Has anyone ever experienced a problem with engine "judder" (as though it is starved of fuel) when accelerating in 1st and 2nd gears?
Have noticed this intermittent problem since getting the car (1999 2.0 litre Z3) a month ago and have finally satisfied myself that it is not driver error.
I have arranged for it to go back to the dealer later this week to be checked out. Why not? That's what I overpaid for right?
In the meantime just wondered if anyone had any experience or knowledge with respect to this type of problem? It just might help when the dealer tells me the car is actually in perfect order and I am clearly unqualified to drive such a magnificent machine.
Just a shot in the dark, but it could possibly be water sitting in the plug holes in the top of the cylinder head.
If you have recently bought the vehicle and the engine compartment and engine has been steam cleaned, then water will lie here and short out the coils on the top of the plugs as the spark tracks down the ceramic spark plug rings.
Remove plastic cover and look down the side of the plugs.
If you see any water or dampness at all, this will be the problem.
Push it hard in first and about half way up the revs it kicks back like a kangaroo hop!
Most disconcerting, and it really looks and feels like you're a crap driver with abysmal clutch control! (No comments Spokey!)
In second however, it's smooth as silk right the way round the dial.
Only way to prevent this bumpy take off is to push the hammer right to the floor and balance that with a bit of clutch slip. Not good practice.
Yes thats sounds just like it I'm afraid. The only difference being it caused me problems in 1st and 2nd but was fine in 3rd and above. (Perhaps due to our differing engine sizes?)
I guess I knew there was something wrong when my wife had the same problem. She's a good driver even if I'm not.
I did find myself trying to drive around the fault before deciding to take it back to be looked at.
Very sorry to hear you may also be afflicted! Here's hoping you also have some sort of warranty coverage?!
I will let you know how she is running (following the op) after picking her up later.
...most likely they mean the spark plug had broken. They usually go at the ceramic part, crack and snap off.
Swapping one spark plug is pretty straightforward if that's all it is. 1/2hr job, and that's only if it's the last one you look at.
...most likely they mean the spark plug had broken. They usually go at the ceramic part, crack and snap off.
Swapping one spark plug is pretty straightforward if that's all it is. 1/2hr job, and that's only if it's the last one you look at.
Maybe? As you can probably tell I am not technically minded.
However he definitely gave me the impression that they had replaced a part "one of the sockets in which the plugs sit" and "...also changed the spark plugs".
Having said that any work they did certainly didn't take very long!
Here's hoping you also have some sort of warranty coverage?! 
