I would be interested to know what prompts people to modify their Zed. There are modifications which are obviously for visual appeal only (e.g. Stubby) and others for performance enhancement (although some of limited or doubtful value). So what makes you change from OE spec?
Why do you modify.....
- Thread starter AlanJ
- Start date
This forum mainly 
seriously - wheels just because of the corrosion on the 108 I had...
rear lights and side because one of the rear had gotten a hole and would have been silly to just replace it with an orange...
stubby because you just have to
Cruise control cos it was so easy and I wanted to
ZHP cos I wanted to know what all the fuss was about!
AUX cos I wanted to use my iPod
but without this forum I wouldn't have known about a lot of the stuff I've done - and all for the better
seriously - wheels just because of the corrosion on the 108 I had...
rear lights and side because one of the rear had gotten a hole and would have been silly to just replace it with an orange...
stubby because you just have to
Cruise control cos it was so easy and I wanted to
ZHP cos I wanted to know what all the fuss was about!
AUX cos I wanted to use my iPod
but without this forum I wouldn't have known about a lot of the stuff I've done - and all for the better
Because I can 
From there it's to create something that's unique, 'mine' and I enjoy doing it. From the challenge of research engineering to the finished result.
Be a pretty exciting Zed board if every post, questions response, car, photo was 'standard'
From there it's to create something that's unique, 'mine' and I enjoy doing it. From the challenge of research engineering to the finished result.
Be a pretty exciting Zed board if every post, questions response, car, photo was 'standard'
i like doing it because it makes the car different.
i only like to do tasteful mods, OEM+ so to speak. chav bodykits etc are a massive no-no.
plus it makes me feel a bit more manly to be covered in sh1t while building, cutting and breaking things at the weekend as opposed to my desk jockey day job
i only like to do tasteful mods, OEM+ so to speak. chav bodykits etc are a massive no-no.
plus it makes me feel a bit more manly to be covered in sh1t while building, cutting and breaking things at the weekend as opposed to my desk jockey day job
Individualisation I guess is a major player, and also adapting the car and focusing it more on a specific requirement.
Everything is always a compromise of sorts. I wanted to use my ZM on track for example, and didn't mind sacrificing road-manners as a result, so I've shifted the original package specified by BMW more in favour of track-work. You sometimes hear the argument that "xx manufacturer knows best and have invested yy millions of pounds in development" etc, but all road cars are built to regulations, budgets, and designed to appeal to the broadest range of customers as possible, within the relevant market (ie: sports cars in this instance). I loved the Z4M when I drove and sat in one, but there were a couple of niggles that bothered me, from both an asthetic and performance point of view. So I bought the car with the changes in mind.
Perhaps didn't realise I'd be making *quite* so many...
Everything is always a compromise of sorts. I wanted to use my ZM on track for example, and didn't mind sacrificing road-manners as a result, so I've shifted the original package specified by BMW more in favour of track-work. You sometimes hear the argument that "xx manufacturer knows best and have invested yy millions of pounds in development" etc, but all road cars are built to regulations, budgets, and designed to appeal to the broadest range of customers as possible, within the relevant market (ie: sports cars in this instance). I loved the Z4M when I drove and sat in one, but there were a couple of niggles that bothered me, from both an asthetic and performance point of view. So I bought the car with the changes in mind.
Perhaps didn't realise I'd be making *quite* so many...
Obviously the majority of changes people make are due to personal taste (wheels for example) but there is definitely an aspect of correcting design mistakes (orange indicators for example), and bringing older designs up to current day thinking (i.e. fashion, like CF).
I’m always of the opinion less is more, less borbles and different colours for an overall smoother look but I don’t change anything just to be unique, although I see how that is appealing for some.
Also you can’t forget function, things like retro fitting Cruise Control, MFSW, Hands-Free I fitted just for the fact I needed them, they are mods too
I’m always of the opinion less is more, less borbles and different colours for an overall smoother look but I don’t change anything just to be unique, although I see how that is appealing for some.
Also you can’t forget function, things like retro fitting Cruise Control, MFSW, Hands-Free I fitted just for the fact I needed them, they are mods too
For me, it's kind of a mix of everything...
As I can't afford to buy new, I'm living with someone elses spec, so a few planned mods are to bring the car in line with what I would have ordered (Piano Dash)
Others are to add things that weren't an option when it was built (Clear Indicators, Champagne Leather M-Sports seats, M MFSW)
The only completely non-standard mods I have planned are a custom built iPod/iPhone dock (as I don't really like the options out there at the moment) and polished M6 wheels (as they look sooooo nice). Perhaps a mac-mini install if I have a good work year!
Of course, saying all that... the only thing I've done so far is a stubby
As I can't afford to buy new, I'm living with someone elses spec, so a few planned mods are to bring the car in line with what I would have ordered (Piano Dash)
Others are to add things that weren't an option when it was built (Clear Indicators, Champagne Leather M-Sports seats, M MFSW)
The only completely non-standard mods I have planned are a custom built iPod/iPhone dock (as I don't really like the options out there at the moment) and polished M6 wheels (as they look sooooo nice). Perhaps a mac-mini install if I have a good work year!
Of course, saying all that... the only thing I've done so far is a stubby
Liverpool
Personal taste really and i enjoy it all part of owning a car for me unless it was just a runabout then i would not bother.
I like to use subtle mods to make the car more appealing to me but i like to try and keep an OEM look so to the general public it looks like it left the factory that way.
I like to use subtle mods to make the car more appealing to me but i like to try and keep an OEM look so to the general public it looks like it left the factory that way.
Same as all the above really..
Wen I look at buying at car i'm allready thinking Change that,Colour code this,alloy swap..etc etc...I do normally do some performance modifcations the best bang for buck engine mod's for car's i own ..but it seem's there really arn't any worthwhile mod's for the z4 (3.0 M54) .. Hence me asking about the pully upgrade people do on other 6cyln models
Big detuned lump...you'd think there would be loadsa worthwhile mods :thumbsdown:
Wen I look at buying at car i'm allready thinking Change that,Colour code this,alloy swap..etc etc...I do normally do some performance modifcations the best bang for buck engine mod's for car's i own ..but it seem's there really arn't any worthwhile mod's for the z4 (3.0 M54) .. Hence me asking about the pully upgrade people do on other 6cyln models
Big detuned lump...you'd think there would be loadsa worthwhile mods :thumbsdown:
Few reasons.
1. To keep my interest in the car
2. To have the OEM parts on the car that i couldnt afford at first purchase
3. Performance, although this is not really something i have done to this car as its not that cost effective.
Mostly 2 really as i didnt have much money when i bought the car. I couldn't stretch to an 06 or one with sports seats etc. So wait a couple of years and grab bargains along the way and retrofit them for the fun of it. Makes a more interesting car experience for me
1. To keep my interest in the car
2. To have the OEM parts on the car that i couldnt afford at first purchase
3. Performance, although this is not really something i have done to this car as its not that cost effective.
Mostly 2 really as i didnt have much money when i bought the car. I couldn't stretch to an 06 or one with sports seats etc. So wait a couple of years and grab bargains along the way and retrofit them for the fun of it. Makes a more interesting car experience for me
Dreamer said:Few reasons.
1. To keep my interest in the car
2. To have the OEM parts on the car that i couldnt afford at first purchase
3. Performance, although this is not really something i have done to this car as its not that cost effective.
Mostly 2 really as i didnt have much money when i bought the car. I couldn't stretch to an 06 or one with sports seats etc. So wait a couple of years and grab bargains along the way and retrofit them for the fun of it. Makes a more interesting car experience for me
Similar here, for a number of reasons but mostly #2 and the hobby aspect, make the car a little more individual too.
I got an 08 lowish spec but for a good price and plan to add cruise, BT, cupholders, different dash trim etc as and when bargain bits appear on eBay or here. Already done iPod in glovebox, nice easy mod.
Pretty much like everyone else,
Plus I've the Zed for coming up to 6 years now and just wanted to freshen the look of it a bit, I can't really justify spending the huge amount of money it would take to change make the change worth while when I'm only home 3 month's of the year.
But the biggest culprit is this bloody forum, just to many good ideas and shiny things to spend money on that I did'nt know I needed.
Plus I've the Zed for coming up to 6 years now and just wanted to freshen the look of it a bit, I can't really justify spending the huge amount of money it would take to change make the change worth while when I'm only home 3 month's of the year.
But the biggest culprit is this bloody forum, just to many good ideas and shiny things to spend money on that I did'nt know I needed.
Like many, I enjoy the subtle "updates" that make an already classic design that much more classy (taste being subjective, of course). And being in the States, there are a notable few options that we didn't have, like Piano Black, for one (still thinking about that one).
My favorite mods are the ones people don't notice, per say. They just make the design that much more cohesive.
Clear reflectors (swapping out the U.S.-spec ambers)
Euro visors (getting rid of the fugly Airbag warning labels without scrubbing or "ghosts"... perfectly clean)
Black/Chrome grille combo (on a black car is the way to go)
Stubby (they should have integrated/eliminated the antenna in the first place)
ZHP (feels great and looks the job)
Debadging (clean & distinctive)
Z4 Valve Caps (god is in the details)
But IMO the best Z4 "mod" was the introduction of coupe itself. In two years, I could count the others I've seen on one hand, and that's if I lost two fingers in a farming accident.
My favorite mods are the ones people don't notice, per say. They just make the design that much more cohesive.
Clear reflectors (swapping out the U.S.-spec ambers)
Euro visors (getting rid of the fugly Airbag warning labels without scrubbing or "ghosts"... perfectly clean)
Black/Chrome grille combo (on a black car is the way to go)
Stubby (they should have integrated/eliminated the antenna in the first place)
ZHP (feels great and looks the job)
Debadging (clean & distinctive)
Z4 Valve Caps (god is in the details)
But IMO the best Z4 "mod" was the introduction of coupe itself. In two years, I could count the others I've seen on one hand, and that's if I lost two fingers in a farming accident.
