Ground Clearance... Problem!

Looking again, your front could be a little low - is it the same both sides ? If not, could be a broken spring as suggested above. Hmmm.
 
The gap between the tyres and wheel arch looks narrower than normal - even on a slope, one end would be higher than the other


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Bing it does look a bit lower than yours. Not by a huge amount but I think it is a bit lower.
I go over speed bumps with one wheel on the bump and one on the flat beside the bump. Have you tried that?
 
Yep, you're right. Perhaps the seller simply didn't know it had been lowered in a past life ? Whip that wheel of and have a look is the next step I think.
 
I've just got home from work and my trolley jack is already out the garage :lol: will check it out.

It is the same both sides and also not much higher at the back, maybe half an inch or so difference between the two.
 
Mine's lowered on Eibachs. Fine on speed-bumps but have to go very carefully out of my driveway... yours looks about the same height as mine. As others have suggested, yours might well have been lowered at some point...
 
I'm on eibachs and got an Alpina front spoiler and I struggle clearing roadkill.

My front ground clearance is 75mm (3 inches in old money) and I am VERY careful over any bump often to the annoyance of anyone behind me :lol:

Looks good though :)
 
im pretty certain the normal z4s are lower than the ///M in general, every one i see looks quite abit lower than my car ever has. however i have no issues with ground clearance or speed humps.
 
I got curious and measured mine just now - I have 110mm clearance at the bottom of the bumper in the centre, and I reckon about 10mm less a bit further back at the undertray.

I am constantly expecting chav chariots and angry 4x4 driving Mums to overtake me on the speed bumps because I go so slow :D
 
Ok so I whipped the wheel off yesterday evening, I couldn't see any logo on the springs but they were black in colour and certainly didn't look like they'd been changed recently?!

I measured it against my mates stock Z4 and it's definitely 20mm lower all round...

While I had it on the jacks I noticed that it has obviously always struggled over speed humps as the plastic under tray was hanging off completely on one side so was decreasing the ground clearance by at least 40-50mm. So I've screwed it back up and on the way to work today it now JUST clears the bumps that it was scraping yesterday (but still only just!!)

Are Eibachs after market springs or factory sports springs?
 
Ah ok so maybe they're not Eibachs then??

They are definitely not standard height springs... Could the shocks being worn make a difference to ride height?
 
Mine has the sports suspension and I'm ultra carefull over speed bumps, one I don't think its good for the car going fast over them and two it is a close call to say the least (Regulation speed bumps should be 100mm maximum height or so I believe) though I've come across some which are higher in my opinion
 
Darkman said:
Mine has the sports suspension and I'm ultra carefull over speed bumps, one I don't think its good for the car going fast over them and two it is a close call to say the least (Regulation speed bumps should be 100mm maximum height or so I believe) though I've come across some which are higher in my opinion

I agree, it's not that I want to drive fast over the speed bump it's just it was scraping over absolutely everything which surely isn't right. It's so much better with the underside skid plate screwed back up but still needs A LOT of attention in negotiating the positioning over the bumps. :|
 
I have Eibach springs and they are black. Think the Pro are black, and Pro Sport are red ? Not sure, but mine have 'Eibach' on them.

I found out from Stuart Truman a little while ago that Eibach actually make the stock springs too, but if they are stock they will probably have sticky labels with a BMW part number and logo on.

As for worn shocks, I thought that my car was too low and spoke to my indy about what could be done - he maintained the ride height is purely to do with the springs if you have stock shocks, even if they are worn... Though if they are then the car will obviously not ride bumps and corners so well.

Just my tuppenceworth :D
 
mrlozzer said:
Could be wrong, but I think Eibach springs are usually red, rather than black....
IIRC Eibach Sportlines are red (but aren't available for the Z4), but Eibach Proline are black (and are the ones that fit the Z4).

That does look very low, doubt it's standard/sport height. But then many who saw my Z4 (on Eibachs) always commented it appeared lower than comparable Z4s also on Eibachs (and nothing to do with "fat mates"), so perhaps there's a bit of variance as standard...

I'm sure I've previously posted measurements taken of ride height but can't find the post now.
 
a11y said:
But then many who saw my Z4 (on Eibachs) always commented it appeared lower than comparable Z4s also on Eibachs (and nothing to do with "fat mates"), so perhaps there's a bit of variance as standard...

Nosa was suprised at mine compared to his at the weekend - mine is a good few mm lower. Not sure if this is because of variance, or the fact that mine were second hand... Or indeed simply because I am a 'fat mate' :D
 
tomscott said:
I have my Z4M lowered and have no problem what so ever.

The M sport sus is lower than the SE, but I seem to think you could spec you car with the sport suspension. But its no way low enough to scrape anything. If anything it should still look like its on stilts.

Quick way to check, whip a wheel off. All the springs have a logo on them mine have H&R near the top of the spring. But are black so look OEM so have a look!


is there any other way to find out? when i bought mine it was sold as an SE with sports suspension? i find its coming off those big bumps that i catch the front if im not careful. liverpool is festooned with bloody bumps it seems like everytime they do a road they also install humps.
 
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