Dirk 2 Report post Posted March 1, 2023 Hallo! I'm the proud new owner of a e85 Z4. 3.0 6speed manual softtop :) It needs a bit of TLC but I think (hope) nothing too serious...... I would love some direction in finding the answers to the following questions. 1. The history is a little suspicious. It was purchased new in NZ but the first owner let the registration lapse and registered when he sold it. No km driven the the latter two years of ownership. Sounds like maybe an acident? Is there anyway I can find out? There is evidence of a resprayed front wing. The car is registered as a 5 speed... but clearly it has 6. 2. To add insult to injury the wheel shop could not get the wheel alignment in spec. The camber of the front right wheel is not as negative as it should be but the shop assured me it was close enough. To be honest the steering does feel a bit vague especially on a straight road. I may be a little spoilt as the last BMW I drove a lot of was a e85 Z4M with sport suspension and 20" rims. The steering was sharp even if the ride was hard as nails.... 3. There is a quiet clunk as I decelerate and accelerate in 1st gear. any ideas? Many thanks Dirk 1 Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Eagle 1524 Report post Posted March 1, 2023 No alignment sheet? Vague steering could be many things - alignment, worn suspension\steering parts, wheels and tyres. But yeah comparing it with a M car on 20's maybe be unfair. Clunking is typically drivetrain related. Could be excessive backlash in the diff which isnt uncommon on these. Worn engine\transmission mounts, dry driveshaft splines or worn u-joints, worn rear diff mounts, worn dual mass flywheel etc can cause clunking also. If you run it on a hoist\axle stands you should be able to localize it. Majority of these cars are still on original parts for a good portion of the car. Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
str8_6 270 Report post Posted March 1, 2023 The e85 Z4 was BMW’s first attempt at offering electric steering and runflat tires together. I’ve owned two facelift 3.0si’s and they both had vague steering and both tram lined on the original run flat setup. Good quality non runflats helped a lot, including the ride, but the steering always remained vague. 1 Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Dirk 2 Report post Posted March 2, 2023 Thanks both for your responses. The clunk is beyond my mechanical expertise. I've booked it in to get looked at. I'll get them to check the suspension and steering components while there at it. Regarding tires. They are Bridgestone re003. Not my favourite tire for NZ roads but they are in good condition so I'll go with it unitil they're worn out. My go to would be Michelin PS4. I've have great experiences with them on all sorts of sports cars. I also remebered that the chap at the wheel shop bumped the pressures up (without me asking) so they are higher than spec. I will drop them back to spec and see how that goes. I threw out the alignment sheet... I'll swing by and ask them to print me a copy and I'll post it here for your comments. On another note.... It does burn a bit of oil. about a litre per 3000k. I've read the comments on these engines burning a bit and I'm not going to cry over it. Too late for that. Just incase though I've ordered a new PCV. You never know I might get lucky with a cheap fix.... Cheers! Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Dirk 2 Report post Posted March 2, 2023 Here ya go. Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Dirk 2 Report post Posted March 2, 2023 23 hours ago, Eagle said: comparing it with a M car on 20's maybe be unfair. Fair enough! And I wouldn't want that M as a daily driver. It only ever made sense when I was hammering it.... any other time it was a chore to drive. This wee 3.0 is my daily driver. I'm not expecting epic handling. I just want to get it as good as it can be without modifications. For the most part I like the handling and appreciate the comfort on long trips (which I make often). The amount of power and handling is perfectly accessable for my skill level. Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Eagle 1524 Report post Posted March 2, 2023 Yeah the front camber is quite a bit out really. Looks like something maybe a little bent. Guessing they didnt try adjusting it by loosening the top strut mount nuts to see what range they could get? Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Eagle 1524 Report post Posted March 2, 2023 2 minutes ago, Dirk said: Fair enough! And I wouldn't want that M as a daily driver. It only ever made sense when I was hammering it.... any other time it was a chore to drive. This wee 3.0 is my daily driver. I'm not expecting epic handling. I just want to get it as good as it can be without modifications. For the most part I like the handling and appreciate the comfort on long trips (which I make often). The amount of power and handling is perfectly accessable for my skill level. Just refreshing all the common wear items has always done me well. Stock is underrated imo because few people have driven when new\refreshed. 1 Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Dirk 2 Report post Posted March 2, 2023 Thanks Eagle. Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Dirk 2 Report post Posted July 12, 2023 Update: It seems my control arm bushings are shot.... Kinda irritated it wasn't spotted by either the alignment shop or the mechanic back in January but also glad I have a diagnosis. Have ordered new tyres too. That and a fresh wheel alignment and I should be good to go. Thanks Dirk 1 Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
