Afternoon all - Z4 35i owner

[buzyg]

Welcome to the mad house PixelPeep. Great looking Z4 sir.

So I guess this is more zippy than the civic then...

[PixelPeepZ4]

Right, this amp....

does this look factory to anyone ? i don't have any DSP settings or anything, no subwoofer levels, just bass, treble and fader
Model seems to be SPX4

[Chippie]

I would say that’s definitely an aftermarket amp, the BMW amp should be in the panel between the drivers seat and the boot

[Timmyboybunter]

Hi and welcome - fab looking car. I'm itching to swap mine out for a turbo'd version at some point but I don't quite have the balls

Nosy question: what is holding your water bottle in the first pic? (I quickly concluded the cup holders I see you're also using, are way too much of a pain to use as it means the arm rest has to be up. So out they came!)

Edit: nice spec list too. You're a cruise control away from having all the nice options fitted and some of the rarer ones too - the design white interior option for example. Cruise control is easily rectified by AnubisZed on this forum if that floats your boat.

[PixelPeepZ4]

Ok, thank you everyone for the welcome. Thank you also for being ok with some newbie questions..
if i'd be better off starting a new thread with this post, please let me know!


Note: i am not mechanically minded in the slightest, i can talk a good talk, and understand cars inside and out but pretty much every job that needs doing i will be paying someone else to do.

here goes..

1) next to the hard drive icon on the top right hand side of the flip over display - what does the number next to it mean? i have -10 showing at the moment.
2) i can only seem to put in the first part of a postcode in the nav, i then have to put a street name in, is this normal ?
3) how easy (and at what cost) is the nav software to upgrade? mine is currently showing ECE BMW 1.2.4 Road map europe PREMIUM 2008-2
4) does anyone elses drivers side door armrest (with the window controls) squeak every time you touch it? if so, is it an easy fix?
5) how easy (and at what cost) is replacing the odd switch cover where the black plastic has peeled off? currently my PDC, roof up, drivers side heated seat and the main iDrive wheel buttons have bits that have slightly peeled.
6) is there any way to easily retrofit an OEM DAB tuner? - mine only has FM/AM

think that's it for now... thank you so much in advance for your time!

[Stevo1987]

Ok, thank you everyone for the welcome. Thank you also for being ok with some newbie questions..
if i'd be better off starting a new thread with this post, please let me know!


Note: i am not mechanically minded in the slightest, i can talk a good talk, and understand cars inside and out but pretty much every job that needs doing i will be paying someone else to do.

here goes..

1) next to the hard drive icon on the top right hand side of the flip over display - what does the number next to it mean? i have -10 showing at the moment.
2) i can only seem to put in the first part of a postcode in the nav, i then have to put a street name in, is this normal ?
3) how easy (and at what cost) is the nav software to upgrade? mine is currently showing ECE BMW 1.2.4 Road map europe PREMIUM 2008-2
4) does anyone elses drivers side door armrest (with the window controls) squeak every time you touch it? if so, is it an easy fix?
5) how easy (and at what cost) is replacing the odd switch cover where the black plastic has peeled off? currently my PDC, roof up, drivers side heated seat and the main iDrive wheel buttons have bits that have slightly peeled.
6) is there any way to easily retrofit an OEM DAB tuner? - mine only has FM/AM

think that's it for now... thank you so much in advance for your time!

I think for your year the only option for a sat nav upgrade i.e. the maps is to take it to BMW. When I had mone I upgraded over the air which was kinda cool.

[PixelPeepZ4]

Hi and welcome to the madhouse with your stunning looking Z4

thank you and thank you!

[Timmyboybunter]

I believe, from when I went through this upgrade process when getting hold of my car, if you currently have a little green 'tick' icon in the bottom left hand side of the sat nav iDrive screen - then you are able to update it all manually (which is reasonably simple).

Otherwise, it's a trip to the dealer - later cars (can't remember the date - 2010 sometime) will have this tick showing, as will cars which have ALREADY had to have this dealer update applied.

If you read through the long boring thread linked in my sig there's a picture of the tick fairly near the beginning.

Fairly sure I can enter a full postcode on mine (can't be sure as I don't use the Nav all that often) - may spring into life post update (note you'll ideally want to update the nav software and the maps).

Switch covers: very common problem on the roof/heated seat/stop start/parking sensors controls, mine were the same - I picked up a set on Ebay in perfect condition, easy to swap over. You can also get buttons to stick over them, or some people have mentioned a Spanish company "Serprint" who can basically 'print' new stickers directly on to the buttons with impressive results. Not sure on the iDrive buttons though.

I mentioned AnubisZed earlier - I know he's now able to upgrade a non-Dab standard (not nav) head unit to the Dab version including everything needed etc. so may be worth picking his brain about that.

[Silverstar]

Ok, thank you everyone for the welcome. Thank you also for being ok with some newbie questions..
if i'd be better off starting a new thread with this post, please let me know!


Note: i am not mechanically minded in the slightest, i can talk a good talk, and understand cars inside and out but pretty much every job that needs doing i will be paying someone else to do.

here goes..

1) next to the hard drive icon on the top right hand side of the flip over display - what does the number next to it mean? i have -10 showing at the moment.
2) i can only seem to put in the first part of a postcode in the nav, i then have to put a street name in, is this normal ?
3) how easy (and at what cost) is the nav software to upgrade? mine is currently showing ECE BMW 1.2.4 Road map europe PREMIUM 2008-2
4) does anyone elses drivers side door armrest (with the window controls) squeak every time you touch it? if so, is it an easy fix?
5) how easy (and at what cost) is replacing the odd switch cover where the black plastic has peeled off? currently my PDC, roof up, drivers side heated seat and the main iDrive wheel buttons have bits that have slightly peeled.
6) is there any way to easily retrofit an OEM DAB tuner? - mine only has FM/AM

think that's it for now... thank you so much in advance for your time!

Welcome and a great looking Zed you have there.

Regarding the map upgrade I did this when I got my car last year. Mine too was showing version 2008 or 2009. I found a company online that sell map upgrades for all makes of cars and upon contacting them and sending them photos of my Idrive screen and map version they sent me 3 CDs that you just insert and the new maps uploads, it takes a bit of time but simple enough to do and it only cost me around 30 GBP! Mine has the tick on the bottom left of the screen but the company still recommended going the CD route to update the map.

By the way I believe the DAB tuner was standard fit on this car.

[Pbondar]

Right, this amp....

does this look factory to anyone ? i don't have any DSP settings or anything, no subwoofer levels, just bass, treble and fader
Model seems to be SPX4

It’s an Audison unit fitted by a previous owner ..by default it’s a 4 channel amp , I guess it’s simply amplifying the existing basic stereo 4 channel head and driving the existing 6 speakers..only by accessing the speakers can you tell whether they’ve been upgraded..

https://www.audison.eu/wp-content/uploa ... e_2002.pdf

[Jollyjoiner]

Hello and welcome.
I'm sure will have loads of fun with the 35i, mine puts a grin on my face lol.
So what mods you thinking of then ?

[PixelPeepZ4]

It’s an Audison unit fitted by a previous owner ..by default it’s a 4 channel amp , I guess it’s simply amplifying the existing basic stereo 4 channel head and driving the existing 6 speakers..only by accessing the speakers can you tell whether they’ve been upgraded..

https://www.audison.eu/wp-content/uploa ... e_2002.pdf

Thank you for that, very helpful - i'll inspect the speakers when i'm next in the car and have a look with a torch (haven't driven at night yet in the car.. not really anywhere to go at the moment lol)

[PixelPeepZ4]

I believe, from when I went through this upgrade process when getting hold of my car, if you currently have a little green 'tick' icon in the bottom left hand side of the sat nav iDrive screen - then you are able to update it all manually (which is reasonably simple).

I had a look today - i have a tick, but it's not a green tick.. what do you think?

[PixelPeepZ4]

Hello and welcome.
I'm sure will have loads of fun with the 35i, mine puts a grin on my face lol.
So what mods you thinking of then ?

Thank you, and yes, smiles everytime i even just look at it..

Mods..

i prefer to fly under the radar (maybe the wrong car choice then lol) where possible and i still want a car that looks respectable if i want to take the missus out.

focus for now will be getting the car back to original glory - like the few switches and buttons where some of the black plastic has started to peel, then look at the suspension.

if parts are worn i will be looking at upgrading them with decent aftermarket kit, i don't want it lowered/stanced or any of that nonsense (no offence to anyone that's into that...) but i want an everyday usable car - i call it OEM+

I've seen that the current tyres on mine are the OE (050) runflats - as soon as they're down to 2mm i'll get them swapped out for some non-RFs, will hunt on the forum for recommendations - i have 18" wheels and i don't want that to change, think the ride is reasonable and hate anything too crashy.

I'd like to update the nav with something i can at least put a full postcode into, and maybe a retrofit DAB tuner if possible.

Removing that stupid mobile phone cradle from the arm rest and have something usable there - it's not like the Z4 is brimming with storage as it is, seems strange to lose some prime real estate with a big chunky lump of plastic.

Maybe get the speakers upgraded - after quality not quantity

Maybe have the yellow halogen DRL circles replaced for whiter led style if possible.

i figure a year or so getting that lot slowly sorted... then i might be used to the power.. so a remap will be on the cards

I'd also like to research a remote exhaust cut out - something where i can make it really sing (when i want) and keep it 'normal' when i don't want attention.

that's the plan for now.

Of course, money, job, missus, and just life in general might have different ideas, i'll just have to play it one mod at a time

[Timmyboybunter]

I had a look today - i have a tick, but it's not a green tick.. what do you think?

Sorry, that was me being a muppet - don't need a green tick, just need a tick.

Treading carefully as I don't claim to be an expert, but that tick means you should be able to update both the Nav firmware and the maps yourself.