What have you done to your car today?

[TheDan]

No, it doesn't, I talked with several mechanics about it, and they all agree, it is good for an engine (if not fully conservated) to start it up once in a while.

Just to be clear, you don't rev it, you just start it and leave it to idle for around 20-30 minutes (I often sit in the car and make some calls or something to pass the time). Why it is good - the temperature will go up in the intake, exhaust and the engine, at temperatures in 0C and minuses, it is good as car like that, outisde is protected by that heat for several days.

Option B is if you don't want to use it, then the battery is out, the oil is drained in the spring when you want to use the car.

For instance, in upcoming several days here in Croatia, the temperature will go well above 10C during the day, and it will be dry, no rain, so I will drive my Z4 as much as I can. Next week when it will go rain and lower temperatures, it will sit under the cover with occasional 1-2 start up-s.

Also, BMW's has a problem with exhausts that are only sitting outside, with water condensation, so it is recommended to warm the pipes up.


If I had a garage, it would be the whole another story, but I don't.

I am not sure it does any harm in particular to the engine, but the BMW manual does say specifically not to do that. It may be to cover their asses in case the engine cannot get enough air while stationary, but I can't imagine for a second it would struggle to get enough air at idle revs. Here is the section from the manual btw:

 

[zriha]

I would say you are partially correct - it is the reason to cover their asses in case the engine cannot get enough air while stationary or, it can't get cooler if it is a warm summer day (temperatures over +30C).

Mechanically speaking (and I am speaking from over 10 different sources, from mechanics to mechanical engineers, I did only 2 years of mechanical engineering), during the cold winter days, the engine has enough oxygen while stationary, and it is good for the oil to keep the engine, especially our big size engine on low revs, and give an oil pump and oil a chance to get to the operating temperature and more importantly viscosity.

No mechanic would recommend while the engine is sitting cold, that you immediately start running it. Even today with good ECU-s and oils, it is good to warm it up.

 

[PDJ]

Just letting it idle for more than a few minuets is doing more hard than good

Just leave it alone

Sort something for the battery

Not the greatest photo but here is a few fields full of cars next to a power station that uses salt water for cooling (creates a salt cloud) an oil refinery and the North Sea and they can be sat there for months

 

[C4Dman]

The following advice was given out by UK leading car storage company and presented in one of the car owner’s club magazines we subscribe to which was to help owners with cars affected by the first lockdown, this generally assumes the car is in a garage, so may be different if kept outside, but this is what they advised;

• Keep your car in a dry, well ventilated garage
• Check for evidence of rodents
• Spread a newspaper under the car so you can easily identify any fluid leaks
• Keep the car on a trickle charger/battery conditioner
• Prevent tyre flattening by either over inflation (generally around 20%), or use a tyre cradle. If over inflating then it is imperative you remember to reset the tyre to the correct pressure before driving the car again

Warm ups
Cars do not like remaining undriven for long periods. A variety of problems can ensue including dry bearings and seals, perished hoses and seized brake calliper pistons. Until lockdown restrictions are relaxed allowing you to take your cars out on the open road for a proper drive, the following procedures are used on a 6-weekly warm up programme:

• On a dry day take the car outside and start it up, allowing it to warm up for 2 minutes
• If you have sufficient space, drive slowly in tight circles to the left, then to the right, in 1st gear and then in reverse. 3 or 4 minutes in total. (I use a turning head by driving in and out on full lock, to the left and to the right).
• While you do this, gently apply the brakes, on and off repeatedly
• Park the car with the engine running. For 30 seconds gently rev the engine to around 3,500 revs, up and down from idle
• Leave the engine running at idle for 15-20 minutes, allowing the water to come up to normal operating temperature (note-never leave the car unattended while idling, even on private property).
• While the engine runs up to temperature, operate all the electrics: windows, roof, aerial, seat adjusters, heater fan etc
• Turn on the air conditioning and let it run on full cold for 3 minutes
• Return the car to the garage and either plug it back into its charger/conditioner, or switch on the battery isolator

Hope this is useful for some people, as we have found it very useful for us over the last year. There may be other options or alternative ways at looking at the above, we just wanted to share what we were given.

 

[zriha]

Thank you, this is a close explanation of what I do, with the difference that my car is outside sadly..

 

[zriha]

Well, it is convenient for our discussion, it is February, and in this time of year, here in inland Croatia, the weather is, well, winter, cold, with snow/rain, temperatures between 5C and -10C. But this couple of days, we are hit by warm weather, temperatures from 12-18C, so I took a chance to clean and drive my Zed.

 

[ARCS]

Well, it is convenient for our discussion, it is February, and in this time of year, here in inland Croatia, the weather is, well, winter, cold, with snow/rain, temperatures between 5C and -10C. But this couple of days, we are hit by warm weather, temperatures from 12-18C, so I took a chance to clean and drive my Zed.

IMG_20210204_123952.jpg

Looking good. It's been miserable here for months now. Cant wait for some dry weather to get the zed out.

 

[johnsi02]

The little Zed went nervously to its date with the MOT today.
Passed with no advisories except the 'body has underseal'. Which I knew very well thanks, because I did that after de-rusting the suspension arms etc. Seeing as I've practically replaced every bit that can be over the past year ...... and I'm very much a trainee mechanic ..... I was pretty pleased!
It still amazes me that a 14 year old car can look so good.
Tomorrow will see the Amazon-bought and Chinese-made knock-off cupholders being installed. This will make me disproportionately happy.

IMG_3925.jpg

 

[zriha]

Well, it is convenient for our discussion, it is February, and in this time of year, here in inland Croatia, the weather is, well, winter, cold, with snow/rain, temperatures between 5C and -10C. But this couple of days, we are hit by warm weather, temperatures from 12-18C, so I took a chance to clean and drive my Zed.

IMG_20210204_123952.jpg

Looking good. It's been miserable here for months now. Cant wait for some dry weather to get the zed out.

I hope you will get some nice weather soon!

 

[zriha]

The little Zed went nervously to its date with the MOT today.
Passed with no advisories except the 'body has underseal'. Which I knew very well thanks, because I did that after de-rusting the suspension arms etc. Seeing as I've practically replaced every bit that can be over the past year ...... and I'm very much a trainee mechanic ..... I was pretty pleased!
It still amazes me that a 14 year old car can look so good.
Tomorrow will see the Amazon-bought and Chinese-made knock-off cupholders being installed. This will make me disproportionately happy.

IMG_3925.jpg

Nice looking wheels, what type and size are they? I want to buy original wheels for mine (check photo up of mine Z4).

 

[johnsi02]

HI,
I'm not a BMW wheels expert.
Plenty others on here are though.
I think they are BMW MV2 alloys ....... 18", 8" at the front at 8.5" at the rear.
Had them refurbed last year and they came out really nicely.
Pain to clean between the narrow spokes though!
Ian

 

[Homer]

Service, with new new plugs and a change of gearbox oil, it had been sticking sometimes when trying to get into first from cold.

New front lower control arms and bushings, can't belive the difference this has made. I knew the suspention had been a bit clunky over bumps and the front end lacked feel, but the steering is so much smoother and direct now, highlights how bad they must have been.

 

[zriha]

HI,
I'm not a BMW wheels expert.
Plenty others on here are though.
I think they are BMW MV2 alloys ....... 18", 8" at the front at 8.5" at the rear.
Had them refurbed last year and they came out really nicely.
Pain to clean between the narrow spokes though!
Ian

Looking great, thanks mate!

 

[Weston Matt]

Still trying to find out where the water is coming from in my passenger footwell
Defo not the door seal.
Cleaned out the drains under the scuttle panel and stuck it down with 3m tape

And it still drips off the wiring against the bulkhead

 

[1000rr]

Had water in the far left of the boot. Couldn’t see where it was coming from after repeated mopping up after heavy downfalls.

I noticed the left hand boot vent at the side was fitted upside down and wrong way round, so refitted it correctly from inside...saves taking the rear bumper off. Quite easy to do and took a minute.

Fingers crossed it’s sorted it, as all drains are clear and no splits in 3rd brake light.

 

[TheDan]

Had to jump start it again today. Battery is barely holding a week and a half's charge. New battery time I think. Any supplier/battery recommendations? I've heard Tayna is quite good?

 

[z4pilot]

Still trying to find out where the water is coming from in my passenger footwell
Defo not the door seal.
Cleaned out the drains under the scuttle panel and stuck it down with 3m tape

And it still drips off the wiring against the bulkhead

Has it had a replacement windscreen at some point? Might not be properly sealed?

 

[JamieIsf]

Busy one! Took the radio out last week, and then suddenly remembered in the middle of the night a couple of days ago that I had forgotten to plug the cables back in! Also took the aged looking sat Nav out. It was at that point I realised that somebody had stuck the lid up with bathroom sealant, I thought it was just stuck up! Intentions to turn into storage/ charging deck for phones..

 

[Zedebee]

Had to jump start it again today. Battery is barely holding a week and a half's charge. New battery time I think. Any supplier/battery recommendations? I've heard Tayna is quite good?

I’ve always bought batteries from Tayna. Good prices, well packaged and quick delivery, never let me down.

 

[Obicoke]

Looking tasty mate! Remind was black an option for the wheels originally? If not how much was it to get them done?

There are some places on ebay who take your wheels in p/ex for powder coated for 300 quid. Or around similar price to get them powder coated at a specialist factory. Obviously your decision.