct amount of boost - clicking down a couple of gears on the paddles before an overtake (and learning the timing to avoid the car shifting back for you) became second nature.

The only problems it gave were:
Two cracked alloys - a combo of stupid rubber band run flats, Aberdeen roads and badly designed BMW alloys (the 326Ms)
Coolant pump failure putting the car into limp home mode and needing a replacement.
Dry solder joint in the boot wiring meaning it wouldn't latch shut.

All of the above seem pretty common faults if you read online - but its that old thing of reading about car faults online. Every car ever made has a single make forum banging on about how there is something catastrophically wrong (Porsche IMS, Focus RS head gasket etc. etc.) that may go wrong, but isn't the end of the world that the internet would have you believe.

There are plenty of horror stories of roofs going wrong, but generally they seem well built (if complicated) cars. Its worth getting on the Z4 forums - there is a wealth of knowledge about spannering on them and things to watch out for.

Edit - forgot to add - I guess being an 09, yours has the weird push/pull gear shift paddles? I think there is a mod you can do to get the proper left/right paddles if you are that way inclined.

Yeh... on the test drive i couldn't get them to change down... i kept pressing the left and right one, wasn't sure which 'side' did down...

salesman worked out what i was trying to do and said, "push the top button to change down"

i felt such an amature lol

[PixelpeepZ4]

first proper journey in it today....

134 miles @ an average of 49.7mph - mostly motorway with a splash of town. very occasional squirt, up to no more than 95 ish but then back down to 75-80.

returned 28.2mpg (indicated, not calculated) -

i'm getting around 70 miles per fuel gauge 1/4 segment = 280 miles per tank.

oh well, at least we have the i3 when we want to save the planet lol

[PixelpeepZ4]

On a close inspection of the engine a few weeks ago we noticed traces of oil seepage around the rocker cover gasket so yesterday i took the Z4 to have it replaced - drove a 200 mile round trip to Sittingbourne where my trusted mechanic is located.

Lovely weather - had the top down the entire way home - even sitting in traffic coming back through the dartford tunnel lol

Quick oily pic

[Luke.]

PixelpeepZ4 said:

On a close inspection of the engine a few weeks ago we noticed traces of oil seepage around the rocker cover gasket so yesterday i took the Z4 to have it replaced - drove a 200 mile round trip to Sittingbourne where my trusted mechanic is located.

Lovely weather - had the top down the entire way home - even sitting in traffic coming back through the dartford tunnel lol

Quick oily pic

Just out of interest, who do you use in Sittingbourne?

[mholt1995]

Had a very similar once myself last year - only differences being cosmetic.

Absolutely great car and were the situation different, I would have kept it much longer and done more bits to it.

Best thing I can suggest is that if you're after such a thing, cruise control is easily retrofittable with about £90 of parts and an hour or so of labour.

Would love to have another at some point but they're too expensive for me at this point in time unfortunately

[PixelpeepZ4]

Luke. said:

PixelpeepZ4 said:

On a close inspection of the engine a few weeks ago we noticed traces of oil seepage around the rocker cover gasket so yesterday i took the Z4 to have it replaced - drove a 200 mile round trip to Sittingbourne where my trusted mechanic is located.

Lovely weather - had the top down the entire way home - even sitting in traffic coming back through the dartford tunnel lol

Quick oily pic

Just out of interest, who do you use in Sittingbourne?

WG MOTORWORKS

been using him since i had the Astra VXR (M32 gearbox rebuild) - about 10 years.. Knew him from when he was working out of his parents garage at the back of their house, come a long way.

[Mr Tidy]

PixelpeepZ4 said:

took the plunge, had some brave pills and put my big boy pants on.

Chopped in my 1.6 diesel civic for a 2009 Z4 Sdrive 35i DCT yesterday.

We have an i3 so i figured we are saving enough carbon day to day to offset something fun for the weekend!

Your car has a stunning colour combination.

I don't an EV or a hybrid, but as I'm not going far now that is my carbon offset!

[DevonLad]

Lovely car although I may be slightly biased Here's mine.




Only the lowly 20i 4 pot turbo but it has been remapped to 270bhp and 404nm torque so it does go rather well. I have a K&N panel filter and have also done the golf tee mod for a bit of extra sound.

Happy motoring.

[PixelpeepZ4]

Mr Tidy said:

Your car has a stunning colour combination.

I don't an EV or a hybrid, but as I'm not going far now that is my carbon offset!

Thank you so much, when i got there to have a look, it hit me as soon as i saw it in the sunshine!

i agree if you're not going as far you might as well use the same fuel you would have on a longer journey lol..

my theory is, the faster you drive the less time you're on the road, polluting

DevonLad said:

Lovely car although I may be slightly biased Here's mine.




Only the lowly 20i 4 pot turbo but it has been remapped to 270bhp and 404nm torque so it does go rather well. I have a K&N panel filter and have also done the golf tee mod for a bit of extra sound.

Happy motoring.

Great choice that car sir

270bhp? that's a healthy increase, must go well - i think it's a fair bit lighter than the bigger engined ones as well?

regarding the golf t mod - i think my valve is stuck open anyway LOL..

[Mr Squarekins]

I had a high spec Z4 35iS and absolutely loved it.

But, glad I had an extended warranty. Both turbos replaced and both front adaptive shocks plus multiple cracked rear wheels.

Lovely car, chassis not quite up to the power, so never dull!

Enjoy!

[Mr Squarekins]