Back in the N54 club

[Fapout]

It's been good so far. I installed the JB4 this weekend. It was so easy, especially compared to the E92 which you had to remove so many pieces before getting to the ECU box. The Z4's ECU box is so easy to access. If something catastrophic happened, as long as you have a T25 torx bit screwdriver and a pin pusher, you can uninstall it on the spot.

[nicknaz]

were any of the pins painted? I've heard that some cars have paint on the pins to help understand whether a piggyback was installed.

[MOTODAVEO]

Fapout,

I would track down the original owner of the car and find out how the "frame damage" came to be. It isn't always the worst case scenario. We have had cars that had minor front end accidents in which tabs at the end of the "Frame" got bent. Technically since the frame (unibody) has been bent, it's frame damage. Even though it has nothing to do with alignment, body structure, or crash worthyness.

If your car is that type of situation, it is still a fantastic car. The real issue comes when you sell it and have to explain why it says "frame damage" on carfax. Resale will be less. If you saved that money up front, good for you.
But knowing the whole story will be helpful. It also matters less and less as the car gets older/higher miles.

As far as the wheel and lights, these could be normal issues. I've had 2 new Z4s and they both came in with the headlights aimed as you've described.

[Fapout]

Originally Posted by MOTODAVEO

Fapout,

I would track down the original owner of the car and find out how the "frame damage" came to be. It isn't always the worst case scenario. We have had cars that had minor front end accidents in which tabs at the end of the "Frame" got bent. Technically since the frame (unibody) has been bent, it's frame damage. Even though it has nothing to do with alignment, body structure, or crash worthyness.

If your car is that type of situation, it is still a fantastic car. The real issue comes when you sell it and have to explain why it says "frame damage" on carfax. Resale will be less. If you saved that money up front, good for you.
But knowing the whole story will be helpful. It also matters less and less as the car gets older/higher miles.

As far as the wheel and lights, these could be normal issues. I've had 2 new Z4s and they both came in with the headlights aimed as you've described.

Tracking them down will probably be hard considering the dealership wouldn't even let me see the service records from the previous owner. I have the car getting fixed right now, hopefully all under warranty. I'll let you know.

Luckily, car fax doesn't say anything about the car being damaged just the dealer's auto check.

[MOTODAVEO]

That's good. I thought it was on the Carfax. Good for you then. Great car, great price!

[jimi900]

Originally Posted by Fapout

Tracking them down will probably be hard considering the dealership wouldn't even let me see the service records from the previous owner. I have the car getting fixed right now, hopefully all under warranty. I'll let you know.

Luckily, car fax doesn't say anything about the car being damaged just the dealer's auto check.

It doesn’t bother you that the dealership won’t let you see the service records? That would be a red flag to me. you can get the records without getting the personal information.

Jim

[Fapout]

Originally Posted by jimi900

It doesn’t bother you that the dealership won’t let you see the service records? That would be a red flag to me. you can get the records without getting the personal information.

Jim

Not a red flag. What interest would a dealership in St Louis have in withholding info on a car that was originally owned in California and sold at a dealership in Ohio? None. My service advisor stated that they adhere to the third party confidentiality compliance. It is what it is.

The dealership covered the headlights and everything else under warranty and maintenance. If the damage from an accident was that obvious and poorly of job then they probably wouldn't have warrantied the work.

I installed the BMS DCI on it tonight, huge difference it made as the higher boost map was choked for air which the intake definitely fixed.