What have you done to your car today?

[Fred Smith]

I really like those MV3s - it's good to see a Z4 with something different.

All I got with my E90 was a 2nd set of minging 158 wheels, although they did have winter tyres fitted!

They are growing on me and I'm wondering if maybe they're as nice if not nicer than MV2s on reflection.

 

[Zedebee]

I really like those MV3s - it's good to see a Z4 with something different.

All I got with my E90 was a 2nd set of minging 158 wheels, although they did have winter tyres fitted!

They are growing on me and I'm wondering if maybe they're as nice if not nicer than MV2s on reflection.

An improvement on the Veemans IMO.

 

[Fred Smith]

So, I have reset the TPMS, reset the service interval, put the clock back (hardly worth the trouble after all this time, spring coming soon!!!) and checked the temperature is running in celcius as per my preference. All good.

And my next task... the glove compartment has fallen off... the moulded plastic cylinder that contains the metal (brass?) gromit that sits on the protruding plastic mount and acts as the hinge is broken on one side. Gluing it should be easy enough, but before I do I want to work out how the repaired glove box will fit onto the protruding plastic mounts. Help!


Edit... I think that I've worked out that the glove compartment comes in two main part - the moving wedge-shaped compartment, and the flat bit that is screwed to the dash and the compartment itself sits in? Am I right in saying that the "flat bit" needs to be unscrewed and removed, and the compartment needs installing into the flat bit before the flat bit is screwed back in again?

 

[Fred Smith]

An improvement on the Veemans IMO.

Definitely classier, definitely more appropriate for the car and a fair bit more comfortable ride.

But it's a sports car, and I'm not trying to sell it...I'm not going to go classy!!! The veemans will probably return (give me 12 months to decide on a colour and get them refurbed!)

 

[x-driver]

How did the veemans look like till now?

 

[Fred Smith]

How did the veemans look like till now?

This is the car two owners back with the veeman's on. Veemans currently fairly heavily curbed (which is mainly NOT my doing!)

 

[x-driver]

Looks sharp
I had MV3's on my roadster for a year (season) and replaced them for something more exciting (313's) :lol:

 

[Mr Tidy]

They are growing on me and I'm wondering if maybe they're as nice if not nicer than MV2s on reflection.

Well they're definitely an improvement over those Veemans, which is a shame as some of their wheels look really good!

The main reason I prefer MV3 to MV2 is they seem to be rarer and weren't a standard offering on Z4s, whereas there are loads of MV2s around as they were standard on Sport Coupes and on E46 3 Series Sport models.

 

[caius]

And my next task... the glove compartment has fallen off... the moulded plastic cylinder that contains the metal (brass?) gromit that sits on the protruding plastic mount and acts as the hinge is broken on one side. Gluing it should be easy enough, but before I do I want to work out how the repaired glove box will fit onto the protruding plastic mounts. Help!

Edit... I think that I've worked out that the glove compartment comes in two main part - the moving wedge-shaped compartment, and the flat bit that is screwed to the dash and the compartment itself sits in? Am I right in saying that the "flat bit" needs to be unscrewed and removed, and the compartment needs installing into the flat bit before the flat bit is screwed back in again?

Yes, I think so. I ended up epoxying mine to repair it, from memory the two parts separate so I could repair it (used masking tape to mould it, then poured the epoxy in. Seems to have worked so far.) The hinge "clips" can be popped out, so you put the two parts together, then push the clips in to turn it into a hinge again from memory.

 

[x-driver]

Talking about glove boxes - do you guys also have to slam the glove box to close because normal closing won't lock? Is it adjustable?

 

[Zedebee]

Veemans currently fairly heavily curbed (which is mainly NOT my doing!)

No-one’s ever responsible for the curb marks on their wheels, are they?

At least you were man enough to say “mainly”.

 

[Fred Smith]

Veemans currently fairly heavily curbed (which is mainly NOT my doing!)

No-one’s ever responsible for the curb marks on their wheels, are they?

At least you were man enough to say “mainly”.

That car did at least a year around London before I got it, and a couple of years round europe / barcelona... I might have not curbed the wheels at all - I don't recall doing so, I have been careful... but would I want to promise... no! Also the wheels have done 25k miles minimum, of which about 1500 are me, so the law of averages suggests I'm not the main guilty party!

 

[Fred Smith]

Yes, I think so. I ended up epoxying mine to repair it, from memory the two parts separate so I could repair it (used masking tape to mould it, then poured the epoxy in. Seems to have worked so far.) The hinge "clips" can be popped out, so you put the two parts together, then push the clips in to turn it into a hinge again from memory.

I am confused! Your repair seems IDENTICAL to the repair that I wish to do, other than I am planning on repairing the cylinder part of the hinge with the broken off piece, glue and plastic welding, not epoxy like you did. But I am am still unsure of a couple of things in terms of putting it back together... see diagram at top of this thread -

https://z4-forum.com/forum/viewtopic.php?t=79822

The pin part of the hinge is two pieces, 10 and 12 on the diagram, that push together and seemingly once they are together they cannot be removed without destroying them. I think the process is -

(1) Cut off the pin numbered 10 and 12
(2) Repair the cylinder
(3) Use new bits 10 and 12 (or some sort of DIY substitute) to create a new pin
(4) Connect glove box to backing
(5) Screw backing to car whilst the box is tilted forward almost touching the floor
(6) Fold up box and connect all the other bits up.

An alternative might be to -

(1) Leave the pin numbered 10 and 12
(2) Connect glove box to backing as best as possible
(3) Repair the cylinder around the pin
(4) Screw backing to car.... etc etc

But I am still not 100% sure that the backing can be screwed back on whilst the boc is attached to the backing! Can it?

 

[caius]

The pin part of the hinge is two pieces, 10 and 12 on the diagram, that push together and seemingly once they are together they cannot be removed without destroying them.

At least one of the pins that makes up the hinge has a push-clip on it you can squeeze to release it, which then allows the hinged bit to be removed. Took me a while to find, and it sounds like the linked thread poster had some trouble as well before noticing it. I can't remember which side it is, but it was releasable with a small screwdriver from memory.

I do remember it's only releasable with the whole unit out of the car.

 

[Fred Smith]

The pin part of the hinge is two pieces, 10 and 12 on the diagram, that push together and seemingly once they are together they cannot be removed without destroying them.

At least one of the pins that makes up the hinge has a push-clip on it you can squeeze to release it, which then allows the hinged bit to be removed. Took me a while to find, and it sounds like the linked thread poster had some trouble as well before noticing it. I can't remember which side it is, but it was releasable with a small screwdriver from memory.

I do remember it's only releasable with the whole unit out of the car.

Para 1 - thanks - will look later!

Para 2 - thanks - by that logic the whole unit has to be put bacck together before being put back in the car (with the six cross-head screws), as I suspected. Thanks

 

[Fred Smith]

At least one of the pins that makes up the hinge has a push-clip on it you can squeeze to release it, which then allows the hinged bit to be removed. Took me a while to find, and it sounds like the linked thread poster had some trouble as well before noticing it. I can't remember which side it is, but it was releasable with a small screwdriver from memory.

I do remember it's only releasable with the whole unit out of the car.

Thanks for confirming it could be done otherwise I would have given up. I have no idea... spent ages... small screwdriver, both sides looked the same, tried to work the end off one without breaking it, nothing happening, then all of a sudden it just popped out! Happy days.

The cylinder bit was 80% gone - glued half back and filled the other half with my first attempt at plastic welding, around the metal gromit. Looks ok given it's hardly visible. Will try to put it back together tomorrow. I have so so many jobs like this on my list.

 

[x-driver]

Talking about glove boxes - do you guys also have to slam the glove box to close because normal closing won't lock? Is it adjustable?

Anyone? :?

 

[Fred Smith]

Talking about glove boxes - do you guys also have to slam the glove box to close because normal closing won't lock? Is it adjustable?

Anyone? :?

From memory (looking at mine last night!) the latch is pretty damn simple and a fairly solid bit of metal. Surely there can only be three explanations -

There is something physically stopping the box moving inwards as freely as it should, so it is hard for the latch to reach over the catch and click down.

There is some sort of misalignment to the catch or whole box that means it no longer lines up quite right.

There is damage to the latch so it is sticky and only clamps down when you bang it hard and shake it loose.

I'd have a look and play around with it in situ to see if you can work it out, then maybe some silicone spray on the latch and if still not working unscrew the whole unit and take it out and look closer on a work bench.

I am sure others have better insights.

 

[x-driver]

I can only tell that even an empty glove box doesn't close without slamming. At a brief inspection I didn't notice any visible problem. I'll have to take more time to look at it.
It also doesn't feel sticky.

 

[Fred Smith]

I can only tell that even an empty glove box doesn't close without slamming. At a brief inspection I didn't notice any visible problem. I'll have to take more time to look at it.
It also doesn't feel sticky.

I've just looked at mine again (on a workbench, not in the car)... there are two rubber grommits that sit there to soften the bang when it closes, and on mine they are pretty chunky, and whilst I don;t need to slam it to close it it does need a reasonable bit of force, ideally directed (on a RHD car) as close as possible to the catch, a touch to the right of the lock. Cutting 1mm or maybe 2mm off od those grommits would make it easier to close. Are those bits of rubber seated properly on yours, or are they sticking out a bit and causing a problem?

Is the latch moving freely?