Roof up = more bumpy ride? (Anyone noticed this?)

K

k3ab

Member
I just bought an 03 2.5i and have to say it is an AWESOME car. I noticed that the ride is extremely hard with lots of rattles everywhere when going over moderately bumpy roads. This is a LOT less noticable when the roof is down. At first I thought it is because the rattles get drowned out in the sound of the engine and wind but now I am pretty sure that the ride is softer when the roof is down. Has anyone else experienced this? Could it be because the car becomes stiffer with the roof up?

My car is currently on run flats. I read on this forum that changing to non run flats will reduce the bumpyness etc.
 
i have the same model, but cant say ive noticed, other than when the tops down i dont hear the rattles quite as much, im on rft and lowered suspension so if i so much as see a rough patch of tarmac im bracing myself for a few loud bangs!
 
Think its in your mind they are no different roof up or down.

The thing is and no offence to anyone they are a 2 seater sports car not meant to be a limo i know people who have driven Ferraris and they have very hard rides as do other sports cars if you want a smooth car buy a 5 series or a Jag

Must be lucky with my Z4 have no rattles or squeeks and yes its bumpy but no hard crashing through the cabin when i hit a pothole unlike my last car and i drive on standard run flats with M.Sport suspension.
 
its definitely in your mind as the roof afaik offers no structural rigidity, the chassis is built stiff being a convertible.
 
Iceman_Jay said:
its definitely in your mind as the roof afaik offers no structural rigidity, the chassis is built stiff being a convertible.
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With the soft-top up it does provide some extra chassis rigidity.
 
GP20 said:
Iceman_Jay said:
its definitely in your mind as the roof afaik offers no structural rigidity, the chassis is built stiff being a convertible.
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With the soft-top up it does provide some extra chassis rigidity.
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Ok if you believe a couple of latches on a hinged folding structure is adding extra rigidity to the car thats fine by me.
 
I get a very bumpy ride in mine.....when my other half is sitting in the passenger seat!

It starts with the hands gripping the side of her seat, knuckles go White.......then my ears bleed until I slow down!!!!!!

Runs much better with only me on board LOL :rofl:
 
:rofl: :rofl: This thread has me laughing my head off and has to be a wind up.... :rofl: :rofl:

As if having a piece of canvas pulled over the top of the car has any effect on torsional rigidity

For sure with the hodd up the difference in sound is night and day and you'll hear all sort of banging and crashing with it up that is drowned out when the roof is down.
 
GAZA62 said:
Think its in your mind they are no different roof up or down.

The thing is and no offence to anyone they are a 2 seater sports car not meant to be a limo i know people who have driven Ferraris and they have very hard rides as do other sports cars if you want a smooth car buy a 5 series or a Jag

Must be lucky with my Z4 have no rattles or squeeks and yes its bumpy but no hard crashing through the cabin when i hit a pothole unlike my last car and i drive on standard run flats with M.Sport suspension.
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i have to agree that you will get some rattle/noise, and its far less than bog standard cars, for example my old seat ibiza's dash would rattle a lot, the boot would rattle and all manner or odd interior noises at speed, all the z4 has is the air buffeting noise due to the roof, occasional panel rattle and the glove box crashes when hitting large pot holes. i know some people say the z4 isnt built well, but its relative to what youve driven in the past, its definitely built better than any other car our family has had (3 seat ibiza's, a vw coupe, audi 80, vw polo, pug 405 x2, seat toledo & bmw 323)

the only sound thats annoying me is my o/s front brake, its making a grinding noise that you hear when the roofs down or window open, i noticed it last week and its been bugging me ever since, very obvious at low speeds. its probably worn discs/pads as ive had the warning light on the dash - got everything on order from ebc . it just sounds very bad at the moment :oops:
 
The most annoying rattle in mine, is the passenger seat belt buckle tapping against the hard plastic door trim! drives me mad, so much so that I tend to clip the seat belt in, despite there being no passenger (sad I know). Other than that I dont think rattles are too bad, especially for a 6 year old car.

With the roof down, I di get a very annoying squeek, at first i thought it was the wind breaker, but now Im not so sure, I need to do some investigating next time!
 
klarky said:
i have to agree that you will get some rattle/noise, and its far less than bog standard cars, for example my old seat ibiza's dash would rattle a lot, the boot would rattle and all manner or odd interior noises at speed, all the z4 has is the air buffeting noise due to the roof, occasional panel rattle and the glove box crashes when hitting large pot holes. i know some people say the z4 isnt built well, but its relative to what youve driven in the past, its definitely built better than any other car our family has had (3 seat ibiza's, a vw coupe, audi 80, vw polo, pug 405 x2, seat toledo & bmw 323)

the only sound thats annoying me is my o/s front brake, its making a grinding noise that you hear when the roofs down or window open, i noticed it last week and its been bugging me ever since, very obvious at low speeds. its probably worn discs/pads as ive had the warning light on the dash - got everything on order from ebc . it just sounds very bad at the moment :oops:
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My other cars are all VAG. Had a 2001 Golf GTI (no rattles), 2004 Audi A4 (no rattles), and now an 09 Audi A4 (again smooth as silk - no rattles). I am quite happy with the Z4 build quality but its not the same as Audis on the inside. Perhaps the recent more recent models are better.

I've just been out in it again and there's absolutely no doubt in my mind that the ride is softer with the roof down.
 
I have to agree, the build quality does feel a bit like an 'airfix' kit on the earler cars...no match for anything by Audi/VW...
 
The passenger belt knocking agains the plastic annoys the hell out of me too - but if you slide the seat forward slightly and recline it slightly its stops it (sad that I've experimented too :rofl: )

Compared to my last car (2004 MR2 Roadster), the cabin is solid and feel sooooo much better made and doesnt creak over large bumps, however there are numerous rattles roof up or down. They are not as noticable roof down, but IMHO this is definitely just down to the wind noise etc, not the fact that they aren't rattling... Not what I had hoped for, especially considering the 2004 Ford SportKa (hatchback) that I had before the MR2 was solid as a house, no rattles or squeaks in 30k miles :thumbsup:

I guess I hoped that being a BMW, they would have sorted that sort of thing regardless of the lack of roof... :thumbsdown:

Having said that, its my only real gripe with the Z4, love it other than that! :driving:
 
Stiffer roof up ? Errr No. My Z used to rattle, I counted them once 1) glovebox lid 2)Where 2 pieces of diffrent types of plastic join behind passenger seat 3) passenger sun visor 4) trim that clads the top rrof rail to left of coutesy light 5)Something in the roof mech and 6)something deep in the dash behind the radio
Six or so years ago I had a Mk 1 MX5 that had done 66,000 no rattles the BMW had done 9,000
 
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