Ground clearance doesn't match specification

S

Steve B

Member
I have a drive which slopes downhill from the edge of the pavement to my garage. The underneath of my 2015 E89 scrapes noisily every time I cross over the hump at the top (temporary fix is to place a piece of old carpet there each time I come or go). I'm in touch with the highway department to see if I can get the high edge of the pavement lowered a bit. This afternoon I decided to check the clearance, which I think should be 130mm. I don't have an inspection pit so it was a bit of an arm stretch whilst laying on the garage floor. The exhaust pipe is approximately 130mm above the ground but there is a plastic cover closer to the passenger side which bulges downwards at its rear edge and gives a clearance of approx. 105mm. I do not know if this piece is supposed to be curved, whether it has sagged with age, or is not fitted correctly. As I live 350 miles from the main dealer I bought it from it's not going to end up on their ramp any time soon!
If anyone knows whether the plastic panel is supposed to be flat or curved I would appreciate the information so I can sound a bit more informed when I phone the garage. (You may answer from memory, or if you are incredibly kindly disposed, after laying on the floor and having a look)! I will try and get a photo posted shortly

Thank you.
 
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I have taken a couple more pictures which show a bit of the inner surface of the cover. Seems a slightly odd construction if it was designed to be a free edge. I wonder if there is a bit missing on my car - either a metal support strut to lift the free edge or another plastic panel to engage with the back edge of what is on my car and present a smoother profile under the car.

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I think you're missing the rear undertray. The one that covers the transmission. The front undertray attaches onto that so would explain why it's sagging.
 
A phone call with the dealer I bought it from is not very encouraging. They have another one in of a similar age which also doesn't have a rear tray so they propose to do nothing about mine for me. I am new to the Z4 so I do not know if what they are telling me is right. Surely one didn't need to specify protective panels beneath the car as an optional extra at the time of purchase? Anybody got a 2015 Z4 which actually does have a rear undertray on it? Thanks.
 
I wonder if the reason the tray is not there might be because it falls off the first time you scrape it over something! Which would have happened for the previous owner.
 
Mine has two trays underneath. They are quite well fixed on as I've bottomed the car out multiple times and they still remain.

The most common reason for them being missing is lazy mechanics not replacing them after work being done.
 
Steve B said:
Surely one didn't need to specify protective panels beneath the car as an optional extra at the time of purchase?
Click to expand...

When I got my original e89 (2011, 20i) all the literature and website said it had hill start assist as standard. Alas, it did not and when I complained they asked if I had confirmed it was included when I bought it! It was listed as standard! So I wouldn’t put it past them. Luckily I did check it had windows, engine etc...
 
A present from Cooper BMW Norwich. The chap who sold me the car has been very helpful and arranged to obtain the missing undertray then post it to me.

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I hope that the local BMW main dealer will be similarly helpful and fit it to the vehicle without presenting me with a bill. Waiting for a call back . . .
 
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