Another one coming back!!

[helmik]

Crikey, theres a few returning to the Z3 fold, me included. I was on the boards about 5 years ago when we had a W reg 2.0 in Mora. We have just replaced our Renault Megane CC with another Z as the wife wanted one again, She loved the last one and to be honest i am not sure why we got rid of it!!!

So, we have bought a Sapphire black 2.2 on an 02 plate, 44k miles is all thats on it. Got a couple of jobs to do, wheels are in serious need of a refurb and they are BMW split rim type, anyone got a recommendation for someone ion Coventry/Nuneaton/Hinckley or Midlands who is good for this?? Needs the bulbs behind the heater controls replaced, anyone know what the bulbs are, ive looked in the kb but although theres a how to it doesnt say which ones i need??

Right, off to wash it,

Cheers

Mick & Helen.

[Southernboy]

Hi Mike, welcome - back!!. The light bulbs you need ( 2 off) are part # 61138353797 Fitting them is a mission. Best is to remove the radio, slightly undo the 2 small screws L & R at the very top of the control unit, unclip the two central clips at top of control unit and push inwards rotating the 2 "feet" which engage at the bottom of the control unit. You an then pry them out with a long nose pliers...I used a bent nose pliers. Getting the new ones in is as tricky, but they will go in with a little persuasion. Connect the wires to the bulb/socket before you push in the new fitting. It comes complete as a bulb/socket, not just a bulb. Log on to RealOem.com enter your Vin # and then go to "Browse Parts" and "airconditioning"...you will see a diagram of the bulb....

[helmik]

Youre a star, thanks for the pointers and numbers, much appreciated.

Mick.

[Southernboy]

You're welcome (with readerss on now...) Mick...

[helmik]

That site is brilliant, i dont remember it being around last time we had a Z. In favourites now and will be looked at a lot!!

Cheers

Mick

[Southernboy]

Here's another useful site....BMW TIS Online Repair Manuals.
To find Z3...Look under 3 series, then scroll down to Z3, click on it, then select the subject you want to know about.........etc etc...

[helmik]

Thats my evening sorted!! Thanks very much as i was being forced to watch the opening ceremony of the Paralympics, no interest at all from me so i can go play with things BMW instead.
Bulbs ordered by the way, thanks for the info, still trying to find someone local to sort the wheels.

Mick

[Southernboy]

By tomorrow you should have at least a dozen suggestions if I know the guys on this forum...

[helmik]

I seem to remember that used to happen with our last one, off to indulge my other passion, http://advrider.com/forums/forumdisplay.php?f=2

Mick

[Southernboy]

mmmmm......nice optional interest there!!
If you click on "Forum" and then go to "Beauty Parlour" and search "wheel refurb" you will see what others have had done and where...might help with some directions / references...

[helmik]

Just got in from work, thanks for the pointer, off for a look.

Youre not into bikes then?? I do more miles on a bike than in a car, and i have visited more countries on a bike than in a car too. I have been planning a round the world trip for the last year, cant afford it but hopefully one day i will be able to do it.
Mick

[Southernboy]

I used to ride bikes from my school days on a Yamaha 125 Electric up until about 10 years ago when I last had a BMW 850. I've been taken out so many times that eventually I reckoned a Z3 would still allow the open air feel without the high risk.
Occaisionally I take a ride on a mate's bike, he has a 600 thumper which is great fun in the bush on the footpaths and animal tracks. These days, it's enough to pack a bag, drop the top and head out of town...the roads here are fairly good, and the traffic cops are few....and that really makes for fun motoring!!
Good luck with the weekend chores on the Z...I'm sure you and your lady are enjoying it already. (Pity about the wet summer...and the crap English cricket.. ).

[g8jka]

Got a couple of jobs to do, wheels are in serious need of a refurb and they are BMW split rim type, anyone got a recommendation for someone ion Coventry/Nuneaton/Hinckley or Midlands who is good for this??

Have you tried A1 wheels in Bilston, Wolverhampton, I've heard some good reports from these. Also there is The Wheel Specialist in Birmingham.

[EnthuZiaZT]

Hi Helen & Mick
Great to hear you are back in the fold again! Shame you missed Silverstone, just wondered if you might recognise the car in the pic. They were alongside us beside on the starting grid.

Including us, there were four Moras on that day, the most we ever seen together



It was an amazing day, which hopefully will be repeated next year!

[Robert T]

just wondered if you might recognise the car in the pic. They were alongside us beside on the starting grid.

That particular Mora belongs to Bex (aka calbens). She's a long standing member on here, though she posts more on FB than here these days.

Cheers R.

[EnthuZiaZT]

We did meet one of the couples with a Mora that day, Robert, but didn't think it was Calbens, because we thought they had a red roof! and waved to ClaireX, another of the Mora Owners.
Now in retrospect, We think we can remember a thread a while ago, where they swapped soft tops with someone who had an Imola Red Zed! Are we right and not imagined it!
Mike & Sandy

[Brian H]

We think we can remember a thread a while ago, where they swapped soft tops with someone who had an Imola Red Zed! Are we right and not imagined it!
Mike & Sandy

You were not imagining it at all.

Mulicoloured Swap Top

[helmik]

Found out some old pics of our Mora one, i will figure how to post pics in case the current owner is on here. Also done some quick pics of the new one so i must learn how to post. Had a busy 2 days as my eldest son, girlfriend and kids have moved back to the town so guess who got to drive the van!!

Bulbs arrived this morning so once the van was empty and returned i fitted them, took about 30 minutes but i removed the passenger side panel and accessed them from there after i took the radio out and couldnt get anything else to move!!
Also had 2 rear tyres fitted on Friday morning, bought them from Camskills and a local place put them on. I went for Maxxis as i have used them on bike in the past and i have a set of 4 on my Nissan. they are MA-Z1's, nice profile and seem quite grippy. Big wide buggers through, £150 plus fitting, is that good??
Just the wheels left to sort, thanks for the 2 suggestions, i will contact them on Monday. Found a place in Birmingham who recommends shot blasting and painting instead of polished rims and looking at the way to look after polished i think i may go the painted route.
Wont get to do much tomorrow but i am hoping for a rain free day to polish the paintwork up.

Thanks for everything guys, all appreciated, photos hopefully very soon.

Mick.

[EnthuZiaZT]

We think we can remember a thread a while ago, where they swapped soft tops with someone who had an Imola Red Zed! Are we right and not imagined it!
Mike & Sandy

You were not imagining it at all.

Mulicoloured Swap Top

Still a great read after all this time and looking at the pics, I think it may have been Bex and her partner we spoke to at Silverstone, just after the 'Hell for Leather Lap', whilst trying to boil the kettle for the crew for the hundredth time!!
Mike & Sandy

[g8jka]

I went for Maxxis as i have used them on bike in the past and i have a set of 4 on my Nissan. they are MA-Z1's, nice profile and seem quite grippy. Big wide buggers through, £150 plus fitting, is that good??

What are the sizes you have gone for?

I went for Maxxis MA-Z1's this time instead of the falkens that were on. Rears were 255-35-18 and cost 240 for 2 fitted and balanced and just this week I have had the fronts replaced which are 225-40-18 for 170 again fully fitted and balanced. I'm pretty impressed with them, slightly cheaper than Falken 452's and so far I have found them to be just as good and they have a nice tread pattern to look at

[helmik]

17"'s on mine. 245 40 17 on the back. The fronts are, hmmm, not sure now. When they need changing i will put Maxxis on again though. Total for the backs was £150 delivered for the tyres, fitting would cost about £10 each but i do some part time at the tyre place so i get it for free, in my own time though, and i balanced them myself. Took some effort to balancer them, had to clean the wheels a bit first to get it spot on.
The tyres themselves are great. I have spun the rears but only when i wanted to. As you say cheaper than Falkens which i was going to go for and as i have used Maxxis before i was happy to get them again.

Mick.