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The Z4 of Theseus

Specific discussion about the E89 2009 Z4 (sDrive35is, sDrive35i, sDrive30i, sDrive23i)
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TeeMac
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The Z4 of Theseus

Post by TeeMac » Fri Jun 22, 2018 4:00 pm

According to Plutarch, when Theseus returned from his adventures in Crete, his ship was docked in the harbour in Athens, maintained as seaworthy, and used each year for centuries thereafter in tribute to Theseus and the god Apollo.

Being wooden and sat in the sea, it rotted, and the Athenians diligently replaced the various timbers as required to keep the ship in eh... ship shape: "for they took away the old planks as they decayed, putting in new and stronger timber in their place".

This gave rise to the philosophical question: If, over the centuries of repair, every part had been replaced, was it still the original ship of Theseus?

And thus do I ponder the same question of my Z4...

It's a 35is, bought in November last year with 30,000 miles on the clock.

In the intervening period I've driven a little less than 4000 miles, and it's had the following issues:

Water ingress via the rear light cluster - cluster replaced
Malfunctioning roof mechanism - microswitch replaced
Buckled wheel - new wheel please
Delaminating windscreen - windscreen replaced

Shortly after I got it back with the new windscreen, I noticed the SatNav was wonky. It was showing my location as variously in the North Sea heading towards Esbjerg, circling aimlessly off the Isle of Man, and heading northwards somewhere south east of Iceland, amongst other exotic locations. Who knew a Z4 was seaworthy?

I figured it was probably something to do with the sensor unit that was replaced with the new windscreen, and since I don't use the satnav much, decided to get it sorted next time the car was needing a service.

I noticed recently an oily stain on the drive, and checking out, found that the OSF shock absorber was leaking. Bummer.

So back along I went to the local BMW dealer. They checked the car as usual and found the nearside front shocker was goosed too.

They diagnosed the satnav issue as being the GPS antenna, replaced that, but it didn't sort the problem. So they've now replaced the iDrive head unit to fix the fault.

Two new shockers and a new CIC unit later and the car's back on the road, but I'm starting to wonder, with such a chronic list of problems in such a short period of time, how much longer I'll need to keep the car before, just like the ship of Theseus, virtually everything has been replaced.

Given the Retail price of the repairs to date is around 33% of the cost of the car, my guess is, with 5 months remaining on the AUC warranty, I won't keep the car long enough to find out!

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R.E92
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The Z4 of Theseus

Post by R.E92 » Fri Jun 22, 2018 5:45 pm

If you enjoy the car just get the extended warranty. Your right to think that the bills will keep coming.
I think of my car as being triggers broom rather than Theseus' ship. It's had around £20k worth of work done in the time I've owned it.

My front shocks are being replaced under warranty too. This is the second time!

You have been lucky to not experience any engine specific faults so far, just the generic E89 fault list.

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buzyg
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The Z4 of Theseus

Post by buzyg » Sat Jun 23, 2018 1:00 am

So your 35is is rotten then. :cry:
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BMWZ4MC
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The Z4 of Theseus

Post by BMWZ4MC » Sat Jun 23, 2018 3:54 am

Think yourself lucky, in the time I had my Mk I Audi TT 225, the cost to the warranty company for repairs exceeded the purchase price of the car...
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Z4MC - heavily fettled for track use
Lotus Exige - sensible daily driver on the mods slippery slope
Westfield SEiW - in hibernation
Modified RS4 Avant - back in Blighty
S2000 GT - gone

Maniac
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The Z4 of Theseus

Post by Maniac » Sat Jun 23, 2018 8:03 am

I’m not going to list the work done on mine in the 8 years I’ve had it. I’d cry. Only the shell and main engine block are likely original.

This is the worst quality car I’ve ever owned, it’s been a total pain.

Yet I still have it. #stockholmsyndrome

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srhutch
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The Z4 of Theseus

Post by srhutch » Sat Jun 23, 2018 8:54 am

TeeMac wrote: Fri Jun 22, 2018 4:00 pm According to Plutarch, when Theseus returned from his adventures in Crete, his ship was docked in the harbour in Athens, maintained as seaworthy, and used each year for centuries thereafter in tribute to Theseus and the god Apollo.

Being wooden and sat in the sea, it rotted, and the Athenians diligently replaced the various timbers as required to keep the ship in eh... ship shape: "for they took away the old planks as they decayed, putting in new and stronger timber in their place".

This gave rise to the philosophical question: If, over the centuries of repair, every part had been replaced, was it still the original ship of Theseus?

And thus do I ponder the same question of my Z4...

It's a 35is, bought in November last year with 30,000 miles on the clock.

In the intervening period I've driven a little less than 4000 miles, and it's had the following issues:

Water ingress via the rear light cluster - cluster replaced
Malfunctioning roof mechanism - microswitch replaced
Buckled wheel - new wheel please
Delaminating windscreen - windscreen replaced

Shortly after I got it back with the new windscreen, I noticed the SatNav was wonky. It was showing my location as variously in the North Sea heading towards Esbjerg, circling aimlessly off the Isle of Man, and heading northwards somewhere south east of Iceland, amongst other exotic locations. Who knew a Z4 was seaworthy?

I figured it was probably something to do with the sensor unit that was replaced with the new windscreen, and since I don't use the satnav much, decided to get it sorted next time the car was needing a service.

I noticed recently an oily stain on the drive, and checking out, found that the OSF shock absorber was leaking. Bummer.

So back along I went to the local BMW dealer. They checked the car as usual and found the nearside front shocker was goosed too.

They diagnosed the satnav issue as being the GPS antenna, replaced that, but it didn't sort the problem. So they've now replaced the iDrive head unit to fix the fault.

Two new shockers and a new CIC unit later and the car's back on the road, but I'm starting to wonder, with such a chronic list of problems in such a short period of time, how much longer I'll need to keep the car before, just like the ship of Theseus, virtually everything has been replaced.

Given the Retail price of the repairs to date is around 33% of the cost of the car, my guess is, with 5 months remaining on the AUC warranty, I won't keep the car long enough to find out!
AKA Triggers Broom.
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