Does uneven hood=concealed front end damage?

erdoran · 05-05-2008, 08:56 PM

Well, I got my BRAND NEW zeddy and everything was wonderful until I got home and my stepson, who is a mechanic in training, looked at it. His first comment was "this car has had front end damage"! The hood is uneven--when you stand in front of the car & look at it the left side of the hood is not flush, but the right side is. It was too dark out to see anything else. I've emailed my CA and the sales manager to ask them if they know anything about it, and also to document my observation.

Can anyone contribute knowledge here? Any innocuous explanation? And yes, we did make sure the hood was properly closed!

veryhuman · 05-05-2008, 09:30 PM

Is it the hood that's uneven or the fender? The hood is a symmetric piece, hard for it to be off at one side and flush on the other?

Hawkeye · 05-05-2008, 09:44 PM

No, I have had an uneven hood before without any body damage. Mine was because there are little rubber things on the corners of the hood (on a honda civic) that you could screw in/out to make the hood set higher/lower. I have not seen this on the Zed but it mght be worth a look.

AtoB · 05-05-2008, 09:46 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Hawkeye

No, I have had an uneven hood before without any body damage. Mine was because there are little rubber things on the corners of the hood (on a honda civic) that you could screw in/out to make the hood set higher/lower. I have not seen this on the Zed but it mght be worth a look.

^^^^^^ what he said...

dekaliber · 05-06-2008, 12:30 AM

Pictures?

rc'Z · 05-06-2008, 04:55 AM

The hood is alumnium and very flexible. The rubber adjustment gromlets probably just need adjustment. Maybe your stepson is screwing with you! Check the adjustment before you get upset. You can probably adjust it yourself, or you stepson should know how. It's not very likely the fender is off. Good luck.

erdoran · 05-06-2008, 06:26 AM

THANKS! The kid is serious, he's 18 and in mechanic school. Dekaliber, I couldn't do pix last night, it was pitch dark out.

I think it's the hood, not the fender. I emailed the sales mgr & CA last night, will see what they have to say. Realistically, I don't see how there was an opportunity for any damage because it only had 7 miles on it when I test drove it. I like the idea about the rubber grommets, that makes sense. Hopefully that's all it is.

Thanks for the reassurance, guys! Kid ruined the excitement of bringing home the baby!

gearl · 05-06-2008, 06:34 AM

in additon to the two adjustment screws in the front of the car make sure you have both rubber pieces which are located half way up the side of the hood. They are very easy to nock off and if they are missing the hood does not lay even. I knocked one off just washing the car and drying the inside of my hood. I would bet one of them is missing. I also had a broken hood adjustment screw which took all of 3 minutes to replace.

rc'Z · 05-06-2008, 07:10 AM

Not to be a carrier of doom and gloom, but when you said about only 7 miles, my Porsche was damaged in the show room. An idiot night gard got into the car in the show room when the car was sitting on a ramp between show floors and pushed in on the clutch, rolled into the back of another Porsche. Show room damaged and they hid it from me when they sold it to me. Look for any signs of polishing compound on just the front of the car under the hood,,,,,,just to be sure.

gearl · 05-06-2008, 01:50 PM

One other thought i assume you opened and closed the hood when you got home. There is actually a little trick in closing the hood much different from my z3 which all i had to do was gentley drop the hood and it would close. Since the z4 hood is aluminum it takes a little harder force to close. i hold mine about six inches up and throw it down with a little force i remember the first time i closed it it was uneven as well.

erdoran · 05-06-2008, 07:15 PM

I think it's OK and thanks to everyone for the advice. I found those black alignment screws, but decided to let the dealer deal with them actually or maybe I'll tweak them a bit more over the weekend...I can live with it like this. All your stories about your alignment experience has convinced me not to panic! It's looking now like the right side is a bit low and the left a bit high, so I do think that's the problem. The hood is down good & tight. I haven't heard from the dealer but my CA is off today, so if I don't get an email tomorrow I will give him a call later in the day.

Hawkeye · 05-07-2008, 01:23 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by erdoran

Well, I got my BRAND NEW zeddy and everything was wonderful until I got home and my stepson, who is a mechanic in training, looked at it. His first comment was "this car has had front end damage"!

BTW, I think your stepson is cut out to work as a mechanic. With quick logical deductions like that he could work at just about any body shop around! I am suprised he didn't tell you he could fix it for a mere $600 as well.

Let us know how it turns out

05-05-2008, 08:56 PM	#1
erdoran Private 4 Rep 77 Posts Drives: '08 Z4si Join Date: Feb 2008 Location: Philadelphia, PA iTrader: (0)	Does uneven hood=concealed front end damage? Well, I got my BRAND NEW zeddy and everything was wonderful until I got home and my stepson, who is a mechanic in training, looked at it. His first comment was "this car has had front end damage"! The hood is uneven--when you stand in front of the car & look at it the left side of the hood is not flush, but the right side is. It was too dark out to see anything else. I've emailed my CA and the sales manager to ask them if they know anything about it, and also to document my observation. Can anyone contribute knowledge here? Any innocuous explanation? And yes, we did make sure the hood was properly closed!
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05-05-2008, 09:30 PM	#2
veryhuman Private First Class 5 Rep 112 Posts Drives: 2005 Z4 2.5I Join Date: May 2007 Location: Toronto iTrader: (0)	Is it the hood that's uneven or the fender? The hood is a symmetric piece, hard for it to be off at one side and flush on the other?
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05-05-2008, 09:44 PM	#3
Hawkeye Brigadier General 2070 Rep 4,365 Posts Drives: '07 Z4 Coupe, '21 X3, '16 GMC Join Date: Aug 2007 Location: Iowa iTrader: (0) Garage List 2016 GMC Sierra SLT [10.00] 2008 Yamaha R6 [9.00]	No, I have had an uneven hood before without any body damage. Mine was because there are little rubber things on the corners of the hood (on a honda civic) that you could screw in/out to make the hood set higher/lower. I have not seen this on the Zed but it mght be worth a look. __________________ 2007 Z4 3.0si Coupe • 6 MT • Black Saphire Metallic • PP • SP 2016 GMC Sierra SLT Z71 Premium Plus 4x4 2017 Harley StreetGlide • Denim Black • V&H Tune 2021 BMW x30i • Phytonic Blue Metallic • Fully loaded
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05-06-2008, 12:30 AM	#5
dekaliber Major 75 Rep 1,143 Posts Drives: '07 Z4MC, '11 JCW, '18 Z06 Join Date: Mar 2008 Location: Los Angeles iTrader: (1)	Pictures?
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05-06-2008, 04:55 AM	#6
rc'Z Captain 13 Rep 821 Posts Drives: 2009 335i Convertible Join Date: Dec 2007 Location: Virginia iTrader: (0)	The hood is alumnium and very flexible. The rubber adjustment gromlets probably just need adjustment. Maybe your stepson is screwing with you! Check the adjustment before you get upset. You can probably adjust it yourself, or you stepson should know how. It's not very likely the fender is off. Good luck.
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05-06-2008, 06:26 AM	#7
erdoran Private 4 Rep 77 Posts Drives: '08 Z4si Join Date: Feb 2008 Location: Philadelphia, PA iTrader: (0)	THANKS! The kid is serious, he's 18 and in mechanic school. Dekaliber, I couldn't do pix last night, it was pitch dark out. I think it's the hood, not the fender. I emailed the sales mgr & CA last night, will see what they have to say. Realistically, I don't see how there was an opportunity for any damage because it only had 7 miles on it when I test drove it. I like the idea about the rubber grommets, that makes sense. Hopefully that's all it is. Thanks for the reassurance, guys! Kid ruined the excitement of bringing home the baby!
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05-06-2008, 06:34 AM	#8
gearl Love My Car 0 Rep 54 Posts Drives: 2006 Z4 3.0I Join Date: Dec 2007 Location: ST. AUGUSTINE FLORIDA iTrader: (0)	hood in additon to the two adjustment screws in the front of the car make sure you have both rubber pieces which are located half way up the side of the hood. They are very easy to nock off and if they are missing the hood does not lay even. I knocked one off just washing the car and drying the inside of my hood. I would bet one of them is missing. I also had a broken hood adjustment screw which took all of 3 minutes to replace.
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05-06-2008, 07:10 AM	#9
rc'Z Captain 13 Rep 821 Posts Drives: 2009 335i Convertible Join Date: Dec 2007 Location: Virginia iTrader: (0)	Not to be a carrier of doom and gloom, but when you said about only 7 miles, my Porsche was damaged in the show room. An idiot night gard got into the car in the show room when the car was sitting on a ramp between show floors and pushed in on the clutch, rolled into the back of another Porsche. Show room damaged and they hid it from me when they sold it to me. Look for any signs of polishing compound on just the front of the car under the hood,,,,,,just to be sure.
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05-06-2008, 01:50 PM	#10
gearl Love My Car 0 Rep 54 Posts Drives: 2006 Z4 3.0I Join Date: Dec 2007 Location: ST. AUGUSTINE FLORIDA iTrader: (0)	hood One other thought i assume you opened and closed the hood when you got home. There is actually a little trick in closing the hood much different from my z3 which all i had to do was gentley drop the hood and it would close. Since the z4 hood is aluminum it takes a little harder force to close. i hold mine about six inches up and throw it down with a little force i remember the first time i closed it it was uneven as well.
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05-06-2008, 07:15 PM	#11
erdoran Private 4 Rep 77 Posts Drives: '08 Z4si Join Date: Feb 2008 Location: Philadelphia, PA iTrader: (0)	I think it's OK and thanks to everyone for the advice. I found those black alignment screws, but decided to let the dealer deal with them actually or maybe I'll tweak them a bit more over the weekend...I can live with it like this. All your stories about your alignment experience has convinced me not to panic! It's looking now like the right side is a bit low and the left a bit high, so I do think that's the problem. The hood is down good & tight. I haven't heard from the dealer but my CA is off today, so if I don't get an email tomorrow I will give him a call later in the day.
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