project SiC's consolidated moderns - 2004 BMW Z4 2.2, 2005 BMW 330i and (borrowed) 2007 Porsche Cayman

[SiC]

12 hours ago, IronStar said:

Yeah, this looks like a knockoff of mr12volt system. It’s Linux under the hood with the proper one, not Android. Really nice and properly instantaneous, unlike Android units that take ages to boot.

Only complaint is it’s wrong aspect ratio for Carplay so it looks stretched, but that’s really minor and is fully usable and looking right. Oh and cabling, at least on e92, was TIGHT but we made it in the end.

The ones I listed have been around longer than mr12volt units. I think the older mr12volt units started out as above but with time they've improved them. One nice thing about the Mr12volt units is that they put their audio over the MOST fibre optic system (emulate as a cd changer). The cheaper units just plug into the aux connection of the original iDrive system. While it works, you've got a DAC and amplifier on the box to go through and they aren't supposed to be the best quality. Where as the Mr12volt can use the cars existing DAC and is much better quality.

However they are also twice the price! Maybe I'll plunk out for the more expensive one and why I've kinda held off buying just yet. 

[SiC]

4 minutes ago, JakeT said:

Nice stuff. You’d probably know by now if the oil filter cap was broken. I don’t know why it happens, as the centre cage is installed quite well. Mines never shown signs of coming off snd I’ve done the oil 8 or 9 times now.

The CarPlay/android auto boxes are cool. BMW apps still works on mine, but when they stop I’ll be getting one.

 

I did look at what it'd take to go CIC like yours, but the cost is going to be much more than those boxes. But then the CIC I don't think does Carplay/android auto? So I'd need one of those boxes anyway. Main thing for me is to have Google Maps on the centre screen so I don't have to fanny about with windscreen mounts. 

My wife and I have very different tastes in music. So usually the compromise is to not have anything on at all 😅

(Or something like Greatest Hits on the radio)

[JakeT]

You’re right, it’s a lot. My car was retrofitted before I bought it when the CCC unit died. Also if you want the unit to be more infotainment then a combox is needed. It gives a proper USB port, and Bluetooth streaming and the ability to read SMS messages on the screen. They’re also more expense and complexity in fitting. If I was doing it now, get a CarPlay box. Only issue is the low res screen, but it’s not the end of the world.

[SiC]

The 3-series being a dick again. 😔

Pulled out of here with quite a lot of angle to cross the road and floored it as busy.

Except it lost all power again. Usually it's for a second or two absolute maximum but this time it chugged chugged chugged itself along. I straightened up on the road and the hazards while it slowly pulled itself along. 

My foot was about three quarters down on the accelerator pedal but the engine sat at 800rpm thereabouts. Felt like it was missing but no engine light flashing. 

It was doing this for what felt like an eternity. I scanned my chances for where I could bail out and if I could get it back into the petrol station again. There was cars backing up so it wouldn't be easy. 

Massive bonus is behind the petrol station is a BMW indie specialists. So kinda the perfect place to breakdown.

Then as quickly as it lost power, it came all back at once. My floored (but not quite kickdown) accelerator pedal gave me all the power and we shot off like a scolded rat.

Absolutely fine again after that. These scenarios is when you really need it to give you the power right now and not fanny about. Doesn't help confidence in a car.

Feels like it's missing and why I've bought the coils. However I don't think it's actually them. The one commonality is if you take a sharp turn from slow speed and accelerate hard. I don't think it's the traction control as I'd expect some sort of flashing ESP light - which it normally does in such scenarios.

I really don't know what the issue is. No codes are stored. Given it's sharp turns, I can't but help think it's fluid related somehow. Maybe Vanos solenoids getting starved of oil from screens being partially blocked? The transmission service that was supposedly done last year maybe didn't have the fluid levels set correctly? Valvetronic eccentric cam sensor failed, full of oil that goes into the wrong part and causing incorrect readings?

 

In other news, a garage find.

I have become the temporary custodian of this for a while, with the view of acquiring it in the future.

One owner from new and 64k or so on the clock. 2.7 but 6spd gearbox option was ticked. Very few miles in recent years as my parents have had building work and blocked it in. Plus my mum's lost a bit of confidence driving recently with eyesight troubles and such (getting old! 😬). 

She always intended to replace it with a newer model but every time ended up having other stuff more important (like moving house, paying for my sisters+me to go through uni, etc) and so never got around to it. Also while newer ones are new and shiny, didn't really bring much more than what she had in this. I've had my eye on it for years and actually hopefully to had it sooner (why I sold my MGB GT earlier this year). However she intended to keep it a bit longer. 

Anyway the plan is to use it a bit and get some miles back into it. I think I've done as many miles driving it home as was driven last year. My mum was worried that it hadn't had its annual oil change yet this year. However Porsche I think only require bi-annual services and the oil in this sump has done less than 100 miles since it was changed last year... Tbh given it a good run first and then an oil change when I give it back, will probably be the best timing for it.

It feels very special to be sat in and drive. Handles tight as a drum. Power doesn't feel very punchy and I remember this last time I drove it back to back with my Boxster (also a 2.7 but older and less power). My suspicion/hope is simply that it needs a good few fresh tanks of fuel running through it and a good run.

I'm looking back at Z4 coupé again. Would be awesome to have the pair on the drive together given they were direct competitors at the time. Both I can see be big money cars in a decade or twos time.

[Cookiesouwest]

And its in the very best colour

 

[Dan29]

Very nice - I loved my 2.7 Boxster. I also enjoyed a visit to Clevedon this week - first time since I was a kid in the 80s 🙂

[Split_Pin]

I'd get that e90 hunted and focus on that lovely Cayman.

But you were already thinking that anyway 😉

[dome]

I costed up doing my e60 530d transmission service and in the end farmed it out to a tame mechanic. The thought of trying to do it without a ramp, especially when it comes to the refill and getting the level right, put me off. I now have a ramp but no e60

[SiC]

Life's been busy but some moderns automotive updates.

Firstly the Cayman is fantastic and feels so special. I have forgotten how great it is to drive a top notch pampered car that has had everything sorted, always garaged, lowish miles, single owner that hasn't made the car stinky.

I even jizzed over it washed and hoovered it. (It really needed it)

However I have had to get used to parking it in the middle of absolutely nowhere to make sure no prick dents the doors.

Or parking next to fellow Porsche bros. This cars brake discs probably are as much as the Cayman is worth now.

Also parked there was this nice Bristol.

Also on the way over I spotted this old slightly shonky Merc doing daily driver duty for someone. Those black and white plates really suit it I think.

Finally to bring things back to earth, I spotted this impressive heap literally zip tied together.

 

What else has happened? Well I replaced the front pads and discs on the Civic. Not very exciting tbh and easy enough job apart from one retaining screw had  to be drilled out (soft as butter they are). Probably should outsource this sort of stuff to a garage as I cba to do this usually. However it's better to be outside doing something constructive than watching some wank on TV in an evening. 

I put APEC Red discs on this. Really impressed with the quality feel of the parts. Hopefully they'll last as long as what was on there. We've had this 2.75 years and put on 35k in that time. The stuff that came off was genuine Honda parts, so definitely I've not had them done as I wouldn't have paid out for that. Previous 2 owners both kept it as Honda main dealer serviced up at the same Conwy garage.

Still had 4mm pad on them so probably could have lasted a bit longer. However I rather did this job when it wasn't below zero and/or raining which it will be soon.

I forgot to take a finished photo on the left side, so have one on the right....

Again nothing exciting about this. Apart from these Aldi screw removers actually finally was useful for once in removing the drilled out screw remains.

 

Even less exciting is that I put four new tyres on it. Goodyear All-Seasons as on offer and cheaper than the Michelin CrossClimates I was going to get. Fronts lasted 26k. Rears at least 35k and going by the date code, probably over 50k miles. 

So spent nearly £500 all in on the Civic this month. Still need to do the rear pads and discs but I think they can wait a bit longer. By far the biggest bill it's had in our ownership apart from insurance. In that 2.75yrs/35k it's had 2 tyres, 3 oil change services, plugs, air filter and a single coil pack. I'd say that's really good going but then it's a Honda that's "only" done 112k.

 

Onto 3 series news, I finally bought a set of NGK plugs to go with the new coil packs I bought. It's far more of a faff to work on than the Civic. Stupid shelf above the engine needs removing and obligatory beauty cover over the engine too. Managed to loose two of the bolts holding that cover on in the process. Left it off for now as I don't care for it being there.

Old coils are all mismatched. 3 are original (back bank) and 3 were all different (front bank). This is why I changed them to keep them all the same. The far right coil (coil 6 on the engine) had lost some of its rubber protective coating too. I won't throw these coils and keep them as backup spares.

Plugs weren't awful but these have only done 10k miles if the service indicator on the dashboard is to be believed. Some scorched marks on the insulation. Denso branded.

I actually torqued up the new plugs as these early N52 engines have a magnesium block and I really didn't want to damage anything. I'm not being paid per job or hour so the extra time to do it doesn't bother me. 23nm +/- 3nm is the spec apparently. You can see that the access isn't exactly amazing even with the covers all off. Certainly not like the Civic.

Also checked the eccentric shaft sensor connector that is used for the Valvetronic system to vary valve lift and what acts as a throttle. These fail internally and get oil from the engine into them up through the connector. I cleaned off a small amount of oil about 1k miles ago and its stayed bone dry since then. This is good as I don't really want to change this sensor. Like a hundred quid plus replacement rocker cover gaskets as the top has to come off.

I also removed the oil filter cap in the expectation of replacing it from the centre basket being missing. Apparently these usually get lost on an oil change and cause unfiltered oil to circulate around the engine. Just turns out mine is absolutely fine so I put the new one back in the box again for now...

Started it up and ran absolutely fine. Well almost, it still had the slight rough running for a bit that it occasionally does and a reason why I changed those coils and plugs in the first place. Along with not needing to do the filter cap, I basically spent an hour or so not fixing a single thing on it but spending money on parts.

Go me.

 

In Z4 news that's still in storage. It'll come back out at the end of the month when I'll put the Cayman into storage and out of the approaching gritted roads. One of our new starter grads is looking to get a new car. He really wants a E46 330ci or a MX5 MK3. I convinced him that a Z4 makes far more sense than the MX5. I love MX5s but the Zed is cheaper, quicker, nicer interior and better spec while being much cheaper to buy. Being over a decade and half older than him, I completely forget that insurance is a bugger at that age. So the Z4 is probably going to be cheaper than the E46 to insure too. 

I've offered to lend it to him for the weekend to give him a good idea if he likes them or not. So might be disappearing off soon. I don't intend to sell it yet though (despite his interest) as I kinda like it and wouldn't get another fully sorted on for what it owes me. That said there is always something that catches my eye to change to. (Maybe MG TF? But slower and less refined than my Z4)

[SiC]

Currently sat in BMW waiting for my airbag recall to be done. They're going to do a free "health check" so we'll see what they find on a 20yr old BMW  🤣 (probably oil leaks)

I know the wheel arch access cover for the drivers headlight is missing, so they might find that if they're looking properly.

[SiC]

Health check video

 

 

I don't think it's too bad considering it's age, miles and just being worked as a car. That wheel arch liner definitely wasn't pulled out like that when I bought it in though...
He says the rear arm has play (I mean it's done 155k miles...) but I'd like to have seen him go in and show actually that it has play. Can't helping think it's perfectly fine with no play but easy sell.

Condensed report - full report is just a list of everything they looked at. Basically nothing wrong apart from needing a brake fluid change ... due in a years time but could have it done now.

[cort16]

That's quite re-assuring. I always get intimidated in the BMW dealer as their coffee machine usually looks more expensive than my car. 

[cobblers]

2 hours ago, SiC said:

Currently sat in BMW waiting for my airbag recall to be done. They're going to do a free "health check" so we'll see what they find on a 20yr old BMW  🤣 (probably oil leaks)

I know the wheel arch access cover for the drivers headlight is missing, so they might find that if they're looking properly.

I thought that was Cliff Richard for a second

[SiC]

24 minutes ago, cort16 said:

That's quite re-assuring. I always get intimidated in the BMW dealer as their coffee machine usually looks more expensive than my car. 

Dick Lovett just had a Nespresso machine. Which is probably about all my car is worth.

I did get a bit stressed when they said they were going to do a health check as I didn't really wanted to be held to ransom/argue for a non issue that they made out to be. At least its better than my colleagues turd bad buy X5 he took in for an airbag recall. It had an oil leak so bad that they had to put a tray down on the floor in their shiny clean workshop  🤣

[SiC]

Bonnet strut replacement? I didn't even know that was a thing. Presumably something on moderns to do with pedestrian crash protection.

 

[MorrisItalSLX]

Probably to prevent the bonnet falling on the service technician’s head.

[SiC]

Probably to prevent the bonnet falling on the service technician’s head.

Nope. Just speaking to my mate who had his done on his X5 at a (German) dealer. They expire after 5 years and are supposed to be replaced after then. They're part of the active pedestrian impact system. Googling confirms that this is a thing on modern BMWs.

No idea why they only last 5yrs when airbags last for the life of the vehicle.

So basically the bonnet struts are a service item on a BMW. Nothing new there except it's on the service sheet now!

[Cookiesouwest]

90 quid for brake fluid change is not that bad for a main dealer.

[cort16]

2 minutes ago, Cookiesouwest said:

90 quid for brake fluid change is not that bad for a main dealer.

I wonder if they bleed it through or just suck out what's there in the reservoir and top it back up?

I think those health checks are a mixed blessing. They do inform the customer of any issues but they tend to highlight stuff that's not all that relevant on older stuff.

I watch a youtube channel with a mercedes specialists and they're pointing out 5 grands worth of work on a 3 grand and it can be difficult to tell what actually really needs done. . I guess a lot of it is arse covering so when the engine does fall out they can say they highlighted it to you. 

[SiC]

1 hour ago, Cookiesouwest said:

90 quid for brake fluid change is not that bad for a main dealer.

That maybe but I think the iDrive is programmed for 2yr intervals so it was only done last year and really does not need doing again already! Easy job for them. Lob up on the ramp, attach pressure bleeder, go around each caliper and crack the nipples.

[SiC]

1 hour ago, cort16 said:

 

I think those health checks are a mixed blessing. They do inform the customer of any issues but they tend to highlight stuff that's not all that relevant on older stuff.

These health checks are "free" as they exist solely for the dealer to make money. Same with the fast fit garages doing free checks you can redeem. If someone is actively going into a garage for a "free" check then either they suspect something is wrong or that they want to make really sure everything is okay. Easy pickings for a garage/dealer to make money from.

Also the technicians get commission (at least that what I got told by a warranty claimer who worked in dick lovett and bought my wife's mx5) for jobs they find and are done. So they are effectively trying to find anything they can to get some work and more money. 

I guess for example a £3k on a newish/older car still going through a dealer network, many owners will go "Oh dear that's a lot! I'll pay it this time but I think now I'll start considering this/next year to upgrade it to something newer if it's going to cost me money". What I also didn't say is that I had a couple of emails from sales advisors before my visit asking if I wanted to speak to someone when I'm there to "upgrade" my car. I didn't respond as I didn't want to be a dick and say how shit modern BMWs look (TBF he's probably heard it already).

 

[wuvvum]

9 minutes ago, SiC said:

That maybe but I think the iDrive is programmed for 2yr intervals so it was only done last year and really does not need doing again already! Easy job for them. Lob up on the ramp, attach pressure bleeder, go around each caliper and crack the nipples.

Although presumably on a more modern BMW the new brake fluid would need coding into the car using ISTA.

[SiC]

Although presumably on a more modern BMW the new brake fluid would need coding into the car using ISTA.

In all seriousness, I think it needs resetting with a dealer tool yeah. More modern BMWs iDrive keep a log with what was done, when and where. Hence the need for a plug in tool to update it with the garage name, etc.

The issue is that if it's not also logged online into BMWs central system (like many independent garages wouldn't do), a BMW dealer tool replaces it with just what's online. So your FSH mostly at an independent garage suddenly gets wiped to no service history (unless you have the receipts).

[cort16]

13 minutes ago, SiC said:

These health checks are "free" as they exist solely for the dealer to make money. Same with the fast fit garages doing free checks you can redeem. If someone is actively going into a garage for a "free" check then either they suspect something is wrong or that they want to make really sure everything is okay. Easy pickings for a garage/dealer to make money from.

Also the technicians get commission (at least that what I got told by a warranty claimer who worked in dick lovett and bought my wife's mx5) for jobs they find and are done. So they are effectively trying to find anything they can to get some work and more money. 

I guess for example a £3k on a newish/older car still going through a dealer network, many owners will go "Oh dear that's a lot! I'll pay it this time but I think now I'll start considering this/next year to upgrade it to something newer if it's going to cost me money". What I also didn't say is that I had a couple of emails from sales advisors before my visit asking if I wanted to speak to someone when I'm there to "upgrade" my car. I didn't respond as I didn't want to be a dick and say how shit modern BMWs look (TBF he's probably heard it already).

 

It's win win for the dealer other than the half an hour the spend doing it. They potentially upsell work and have an almost PDI type audit of the vehicles condition when it came into the dealer. 

The only one that feels bad is the customer when it's pointed out what shit heap their car is.

 

[New POD]

10 minutes ago, cort16 said:

It's win win for the dealer other than the half an hour the spend doing it. They potentially upsell work and have an almost PDI type audit of the vehicles condition when it came into the dealer. 

The only one that feels bad is the customer when it's pointed out what shit heap their car is.

 

I've been helping out our Warranty department in our factory with data integrity.  The problem that we have is that once out of warranty, we don't know what happens to the truck.  Roll on the connected truck so we can collect whole life data. 

[Cavcraft]

That Porsche is class. What's the Bobby Moore with the 2.7 unit, are they thought to be decent? Did a little reading up on the 3.4 (I think) a while back, then fretted about bore scopes and all that caper, so sacked the idea off. It's an itch that'll have to be scratched one day though.

[SiC]

1 hour ago, Cavcraft said:

That Porsche is class. What's the Bobby Moore with the 2.7 unit, are they thought to be decent? Did a little reading up on the 3.4 (I think) a while back, then fretted about bore scopes and all that caper, so sacked the idea off. It's an itch that'll have to be scratched one day though.

Everyone wants the S with the 3.4 engine. It's the fastest and if buying a fast car then get the bestest. Right?

The 2.7 is not as quick. However it still has 250bhp so not exactly a slouch. Big disadvantage with the 2.7 is that they usually come with a 5 speed box. This has a 6 speed because if my mum wasn't allowed to get an S (my dad moaned about how much more expensive it was) then at least she wants the 6 speed box option and so ticked it.

It's generally said the smaller Porsche 6cyl engines are the most durable. Some say that it's simply because they're not bored out as much. Others say the owners of smaller engined versions are less likely to hammer them ...

IMS bearings almost never give issues on this age 2.7. That's good as they're not replaceable without a complete rebuild like earlier engines!

 

Yes any Porsche is not cheap to run and can be a liability but fuck it, YOLO. 

 

 

Oh and this age is £70pcm tax. Facelift (annoyingly for my mum a few months after she received this) is lower tax. Expensive but at least by paying that you're driving a fast Porsche and not a Chevrolet/Daewoo Tacuma.

[Cavcraft]

1 hour ago, SiC said:

Everyone wants the S with the 3.4 engine. It's the fastest and if buying a fast car then get the bestest. Right?

The 2.7 is not as quick. However it still has 250bhp so not exactly a slouch. Big disadvantage with the 2.7 is that they usually come with a 5 speed box. This has a 6 speed because if my mum wasn't allowed to get an S (my dad moaned about how much more expensive it was) then at least she wants the 6 speed box option and so ticked it.

It's generally said the smaller Porsche 6cyl engines are the most durable. Some say that it's simply because they're not bored out as much. Others say the owners of smaller engined versions are less likely to hammer them ...

IMS bearings almost never give issues on this age 2.7. That's good as they're not replaceable without a complete rebuild like earlier engines!

 

Yes any Porsche is not cheap to run and can be a liability but fuck it, YOLO. 

 

 

Oh and this age is £70pcm tax. Facelift (annoyingly for my mum a few months after she received this) is lower tax. Expensive but at least by paying that you're driving a fast Porsche and not a Chevrolet/Daewoo Tacuma.

Cheers, the cost to run would just be on of those things, though the RFL is a bit salty. Thing is, comparing them to an 'average' car like Focus ST etc and the Porsche is always going to be the more attractive option, imho.

[SiC]

Cheers, the cost to run would just be on of those things, though the RFL is a bit salty. Thing is, comparing them to an 'average' car like Focus ST etc and the Porsche is always going to be the more attractive option, imho.

SORN it over salty Autumn/winter crappy weather will half yearly tax costs!

[SiC]

Not much of an update as I've just been doing life stuff.

Put 430 odd miles on the Cayman end of last week for a trip up near Blackburn to Mrs SiC cousins wedding. The bride and groom had a photo in front of it - feels a bit weird as just seems a older cheap Porsche to me. But it's bright yellow and still looks fancy. 

Driving along you get used to being in the car but don't get used to everyone looking at you - until you remember that you're in a BRIGHT YELLOW Porsche. Definitely looks a lot more champagne motoring than it is. 

Didn't take any pictures of the car, so have one of the cakes that my wife and mother-in-law baked and setup for the wedding.

Trip up on the M5/M6 got a respectable 34mpg - mostly motorway at 50-70mph speeds. No cruise control so my foot started to ache a few hours in. Also the speedometer over reads by only 0.5mph. So you're fully aware that there is no margin for error on motorway variable speed limits. Because of this I ended up just driving slower and cruising behind the wagons in restricted sections.

Back down we got stuck in an hour tailback near home which dropped the mpg further.

Still pretty decent. Albeit actually lower than what my Boxster could get to (peak was 40mpg). Same engine but less power (20bhp). That said I don't know if that was inaccurate - this was pretty much bang on based on fill ups. 

Back home now and gave it a quick wash.

And put it to bed for a while.

That yellow 850 T5R next to it I think is worth similar to/more than the Cayman now. Cool car but I know what I'd prefer to own.

With that away, I pulled this out.

Don't get me wrong, I love the Cayman and it's comparatively oodles better than this crock o' shite Z4. 

However it's reminded me how much I like driving older worthless cars. The Cayman feels special and a treat to drive. But I have to park it miles away from everyone else to stop scumbags smashing their doors into it and ruining it. Tight country lanes I need to yield well in advance and super careful that I don't catch the side to risk scratching it. Keep it clean with fresh sponges to keep it looking nice. Be aware that abusing it hard can easily lead to big bills. Etcetera etcetera.

Z4 I just hammer the shit out of it, bucket of water and sponge over it occasionally, park wherever I want and generally not have to give a damn. If I break it, it's reasonably simple to fix or worse case chuck away and get something else. So much less worry and stress. A welcome refreshing change. 

I'm just predisposed to and love old, worthless shite too much. I don't think I could ever spend five figures (excluding inflation!) on a car and daily it without getting pissed off, stressed and ultimately trigger enough anexity to not want to go places and do things as much as I do.