I'm brand new to the club with about a thousand questions. By way of explanation I have wanted a BMW since I was young and saw one at a SCCA event in Maryland. Both my parents amature racers and would drag me to the competitions. This was my dream for 40 years. My dream was fulfilled August 10th of 2007; I picked up "Beauty" a brand new ‘07 Z4 M Roadster. She is even more fun now than when I first got her. It is a shame that Florida does not have the roads to really let her shine. 3 questions: 1. I'm running Nitrogen in my tires and swear I am getting better performance than when I ran air. They seem to stick better and I don't feel tire roll in tight turns. Have others found the same thing? 2. This question is about bimmer etiquette; I wave at each ZM or Z I see but seldom get acknowledgement. Is it impolite for me to let them know I'm thrilled to be part of their special community? 3. I have a Xylon coating on Beauty. I'm using the Mr. Clean Auto wash system on her but if it even looks like rain she gets water spots. Any suggestions? Now about nine-hundred ninety-seven more to go. Thanks.
Welcome to the Club and very nice car! Ok; I'll answer them as best as I can.... 1. No experience with nitrogen in tires. Seems like I read BMW engineers do not recommend that but that could be because they have not, in their Teutonic engineering way, analyzed the crap out of it (that's a good thing BTW ). Maybe one of our more technical members can chime in..... 2. It depends on the driver; I usually get a wave from fellow M owners but a blank stare from others...... I wave anyways.... 3. water-spots; yeah, they are a pain. I have been using Griott's Garage One-Step Paint Sealant on our cars with good results. Enjoy your ///M! Cheers...
I dunno - seems like that sounds about right on the nitrogen - it's inert, and what little is in there doesn't move around so much, so whatever friction coefficients are running are going to be more bound up in the rubber heating up. Interesting suggestion.
Welcome! Welcome to the group Jim! Although I lust more for the coupe version, I love to see any Z3/Z4 coming down the street. 1. I was at a tech talk up in Vermont with the club tech guru Mike Miller yesterday, and the question came up about nitrogen. His response was unless you are using your vehicle for racing or military operations, do not incur the added cost of nitrogen. People who make money off of it are trying very hard to make you think you need it. 2.Keep waving! I have five of six non-CCA drivers whom I pass on the way to work everyday, and I think four of them now will acknowledge me. Share the love and good karma will return to you 3.I have never treated the finish on our cars, so I can't help you there. If you don't mind me asking, what chapter do you belong to Jim?
HI Scott - Unrelated - We met at the Bill Dodge event in Portland last month. Were you at the Bav Auto event last weekend? If so, what were you driving? Tim
I have no idea what the hell you just said there, but I can guaran-damn-tee you that nitrogen is NOT inert. If it were, you wouldn't exist - but at least you'd not have any problem passing the NOX standards ... Nitrogen makes absolutely no measurable difference in any automotive tire, racing or not. I think I've posted the entire chemical and mathematical analysis here before. Try a search for it.
Hi Tim! You bet I was there. I was parked with the Patroon Chapter by the BMW CCA flag along the grass on the exit driveway. We had the bright red 2002, the red M6 and I brought along our 1983 635 CSi Euro. In all we had 11 cars from the chapter with a Pocono Chapter member joining the group for the weekend. Where were you located?
Great car Jim, looks like a twin to mine. I have nitro in my tires and my son who races in SCCA events says nitro is not effected by heat build up, so your tires stay at the same pressure. Most all race cars run with nitro. I have not noticed much difference in performance, of course I don't have to gauge my tires nearly as often. I wave at all Z and M cars and most wave back, however I find that Z's driven by women are less likely to wave back...go figure....I'll keep waving.
I'm a flasher. I flash my headlights at 'em and maybe get a response 50% of the time. Yours is a beauty car BTW. I too waited a long time before getting my first BMW. I think the lust began around 1969 or so when one of my father's friends showed up one weekend with a 1600. As far back as 1960 my sister's boyfriend had an Isetta, which I though was the coolest car in the world. Of course I was only 5 years old at the time. After many false starts I finally bought a well-used Z4 for weekend fun and the occasional road trip.
Welcome to the zoo! Mannn---which blue is that? I love Merlot as well. . . but as I said when I bought it, white makes a better background for flames. . . . I run a mixture of about 80% nitrogen in my tires; the other 20% is oxygen with some carbon dioxide and other trace gases thrown in. The thing is, if you BELIEVE your car is handling better. . . it probably is. Never discount the Placebo Effect.
Your percentages describe "air." Not much to it, once you realize that you are talking about simple "air." I agree with the Placebo Effect, effect. It's the same as Bimmer Power, ya just feel it. The Pygmalian in the Classroom effect is quite similar. It's kinda like kids, you get what you expect and that's a Self-Fulfilling Prophecy. You pay for it, so why not enjoy it? Rick
Another Florida BMW member Hi and welcome to the Club. I am also a Florida BMW driver I have been using Wet Paint Glaze on my car for 14 months ( car has not been washed since I started using it) i have had no water spotting problems, but I do Dry my car after it is in the garage. No comment on nitro in tires. bluewagon
Congrats on finally being able to fulfill your dream...and a beauty she is!!! I couldn't wait to fulfill mine when I saw my first 2002 up close and went out and bought a used (and as I discovered later, abused) 1968 1600 in 1970. Kept it for a couple of years before trading it in on a '72 2002, which I kept until 1987. Back in those days ('70s-80's) we utilized the flasher that BMW put on their cars JUST FOR US to be able to flash each other at top speed when we passed each other by simply pulling gently TWICE (and only twice) on the light lever. There weren't that many BMWs around back then and EVERYONE knew that they were driving something special. Nowadays, not so much (to wit, 1 series owners who think their car is front-wheel drive!?!). Also congrats that you got a response from Satch...that's gotta be worth something, eh... Freude am Fahren...
Old thread, but... That's because Satch is biased, in the same way that us E30 owners are biased; he owns an M Roadster!
Biased? Moi?! BP, he say: Hey, since my E30 can whip your E30, can I be biased about that, too?! WHAH! By the way, in regard to maintaining the paint: I just found out Steve Albrecht uses Zaino. And he the goldarn GOO ROO of crazy anal-retentive detailing freaks. Guess I got to get me some of this stuff.
Satch, I just read in Roundel letters you still haven't removed/replaced the CDV in your M ?! what the heck !
1. IMHO nitrogen in the tires is a waste of money. The "improvement" is probably psychosomatic. 2. I don't wave, but I flash my lights. Most Bimmer owners; however, are not "enthusiasts," nor do they recall the bygone days of camaraderie. Don't feel bad if they don't respond as they are probably too busy with their cell phones. 3. Despite the marketing hype, nothing keeps the rain from spotting your car, especially if there is any dust or pollution in the air. Just wash it again. Embrace the sheet metal!
Hey, I been BUSY! I have the Zoofenheiser modified valve, and I think about it every time I shift with enthusiasm, because I'm SURE it's the @#$%! CD valve that makes me look like a fourteen-year-old with his first manual transmission. But here at Mondo Condo, I don't ezzackery have FACILITIES. I'll have to move the 335i out of the garage and put the roadster in the center. Then I have to close the door so the Condo Police don't catch me working on the car. Then I have to jack it up, one side at a time, and figure out where to put the jack stands. Then I have to remove the stupick undertray to get at the slave cylinder. Then I have to take out the clutch-delay valve WAIT WAIT there's FLUID running everywhere GODFREY DANIEL! Then I have to put the Katzenjammer replacement in its place. Then I have to bleed the slave cylinder and top off the fluid reservoir. . . which means that first I have to confirm that it's the same hydraulics as the brake system. In which case you REALLY don't want to lose a lot of fluid, because you do NOT want to bleed the ABS system! Then I have to replace the undertray-no, wait, I'd better clean this fluid up first before the Condo Police spot the puddle. Then- Well, it may be easier to run it over to La Jolla Independent. . .
