What have you done to your car today?

AndyBeech said:
STC_Zed said:
I discovered the hard way tonight that this is going to be an absolute turd of a job on my car too.

I thought that it can’t be that bad and attempted to get those four bolts undone through the grilles. It’s not happening. I’ll order some replacement bolts from BMW and it looms like it’ll be a bumper off job like yours. I need to take my bumper off anyway because my passenger side headlight washer shat itself tonight and started leaking. Joy.

Yup I tried this a few weeks back. If you can get the 2 bolts off on the lower part of the brace either side through the grills, then you can just undo two bolts on the bonnet catch drop it down and manoeuvre the whole assemble including bonnet catch through the grills quite easily. No bumper off required.
Those two bolts weren't too bad, the 2 on the top side attaching to the bonnet catch assembly though, those can go to hell. Rounded and destroyed, not a chance.

Put mine back on the car for now until I can be bothered to sort, might just buy a whole new assembly and bollocks to it!

STC_Zed said:
I was going to remove it and repaint it myself but I’ve just bought a new one from BMW for £40. I rattle canned the canards on my old M140i and they didn’t hold up too well to stone chips etc hence buying a new brace.

Was it £40 direct from BMW? Not too bad seeing as powder coating and the hassle probably isn't far off that.

With the bumper off it was actually dead easy because I was able to keep enough pressure on those bolts to stop them rounding. I ended up using my impact gun.

I fitted new bolts but annoyingly had to buy a pack of 10. There seem to be a few fixings now that BMW will only sell you a pack of 10 rather than the actual quantity required.

I paid just under £40 with discount (I asked my local parts department and they obliged with 10% off on my account).

It was definitely less faff with the bumper off which is actually pretty easy on the Z4.

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STC_Zed said:
AndyBeech said:
STC_Zed said:
I discovered the hard way tonight that this is going to be an absolute turd of a job on my car too.

I thought that it can’t be that bad and attempted to get those four bolts undone through the grilles. It’s not happening. I’ll order some replacement bolts from BMW and it looms like it’ll be a bumper off job like yours. I need to take my bumper off anyway because my passenger side headlight washer shat itself tonight and started leaking. Joy.

Yup I tried this a few weeks back. If you can get the 2 bolts off on the lower part of the brace either side through the grills, then you can just undo two bolts on the bonnet catch drop it down and manoeuvre the whole assemble including bonnet catch through the grills quite easily. No bumper off required.
Those two bolts weren't too bad, the 2 on the top side attaching to the bonnet catch assembly though, those can go to hell. Rounded and destroyed, not a chance.

Put mine back on the car for now until I can be bothered to sort, might just buy a whole new assembly and bollocks to it!

STC_Zed said:
I was going to remove it and repaint it myself but I’ve just bought a new one from BMW for £40. I rattle canned the canards on my old M140i and they didn’t hold up too well to stone chips etc hence buying a new brace.

Was it £40 direct from BMW? Not too bad seeing as powder coating and the hassle probably isn't far off that.

With the bumper off it was actually dead easy because I was able to keep enough pressure on those bolts to stop them rounding. I ended up using my impact gun.

I fitted new bolts but annoyingly had to buy a pack of 10. There seem to be a few fixings now that BMW will only sell you a pack of 10 rather than the actual quantity required.

I paid just under £40 with discount (I asked my local parts department and they obliged with 10% off on my account).

It was definitely less faff with the bumper off which is actually pretty easy on the Z4.

IMG_7901.jpeg

IMG_7902.jpeg

IMG_7903.jpeg

No particular technique to get the two top bolts off then? Like they're held in there by nuts almost, couldn't budge them at all.
 
AndyBeech said:
STC_Zed said:
I fitted new bolts but annoyingly had to buy a pack of 10. There seem to be a few fixings now that BMW will only sell you a pack of 10 rather than the actual quantity required.

Do you remember what the bolt part number was?
I have been told that this is due to stock taking. Eay to count bags and multiply by ten, but not so easy to keep counting how many bolts are in each individual bag.

Part number: Torx bolt with washer 07146959924 (superceded 51248262592)
 
MOT’d with no advisories. It’s the second Z4 I have taken to the main dealer for just the MOT and just goes to show they don’t all go out their way to upsell a load of VHC related work. I know all my cars have been well maintained over the years but still good going for using a Main dealer for testing. @Vertu/bristolstreet motors
 
Managed to get the Mrs e89 roof secured and windows up, but sorting the cause is job for another day as had to give this a little spruce up ready for Coffee at AV8 in the morning.

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I washed my car for the same reason - hopefully for once it won't be the dirtiest car present!

See you tomorrow. :thumbsup:
 
AndyBeech said:
STC_Zed said:
AndyBeech said:
Yup I tried this a few weeks back. If you can get the 2 bolts off on the lower part of the brace either side through the grills, then you can just undo two bolts on the bonnet catch drop it down and manoeuvre the whole assemble including bonnet catch through the grills quite easily. No bumper off required.
Those two bolts weren't too bad, the 2 on the top side attaching to the bonnet catch assembly though, those can go to hell. Rounded and destroyed, not a chance.

Put mine back on the car for now until I can be bothered to sort, might just buy a whole new assembly and bollocks to it!



Was it £40 direct from BMW? Not too bad seeing as powder coating and the hassle probably isn't far off that.

With the bumper off it was actually dead easy because I was able to keep enough pressure on those bolts to stop them rounding. I ended up using my impact gun.

I fitted new bolts but annoyingly had to buy a pack of 10. There seem to be a few fixings now that BMW will only sell you a pack of 10 rather than the actual quantity required.

I paid just under £40 with discount (I asked my local parts department and they obliged with 10% off on my account).

It was definitely less faff with the bumper off which is actually pretty easy on the Z4.

IMG_7901.jpeg

IMG_7902.jpeg

IMG_7903.jpeg

No particular technique to get the two top bolts off then? Like they're held in there by nuts almost, couldn't budge them at all.

No, I just spun them out with the dagga dagga gun. It was nice and easy with decent access to keep the pressure on to stop them rounding. You’re welcome to some of my spare bolts if you want.
 
Had a mild panic today… started the car and, above the engine noise, I can hear a ‘buzz’. Not a rattle, or a whirring, but a buzz. Turned the car off. Still hear it. Turned off the fan… nope, still there. Phone to silent; still there. Then… got it!!! Radio tuner was set to ‘manual’ and I was off-channel with the volume low. So analogue. So silly. So pleased I found it! Best I put it back in the garage before something else goes ‘wrong’ :rofl:
 
jenniferlouise said:
Had a mild panic today… started the car and, above the engine noise, I can hear a ‘buzz’. Not a rattle, or a whirring, but a buzz. Turned the car off. Still hear it. Turned off the fan… nope, still there. Phone to silent; still there. Then… got it!!! Radio tuner was set to ‘manual’ and I was off-channel with the volume low. So analogue. So silly. So pleased I found it! Best I put it back in the garage before something else goes ‘wrong’ :rofl:
Funny, :rofl: :rofl: :rofl: :rofl: :thumbsup:
 
Not in the zed, but drove up to Newport and back home to Devon today and didn’t see one Z4 of any type. Where the hell are they all? :headbang:
 
jenniferlouise said:
Had a mild panic today… started the car and, above the engine noise, I can hear a ‘buzz’. Not a rattle, or a whirring, but a buzz. Turned the car off. Still hear it. Turned off the fan… nope, still there. Phone to silent; still there. Then… got it!!! Radio tuner was set to ‘manual’ and I was off-channel with the volume low. So analogue. So silly. So pleased I found it! Best I put it back in the garage before something else goes ‘wrong’ :rofl:
I also had a mild panic today. Took the car out of garage, went to our workplace to pick up something. Came back to the car and attempted to start it. When the engine should have turned, the car suddenly lost all electricity. After a few seconds it came back. I then tried again and it happened again.
Having a 150km trip planned I panicked as my first thought was my battery suddenly died.
Anyway I went strictly to the trunk to check on battery and immediatly spotted a loosen connection on the minus pole. When I took a closer look I found out it was put together wrong. The washer was on the bottom of the screw instead of on top just under the nut, where it should be.
Quickly solved the issue and went to the trip :D
 
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