Aalst
Hello everybody,
I'm Paul, and I have been driving a Z4 sDrive18i (e89) since July 2019, until 3 weeks ago. After 7 years without any issues I swapped the car for the Frozen Grey II and anthracite top sDrive30i Z4 g29 with M-Sport package Professional with 20" glossy black rims.
In most respects, it's an improvement. I really like the driving experience much more now, especially on the highway.
But there are also some things I like less about it than its predecessor:
PS the car in the image is mine, where taken by the dealer, I used Gemini te replace the surroundings.
I'm Paul, and I have been driving a Z4 sDrive18i (e89) since July 2019, until 3 weeks ago. After 7 years without any issues I swapped the car for the Frozen Grey II and anthracite top sDrive30i Z4 g29 with M-Sport package Professional with 20" glossy black rims.
In most respects, it's an improvement. I really like the driving experience much more now, especially on the highway.
But there are also some things I like less about it than its predecessor:
- Exhaust sound... while this car has 102hp more then my previous one, it doesn't sound sporty at all due to the OPF and the reduced burble tables. I have already been looking to add a cat-back sportexhaust, but there doesn't seem to be a lot of affordable options here in Belgum what will help you pass the inspection.
- The S676 HiFi speaker system... I don't expect the sound quality of my home theater system, which has a list price of over 30,000€, but this literally hurts my ears after 45 minutes on the highway.
I'm thinking about buying the Match Up 8DSP mk2 (with harness). Since I listen to music (radio and files via Android Auto), I'm currently experimenting with PowerAmp's equalizer. I used REW (Room EQ Wizard Room Acoustics Software) to measure pink noise from the left and right channels using the moving mic (MM) method. I then applied a PEQ (Parametric Equalization) in REQ to both measurements. I linked a house curve (NAD house curve) to those settings and imported the result into PowerAmp Equalizer. The bass is really good—no more annoying rumbling—but it still sounds loud, especially with the top down. Tonight I'm creating a new import file based on the ResoNix 2026 curve; I'll test it out tomorrow afternoon.
Even though this sounds better, I'm concerned about the volume—especially with the roof down, the volume is almost at maximum. An amp set to maximum volume causes distortion and can damage your speakers. It's possible that BMW has built a limit into the iDrive system, so you're not actually reaching the amp's limit. - The view over your shoulders... the E89 had a small window behind the doors, which helped when you looked over your shoulder; now, with the roof closed, you just see the dark interior of the roof. It takes some getting used to having to rely more on the mirrors in these situations.
PS the car in the image is mine, where taken by the dealer, I used Gemini te replace the surroundings.
North West Surrey
