[Westside Guy]

Originally Posted by RigaTony1982

Same here in Chicago. I don’t want to get it all full of that crap, and I’m fortunate enough I don’t have to drive if I don’t want to.

My concern is the battery. It’s been sitting for like a week and 1/2 now. I may need to get a charger.

Considering the horrible winters you experience in Chicago a charger is probably a wise investment.

[Westside Guy]

Originally Posted by StanDiego

Generally, 40-85F is my top down sweet spot. Below 40, I fear the cold stresses the material and mechanism more than normal. Above 85, the top goes down for shorter spurts to avoid swamp ass, and our bodies don't do as great a job of regulating our core temperature in our senior years.
In cold weather (with the top down), I adjust the vents to blow only mid and lower area, temperature to HI, and then adjust the blower as needed. Once the engine is warmed up, the heat delivered is astounding and I typically have to turn down the blower speed and even the temperature sometimes.
Directing any warm air to upper vents seems to be a complete waste with the top down. It gets dispersed before it can be felt but, by directing all of the air to mid and lower vents, it keeps our legs and torsos warm and better distributes the heat in the cockpit.

Living in south Florida I no longer have this issue but I owned 3 convertibles when I lived in NYC and always drove them in the fall and winter seasons with the top down whenever possible.

Like you under 40 degrees was the cutoff and the top stayed up. If it was a sunny day I wouldn't hesitate to lower the top and would wear either a leather jacket or a lightweight parka with a hat and driving gloves. The heated steering wheel, heated seats, the warm air blowing from the lower vents and of course the sound system playing some good rock music did the rest.

I particularly loved stopping at red lights in Manhattan and starting a conversation with a beautiful woman about to cross the street or standing at a bus stop. This was a better method of my getting dates than subscribing to Match.com.

[tracer bullet]

Originally Posted by RigaTony1982

I may need to get a charger.

https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B0...?ie=UTF8&psc=1

I've got 2 of these, I love them. I park my 135i for weeks at a time during the winter if the roads are salty, and keep this going on it when I do. That stock battery lasted 10 years and I replaced it only as a preventive maintenance thing, was still working fine when I did. May have partly been because of this thing? I don't know if "desulfating" is an effective thing, and it's just a sample size of n=1, but I'll definitely keep using it.

[StanDiego]

Originally Posted by RigaTony1982

Same here in Chicago. I don’t want to get it all full of that crap, and I’m fortunate enough I don’t have to drive if I don’t want to.

My concern is the battery. It’s been sitting for like a week and 1/2 now. I may need to get a charger.

The next time I visit the dealership, I'm going to investigate how they route the trickle charger cable to the engine compartment in the hope that I can install a semi-permanent cable from the charge terminals to an easily accessible location that doesn't require popping the hood.

I already own a NOCO charger with accessory quick connect cable with eyelets that I used on my Miata years ago. The Miata's engine compartment was so tightly sealed so it was easy to route the cable to the front grill where it was nearly invisible but easily accessible.

I should probably search the Bimmerpost forum for a solution. I'm sure others must have already tackled the issue.

[Argo]

Is using one of those trickle chargers that plugs into a cigarette lighter not an option in these cars?

I've used one for a while in my Boxster because it has a hard wired dashcam that will otherwise drain the battery after about 10 days.

[Horseman]

oh yeah.. forgot to follow up here.

Sure enough, I went for a drive yesterday and it was cold as all get out ... nice and toasty inside. Matter of fact, I had my driver window down, passenger side cracked a little and I ended up falling asleep in the driver seat while in like to pick up my kid. So.. definitely nice and toasty enough to get comfy. haha

[stlcdr]

I haven't driven mine since Dec 21st, and don't expect issues with the battery. I've had it sitting longer with no problems. Maybe that's tempting fate, though...

[Wynnsiensheng]

Originally Posted by Argo

Is using one of those trickle chargers that plugs into a cigarette lighter not an option in these cars?

I've used one for a while in my Boxster because it has a hard wired dashcam that will otherwise drain the battery after about 10 days.

I think I read on this very forum that the lighter socket shouldn’t be used to plug in a battery charger for the car battery.

Might be wrong, but I seem to recollect it’s mentioned in the handbook?

[Wynnsiensheng]

Previous cars, anything under six weeks has been ok for the battery.

A slightly different problem that I’ve encountered is the brake discs rusting and getting stuck to the brake pads. But that has been specific to my wife’s Honda civic and anything over a week is a risk. No idea why really, her previous civic and all other cars it wasn’t problem.🤷‍♂️

[StanDiego]

Originally Posted by Wynnsiensheng

Previous cars, anything under six weeks has been ok for the battery.

A slightly different problem that I’ve encountered is the brake discs rusting and getting stuck to the brake pads. But that has been specific to my wife’s Honda civic and anything over a week is a risk. No idea why really, her previous civic and all other cars it wasn’t problem.🤷‍♂️

My Z4 experienced that issue when newer, a loud breakaway noise when first exiting the garage, didn’t think much of it other than an irritant. I haven’t experienced it recently.

[Wynnsiensheng]

Originally Posted by StanDiego

My Z4 experienced that issue when newer, a loud breakaway noise when first exiting the garage, didn’t think much of it other than an irritant. I haven’t experienced it recently.

The breakaway noise I have had on several cars if left for a long time. But after the initial break, the cars behaved normally. With the Honda civic, after the break noise there is clunking noises as the pads got bits of rust still stuck to the discs.
Glad to hear it shouldn’t be a problem with the G29 🤞🤞

[Balr14]

Originally Posted by RigaTony1982

Same here in Chicago. I don’t want to get it all full of that crap, and I’m fortunate enough I don’t have to drive if I don’t want to.

My concern is the battery. It’s been sitting for like a week and 1/2 now. I may need to get a charger.

May I suggest this:
https://www.amazon.com/CTEK-40-206-5...IaAiNnEALw_wcB

I have been using this for more than 5 years and it does an excellent job of maintaining my batteries, even on cars that have lots of parisitic power losses.

[RigaTony1982]

Originally Posted by Balr14

May I suggest this:
https://www.amazon.com/CTEK-40-206-5...IaAiNnEALw_wcB

I have been using this for more than 5 years and it does an excellent job of maintaining my batteries, even on cars that have lots of parisitic power losses.

Thanks. Was going to look into these a little more this weekend. I see a few other people posted some recommendations too. Thanks all!

[Balr14]

Originally Posted by RigaTony1982

Thanks. Was going to look into these a little more this weekend. I see a few other people posted some recommendations too. Thanks all!

The Z4 has no power loss I could measure, so you are probably good without a battery tender for several months. But, it makes me feel more comfortable... one less thing to worry about.

[StanDiego]

Originally Posted by Balr14

The Z4 has no power loss I could measure, so you are probably good without a battery tender for several months. But, it makes me feel more comfortable... one less thing to worry about.

The Z4 certainly does a much better job than my Subaru Outback in that regard but I suspect there are some programmed events that occur when the car is turned off. I put mine on the charger every two to three weeks and in nearly every case the charger starts at 3 of 4 bars lit, taking 30-160 minutes to top it up.

The software updates check the status of the battery charge so I like to keep the battery topped up in the event that a software update gets pushed.

[CJ421]

I've driven with the top down in mid-20 degrees F without issue, just around town (under 50 mph). I don't have any hair, so wearing a warm hat is important.

Charles

[perryinva]

The accessory outlet can not be used for charging in the S30 for sure and can in fact damage something, from what I read. I tried mine in the outlet before I found that out and it did nothing at all for the battery and in fact the charger turned itself to not connected mode after a short while. You have to clamp on to the charging points under the hood. When I bought mine used, it had been sitting outside on the lot for about 8 weeks. Started right up. When I got it home, I tried the smart oulet charger I had, and saw it didn’t work. THEN I read all about the complicated charging system, the two batteries, and how the battery should be charged while hooked up under the hood to allow the electronics to monitor the charging, which will then allow the cars electronics to properly charge the batteries (in the S30) during driving.

[Westside Guy]

We are handling our cold winter weather without an issue. I will definitely have the top down when driving today. 🤪

[mdoneinvt]

Originally Posted by Westside Guy

We are handling our cold winter weather without an issue. I will definitely have the top down when driving today. 🤪

Lucky you I am hibernating today no top down here today.

[MisanoblueZ4]

Originally Posted by mdoneinvt

Lucky you I am hibernating today no top down here today.

We are stuck in the 30’s all weekend here in SC. This has been a tough winter, back into the 60’s next week!

[BEAR-AvHistory]

Was 19*F here last night. Would be normally looking forward to the 60's warm up next week but am getting a rotator cuff & some torn muscles in my right arm fixed.

Quick out & back beach run then off to the hospital & a number of weeks with no driving.

[StanDiego]

Originally Posted by Argo

Is using one of those trickle chargers that plugs into a cigarette lighter not an option in these cars?

I've used one for a while in my Boxster because it has a hard wired dashcam that will otherwise drain the battery after about 10 days.