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      11-21-2016, 07:48 PM   #1
CzaK
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For months I have been searching for a used Z to replace my wife's Miata. Recently found and purchased a 2005 Roadster. It is a one owner car with just 37k miles. Did not pick up on this during the test drive but on the way home I noticed the car pulling left and right depending on the contour of the road. It's a bit of a hassle fighting this problem. Doing a Google search this seems to be common. Could not find any info on a recall. Any ideas or advice on what to do?
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      11-21-2016, 07:55 PM   #2
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Quote:
Originally Posted by CzaK View Post
For months I have been searching for a used Z to replace my wife's Miata. Recently found and purchased a 2005 Roadster. It is a one owner car with just 37k miles. Did not pick up on this during the test drive but on the way home I noticed the car pulling left and right depending on the contour of the road. It's a bit of a hassle fighting this problem. Doing a Google search this seems to be common. Could not find any info on a recall. Any ideas or advice on what to do?
What do your tires look like? If they are worn and not dynamically balanced the car will pull like you are describing. I would check your tires for wear, balance and tire pressure, then an alignment. At your mileage it should not require more than this.
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      11-21-2016, 08:10 PM   #3
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Your car likely has run flat tires.
Ditch them for standard tires and enjoy your Z4
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      11-21-2016, 08:10 PM   #4
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I checked tire pressure as soon as I got the car home. Tires are Michelin Pilot Sport with just a few thousand miles on them.
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      11-21-2016, 08:15 PM   #5
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Quote:
Originally Posted by CzaK View Post
I checked tire pressure as soon as I got the car home. Tires are Michelin Pilot Sport with just a few thousand miles on them.
CzaK,

Z4's (and most other BMWs) are notorious for "tramlining" with worn runflat tires. Since yours are pretty new, I would suspect a problem with the wheel alignment, such as toe-out. That's what I would check next.

It's not a normal characteristic of Z4's. Hope you get it sorted out soon!

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      11-21-2016, 08:22 PM   #6
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Alignment was also done when new tires were put on.
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      11-21-2016, 09:08 PM   #7
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Are you maybe feeling the sticky steering issue?
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      11-21-2016, 09:58 PM   #8
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I second just runflats in general - new or not, properly aligned or not. I hated driving my 3.0si on the interstate until I replaced the wheels and (fairly new) tires. Night and day.
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      11-21-2016, 11:15 PM   #9
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Quote:
Originally Posted by CzaK View Post
Alignment was also done when new tires were put on.
What are the specs?
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      11-22-2016, 07:41 AM   #10
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Not sure. Was done at BMW dealership along with the tires.
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      11-22-2016, 08:21 AM   #11
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This definitely sounds like something may not be right with the car. If the car is doing this on roads that are in decent shape, its an issue with the car.

BUT.

If the roads in your area commonly have ruts, it may simply be a result of the roads in your area.
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      11-22-2016, 08:58 AM   #12
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Quote:
Originally Posted by CzaK View Post
Not sure. Was done at BMW dealership along with the tires.
Just because the BMW dealer dis it doesn't automatically guarantee its right.

But I will say this. Tramlining as you described are usually the result of having wide, low profile tires. For example, I just swapped for tires that are only 10mm wider than stock on my Fiat 500e and the amount of additional tramlining compared to the original 185mm wide tires is very evident.

Then I drive my MZ4 Coupe with the 3.5 degree camber, 275mm wide, low profile tires, and at anything approaching land in jail speeds you'd think the steering has a mind of its own.

Years ago before BMW started putting runflats on, I swapped out the stock 225 tires on the OE 17" rims to 245 tires on 18" all around on my 323ci, and the same thing, was shocked to find that the car follows every little bump, contour, nook, and cranny of the road.

IF you're simply comparing the Z4 to the Mazda, it's likely the Mazda has higher profile tires that were narrower, riding on a double wishbone/multilink type suspension up front, while the Z4 rides on MacStrut design, with wider and lower profile tires, ALL factors that contribute to increase the effect of tramlining.

There are things you can do to minimize. Reduce front tire camber, increase front toe-in. But it will likely NEVER get ride of all the tramlining behavior due to the inherent stiffer sidewalks of a wider, lower profile tire.
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      11-22-2016, 09:15 AM   #13
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LOL - I had the EXACT same experience! I test drove mine twice before I bought it, but on the way home I thought I had a super low tire or something so I stopped and checked it. When I didn't, I figured I was going to have to return it. I got home and did some reading and saw that run flats (which I had a brand new set of) were famous for this. Changed them out and 95% of it was gone. Changed out my FCAB and the rest went away - drives like a dream now.

Next disappointment was how poochy it felt. Coming from a 400 hp car I expected to miss some of the pick up, but I felt my explorer had more heart than this thing. Then I read you had to drive it like you stole it and increased my revs and she came to life. Gotta be above 4K to get her breathing fire.

The longer I have it, the more I love it. Put in new shocks springs and sway bushings and it is tight as a drum now.
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      11-22-2016, 09:29 AM   #14
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2005 with low miles, I would also replace the FCABs. Also verify that you have runflats. If you do, swap them out for normal tires and you will love the car.

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      11-22-2016, 10:36 AM   #15
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Quote:
Originally Posted by The HACK View Post
Just because the BMW dealer dis it doesn't automatically guarantee its right.

But I will say this. Tramlining as you described are usually the result of having wide, low profile tires. For example, I just swapped for tires that are only 10mm wider than stock on my Fiat 500e and the amount of additional tramlining compared to the original 185mm wide tires is very evident.

Then I drive my MZ4 Coupe with the 3.5 degree camber, 275mm wide, low profile tires, and at anything approaching land in jail speeds you'd think the steering has a mind of its own.

Years ago before BMW started putting runflats on, I swapped out the stock 225 tires on the OE 17" rims to 245 tires on 18" all around on my 323ci, and the same thing, was shocked to find that the car follows every little bump, contour, nook, and cranny of the road.

IF you're simply comparing the Z4 to the Mazda, it's likely the Mazda has higher profile tires that were narrower, riding on a double wishbone/multilink type suspension up front, while the Z4 rides on MacStrut design, with wider and lower profile tires, ALL factors that contribute to increase the effect of tramlining.

There are things you can do to minimize. Reduce front tire camber, increase front toe-in. But it will likely NEVER get ride of all the tramlining behavior due to the inherent stiffer sidewalks of a wider, lower profile tire.
+1 to all of this.

With worn 255/35 RE71s on the front and zero toe my car requires two hands on the wheel at all times because it wants to follow every slight imperfection in the road, even if that's toward the ditch. I tolerate it because it's an ideal set up for autocross. If you car is within alignment specs, but at the edge of the toe out tolerance it will still accentuate this effect. Take your car to somewhere they'll actually set the alignment to the max allowable toe in, not just check that it's in the tolerance window. Running a couple PSI higher pressure in the front tires will help a bit too.
Also, the electric assist power steering in the Z4 accentuates tramlining effect to the driver. Because the assist is applied to the steering column based on input from the steering angle sensor, any input to the steering column whether its from the driver or fed back from the steering rack gets power assist so what would be a slight pull on the steering wheel in a car with hydraulic power steering is a more significant pull in the Z4. Driving in sport mode sets a larger window of steering angle before you get assist from the Z4 power steering and should help calm it down quite a bit, even at current alignment settings.
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      11-22-2016, 02:35 PM   #16
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What everybody above said.

When you get this sorted you are going to absolutely LOVE your car. The sound of the inline six alone is intoxicating.
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      11-22-2016, 04:20 PM   #17
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my z4m coupe tracks like a freight train at 80mph- something is definitely wrongwith yours- and im running 225 and 255 michelin pilot ss (stock size)
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      11-22-2016, 06:07 PM   #18
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Quote:
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my z4m coupe tracks like a freight train at 80mph- something is definitely wrongwith yours- and im running 225 and 255 michelin pilot ss (stock size)
The M cars have traditional hydraulic power steering which is less senstive to feedback from the wheels than the electric power steering on the non-M E85/E86.

Also running the 225s on the front will make it less sensitive to tramlining overall.
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      11-22-2016, 06:48 PM   #19
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Thanks all. Great information. With the driving season coming to an end I don't plan on doing much with the car until spring.
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      11-23-2016, 06:00 AM   #20
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I'm going to chime in here that what you are experiencing is normal for a Z4 (E85 chassis) and that you are just not used to it. My Coupe jumps around a lot, but it's a sports car, not a sedan. It has a short wheelbase and wide stance and the suspension is set up for cornering. My Coupe is in alignment and I run Mich Pilot Sports AS3s non-runflat. All pre-F30 3-series BMWs tramline a bit, I've had four BMWs and been driving them for the better part of 28 years. Both my wife's Z3 and my Z4 tramline. The Z3 is set up with a Bilstein/H&R suspension and still does it. My old E30 did it, and so does my E90.

Now get your Z4 on some good back-country roads and drive fast, and the tramlining disappears.
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      12-07-2016, 11:41 AM   #21
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Quote:
Originally Posted by unluky View Post
LOL - I had the EXACT same experience! I test drove mine twice before I bought it, but on the way home I thought I had a super low tire or something so I stopped and checked it. When I didn't, I figured I was going to have to return it. I got home and did some reading and saw that run flats (which I had a brand new set of) were famous for this. Changed them out and 95% of it was gone. Changed out my FCAB and the rest went away - drives like a dream now.

Next disappointment was how poochy it felt. Coming from a 400 hp car I expected to miss some of the pick up, but I felt my explorer had more heart than this thing. Then I read you had to drive it like you stole it and increased my revs and she came to life. Gotta be above 4K to get her breathing fire.

The longer I have it, the more I love it. Put in new shocks springs and sway bushings and it is tight as a drum now.
What's an FCAB?
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      12-07-2016, 12:19 PM   #22
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