But sadly very common on older cars like this... Likely that the bulb has been taken out, or sometimes you'll find putty or something behind...
Slowest Z Tweak Thread in the History of the Forum
- Thread starter buze
- Start date
So, car is still at the garage, will give a call tomorrow to get news!
In the meantime I got some spare mirrors (wide angle) so I can disassemble the mirror bases on the car without fearing breaking the original. Also, I bought a tonneau for £70. Whoohoo!...
In the meantime I got some spare mirrors (wide angle) so I can disassemble the mirror bases on the car without fearing breaking the original. Also, I bought a tonneau for £70. Whoohoo!...
So, well, 'news' indeed.
I'm *so* Y!&£*"&**"*$*(£)£*(*$&*£*£("£( p***** off really.
Gave the car monday, told the guy I was happy for him to take his time, he had until friday to do the jobs after all... (read between the line: don't cowboy it). Quick call yesterday, he was too busy to talk to me... then this afternoon he calls and says they've been too busy to do *anything* on my car. ZERO. No MOT, nothing at all. I wasted my fscking time going there, taking the train back home and the result is: zero.
I'm actually quite p***** off about that; the fact I was 'nice' has pushed my job down the priority list when everyone else went up. When he booked my car there was *nothing else* on his agenda for that day, I was the first.
Fscking garagists!
I'm *so* Y!&£*"&**"*$*(£)£*(*$&*£*£("£( p***** off really.
Gave the car monday, told the guy I was happy for him to take his time, he had until friday to do the jobs after all... (read between the line: don't cowboy it). Quick call yesterday, he was too busy to talk to me... then this afternoon he calls and says they've been too busy to do *anything* on my car. ZERO. No MOT, nothing at all. I wasted my fscking time going there, taking the train back home and the result is: zero.
I'm actually quite p***** off about that; the fact I was 'nice' has pushed my job down the priority list when everyone else went up. When he booked my car there was *nothing else* on his agenda for that day, I was the first.
Fscking garagists!
- Joined
- Dec 5, 2011
- Points
- 190
You're not having much luck with garages mate, it will improve, I'll ask on the pistonheads forum for a recommendation(s).
- Joined
- Dec 5, 2011
- Points
- 190
These are recommended ones without starting a new thread
https://www.pistonheads.com/gassing/topic.asp?h=0&f=127&t=762851
https://www.pistonheads.com/gassing/topic.asp?h=0&f=127&t=762851
So yesterday morning I went to @spur's to get a hard top. We had had a bit of an adventure on saturday trying to fit it in my X3 (not a flippin' chance in hell!) so that time I took the Z down. Morning was *gorgeous* and I have to say it was pretty much the best drive I had in berkshire, ever. Lovely misty morning, nice and warm, and absolutely nobody on the road due to bank holidays ---- and me in a small sports car with the top down.
Anyone doing the 'w******' sign watching me pass would have been completely right, it was absolute bliss
)
Anyway, we (well mostly HE!) installed the top on the Z, and off I went again. Home I did a complete cleanup of the new roof, removed and treated any bits of rust, cleaned everything else, treated the rubber bits, and put it away until later in the year. Quite happy with the color, it's not Oxford, but it make it look the color difference was 'meant' so, it'll do until a respray...
I also reverted to OEM lights -clear this time, thanks to @spurs again- the Angle eyes weren't terribly bright, and harder to setup too -- the OEM have grown on me as well, so perhaps I'll mod these with LED rings after I get the MOT.
Speaking of MOT, tomorrow I drop the car in, hopefully.
Pics from the week-end:
Anyone doing the 'w******' sign watching me pass would have been completely right, it was absolute bliss
)Anyway, we (well mostly HE!) installed the top on the Z, and off I went again. Home I did a complete cleanup of the new roof, removed and treated any bits of rust, cleaned everything else, treated the rubber bits, and put it away until later in the year. Quite happy with the color, it's not Oxford, but it make it look the color difference was 'meant' so, it'll do until a respray...
I also reverted to OEM lights -clear this time, thanks to @spurs again- the Angle eyes weren't terribly bright, and harder to setup too -- the OEM have grown on me as well, so perhaps I'll mod these with LED rings after I get the MOT.
Speaking of MOT, tomorrow I drop the car in, hopefully.
Pics from the week-end:
Looks very nice !
Tony.
Tony.
- Joined
- Dec 5, 2011
- Points
- 190
Looks great, stainless exhaust next!
Ahah guess where I went this afternoon for quick visit? Powerflow Slough is about 5 minutes away. *LUCKILY* the guy wasn't in today, pfew close shave
Completely your fault too!
That top looks to be Boston Green which I need as the top I have is Oxford Green!! Too bad we weren't closer together, we could swap, but I agree the two greens go well together in either combo!! I love the look of the Z3 with a HT!! JIM
Funny! We're just half a world apart, now THAT might be easier to work out than fitting a hard top into the back of an X3 ;-)
The thing is that my car and top were shipped to Canada from the UK! Bought both, with shipping to the east coast of Canada then transported to my drive considerably cheaper than buying a car here or out of the USA. Go figure!! JIM
So, I've got a MOT! No advisories even, w0000000t. Car is still at the garage, I want him to at least do the jobs needing to be done underneath -- welding the diff mount, transmission oil change, flex disc replacement, and engine mounts.
With a bit of luck, that'll fully correct my 'clunk'.
With a bit of luck, that'll fully correct my 'clunk'.
So, got the car back, they didn't have the time to do /everything/ but there's some progress...
+ MOT
+ Diff has been re-welded. He drilled holes, spot welded THEN seam welded over it, and under it as well, then primed the welded area to protect them. It looks like a very nice job too, I'll take pics tomorrow.
+ New engine mounts (I had them), the old ones were *dead*
+ New control arm bushes (I had them)
+ New Inlet cam sensor -- I was planning to do that job but they did it anyway
+ New bonnet cable + 2 new catches
+ Also rerouted the overflow pipe from over the air box to the side, as the Z3M.
That last bit was nice, as the guy said he likes some fabrication work and only changed me 1/2h to do it.
What they *didn't* do is:
+ Change the transmission shaff big rubber coupling -- he said it looked in perfect condition, so it'd be a waste of money
+ Transmission oil change -- lack of time
+ Check/change the water pump/thermostat -- also lack of time.
It was not a cheap job overall, at £700 -- but just that new diff welding was probably worth it. Inlet cam sensor was also quite expensive at £95 ex vat...
Drove the car, it's a lot smoother. I still have a bit of a clunky gear changes (Typically 1st->2nd), but it seems a lot less so; Engine purrs and seems a lot smoother, likely to due to the new sensor. Will do a proper test drive tomorrow on 'known' roads...
+ MOT
+ Diff has been re-welded. He drilled holes, spot welded THEN seam welded over it, and under it as well, then primed the welded area to protect them. It looks like a very nice job too, I'll take pics tomorrow.
+ New engine mounts (I had them), the old ones were *dead*
+ New control arm bushes (I had them)
+ New Inlet cam sensor -- I was planning to do that job but they did it anyway
+ New bonnet cable + 2 new catches
+ Also rerouted the overflow pipe from over the air box to the side, as the Z3M.
That last bit was nice, as the guy said he likes some fabrication work and only changed me 1/2h to do it.
What they *didn't* do is:
+ Change the transmission shaff big rubber coupling -- he said it looked in perfect condition, so it'd be a waste of money
+ Transmission oil change -- lack of time
+ Check/change the water pump/thermostat -- also lack of time.
It was not a cheap job overall, at £700 -- but just that new diff welding was probably worth it. Inlet cam sensor was also quite expensive at £95 ex vat...
Drove the car, it's a lot smoother. I still have a bit of a clunky gear changes (Typically 1st->2nd), but it seems a lot less so; Engine purrs and seems a lot smoother, likely to due to the new sensor. Will do a proper test drive tomorrow on 'known' roads...
Great thread Buze....as a newbie Z3 owner you've inspired me to consider changing my own rear discs and pads (easy ish job ?)
Just read the whole of this thread. A good read and your car is looking great mate, good work. 
So project box #1 is the passenger mirror, that is going well; had etch primer, primer, 2 coats of base black paint, then has the 2 base coats applied and a couple of clear coats. Will probably add 2 or 3 more clear coats before a polish. Also coated the chassis in protective paint, just because why not!
Project box #2 is the new 300mm brakes from a 325i. Filthy. Took my 1/2h just to remove the piston, and I haven't even started cleaning the damn thing -- and thats one of two to do!
Project box #2 is the new 300mm brakes from a 325i. Filthy. Took my 1/2h just to remove the piston, and I haven't even started cleaning the damn thing -- and thats one of two to do!
Ok, project mirror, DONE. Polished up, reassembly. Learned how to reassemble the door card too. Need to find a few of these 'clips' as there's some missing on mine. Mirror is like 97% OK, could have done a bit better job on the clear coat, but I was a bit out of practice...
Reassembly, cleaned/restored the rubber too.
Reassembly, cleaned/restored the rubber too.
And, TADA bought some MV1s. I think I got a reasonable deal with 2 pretty good rear tyres, and 2 usable front ones. They will need a refurb at some point, however, that means I can keep the #18's as 'winter' and I don't have to refurb /these/... Also I get to try them in dark gray/shadow chrome as they are, and possibly go back to their original colors if it doesn't grown on me. Thanks to @ZTec for all the help and suggestions, and pics!
I kept the spacers (20mm rear, 10mm front), and strangely, the MV1s don't stick out as much as the #18's. I think the car looks a bit more 'classy' with these on.
As for the ride, well when you hear that the TYRES are the key to the tramlining, it's true -- the Uniroyal Rainsport *don't tramline* but blimey, that new set is a different story! But hey, what do we suffer to look goooood ;-)
Pics of the difference to the offset with the same spacers. #18's then MV1's
And the car ready for it's test drive:
I kept the spacers (20mm rear, 10mm front), and strangely, the MV1s don't stick out as much as the #18's. I think the car looks a bit more 'classy' with these on.
As for the ride, well when you hear that the TYRES are the key to the tramlining, it's true -- the Uniroyal Rainsport *don't tramline* but blimey, that new set is a different story! But hey, what do we suffer to look goooood ;-)
Pics of the difference to the offset with the same spacers. #18's then MV1's
And the car ready for it's test drive: