Jaxx's 3.0i Roadster : Audio Upgrade

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Jaxx_ZA
Joined: Tue 30 Oct, 2012 18:36
Posts: 23

  Z3 roadster 3.0i

Jaxx's 3.0i Roadster : Audio Upgrade

Post by Jaxx_ZA »

Hi,

Ive been lurking here for a while now... decided to contribute a little. So here is my Z3 blog....

Picked up my Silver 2002 Z3 3.0i roadster in Aug 2012, with 135k Kms, and in overall pretty good nick. Took it off the hands of a good friend, who upgraded to a SLK350 - he wanted something more modern.

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Overall, the car was in excellent nick - no accident damage or panel re-sprays. Car was pristine under the bonnet, and interior was relatively well cared for. Best of all, it was stock standard...

Nonetheless, there were some issues that I wanted to sort out at some point :
- Extended leather had shrunk across the cluster pod and passenger airbag cover, with the airbag cover looking the most unsightly
- Minor parking lot dents on the doors and front of the car
- ABS and DSC lights were intermittently ON
- Cracked fog lenses

Now while I would like to upgrade bits here and there, I dont want to veer too far from the OEM styling of the car. Being a later model, it already came equipped with all the major necessities (like the 17" style 42 wheels), so my [plan is more along the lines of OEM+ rather than major upgrades.

Part of the reason for posting here is to document the progress of the car. The thing is, Ive been working slowly on the car for a while, and have done some stuff to it that I will add in separate posts. It does mess with the chronological order of things, but I guess I must start somewhere.
Last edited by Jaxx_ZA on Fri 28 Jun, 2013 12:59, edited 2 times in total.
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Jaxx_ZA
Joined: Tue 30 Oct, 2012 18:36
Posts: 23

  Z3 roadster 3.0i

Re: Jaxx's 3.0i Roadster

Post by Jaxx_ZA »

So, probably the most urgent issue to tackle after getting the car was the leather shrinkage...
To add some perspective, this is what the dash looked like when I got the car :
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The airbag cover was an eyesore, and bugged me every time I drove the car - needed to do something about it.
The leather above the cluster pod and around the airbag cover had shrunk too, but it was not nearly as visible from the drivers seat, so it could wait.

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I decided to attempt a plastidip repair - Got 2 cans - black and clear - after reading a few suggestions on the forums.

Someone tried a repair previously on the lid using contact adhesive. With the years of exposure to the sun, the adhesive had baked into the lid, and was a b1tch to get off. First I tried acetone, then mentholated spirits - didn't really do the trick. Finally, had some turpentine lying around - decided to give it a go and it worked the best out of the three. After about 2 hours of scrubbing, finally had enough of the old adhesive off. I washed the lid with soap, and left it to dry overnight.

The next morning was time to spray - first I masked off, and cleaned once more with acetone.

I then proceeded to spray the following layers, allowing 30min in between each coat for drying:
- 3x very light coats of black
- 3x heavy coats of black (till wet)
- 2x very light coats of clear
- 2x heavy (till wet) coats of clear

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So after 4 hours of drying time, these were the results :
I kept the coats fine, and as a result the original text of the plastic remained - which is the result I was looking for.

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This is what is looked like once installed :

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Overall, very happy with the results.
I was a little concerned with the hardiness of the coating based on what Ive read online, but this result seems pretty solid. Its been around six months since I redid the cover, and the coating looks as good as it did back then. It will probably come off with a sharp instrument, but it is much stronger than expected. Infact, it is very difficult to peel the coating with my fingernail. I think the multiple light coats, with 30min drying in between has helped.
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Jaxx_ZA
Joined: Tue 30 Oct, 2012 18:36
Posts: 23

  Z3 roadster 3.0i

Re: Jaxx's 3.0i Roadster

Post by Jaxx_ZA »

Over the past weekend I collected one of Southerboy's bespoke arm rests (thanks again Barry :D !). I've been looking for a decent arm rest solution for ages, but couldn't really find an affordable option for RHD cars. The arm rest from Barry is a real value for money piece, and Im very happy with the purchase.

The next problem was sourcing the cup holder locally - seemed to cost an arm and a leg. So, I decided to try and fabricate an alternative out of wood (yes, wood :roll: ).

This is what I came up with :
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And it is intended to go here, with the arm rest attached to it :
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Next up was a coating of plastidip, to help it blend in. I applied it directly to un-primered wood, and as before applied about 8 or so very thin layers, allowing 30min in between for drying. This was the result :
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I must say that once again Im pretty impressed with the strength of the coating. It wouldnt peel with my fingernail, no matter how hard i tried.

This is with the arm rest attached :
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Once properly dry, I installed it directly into the car and these are the results:
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The mount was fixed without any drilling, or fasteners. The rubber coating provided enough grip to stop the mount moving too much. The ashtray was installed in such a way as to wedge the mount in place, so that it cant be pulled out unintentionally, and the result was firm installation that doesn't move or rattle when in motion.

Overall, Im very happy with the result 8-) . Its by no means perfect, but does not look out of place either.

In hindsight, probably should have spent a little more time sanding the wood and applied a filler to get it completely smooth, as Im not completely happy with the rough finish. The pics above was taken with flash, hence the discoloration. But I can assure you that the arm rest matches pretty well with the rest of the interior.
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Southernboy
Joined: Thu 07 Oct, 2010 12:39
Posts: 6436

  Z3 roadster 3.0i
Location: Johannesburg

Re: Jaxx's 3.0i Roadster

Post by Southernboy »

That's a very clever fitment vs cost of the OEM cupholder...Well done V. :D
"Normal is overrated"
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Z3 Upgrades and Additions
Jaxx_ZA
Joined: Tue 30 Oct, 2012 18:36
Posts: 23

  Z3 roadster 3.0i

Re: Jaxx's 3.0i Roadster

Post by Jaxx_ZA »

Southernboy wrote:That's a very clever fitment vs cost of the OEM cupholder...Well done V. :D
Thanks... happy with the outcome :)
And I finally have an arm rest.
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PCSAM
Joined: Sat 13 Aug, 2011 01:19
Posts: 1002

  blank
Location: Taynuilt

Re: Jaxx's 3.0i Roadster

Post by PCSAM »

car is looking great mate ..... the best 3.0i are all in silver :D
one thing I did notice you just have normal seats in your car not sport seats....... did all the cars made for S.A come with standard seats :shock:
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Jaxx_ZA
Joined: Tue 30 Oct, 2012 18:36
Posts: 23

  Z3 roadster 3.0i

Re: Jaxx's 3.0i Roadster

Post by Jaxx_ZA »

PCSAM wrote:car is looking great mate ..... the best 3.0i are all in silver :D
one thing I did notice you just have normal seats in your car not sport seats....... did all the cars made for S.A come with standard seats :shock:
Thanks.
Not really sure about the seats to be honest - I was under the impression that only the M's came with the sport seats.
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Jaxx_ZA
Joined: Tue 30 Oct, 2012 18:36
Posts: 23

  Z3 roadster 3.0i

Re: Jaxx's 3.0i Roadster

Post by Jaxx_ZA »

So another issue that bugged me was the bumper markers.
I have 2 chips on my right bumper marker (probably from someone trying to pry them out with a screwdriver), so it had to go.
Decided to go with a somewhat cheaper replacements, ordered off ebay - from the pics below its clearly not exactly like the original, but works nonetheless.

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The replacement is made of clear plastic, as opposed to the slight grey tint of the OEM. That, combined with a different refractor pattern makes the unit much brighter. Fitted, I think it looks more modern.

From the top view, you can see that the lense of replacement will fit completely flush against the bumper whereas the OEM lens protrudes out a little. I think I like the flush fit. (BTW, If anyone is considering filling in the bumper marker holes, a cheap alternative would be to buy a pair for these, get them color matched to the body and fit.)

In terms of quality, the finish looks good enough, though it feels much lighter that the OEM - possibly hinting at the strength of the plastic. The unit itself is a straight swap, however the shape of the metal spring differs from the OEM. As a result, it does not mount in the same manner as the OEM. It does mount securely enough with some 'massaging' of the springs - so no concerns about it coming loose later.

Fitted pics :

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The part ships with orange bulbs for some reason - my originals were white. I kinda like the orange look though, so Ive decided to keep em for a while.
Though not very clear from the pics, the new unit refracts the light better, causing the park light to appear brighter that the OEM.

Overall, I think its a worthy replacement for the price.
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('_')Z3
Joined: Sun 21 Mar, 2010 19:29
Posts: 555

  Z3 roadster 2.0
Location: Lymm

Re: Jaxx's 3.0i Roadster

Post by ('_')Z3 »

Jaxx_ZA wrote:
PCSAM wrote:car is looking great mate ..... the best 3.0i are all in silver :D
one thing I did notice you just have normal seats in your car not sport seats....... did all the cars made for S.A come with standard seats :shock:
Thanks.
Not really sure about the seats to be honest - I was under the impression that only the M's came with the sport seats.
Standard leather seats

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Sport seats

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///M seats

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Greeny
Joined: Thu 23 Dec, 2010 22:02
Posts: 9

  Z3 roadster 2.8
Location: Walsall

Re: Jaxx's 3.0i Roadster

Post by Greeny »

Car looks fantastic..........................Can you tell me the site you got the bumper light lenses from,need a new one after a missjudgement whilst entering the Garage :head:
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Captain
Joined: Thu 28 Jun, 2012 06:43
Posts: 520

  Z3 roadster 2.8
Location: Durban

Re: Jaxx's 3.0i Roadster

Post by Captain »

SA Cars were available with sport seats, we just never got any M Roadsters only the coupe's were available :(
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Jaxx_ZA
Joined: Tue 30 Oct, 2012 18:36
Posts: 23

  Z3 roadster 3.0i

Re: Jaxx's 3.0i Roadster

Post by Jaxx_ZA »

Greeny wrote:Car looks fantastic..........................Can you tell me the site you got the bumper light lenses from,need a new one after a missjudgement whilst entering the Garage :head:
Thanks. Got them off ebay, but Im not sure if they're still being sold :
http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/370759530814? ... 26_rdc%3D1
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Jaxx_ZA
Joined: Tue 30 Oct, 2012 18:36
Posts: 23

  Z3 roadster 3.0i

Re: Jaxx's 3.0i Roadster

Post by Jaxx_ZA »

Some Updates :

Finally got round to mounting my rear lip spoiler. Wasn't 100% sure when I first test fitted, but after final mounting I couldn't be happier :lol:
The lip enhances the look of the rear while still keeping the OEM look. Feel the rear looks more modern now...

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Next up was the stereo :
I love the look of the BMW Professional RDS HU and would loved to have kept it, but the 6 disc CD changer just didn't cut it anymore. I researched various options to add MP3 support, but in the end it was easier (and cheaper) to simply replace the HU.

After an exhaustive search for something along the lines of OEM, gave up on that idea too... only Becker seems to make OEM looking HU's, and they're outside my budget. I settled on the Pioner DEH-5450SD. The main draw card was the 256k color support and dot matrix LCD, but also felt the general styling (flat face, in black with silver highlights) blended in with my dash. Felt that the units with the rounder faces (when viewed in profile) don't blend so well with the flat dash of the Z3. This model supports SD in addition to USB, which is a bonus.

This was one of those decisions that took me a while to make, but now that its done Im glad I went this route, and would do so again.

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Finally, a PIC from our little BF run last weekend :

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Jaxx_ZA
Joined: Tue 30 Oct, 2012 18:36
Posts: 23

  Z3 roadster 3.0i

Re: Jaxx's 3.0i Roadster : Rear Spoiler and new HU

Post by Jaxx_ZA »

Right, so I just completed an audio upgrade on my Z3.
The following is the list of components :
- Hertz ESK 130 5.25" Splits
- JBL GTO-804EZ (2x80W, 1 x200W RMS)
- Ground Zero GZNW 6.5 (250W, 6.5")
- Pioneer DEH-5450SD

Going off the driver spec sheet, I built a sealed enclosure to fit between the seats using 12mm MDF, and managed 4L of volume which was the min spec for the driver. The enclosure was sealed with silicon, and I also added polyester filling to the box - about 50% by volume.

This is what the completed box looked like :
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Box mounted:
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For the splits, I first lined the existing speaker locations with a dynamat alternative, and then fitted the speaker. This was necessary as the 5.25" mid-bass driver was a little smaller than the OEM location.

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Once installed, the speaker seemed 'airtight':
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The tweeters mounted pretty easily to the OEM door tweeter pod. Didnt know that that OEM hifi system was 3-way - would have went 3 way if I did. Had to leave the 2nd OEM tweeter disconnected.

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Modified the OEM amplifier mounting bracket to hold the crossovers and the new amplifier :
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Mounted in the trunk :
The trunk lining has not been replaced in this pic, but the amp is situated in the location of the OEM CD Changer.
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In terms of cabling, I did the following :
- 2x RCA pairs from head unit (for separate sub-woofer line in)
- New power and GND to amplifier
- new cable between amp and subwoofer

However, for everything else, I tapped into the existing harness. This is why the crossovers were located in the trunk - the OEM harness had speaker pairs running from trunk to each pair of the splits.

Now, Ive been tuning the system for the past two weeks, and while the there is a vast improvement over the OEM audio, Im not 100% satisfied.

Probably my biggest concern is that im not getting the lower frequencies. The driver is rated down to 45Hz, but I suspect the box is the problem in this scenario. Not sure if my expectations were a little too high...
To bring some perspective, the OEM system in the Mk6 GTI has more powerful lower frequencies than Im achieving here. Mid-bass however seems more powerful in this setup.

Anyone care to comment on the above ?
I suspect its the small driver combined with the small enclosure that is the cause - but wouldn't mind some advice here.

Will stick with it for a while, but will look into a passenger footwell mounted sub at some point in the future.

Thanks for looking.
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Jaxx_ZA
Joined: Tue 30 Oct, 2012 18:36
Posts: 23

  Z3 roadster 3.0i

Re: Jaxx's 3.0i Roadster : Audio Upgrade

Post by Jaxx_ZA »

Took some better quality pics over the weekend of the final result:

I've also had some time to fine tune the new audio system, and I'd like to update my impressions.
I think my initial expectations were too high for such a little enclosure, and I am now happy with the improvement I've achieved.
The OEM hifi system was not very audible with the top down at 120km/h - this has been resolved. Further, the bass is tight and can be heard and felt under these conditions. This is a big improvement.

I'm happy with the system the way it is, and am not planning any further changes.

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