New Oil-change Access Panel

[MarinerZ4C]

My 2006 Z4 Coupe came to me with its oil change access panel (in the front reinforcement plate) sagging, with both ends an inch lower that the reinforcing plate opening. Sloppy oil changes must have left oil sitting on it and swelled it.

I could have just left it, or I could have simply installed a new one - but I didn't want a new one to end up the same, so here's my solution. It's a new panel with a thin aluminum plate added. The aluminum serves two functions: it keeps the oil (if any) off of most of the plastic panel, and it stiffens the panel to keep it from taking on the shape of a potato chip. This is definitely a "cosmetic" exterior mod - and one no one will ever see except me. It doubles the weight of the panel, but it should last the life of my ownership, and the bottom of the car is smooth again. (The old panel looks flatter in photos than in real life, viewed edge-on)

A custom panel would be nice, but way more work. The aluminum is a 4" X 6" sheet from McMaster-Carr, so there was no sawing involved - just rounding the corners, a few holes, and some aluminum "binding barrels and screws" (available from McMaster-Carr OR some home improvement stores.

[wdb]

Wow. Most people don't even bother to replace them at all!

[grannyknot]

Nicely done, but I think most of that sagging is probably temperature related, gets pretty hot under there.