New owner of a 3.0 30i sDrive

Varixto

Varixto

Member
Hi,
This is just to introduce myself. Today I have just purchased a Mk2 30isDrive (I am picking it up next Tuesday). 59k miles with one previous owner. Is there any maintenance/preventative work that I should consider doing soon (ish) to avoid potential problems in the future? Is it worth getting an extended one or two year warranty?
Thanks in advance for any advice
 

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That's a stunning colour combination so welcome to Z4 ownership. :thumbsup:

Yours will have the N52 engine which is pretty bulletproof, and yours has the bonus of very low mileage. I've had two of them in E86 Z4s and liked them so much I'm on my second 3 series with the same engine that has done 125K miles now but still performs brilliantly.

Look out for oil leaks from the cam-cover and oil filter housing gaskets as they can get brittle over time although I wouldn't replace them if they aren't leaking. The only preventative job some people often do is to replace the electric water pump, because when (not if) it dies the engine overheats within a mile which can be a major hassle. As to when it might happen that is guesswork. My first E86 had one fail at 60K miles but my second seemed to be on the original at 81K miles when I sold it!

But a new Pierburg pump tends to cost £250-300 so it's a bit of an investment - just don't buy from BMW as it will be the same part but cost over £500. :o

BMW claim the gearbox is "sealed for life" but that doesn't seem like a good idea to me - more like it will see out the warranty, so I've had the transmission fluid replaced in all of mine. If you find the gearchange from 1st to 2nd less than satisfactory it's worth removing the Clutch Delay Valve as it costs nothing if you can do it. The CDV basically restricts the flow of clutch fluid to protect the drive-train from ham-fisted drivers.

But most importantly just enjoy it. :driving:
 
Mr Tidy said:
That's a stunning colour combination so welcome to Z4 ownership. :thumbsup:
Yours will have the N52 engine which is pretty bulletproof, and yours has the bonus of very low mileage. I've had two of them in E86 Z4s and liked them so much I'm on my second 3 series with the same engine that has done 125K miles now but still performs brilliantly.
Look out for oil leaks from the cam-cover and oil filter housing gaskets as they can get brittle over time although I wouldn't replace them if they aren't leaking. The only preventative job some people often do is to replace the electric water pump, because when (not if) it dies the engine overheats within a mile which can be a major hassle. As to when it might happen that is guesswork. My first E86 had one fail at 60K miles but my second seemed to be on the original at 81K miles when I sold it!
But a new Pierburg pump tends to cost £250-300 so it's a bit of an investment - just don't buy from BMW as it will be the same part but cost over £500. :o
BMW claim the gearbox is "sealed for life" but that doesn't seem like a good idea to me - more like it will see out the warranty, so I've had the transmission fluid replaced in all of mine. If you find the gearchange from 1st to 2nd less than satisfactory it's worth removing the Clutch Delay Valve as it costs nothing if you can do it. The CDV basically restricts the flow of clutch fluid to protect the drive-train from ham-fisted drivers.
But most importantly just enjoy it. :driving:
Click to expand...
Thank you very much for taking the trouble to write such a thorough reply and for the advice!
Neither the cam cover nor the oil filter housing area had any leaks but I will be definitely be looking to replace the waterpump ASAP just in case, as I have set aside some funds for this kind of thing. From your advice and what I have read online, the mileage at which it will fail seems to be a Russian roulette situation so I do not want to take any risks... Have you got by any chance the part number (or a link to a product)? I will also look to replace the transmission fluid, as I completely agree with your suggestion.

Is there any maintenance you'd recommend for the roof? (motor, loom, sensors, etc... -- another potential big expense if faulty)
I have seen some Youtube videos of people recommending lubricating the rubber seals, etc...

Having said all this, I will most definitely be following the most important piece of advice from your reply: I am really looking forward to start driving (and enjoying) the car! :)
 
Varixto said:
Thank you very much for taking the trouble to write such a thorough reply and for the advice!
Neither the cam cover nor the oil filter housing area had any leaks but I will be definitely be looking to replace the waterpump ASAP just in case, as I have set aside some funds for this kind of thing. From your advice and what I have read online, the mileage at which it will fail seems to be a Russian roulette situation so I do not want to take any risks... Have you got by any chance the part number (or a link to a product)? I will also look to replace the transmission fluid, as I completely agree with your suggestion.

Is there any maintenance you'd recommend for the roof? (motor, loom, sensors, etc... -- another potential big expense if faulty)
I have seen some Youtube videos of people recommending lubricating the rubber seals, etc...

Having said all this, I will most definitely be following the most important piece of advice from your reply: I am really looking forward to start driving (and enjoying) the car!
Click to expand...

Well it started off helpful, but I can't help with the water pump because both of mine were supplied by the Indy who fitted them. All I know is the OE water pump is made by Pierburg and I believe if you don't buy from BMW the BMW logo is ground off! It might help if you started a new thread asking for best place to buy a water pump for an E89 N52 engine as someone will have done it.

And I don't have any first-hand knowledge of with the roof mechanism because I've only had E86s. :roll:
 
I am hoping to find a Z4 in exactly the same configuration /trim/colours as yours.

Gorgeous. I am very jealous.

Enjoy it. :thumbsup:
 
Looking at the reg its the same year as my 30.is.Bought it 2013 and so far none of the possible problems but its only 29,000 miles . Apart from the roof, which I had fixed by a specialist in folding lids some 10 years ago and its been good ever since. The N52 engine is a great unit and is a pleasure to drive, enough power to get you into trouble and out.
Welcome to the forum enjoy.
 
Varixto said:
Thank you very much for taking the trouble to write such a thorough reply and for the advice!
Neither the cam cover nor the oil filter housing area had any leaks but I will be definitely be looking to replace the waterpump ASAP just in case, as I have set aside some funds for this kind of thing. From your advice and what I have read online, the mileage at which it will fail seems to be a Russian roulette situation so I do not want to take any risks... Have you got by any chance the part number (or a link to a product)? I will also look to replace the transmission fluid, as I completely agree with your suggestion.

Is there any maintenance you'd recommend for the roof? (motor, loom, sensors, etc... -- another potential big expense if faulty)
I have seen some Youtube videos of people recommending lubricating the rubber seals, etc...

Having said all this, I will most definitely be following the most important piece of advice from your reply: I am really looking forward to start driving (and enjoying) the car!
Click to expand...

Like I said I don't know about E89 roof maintenance, but today I found this thread:- https://z4-forum.com/forum/viewtopic.php?t=130932
 
Mr Tidy said:
Is there any maintenance you'd recommend for the roof? (motor, loom, sensors, etc... -- another potential big expense if faulty)
Click to expand...
Have a look at the HowTo section regarding roof topics.

⌛ E89: Collection of the 7 typical age-related defects in the roof environment
https://z4-forum.com/forum/viewtopic.php?t=148657
 
Thanks, going through these roof links, I went and checked my hydraulic motor and the foam was very wet. Seems to be recent though as there wasn't really corrosion on the motor, thank our Creator.

Now I just need to figure out how it got wet and possibly an alternative solution to the foam (makes sense to secure the motor, but it will always be susceptible to holding moisture).
 
Hi, as RobbiZ4 (he's the expert on E89 roofs) has said change the relays in the boot (about £17 each, 2 of them) 10 minute job, check the date of the battery (date will be stamped on the top of one of the terminals (week/year) if its over 5 years old consider changing. The only problem I had on mine (had it about 9 years) was both rear springs needed changed, great car. They also like regular oil and brake fluid changes :thumbsup:
 
rafcom said:
Now I just need to figure out how it got wet and possibly an alternative solution to the foam (makes sense to secure the motor, but it will always be susceptible to holding moisture).
Click to expand...
Just read! :D
https://z4-forum.com/forum/viewtopic.php?p=2091928#p2091928

Check the backlight clusters:
- Are the seals correctly pulled INTO the trunk or just pressed against the outside?
- If a backlight cluster got renewed in the past, check if the 3rd hole in the body got sealed from the outside.
- Are the vents on both sides sitting correctly in the body and don't show any traces of water comming into the body? Replace it with new ones if any doubt. Can be easily replaced from the inside of the car, regardless what others may say or write!
In any case you have to remove all the interior trims to get access to the named places. Buy a nail iron to get the pins easily removed.

Put the foam INTO a plastic bag to keep it away from water. Check my FAQ once again for more details.
 
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