Project 2006 Z4 - restoration (Enjoy!)

[andyfanshawe]

AAAAAARRRGGGHHHHHHH :headbang:

So, phoned Stratstone BMW in Chesterfield and explained all.
They had never heard anything like it, and suggested I bring the car in on monday morning with the offending light and they will see what they can do.

The invoice shows the dealer as BMW Nine Elms, London.

To be continued......................

 

[JINGLE]

Hi Andy, I had the exact same thing happen. I purchased the clear 3rd brake light from my local BMW dealer and fitted it myself with the original WRONG springs just over finger tight. About 22 months after fitting it I noticed a crack in the corner. I quickly fitted the CORRECT springs (that I got off of a forum member, apologies I can't remember who) and emailed some photos, they advised the 24 months warranty so I was very close to missing it, and booked it in.

Bmw took the car, called me later and replaced free of charge..... the only small negative I had was they swapped out my clear for a red (although the red is the more expensive) but after a while I like the red again as it contrasts well with my white Z.

I would advise you to clearly state you want a clear replacement so the same doesn't happen, unless you are happy with red!

(Oh and in case you didn't know, you should have some newer lower tension springs.... not sure what BMW would say if you have the old springs fitted with a new light....?)

Look forward to more posts on this car :fuelfire: :driving:

 

[kis]

Blimey! That's not good, be interesting to hear what they have to say and any recommendations or whatever on how to prevent it reoccurring. Hope it goes well at Stratstone on Monday!

 

[MACK]

You do have to be careful with ordering the springs as REAL OEM is misleading.
It states that 63257151981 replaced 63256927125 in Jan 04 and that's all it says. So you would assume reading it that....981 are the replacement ones and the ones to order but you would be wrong. The SIB on this dates from Mar 06 and tells you to use 63256900698, a 40N rather than a 82N spring.
However just to muddy the waters even further ....698 is also listed for use on the E46 and E8X 1 series cab/coupe. However on the E8X it also lists yet another spring 63257211238 from Nov 07 onwards without the light unit itself changing. So why move to yet another spring unless it was causing issues?

Because of the above I'm on my third clear one in two and a bit years. I've currently got the ...698 spring listed on the SIB lightly finger tight. If this one cracks I think I will try the ...238 listed for the E8x. If it still cracks I think I will weld it up and paint the boot!

 

[andyfanshawe]

Wow! Who would have thought the springs would cause so many problems!

I just fitted the ones that came with the light!!

Anyway, what happened with the trip to Stratstone BMW chesterfield?.....here we go.

Monday
Arrived at 10:51 in the Z4. First time out for weeks (the car, not me).
Took the third brake light in with me (in pieces) and was sent to waiting area.
Here's me with the light and the file with the receipt in it sat waiting....




10:54. Seen by parts chap. Explained all and he said he would have to talk to the manager.

10:59. Came back to say it would have to be booked in for diagnostics then another would be fitted free of charge if it was accepted as a non fitting fault! i said it wouldnt take much diagnosis, pointing at the light unit in front of me!!
He said wait there and he will arrange for someone to book me in for an hours diagnostic time. An HOUR!!!! To diagnose a broken light!!!

11:34. Dealership almost empty by now. No customers sat at the desks with the staff. Nobody waiting. Have I been forgotten?? So off I popped to reception to ask what was going on. She sent me to a service desk where i sat down straightaway to be told they had never heard of the third brake light cracking...Really!!!! Told him to google it in his lunch hour.
Only time they could do it was a week on wednesday but i would have to fit the light unit back to the car. Disgusted, but booked in and left. No apologies given for the wait

2pm. Got home and wrote BMW a n email to say how disgusted i was with totally forgetting me and the farce of an hours diagnostics to clarify a broken light unit. Bloody livid. Told them i wouldn't buy another BMW.....EVER.

Tuesday
had a call from BMW stratstone at about 4pm saying head office had been on at them. Aapologised for the delay when I was there and offered to fit a new light for me tomorrow. Which i accepted. He confirmed it was a clear lens. i said it was. Got to get the car to them at 8 am.
So yet another saga of car ownership.
Plan is to get the light fitted, polish up the paintwork and sell the car on to someone else who can enjoy it Although theres not much left to do!!
Had enough of the BMW z4 mood swings...shall I call them?? Their mechanical tantrums......Fickle is a good word.

Anyone want to buy a nice well looked after Z4??? With a new third brake light. And a warranty with the light, of course!!
If not, it will be banished to the back of my workshop where it can stay till next spring. Cowering under a cover.

Not even a teenager yet. But behaves like one. Lol!!

BMW's indeed. :headbang:

Andy.

 

[john-e89]

Stratstone are useless Andy, I went 3 times trying to get them to take me seriously when I bought the E89, gave up and went to Sytners instead. 3 months in I went to Stratstone and asked for the sales manager to pop outside, he duly came out, I showed him the new 35is sitting there, did he think I was serious now...told him I couldn't understand how they sell anything and left.

Petty and childish....yet strangely satisfying.... :lol:

 

[MACK]

The whole spring thing is rediculous. Treating the symptom not the cause. Got my current one delivered from the local dealer to my mates garage (so I could get a trade discount). Showed it to him when I unboxed it, he said to me " if I didn't know that had come BMW from BMW for £50 I would have thought it was a cheap copy" The quality is appalling for an OEM part.
Andy it's your choice of course but it would seem a shame to sell before getting at least one summer out of it. You basically fixed pretty much everything that can go wrong on it anyway now.

 

[andyfanshawe]

Wednesday
Dropped my z4 off at stratstone this morning at 8 am.
Looks small here at the side of the others!


Had a call at 3:10 to say that unfortunately the new third brake light arrived in a box damaged, and can they keep the car overnight and fit it tomorrow morning instead.
So my car is staying out all night. Well its nearly a teenager so its ok.

Andy.

 

[Smartbear]

Unbelievable, it's a shame you can't charge them £100/hour for wasting your time-utter utter muppets :roll:
Rob

 

[enzed4]

Unbelievable, it's a shame you can't charge them £100/hour for wasting your time-utter utter muppets :roll:
Rob

Sounds like Andy has been dicked around, but to be fair to the dealer, I'm not sure how it's their fault the replacement arrived damaged?

 

[Kamuela]

I've finally caught up on this thread. Fantastic, Andy!

 

[andyfanshawe]

thanks for all the comments guys!
what chance is there that the broken part in the box was cracked in the centre???!!!

Anyway, picked up my car today - in the pouring rain, just after bmw washed it for me!
My new clear LED light on!
Couldn't take any photos in the pouring rain, but I will tomorrow.

It looks as if they have used some type of black silicone sealant in the centre top and bottom of the light. Perhaps as an extra support?

Will photograph it tomorrow.
Andy.

 

[andyfanshawe]

What do you all think of this expert BMW fitting?







Look carefully at the bottom of the lens here



Can't say i'm impressed. Seems to be black silicone sealant around the perimeter and the plastic edge is uneven.

May be popping back to BMW.

Andy.

 

[andyfanshawe]

Wrong way round, but.....

Wibbly wobbly wavy

 

[Ducklakeview]

THAT is bloody horrendous...

Mike

 

[Smartbear]

I'd go back with it & get the manager out to look & comment at the quality of work, shoddy shoddy shoddy :thumbsdown:
Rob

 

[MACK]

That's bad enough against a black background. Imagine what it would look like on a silver car. Is it definitely sealant or the seal that's part of the light that they have trapped

 

[andyfanshawe]

Yep, just what I thought.
E mail sent to BMW with all theses photos on. Lets see what happens.

Ironically, this is the first time I have sent a car to a dealers in a very, very long time, since I do it all myself. And look what happens.

If you want a job doing right, do it yourself.......................

Andy.

 

[andyfanshawe]

Monday, 4:23 pm
Had a call from BMW stratstone asking if the workshop manager can come to my house to see the offending article in person.
I said he could but I keep it buried in my workshop at the back at a different address. Buried in shame.
So he is going to pay me a visit after 1 pm tomorrow or wednesday.
Should be interesting.

6:03 pm
Got a text from stratstone saying my car is booked into stratstone BMW on the 27th (thursday), and not to forget my email confirmation.

2 things wrong here,....1) its not booked into stratstone, and 2)........theres no email confirmation

Oh dear.
Andy.

 

[andyfanshawe]

Another Z4 forum member, Kevin, popped round tonight to find out why his Z4 was throwing lean codes on both banks. easily sorted, but I took a photograph of his red third brake light.



Looks beautiful. Especially compared to mine.

Bit like listening to Mariah Carey and thinking its ok, then listening to Whitney Houston.

Andy.