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My Silver ‘04 Zed Thread
- chrisgreen
- Member
- Posts: 225
- Joined: Fri Sep 15, 2017 1:30 pm
- Location: Bristol
My Silver ‘04 Zed Thread
Always regretted not doing one of these for my m3 and it got so far that I couldn’t face the prospect of going back from 2 years worth of photos and work so thought I’d start a fresh with the z4.
With the departure of my mk4 golf which id owned for 10 years I decided to invest in a nice daily driver.
I'd make the mistake in the past of always buying the first car I saw and getting too excited and parting with cash before my brain had fully engaged! so this time I searched for about a month when I came across this lovely example in Edinburgh with 60k miles, heated seats, Bluetooth, oem wind deflector, immaculate paintwork which had been freshly detailed and new brakes all round. The underbody was also exceptionally clean and had only done about 2k miles over the last few years so I assume had just been used as a summer car. A few calls with the seller confirmed he too was an enthusiast and had looked after the car - with that I booked a sleazyjet flight to Edinburgh and picked her up!
The drive home back to Bristol was long (google said 7 hours but it was more like 13!) anyway all was good apart from dreadful tramlining and the car trying to kill me on the motorway.
First job was noise - so sound generator foam removed and wow what a difference it made. I only removed the first part as didn’t want the car to be overly loud but it sounds great!
The m54 engine is really lovely and sweet sounding so this modification really enjoys the experience without any drone.
Next job was an oil change and full service - the state of the oil filter!!
I also got the car fully undersealed ready for winter duties!
Was also on the original spark plugs so they were definitely due a change
Changing the plugs made a huge difference to the throttle response - so much more responsive even not on sport mode.
Next was the tatty old interior plastics - sure I could have gone oem but fancied a little change - so got some nice suede type material from fleabay and wrapped them. Very pleased with the results
Car also developed a slight misfire but new coils rectified that
Weekend away in Pembrokeshire and the zed was loving it - apart from the tramlining!
Tyres were finally addressed - the rears already had non run flats but the fronts were rft so the handling was interesting to say the least. Went for some Goodyear eagle f1s on the front which has transformed the car! Forgot to take a picture but great service from kwik fit mobile after got mucked about by local tyre fitters.
That brings me up to date- next on the list is cruise control and a new gearknob - fancied something different from the 'ZHP' so going down the bmw performance gearknob which I believe is stainless steel and alcantara.
https://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/GENUINE-BMW- ... Sw~kZZkVjW
On the whole very much enjoying z4 life - so much so I rarely drive my m3 now - just sits on the drive looking pretty!
With the departure of my mk4 golf which id owned for 10 years I decided to invest in a nice daily driver.
I'd make the mistake in the past of always buying the first car I saw and getting too excited and parting with cash before my brain had fully engaged! so this time I searched for about a month when I came across this lovely example in Edinburgh with 60k miles, heated seats, Bluetooth, oem wind deflector, immaculate paintwork which had been freshly detailed and new brakes all round. The underbody was also exceptionally clean and had only done about 2k miles over the last few years so I assume had just been used as a summer car. A few calls with the seller confirmed he too was an enthusiast and had looked after the car - with that I booked a sleazyjet flight to Edinburgh and picked her up!
The drive home back to Bristol was long (google said 7 hours but it was more like 13!) anyway all was good apart from dreadful tramlining and the car trying to kill me on the motorway.
First job was noise - so sound generator foam removed and wow what a difference it made. I only removed the first part as didn’t want the car to be overly loud but it sounds great!
The m54 engine is really lovely and sweet sounding so this modification really enjoys the experience without any drone.
Next job was an oil change and full service - the state of the oil filter!!
I also got the car fully undersealed ready for winter duties!
Was also on the original spark plugs so they were definitely due a change
Changing the plugs made a huge difference to the throttle response - so much more responsive even not on sport mode.
Next was the tatty old interior plastics - sure I could have gone oem but fancied a little change - so got some nice suede type material from fleabay and wrapped them. Very pleased with the results
Car also developed a slight misfire but new coils rectified that
Weekend away in Pembrokeshire and the zed was loving it - apart from the tramlining!
Tyres were finally addressed - the rears already had non run flats but the fronts were rft so the handling was interesting to say the least. Went for some Goodyear eagle f1s on the front which has transformed the car! Forgot to take a picture but great service from kwik fit mobile after got mucked about by local tyre fitters.
That brings me up to date- next on the list is cruise control and a new gearknob - fancied something different from the 'ZHP' so going down the bmw performance gearknob which I believe is stainless steel and alcantara.
https://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/GENUINE-BMW- ... Sw~kZZkVjW
On the whole very much enjoying z4 life - so much so I rarely drive my m3 now - just sits on the drive looking pretty!
Last edited by chrisgreen on Wed Dec 20, 2017 11:37 pm, edited 1 time in total.
'04 E85 Z4 3.0 silver/black - daily driver - Sold
'02 E46 M3 PY/Kiwi
'05 E46 330d Touring - Silver Grey/Black
'02 E46 M3 PY/Kiwi
'05 E46 330d Touring - Silver Grey/Black
- ben g
- Lifer
- Posts: 7858
- Joined: Thu Mar 29, 2012 5:20 pm
- Location: Essex
My Silver ‘04 Zed Thread
Nice write up important bits first, of course! I'd recommend eibach springs if it's on originals and spacers if you're keeping the standard alloys.
Oh and definitely a strut brace for these barges!
Oh and definitely a strut brace for these barges!
Red Soft-top Sterling grey 3.0i - Z4M Front, Eibachs, Polybushed, Clear headlights, Triple clear spot rear lights, Shadow Chrome 107's, Sport MFSW, ZHP.
- srhutch
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My Silver ‘04 Zed Thread
What have you protected the underside with?
-
- Member
- Posts: 341
- Joined: Wed Oct 19, 2016 9:42 pm
- Location: Essex
My Silver ‘04 Zed Thread
Nice car.
On the gearknob I would recommend Stormwerks V2, very weighty, really smooths out the change and real high quality engineering.
http://www.storm-motorwerks.com/interio ... _knobs_v2/
On the gearknob I would recommend Stormwerks V2, very weighty, really smooths out the change and real high quality engineering.
http://www.storm-motorwerks.com/interio ... _knobs_v2/
2004 3.0i, manual, toledo blue
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- Joined: Mon Dec 11, 2017 10:37 pm
My Silver ‘04 Zed Thread
Please excuse my probably dumb question that's probably been asked a thousand times but what's the sound generator foam????
I've only had my car 3 weeks now and eager to get modding!!
I've only had my car 3 weeks now and eager to get modding!!
- Vornwend
- Member
- Posts: 449
- Joined: Sat Jun 14, 2014 12:42 pm
My Silver ‘04 Zed Thread
Its 2 pieces of foam inside a plastic tube that goes from the airbox into the bulkhead behind the dash. You can just pull the tube out at the bulkhead end and fish out one or both pieces of foam to change the level of noise you hear in the cabin - 2 minute job. I removed the smaller bit a few weeks ago and did notice a nice step up in sound, may try taking both out but a lot on here say that the noise is then ear splitting Like you I'm new to Z4 ownership , next on my list is the CDV delete.Steve.Eagle wrote: ↑Wed Dec 20, 2017 9:28 pm Please excuse my probably dumb question that's probably been asked a thousand times but what's the sound generator foam????
I've only had my car 3 weeks now and eager to get modding!!
Now: 2004 Z4 3.0i - Merlot Red
Before: VW Corrado VR6 Storm - Classic Green
Before: VW Corrado VR6 Storm - Classic Green
- chrisgreen
- Member
- Posts: 225
- Joined: Fri Sep 15, 2017 1:30 pm
- Location: Bristol
My Silver ‘04 Zed Thread
Yep it’s an easy mod - but only on 3ltr zed - BMw didn’t put one on the 2.5 or belowSteve.Eagle wrote: ↑Wed Dec 20, 2017 9:28 pm Please excuse my probably dumb question that's probably been asked a thousand times but what's the sound generator foam????
I've only had my car 3 weeks now and eager to get modding!!
'04 E85 Z4 3.0 silver/black - daily driver - Sold
'02 E46 M3 PY/Kiwi
'05 E46 330d Touring - Silver Grey/Black
'02 E46 M3 PY/Kiwi
'05 E46 330d Touring - Silver Grey/Black
My Silver ‘04 Zed Thread
It's not to bad at all with the roof down, just sounds like an induction kit. With the roof up it can resonate in the cabin but depends largely on how you use the throttle. I drove a 1000 miles around Europe this summer with both bits of foam out (roof up and down) and it was fine, they've been out ever since. But then I like noisy cars
You can buy the sound generator and retrofit to engines that didn't come with it, like the 2.5Lchrisgreen wrote: ↑Wed Dec 20, 2017 10:19 pmYep it’s an easy mod - but only on 3ltr zed - BMw didn’t put one on the 2.5 or below
- paddy wright
- Lifer
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My Silver ‘04 Zed Thread
Car looks great- welcome!
Z4 2.2 sterling grey,Msport seats,retrofit cupholders,cruise,footwell lights,sound gen and mfsw,18"ellipsoids,xenons+light washers,ZHPknob,folding mirrors,3"stubby,update wheel caps,gateway300 ipod, wind deflector to keep the wife happy!
- ZedM
- Member
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- Joined: Wed Sep 17, 2014 9:56 pm
- Location: Derbyshire
My Silver ‘04 Zed Thread
Yup, mine was retrofitted by the previous owner.LordOxygen wrote: ↑Wed Dec 20, 2017 10:29 pmIt's not to bad at all with the roof down, just sounds like an induction kit. With the roof up it can resonate in the cabin but depends largely on how you use the throttle. I drove a 1000 miles around Europe this summer with both bits of foam out (roof up and down) and it was fine, they've been out ever since. But then I like noisy cars
You can buy the sound generator and retrofit to engines that didn't come with it, like the 2.5Lchrisgreen wrote: ↑Wed Dec 20, 2017 10:19 pmYep it’s an easy mod - but only on 3ltr zed - BMw didn’t put one on the 2.5 or below
2003 Sterling Grey 2.5i SE, 17" Turbines and Falkens (no tramlining!), CDV Delete, Roof Motor Relocation by DLV.
- davros
- Member
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- Joined: Sun Nov 20, 2016 11:09 am
- Location: Essex
My Silver ‘04 Zed Thread
Here’s a YouTube link to the sound generator mod...
https://youtu.be/UVijH3_C1ZY
https://youtu.be/UVijH3_C1ZY
3.0i E85 Sterling Grey, Infinitas supercharger, Aero sills, xenons, pro hi-fi with dsp & nav, power fold mirrors. B12 kit, Eisenmann backbox, //M-Sport Seats, carbon dash, cruise and more mods in near future......
- chrisgreen
- Member
- Posts: 225
- Joined: Fri Sep 15, 2017 1:30 pm
- Location: Bristol
My Silver ‘04 Zed Thread
New bmw performance gearknob arrived tonight - I like it. Very short throw and feels weighty. Just need an alcantara gaiter to match
'04 E85 Z4 3.0 silver/black - daily driver - Sold
'02 E46 M3 PY/Kiwi
'05 E46 330d Touring - Silver Grey/Black
'02 E46 M3 PY/Kiwi
'05 E46 330d Touring - Silver Grey/Black
-
- Newbie
- Posts: 23
- Joined: Mon Dec 11, 2017 10:37 pm
My Silver ‘04 Zed Thread
Damn, that's me out then..... mines a 2.5!chrisgreen wrote: ↑Wed Dec 20, 2017 10:19 pmYep it’s an easy mod - but only on 3ltr zed - BMw didn’t put one on the 2.5 or belowSteve.Eagle wrote: ↑Wed Dec 20, 2017 9:28 pm Please excuse my probably dumb question that's probably been asked a thousand times but what's the sound generator foam????
I've only had my car 3 weeks now and eager to get modding!!
- Mr Tidy
- Legend
- Posts: 23838
- Joined: Wed Jul 02, 2014 12:18 pm
- Location: North West Surrey
My Silver ‘04 Zed Thread
This should be an interesting read as time goes by OP.
BTW I love the Ellipsoid wheels - plus they're much easier to clean than MV2s, and won't deteriorate like 108s!
Mine had the foam out when I got it, and a non-standard rear box so that covered the noise aspect!
I've bought a set of winters that aren't RFTs, so I've just to get them fitted to see how that goes!
I like your new knob (!) but I'm still happy I bought a ZHP!
Looks like maybe I need to start a thread once I've got the non-RFTs on!
BTW I love the Ellipsoid wheels - plus they're much easier to clean than MV2s, and won't deteriorate like 108s!
Mine had the foam out when I got it, and a non-standard rear box so that covered the noise aspect!
I've bought a set of winters that aren't RFTs, so I've just to get them fitted to see how that goes!
I like your new knob (!) but I'm still happy I bought a ZHP!
Looks like maybe I need to start a thread once I've got the non-RFTs on!
Coupes because stunning!
Current - Silver Grey MC, Imola Red heated Nappa & carbon trim. Aeros, H & R Coil-overs, 224s, OE Strut brace, Nav, cup-holders, DSP Hi-Fi, pdc, cruise, MFSW, no CDV! E90 330i daily
Gone - Montego Blue
Gone - Ruby Black
Current - Silver Grey MC, Imola Red heated Nappa & carbon trim. Aeros, H & R Coil-overs, 224s, OE Strut brace, Nav, cup-holders, DSP Hi-Fi, pdc, cruise, MFSW, no CDV! E90 330i daily
Gone - Montego Blue
Gone - Ruby Black