Newbie - picking up car in a couple of hours...

[sutters]

Hi all,

Newbie to the forum and forums in general, been lurking here on and off. I am picking up my Z4MR (Interlagos Blue / 57 plate) in a couple of hours and I am counting down the minutes before I leave work

Based in London but working in Berkshire, really looking forward to driving it although it won't be the daily commuter.

What's everyone's opinion on getting aftermarket PDC and if it is at all possible? Also, is aftermarket cruise at all possible?

Thanks!

 

[Mr Whippy]

Cool, looking forward to the pics

I think cruise control is fairly easy from BMW, £50 for the stalk, then an hour or so doing some loom work to wire it in... I think.

PDC not sure, but you don't really need it at the back. The front on the other hand would be really handy!


Dave

 

[gannet]

welcome along

IIRC Cruise on an M is alot harder to the point where BMW say no... there are some indy's that can do it though

PDC, never seen the point - certainly on the back.

 

[AlanJ]

Welcome to the Forum. Retrofit PDC not sure - seems a lot of work when not really needed to to the distance you sit from the rear bumper. Sorry no knowledge about the cruise issue. Enjoy you new ride.

 

[ranski]

Im still getting use to the loooonnggg front of the z4, and due to tight parking where i live im getting a front PDC fitted next week

http://www.parkingdynamics.co.uk

I'll feedback once its fitted

 

[flimper]

I wouldn't be without PDC on the back, maybe I'm just lazy

 

[2dogs]

I wouldn't be without PDC on the back, maybe I'm just lazy

:withstupid:

 

[flimper]

Lazy yes, stupid no :wink:

 

[srhutch]

Hi and welcome.

As gannet said CC on the ///M is harder than normal Z4, but as said has been fitted by Indi's

PDC as per link above, PVR has bought a kit for his Polo but dont think he has fitted yet.

 

[Matty]

Hi and welcome Enjoy the new car

 

[sutters]

Thanks for all the welcomes

Car now in the garage after a nice drive home with the roof down. It's a 56 plate not a 57 :? Drives like a dream...however, I am not convinced the sports button is working. May sound strange, but in our E46 M3 you can definitely feel the handling and throttle change when you press the sports button but on the Z4MR it seemed to make no obvious difference. My only conclusion is that it doesn't work??

On the CC question - I asked the dealer and they confirmed with the parts department that they don't retrofit for the M. Oh well, might look into those indy's if it turns out that I miss it...and on the PDC note, definitely interested to hear how it goes ranski.

Pictures soon once I manage to take some

Thanks.

 

[ferrelscent]

The sport button makes no obvious difference to handling in my opinion. It does however make it feel like I'm pressing the accelerator pedal with an iron boot on.

 

[sutters]

The sport button makes no obvious difference to handling in my opinion. It does however make it feel like I'm pressing the accelerator pedal with an iron boot on.

Hmm okay...well I am not sure I even feel that!

Am going to ask a friend of mine who also has a Z4MR to try it out and she what she thinks.

Thanks everyone for the lovely welcomes. Drove the car to work today and enjoyed every minute of it.

 

[paddy wright]

welcome

 

[flimper]

If you don't notice the difference with the sport button on, then there is definitely a problem imo

 

[a11y]

mksw, welcome along

http://www.parkingdynamics.co.uk

Interested to hear about how you get on with that too - I've heard both good and bad things about the parking dynamics one. Not for my Z4, but I'm considering it for my van (5.1metres with an invisible nose!).

Worst use of PDC I've seen is a car I cycle past everyday on my way to work: rear PDC on a Toyota Aygo - the car's tiny with a vertical rear which is directly behind the driver FFS!

 

[BMWZ4MC]

Welcome!

The sport button makes a big difference to the throttle characteristics. With it switched off, the first centimetre or two of throttle pedal travel does very little, but thereafter the engine revs increase fairly progressively. Similarly, abrupt throttle pedal release is "damped" such that the engine revs fall away fairly slowly. With the sport mode switched off and the car in neutral, rapidly blipping the throttle pedal 1-2cm results in no change in engine speed at all.

With sports mode engaged, the throttle response is immediate with any amount of pedal travel leading to an increase in engine revs. Abrupt pedal release is met with abrupt throttle closure (accompanied by the wonderful sound of popping back through the exausts especially when they are really hot). I find that the increased engine responsiveness with the sport button pressed gives me much greater and more immediate control over engine speed, allowing for heel-and-toe, and rapid double-declutching down through the gears. The ony problem is that with a cold engine smooth driving in traffic is a bit tricky!

Personally, I love the savage engine response and increased involvement the sports mode gives. I feel that this is a true reflection of the engine, and that when it is off, it is a computer that is metering your throttle use and driving style. In fact, I regard it as a "wooly button" that tames the engine when the light is not illuminated, and that "wooly mode" is switched off when the light is on... That said, plenty of people who drive their ///Ms very seriously have said that they won't use the sport button, even for track driving. Mine is rarely out of sport mode. To each their own

Overall, if you don't feel like a learner the first time you pull away with the sport button pressed, it probably isn't working properly

 

[sutters]

Drove a friend's Z4MR yesterday and got her to try mine and we've come to the conclusion that the sports button actually seems to always be on, rather than not working. Will be ringing the dealer on Monday.

 

[BMWZ4MC]

Drove a friend's Z4MR yesterday and got her to try mine and we've come to the conclusion that the sports button actually seems to always be on, rather than not working. Will be ringing the dealer on Monday.

Perfect - leave it exactly as it is!

 

[mikedav]

May sound strange, but in our E46 M3 you can definitely feel the handling and throttle change when you press the sports button but on the Z4MR it seemed to make no obvious difference.

Just for the record, the handling is totally unaffected on the E46 M3 when you press the Sport Button; it's the same as on the Z4M, i.e. all it does is adjust the throttle sensitivity. I used to have one too and it did nowt . Not got PDC on mine, got used to not having it pretty quickly and prefer the cleaner lines of the bumper without. However I can understand why someone would want it, the length of the nose can be a pain in London multi storeys....

Don't forget to post pics!