Dang, Bad Month for the Zed!

Godspeed · 06-09-2007, 10:52 AM

My 03 started to exhibit the 'sticky steering' phenomenon during the heat wave we had a couple of weeks ago. First trip to the dealer was just for diagnosis, and of course it was on a very cool day. But to my surprise they were able to confirm the problem and ordered a new steering column (Kuni BMW in SW Portland absolutely rocks!)

Yesterday it went in for the steering column replacement, which went fine. They also replaced the cracked center brake light under warranty. While it was in there I had them look at a couple of sags in the headliner and it turns out that's a 3-day repair, so the parts are on the way from Germany and she'll go back in for 'summer camp' sometime next month. They also found a defective door handle (wasn't bugging me, but they didn't like the way the action felt so they're replacing it too).

I'm guessing all of these repairs will end up costing BMWUSA around $3-4k in parts and labor! Whew, thank goodness for warranties!

And now the bad part... so I go and pick it up last night, put the top down, motor away from the dealer, a couple of miles down the road traffic stops... Acura behind me stops... Dodge minivan behind her doesn't. Hit the Acura into me hard enough that it had multiple airbag deployments. Kudos to BMW for building a stout little Zed.... other than a munched bumber and some paint scratches, I can't find any other damage. It does look like it may have tweaked the exhaust.

So now she'll be going back in... again!

Oh, and I had a 07 X3 as a loaner. Great little truck, horrible automatic tranny. Anyone else drive one? How can you stand the delay when the sequential auto does the 6>5>4>3 thing when you step on it in traffic? You just about have time to read a book before it starts moving. Plenty of power once it goes, just takes forever.

Hope all is well with y'all... been too busy during the workweek to post. I guess I figured I'd just take a break until z4um came back around...

Dennis

PhilDZ4 · 06-09-2007, 10:57 AM

Dennis, tough time. Sorry about the car -- good thing you weren't hurt.

Godspeed · 06-09-2007, 11:22 AM

Thanks! On the positive side, it might be a good excuse to upgrade to the aero kit. I have rock pitting on the rockers in front of the rear wheels that will will for sure have shot while it's in for repairs and it probably won't be that much more to add new skirts and front surround...

takedown8 · 06-09-2007, 01:12 PM

Sorry to hear about your Zed issues. At least you can be confident that it's all getting fixed though w/o costing you a dime. You'll be enjoying her in no time!

Godspeed · 06-09-2007, 06:10 PM

Thanks man! I'm acutally surprised they're fixing rather than replacing the softtop. Apparently they have to remove the entire top and restitch in a new liner!

takedown8 · 06-10-2007, 10:22 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Godspeed

Thanks man! I'm acutally surprised they're fixing rather than replacing the softtop. Apparently they have to remove the entire top and restitch in a new liner!

That is odd! I didn't know they could do that. Maybe after several years, we can all bring in our soft tops to replace the liner! Then Ducks can get a blood red liner sewn in, and intgr8r can have a liner with paisleys all over it.

Godspeed · 06-14-2007, 03:58 PM

Got the quote today: $2500. Minor damage to the structure behind the bumber that will need to be pulled out. Not too bad.

And I feel so extremely cliche to even bring this up, but I've had neck pain since Sunday night that isn't going away so I'm finally going to go to the Doc tomorrow to see what's up. It's not like it's killing me, but I'm not going to let this turn into something that flares up six months after I settle with State Farm. Better to be safe than sorry, I guess. Stupid accident anyway... argh!

GP20 · 06-14-2007, 04:25 PM

Sorry to hear about your accident.

Well, I'd say get the best out of the situation. Get the '06 rear bumper, LED tailights, and get an aftermarket exhaust.

20Ducks · 06-14-2007, 04:30 PM

Yeah, and ask about that red stitching.

PhilDZ4 · 06-14-2007, 04:46 PM

Huh?

Godspeed · 06-14-2007, 05:30 PM

One interesting thing I found is that the AM radio anteana is a thin wire supported on plastic standoffs that runs horizonally behind the bumper cover. It was dragging on the ground after the accident so I just tucked up behind the cover. I asked the guy at the shop and we looked it up on the computer.

The good news is that it's getting repaired at a BW certified collision shop so I'm pretty confident of the outcome. Goes in on Monday the 25th... Then it will be gone again for most of a week in July getting the top fixed... So much for a summer car

06-09-2007, 10:52 AM	#1
Godspeed Private 2 Rep 60 Posts Drives: E85 3.0 Join Date: May 2007 Location: Oregon iTrader: (0)	Dang, Bad Month for the Zed! My 03 started to exhibit the 'sticky steering' phenomenon during the heat wave we had a couple of weeks ago. First trip to the dealer was just for diagnosis, and of course it was on a very cool day. But to my surprise they were able to confirm the problem and ordered a new steering column (Kuni BMW in SW Portland absolutely rocks!) Yesterday it went in for the steering column replacement, which went fine. They also replaced the cracked center brake light under warranty. While it was in there I had them look at a couple of sags in the headliner and it turns out that's a 3-day repair, so the parts are on the way from Germany and she'll go back in for 'summer camp' sometime next month. They also found a defective door handle (wasn't bugging me, but they didn't like the way the action felt so they're replacing it too). I'm guessing all of these repairs will end up costing BMWUSA around $3-4k in parts and labor! Whew, thank goodness for warranties! And now the bad part... so I go and pick it up last night, put the top down, motor away from the dealer, a couple of miles down the road traffic stops... Acura behind me stops... Dodge minivan behind her doesn't. Hit the Acura into me hard enough that it had multiple airbag deployments. Kudos to BMW for building a stout little Zed.... other than a munched bumber and some paint scratches, I can't find any other damage. It does look like it may have tweaked the exhaust. So now she'll be going back in... again! Oh, and I had a 07 X3 as a loaner. Great little truck, horrible automatic tranny. Anyone else drive one? How can you stand the delay when the sequential auto does the 6>5>4>3 thing when you step on it in traffic? You just about have time to read a book before it starts moving. Plenty of power once it goes, just takes forever. Hope all is well with y'all... been too busy during the workweek to post. I guess I figured I'd just take a break until z4um came back around... Dennis
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06-09-2007, 10:57 AM	#2
PhilDZ4 Private First Class 11 Rep 169 Posts Drives: 2004 3.0 Z4 Roadster Join Date: May 2007 Location: Greater Atlanta, Hell... Greatest Atlanta iTrader: (0)	Dennis, tough time. Sorry about the car -- good thing you weren't hurt.
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06-09-2007, 11:22 AM	#3
Godspeed Private 2 Rep 60 Posts Drives: E85 3.0 Join Date: May 2007 Location: Oregon iTrader: (0)	Thanks! On the positive side, it might be a good excuse to upgrade to the aero kit. I have rock pitting on the rockers in front of the rear wheels that will will for sure have shot while it's in for repairs and it probably won't be that much more to add new skirts and front surround...
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06-09-2007, 01:12 PM	#4
takedown8 Major 56 Rep 1,068 Posts Drives: 2005 BMW Z4 3.0i Join Date: May 2007 Location: Seattle, WA iTrader: (0)	Sorry to hear about your Zed issues. At least you can be confident that it's all getting fixed though w/o costing you a dime. You'll be enjoying her in no time!
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06-09-2007, 06:10 PM	#5
Godspeed Private 2 Rep 60 Posts Drives: E85 3.0 Join Date: May 2007 Location: Oregon iTrader: (0)	Thanks man! I'm acutally surprised they're fixing rather than replacing the softtop. Apparently they have to remove the entire top and restitch in a new liner!
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06-14-2007, 03:58 PM	#7
Godspeed Private 2 Rep 60 Posts Drives: E85 3.0 Join Date: May 2007 Location: Oregon iTrader: (0)	Got the quote today: $2500. Minor damage to the structure behind the bumber that will need to be pulled out. Not too bad. And I feel so extremely cliche to even bring this up, but I've had neck pain since Sunday night that isn't going away so I'm finally going to go to the Doc tomorrow to see what's up. It's not like it's killing me, but I'm not going to let this turn into something that flares up six months after I settle with State Farm. Better to be safe than sorry, I guess. Stupid accident anyway... argh!
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06-14-2007, 04:25 PM	#8
GP20 Major 95 Rep 1,269 Posts Drives: Z4M, F80 M3, 991.2 GTS Join Date: Jan 2007 Location: Canada iTrader: (5)	Sorry to hear about your accident. Well, I'd say get the best out of the situation. Get the '06 rear bumper, LED tailights, and get an aftermarket exhaust. __________________ 2019 Porsche 911 4 GTS 2016 BMW M3 2008 BMW Z4M coupe
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06-14-2007, 04:30 PM	#9
20Ducks Lieutenant 26 Rep 403 Posts Drives: 2011 e93 335i w/M pkge Join Date: May 2007 Location: Shawnee Mission, KS iTrader: (0)	Yeah, and ask about that red stitching. __________________ back by popular demand...
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06-14-2007, 04:46 PM	#10
PhilDZ4 Private First Class 11 Rep 169 Posts Drives: 2004 3.0 Z4 Roadster Join Date: May 2007 Location: Greater Atlanta, Hell... Greatest Atlanta iTrader: (0)	Huh?
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06-14-2007, 05:30 PM	#11
Godspeed Private 2 Rep 60 Posts Drives: E85 3.0 Join Date: May 2007 Location: Oregon iTrader: (0)	One interesting thing I found is that the AM radio anteana is a thin wire supported on plastic standoffs that runs horizonally behind the bumper cover. It was dragging on the ground after the accident so I just tucked up behind the cover. I asked the guy at the shop and we looked it up on the computer. The good news is that it's getting repaired at a BW certified collision shop so I'm pretty confident of the outcome. Goes in on Monday the 25th... Then it will be gone again for most of a week in July getting the top fixed... So much for a summer car
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