Stone chips on side skirt

[coetzejg]

I unfortunately had to drive a 30kms gravel road (slowly) this weekend...I know..I know..

I now noticed though that the bottom side skirt have some nasty stone chips now on the triangle before the rear wheel. Seems like this was caused by the front wheels throwing up stones against this part of the skirt showing outwards.
Bad design I'd say! This was a bad design on the Z3 also, since my black Z3 had the same issue there....much worse on the Z3 though!

Has anyone experienced chips there?

Is there any standard Z4 vinyl protection stickers (clear or black) out that anyone knows off to order online for this area?

[alan64]

Originally Posted by coetzejg

I unfortunately had to drive a 30kms gravel road (slowly) this weekend...I know..I know..

I now noticed though that the bottom side skirt have some nasty stone chips now on the triangle before the rear wheel. Seems like this was caused by the front wheels throwing up stones against this part of the skirt showing outwards.
Bad design I'd say! This was a bad design on the Z3 also, since my black Z3 had the same issue there....much worse on the Z3 though!

Has anyone experienced chips there?

Is there any standard Z4 vinyl protection stickers (clear or black) out that anyone knows off to order online for this area?

my former vette had awful stone chips.. I purchased a new z and didnt want to go through that again. Had ming apply that clear coating to all vulnerable areas.. very very glad I did

[Oh Captain My Captain]

Mud flaps are another option. I think there is a Canadian on this forum who installed them on his Z4 with pics. Not the best looking option. Maybe if they were the same body color as the car, they would look marginally better.

You have to ask yourself, "Is it better to look good than to feel good?"

[alan64]

Originally Posted by Oh Captain My Captain

Mud flaps are another option. I think there is a Canadian on this forum who installed them on his Z4 with pics. Not the best looking option. Maybe if they were the same body color as the car, they would look marginally better.

You have to ask yourself, "Is it better to look good than to feel good?"

yes, I looked at that option and thought they stuck out too much and took away from the looks. The clear plastic coating I barely notice at all and there is tons of stones and gravel and sand where I live and it has helped a lot. the other day I looked closely and couldnt see any damage from chips at all.

[Chuck76]

Go the link below. They have the rocker shields. You'll need some experience on installation, but I think this points you into the right direction.

If the rock chips are bad, get it repainted. Through experience, this is one of the first things I did upon delivery. I have not one chip and I have gone in excess of 130mph and my average speed is usually 80-90mph on the freeway.




http://www.invisiblemask.com/cgi-bin...e=BMW&model=Z4

[alan64]

Originally Posted by Chuck76

Go the link below. They have the rocker shields. You'll need some experience on installation, but I think this points you into the right direction.

If the rock chips are bad, get it repainted. Through experience, this is one of the first things I did upon delivery. I have not one chip and I have gone in excess of 130mph and my average speed is usually 80-90mph on the freeway.




http://www.invisiblemask.com/cgi-bin...e=BMW&model=Z4

yes, thats the kind of stuff.

[Otago]

I don't care those stone chips, I usually respray the car with oem colour every 5 years.

[coetzejg]

wel the idea was to get black stickers and stick them over...so I won't notice them anymore..any they won't get worse :-)
I did actually find some hardwearing black roll sticker yesterday which I will cut into shape this weekend and see if it looks acceptable.

[Oh Captain My Captain]

Originally Posted by coetzejg

wel the idea was to get black stickers and stick them over...so I won't notice them anymore..any they won't get worse :-)
I did actually find some hardwearing black roll sticker yesterday which I will cut into shape this weekend and see if it looks acceptable.

Kinda like sticking toilet paper on a cut, eh.

[mcbeee]

I got a little rock chip exactly where you described. I also just put mud flaps on my new zed and yes "I AM Canadian" (that's a beer commercial by the way) I posted a bunch of pics on Z4 forum and apoll on who likes them or dislikes them. They work on the heavy stuff and slow down the misting dirt that hits the sides. I'm happy with them. My car is Alpine white, the flaps are Black and they sort of blend into the darkness of the tires and wheelwwells.
I'm not sure if the chip was pre or post mudflaps, probably pre flaps.
Installation on the new Zeds is a snap. Very easy if you have any kind of mechanical aptitude with tools. Just don't lose the wheel nut key like I did afterwards.

http://www.z4-forum.com/forum/viewto...p?f=23&t=16459

[alan64]

Originally Posted by mcbeee

I got a little rock chip exactly where you described. I also just put mud flaps on my new zed and yes "I AM Canadian" (that's a beer commercial by the way) I posted a bunch of pics on Z4 forum and apoll on who likes them or dislikes them. They work on the heavy stuff and slow down the misting dirt that hits the sides. I'm happy with them. My car is Alpine white, the flaps are Black and they sort of blend into the darkness of the tires and wheelwwells.
I'm not sure if the chip was pre or post mudflaps, probably pre flaps.
Installation on the new Zeds is a snap. Very easy if you have any kind of mechanical aptitude with tools. Just don't lose the wheel nut key like I did afterwards.

http://www.z4-forum.com/forum/viewto...p?f=23&t=16459

maybe on black they might blend in better.

[E89Tardis]

Did you have to remove any tires to install them.

[mcbeee]

Originally Posted by E89Tardis

Did you have to remove any tires to install them.

You have to remove the rear wheels. The fronts are done at full lock so no problems.

[E89Tardis]

Thanks. I've always had full factory mudflaps but on this car I resisted because I don't think their not particularly flattering but chips and dirt spray are even less flattering so I think I'll be putting them on soon. Any chance the right offset screwdriver would avoid removing the rear tires?

[mcbeee]

Originally Posted by E89Tardis

Thanks. I've always had full factory mudflaps but on this car I resisted because I don't think their not particularly flattering but chips and dirt spray are even less flattering so I think I'll be putting them on soon. Any chance the right offset screwdriver would avoid removing the rear tires?

Nope, not a chance. You need to drill holes in the back materials, cut slots with a razor knife, screwing in the screws in is the easy part. The whole thing is a snap really. Make sure you have the instruction sheet and read (look at the pictures) carefully. I used a cordless drill, some regular drill bits(close to the metric size required), a "box cutter" or utility knife, a flat blade screwdriver, a phillips driver, a couple of small metric sockets and a Felt pen.
And a scissor jack to lift the car. (swiped out of my Gf's 325 Ci)

[E89Tardis]

Got it... Thanks for the tips...!

[coetzejg]

is the flaps a bmw part? I would maybe consider putting only the front one's on for the black.

[mcbeee]

Originally Posted by coetzejg

is the flaps a bmw part? I would maybe consider putting only the front one's on for the black.

BMW separate part no's for front and back. About $87.50 a set (that's what I paid) from Chapman's in Phoenix

I thought of just doing the front but thought it might look too weird. Go for it, you can always get the rear set later.

Fronts : 82162147258
Rears : 82162417621