Rob from GTyar finally acquires a convertible for the summer season, and it's not a Miata! Buckle Up, Put Down The Phone, Enjoy The Drive! 2003 BMW E85 Z4
Hey! I bought one last year. For the same reason, it's just stunningly beautiful and it's a roadster. Black 2004 e84 2.5i, but with auto transmission and gray leather interior. First and only thing i asked "the roof is working?") Well mine works. The car was only 68000 kilometers old when i bought it. The problems i fixed - oil filter mounting gasket and cover gasket. The problems i have at the moment - too big fuel consumption (my current guess is the fuel filter that was never changed since it left the factory) and a turn signal lamp.. yeah i remove it - it works. i put it back, it stops working after one ride. Ordered the parts, going to fix those. Also i am ordering Brembo parts to change the rear brake disks to ventilated (parts from the 3 liter model). Also, check the DISA! It's very easy to check and replace, just two bolts and one connector. I changed mine just in time before it got sucked it to the engine. Guess what, it;s made of plastic. There are metal parts repair kit, i am going to order one and fix the one i removed. Nothing else should brake as far as i know for now)
Thank you so much for sharing! I saw your comment on my other video, I'm planning on driving mine in the winter too, just not in any serious snow. Happy motoring!
I bought a 2003 2.5i manual Z4 in October. I love it. My roof works fine as my previous owner never drive in the snow or the rain. Car is in excellent condition. There should be a manual roof release between the seats, right up near in between the roll arches.
HA! part of the charm.. =-) So cool that you have the same engine and model year! I love the 2.5. i think its more efficient and an easier engine to work on. Happy motoring!
I'm late to the party. I've got a 2005 3.0i I bought as a returned lease vehicle in 2008. 6 speed, added a shift kit and a bunch of other little options. One thing you might think about adding if you can find one, or an after market would work too, is a strut tower brace. It will add more feedback into your steering. I have the BMW brand 3 piece brace, not sure if it's available anymore. Great Choice!
I have owned a 2003 Z4 for 14 years had very little problems everything still works it has been a great car for me. If I had the opportunity I would buy again
Great choice. I also recently bought a 2003 z4 and i was same way when it csme to picking different one. There was just something about it that i love. Love the first yr z4 timeless classic it will become. Enjoy, very cool car to drive plus its really quick car
Thanks for sharing Steve! It really IS so unique and gorgeous from every angle. Im having a grand ol time driving it. BTW I like your Z a lot! I actually wished mine was silver.. since its a better color for seeing all the great lines and curves on the car. Happy motoring!
Bought a 3.0 i. 2004 98.000 miles to tour Europe over a month left north England on ferry to Netherlands/Belgium/Germany/Lucerne Switzerland/Italian lakes /Dolomites Italian Alps /Thro Austria/Southern Germany Munich Düsseldorf then ferry back home to north east England what a great drive and really reliable car /engine went like a dream for a 18 year old car drove beautifully E85
Kevin, what you have just described is straight out of my fantasies for an epic road trip! Oh my goodness! That sounds like the best time ever! And what better way to build trust in the car then to go out and really drive it for a solid month on some of the most gorgeous roads Europe has to offer! totally inspiring. Thank you so much for sharing. I hope to take a long road trip here locally in New England this summer, making a big loop of Maine, Vermont and New Hampshire.
It's awesome GTyar. I know I complained about the plastic in the engine compartment, but if it has 100K miles and it's running and sounding good then that is amazing. Good to see your video and you sound like you're enjoying your new ride man. Looking forward to seeing your videos on this cool car. It looks good brother. Happy for ya. 👍👍👍
Thank you brother! Nah, you were not complaining at all... you were informing! LOL. yes, this car is so clean I really do feel confident with its reliability, at least for this summer HAHA. Cant wait to make a bunch of neat videos with the ol' Z4. hope you have a great weekend!
I bought someones project car (which i knew was not a smart idea at the time) but the car was sooo cheap. which mechanically all worked, but some issues with the electrics, and the car was a total mess cosmetically. So i had to clear the drains in the roof, fix a running lean condition in the engine by replacing a torn rubber air intake boot and cleaning the MAF sensor. i also had to clean the disa valve and replace the petrol cap seal. I've also ha a respray on the bad bits of the paint, in my case the whole passenger side, probably cover rub and bad repairs. I've just cleaned out the water bottle as it was totally gunked up, as well as the intake manifold and injectors needed cleaning. I need to replace the wheel nuts, centre caps and the 3/4 front window trim, but mostly after that just small stuff now. Watch out for the window regulators and motors, I've had to do a motor and a regulator in my less than 1 year of ownership. Apart from that it the closest thing to riding a motorbike and the 3.0i is just soo good to drive it worth the hastle of doing the wrench time
Peemick, thank you so much for sharing your experience with your Z... also i appreciate the heads up for the window regulators. I'm sure i'll be needing to repair something before this winter arrives.
I think the roof problem is at hinges , to open the roof manually i think you have to pull and turn counter clockwise. Best choice have fun, you will 😊
For the roof, as long as the latching motor still works, there is a release in the trunk that you can pull (On the drivers side, near the top, I think). It essentally turns it into a manual top. The locking at top and bottom are still done with the buttons and motor but the up and down movement can be done by hand. The main failure on the roofs is the hydraulic pump as you stated, it tends to get waterlogged where it sits and from clogged drain lines. Also a super big Z4 fan here. I had an 03 roadster with the red interior like you and now have an E86 3.0si Coupe. And of course you talked about it later in the video. That is what I get for commenting early.
Hi Austin! So actually that cable you mentioned was not working in my car. no matter how I pulled it, it never released the roof to be operated manually. About a month ago i found out why, the whole hydraulic motor system was sitting in a pool of muddy water and the cable release system was all gummed up and funky. I've since fixed the issue and the roof works well! I just released a video talking more about this roof issue i had. So happy it works now, especially with the warmer weather almost here! so cool that you had the same red interior as mine. it really looks sharp. Thank you for sharing and for the support!
Good video, I have a 2005 2.2i, yep the smallest of the six cylinder E85 but still like the growl from the motor even though its not super quick. I have it seventeen years this May and I'm still not bored with it. Fell in love with its design firstly and its general driving feel etc. The roof motor gave me some trouble two years ago, got a guy to relocate it, on some occasions it fails to go back up and I have to get into the trunk and wiggle the motor a bit, so assuming it's an electrical connection fault. Overall its been a very reliable car, miles are low at 70k for a nineteen year old vehicle so I'm hoping for many more years of fun motoring. Enjoy yours and I'm curious to see your progress with its roof issues.
Thank you for sharing Mick! i didn't even know they made a 2.2i! how cool! I actually just released a new video and i talk about how i fixed the roof system in it. I love hearing about how you've had yours for so many years. Its very encouraging to hear this, not just from you, but from many other Z4 owners. I think I've made a great choice buying this car! Happy motoring!
I live in Scotland, we have short summers but mate what a car, mine is a 2005 72,000 miles you can get a refurb motor and locate it in the boot, but I suspect you know that, glad to see you can drive a manual
I can only imagine driving my Z around on the gorgeous roads of Scotland! I know what you mean by short summers, our summers seem fairly quick too here in Massachusetts. Happy motoring Paul!
Driven 4 Z4's in my time only thing I'll drive 😂 holds up looks wise for it's age an absolute head-turner see countless people giving me the double take, even I look when I see another Z4 on road 😅
This is very encouraging to hear. Yes, i agree, its a total head-turner! Plus they are just rare to see in general, especially here in new england. Thank you for sharing!
Congrats! I had the chance to drive these on a few occasions and always enjoyed it. Love the red seats! All modern cars have copious amounts of plastic under the hood. Glad you have a new fun car. Looking forward to more videos. Have fun!
Thank you! I'm so fired up for this summer season, lots of great memories to be made with this beautiful machine. Im also a huge fan of the red seats, they really make the interior exciting. Thanks for watching!
Good luck with it. Have always loved BMWs (until more recently) and owned several 3 series, but have always preferred the Miata (having owned a 1999, 2007 and now a 2021)…..I value that visceral feeling that you mention. A huge part of that is just being light. Great thing about the Miata is the manual top so no nonsense associated with a motor.
Thank you kindly! AND i could not agree with you more about the manual top on the Maita. Its absolutely the best convertible top experience out there. NO nonsense, always works, and easy to operate from the drivers seat. This ridiculous z4 roof situation is such a turn off, and it is the one things about the z4 that I absolutely hate, and it almost kept me from buying the car, but i figured i could try to figure out a way to either repair the complex and fragile motor system for the soft top OR i could get creative and convert this z4 into a manual soft top operation, which i have read about in some forums. anyways, thanks for watching and commenting!
Had a problem with our garaged z4 with the roof & turned out to be a broken wire in the loom running through the roof lining if that helps any one else!!, not always the motors.😢
I unfortunately had to sell the solstice last year. It was something that I kinda regret now, but I really did have to sell it due to some personal stuff that i was going through at that time. At some point in the future I would love to purchase a Saturn Sky so I can experience that phenomenal GM chassis again! thanks for watching!
Hi robert ..are you running on run flat tyres ? I have them on mine , would changing the tyres improve the ride ? …..coz boy mine is a very hard ride …thanks .Chris
Hi Chris! The tires i have are not run flats. The dealership i bought the car from actually put on brand new regular tires when bought the car. I've never owned a car with run flats, but I've heard that they are a much stiffer ride. I'd say if you can afford it, just get yourself a nice set of regular tires and carry around a tire patch kit and air pump for that rare nail in the tire situation.
Of course! I paid about $8k total (tax, title, registration fees and vehicle price) which I honestly feel is fair considering just how clean this particular vehicle is. Cant wait to do a more in depth video highlighting all the good parts, and some of the not so good.
Oh yea! especially in New England, towards the end of winter you see and feel every battle scar the roads have developed since last summer. cant wait for the warmer weather!
I’ve owned my 2005 Z4 for over 12 years and it is one of the best cars I ever owned. I find them very easy to work on and a joy to travel in.
This is so encouraging to hear. Thank you for sharing!
World's most unloved, underrated and under appreciated sportscar. Timeless sexy beautiful design.
totally agree. Timeless Design and very beautiful!
Hey! I bought one last year. For the same reason, it's just stunningly beautiful and it's a roadster. Black 2004 e84 2.5i, but with auto transmission and gray leather interior. First and only thing i asked "the roof is working?") Well mine works. The car was only 68000 kilometers old when i bought it.
The problems i fixed - oil filter mounting gasket and cover gasket. The problems i have at the moment - too big fuel consumption (my current guess is the fuel filter that was never changed since it left the factory) and a turn signal lamp.. yeah i remove it - it works. i put it back, it stops working after one ride. Ordered the parts, going to fix those. Also i am ordering Brembo parts to change the rear brake disks to ventilated (parts from the 3 liter model).
Also, check the DISA! It's very easy to check and replace, just two bolts and one connector. I changed mine just in time before it got sucked it to the engine. Guess what, it;s made of plastic. There are metal parts repair kit, i am going to order one and fix the one i removed.
Nothing else should brake as far as i know for now)
Thank you so much for sharing! I saw your comment on my other video, I'm planning on driving mine in the winter too, just not in any serious snow. Happy motoring!
Excited to see where the Z4 takes you, keep us updated, hopefully that roof can be reasoned with, wishing you luck & safe travels
Thank you kindly! yes, hopefully i can get the roof sorted out very soon, spring is right around the corner! thanks for watching
Lovely timeless car that looks great, good choice
Thank you Kindly! It really is a gorgeous vehicle, I'm totally smitten with its lines.
I bought a 2003 2.5i manual Z4 in October. I love it. My roof works fine as my previous owner never drive in the snow or the rain. Car is in excellent condition. There should be a manual roof release between the seats, right up near in between the roll arches.
I own a 2003 BMW Z4 (2.5) and I love it! They're just cool cars. The repairs and maintenance are part of the charm.
HA! part of the charm.. =-) So cool that you have the same engine and model year! I love the 2.5. i think its more efficient and an easier engine to work on. Happy motoring!
I'm late to the party. I've got a 2005 3.0i I bought as a returned lease vehicle in 2008. 6 speed, added a shift kit and a bunch of other little options. One thing you might think about adding if you can find one, or an after market would work too, is a strut tower brace. It will add more feedback into your steering. I have the BMW brand 3 piece brace, not sure if it's available anymore.
Great Choice!
And a Z4 was an excellent choice.
I have owned a 2003 Z4 for 14 years had very little problems everything still works it has been a great car for me. If I had the opportunity I would buy again
I love hearing this. Thanks for sharing and so happy your enjoying your Z4!
Great choice. I also recently bought a 2003 z4 and i was same way when it csme to picking different one. There was just something about it that i love. Love the first yr z4 timeless classic it will become. Enjoy, very cool car to drive plus its really quick car
Thanks for sharing Steve! It really IS so unique and gorgeous from every angle. Im having a grand ol time driving it. BTW I like your Z a lot! I actually wished mine was silver.. since its a better color for seeing all the great lines and curves on the car. Happy motoring!
Bought a 3.0 i. 2004 98.000 miles to tour Europe over a month left north England on ferry to Netherlands/Belgium/Germany/Lucerne Switzerland/Italian lakes /Dolomites Italian Alps /Thro Austria/Southern Germany Munich Düsseldorf then ferry back home to north east England what a great drive and really reliable car /engine went like a dream for a 18 year old car drove beautifully E85
Kevin, what you have just described is straight out of my fantasies for an epic road trip! Oh my goodness! That sounds like the best time ever! And what better way to build trust in the car then to go out and really drive it for a solid month on some of the most gorgeous roads Europe has to offer! totally inspiring. Thank you so much for sharing. I hope to take a long road trip here locally in New England this summer, making a big loop of Maine, Vermont and New Hampshire.
It's awesome GTyar. I know I complained about the plastic in the engine compartment, but if it has 100K miles and it's running and sounding good then that is amazing. Good to see your video and you sound like you're enjoying your new ride man. Looking forward to seeing your videos on this cool car. It looks good brother. Happy for ya.
👍👍👍
Thank you brother! Nah, you were not complaining at all... you were informing! LOL. yes, this car is so clean I really do feel confident with its reliability, at least for this summer HAHA. Cant wait to make a bunch of neat videos with the ol' Z4. hope you have a great weekend!
I bought someones project car (which i knew was not a smart idea at the time) but the car was sooo cheap. which mechanically all worked, but some issues with the electrics, and the car was a total mess cosmetically. So i had to clear the drains in the roof, fix a running lean condition in the engine by replacing a torn rubber air intake boot and cleaning the MAF sensor. i also had to clean the disa valve and replace the petrol cap seal. I've also ha a respray on the bad bits of the paint, in my case the whole passenger side, probably cover rub and bad repairs. I've just cleaned out the water bottle as it was totally gunked up, as well as the intake manifold and injectors needed cleaning. I need to replace the wheel nuts, centre caps and the 3/4 front window trim, but mostly after that just small stuff now. Watch out for the window regulators and motors, I've had to do a motor and a regulator in my less than 1 year of ownership. Apart from that it the closest thing to riding a motorbike and the 3.0i is just soo good to drive it worth the hastle of doing the wrench time
Peemick, thank you so much for sharing your experience with your Z... also i appreciate the heads up for the window regulators. I'm sure i'll be needing to repair something before this winter arrives.
I think the roof problem is at hinges , to open the roof manually i think you have to pull and turn counter clockwise. Best choice have fun, you will 😊
For the roof, as long as the latching motor still works, there is a release in the trunk that you can pull (On the drivers side, near the top, I think). It essentally turns it into a manual top. The locking at top and bottom are still done with the buttons and motor but the up and down movement can be done by hand. The main failure on the roofs is the hydraulic pump as you stated, it tends to get waterlogged where it sits and from clogged drain lines.
Also a super big Z4 fan here. I had an 03 roadster with the red interior like you and now have an E86 3.0si Coupe.
And of course you talked about it later in the video. That is what I get for commenting early.
Hi Austin! So actually that cable you mentioned was not working in my car. no matter how I pulled it, it never released the roof to be operated manually. About a month ago i found out why, the whole hydraulic motor system was sitting in a pool of muddy water and the cable release system was all gummed up and funky. I've since fixed the issue and the roof works well! I just released a video talking more about this roof issue i had. So happy it works now, especially with the warmer weather almost here! so cool that you had the same red interior as mine. it really looks sharp. Thank you for sharing and for the support!
Good video, I have a 2005 2.2i, yep the smallest of the six cylinder E85 but still like the growl from the motor even though its not super quick. I have it seventeen years this May and I'm still not bored with it. Fell in love with its design firstly and its general driving feel etc. The roof motor gave me some trouble two years ago, got a guy to relocate it, on some occasions it fails to go back up and I have to get into the trunk and wiggle the motor a bit, so assuming it's an electrical connection fault. Overall its been a very reliable car, miles are low at 70k for a nineteen year old vehicle so I'm hoping for many more years of fun motoring. Enjoy yours and I'm curious to see your progress with its roof issues.
Thank you for sharing Mick! i didn't even know they made a 2.2i! how cool! I actually just released a new video and i talk about how i fixed the roof system in it. I love hearing about how you've had yours for so many years. Its very encouraging to hear this, not just from you, but from many other Z4 owners. I think I've made a great choice buying this car! Happy motoring!
I live in Scotland, we have short summers but mate what a car, mine is a 2005 72,000 miles you can get a refurb motor and locate it in the boot, but I suspect you know that, glad to see you can drive a manual
I can only imagine driving my Z around on the gorgeous roads of Scotland! I know what you mean by short summers, our summers seem fairly quick too here in Massachusetts. Happy motoring Paul!
Driven 4 Z4's in my time only thing I'll drive 😂 holds up looks wise for it's age an absolute head-turner see countless people giving me the double take, even I look when I see another Z4 on road 😅
This is very encouraging to hear. Yes, i agree, its a total head-turner! Plus they are just rare to see in general, especially here in new england. Thank you for sharing!
Congrats! I had the chance to drive these on a few occasions and always enjoyed it. Love the red seats! All modern cars have copious amounts of plastic under the hood. Glad you have a new fun car. Looking forward to more videos. Have fun!
Thank you! I'm so fired up for this summer season, lots of great memories to be made with this beautiful machine. Im also a huge fan of the red seats, they really make the interior exciting. Thanks for watching!
Good luck with it. Have always loved BMWs (until more recently) and owned several 3 series, but have always preferred the Miata (having owned a 1999, 2007 and now a 2021)…..I value that visceral feeling that you mention. A huge part of that is just being light.
Great thing about the Miata is the manual top so no nonsense associated with a motor.
Thank you kindly! AND i could not agree with you more about the manual top on the Maita. Its absolutely the best convertible top experience out there. NO nonsense, always works, and easy to operate from the drivers seat. This ridiculous z4 roof situation is such a turn off, and it is the one things about the z4 that I absolutely hate, and it almost kept me from buying the car, but i figured i could try to figure out a way to either repair the complex and fragile motor system for the soft top OR i could get creative and convert this z4 into a manual soft top operation, which i have read about in some forums. anyways, thanks for watching and commenting!
Had a problem with our garaged z4 with the roof & turned out to be a broken wire in the loom running through the roof lining if that helps any one else!!, not always the motors.😢
What did you end up doing with the solstice? Nice choice
I unfortunately had to sell the solstice last year. It was something that I kinda regret now, but I really did have to sell it due to some personal stuff that i was going through at that time. At some point in the future I would love to purchase a Saturn Sky so I can experience that phenomenal GM chassis again! thanks for watching!
The solstice was awesome 👍👍👍
@@gtyar4395
You are awesome as well GTyar. 👍👍👍
I have the 3.0 engine I have changed the hydraulics to the top its garage kept and only comes out in warm weather
Hi robert ..are you running on run flat tyres ? I have them on mine , would changing the tyres improve the ride ? …..coz boy mine is a very hard ride …thanks .Chris
Hi Chris! The tires i have are not run flats. The dealership i bought the car from actually put on brand new regular tires when bought the car. I've never owned a car with run flats, but I've heard that they are a much stiffer ride. I'd say if you can afford it, just get yourself a nice set of regular tires and carry around a tire patch kit and air pump for that rare nail in the tire situation.
May I ask how much did you pay?
Of course! I paid about $8k total (tax, title, registration fees and vehicle price) which I honestly feel is fair considering just how clean this particular vehicle is. Cant wait to do a more in depth video highlighting all the good parts, and some of the not so good.
The beauty of the miata is the roof has no motor, you just open and close in seconds.
I mean I do the same on my Z4....because my hydraulic pump is broken.
I always say the Miata has The Best roof opening system of any convertible ever made. So simple, so quick to operate.
Yeah you can tell if a road is good or not just by driving these cars 😂(we have the same year and same engine)
Oh yea! especially in New England, towards the end of winter you see and feel every battle scar the roads have developed since last summer. cant wait for the warmer weather!