Pimping the roadster: Alpina made a few Z4 roadsters. By an amazing stroke of luck, I have now procured red leather interior pieces that I will install in the Imola interior of my Z4. Anybody know how to get the trim bits out of a Z4 without breaking all the clips?
Installed a clutch pedal stop. Simplest upgrade ever. In it lowest position it reduces pedal travel by about 3/4" compare to stock. It seems like a minor thing, but it's allowed me to move my seat back a bit so I'm not straining to push the clutch to the floor. That means my right foot is a bit further back and better positioned for heel/toe. Also means there's less "dead" travel before the clutch engages. Cheap, easy and effective!
I highly recommend using the WFLS-NW60-BK Weatherproof High Power LED Flexible Light Strip - Black Circuit in Natural White. The base on this one is black and it's available in Natural White light color. I exchanged the White Circuit in Cool White that I bought for my wife's 335is Coupe and bought this one instead. It's a much better, more natural color, rather than the "neon blue" look of the Cool White.
Here's another one for you Satch! I bought a Homelink 3-button transmitter on eBay (the kind that you would find in the visor of a domestic vehicle) and installed it in the lower center dash panel of the M. I hot wired it into the fuse panel, and it works like a charm! A lot better than the hand-held remote that I Velcroed to the door of the storage compartment. Now I don't have to twist to the right, open the storage compartment, press the button repeatedly until the garage door opener picks up the signal, and then close the lid. On the first test I was easily 100 feet away and the garage door was completely open by the time I drove into the garage!
Front brakes, drilled slotted rotors from cquence. Nice rotors. Right side tie rod end, outer. New battery, now a trip to the shop for alignment and battery registration.
Replaced two pre O2 sensors. The voltages where within spec but just couldn't clear the codes. I should say I probably had +250,000 miles on them. Followed the DIY from http://www.dvatp.com/bmw/diy/oxygen_sensors/ Bought 2 NTK 25013 sensors from http://stores.ebay.com/partscontainer Two sensors with shipping under $210.00. BMW MSRP is $222.00 each for these puppies. Waiting on F/R Carbotechs from Bimmerworld then swap out rotors and parking brake pads. DIff fluid and I'm done. Next trip will by to my indy for an oil suction tube and tranny fluid. Before my next DE I'll replace the brake fluid.
Now I have to go see if I HAVE a similar dash panel! But I have been getting by just fine with a garage-door opener that I Velcroed under the center of the dash... Meanwhile, yesterday I filled the tank with under-$4 Supreme---exactly one dollar per gallon less than it cost a month ago.
I just switched out all the interior lighting to LED also. It's so much brighter and up to date looking...
On the hatchback. Removed rear wheel studs. Installed rear rotors, pads and brake shoes. Adjusted e-brake cable. That was trial and error chore! Brake shoes. A job I will probably never have to do again. Next replace rear wheel studs. Then take up a collection for 4 new RA1s.
Nope. Better. Replaced rear studs. The man in brown should be delivering my RA1s now. Oil suction tube, diff and tranny fluid next.
I'm doing the "One" a big favor and parking it in a nice warm garage while I take a last second trip to Chicago tonight. I'd typically do a red-eye drive through the night adventure, but when I saw that as of noon today it was 0 degrees, I couldn't stand thinking about making my car sit outside in the cold in that junk. All I have to say is that rental car at O'Hare better be running and warm when I roll in!
Used clay on the Z3 and then waxed it. It was in the garage next to the snowblower. I dont know which will come out of the garage first! Now my wife wants her Jetta waxed.
Replaced a broken t-stat in the Mini. Also t-stat housing and coolant reservoir. It was stuck open for some time now. 3 hours later, new cuss words and a sore back, it's done. No more SRS. I need to know how to reuse those hose clamps that BMW uses on intake boots. I'm just going to use some wire ties to hold them considering nothing was holding one side, I don't think it matters that much.
