Newbie Questons

[nutbroker]

Afternoon All,
Just purchased a 2003 Zr 3.0i roadster with 71k from my buddy in NC and have a few questions. Appreciate everyones feedback in advance.

1. The car has 18 oem BMW wheels on it and power seats with memory. Would this be considered the sport package?

2. He included 2 NIB Bilstein rear shocks part # 19-158983, has anyone installed these before? Reviews? Any suggestions for fronts?

3. The headlights are a little cloudy so I plan on refinishing them. Has anyone had any experience with this process? Also, are there any earlier model z4s that could be a replacement?

Again said I am excited to be part of the forum and appreciate everyones feedback.

[Piper1]

Originally Posted by nutbroker

Afternoon All,
Just purchased a 2003 Zr 3.0i roadster with 71k from my buddy in NC and have a few questions. Appreciate everyones feedback in advance.

1. The car has 18 oem BMW wheels on it and power seats with memory. Would this be considered the sport package?

2. He included 2 NIB Bilstein rear shocks part # 19-158983, has anyone installed these before? Reviews? Any suggestions for fronts?

3. The headlights are a little cloudy so I plan on refinishing them. Has anyone had any experience with this process? Also, are there any earlier model z4s that could be a replacement?

Again said I am excited to be part of the forum and appreciate everyones feedback.

Greetings and welcome, and congrats. What part of NC? Grew up in char/meck.

To answer some of your questions google bmw vindecoder and plug in your info. That’ll give every stock option included on your vin from factory. Sport button is a good indicator you have sport trim.

I’ve wet sanded headlights in the past to get them clear again with clear coating pm for details there. On my 03 I opted to replace aftermarket to get rid of the amber hockey stick turns.

Production started sept 02 so that’s as early as Z4s as there are.

Edit: oh and don’t forget to post pics asap

[nutbroker]

Cars from Edenton NC

[Huz-Z]

Congrats!!

Car looks to be in great shape and I love those rims on grey and silver 2003 - 2005 Z4s! It must be that all the curves in the rims goes well with the round fog lights and taillights on theses cars.

There are a number of decent headlight restoration kits available. I think the Turtle Wax kit is pretty good but there are other products as well.

[belcom]

Looking at the seat headrests they're not sport but interesting colors. Do you have seat covers on?

Sport seats are shaped like the pic attached.

The shock P/N you indicated are Bilstein B4 which are OE replacement or equivalent to stock. Get the B4 fronts to match and you're good to go.

[Piper1]

Originally Posted by belcom

Looking at the seat headrests they're not sport but interesting colors. Do you have seat covers on?

Sport seats are shaped like the pic attached.

The shock P/N you indicated are Bilstein B4 which are OE replacement or equivalent to stock. Get the B4 fronts to match and you're good to go.

I’m not sure maybe someone could correct me but those sport seats I’ve not seen on pre facelift besides in swaps. Those seats coined “M” sport seats as a trim wouldn’t be until 06 if I’m correct there due to the M/M trims not in production/available until then. The passenger occupancy mats between prefacelift and facelift do have different plug connectors as well.

[Our03z4]

Like another poster said, does it have the SPORT button left of the shifter? If not then no it doesn't have the package. But good news, if it doesn't on most 03s you can add one. You'll just need the button and the trim from one that did. The wiring should be under there and it's plug and play.

Look up steering issues for these cars. Yours will have the issue at some point if it doesn't already. It will have a very sticky steering feel. There are easy ways of fixing it for free. There is even a recent thread some where on here with the fix.

To fix the headlights just get the 3M headlight restore kit, easy and works very well. Hit it with a can of clear if you want it to last longer.

Enjoy the car! Easy to work on and parts aren't too bad.

[Huz-Z]

Originally Posted by Our03z4

Like another poster said, does it have the SPORT button left of the shifter? If not then no it doesn't have the package. But good news, if it doesn't on most 03s you can add one. You'll just need the button and the trim from one that did. The wiring should be under there and it's plug and play.

Look up steering issues for these cars. Yours will have the issue at some point if it doesn't already. It will have a very sticky steering feel. There are easy ways of fixing it for free. There is even a recent thread some where on here with the fix.

To fix the headlights just get the 3M headlight restore kit, easy and works very well. Hit it with a can of clear if you want it to last longer.

Enjoy the car! Easy to work on and parts aren't too bad.

Ditto all the above!

Here is the thread with the BMW procedure to address sticky steering, if you have that problem:

https://www.zpost.com/forums/showthread.php?t=1950213

[unluky]

I have a 04 with the sport package and the same wheels as you. I swapped out for H&R springs and Bilstein B6 all around (a little more aggressive than B4) and while I am happy with the performance this combo provides (It's on rails) the ride on rougher roads is pretty jarring. If I had to do it again (also being 10 years older) I'd probably go B4's like you have. Plan for time if you do the rear shocks yourself - the fronts are a snap and the rears are a bit if a bear. Nothing hard - just time consuming taking that trunk stuff all out. I did it over a weekend and in shorter stints to break it up.

To help the stance with those wheels, I went to a 255 on the back and a 245 on the front with some smaller spacers and they changed the stance a LOT. Even on the lower springs, I get zero rub - even on the front that looks very tight.

Fun little cars - I drove mine today it is so nice out. Enjoy and welcome!

[DRandall]

refinishing the headlights isn’t hard. time consuming,,,but not hard. Get yourself a kit. Personally, I use the sylvania headlight restoration kit which is good for a year or two. Get some auto tape to tape around the headlight to protect your paint and use your fingers to feel where the lens is rougher and needs more polishing. Lastly, either use a kit that has a UV sealant (like the sylvania) or apply a separate headlight sealant when you’re done. The yellowing is UV damage that happens when the original OEM coating wears away. Unless you seal, the problem will just come back. how quickly depends on how much direct sunlight the headlight receives and how much UV protection remains. Hope this helps.