I've had my car a couple of weeks so some questions...

[AlZ4M]

Now I've done a few miles in my Z4M I just want to check if a few things are normal:

1. Power steering seems pretty loud at low speed maneuvering- not really a whine or slipping belt but more of a drone. It doesn't sound bad but it certainly dominates the experience when parking so just wondered if that was normal?

2. First to second gear, now I think I've heard this mentioned elsewhere but there is a noticeable mechanical clonk when changing from first to second. Again, it doesn't sound like a 'bad' noise but if it shouldn't be doing it then I want to get it checked out. Seems worse if you're just moving slowly- which in conjunction with number 1 seems to suggest that the car does not like going slowly!!

3. The passenger seat seems to vibrate a bit at motorway speeds- there's a little bit of feedback through the steering wheel but probably just the state of our roads but I have noticed that when the passenger seat is empty the backrest jiggles around a few mm each way. Anyone else notice this? Might just be a teeny wheel imbalance.

Any pointers welcome. Thanks in advance.

 

[a340driver]

Hello Mate

1. Mine makes a noise on full lock but otherwise no. All the BMW's I've owned have done this. You notice it more in a 'vertible. (Minis do it too).

2.Jumpy ? Yes if you drop the clutch but if you have a touch of mechanical sensitivity it's fine. or you can fit a clutch delay valve very easily/cheaply. I've never felt that it was an issue for the way I drive

3. I find it's smooth on m'ways. Great on good back roads, but if you hit a load of bumps due to winter damage you'll be steering like you just bought a band saw. Passenger seat vibes may well be nothing.

Pointers? I've had mine for 2.5 (including insp 2) years and it's turning from a toy into a daily driver..........

 

[JuniorJet]

1. The steering makes a loud whining noise at full lock. Other than that you shouldn't hear much else.

2. 1st to 2nd is always "clunky", be careful when giving it the full beans in 1st - hold the clutch right down a while longer while changing to avoid grinding.

3. On both my Ms, they have tramlined quite heavily (for a while I thought the wheels were out of alignment, don't worry - they're not unless its very extreeme) - seat wobble... probably normal if its been sat in a lot by a heavy fella... But to be fair I wouldn't expect a used car to be exactly as new though... There are bound to be odd niggles and rattles here and there unless its been kept in an airtight box since production...

Enjoy... Treat her mean, she'll like it

 

[Popey]

I do get some noise "clunking" in the lower gears. Normally in car parks at lower speed, and mines only just done 22k!

From what I've read it's quite normal.

 

[AlZ4M]

Thanks for the responses- mine only has 34k on it so it's a relative spring chicken. Just that as I have the AUC warranty (and nothing to compare it to in terms of recent wheel time in a Z4M) I thought I'd ask.

On the gear change point it's actually only noticeable when pootling as I've seen people mentioning it in regards to giving it a full bore start- with a few revs it's fine but if I drive it like I was on my driving test and just use first to get it rolling then there's a distinct mechanical noise. It's not like a grinding or anything just a kind of engaging clunk which seems to come from the diff. I tend to notice it when getting to the end of my road so it's probably just the gearbox needing a bit of warming up.

I drove the same stretch of road in my MX5 earlier and it was skipping around all over the place so I think point 3 was just a particular stretch of the A12 which is deceptively undulating despite looking smooth.

 

[gallaghb]

I think most are the same from 1st to 2nd from what I've read. Mine is much better when fully warm though. Apparently changing the gearbox oil helps, although its supposed to be 'lifetime' oil, it can't hurt to change it.

 

[MrPT]

The 1st to 2nd clunk is probably insufficient or dry grease where the prop shaft meets the diff - there have been a few threads on this in the past (which I found because mine does the same thing very occasionally). I think the grease is actually for dampening the clunk instead of lubricating moving parts, so it's probably not doing much harm to your transmission to leave it. There is a BMW service bulletin about it which your local specialist or dealer should be able to look up if you want to get it fixed.

Sent from my GT-P6810 using Tapatalk 4

 

[XMetal]

I think most are the same from 1st to 2nd from what I've read. Mine is much better when fully warm though. Apparently changing the gearbox oil helps, although its supposed to be 'lifetime' oil, it can't hurt to change it.

The gearbox of the ///M does NOT have the "lifetime" fluid in it. It should be changed out at every inspection 2.