Hi all, yes I've previously said hello in the Newbie's section; those of you may recall me writing off my TVR when I met some numpty in a classic Rover P6 on my side of the road as I negotiated a blind bend along the A520 between Stone and Meir Heath (Staffordshire). This resulted in me being cut out of the car and taken to Hospital and the other driver being arrested for that and other erm, past criminal activities. :dizzy:
Anyway, I thought I'd keep a diary of my Z4 ownership so that I and you if you're interested, can maintain some sort of record of the highs and any lows that I might experience along the way. Don't know if this is the best area of the forum to post this ongoing diary in but okay, so here it starts with a bit of ..............
Background
I'm 48 living with my partner Bridget with four children in Staffordshire and working for a Local Authority. My previous cars have been mainly 'Hot Hatches' (Golf GTI 16V MK2, Peugeout 205 GTI, Cavalier SRI) and 3 and 1 Series BMW's, then onto a Lotus Elise, then a TVR Chimaera 4L V8.
Lotus Elise S1
Let me tell you now, the Elise is a fantastic car, very quick off the mark and sticks to the road like glue......loved it. I'd be hard pressed to find such an amazing car again that is such a thrill to drive. I reluctantly sold this after 5 + years of ownership as Bridget forever moaned about getting in and out of it; plus, minimal luggage space for any holidays away. So, in order to satisfy my desire to continue to own a sports car, I stuck with the British theme and bought a .............
TVR Chimaera 4L V8 (fully restored beast)
After buying the TVR from a chap in London, I sold the Lotus a few months later for pretty much the same money as I paid for it 5+ years previous (Elise prices continue to rise). The TVR Beast, blisteringly fast (0 to 60 just under 5 seconds); didn't handle as well as the Elise and could be rather scary at times if you weren't fully aware of the tremendous power under the bonnet. I'd put my foot down on a straight bit of road and it would just go and go and go.......... nothing could touch it. Amazing head turning looks; amazing sound (other drivers used to roll down their windows just to listen to it); easy to get in and out of; and plenty of luggage space so Bridget was okay with it. Or maybe not, too loud, too fast, too many unwanted admirers, too thirsty and so on....she didn't like it. Now, it sits in TVR heaven - gutted.
Which brings me onto the Z4...............
While considering what car to have next (still waiting for the insurance to pay me out) I decided that I would buy a modern sports car; a more economical drive than the TVR; and one with air bags basically because my accident really shook me up. Therefore, It was basically between a Z4 and a Honda S2000. Too many hairdresser comments received when I mentioned a Boxster so these were left well alone. I was looking for reliability (although both the Lotus and TVR never let me down); fuel economy, luggage capacity and a roof that can be lowered/raised at the touch of a button. I nearly nearly bought an S2000 however I was suddenly turned from the dark side to a Z4 as my daughter Em and her boyfriend Jim told me that they much preferred the Z. So did Bridget! A 'Z' it was then.
Next was what model, year etc? Decided that I wanted a 2.5; didn't go for a 3.0l or M as I had got the speed thing out of my system when I owned the Lotus and TVR. I also thought the 2.0l maybe a tad under-powered. I also decided in the end not to spend too much money on a Z as it would sit in the garage for most of the time and be rarely used as I travel to work on my push bike and use the 1 series for family matters etc. It would basically be a weekend car.
The search..............
Being off work for a few weeks thanks to my TVR accident; I had the chance to scour the Internet interrogating Pistonheads and Ebay classifieds; Z4 Forums etc. This is how I came across this forum which I must say is excellent, what a resource. I also wanted a different colour than silver as we already have a silver BMW on the drive; and I didn't want to spend a lot of money as previously mentioned. I went to look at a few Z's; particularly the black ones with red leather - nice colour contrast. Needless to say there are a few 'dogs' out there, can't believe the prices some garage's are asking given the condition of the cars they're selling! Looked at a local 2005 2.0l black with red leather; what a disappointment, filthy dirty, paintwork dull and marked as if someone had cleaned it with a piece of glass paper; and to top it all, the roof had 'stopped working that morning' etc.
Anyway, while looking I must admit that I was very tempted by the M's; but resisted temptation - done the speed thing. Coupes,these look lovely too but I do prefer a soft top.
Finally I came across a 2003 Z4 2.5 in Maldives Blue (lovely colour I think) with 70,000+ miles on it. Bridget loved the look of it as I did, so off we went to view it.
The viewing.........
Well, when we got to the address, I must say, the Z was sitting on the drive looking very sad for itself. Very dirty indeed, you think they would have cleaned it seeing as it was up for sale!. The owner, a very nice lady came out and showed us around the car. Underneath all that dirt was what seemed to be a very tidy car; new pads and discs; new roof motor fitted only last year, new hood, Bridgestone Potenza RFL's all round with plenty of tread left, seemed like no expense spared but oh dear, the interior was filthy and the engine bay was dirty. Cream/beige leather including carpets and door cards, all filthy! How the hell would I clean these.
Not to be put off I took it for a test drive and was very impressed; smooth, no knocks, bangs or crashes, steering and braking fine, acceleration okay (well my last car was a TVR!), everything seemed to be okay. Bodywork underneath looked good; elipsoid 18" wheels okay with only a few marks on them.
Paperwork ...... mmm, disappointed as there was no service history book. Now generally with a car of this age I tend to go on mainly condition but obviously service history does play a big part in this. The owner had lost this during a house move but on a positive note, provided me with past MOT certificates for the last few years which identified that the mileage tallied up. There were also receipts from servicing and work done in the past with a list of BMW garages where the car had been for servicing/repairs, Therefore I took a gamble and bought it at what I thought was a good price.
The drive home...........
Smooth, that is a good word to use for the drive home. It was like driving a new car, no mishaps, brakes felt sharp, acceleration okay, slight throaty sound from the exhaust, the only negative being the state of the interior and the exterior being dirty.
Got home and drove it straight in the garage where it stayed until a few days later when I took it out for a spin.
The spin...................
Same as before really, not exciting just a nice car to drive. But, the steering, now this takes a bit of getting used to. Electric Power Steering together with 18" RFT's do take a bit of getting used to. Together with the falling snow, it felt like I was steering a boat and then the tramlining was interesting to say the least!
Back at home.............
The car safely ensconced in the garage, I interrogated this forum and was drawn to the detailing part to the point where I couldn't wait any longer and made a start on cleaning the car. I must admit I do suffer with a touch of OCD so I settled for just washing and waxing the car .... it does look nice.
24 March 2013
Surfing the net I ordered a new registration plate 'T333 JRC' for the Z followed by some rubber mats (winter weather) from my local dealer and a new service history book. Decided to put the roof down while the car was on the drive today and it wouldn't go down! Panicked for a bit until I realised that the shelf thingy in the boot needed to be lowered - doh! Can't believe how quiet the car is; suppose it would sound quite compared to my last two cars though. Had a good look at the tyres which should last me a while (Bridgestones all round). Had a look on the net at how much they are for when I do need to replace them, what the f#c% - how much are they?!?!?
25 March 2013
Given the information (receipts etc.) that I got with the car; I managed to track down all the main dealers that the car had been to; this led to a few phone calls of which they're going to email me all the details and also, stamp my new book up when I send it to them - good stuff. While at my local dealers today picking up the new mats (very good customer service) I decided to ask them how much the servicing would be the Z:
- Oil Service £200
- Inspection 1 £350
- Inspection 2 £500
Given the above prices I will from here on refer to them as stealers rather than dealers as everyone on this forum seems to do! :thumbsdown:
27 March 2013
Received the documentation for my new registration plate from the DVLA 'T333 JRC', I shall be putting these on my car as soon as I've sorted out how to do it. I'm sure you can visit your local DVLA office (mine's Shrewsbury) and they'll do the documentation transfer for you there and then? Also received an email back from Sytners in Sheffield confirming the work and servicing that they have done to the car during the period 2004 - 2007, so that will go in the history file. Apparently it's had the rear springs renewed.
28 March 2013
Spoke to Autotech Performance, Telford and got the Z booked in for an Inspection II service on Saturday 6 April even though it shows it only needs an Oil Service on the dash. Having just bought the car, I want to ensure all is well with it.
31 March 2013
Nice sunny day, decided to take the Z out for a long run to see if I could get more used to it. Decided the Stafford to Bakewell run and back would be far enough. On the way, Bridget asked if we could have the roof down which we did for about 10 mins but decided it was too cold so up went the roof again brrrrr. Still can't get used to the steering and tramlining. On the way to Ashbourne a TVR like the one I had written off came past in the opposite direction; just reminded me of what I was missing. That lovely V8 rumble was heard coming over the hill before we even saw it.......lovely.
Anyway, I couldn't drive any further, I was still suffering from the injuries from my previous crash which were giving me some jip, so we turned around and went back home disappointed.
06 April 2013
Saturday morning, up early and off to Autotech so the Z can have an Inspection II. Met Pete who seems a thoroughly nice chap; he said that while undertaking the inspection if he takes the first plug out and it's okay then he won't replace them therefore reducing the cost of the Inspection (remember, that when I bought the car, there was a lack of service history so I decided to have a full Inspection II rather than just the Oil Service which was showing on the dash); I also asked Pete to do the Clutch Valve Delay (CVD) mod. Left the Z with Pete while Bridget and I visited nearby Much Wenlock and Ironbridge. I received a call a couple of hours later to say my car was ready for collection. When I got back to Autotech, Pete informed me that all was well with my new purchase, pretty good example apaprently, I just needed to keep an eye on the front discs. I also mentioned the steering that was niggling me; Pete mentioned that it may not have had the Electronic Power Steering (EPS) software update; so he hooked his Autologic box up to the car and hey, it hadn't had the update so this was done as well. Pete said I should notice a difference. Paid the bill which was way cheaper than any stealer. Full Inspection II (including new plugs, oil, all filters), EPS software upgrade and brake fluid change for £300.....bargain!
Can't fault Autotech at all, Pete definitely knows his BMWs and is very helpful and willing to spend the time talking to his customers. Had a bit of a chat about my initial experiences with the Z and my comparisons with my TVR............ Pete hit the nail on the head really, I shouldn't compare the two, they're completely different cars, the Z would never be as fast as the TVR etc. Suppose I better get used to the Z then ha ha.
The drive back home.............. well, just driving it off the business park highlighted a complete change. With the CVD removed there was no kangarooing while pulling off in 1st and through 2nd at all, wow. I could now pull off pretty quick, plus the steering was again completely different, not vague but precise and I didn't notice any tramlining either! I enjoyed the drive home especially with the roof down (well it has warmed up a bit), the Z is now growing on me.
It just goes to show that if you put your car in the hands of someone who knows what they're doing then all will be well... sorted.
7th April 2013
Well, thought I'd have a go at cleaning the engine bay this morning before we went out. Bought 5 litres of Valet Pro Interior All Purpose Cleaner off Ebay for around £20, covered the alternator with tin foil, gave it a spray with the hose, sprayed the APC over the engine and worked it in with a small brush and then rinsed it all off again with the hose! I took some photos but to be quite honest you really can't tell which was the before and after pic, but it definitely looks cleaner. Think I'll have another stab at it shortly but probably need to buy some other stuff to spray on afterwards to bring out the shine/sheen in the plastics/hoses.........any idea what I could use?
Before
Alternator wrapped
After
Okay, I decided yesterday that I'd take the Z out for a blat to check out the steering. In order to do this I had to take Bridget to a Craft Fair in Woore enroute just to keep her happy followed by a visit to Bridgemere Garden Centre which included taking the pooch. Craft fair visited, a few plants bought and the pooch treated to a new bone so all were okay, yes me too. It's as I said, the steering is totally transformed in my opinion, although there is still a slight hint of tramlining but only that which can be expected from running 18" tyres. My TVR had the same issue with 17" at the front and 18" rears. Think I'll stick with the runflats as I'm okay now with the current set up. I thoroughly enjoyed the blat or hoon (Z4 terminology!), steering was fine and with the CDV removed, able to pull off a lot quicker with no embarrassing kangarooing! Feel a lot more confident/comfortable with the car now, gave it a bit of welly around the lanes and overtook a few vehicles! Even had the roof down, all day!
9th April 2013
The Z is due its MOT on the 27th of this month so I've booked it in early; all booked into the MOT station for tomorrow. Fingers crossed :?
10th April 2013
She's past!!!! New 12 month ticket on the Z but with two advisories.
One being a cracked front number plate (I've already got a new one at home; and to keep an eye on the front brake pads). I have to admit that I normally get rather concerned when it's MOT time but not this time. The Lotus and TVR that I had were quite temperamental in particular on the emissions side of things but with the Z, I didn't really give it much thought.
11th April 2013
Drove to Blythe Bridge today (about 15 miles from where I live); why is it that no one lets you out when you drive a BMW?!?! When I had the Lotus and the TVR, people would in the main, let me out but in the BMW forget it.
5th May 2013
Decided to give those cream carpets a clean. Haven't had the chance to do it since buying the car on account of the weather being pants. Bridget told me to give all those fancy car cleaning products a miss and use some foam Vanish from Tescos. So, sprayed the foam on, scrubbed it in with a soft nail brush and left it for two hours. Then vacuumed the carpets again and WOW what a difference, they look well clean. I might do them again in a few months to see if I can get them even cleaner.
6th May 2013
Decided to drive over to Bridgemere Garden Centre, about 20 miles away in the Z, weather man gave out a scorcher of a day! Roof down with Bridget and dog in toe riding shotgun; we set off. It's great to have a car where you just press a button and the roof automatically stows away. The Lotus roof came off but it was a real pain, only took a few minutes but was like using a meccano set, so you weren't tempted to take it off because of the hassle. The TVR was a lot better, but you still had to physically take the roof off and stow it in the boot!!!! I'm getting more used to the Z now and exploring its potential. The 2.5 is quite nippy when you give it some beans and hold onto the revs a bit before changing up. People often remark on what a nice car it is; and when driving it I don't feel as if I need to drive it quick all the time but basically just cruise. Unlike the TVR and Lotus which sort of demanded you grab them by the scruff of the neck and wring every bit of performance or handling out of them.
A thought passed through my head as I was driving to Bridgemere; I wonder what an 'M' would be like??????
To be cont.d..............
Anyway, I thought I'd keep a diary of my Z4 ownership so that I and you if you're interested, can maintain some sort of record of the highs and any lows that I might experience along the way. Don't know if this is the best area of the forum to post this ongoing diary in but okay, so here it starts with a bit of ..............
Background
I'm 48 living with my partner Bridget with four children in Staffordshire and working for a Local Authority. My previous cars have been mainly 'Hot Hatches' (Golf GTI 16V MK2, Peugeout 205 GTI, Cavalier SRI) and 3 and 1 Series BMW's, then onto a Lotus Elise, then a TVR Chimaera 4L V8.
Lotus Elise S1
Let me tell you now, the Elise is a fantastic car, very quick off the mark and sticks to the road like glue......loved it. I'd be hard pressed to find such an amazing car again that is such a thrill to drive. I reluctantly sold this after 5 + years of ownership as Bridget forever moaned about getting in and out of it; plus, minimal luggage space for any holidays away. So, in order to satisfy my desire to continue to own a sports car, I stuck with the British theme and bought a .............
TVR Chimaera 4L V8 (fully restored beast)
After buying the TVR from a chap in London, I sold the Lotus a few months later for pretty much the same money as I paid for it 5+ years previous (Elise prices continue to rise). The TVR Beast, blisteringly fast (0 to 60 just under 5 seconds); didn't handle as well as the Elise and could be rather scary at times if you weren't fully aware of the tremendous power under the bonnet. I'd put my foot down on a straight bit of road and it would just go and go and go.......... nothing could touch it. Amazing head turning looks; amazing sound (other drivers used to roll down their windows just to listen to it); easy to get in and out of; and plenty of luggage space so Bridget was okay with it. Or maybe not, too loud, too fast, too many unwanted admirers, too thirsty and so on....she didn't like it. Now, it sits in TVR heaven - gutted.
Which brings me onto the Z4...............
While considering what car to have next (still waiting for the insurance to pay me out) I decided that I would buy a modern sports car; a more economical drive than the TVR; and one with air bags basically because my accident really shook me up. Therefore, It was basically between a Z4 and a Honda S2000. Too many hairdresser comments received when I mentioned a Boxster so these were left well alone. I was looking for reliability (although both the Lotus and TVR never let me down); fuel economy, luggage capacity and a roof that can be lowered/raised at the touch of a button. I nearly nearly bought an S2000 however I was suddenly turned from the dark side to a Z4 as my daughter Em and her boyfriend Jim told me that they much preferred the Z. So did Bridget! A 'Z' it was then.
Next was what model, year etc? Decided that I wanted a 2.5; didn't go for a 3.0l or M as I had got the speed thing out of my system when I owned the Lotus and TVR. I also thought the 2.0l maybe a tad under-powered. I also decided in the end not to spend too much money on a Z as it would sit in the garage for most of the time and be rarely used as I travel to work on my push bike and use the 1 series for family matters etc. It would basically be a weekend car.
The search..............
Being off work for a few weeks thanks to my TVR accident; I had the chance to scour the Internet interrogating Pistonheads and Ebay classifieds; Z4 Forums etc. This is how I came across this forum which I must say is excellent, what a resource. I also wanted a different colour than silver as we already have a silver BMW on the drive; and I didn't want to spend a lot of money as previously mentioned. I went to look at a few Z's; particularly the black ones with red leather - nice colour contrast. Needless to say there are a few 'dogs' out there, can't believe the prices some garage's are asking given the condition of the cars they're selling! Looked at a local 2005 2.0l black with red leather; what a disappointment, filthy dirty, paintwork dull and marked as if someone had cleaned it with a piece of glass paper; and to top it all, the roof had 'stopped working that morning' etc.
Anyway, while looking I must admit that I was very tempted by the M's; but resisted temptation - done the speed thing. Coupes,these look lovely too but I do prefer a soft top.
Finally I came across a 2003 Z4 2.5 in Maldives Blue (lovely colour I think) with 70,000+ miles on it. Bridget loved the look of it as I did, so off we went to view it.
The viewing.........
Well, when we got to the address, I must say, the Z was sitting on the drive looking very sad for itself. Very dirty indeed, you think they would have cleaned it seeing as it was up for sale!. The owner, a very nice lady came out and showed us around the car. Underneath all that dirt was what seemed to be a very tidy car; new pads and discs; new roof motor fitted only last year, new hood, Bridgestone Potenza RFL's all round with plenty of tread left, seemed like no expense spared but oh dear, the interior was filthy and the engine bay was dirty. Cream/beige leather including carpets and door cards, all filthy! How the hell would I clean these.
Not to be put off I took it for a test drive and was very impressed; smooth, no knocks, bangs or crashes, steering and braking fine, acceleration okay (well my last car was a TVR!), everything seemed to be okay. Bodywork underneath looked good; elipsoid 18" wheels okay with only a few marks on them.
Paperwork ...... mmm, disappointed as there was no service history book. Now generally with a car of this age I tend to go on mainly condition but obviously service history does play a big part in this. The owner had lost this during a house move but on a positive note, provided me with past MOT certificates for the last few years which identified that the mileage tallied up. There were also receipts from servicing and work done in the past with a list of BMW garages where the car had been for servicing/repairs, Therefore I took a gamble and bought it at what I thought was a good price.
The drive home...........
Smooth, that is a good word to use for the drive home. It was like driving a new car, no mishaps, brakes felt sharp, acceleration okay, slight throaty sound from the exhaust, the only negative being the state of the interior and the exterior being dirty.
Got home and drove it straight in the garage where it stayed until a few days later when I took it out for a spin.
The spin...................
Same as before really, not exciting just a nice car to drive. But, the steering, now this takes a bit of getting used to. Electric Power Steering together with 18" RFT's do take a bit of getting used to. Together with the falling snow, it felt like I was steering a boat and then the tramlining was interesting to say the least!
Back at home.............
The car safely ensconced in the garage, I interrogated this forum and was drawn to the detailing part to the point where I couldn't wait any longer and made a start on cleaning the car. I must admit I do suffer with a touch of OCD so I settled for just washing and waxing the car .... it does look nice.
24 March 2013
Surfing the net I ordered a new registration plate 'T333 JRC' for the Z followed by some rubber mats (winter weather) from my local dealer and a new service history book. Decided to put the roof down while the car was on the drive today and it wouldn't go down! Panicked for a bit until I realised that the shelf thingy in the boot needed to be lowered - doh! Can't believe how quiet the car is; suppose it would sound quite compared to my last two cars though. Had a good look at the tyres which should last me a while (Bridgestones all round). Had a look on the net at how much they are for when I do need to replace them, what the f#c% - how much are they?!?!?
25 March 2013
Given the information (receipts etc.) that I got with the car; I managed to track down all the main dealers that the car had been to; this led to a few phone calls of which they're going to email me all the details and also, stamp my new book up when I send it to them - good stuff. While at my local dealers today picking up the new mats (very good customer service) I decided to ask them how much the servicing would be the Z:
- Oil Service £200
- Inspection 1 £350
- Inspection 2 £500
Given the above prices I will from here on refer to them as stealers rather than dealers as everyone on this forum seems to do! :thumbsdown:
27 March 2013
Received the documentation for my new registration plate from the DVLA 'T333 JRC', I shall be putting these on my car as soon as I've sorted out how to do it. I'm sure you can visit your local DVLA office (mine's Shrewsbury) and they'll do the documentation transfer for you there and then? Also received an email back from Sytners in Sheffield confirming the work and servicing that they have done to the car during the period 2004 - 2007, so that will go in the history file. Apparently it's had the rear springs renewed.
28 March 2013
Spoke to Autotech Performance, Telford and got the Z booked in for an Inspection II service on Saturday 6 April even though it shows it only needs an Oil Service on the dash. Having just bought the car, I want to ensure all is well with it.
31 March 2013
Nice sunny day, decided to take the Z out for a long run to see if I could get more used to it. Decided the Stafford to Bakewell run and back would be far enough. On the way, Bridget asked if we could have the roof down which we did for about 10 mins but decided it was too cold so up went the roof again brrrrr. Still can't get used to the steering and tramlining. On the way to Ashbourne a TVR like the one I had written off came past in the opposite direction; just reminded me of what I was missing. That lovely V8 rumble was heard coming over the hill before we even saw it.......lovely.
Anyway, I couldn't drive any further, I was still suffering from the injuries from my previous crash which were giving me some jip, so we turned around and went back home disappointed.
06 April 2013
Saturday morning, up early and off to Autotech so the Z can have an Inspection II. Met Pete who seems a thoroughly nice chap; he said that while undertaking the inspection if he takes the first plug out and it's okay then he won't replace them therefore reducing the cost of the Inspection (remember, that when I bought the car, there was a lack of service history so I decided to have a full Inspection II rather than just the Oil Service which was showing on the dash); I also asked Pete to do the Clutch Valve Delay (CVD) mod. Left the Z with Pete while Bridget and I visited nearby Much Wenlock and Ironbridge. I received a call a couple of hours later to say my car was ready for collection. When I got back to Autotech, Pete informed me that all was well with my new purchase, pretty good example apaprently, I just needed to keep an eye on the front discs. I also mentioned the steering that was niggling me; Pete mentioned that it may not have had the Electronic Power Steering (EPS) software update; so he hooked his Autologic box up to the car and hey, it hadn't had the update so this was done as well. Pete said I should notice a difference. Paid the bill which was way cheaper than any stealer. Full Inspection II (including new plugs, oil, all filters), EPS software upgrade and brake fluid change for £300.....bargain!
Can't fault Autotech at all, Pete definitely knows his BMWs and is very helpful and willing to spend the time talking to his customers. Had a bit of a chat about my initial experiences with the Z and my comparisons with my TVR............ Pete hit the nail on the head really, I shouldn't compare the two, they're completely different cars, the Z would never be as fast as the TVR etc. Suppose I better get used to the Z then ha ha.
The drive back home.............. well, just driving it off the business park highlighted a complete change. With the CVD removed there was no kangarooing while pulling off in 1st and through 2nd at all, wow. I could now pull off pretty quick, plus the steering was again completely different, not vague but precise and I didn't notice any tramlining either! I enjoyed the drive home especially with the roof down (well it has warmed up a bit), the Z is now growing on me.
It just goes to show that if you put your car in the hands of someone who knows what they're doing then all will be well... sorted.
7th April 2013
Well, thought I'd have a go at cleaning the engine bay this morning before we went out. Bought 5 litres of Valet Pro Interior All Purpose Cleaner off Ebay for around £20, covered the alternator with tin foil, gave it a spray with the hose, sprayed the APC over the engine and worked it in with a small brush and then rinsed it all off again with the hose! I took some photos but to be quite honest you really can't tell which was the before and after pic, but it definitely looks cleaner. Think I'll have another stab at it shortly but probably need to buy some other stuff to spray on afterwards to bring out the shine/sheen in the plastics/hoses.........any idea what I could use?
Before
Alternator wrapped
After
Okay, I decided yesterday that I'd take the Z out for a blat to check out the steering. In order to do this I had to take Bridget to a Craft Fair in Woore enroute just to keep her happy followed by a visit to Bridgemere Garden Centre which included taking the pooch. Craft fair visited, a few plants bought and the pooch treated to a new bone so all were okay, yes me too. It's as I said, the steering is totally transformed in my opinion, although there is still a slight hint of tramlining but only that which can be expected from running 18" tyres. My TVR had the same issue with 17" at the front and 18" rears. Think I'll stick with the runflats as I'm okay now with the current set up. I thoroughly enjoyed the blat or hoon (Z4 terminology!), steering was fine and with the CDV removed, able to pull off a lot quicker with no embarrassing kangarooing! Feel a lot more confident/comfortable with the car now, gave it a bit of welly around the lanes and overtook a few vehicles! Even had the roof down, all day!
9th April 2013
The Z is due its MOT on the 27th of this month so I've booked it in early; all booked into the MOT station for tomorrow. Fingers crossed :?
10th April 2013
She's past!!!! New 12 month ticket on the Z but with two advisories.
One being a cracked front number plate (I've already got a new one at home; and to keep an eye on the front brake pads). I have to admit that I normally get rather concerned when it's MOT time but not this time. The Lotus and TVR that I had were quite temperamental in particular on the emissions side of things but with the Z, I didn't really give it much thought. 11th April 2013
Drove to Blythe Bridge today (about 15 miles from where I live); why is it that no one lets you out when you drive a BMW?!?! When I had the Lotus and the TVR, people would in the main, let me out but in the BMW forget it.
5th May 2013
Decided to give those cream carpets a clean. Haven't had the chance to do it since buying the car on account of the weather being pants. Bridget told me to give all those fancy car cleaning products a miss and use some foam Vanish from Tescos. So, sprayed the foam on, scrubbed it in with a soft nail brush and left it for two hours. Then vacuumed the carpets again and WOW what a difference, they look well clean. I might do them again in a few months to see if I can get them even cleaner.
6th May 2013
Decided to drive over to Bridgemere Garden Centre, about 20 miles away in the Z, weather man gave out a scorcher of a day! Roof down with Bridget and dog in toe riding shotgun; we set off. It's great to have a car where you just press a button and the roof automatically stows away. The Lotus roof came off but it was a real pain, only took a few minutes but was like using a meccano set, so you weren't tempted to take it off because of the hassle. The TVR was a lot better, but you still had to physically take the roof off and stow it in the boot!!!! I'm getting more used to the Z now and exploring its potential. The 2.5 is quite nippy when you give it some beans and hold onto the revs a bit before changing up. People often remark on what a nice car it is; and when driving it I don't feel as if I need to drive it quick all the time but basically just cruise. Unlike the TVR and Lotus which sort of demanded you grab them by the scruff of the neck and wring every bit of performance or handling out of them.
A thought passed through my head as I was driving to Bridgemere; I wonder what an 'M' would be like??????
To be cont.d..............
south yorkshire
aper:
(wonder how many have thought it was the runflats when it maybe was the update missing too...?)