My 2003 E85 BMW Z4 - Upgrades and retrofits I made to "FIX" this car.
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- Опубліковано 8 лют 2025
- Walk around of my Z4 and full explanation of what the typical problems and gremlins of the e85's and what I have done to fix them. This car is amazing to drive.....AFTER you fix all the issues that plague a stock version.
Common Problems with the e85's:
Poor shifting and clutch because of long shift throw and Clutch Delay Valve (CDV).
Suspension inadequate and broken springs.
Steering becomes "sticky" in hot weather - BMW TSB 3220104.
Instrument cluster goes dark or starts beeping non-stop - BMW TSB - 620706
Interior and Plate lights inadequate.
Many features such as the convertible top control through key fob are disabled in the US versions.
Seats have no bolsters, so you slide right out of them on sharp turns.
Upgrades:
//M Mini-vader seats with full power controls.
Multi-function //M Steering Wheel.
Full //M Pedal set, including replacement gas pedal and BavAuto clutch stop.
BMW custom chrome shift knob.
UUC Motorwerks Short Shift kit
Suspension: Koni adjustable struts and Eibach lowering Spings.
Sprint Booster - for increased throttle response.
Dinan Intake.
Muffler delete with custom MagnaFlow x-pipe. OEM muffler will be included and can be bolted back on in 15 minutes.
Custom Trailer hitch - used for bicycle rack.
BMW OEM BBS Wheels Silver paint - Dipped matte black.
Michelin Pilot Sport AS tires.
Euro-spec clear side marker and 3rd brake light retrofit.
Full LED interior bulb replacement.
Trunk cargo holder.
BMW Wind deflector.
BMW All weather trunk liner.
BMW Winter and Summer floor mats.
BMW Euro-spec first aid boxes under seats.
BMW OEM Fitted Car Cover.
Coded to allow top up/down with key fob.
BMW Campaigns and Maintenance:
Full instrument cluster replacement - 2013.
Full Steering column replacement 2010.
Full Air Conditioning system replacement - 2018.
I have a 2006 Black Z4 and I love it. Still have it and still really enjoy it. Always a head turner!
People might want to follow this car if/when it comes up for sale again later. Loved the detailed overview! ❤ I didn't know I liked these until I drove one.
I have one exactly like that and so beat up and didn't maintain it as I should have. Took it back from the repair shop and I am planning to fix it up and then I saw this video!! I always loved the car ever since I got it from 2003 and I am excited to slowly get it back up to maybe looking like yours!!! My convertible top not working, navigation broken, seat teared, so many problems... Thanks for the share!
Cool Dude. I love the e85's. Have fun rebuilding it!
I own a 08' facelift z4 and I actually have a lot of the things you put on yours stock on mine, (better lights, aux port, better build quality, keyfob soft top controls, etc.)
Very nice Z4. Thanks for keeping this up, sort of inspiration for mine at the moment haha.
I got a 2005 also with this color with a manual transmission. Loving it
I lined my doors with non lead type flashing, to give a really meaty sound to the door closing, so much better than the tinny sound that is stock
I have the same car with the stock suspension with zero issues.
To think today 2003 Z4's going for 3 to 4k for a little project seems like a cool cheap fun ride great job!
You must be talking about the 2.0 models ,cause in EU there's no way you will find a 3.0L under 9k.
@@apostolis633 in the UK they're mega cheap which is so weird.
@@MrZyLeXxit’s crazy man. I was visiting my brother in the UK and he bought a 2003 2.5L for £1,600. Roughly $1,900 USD
LOL, buddy bought one just before summer 2023 here in sweden for 10x that but it was a 2006@@deolly
@@MrZyLeXx hahah that’s wild. When my brother told me used cars are pretty cheap in the UK, I was pretty shocked. It’s expensive here in the US and I’m guessing the same thing for Sweden.
clean and simple
Not sure about the clear lens but adding a strobe module to this third brake light really helps, the car is so low. I definitely notice a difference in people trying to rear end me seriously they look over the hood of their Chevy Tahoe and try to pull up behind the truck in front of them not seeing me in between WTF? Red BMW…
I managed to 3-D print some umbrella hangers in the trunk under the lid. That works pretty good, it seems that there are several holes to add different things. I just wasn’t sure what.
I have hauled concrete, 16 foot six by sixes and two by fours, with the top down through the passenger seat and down into the foot. Well this car is great for hauling lumber! People stare at me like I’m some elitist piece of crap little do they know I paid less for my car than they do every month on their mortgage
Very tasteful mods. This car is pretty much my ideal build. I got a Z4 a couple months ago and have been slowly doing the same mods you listed in this video. Very cool to see what my "final" build will look like when I have everything completed in a few months. Quick question, what size spacers did you use? I was planning on buying 12.5mm and 20mm ECS spacers, but your fitment looks solid so I'm curious what you went with
Glad to hear this video helped you out. It's surprising how much better these cars look and drive with just minor changes.
Chaz - Sorry I never answered your spacer question. Did you figure it out?
@@walternichols7855 yep! I went with 15mm in the front and 20mm in the rear. It’s pretty solid, but the front could use another 2.5mm or so. I’m happy with it though and have no rubbing issues
GUYS I JUST GOT MY Z4 YESTERDAY! Though unfortunately it’s an auto. But LOVING IT! WILL MOD IT TOO! Time to watch the video!
Ive been unable to find the kit needed to retro the wind deflectors. Can you help? What all is needed? part numbers? Great video! Looking forward to making some of these upgrades… one at a time lol
Here is the kit for a 2003 E85. You can just go to realoem.com and put the serial number of your car - www.realoem.com/bmw/enUS/showparts?id=BT53-USA-01-2003-E85-BMW-Z4_30i&diagId=03_2683
Great video..did you paint rims on car or off. What process did you do to paint them
I just Plati-dipped them so I had the option to go back to Silver.
@@walternichols7855 okay thank you for the reply. I'm buying the exact same car that you had. Same color and everything so I don't know if I'm going to paint them or dip them either
One modification you missed: You added a stubby aerial /antenna :-)
the muffler is incorrect installed, it should be shorter at the left side, now the longer side is on the left or if you call it outside. thats suposed to be installed "vice versa" on the contrary. "short pipe outside and the longer inside against the middle"
2:50 I found a really cheap set of 19 inch wheels off of a seven series I think they are 10 1/2 in the front and 11 1/2 in the rear, supposedly they will fit on this car, I bought them super cheap because there’s no room for a spare and if there was what size would you use since they are different sizes?
So I was hoping to make a separate set of wheels and tires to run on if I get a flat run on the extra set until I can buy and replace the 18s,
Do you know anybody who has used 19 inch on an E 85 z4? The offset is within 5 mm
But if you are still keeping up on this video, please message me or reply to this post if you know if this works and what size tires are best for the 19s
Thanks for the videos, cheers!!
Hi. Great video, i really enjoyed watching your mods. Please tell me where you got that all weather rubber boot liner from as I have searched high and low and cannot find one, only the universal trim yourself ones?
Looks like it has been discontinued so you are going to have to find a used one. realoem.com is your best friend for finding any OEM parts or accessories.
www.getbmwparts.com/oem-parts/bmw-luggage-compartment-rubber-mat-51470149392
@walternichols7855 Ah nightmare. OK thanks a lot 👍
Lovely car, but what about an LSD convertion , Quaife do a great kit, that would transform this car 👍. Then there's uprated discs, pads, braided brake pipes, which all give much better feel and response.
It had stainless lines, upgraded rotors and pads. I did so much work on that car, I forgot to list a bunch of upgrades when I sold it. It's long gone now. New owner can swap the rear diff 🙂. I have an e91 with full BMW Performance Brembo upgrade.
@@walternichols7855
Ah thats cracking, glad you did all the mods, car must be a weapon 👍.. I have a black Z4 Coupe with all the same Mods and it's so much fun 👍
Great Video. How did you get your engine pit so clean...
Griots Engine Bay Cleaner, a brush, hose off, then Engine Bay Dressing - www.griotsgarage.com/product/engine+cleaner.do
3:47 and where did you get the bracket for the first aid box mounting? I have OEM seats and a first aid box but I’m not sure how to mount the thing properly. I would really like to mount one on the driver side to lots of these things and parts in Lithuania.
I looked up the part number on realoem.com and ordered from getbmwparts.com.
52107044958 - First aid box empty
52107045018 - Bracket first aid box
What are the spacer thicknees?
I went with 10mm front and 15mm rear
@@walternichols7855 Thanks
6:19 these have very nice looking lights to begin with. I test drove one that had “Euro spec“ lights, and it seemed really racked out.
If it’s not a real M don’t put anything M on it. Have a little bit of class you are still hauling ass.
BMW puts M parts on all cars, regardless of model . They even now badge non-M models with M badges (they have been doing this in Europe for years). //M is a division, not a car :-)
Very nice video, are those 20mm spacers??
4:00 those bulbs, get hot as hell! I burned myself on a bulb, replacing the cabin air filter, and the door hadn’t been open for two minutes, the bulbs on this seem like they could be a fire hazard for real, and what is up with the little reddish orange light that is always on it doesn’t have a button to turn it off but it’s always glowing between the map lights and the damn light. It’s kind of annoying.
I having to do all the upgrades
urs is so pretty 🥺
How are the M seats? I am 6.4 ft. Don't think they do anything to me compared to the stock seats.
I am 5'10 and 160lbs. They were great for me but have very aggressive bolsters. I don't think height is an issue with them. Width may be because they are tight.
I have a 2.5 5 speed z4, would you recommend to delete back box or the middle one.
If you want it super loud, delete the rear muffler, if you want it louder, but neighbor/wife friendly, delete the center muffler.
I have a 2.5i Z4 too and love it!
Here's a link if you want to check it out?
ua-cam.com/video/4qY5Nj16Xq4/v-deo.html
No brainer: www.amazon.com/gp/product/B089ZWXGX4/ref=ppx_yo_dt_b_asin_title_o02_s00?ie=UTF8&psc=1. Three levels of sound from exhaust with remote. Stoopid fun! Keeps spouses and neighbors happy too.You will not regret.
Do you remember the LED bulbs used? Did it cause any codes to be thrown?
I went with the kit from ECS tuning. No codes
Where did you get the chrome shift knob? Link?
www.ecstuning.com/b-genuine-bmw-parts/chrome-roundel-shift-knob-5-speed/25160411927/
Could you link where you got the trunk cargo boxes from
Looks like it's discontinued, but here is the part #: www.realoem.com/bmw/enUS/showparts?id=BT53-USA-01-2003-E85-BMW-Z4_30i&diagId=03_1403
So, I bought my 03 z4 3.0 and it has the same wheels not painted or powder coated, of course, just silver, and any other Z4 of the era do not have these wheels.
Are these the original wheels that came with that car? Or are they from another year or another model? I know that the tires are staggered and directional so you cannot rotate them and since you cannot grease the bushings, you have to replace control arms and ball joints before you can get a proper alignment. Otherwise you are burning dollar bills , these tires aren’t cheap I’m not a fan of low profile, you can even tell the car is higher when it has new tires with some tread on it dangerously low for American roads
But damn, it is great. Lots of bang for your buck and not a bunch of crap. Like touch screens or nannies. It seems really great they look like money. Nobody knows what they are. Nobody realizes how cheap they are either. It’s because they are simple.
Those are the original rims that came with the car in 03. They are cool looking and very strong BBS wheels so I kept them and just coated them with plasti-dip. I live in DC and the roads are horrible. I never dared to go any lower profile on the tires because my wife has blown tires and bent rims.
The E85's are great cars and I think they are way under valued.
Thanks for making this video! What settings did you do for the koni struts/shocks? Did you set them at full soft or something else?
For daily street, I adjusted the rears about 3/4's on the hard side. I backed them off all the way, then counted the rotations until I got past half. Started out with them at half and decided to stiffen them up. The fronts: I ended up softening them up quite a bit because of the crappy roads in DC. I also installed Rouge Engineering reverse shock mounts on the rear to make adjustments easier - www.rogueengineering.com/Rogue-Engineering-Rear-Shock-Mount-E30E36E46_p_270.html
@@walternichols7855 thanks for the info, appreciated!
Is it sold?
Yes
how much for all these mods ?
what replaced the e85? What do you have on your garage floor?
Garage Floor is Swisstrax tiles.
Porsche 911 - 997.2 C4S
How much did you get for it?
Would you please mention How would you re program the open / close top from the remote. Thanks.
Lookup Carly BMW on the Apple or Android App store.
Im pretty sure you can just reset your key and it will do everything. You can also turn the key in the door to lower and raise the windows.
Steering on the early cars was shocking, I’ve started converting mine to the hydraulic system from an e46 M3. Other than that they are a great car. Loved your video and got a few good ideas
Quick inquiry, when you swapped the steering wheel from the original which had no Steering wheel control buttons to the M steering wheel with buttons, did they work as if they were originally a feature or did you have to retrofit wires?
No wires required because it was an OEM e85 //M wheel.
@@walternichols7855 I was going to ask the same question. I have an ‘03 as well with the stock wheel. Obviously there isn’t any wiring or controls on the wheel but the M one has. What and how do you connect them or is it just “for show”?
Oh and very sharp and clean car!
@@11855alan - If you pull the old wheel, you will probably find the wiring harness. I just had to buy the connector to plug in the new controls. Check realoem.com for details.
Where did you get that rear diffuser, and what did you do to make it fit the car?
BMW OEM - www.realoem.com/bmw/enUS/showparts?id=BT53-USA-01-2003-E85-BMW-Z4_30i&diagId=03_2683
hi what do you mean by X pipe magnaflow is it fitted on middle silencer/resonators after catalytics or in place of the rear back box ? if you have a photo of underneath it would be great
Sorry about the slow reply. Basically you cut off the rear muffler and cross the 2 pipes so it gurgles.
Nick, What size wheels and tires were on your silver Z4? TY
I believe think his wheels are 18 inch, because I have the exact same set and they came off of a 3.0. My 2.5 originally had 16 inch, but I switched these rims and painted them, like a gun metal chrome. My red Z4 is immaculate just like this one, but I am learning that my 2.5 is much more gutteral than several 3.0s that Ive heard, today. Mine is an 06' with 90k.
@@AlexR1ish Hey Alex what size tires on the 18" wheels? Want to know how big I can go without sacrificing rideability and rubbing please and thank you
@@kevinhutchins8473 225/40-18 on the Front and 255/35-18 on the rear. These came from a 3.0 M that was on the same lot, where I bought my car. I believe they are stock sizes and I have planty of room and never once had any rubbing and havent had a single suspension problem or any problems at all. I have 110k miles with smoke gray BMW rims on a red body. My interior silver trim was painted a marbled blue metallic, chagen sound sytem to Sony Professional Quality Unit with Yamaha 6.5 " sub and JBLs, and another pair of tweeters (mounted on the rear with the other speakers). I have never seen another Z4 as well-updated as mine. I also have a roaring 2.5 with my rear muffler deleted and installed some roadrunner straight pipe mufflers. I have a perfect gurgle that is Never ammoying.
Do you still have the stock steering wheel? Interested
Yes - email me @ walter @casadenichols.com
Do you have the side covers for the roof area ? The way I hear it the sticky steering was fixed in 2007. IDK
No on side covers. The sticky steering was only the 2003's
@@walternichols7855 Not true! My 2004 3.0 had the entire steering replaced due to sticky steering.
What software did you see to code the car's features?
www.mycarly.com/product/bmw-app/
What does E85 mean?
It's the BMW chassis code for this car - help.fcpeuro.com/hc/en-us/articles/26198309834125-BMW-Chassis-Codes-Explained
I have the same year, color, engine. Different wheels and mine came with aero kit. I love it but want to add some of the mods you've described. Already did the stubby M shifter. The clutch line and delay delete just arrived from ECS tuning. I'm afraid I might have stock suspension. I'm 4th owner and old men owned before me. Only 25k miles. Did the car drone after backbox delete? Where did you get the tips and have the work done? Thanks!!
Muffler delete does drone a bit. It's pretty loud. I would recommend doing a center muffle delete instead with a better aftermarket silencer. I did most of the work myself. Got most of the ideas from forums and also just driving the car and figuring out what it was lacking.
Do you still have this car? I am interested in buying
Sold last summer. This video was for the ebay auction/
How much?
Sold for $10,500
Sweet mods but, at a certain point, why didn’t you just sell this and buy a Z4M? You basically built a new car. I own an E85 too and there’s no way you made half of your money back on all that stuff, especially the seats/suspension/steering.
I did most of the work myself so it didn't cost as much as you would think. Any car mods are a loss :-(.
@@walternichols7855 wow I am sorry but I feel a little bit jealous I wish I could do some of those mods to my Z4 myself
Is it still for sale??
Sold for $10,500 on ebay
@@walternichols7855 Wow, that’s all? I bought mine 2 summers back for $14K. That’s in the Toronto area and it had 80K kilometres on it.
Perfect shape but all stock. I would have snatched yours up in a heartbeat! What was the mileage on it?
@@11855alan - If you look at Bring-a-trailer, the prices have gone up by like $5K in the past couple years - along with every other car out there 🙂. At the time I sold it, that was top of the market. bringatrailer.com/bmw/z4-roadster-e85/
this car needs liberty walk rear trunk spoiler
How do those trunk pouches attach?
Plastic body clips
Did you remove the ecu
No
Sure like to hate on the Z4. Car came perfect new.
I only hate on it because BMW is better than this. They shipped the 1st Gen E85 with lots of issues and design flaws. It's a roadster. It should have been a pure drivers car.
Has this been sold?
yep - sold
all that money spent and you have a factory fitted radio! need good tunes when driving the open roads surely..
I removed a nice Kenwood from mine when I bought it. I prefer OEM features and sound.
I installed the AUX port and a BT adapter, that was good enough for me :-)
only tune you need is from the 6 cylinder engine and the growl it makes at the back end
@@uz1873In this car, I agree.
I have the Apple Ipod CD adapter from the factory in mine. I just load up all my tunes on the ipod and it works like a charm. I have a spare ipod so I can prelaod and swap if need be but to be realistic I have a boat load of tunes on the ipod and hardly need to change them. I use my newer iphone for navigation and it sits nicely in the ash tray area.