Green Z1 at ML (door problem help needed!)

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Racing Tortoise
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Green Z1 at ML (door problem help needed!)

Post by Racing Tortoise »

Clocked a smart green G-reg Z1 with Grassicks of Perth numberplates sitting in the showroom at Munich Legends on Saturday morning when I went down to pick up mine after its service, MoT and suspension overhaul. Was also awaiting collection after having a service/work done. Looked pretty tidy and totally standard. Anyone on here?

Apparently it was Z1 season down at ML - they'd seen three in the last week alone and had another out back in storage.
Last edited by Racing Tortoise on Mon 01 Jul, 2013 15:11, edited 1 time in total.
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tg184
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Re: Green Z1 at ML

Post by tg184 »

Not mine. But I live pretty near ML. If anyone visiting there wants to meet up for coffee or a bite of lunch, I know a very good pub a few miles away...
FOR: Balance
AGAINST: Yours will be in doubt at this price

- CAR Magazine's GBU summary of the Z1 in period
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Racing Tortoise
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Re: Green Z1 at ML

Post by Racing Tortoise »

The Griffin Inn in Fletching, by any chance? That's been my usual lunch destination on ML visits over the last 8 years! That and Trading Boundaries go some way to persuading the female element of the need to go to Sussex.
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Re: Green Z1 at ML

Post by tg184 »

Sshhh! Don't tell everyone! :wink:
FOR: Balance
AGAINST: Yours will be in doubt at this price

- CAR Magazine's GBU summary of the Z1 in period
BenZ1
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Re: Green Z1 at ML

Post by BenZ1 »

It was mine! By the way as new member of this forum I shall introduce myself! The name is Ben, living in London and happy owner of the aforementionned Z1 for now 2 years! Tidy car and absolutely standard but since this afternoon in need of some work on the driver's door that went down when opened the car of a leisurely Sunday afternoon drive but never went up again... I'll have few questions for the doors specialist of this forum!!!
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Re: Green Z1 at ML (door help needed!)

Post by Racing Tortoise »

Welcome! Can't help you on the door beyond altering the title of the thread, although others can, being as this is a mine of useful information...

My Z1 is back at ML. On the way back from picking it up, the brake pad warning light started flickering intermittently, something that hasn't happened before and is particularly irksome when you've just paid a rather vast servicing/parts bill barely an hour before. So, ML came and picked it from London and took it away again for diagnosis and cure. Ooff....
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Re: Green Z1 at ML (door problem help needed!)

Post by BenZ1 »

Thanks for the change in the title! :)

Hopefully someone will be able to help me for my door problem and it's not over complicated to fix, otherwise it will be back to ML for me too and I'm fearing the bill for this one!

Basically here is what happened! Yesterday after parking the car back in its comfy garage, I closed the driver's door last, as usual, after closing the roof. The door went up window went to the roof and then as I was locking the car, the door came back down 1or2cm. I was not overly worried at that point as it happened quite a few time recently when driving and closing the door. Usually I reopen it and by closing it again it shuts tightly. But not this time. I tired to unlock the door and action the push button but nothing happened. The door mechanism seemed to have been disengaged (a bt as when you have to open the door with flat battery) as when I pushed on it after having tried several times to open it the regular way, it went down in the sill without too much effort. I then tried to close it both from the inside and the outside of the car but without any luck. I'm just having the footwell light coming up and a short electric motor noise coming from the door (much shorter than if it was normally closing) and when looking into the sill I could see a metallic part (like a rail) moving back and forth when activating the mechanism... would anyone have any clue of what the hell is happening?? And if there's a way to fix this myself?

Many thanks in advance for any help you could give!!!
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Re: Green Z1 at ML (door problem help needed!)

Post by Jet »

Ben,

Welcome to the forum, im not a door expert but a few obvious questions, did you have any door related work done at ML? Its not a broken belt by any chance? Have you tried removing the door fuses, reseat then try again? Then do the same for the door controller?
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Re: Green Z1 at ML (door problem help needed!)

Post by Racing Tortoise »

No problem. Hope you get it sorted.

Getting mine delivered back by ML to my office in the City tomorrow. Was a bad contact which was all sorted f.o.c.

If you're London-based, it's worth noting that they offer a collection and delivery service - it's a bit of schlepp otherwise.
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Re: Green Z1 at ML (door problem help needed!)

Post by BenZ1 »

Hi Jet!

no doors related work done so far by me! (so for the past two years) I haven't tried the doors and door controller fuses fuses but I don't even know where they are located.

Thanks for the advice on collection/delivery Tortoise! I didn't know that but will surely use it for next time!
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Re: Green Z1 at ML (door problem help needed!)

Post by Jet »

Ben,

Bad timing for door issues, there is a 5% chance of a good summer :(
Its easy to check, remove the L shaped trim behind the seat, you can spot the belt from above, failing that its fuse 25/26, failing that try reseating the door controller in the battery compartment.

Good luck
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Re: Green Z1 at ML (door problem help needed!)

Post by BenZ1 »

Tanks Jet! I'll try that and let you know. Otherwise let's hope you're wrong with your weather forecast and I'll be able to drive door down until I find a solution.... :wink:
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Re: Green Z1 at ML (door problem help needed!)

Post by Jet »

Deal!!

Better still if it works you can payback the helpful gents of this fabulous site by attending one (or all) of the 3x Z1 events coming up very shortly, take your pick, Silverstone, Gaydon, Z1 Cotswolds Tour......whaddayasay BenZ1? :D
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Re: Green Z1 at ML (door problem help needed!)

Post by BenZ1 »

Sounds good! When is the Z1 tour??
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Re: Green Z1 at ML (door problem help needed!)

Post by Jet »

Its our annual event on August 31st.
Nice cars, nice food, good Hotel and great roads around the Cotswolds, the humour is a little suspect though :wink:

http://www.zroadster.net/forum/viewtopi ... 57#p340457
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Re: Green Z1 at ML (door problem help needed!)

Post by BenZ1 »

Damn it! I'll be on my way back from the usual summer holidays in France, seeing the family! A shame as visiting Lotus F1 sounds very exciting! And meeting fellow Z1 owners a great prospect... :head:
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Re: Green Z1 at ML (door problem help needed!)

Post by Jet »

BenZ1 wrote:Damn it! I'll be on my way back from the usual summer holidays in France, seeing the family! A shame as visiting Lotus F1 sounds very exciting! And meeting fellow Z1 owners a great prospect... :head:
PAH! Useless!! :D (just kidding)
We will settle for a proper introduction though, your car, ownership and pictures.

Forum rules and mandatory Z1 etiquette im afraid.
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Re: Green Z1 at ML (door problem help needed!)

Post by BenZ1 »

Yes, let me just find a good shot of the beast and I'll pop it to the register above... 8-)
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Re: Green Z1 at ML (door problem help needed!)

Post by BenZ1 »

Hello guys,

After nearly three month I thought a quick update on my problem would be nice. Soooo I spent the summer driving door down as I couldn't find the cause of the problem, fuse was ok and belt was fine too. Two weeks ago with autumn coming our way I finally decided to pop to ML to cure the problem... Verdict: the motor was burnt... No luck as my car is an early Z1 no replacement parts were available at BMW classics. Only motors for post 1991 cars are still in stock (I didn't even know that they were still producing the Z1 in 1991!!!)
Anyway as sourcing a replacement motor looked as real nightmare the ML guys had a go at trying to dismantle it, clean and refurbish it, lost for lost it was worth a try! And the excellent news is that it worked! The door is working again!! So "big up" to ML for fixing it!!! And if you ever have this kind of problem I can only recommend to go see them! I'm getting the car back next week-end with hopefully still a few nice drives to come before winter and a forced hibernation for G49VML.
Oh Tortoise I saw your car in its simplest guise while I was there... Scary but really cool to be able to admire the inner of a Z1 with no panels attached!!!
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Re: Green Z1 at ML (door problem help needed!)

Post by Pat Slade »

Hi Ben

Glad to hear ML solved your door problem. You and fellow forum members may be interested to know that door motor failure is virtually unheard of. I was with Rene Visser in Holland last week and he was saying that although the motors are NLA they seldom fail. He has on occasions had to help BMW dealers who failed to fix problems with apparent motor problems and invariably fixed them without touching the motor. Rene also hinted that in the event of catastrophe he may have solved the motor replacement issue.
I'm not suggesting it is a black art, but I personally do not know anyone in the UK I would trust to work, and fix, complicated or unusual door problems. A convenient ferry trip and a short drive for expert attention get my vote.
Having been on a German club technical meeting I would discourage any inexpert fiddling.

Pat
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