Derbyshire
Gave her a wash and hand wax after cleaning the engine bay:
What have you done to your car today?
- Thread starter Buckz
- Start date
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Coventry
Starting with seats in bits, I repaired the New England Msport, removed the black New England Msport from my car, disassembled and mounted the red one to my dual memory bases.
I then stripped the centre console out, located the passenger airbag light loom so drilled the additional hole in my piano black trim, for the sport button. Rebuilt the central trim and refitted all the central console and then fitted the red seats. That was 5 to 6 hrs from about 2.30pm on Saturday.
Sunday, following our quiet local monthly meet, I swapped over the extended leather door cards between the 3.0s so the red leather was complimentary to my seats.
I didn't have time to fit the black seats into the black 3.0 but I got them rebuilt ready for next weekend.
I then stripped the centre console out, located the passenger airbag light loom so drilled the additional hole in my piano black trim, for the sport button. Rebuilt the central trim and refitted all the central console and then fitted the red seats. That was 5 to 6 hrs from about 2.30pm on Saturday.
Sunday, following our quiet local monthly meet, I swapped over the extended leather door cards between the 3.0s so the red leather was complimentary to my seats.
I didn't have time to fit the black seats into the black 3.0 but I got them rebuilt ready for next weekend.
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3002 tii
Active member
Finally got around to installing @Westersund brake cooling kit! Write-up posted here.
Last edited:
Miscowjones
Member
Removed the windscreen washer bottle for a right good clean.
Such an exciting task I forgot to take Before & After pics.
Such an exciting task I forgot to take Before & After pics.
SAinSurrey
Member
Replaced the rear fender as there were a few dents on it, though in retrospect, would probably have been less stressful and cheaper to get it repaired by the mobile repair guy I use. But anyways.....
Will add onto some threads I had read re some additional tips on getting this done. Took about 5 hours (two of us, me to do it, and then for my neighbour to redo it properly) which also included replacing the rear bumper and fitting a rear camera. Also, OCD came into play - had to wire brush and hammerite the rear crash bar and then vacuum all the years of dust, grit, sand etc that accumulates around these sections.
Also saw that there was water pooling in the area where you normally have the roof motor (mine has been relocated). Project for another day........
Will add onto some threads I had read re some additional tips on getting this done. Took about 5 hours (two of us, me to do it, and then for my neighbour to redo it properly) which also included replacing the rear bumper and fitting a rear camera. Also, OCD came into play - had to wire brush and hammerite the rear crash bar and then vacuum all the years of dust, grit, sand etc that accumulates around these sections.
Also saw that there was water pooling in the area where you normally have the roof motor (mine has been relocated). Project for another day........
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(Posting two days late)
Plugged in my new Foxwell NT530+, got a load of codes, cleared them, gone for a quick drive, and am left with one error code for the minute - heating element in the right hand windscreen washer nozzle. I can live with that! (But will look into it sometime when time permits).
I am doing essentials, but I am neglecting the E86 a bit... getting the 330i back on the road is number one priority, then priority 2 is getting my other car through an MOT, give it some TLC and sell it. Then I can focus on the Z4 again.
Plugged in my new Foxwell NT530+, got a load of codes, cleared them, gone for a quick drive, and am left with one error code for the minute - heating element in the right hand windscreen washer nozzle. I can live with that! (But will look into it sometime when time permits).
I am doing essentials, but I am neglecting the E86 a bit... getting the 330i back on the road is number one priority, then priority 2 is getting my other car through an MOT, give it some TLC and sell it. Then I can focus on the Z4 again.
After a few 100km I can say the car feels more alive around 3-4k rpm. It did get more noticeableReplaced vanos seals and the thermostat along the way. That was one hell of a jobIt took me 12 hours... And the result is barely noticeable.
It's an old BMW, it's been doing that old BMW thing of burning oil on the exhaust for the last little while. Due to there being oil in spark plug sockets 3 & 4, I thought it might be the valvetronic gasket leaking. Looked a simple enough job, safe to do early in the week before a weekend away. (Looks like the valvetronic gasket was original anyway, spotted a April 2006 date on it, car is late 2006.)
Swapped the valvetronic gasket over easily enough, only to find the coil plug wouldn't re-seat on plug 3 (from front) happily. Eventually worked out there's a heat shield around the coils in the rocker cover, held in place at the bottom by a round clip, which had come adrift on mine (I think I must have pushed it out trying to mop some of the oil out with rags.) Eventually coerced the heat shield out with an Allen key and a small flathead screwdriver, refitted everything fine and went out for a test drive.
Nothing quite like a mostly empty road, and a warmed up N52 screaming up to the redline heading towards a deep red summer sunset on the horizon. Cor.
Swapped the valvetronic gasket over easily enough, only to find the coil plug wouldn't re-seat on plug 3 (from front) happily. Eventually worked out there's a heat shield around the coils in the rocker cover, held in place at the bottom by a round clip, which had come adrift on mine (I think I must have pushed it out trying to mop some of the oil out with rags.) Eventually coerced the heat shield out with an Allen key and a small flathead screwdriver, refitted everything fine and went out for a test drive.
Nothing quite like a mostly empty road, and a warmed up N52 screaming up to the redline heading towards a deep red summer sunset on the horizon. Cor.
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Consumer974
Member
Looks good! Any chance it can be used alongside the OEM sound generator?
Mine doesn't have the sound generator but from what I've seen, the pipes for the generator are before the MAF, this as after the MAF so don't see why not. Just been for a drive and has definitely added some nice induction noise!
Just got the car back from Autowerx Milton Keynes having had the following done:
The rear of the car has now been completely transformed. Even at low speed the rear feel really wooden before, and for example, if you hit a small bump on a roundabout the whole rear of the car would do this disconcerting shimmy, but that has now been completely eradicated. The rear now feel really positive and I think even the ride has improved a bit at the rear. So if your car is getting on a bit definitely change your rear trailing arm bushes!
I can't say I notice any change to how the diff feels after having had the fluid changed but the gearbox now feels a lot smoother between shifts, right from when it is cold. When pulling away in first from traffic lights for example it wouldn't always going into gear very smoothly but it's a lot better now.
I am really happy with how the car is driving now. I'll be getting the steering wheel retrimmed by Snappy in August and I'm looking to get the cruise control retrofit done too.
Absolutely loving this car at the moment.
- Rear trailing arm bush replaced and Condor Speed Shop trailing arm bush limiters fitted
- Rear upper ball joint replaced
- Front track rod and tie rod assemblies changed with new boots
- Brake fluid, gearbox oil and diff oil all changed.
- Drivers front caliper rebuilt as it was slightly seized, with new disks, pads and wear sensors on both sides.
- 4 wheel alignment
The rear of the car has now been completely transformed. Even at low speed the rear feel really wooden before, and for example, if you hit a small bump on a roundabout the whole rear of the car would do this disconcerting shimmy, but that has now been completely eradicated. The rear now feel really positive and I think even the ride has improved a bit at the rear. So if your car is getting on a bit definitely change your rear trailing arm bushes!
I can't say I notice any change to how the diff feels after having had the fluid changed but the gearbox now feels a lot smoother between shifts, right from when it is cold. When pulling away in first from traffic lights for example it wouldn't always going into gear very smoothly but it's a lot better now.
I am really happy with how the car is driving now. I'll be getting the steering wheel retrimmed by Snappy in August and I'm looking to get the cruise control retrofit done too.
Absolutely loving this car at the moment.
What was the cost and duration?
Just fitted a bluetooth kit and ZHP knob yesterday. Bluetooth seems to be working ok, bit early to give a full review of sound quality, so need to have a listen to more types of music through it, but a relief to be able to connect to my music whilst driving.
The ZHP knob is great, I can't believe how much of a difference it's made, feels so much better now. The shift with the standard knob was a bit woolly, and felt very vague going from 5th to 4th, and the ZHP item has helped in all areas.
The ZHP knob is great, I can't believe how much of a difference it's made, feels so much better now. The shift with the standard knob was a bit woolly, and felt very vague going from 5th to 4th, and the ZHP item has helped in all areas.
Fitted the following:
- Stubby Peugeot aerial
- Brodit Pro Clip and recycled the magsafe charger from my TT 8J (still needs tweaking)
- Sell the Audi TT 8J for extra Z4 funds.
- Fit billet micky mouse coolant flange.
- G4 techniq on the faded mirror trim.
- See what Carly coding tweaks are on offer.