Your gas cap?

[janikphoto]

Would someone mind taking a picture of their gas cap, please? Both sides. I want to compare it to mine for reference. Thanks!

[2santiago]

I would help but I will not be by my house today.

[BenFenner]

[cfmistry]

For the record that is a 4/99+ cap when they went to a locking fuel door. My 99 has a cap with a key on it, and the two are not interchangeable.

[IgotBMW]

Mine's a 11/96 and have a locking gas cap.

[janikphoto]

Hmmmm... maybe that's my issue here. I have a 2000 Z3, but I know it had some shady work done on it before I owned it. It came with one correct headlight and one early headlight. It had some electrical shorts that I worked out, and it had a non-oem hood. Well, it had a generic gas cap, too. I bought one that looks like the one above, but it won't work. However, I don't have a locking gas door, either. Maybe the guy pulled a gas filler neck from a pre-2000 car, or maybe my manufacture date is early enough that it doesn't yet have the 2000+ filler neck and cap?!? Can someone show me what the early cap looks like?

[BenFenner]

I don't have a locking gas door, either.

Are you sure? It's not obvious. (I didn't realize for a long time that mine was locking.)

Do you have this?

[2santiago]

Do not quote me on this. I think the gas cap that requires a key were in our cars in 2000 but started in cars manufactured in the layer months of 99. Again, I could be way off. Nonetheless, my car came with the cap pictured in previous posts. I ordered the cap that requires the key the from BMW ATLANTA. One of our fellow members recommended the place. All I had to do, provide VIN #, pay, and it arrived at my place in no time. I checked with my key and worked flawlessly. Now I did forget the price I paid. 😁

[janikphoto]

Are you sure? It's not obvious. (I didn't realize for a long time that mine was locking.)

Do you have this?

I'll have to look and see. I don't remember ever seeing that, or a switch/lever anywhere inside the car. It's been sitting the last few months, so my memory on the gas area isn't as sharp.

[JoshS]

There's no switch/lever with the locking filler door (model year '00+, production starting mid 4/99). It locks and unlocks with the doors.

Before that (model years '96-'99, production through mid 4/99), it was a locking fuel CAP, but the filler door did not lock.

[BenFenner]

I don't remember ever seeing that, or a switch/lever anywhere inside the car.

As JoshS said, there's nothing to indicate the door locks. No switch/lever to operate.

[WisM]

There's no switch/lever with the locking filler door (model year '00+, production starting mid 4/99). It locks and unlocks with the doors.

Before that (model years '96-'99, production through mid 4/99), it was a locking fuel CAP, but the filler door did not lock.

As Ben and Josh said, it's not obvious and you only lock and unlock the car doors to operate the gas door lock. It was the same for me. I did not even realize at first that it was locking. It is naturally unlocked anytime you are at the gas station unless you lock your car when you get out to pump gas.
Your car being a 2000, it is pretty likely to have this, so you would not want the locking cap.