///M troubles

[PeteH]

As most of you will know my affair with the Z4MR has been one of love and hate! I love the performance, handling, looks etc but I hate the constant (relatively minor) problems that appear on a weekly basis!

I do drive it hard but thats why we buy an ///M :?

To date my list of faults is as follows (all in all 37 dealer visits since I picked it up from new in October last year) The car has covered 10k miles and is primarily a weekend car.

- Glove Box damper failed twice
- Drivers seat leather replaced
- Wipers squeaking
- Drivers seat back replaced due to damage on the seat back, caused by the seat being able to go back too far
- Dash Pod replaced due to trip reset button failing
- Clutch pedal stiff & squeaking
- Brakes squeaking
- Engine bay rattles/knocks (numerous)
- Drivers side door rattles
- Dash board rattles (numerous)
- Roof rattles (numerous)
- Firewall struts worked loose
- Rollover hoops rattles
- Centre console squeak & rattles
- Battery drain resulting in the car being recovered by Mondial to the dealer
- Drivers side door membrane to be replaced due to causing a water leak
- Engine Valve Clearances needed to be adjusted due to excessive noise
- Engine re-mapped 3 times due to hesitation & performance issues
- Blue-tooth module replaced
- Passenger side door membrane replaced due to causing a water leak.

I have recently written to BMW as for a car that retails for £46k that is a lot of faults IMHO. Despite some of the bad press for Sytner Sheffield they have sorted the faults out, as they have appeared, quickly and the service has always been excellent.

The car is (well should be) fine when I pick it up tomorrow after the passenger door membrane has been replaced.

That said with 10k miles on it (the good points):

- Its quick, extremely quick

- Shod with CSL 19's, PS2's and the addition of the strut brace make it handle superbly, far better than in standard guise with the nasty conti's on.

- The fuel consumption isn't great, early 20's on average, but considering the performance is bloody good.

- Its comfortable on long journeys and isn't a dog to drive around town in slow traffic.

- The M 'bits' limited slip diff, engine, suspension set-up, steering & gearbox are superb

- For a weekend away / track day machine there isn't much to beat it.

I would be interested to know what problems you guys have had?

Cheers,

Pete.

 

[enfield]

I had such problems that BMW took mine back and now I have a Coupe that I will give them back when the lease is up. I have my eyes set on a 2009 M3.

My Roaster:
Squeaks with 7 or 8 visits to car ER.
A/C vent rattle.
Roof not closing x2.
Windows not closing x - jeez I don't even know how many times.

Coupe:
A/C vent rattle.
Squeak from Central Storage area.

 

[PeteH]

I had such problems that BMW took mine back and now I have a Coupe that I will give them back when the lease is up. I have my eyes set on a 2009 M3.

My Roaster:
Squeaks with 7 or 8 visits to car ER.
A/C vent rattle.
Roof not closing x2.
Windows not closing x - jeez I don't even know how many times.

Coupe:
A/C vent rattle.
Squeak from Central Storage area.

I am well taken with the E92 M3. Just sent you a PM with some links to someone that has recently driven one for some press reviews

 

[senwar]

Well mines been back in 10 times since March. Problems I have had have been:

Faulty interior sensor meaning remote key only functional when stood by side of car - reported in March. Still not fixed (wrong mirror has been sent once before), although booked in for next Tuesday
Mark on leather in centre console. noticed day after collection and reported. Also still not fixed. 2 incorrect parts sent (one aluminium, one plain black leather) - its a stnadard M part FFS! Also booked in for next Tuesday IF the right part arrives from Germany by Monday.
Wonky ///M badge - looks very poor. Replacement being fitted next Tuesday
Passenger door mirror faulty when using electric switch. Makes clicking noise. Reported in April, wrong part delivered. New one arrived so supposedly being fitted on Tuesday. Since the fault was reported, it has now gone away so I may not bother with this.
Seats squeaking. Nothing found but mysteriously it doesn't squeak since last visit.
Passenger window opening before it closes fully when using drivers window switch. Not looked into yet.

I know there's been others but I can't remember.

Not very good in my opinion - as you say Pete, for that kind of money, the faults are unacceptable.

 

[sammyz]

I am tempting fate here No real problems to report with my Z4MR. The odd squeak or rattle but it is a hard sprung car. I did have an annoying squeak in my previous Z which the dealer tried to sort with moderate success.

Problem is this is a £22K car fitted with £20K of 'M' parts. The build quality of the Z is not great compared to say a Honda IMO so I guess we should expect some problems.

However, in this day and age the sort of problems PeteH has had are unacceptable even for a £10K Fiesta and you should write to BMW for sure- best of luck!

 

[carl]

I guess this is because it's built in South Carolina rather than Munich.

 

[JayD]

Been to the dealer for a replacement lambda sensor then a month later car was in, stripped down and engine replaced.

Still waiting report but the initial findings were premature bearing wear and an oil circulation issue. Car had done 9000 miles.

New engine so far is behaving itself.

No squeaks or rattles to report as yet.

 

[sixspeed]

I'm building a list for when mine goes into it's 10k service... currently looks as follows:

Passenger window adjustment - squeaks excessively when raised and lowered.

Window wiper assembly/arm squeaks when in use.

Discolouring of Piano Black trim around transmission tunnel.

Rattle/light knock from behind dash/back of engine bay.


Tbh, I can live with most - except the rattle from the dash/engine bay. It's so frustrating. Although maybe once the new exhaust is fitted, I won't be able to hear it anymore All in all, nothing drastic though - and hopefully all easily fixed. Cooper Cobham BMW are exceptional with their service, so I'm not expecting too much trouble!

 

[JayD]

I'm building a list for when mine goes into it's 10k service... currently looks as follows:

Passenger window adjustment - squeaks excessively when raised and lowered.

Window wiper assembly/arm squeaks when in use.

Discolouring of Piano Black trim around transmission tunnel.

Rattle/light knock from behind dash/back of engine bay.


Tbh, I can live with most - except the rattle from the dash/engine bay. It's so frustrating. Although maybe once the new exhaust is fitted, I won't be able to hear it anymore All in all, nothing drastic though - and hopefully all easily fixed. Cooper Cobham BMW are exceptional with their service, so I'm not expecting too much trouble!

Andy,

You sure its not the bracing arms that need tightening in the engine bay? They are known to come loose and need tightening from time to time.

 

[sixspeed]

Ooh.. could be - it sounds like it could be that - sounds like a light knocking on the bulkhead almost. I've been lazy and not tried checking anything obvious myself yet. Will give them a go when I get the car back this weekend tho...

 

[JayD]

Ooh.. could be - it sounds like it could be that - sounds like a light knocking on the bulkhead almost. I've been lazy and not tried checking anything obvious myself yet. Will give them a go when I get the car back this weekend tho...

Tenner says its that, get the dealer to do it though as you need the correct torque setting I believe!!

 

[All Pina]

Senwar - OT I know, but you were just geting your CSLs when the old Z4UM went down. Just seen you sig pic and they look fantastic.

AP

 

[Rick Hunter]

I've had to have BMW replace:

• Driver's side rear quarter panel window (wrong ones fitted at factory)
  Passenger side mirror (auto dim caused an astigmatic view)
  Passenger cup holder broken (still need to get that done)

Gremlins:

• Displays reset itself one time (clock, MPG, avg. spd...), but radio presets stayed. Been OK since.
  Passenger map light malfunctioned, but corrected itself after 2 weeks
  TPMS showed faulty sensor, but corrected itself after 2 weeks
  Rattles (off & on) coming from driver's cup holder, and from A/C centre vents

Definitely too many problems for such a young car (compared to all the other rides I've encountered)... I have to keep reminding myself that "Less is more."

 

[Wondermike]

Unbelievable, the amount of problems on this thread. It's like the engine starts tearing the car apart or something - lets hope the new V8 doesn't make it into the Z4 - at this rate it will fall apart.

 

[Top pup]

No problems yet (touches wood) but i think the engine bay braces will need tightening down soon.

 

[Curtis]

I've had too many to list as members of a certain defunkt forum will know. Most worrying of all though was breaking the welds on my bulkhead/firewall. Before you say anything Zee it was nothing to do with the way I drive it. Not much anyway.

 

[enfield]

Unbelievable, the amount of problems on this thread. It's like the engine starts tearing the car apart or something - lets hope the new V8 doesn't make it into the Z4 - at this rate it will fall apart.

There will be no V8. pvr bought an I-6 Z4M. :rofl:

 

[senwar]

Senwar - OT I know, but you were just geting your CSLs when the old Z4UM went down. Just seen you sig pic and they look fantastic.

AP

Thanks mate - its how the car should come in the first place isn't it - the wheel were made for this motor!

 

[zee42]

I've had too many to list as members of a certain defunkt forum will know. Most worrying of all though was breaking the welds on my bulkhead/firewall. Before you say anything Zee it was nothing to do with the way I drive it. Not much anyway.

What about that time you tried to jump the English channel?????????
and then theres that skate board ramp thing :dizzy:

 

[Curtis]

I would have made that jump too if it wasn't for the damn crosswind! :x