Hello.
Thought I'd introduce myself and join in. I've been browsing the forum as a few helpful how to's popped up in Google searches.
I got my e85 last September from a guy called Ed in Portishead. Its a 2004 3.0i, 6spd manual. I didn't expect to, but I fell in love with the car pretty quickly. Many years ago I was an audi mechanic but have always been into jap stuff. I still have a very heavily modified jap car and got the z4 as a replacement for my sensible diesel. I never thought I'd own a convertible or a BMW, but life is full of surprises. I'm a marine engineer so spend a fair bit of time away. But I've probably got some good how to's to give back to the community in the near future.
Anyway, the car. When I got it, it had 120k on it but still solid and well looked after. It had the vanos seals and DISA valve mods already done. Lower arms uprated and replaced and a stainless exhaust fitted. She also has the z4m wheels, front aero bumper and upgraded lights and a few interior bits (the rear lights were black smoke but I've already put standard red units in). Some nice choice mods imo. It had red leather and grey interior with m sport seats (unfortunately not heated, I may retrofit in time, but my experience at audi tells me once you dismantle the seats, they're never quite the same). In my ownership I've already swapped out all the grey interior for black interior. Probably cost about £400 all in. I got black door cards and swapped the leather inserts over. I've fitted the gap tech roof module, put decent brakes on it and replaced the tyres. I went down 5% on the profile f&r to give some clearance for the z4m wheels. Helps massively, no problems at all. Previously there was a fair bit of rubbing on the arches on standard sized rubber. I had to replace the leaky oil filter housing seal and a rear brake hard pipe that was corroded, but otherwise she's mechanically sound.
The car is currently (while I'm away) at a friend's shop having quite a serious audio setup because she only had the basic sound system. My friends business specialise in car audio and I know them well so this is a little favour to me. They mainly work on Aston Martins, upgrading their infotainment systems as Astons are so outdated. Even their brand new stuff uses 6 gear old merc tech. Anyway, I digress. I'm getting one of the new pioneer sph evo head units fitted. We initially tried the 9" but it's massive! The 8" is going in, I've not seen this as I'm now at work but I trust his judgement. Some JL subs in the standard position and focal components etc. All powered by two genesis amps. It's not going to be loud (much), but it's going to sound excellent. I've not seen much about these pioneer units around, so I'm pretty excited to see how it turns out. Imo the z4 doesn't need much to bring it up to date, but the infotainment display is one of those things. Ideally, I'd have a nav unit on the dashboard and build this unit into that for an extra oem finish, and I do personally like the original nav screen setup. But these seemed to be pretty expensive and I couldn't justify the retrofit really, so this is the route we're going. I'll update in time. Probably 3 weeks or so when I'm home.
I hope to see some of you out and about, I'll be pretty good for some tech stuff and buying and selling. I know I'm already after carbon leather trim, but I'm prepared not to have it :roll:
Anyway. Some pics from when I first got her.
Thought I'd introduce myself and join in. I've been browsing the forum as a few helpful how to's popped up in Google searches.
I got my e85 last September from a guy called Ed in Portishead. Its a 2004 3.0i, 6spd manual. I didn't expect to, but I fell in love with the car pretty quickly. Many years ago I was an audi mechanic but have always been into jap stuff. I still have a very heavily modified jap car and got the z4 as a replacement for my sensible diesel. I never thought I'd own a convertible or a BMW, but life is full of surprises. I'm a marine engineer so spend a fair bit of time away. But I've probably got some good how to's to give back to the community in the near future.
Anyway, the car. When I got it, it had 120k on it but still solid and well looked after. It had the vanos seals and DISA valve mods already done. Lower arms uprated and replaced and a stainless exhaust fitted. She also has the z4m wheels, front aero bumper and upgraded lights and a few interior bits (the rear lights were black smoke but I've already put standard red units in). Some nice choice mods imo. It had red leather and grey interior with m sport seats (unfortunately not heated, I may retrofit in time, but my experience at audi tells me once you dismantle the seats, they're never quite the same). In my ownership I've already swapped out all the grey interior for black interior. Probably cost about £400 all in. I got black door cards and swapped the leather inserts over. I've fitted the gap tech roof module, put decent brakes on it and replaced the tyres. I went down 5% on the profile f&r to give some clearance for the z4m wheels. Helps massively, no problems at all. Previously there was a fair bit of rubbing on the arches on standard sized rubber. I had to replace the leaky oil filter housing seal and a rear brake hard pipe that was corroded, but otherwise she's mechanically sound.
The car is currently (while I'm away) at a friend's shop having quite a serious audio setup because she only had the basic sound system. My friends business specialise in car audio and I know them well so this is a little favour to me. They mainly work on Aston Martins, upgrading their infotainment systems as Astons are so outdated. Even their brand new stuff uses 6 gear old merc tech. Anyway, I digress. I'm getting one of the new pioneer sph evo head units fitted. We initially tried the 9" but it's massive! The 8" is going in, I've not seen this as I'm now at work but I trust his judgement. Some JL subs in the standard position and focal components etc. All powered by two genesis amps. It's not going to be loud (much), but it's going to sound excellent. I've not seen much about these pioneer units around, so I'm pretty excited to see how it turns out. Imo the z4 doesn't need much to bring it up to date, but the infotainment display is one of those things. Ideally, I'd have a nav unit on the dashboard and build this unit into that for an extra oem finish, and I do personally like the original nav screen setup. But these seemed to be pretty expensive and I couldn't justify the retrofit really, so this is the route we're going. I'll update in time. Probably 3 weeks or so when I'm home.
I hope to see some of you out and about, I'll be pretty good for some tech stuff and buying and selling. I know I'm already after carbon leather trim, but I'm prepared not to have it :roll:
Anyway. Some pics from when I first got her.
North West Surrey
can't help but to tinker