a11y's Z4 Roadster (updated pics - April '12)
- Thread starter a11y
- Start date
Well, almost exactly one year and (embarrassingly only) 5.5k miles under it's wheels, it was time for my Z4 to receive a bit of attention:
1/ "new" wheels - 107 Ellipsoids to replace my 108's
I've always been a fan of the old Alfa "teledial" style alloys (as seen on the Alfa 8C and older Alfas) and the Ellipsoids always reminded me of that design. Well as we know, beer plus ebay don't always mix, and before I knew it I'd bought a set of 107s. Turns out got lucky as they're in excellent condition for secondhand, a few curb marks plus there were a lot of marks on the inner surface but I cleaned all of those up. I had the tyres swapped over with my Falkens from my 108s, refitting the original RFTs to the 108s (now sold).
2/ Retrofit cruise control
Many thanks to SK93 and his guide - it finally convinced me it was an easy mod that I couldn't afford not to do, especially on a pre-facelift. Officially I shouldn't have fitted it yet as it's not my birthday until next week, but the wife gave me the green light...
3/ Poly bushes fitted: front wishbone rear bushes, and the rear trailing arm bushes
I actually bought these over 11 months ago
when I bought my springs, but I've only just got around to having them fitted and the geometry set up again.
Before:
Left front = -1°54 camber, 5°14 castor, -0°10 toe
Right front = -1°18 camber, 5°24 castor, 0°00 toe
Left rear = -2°48 camber, 0°40 toe
Right rear = -2°35 camber, 0°04 toe
After:
Left front = -1°22 camber, 5°14 castor, 0°09 toe
Right front = -1°20 camber, 5°24 castor, 0°09 toe
Left rear = -2°52 camber, 0°12 toe
Right rear = -2°50 camber, 0°12 toe
Basically, after discussion with the technician about toe-out on the front we agreed it wasn't a good idea for road use in a BMW: it would amplify the tramlining I already get (despite non-RFTs) and generally make it a handful. So, I've got very slight toe-in at the front and the rear. Although, look at the "before" toe settings - they were all over the place! Castor obviously isn't adjustable with the standard setup.
4/ Heated seats
I know, I know, I was initially very dismissive of the benefits of heated seats - I thought of them as a softie option for wusses, but after experiencing them first hand (in a Skoda...) I was converted. I searched for quite a while for some electric, heated standard (non-Sport) seats and finally got lucky, buying another forum member's manual, heated standard seats. A few days later I'd bought a secondhand switch unit from US ebay ($80=£49.71) and set about swapping the manual bases for the electric ones. A lot of swearing and scratched hands later they were fitted and working - not a difficult job in the least, just fiddly as hell!
So, after 12 months of ownership and not much in the way of mods (I don't even have the pre-requisite stubby aerial
) I've gone a bit daft in the past few weeks. I've enjoyed my year of driving and hope to have many more - just a shame I don't find the time to get more miles, but between cycling to work most of the time and using my van for MTBing trips, the Z4 is very much a second car at the moment.
I did manage a nice drive on a typical Scottish winter day: it didn't get above 3°C all day (and typically this was before I'd fitted the heated seats) but the roof was down for almost the whole trip. Here's just a few pics showing off the Scottish scenery:
Just to prove that I DO have a roof (no pics of it so far):
1/ "new" wheels - 107 Ellipsoids to replace my 108's
I've always been a fan of the old Alfa "teledial" style alloys (as seen on the Alfa 8C and older Alfas) and the Ellipsoids always reminded me of that design. Well as we know, beer plus ebay don't always mix, and before I knew it I'd bought a set of 107s. Turns out got lucky as they're in excellent condition for secondhand, a few curb marks plus there were a lot of marks on the inner surface but I cleaned all of those up. I had the tyres swapped over with my Falkens from my 108s, refitting the original RFTs to the 108s (now sold).
2/ Retrofit cruise control
Many thanks to SK93 and his guide - it finally convinced me it was an easy mod that I couldn't afford not to do, especially on a pre-facelift. Officially I shouldn't have fitted it yet as it's not my birthday until next week, but the wife gave me the green light...
3/ Poly bushes fitted: front wishbone rear bushes, and the rear trailing arm bushes
I actually bought these over 11 months ago
when I bought my springs, but I've only just got around to having them fitted and the geometry set up again.Before:
Left front = -1°54 camber, 5°14 castor, -0°10 toe
Right front = -1°18 camber, 5°24 castor, 0°00 toe
Left rear = -2°48 camber, 0°40 toe
Right rear = -2°35 camber, 0°04 toe
After:
Left front = -1°22 camber, 5°14 castor, 0°09 toe
Right front = -1°20 camber, 5°24 castor, 0°09 toe
Left rear = -2°52 camber, 0°12 toe
Right rear = -2°50 camber, 0°12 toe
Basically, after discussion with the technician about toe-out on the front we agreed it wasn't a good idea for road use in a BMW: it would amplify the tramlining I already get (despite non-RFTs) and generally make it a handful. So, I've got very slight toe-in at the front and the rear. Although, look at the "before" toe settings - they were all over the place! Castor obviously isn't adjustable with the standard setup.
4/ Heated seats
I know, I know, I was initially very dismissive of the benefits of heated seats - I thought of them as a softie option for wusses, but after experiencing them first hand (in a Skoda...) I was converted. I searched for quite a while for some electric, heated standard (non-Sport) seats and finally got lucky, buying another forum member's manual, heated standard seats. A few days later I'd bought a secondhand switch unit from US ebay ($80=£49.71) and set about swapping the manual bases for the electric ones. A lot of swearing and scratched hands later they were fitted and working - not a difficult job in the least, just fiddly as hell!
So, after 12 months of ownership and not much in the way of mods (I don't even have the pre-requisite stubby aerial
) I've gone a bit daft in the past few weeks. I've enjoyed my year of driving and hope to have many more - just a shame I don't find the time to get more miles, but between cycling to work most of the time and using my van for MTBing trips, the Z4 is very much a second car at the moment.I did manage a nice drive on a typical Scottish winter day: it didn't get above 3°C all day (and typically this was before I'd fitted the heated seats) but the roof was down for almost the whole trip. Here's just a few pics showing off the Scottish scenery:
Just to prove that I DO have a roof (no pics of it so far):
Great pics... pic 3 for me 
Looks like a great place to enjoy the car too!
Looks like a great place to enjoy the car too!
Thanks, does the 202 code mean these aren't actually 107s after all?! I was aware there were two variations of the Ellipsoids, the difference being a small lip around the bolt holes (the ones I have).gannet said:Looks great a11y - liking those wheels, newer 202 design too
Just remembered I've not mentioned my cigarette USB adaptor (pawnsacrifice's signature prompted me lol), aux-in cable for my MP3 player, and my new MP3-playing standard business headunit (£20 bargain on ebay). I knoew I'd changed a lot in the past 6 weeks or so...
a11y said:Thanks, does the 202 code mean these aren't actually 107s after all?! I was aware there were two variations of the Ellipsoids, the difference being a small lip around the bolt holes (the ones I have).gannet said:Looks great a11y - liking those wheels, newer 202 design too
Afraid so.. .Style 107 is the original ellipsoid, Style 202 is the new ellipsoid. Check 'em all out here: BMW Wheels
Still looks good though
Actually, I didn't realise there were as many differences between the appearance of the 107s and 202s.
The 107s look "plainer" and the 202s are more angular looking IMO (the spokes appear to have more angle on them), and the 5 big holes in the 202s are bigger (and slightly oval) compared to the 107s. I slightly prefer the 202s after comparing these directly, so I got lucky...
The 107s look "plainer" and the 202s are more angular looking IMO (the spokes appear to have more angle on them), and the 5 big holes in the 202s are bigger (and slightly oval) compared to the 107s. I slightly prefer the 202s after comparing these directly, so I got lucky...
I prefer the 202s as well
Morrisadam
Member
Maaan, I want those wheels, don't you want a 108 insted of them? 
Just wait until the "summer" comes along (inverted commas because it's Scotland we're talking about...) and my plans for a 7-day roadtrip up the northwest coast and possibly taking in Skye. I've done this trip a couple of times before with previous cars, but never the Z4. Scenery is truely breathtakingAlanJ said:
(those latest pics were near Callendar, driveable in 45-50mins from Glasgow city centre)
Hi a11y!
Its the first time I write in this forum so, Heeellooo everyone. I've to say I learnt a lot of stuff with you all guys!
Well, after presentations I'd like to ask you what kind of suspension you've got in your Z. Is it the normal/standard one or is it the sportive one? I ask you this cause I need all the specs/figures of all the parameters (camber,toe,etc) to align my Z4 2.5 non-sport suspension and I just read your specs in this report so I was wondering if I could use them or not.
If the answer is not, can somebody write down for me those figures, please??
Thank you very much for all and sorry for the 100000 lines!!jeje.
Its the first time I write in this forum so, Heeellooo everyone. I've to say I learnt a lot of stuff with you all guys!
Well, after presentations I'd like to ask you what kind of suspension you've got in your Z. Is it the normal/standard one or is it the sportive one? I ask you this cause I need all the specs/figures of all the parameters (camber,toe,etc) to align my Z4 2.5 non-sport suspension and I just read your specs in this report so I was wondering if I could use them or not.
If the answer is not, can somebody write down for me those figures, please??
Thank you very much for all and sorry for the 100000 lines!!jeje.
Welcome TH3CROW, my Z4 has the sport suspension plus I've also fitted Eibach springs which lower the car a further 15mm, so unfortunately my data settings aren't like to be of use to you. I'm not an expert in this, but I would guess the non-sport has different settings, but I might be wrong!
chrispearson
Member
Great pics ally!
Looks better with them wheels.
Hopefully ill have one in the next few months.
Looks better with them wheels.
Hopefully ill have one in the next few months.
Cheers
I was more than happy with my 108s previously, but just always hankered after ellipsoid style alloys. Not that I've had them a few weeks I'm utterly convinced that they're a better-suited wheel for the Z4. Yup folks, jumped camp from the 108 to the ellipsoid appreciation society
BTW, hopefully you'll have four in a few months as one wheel would be a bit silly
(but i know what you mean)
I was more than happy with my 108s previously, but just always hankered after ellipsoid style alloys. Not that I've had them a few weeks I'm utterly convinced that they're a better-suited wheel for the Z4. Yup folks, jumped camp from the 108 to the ellipsoid appreciation society
BTW, hopefully you'll have four in a few months as one wheel would be a bit silly
(but i know what you mean)