TCochrane92's Z4 Coupe Progress Thread

T

Tcochrane92

Active member
 Leamington Spa, Warwickshire, UK
So I've had my E86 for about a month now and thought it might be nice to have a thread to show my progress. Hopefully containing some useful information for someone too!

Previous to the Coupe, I had a pre-facelift titan silver 3.0i manual roadster. Loved everything about it, but just really fancied a coupe.

So the car is:
Model: Z4 Coupe
Trim: Sport
Colour: Silbergrau
Transmission: Auto
Factory extas:
- Sport package (seats & suspension)
- MFSW
- Parking sensors
- Satnav
- 10 speaker system with DSP
- Xenons
- Cup holders
- Electric folding mirrors

Aftermarket extras done before me:
- Wheels: Lenso ESG - https://www.wheelbasealloys.com/alloy-wheels/lenso/esg/black-polished/18-inch-wider-rear
- Stubby aerial :poke:
- Sound gen mod
- White LED numberplate lights


1. First thing I did was get the Ducklakeview exhaust mod done. Sounds absolutely amazing, how BMW should have made it sound from factory in my opinion!
Info: http://www.z4-forum.com/forum/viewtopic.php?f=2&t=89154
Price: £250
Video: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MgTLOlomKec

2. Changed all badges to carbon black ones.
Bonnet, wheels, steering wheel & boot: £16.99
http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/Complete-Black-Carbon-Badge-And-Wheel-Centre-Caps-Set-For-BMW-1-3-5-7-Z3-Z4-X3-/132157902441?hash=item1ec5398e69:g:EZ8AAOSww3tY70aW
Unfortunately the wheel badges didn't fit the Lenso wheels :thumbsdown: about 2mm difference!

Indicator roundels: £8.99
http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/252790062571?_trksid=p2060353.m2749.l2649&ssPageName=STRK%3AMEBIDX%3AIT
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3. Changed halo sidelights to white LED's. They're about the same brightness as the standard 10w halogen bulbs, but give a nicer modern look. I jacked the car up, removed the wheel and got access from the back. You remove the sidelight assembly with a torx screwdriver, yank out the out bulb and use a small file to allow fitment of the new LED.
Link: http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/152465723232?_trksid=p2060353.m2749.l2649&ssPageName=STRK%3AMEBIDX%3AIT
Price: £3.65

LED:
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Stock halogen:

20170415_152215.jpg

4. Changed foglights to LED's. You can change these in about 5 mins total, by rotating wheels to full lock. These look really nice with the white halo sidelights in my opinion (I use them as DRL's)
Link: http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/262702868770?_trksid=p2060353.m2749.l2649&ssPageName=STRK%3AMEBIDX%3AIT
Price: £13.29
 
5. Next I wrapped the roof in gloss black vinyl.
Link: http://www.z4-forum.com/forum/viewtopic.php?f=34&t=96217
Price: Roughly £50

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6. The lower lip on the front bumper was quite heavily stone chipped, so I covered this in black vinyl too. Also think it looks quite cool :thumbsup:
Link: http://www.z4-forum.com/forum/viewtopic.php?f=34&t=96223
Price: Roughly £20

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7. Here I cleaned, clayed, polished and waxed every body panel. Untreated panels felt like running your hand over gravel in comparison to the glass-like finished panel! No swirl marks or scratches, damn near showroom condition IMO

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8. Removed wheels to clean, polish and seal to bring them back to "as new" condition. They have absolutely no marks whatsoever.

To do: (in no particular order)
- Alignment - done!
- Cruise control retrofit - done!
- Wheel balancing - done!
- Wrap interior in high gloss carbon fibre
- Eibach suspension
- Ram air scoop
- Flush & change engine oil (inspection 2 has recently been done, but I'd like to have extra peace of mind!)
- Change transmission fluid
- Change differential fluid
- Royals wheel refurb
- Renew engine parts
- High flow air filter
- Dyno mapping
- Change all bulbs to LED's
- Replace tired xenons with new
- Update maps DVD
- Replace GPS antenna (lost GPS signal :headbang: )
- Change to clear 3rd brake light
- Carbon boot spoiler lip
- Paint brake callipers
- Change brake pads to Brembos
- Change brake discs to upgraded ones
- Change brake lines to braided ones
- De-badge 3.0si side badges
- Change to ///M front bumper
- Change to gloss black kidney grills to match gloss black roof & lower lip bumper (currently matt black)
 
Very nice, some tasteful mods you've done. I like the 2 tone black and silver thing you've got going on too. I'm definitely going to look into changing the angel eyes as you've done, looks great.
 
Not bad for a month.

It's a good thing you've got springs on your list as I'm pretty sure someone has replaced your rears (that very commonly snap) with non M Sport ones given the disparity in ride height.
 
Steve84N said:
Not bad for a month.

It's a good thing you've got springs on your list as I'm pretty sure someone has replaced your rears (that very commonly snap) with non M Sport ones given the disparity in ride height.
Click to expand...

The pictures are deceiving, its parked on a hill and sits back on the handbrake, relaxing the rear suspension. It looks very different on level ground
 
Really great thread. I like the roof wrapping and badges, looking awesome on the silver grey.
 
I like your idea! I'll consider doing my own vinyl wrap project as well but will probably seek some professional help from www.gatorwraps.com
 
Looked at your list, you can't get clear rear brake for coupe, not from BMW anyway.

I think you should add LSD to your list, literally the best mod I've done, that and suspension refresh really make it handle well.
I can help you out with the LED conversions and coding.
 
Scooba_Steve said:
Looked at your list, you can't get clear rear brake for coupe, not from BMW anyway.

I think you should add LSD to your list, literally the best mod I've done, that and suspension refresh really make it handle well.
I can help you out with the LED conversions and coding.
Click to expand...

Oh I just assumed it was the same as the E85 for the brake light? Good thing I haven't ordered one yet!

How much did the LSD set you back? Got details of it? I'll absolutely add it to my list
Suspension refresh should be on there too i agree, I'm actually thinking of going for Bilstein shocks and Eibach springs, with poly bushes all around

For LED's - how do you code out the sidelight warning lamp on the dash?
For turn signal lamps - are they just straight swaps for LED's? Do they need resistors to get the right flash rate?

Thanks mate
 
Buckz said:
Tcochrane92 said:
10. Cruise control retrofitted!
Click to expand...

did it yourself? what kit did you use? any more details?
Click to expand...

Yeah did it myself this afternoon after work.

I used the Bimmertune retrofit loom that's in this thread: http://www.z4-forum.com/forum/viewtopic.php?f=2&t=95070
Then I got the stalk from a breaker, recommended to me by Ducklakeview (thanks Mike!)

I've fitted the official BMW kit before to my previous Zed and that was harder than the bimmertune kit. None of it is particularly difficult at all, it's just fairly time consuming.
Any other details you'd like mate?
 
Tcochrane92 said:
Buckz said:
Tcochrane92 said:
10. Cruise control retrofitted!
Click to expand...

did it yourself? what kit did you use? any more details?
Click to expand...

Yeah did it myself this afternoon after work.

I used the Bimmertune retrofit loom that's in this thread: http://www.z4-forum.com/forum/viewtopic.php?f=2&t=95070
Then I got the stalk from a breaker, recommended to me by Ducklakeview (thanks Mike!)

I've fitted the official BMW kit before to my previous Zed and that was harder than the bimmertune kit. None of it is particularly difficult at all, it's just fairly time consuming.
Any other details you'd like mate?
Click to expand...

I've got the bimmer tune kit has been sitting in a box for like a month, not yet brave enough to fit it! I'm a bit confused by the instructions as far as routing the blue wire go? and where it needs to end up at and how to get it to the engine bay/which pin to use etc. Which is why I have yet to attempt it :o
 
Buckz said:
Tcochrane92 said:
Buckz said:
did it yourself? what kit did you use? any more details?
Click to expand...

Yeah did it myself this afternoon after work.

I used the Bimmertune retrofit loom that's in this thread: http://www.z4-forum.com/forum/viewtopic.php?f=2&t=95070
Then I got the stalk from a breaker, recommended to me by Ducklakeview (thanks Mike!)

I've fitted the official BMW kit before to my previous Zed and that was harder than the bimmertune kit. None of it is particularly difficult at all, it's just fairly time consuming.
Any other details you'd like mate?
Click to expand...

I've got the bimmer tune kit has been sitting in a box for like a month, not yet brave enough to fit it! I'm a bit confused by the instructions as far as routing the blue wire go? and where it needs to end up at and how to get it to the engine bay/which pin to use etc. Which is why I have yet to attempt it :o
Click to expand...

Ahh right ok. Well the first hard bit is figuring out which brown/black wire to splice into with the light switch! (there's two identical wires)
Blue wire goes through the dash to behind the glovebox. It's hard to describe...

Where are you located mate? If you're local I'm happy to give you a hand
 
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