My First Zed Thread (2003 E85 3.0)

Thought I'd maintain an ownership thread as my list of mods continues to grow.

My car:

2003 3.0 in sterling grey
107 wheels (elipsoids)
Hybrid black interior with cream leather seats
65k when purchased, August 2018
Options when new: heated electric seats, DSP/Carver stereo, Nav, Bluetooth, cup holders, alarm, auto dimming rear view mirror

Maintenance in my ownership:

Basic service (oil, oil filter, pollen filter, air filter) (thanks @stevengude for the guide) (November 2018 @ 66k)
New coolant, clutch and brake fluid (November 2018 @ 66k)
Leather treatment to seats and door cards
Roof treated with Autoglym cleaner/protector
New discs and pads all round (June 2019)
Auxiliary belts replaced (July 2019)
Door membranes replaced (August 2019)

Mods to date:

Cat back exhaust (present when bought)
New badges all round
Stubby aerial
BMW mats
2 new flip keys (thanks @bmkeys)
Updated navigation software
Updated navigation map DVD
Refitted original airbox (car came with a very/too loud induction kit fitted)
Removed both foam pieces from sound generator
Clear front repeaters
Roof motor relocated to boot (thanks @Number5)
CDV delete
New interior door handle covers
Clear OEM third brake light
New number plates
X8R uprated DISA valve internals
Suplex 06231 rear coil springs
Cream seats fitted with black seat backs and plastics (thanks @maxman)
French fry delete
VW/Audi wheel nut covers
Added sound deadening to doors
Facelift front headlights (thanks @synthedup)
2nd hand replacement undertray (thanks @maxman)
Horizon LED upgrade kit (interior + rear number plate lights)
Refurbished/rebuilt calipers and carriers in silver
Refurbished rear alloys
Bluetooth audio interface fitted (replaced Dension GW100, now removed)

August 2018: (red badges make my eyes bleed)



August 2019:



INPA
NCSEXPERT
Hard top adjustment

Part numbers, with prices if bought new:

Clear indicators: 63137165734 - £22.40

Clear 3rd brake light: 63256930246 - £48.98

Revised springs for 3rd brake light: 63256900698 - £1.47 each + VAT (3 needed)

Washers for 3rd brake light: 07119907030 - £1.25 each + VAT, 3 bought as advised by the dealer, believe that advice was wrong however as none were fitted to my brake light when removed. The washers would fit perfectly over the 3 metal prongs coming out of the brake light, but would be quite tricky to actually fit as they would need to go before the spring. Anyone who has changed one will see what I mean

Wiring loom for MFSW control retrofit: 61120394848 - £6.75 + VAT (I read several threads quoting a price of £15 for £20 for this same part)

Scotchlock type connectors for MFSW retrofit: 61138364566 - £1.29 each + VAT. 2 are needed for the retrofit, but the wiring loom part above *does* include 2 in the pack, so you do *not* need to buy them separately (the dealer wasn't sure, so I ordered them anyway)

Door pull cover, off side: 51417042878 - £22.99

Door pull cover, near side: 51417042877 - £22.99

Bonnet badge: 51147044207 - £36.95

Cruise control stalk: 61316940989

Mats (black): 51477030766 - £62.51

Stubby aerial: J6561N3 - £7.60 (Peugeot/Citroen part number)

ZHP gear nob: 25117896886 - $70

Autoglym convertible soft top clean and protect - £20.49

Sanojtape acrylic foam tape (for front number plate mounting): 255mm x 10m - £15.65

Carly gen 2 OBD adapter - £44.90

Carly additional converter adapter for OBD adapter - £10.90

Carly app/yearly subscription - £54.90 :headbang:

CTEK charger direct connector - ££5.67

CTEK charger extension lead - £11.99

X8R DISA valve repair kit - £64.99

Suplex rear coil springs (06231) - £88.82 for 2

VW/Audi 17mm grey wheel nut covers (321601173AZ37) - £13.50 for 20

Silent coat 2mm sound deadening - £39.99 for 30 187mm by 265mm sheets

Horizon LED upgrade kit - £23.91 including P&P (-£6.99 discount code)

Bluetooth Audio Interface - £34.51 including P&P [Amazon]

Door membranes (left 51487016655, right 51487016656) - £81.43 for the pair

Very nice... have you done most of the mods yourself? You're on the slippery slope now... it's hard to know when to stop! :lol:

Thanks
Yes it's always dangerous getting a new car, mod wise. This is my first BMW after a lifetime of tweaking VAG cars so it's all good fun!

I try to do as much as I can myself, partly to save costs but partly because I quite enjoy the challenge (I'm not particularly handy with a spanner, but can generally follow instructions). I did the basic service myself, got my local garage to do the coolant/brake/clutch fluid and they were happy to do the CDV delete while they had it on the ramps. I did everything else above apart from the roof relocate (having watched Alan do this yesterday, that was a fine decision on my part ). To be fair most of them are very easy, the MFSW was probably the most tricky but it all kicked into life.

Looks exactly like my car in that pic from when I first picked mine up!

Solid list you got going

What was the induction kit that was too loud? Just random pieces or a kit? I ask because I was playing around with building a louder airbox but found with my sound gen (1 piece of foam removed), I can't even hear anything from up front over it.

Yes they do look similar I'm a big fan of the wheels, I thought they were a bit busy looking when I first got it but they quickly grew on me.

The induction kit was just random - it was literally just a cone filter added where the airbox should sit, with a home-made bit of strong steel wire supporting it off the engine block. I usually like a good bit of induction noise and have made many mods on previous cars to make it louder, but this thing was ridiculous, just sounded like there was an angry snake sitting in the bonnet but not in a good/sporty way.

Almost seems a shame to interrupt any of the noises coming from the engine bay or exhaust on this car, it really does sound good especially with the exhaust fitted. Zero drone, but a lovely burble complete with gentle pops and bangs when coasting

Ah yeh when I put the pod on there was a lot of loud whistling/hissing/whining - I definitely turned heads but as you say, not in a good/sporty way

Do you know what exhaust is fitted on yours?

I don't - there was a freebie sticker in the car when I got it with the exhaust manufacturer name, I chucked it in the bin and can't remember what it said - possibly 'Supersprint'. I'll see if there's anything obvious on the exhaust next time I'm under the car.

New wheel:

Clear 3rd brakelight and side repeaters:

Roof motor relocate:

E83 X3 head unit fitted today, so this is the basic MP3 compatibility I was looking for. I did buy a cheap and cheerful 2nd hand iPod off Ebay which does work with the Dension unit fitted, but the Dension cable is slightly dodgy and needed to be held in a certain way to keep constant charging and audio.

Left the Dension unit in place, so any future owners can use it if a new cable is bought.

The X3 unit is just plug and play - my OCD won't be able to live with a black stereo and grey vents so I'll grab a facelift black vent unit on Ebay when one comes up at a reasonable price. The black actually looks nice as it matches the side vents.

Just out of interest what does the x3 head unit provide that the normal one doesn't? It looks like a great fit, and almost stock. I'm looking to try and fit a head unit that will give me a bluetooth connection for my phone. Unfortunately the aftermarket head unit installs I've seen aren't great.

Short answer - nothing
If you have a black head unit already, the X3 unit is basically identical. For pre face lift cars with a grey head unit like mine, they can't play MP3's, just standard audio discs. I only bought the X3 unit as it was a fair bit cheaper than any facelift e85/e86 units on Ebay at the time.

Grom seems to be a popular option for bluetooth, or later Dension models.I believe iphones will happily work with stock bluetooth modules - mine is Android, so connects fine and makes calls, but sends no audio

I also learned about 'Avin' Android units today - there is one available for e83 X3s which I wonder may fit to sat nav equipped Z4's, one to research. I have an aftermarket Android unit fitted to my Skoda and it's excellent.

This chap posted on Facebook earlier - I think that may be an Avin X3 screen he has fitted.

Timmyboybunter said:

Short answer - nothing
If you have a black head unit already, the X3 unit is basically identical. For pre face lift cars with a grey head unit like mine, they can't play MP3's, just standard audio discs. I only bought the X3 unit as it was a fair bit cheaper than any facelift e85/e86 units on Ebay at the time.

Grom seems to be a popular option for bluetooth, or later Dension models.I believe iphones will happily work with stock bluetooth modules - mine is Android, so connects fine and makes calls, but sends no audio

I also learned about 'Avin' Android units today - there is one available for e83 X3s which I wonder may fit to sat nav equipped Z4's, one to research. I have an aftermarket Android unit fitted to my Skoda and it's excellent.

Click to expand...

I do have a black unit fitted. Only the basic one though so no satnav screen. I've been looking at getting a new head unit fitted so I can have bluetooth but they are all flat and the Zs dash curved.

Driver side M3 seat fitted as a test. Used for a week, concluded I'm too, err, muscly for it so removed and original seat returned.

Picked up a matching sterling grey hard top today.

You did well finding a matching hardtop - that looks great fitted.

Shame about the M3 seats though as they do look much better!

Ta - yes it looks better in real life than in photos, I'm pleasantly pleased with it. Plan is to use it over the truly miserable winter months, now I've done the whole 'top down for every journey' thing this year and got it out of my system

Very lucky with the hard top actually, especially given recent posts about one flying off. I was a bit annoyed when starting my journey home to find the rear screen not working - also a fair bit of wind noise (more so than the soft top) but as I haven't been in a hard top before just assumed it was normal.

10 minutes of investigation at home, found both of the rear locking pins had their little lever 'turned' around, but it is simply spinning around the metal bit without actually locking the pin down - essentially is threaded if that makes sense. Not an issue as they can be locked by using the hole present in each pin - which I did, and magically the rear screen spring into life (presumably proper electrical contact was not made until properly locked). The reason I think is that the mounting points need adjusting, as once I did lock them down (which took a fair bit of force!) the top is sitting very nearly flush with the rear bodywork rather than the 5mm gap I see mentioned. The fit at the front is now a lot better, so I assume I'll find a much quieter journey when I've adjusted everything and had another try.

Unfortunately it seems some rain managed to penetrate on my first journey home, which has washed some road salt into the lining and made some white streaks - hopefully it will clean up ok though.

So, not the best of starts and possibly a bit lucky (though the front was definitely locked down) but things can only get better! I do love the way it looks on the car though. Little bit E89 from the back view.

It is a shame the M3 seats were no good for me as they do look far nicer - I'm consoling myself by trying some cream leather ones instead to see how they look.