Barty's Green Z4 Coupé - Not another one…

[Barty]

Simiewimie, they’re 64210DA06-1 Osram Adapter Brackets coupled with LEDriving H7 bulbs. You may need to fettle the brackets on the adapter a teeny bit (easy to do by hand), otherwise plug and play. Solid upgrade over stock halogens.

Alternative can be the Night Breaker LED’s though I’m not sure if they fit the adapter brackets.

[Ed Doe]

I did a mid-box delete on my old 3.0si coupe years ago - it was actually really nice. Made the exhaust a bit deeper and a bit raspier, with some nice burbles but it wasn't droney at all.

That sound good, and exactly what I’m going for! Did you have the original backbox? I got some very mild burbles with the Bastuck rear box already, so should be nice

Mine was the original back box, so yours will be a bit fruitier I'm sure. Should be nice!

[Barty]

Another few mods over the last few weeks, so time for a quick update!

First, swapped out the AFe intake for the Gruppe M. Why? Well, a few reasons: the additional sound from the AFe was absolutely brilliant but it resonated with the frequency from the Bastuck backbox at 4K rpm. This caused annoying drone between 95 and 110mph, which running back from Italy proved a tad tiresome on the Autobahn. Second, who doesn't like a bit of carbon bling under the bonnet right?! Finally, it allowed me to reconnect the sound generator, providing me with more control over the amount of intake roar in the cabin. Make no mistake: the AFe is great! Had the Gruppe M not crossed my path, then I'd have been perfectly happy with the AFe

IMG_9347.jpg (210.77 KiB) Viewed 696 times

Second, I had the annual MOT with a few advisories: play on the front wishbones so replaced both of those and fitted purple Powerflex bushes while in there. Also replaced the little stopper on the belt which prevents the buckle from sliding down when undone; less than €1 to replace that little bugger...

IMG_8903.JPG (181.03 KiB) Viewed 696 times

Then to the fun bit: mid-resonator delete! I scored myself a Bastuck midsection (code: BMWZ4-C1P) sans mid-resonators. Ideal for me as it slots onto the Bastuck backbox beautifully. As for the front section, it does require a bit of cutting...

IMG_9482.JPG (229.75 KiB) Viewed 696 times

It then slides onto the original pipes and clamps in place with a pair of 51-54mm exhaust clamps.

DF8C348D-86C5-455F-86A8-B208117755F6.JPG (253.36 KiB) Viewed 696 times

The result: the Z now really sounds like a straight six sportscar should! The noise is a tad deeper, absolutely ZERO drone at speed, nice burble on the overrun, and a raspy straight six soundtrack from 3.5k rpm onwards. It has since been praised with comparisons to oldschool E-type'esque rasps to E46 M3 top-end howls. My take on it: a nice throb at speed gaining in pitch as you go through the rev-band. Great burbles and the odd pop on lift-off; it just sounds fun! When are we getting the option to place vids...

Finally...

IMG_9712.jpg (124.85 KiB) Viewed 696 times

An afternoon spent shooting the Zeds of JoelvdrZ4C and myself to cap off the year. 2023 has been an absolute blast, and there's a bunch of great trips (Wales, Italy, Austria, Swiss, France) lined up as well as a number of upgrades: carbon goodies, building my own headlights, new seats, custom rear axle, new wheels, different bonnet and roof, dash, doors, speakers- the list goes on, and so does the enjoyment of the Zed.

Big thanks to the great community that is this forum. It's one of the few forums I know with such a positive, helpful and welcoming atmosphere. So to all of you, have a great 2024

[Abbas]

Enjoyable read!. GruppeM is certainly on my list, ticks all my boxes. The exhaust mod sounds like it’s perfect, I need something like that! Keep up the great content, and wishing you a great 2024 my friend.

[1536Z4]

carbon goodies, building my own headlights, new seats, custom rear axle, new wheels, different bonnet and roof, dash, doors, speakers- the list goes on,

Looking forward to seeing all of this . Bonnet sounds very interesting as not many options about . All the best

[Ed Doe]

Told you the midbox worked nicely

[Barty]

Told you the midbox worked nicely

Absolutely bang on! Combined with the Bastuck backbox, it sounds like it should now

[Gwest44]

Enjoyed reading your ownership log - a great mix of road trips, upgrades, detailing sessions, meetings and even moments of quiet reflection

Now I really must get on with creating my own

[Abbas]

Told you the midbox worked nicely

Absolutely bang on! Combined with the Bastuck backbox, it sounds like it should now

What would your recommendation be to make a stock Z4 exhaust sound great? I wouldn't want to spend more than £800ish. Somewhere around £400 would be perfect! I know everyone has a different answer, so would be great to know your thoughts!

[Barty]

Told you the midbox worked nicely

Absolutely bang on! Combined with the Bastuck backbox, it sounds like it should now

What would your recommendation be to make a stock Z4 exhaust sound great? I wouldn't want to spend more than £800ish. Somewhere around £400 would be perfect! I know everyone has a different answer, so would be great to know your thoughts!

It depends on what you want. If you just want a slightly more deep or throaty sound without too much loudness, go for a different backbox such as the Bastuck or Eisenmann. They come up second hand every now and then and require minimal work to fit.

If you want a bit more, leave the backbox as it is and change the mid-section to a non-resonated one. Bastuck make one that requires you to cut the original pipes, or go to an exhaust specialist and have a set made up. Should be able to for £400. This will give you a bit more oomph under load, burbles on the overrun and little to no risk of drone.

If you twisted my arm and I had to pick between the two, then I’d go for the deresonated midsection and leave the backbox as-is. You could then always upgrade the backbox in the future if you felt so inclined.

Finally, gutting the original backbox is a no for me: increased drone kills the fun in my book.

My two penneth! If you’re at Ultimate BMW on April 28th, you’re welcome to have a listen

[Abbas]

Absolutely bang on! Combined with the Bastuck backbox, it sounds like it should now

What would your recommendation be to make a stock Z4 exhaust sound great? I wouldn't want to spend more than £800ish. Somewhere around £400 would be perfect! I know everyone has a different answer, so would be great to know your thoughts!

It depends on what you want. If you just want a slightly more deep or throaty sound without too much loudness, go for a different backbox such as the Bastuck or Eisenmann. They come up second hand every now and then and require minimal work to fit.

If you want a bit more, leave the backbox as it is and change the mid-section to a non-resonated one. Bastuck make one that requires you to cut the original pipes, or go to an exhaust specialist and have a set made up. Should be able to for £400. This will give you a bit more oomph under load, burbles on the overrun and little to no risk of drone.

If you twisted my arm and I had to pick between the two, then I’d go for the deresonated midsection and leave the backbox as-is. You could then always upgrade the backbox in the future if you felt so inclined.

Finally, gutting the original backbox is a no for me: increased drone kills the fun in my book.

My two penneth! If you’re at Ultimate BMW on April 28th, you’re welcome to have a listen

That's a huge help mate. I may do the mid-section job then, and eventually get an Eisenmann backbox. The no risk of drone kind of sold me as I want as refined a sound as possible while still having a lot of character. I haven't seen a Bastuck one online, is it hard to get hold of one?

I may just be at ultimate BMW! Let's see how we go. Be good to meet a few people off here.

[Barty]

2024 is a few months old now, so quick interim update! First of all, I scored a set of decent winter wheels for less than a 100 euro's. That's wheels and tyres (reasonable tread left still) for less than a tank of fuel- briliant.

IMG_0771.jpg (202.91 KiB) Viewed 238 times

Gotta say, I like the look! I had decided on different summer wheels, however another big purchase has since thrown a huge spanner in the works: I've bought a house! My GF and I had been looking for a while, when suddenly sometime mid February we came across the perfect spot. Although this means some of my Zed-plans will have to be put off for the time being, I'm over the moon with this next step. Naturally, I'll build myself a nice workspace too so I can work on my car -and others- in peace (and more importantly, warmth and comfort!).

So does that mean I haven't moved forward with the Zed at all? Err, well...

07bfe6cf-3755-4207-9166-05e4864cfd31.JPG (210.13 KiB) Viewed 238 times

Say "hi" to Zed No.3: an M-roadster- or what's left of it. Managed to pick this up at a good price, so what's the idea? Well, in preparation for my big project on the green machine, I need the full running gear from an M. That's front- and rear subframe, drive shafts, M-diff, suspension arms front and rear... The lot really. In due time, the N52, current gearbox, drivetrain, and full suspension and brake setup will exit and find their new home in a to-be purchased 2.0L donor, creating a fun roadster runabout. The coupe will get a new heart at that point... Oh and yes, that Z8 in the background is absolutely stunning

All that work was originally planned for next autumn, but I'll be moving in October so realistically it will have to wait for at least another year. Oh well! Meanwhile, I also snagged up a new daily driver back in January:

IMG_1581.JPG (223.45 KiB) Viewed 238 times

A lovely E91 325i LCI in Monaco Blue with a saddle brown interior. It belonged to a German BMW mechanic who has fastidiously maintained it, tackling all the typical N53 quirks and issues when he got it 4 years ago. Interesting to experience what is in essence the successor to our N52's. The smooth, lineair character of the atmospheric straight six is very similar to the N52. Fuel consumption is down significantly, running about 7.5L per 100km compared to the 8.9L I get from the Z4 (which is about 250kg lighter too). This is partly due to the direct injection, which unfortunately also kills the beautiful soundtrack at idle you'd normally get. The injectors are loud, but as soon as you set off it reverts back to type and produces a sonorous, quiet hum that is in no way intrusive even when cruising at 160km/h.

def0aa75-0b8f-4b99-80fa-b3b542966b73.JPG (217.31 KiB) Viewed 238 times

You really only get to know a car on a longer trip, so MaldivesMax and I set off for a pair of M-sport seats he needed for his roadster. We had already collected another pair, but those were non-heated electrics. These are heated manuals, exactly as he wanted them. I've got something planned for the electric set, so more on that in about a month.

The 3'er performed flawlessly, getting us to BigWinn on a single tank of fuel, then getting us back home again on another. Averaging 97.8 km/h, the 1500km flew by that day. Besides the short wait on the train, we really managed to keep moving all day long. Nice!

So what's next? Expect an update on Max's seats and mine in about a month, roadtrip to Ultimate BMW by the end of April (anyone else here going?!) followed by a few days of fun in Wales. Any recommendations, feel free to share

[bigwinn]

I love that 3er- superb spec and look sublime

If it was a right hooker I’d have it when you’ve finished with it

[LawrenceW]

All the want for that Z8 in the background, and is that a Porsche 928 up on the ramp trying its best to sneak into the photo?

[Barty]

IMG_2243.jpeg (104.56 KiB) Viewed 122 times

Well isn’t this a nice little surprise after a long day’s work… got back to the car, parked away from everyone else in a spacious multi-story only to find this massive scrape over the front wing and door, leaving a nice dent as a bonus

Cue 10 minutes of R-rated profanity and a somewhat deflated drive home over the fact that people don’t bother to leave notes these days, and onto repairs.

Gave the car a thorough wash and set about removing the transfer from the “donor-vehicle”.

IMG_2248.jpeg (104.82 KiB) Viewed 122 times

The result is much improved already, as for the scratches and dent: I’ll lightly correct the paint this weekend, then my dent repair guy will tackle the panel sometime next week, after which a final finish will follow. Such a sh*t ending to what otherwise was a lovely day. Really enjoyed driving the Zed again in sunnier weather- I guess s**t just happens eh…