HELP: DIY replacing rusty rocker/entrance panels, has anyone done it?

[elky]

Just bought my self a pair of new and painted rocker panels as the previous have rusted away and my Z3 failed MOT just for that .
I've seen a video on youtube that removes all panels from a Z3M.
It seems pretty involved to remove the rocker panels as there are screws sandwiched between the rear and front fender panels...



Does anyone know of any shortcuts I can take as I will be doing it myself in the garage and I want to avoid removing the door Thanks for any tips and advice!

 

[Peter1450]

I’d ask the MOT tester to fit them FOC as they shouldn’t have failed as it’s a non structural part of the car !

 

[elky]

I’d ask the MOT tester to fit them FOC as they shouldn’t have failed as it’s a non structural part of the car !

Yes but I am in Denmark where there is no love for cars and they don't care if you have to pay either, I tried to make an argument for it Also, in Denmark MOT testers are not allowed to perform any service on the car...

So I have to do it myself or pay a high price at a service center...

 

[Delk]

I have done both my cars and its not so bad
Think Pelican parts has a guide if you Google that.

 

[petecossie]

If you do a search Dr Wong did a very detailed sill refurb a few years back which I used myself as a good guide as to what to do.
I recently put a few photos up showing treatment of the inner structural inner sills which you may have do some work on once you have removed the outer covers.
The doors don’t have to be removed.
Good luck.

 

[Jack Ratt]

In the Articles section of the forum

BMW Z3 Sill Removal and Protection | BMW Z1 Z4 Z8 Z3 Forum and Technical Database - ZRoadster.org

 

[Peter1450]

As above , it’s a fairly straightforward job ,just give yourself plenty of time to sort out what lurks behind the rusty outer cover! Did ours last year ,lots of surface rust where the road muck collects between the cover and the structural sill, doors stay in situ, just the small panels to the front and the inner arches need removing, I’d buy some new panel screws and the plastic door trim clips as these tend to break when removing for access . Good luck

 

[elky]

As above , it’s a fairly straightforward job ,just give yourself plenty of time to sort out what lurks behind the rusty outer cover! Did ours last year ,lots of surface rust where the road muck collects between the cover and the structural sill, doors stay in situ, just the small panels to the front and the inner arches need removing, I’d buy some new panel screws and the plastic door trim clips as these tend to break when removing for access . Good luck

Thanks for the tips, I'll order a bunch of clips and screws for safety. What about the rear panel fenders, don't they hide a screw behind them?

 

[elky]

In the Articles section of the forum

BMW Z3 Sill Removal and Protection | BMW Z1 Z4 Z8 Z3 Forum and Technical Database - ZRoadster.org

Thanks for the link for the guide, the images are really helpful ! The car has been treated with anti rust throughout its life so hopefully I will not find any tragedies behind the sills.

 

[Delk]

Thanks for the tips, I'll order a bunch of clips and screws for safety. What about the rear panel fenders, don't they hide a screw behind them?

If you pull the rear plastic wheel liner there are two bolts behind the rear panel. One is easy and the other takes a bit of work to reach but can be done.

 

[elky]

Update: so finally got around to fitting the first of the panels, the job was not too bad as you guys said pretty straightforward, I didn't even remove the wheels, and the only issue was the rust treatment coat which is just a mess to work with.

So slight problem and I am panicking, the color that the official BMW workshop has painted doesn't match my color, although on the receipt it says 472 Sterling grey.
Has anybody experienced that? Did they make a mistake because even the interior panels do not match the color that they have painted the new rocker panels...

What do I do?!?!?

 

[Nodzed]

Either they have sprayed the panels with the colour or less likely the car has had a respray in the past and a colour change that isn't the factory colour code? The inner panels won't match the outer ones, that normal.

 

[elky]

Either they have sprayed the panels with the colour or less likely the car has had a respray in the past and a colour change that isn't the factory colour code? The inner panels won't match the outer ones, that normal.

So are you saying that probably they probably made a mistake?
My point is that even the inner panels i.e. around the trunk match the rest of my car colour while the newly painted panels by BMW do not... Is it just that the rest of the car paint has oxidized or should I make a claim from them that it's the wrong color?

 

[Ianmc]

As I understand it, you removed the sill cover panels and had them sprayed against the colour code, without the workshop seeing the car?
Given the age of the car, it is likely that the other panels have "matured". I recently had a door resprayed due to delamination; seemingly, the body shop had 3/4 attempts before getting a perfect match to the other panels. I would take the car to the workshop with sills fitted and show them the issue. You might get some "goodwill", depending on the business.
Good luck!

 

[elky]

As I understand it, you removed the sill cover panels and had them sprayed against the colour code, without the workshop seeing the car?
Given the age of the car, it is likely that the other panels have "matured". I recently had a door resprayed due to delamination; seemingly, the body shop had 3/4 attempts before getting a perfect match to the other panels. I would take the car to the workshop with sills fitted and show them the issue. You might get some "goodwill", depending on the business.
Good luck!

Thanks for the information, yes this is exactly what I did and due to me rushing for an MOT inspection I didn't have time to leave the car in the workshop, probably a costly mistake as I understand now Yeah "goodwill" from an official BMW workshop sounds doubtful but let's see...

 

[Nodzed]

So are you saying that probably they probably made a mistake?
My point is that even the inner panels i.e. around the trunk match the rest of my car colour while the newly painted panels by BMW do not... Is it just that the rest of the car paint has oxidized or should I make a claim from them that it's the wrong color?

There is my point. BMW don't use top coat on the inner panels, as in the trunk water runs etc so if that matches the top coat I would say there is a chance the car has had a respray. Have a good look for other evidence of a respray, overspray etc before you go back and complain.

 

[elky]

There is my point. BMW don't use top coat on the inner panels, as in the trunk water runs etc so if that matches the top coat I would say there is a chance the car has had a respray. Have a good look for other evidence of a respray, overspray etc before you go back and complain.

I see your point, but I cannot judge an "overspray" or "respray", until now my Z's color seemed good as expected
In any case I have to go back to them and ask them to either match the new panels to the body color or do a full respray the car body which sounds extremely expensive?
I don't see any either options, and I believe a paint correction like polishing cannot fix this difference, right?

 

[Nodzed]

and I believe a paint correction like polishing cannot fix this difference, right?

No they seem two totally different colours, the sills look almost like Titan Silver??

 

[elky]

No they seem two totally different colours, the sills look almost like Titan Silver??

Exactly, it does look like Titan Silver and that is why I feel that perhaps they did a mistake... I am going on Wednesday by the workshop, hopefully, they understand

 

[petecossie]

If the car has original paintwork the BMW bodyshop can use paint thickness test equipment to see if paint is to original specification. If car has been resprayed it will not be to that original specification.

Little story,
My first Z3 MC had rust around the area where the number plate surround attaches, since the car at the time had 6 months to go before the 10 paint/bodywork warranty ran out, I thought I'll see what the BMW dealer had to say.
Took car in and bodyshop foreman came to have a look, said we don't do paint repairs for rust panels we will have to replace the whole hatch. However he added I think the car has been resprayed at some point (I said not that I was aware of) and if has we can't do anything for you.
He said we had a BMW paint guy from Brackley here at the moment can I take the car into the workshop for him to look at and test.
Just 15 mins later he came back full of apologies and said the paint guy has looked at the car and tested with paint thickness equipment and the WHOLE car is totally originally paintwork.
Car subsequently booked in and had a complete new rear hatch fitted, they even repaired the "Loom of Doom" and fitted some protective film pieces to the rear wheel arches. If I recall I got a separate 2 year warranty for the hatch and paintwork even though the rest of the car would be outside of 10 year warranty shortly.
Moral is even the BMW bodyshop foreman couldn't tell what was original or resprayed paintwork.