zroadster.net

Chrislong

Hi Guys, Ok so I sold the Z3 a while ago, but I keep coming back to have a read in here. I have come accross this in my storage of parts for my Mini, didn't sell it with the Z3 so its on Ebay. Its in mint condition. http://cgi.ebay.co.uk/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&rd=1&item=220156157174&s...

Chrislong

Hello and welcome aboard, you don't have to be mad to visit here but it helps.

Hope the diagnosis via the forum was correct and your Zed comes home fit and healthy.

Chrislong

Hmmm, thats bizarre. No.

Chrislong

Thanks Rob, it all sounds good. :) We have a hoist in one of my dads garages, but there is a custom made frame to lift the hardtop off my dads Stag with counter weights to lift it. Very fancy. if i can persuade dad to sell the Stag.. ;) Any suggestions on where to get the fitting kit at a cheap pric...

Chrislong

Thank you.

Okay, my first task is to find a fitting kit (cheap!) and prepare for ebay purchase of hard top eventually.

Chrislong

Summer is here and im looking forward to many miles of roof down action. But I want to plan ahead for winter, and would love to have a hard top by then. Is a fitting kit essential? Why? What parts are included? Where can I find a cheap fitting kit? Can I physically fit a hard top with just brackets ...

Chrislong

I find the lighting from my pre-facelift Z3 very good, but I have been used to years of Mini's which have the lighting power as a miners lamp run on Cola.. I dislike the sidelight arrangement of the facelifts though, if I was a facelift owner id have to mod the lights like I have seen on here. So gu...

Chrislong

Hi mate,
Those gains are at peak revs, which ofcause you don't reach on normal driving. At normal driving revs (4000rpm ish) the power increase is more significant.

Chris

Chrislong

I'll sellotape myself to my seat, go on, tell us, is it totally unfeasable?

Chrislong

A direct copy+paste from the email I received, includes my original question too: At 21:48 26/03/2007, you wrote: Title: Mr Name: Chris Long Company: Email: chrislong.uk@googlemail.com Tel: Country (125=UK): 125 Town: Bury Vehicle Make: BMW Vehicle Model: Z3 1.9 16v Engine Size: 1.9 Year Of Manufact...

Chrislong

i have a neighbour with a new Audi A4 convertible, he doesn't even know how to put the hood down! I can't recall the last Audi I saw with the hood down either, and I think the TT cabrio is the only cabrio which looks worse with hood down.

Chrislong

Ooooh, now then, that would be quite something... If we could include in this Zed 1, 3, 4 and 8's, then get a list to register interest... I would be certainly very keen to participate, I hope others would be too! Dan, if you don't mind ringing Oulton Park and finiding out just how many car's we'd n...

Chrislong

Hi, The tubular downpipe is the first section of exhaust from the head down to the Cat I beleive. The standard items are restrictive (some more than others) and the tubular one is quite unrestricted internally, and the bore will be optimum for performance. I have a habit of calling the downpipe, the...

Chrislong

Thanks for the replies guys - Chris what did you pay for your remap and what gains did you get? I've been quoted £180 with around a 13 BHP gain. Thanks Hi. My M44 engine cost me £150 to do (mates rates though), and I was quoted the BHP would increase from 140 to 160 which I am a bit optimistic abou...

Chrislong

A cheap racing series would be ideal! I was considering the Mighty Mini series when I was into Mini's, but not now, would need to look into it and see. Trackdays are all well and good to do once or twice, but they are none-competitive and everyone who knows me will know im ultra competitive so would...

Chrislong

After some browsing, and video watching, I am beginning to think this isn't for me since I do have a lot (too much?) respect for my Z3 to risk it atall. If I can get to go, and hire a car, I may like it and if thats the case - id like to buy a cheap car thats had its day, solid enough to track and g...

Chrislong

I had mine done, by a guy doing the chippedUK chips. He did look in my ECU, but it isn't a take out job, its a download of new maps via the ODB cable job... nice and easy.

Speak to them direct.

Makes a great difference!!!

Chris

Chrislong

What about insurance? Do I pay for additional cover, do I go un-insured?

Chrislong

For the sake of a set of pads, I'll upgrade before I go, and refresh the fluids too.

I'll know for sure later today what, which, when im going. So, yeh, be good to meet up with some more guys from here too. I'll bring camera!

Chrislong

I am hearing that Donnington is a better track for the first outing. It has better run offs and is less challenging than Oulton Park (so less chance of getting it wrong, and less damage done when we do). Plus it is considerably cheaper for a full day than Oulton. Choice I have is 4th May at Donningt...

Chrislong

Not only would it look bad but it would be an MOT fail aswell. Wheels/tyres must not project beyond the bodywork apparently. Jonty Ah, I must correct you. I built a wide-ass'd Mini a while back, with insanely wide alloys. They stuck out even with mahoosive arches, but the rule is that 3/4 of the ty...

Chrislong

I know TrickyB is local too, and im sure there are more who'd travel? It'd be good to see you guys there. Its a Tuesday so im hoping it isn't going to be hectic, and may attract the more sensible of people (and me too) The breifing in the morning swings me towards AM, if only doing half a day. I am ...

Chrislong

Thanks guys. I am looking forward to this already. My friend who is bringing his Nissan 200SX is recommending I only do half day, he reckons we'll go through too much fuel to do a full day. I am enthusiastic to do a full day really, but if I can beleive there is a good reason not to, don't mind half...

Chrislong

http://www.motorsportvision.co.uk/trackdays/event-details.asp?ProductID=3289 Check this link out. I am very tempted to take my Z3 round and pop my track cherry! Any advice? tips? or any reasons why I shouldn't? My car is pretty standard, except for chip, and the tyres are cheapo's on there last few ...

Chrislong

Hi Benoz,
Yes please, that would be fantastic.

Chrislong

Oh, is it safe to purchase replica's, or is the quality and durability poor?

Chris

Chrislong

It looks like a giant gas powered soldering iron.

Chrislong

i have a problem-my mates dad says car is booking about 6500-7000 in glass but i told guy at body shop i paid 5200 for it and now they (think) they know what i paid-can i still bargain or am i screwed? You can still bargain, don't loose confidence. Regardless of the amound paid, the insured value i...

Chrislong

I am really sorry for the bad news! All good advice so far. But defo do push til they squeek, since they do the same when charging premium renewals etc. Also, do communicate by post/email where possible - keep good records and a diary of communication logs. All may come in handy if a dispute happens...

Chrislong

Could be done easily cheaper, just go to a vinyl graphics shop and show them the application. That stuff is plyable with a little heat from a hairdrier.

BUT, tacky! don't do it!

Chris

Chrislong

I have been looking at 17" Alpina alloys for my Z3, look very nice, but there is no actually nitty gritty info on the wheel offset etc.. The tyre size I have been offered is 225/45/17.

I have plenty of time, I may just reshoe the existing hoofs when the time comes.

Chris

Chrislong

Its only cheap stuff, and just doing own car it'll last ages. But don't leave it on for any more than 24hrs or the risk of the tacky being left behind is greater.

Proper detailing stuff is blue, but the white 3m stuff for paint masking is identical, except white.

Chris

Chrislong

Hi Lee,
Autoglym bumper care is great for all plasics, thats what i use. Its hard to avoid turning them white isn't it? I know I mention masking, but I don't, I just use the bumper care after polishing.

Chrislong

You guys need to mask off your plastics! For washer jets, use a pin. I don't mean in the hole, but in the dipped area. Quite hard to shift. In shut lines, use the edge/corner of a rag and press it in, hard, and rub. Just got to be patient and work at it. Don't use anything that will scratch. Any stu...

Chrislong

Mmmmh, coffee.... I could do with some of that right now.... Im just in the middle of 'Renovo-ing' my hoooood... coffee break!

Chrislong

I didn't have an issue reading the website, looks a very good idea! If you have roll hoops, then the storage bin is not as wide and you need model 80. if you don't have roll hoops, then you have a very wide storage bin and you need model 65. The JL sub is a very very very good unit, and is pricey al...

Chrislong

Very true. The only ones I don't mind seeing, are the ones grafting like they should be.. off road. I hate car parks in general, I try my best to avoid them. I either walk to the supermarket from work at lunch break, or go so late that I can park and have a whole row to myself to park in. The budget...

Chrislong

I do my bit for the environment, methane is good right??

Chrislong

Wey-hey! We're the mugs, nobody forces you to take out a stupidly huge mortgage. :shock: Which is why, for me, although my mortgage advisor says I could afford a terrace in the 'burbs, the mortgage + bills would leave me with no social life... So I choose to live with parents, but at 27 its very fr...

Chrislong

This is something I need to do, so i am glad you say it is easy... gives me more motivation to do it!

Chrislong

Well, yes we have all had education, but for all the additional taxes taken since I left school - what has improved? Yes, we are all treated by hospitals, but if I walk in with a broken arm I am likely to wait 3-4 hours before getting seen and this isn't improving. If dieing of cancer, it depends on...

Chrislong

I have been thinking further... what the incompetent Gordon Brown has to say at the budget is actually quite secret as yet. Sooo, all this speculation which was created by the press, has it been done on purpose? I am thinking, if they scare us with rumours now and up it by £30 on Wednesday, we'll th...

Chrislong

Mine is just about to get to 59k, so I have done 6k miles since September when I bought it..

But I am likely to do more miles per month through the Summer. Not only will I have further to go racing, but I will want to go out with the top down for a drive, and go places the long way..

Chrislong

There is so much wrong with this hell-hole of a country.. How much tax is on petrol/diesel. How much tax is on wages. Yet we are also taxed on what we spend! How much road tax is on vehicles. How much poll/council tax is, and the re-banding ideas. Ideas of Congestion charges, Pay per miles. Yet, no ...

Chrislong

This sucks, big time.

I am prepared to take part in a full on blockage of fuel stations in protest. Nobody else is doing it, and I feel strongly enough to take part in something a little extreme.... and harmless to the public.

Chrislong

Looks very nice! Is it lower than the stock gearknob (sawn the shaft down?)? what is the weight like, and how does it feel?

Chrislong

That is actually a very good point. In my days of building mini's, I was always burning myself on my gearknob after leaving it parked up in direct sunlight all day. I always carry cloths around with me, so just one of those over it while parked up would make a big difference. You could always make a...

Chrislong

I recently worked on a Jag XJR with 20" wheels, similar kind of problem. Thing was with his, was that they were lacquered and the alloy had oxidised behind the lacquer, so nothing could be done about it - without taking them off, apart, and stripping the lacquer etc..

Are your lacquered?

Chrislong

Complex.
Luckily im a short @r$3, well, enough to not have an issue with the mirror with the seat at its lowest.

Chris

Chrislong

There was an old thread on this forum I found ages ago. SOmeone has fitted a smaller mirror, and located the centrol locking stuff under the trim at the top rail.

Worth a go?? But make sure to write up and photograph it...

zroadster.net

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Z3 Hood Tonneau cover

Considering a hard top before winter.

Any advice for a track day novice?