pslewis

I know they are womans cars ...... I know its a BMW ...... I know! I know!

BUT, by pure chance I happened upon one today .. a W/2000 One Owner example with Hard Top and even a Hoist for the hard top!

It has 54,000miles and looks very nice indeed ...... now, I sat in it and it just stank of build quality - and I HATE BMWs with a vengence!!

This one really was nice, I thought anyway - 2.0litre straight 6 - wood trim, black leather heated electric seats, electric hood, beautiful dash, cracking unmarked alloys .....

I have been looking for a Special Edition MX5, and MX5s are brilliant!! BUT for the same price I could have this ..... and it's oh, so tempting .....

Please someone **** on my party and tell me that the BMW is pants - PLEASE!!

I have bought an iPOD and followed the name - I have bought a Tom-Tom and followed the crowd - PLEASE don't let me buy a BMW and therefore turn into a complete and utter Name Zombie!!!!

BULLITT

Ok, BMWs are crap, I know I work in a bmw dealership

Pumpkin

you've already got an MX-5 haven't you. People would just assume your hair salon was doing quite well.

The BMW Z3 is pants, unless its the M version, in which case its fancy pants - french knickers (?), but you can't polish a turd. They didn't call the replacement the Z4 for no reason

PPPRob

You'll know from sitting in it that its quite cramped so if you're tall it'll **** you off.

Other than that I couldn't fault one if that was what you were after......


...... No still trying to fault one. ...........

.....OK maybe the plastic rear screen but thats about it really

pslewis

I wasn't after one - I was just looking around an AC-Cobra dealership and it was in there.

Obviously owned by a wealthy as it had Air Con. and full leather (even down to the door handles) had a Hard Top and nice alloys.

Sat in it and was very impressed - wood, leather, quality switchgear ......

I liked it

pslewis

Oh, Yes, and the way the bonnet is held up by gas struts ..... no poxy metal rod!!

Quality ......

BULLITT

Do you know how heavy the bonnets are for them?!! takes four people to carry them without it been bashed about.

ScoobyJawa

The Z3 is not a patch a drivers experience as the MX. Its quite well known to be a bit of a crap car. However, it is typical BMW build quality! I have a Z4 now, build quality is miles above the same age MR2 or MX5, 3.0l straight 6 - handles/drives very nice indeed, so much better than a Z3 - even the M version. Most people who have had both will say between the choice of a Z3M and Z4 3.0i, they'd take the Z4.

Dracoro

I think I can input on this thread. I've had a 2000 mile test drive rather than repeating magazine/trade comments.

I drove a Z3 2.2 all over New Zealand. It was a great experience and the Z3 was OK. Didn't set the world alight, however it was comfy, nice interior, quick enough (although not great), handled ok, rode well. Main problem (and this is why I could never live with one) is that there's nowhere to put your clutch leg so it's either perched above the clutch (it soon aches!) or sat underneath it which isn't great.

Once back in the UK, I soon after bought a Honda S2000, a FAR FAR better car in the fun stakes, a lot faster etc. (and somewhere to put your clutch leg too! ). All round better than the Z3 in just about every dept.

So there's nothing 'bad' about the Z3 but nothing brilliant either, it's an OK car but there's better out there (well an S2000 for a start ).

pslewis

All the papers say that the MX5 is THE definitive drivers car and my 11 year old model is certainly brilliant at that 'seat of the pants' driving experience.

Just I was impressed with the level of build quality in the Z3 .... didn't start it or drive it - guess I would scamper back to the superior MX5 quick eniough if I did?

Varboy

I owned a Z3 3.0l for a bit, loved it.
Would say the following:
3.0l straight 6 is torquey and powerful and comes alive with a remap.
handling is very easily and cheaply improved with springs and a strut brace. The chassis is suprisingly communicative with these mods with great turn in, and weighty steering, it might not do a scoob in the twisties, but it was far more fun.
anything that is not an M is rapid rather than fast, but there are plenty of go faster bits available
cockpit though cramped is comfortable, low down and you get the 'feeling' you are in a sports car, I felt like I was on sitting on a pile of books when I first got in the scoob

ok for balance, bad points:

interior is way to out of date
fairly limited what you can do with respect to power, I got mine up to about 280bhp, beyond that, you have to start going supercharged
if you buy anything less than the Z3M, you will always be wishing you bought the Z3M
anything lower than the 2.8l is crap and gutless and what unfortunately gave the Z the all mouth, no trousers girly image (eg 1.9 WTF!)

Varboy

I owned a Z3 3.0l for a bit, loved it.
Would say the following:
3.0l straight 6 is torquey and powerful and comes alive with a remap.
handling is very easily and cheaply improved with springs and a strut brace. The chassis is suprisingly communicative with these mods with great turn in, and weighty steering, it might not do a scoob in the twisties, but it was far more fun.
anything that is not an M is rapid rather than fast, but there are plenty of go faster bits available
cockpit though cramped is comfortable, low down and you get the 'feeling' you are in a sports car, I felt like I was on sitting on a pile of books when I first got in the scoob

ok for balance, bad points:

interior is way to out of date
fairly limited what you can do with respect to power, I got mine up to about 280bhp, beyond that, you have to start going supercharged
if you buy anything less than the Z3M, you will always be wishing you bought the Z3M
anything lower than the 2.8l is crap and gutless and what unfortunately gave the Z the all mouth, no trousers girly image (eg 1.9 WTF!)

dpb

Waay too butch for you Pete

sbk1972

I like Z3. The older models are looking a bit ropey now, so if you consider on, get the new model, well the facelift one.

Remember, the Z3 use the older E30 chassis, so performance / handling might not be up to more modern cars. But, your not paying modern car's money are you.

MZ3 had major issues regarding the chassis cracking under pressure / power of the engine. A friend used to have one that suffered this crack and was qucikly repaired by BMW for £££££££££££££.

All comes down to price. For the right price, any car becomes atttractive, so if this Z3 is up for a good price, compared to a MX5, then I would probably go for the Z3.

I looked at one for my g/f, nice cars, bit small for me 6ft+. Also, the image of a Z3 is more for the ladies, unless you get the MZ3 which is pure male :-)

The only down side to the Z3, is the F'ing BMW dealerships. This is what will ruin your BMW experience, dealing with those suit wearing, fake smiling, tossers.

SBK

ScoobyJawa

On the contrary, my local one, Vines in Guildford, have been nothing but excellent (except the labour price but thats nationwide!).

lozgti

Z3's go for a song.I reckon they are a bargain buy,pants or not.

Yes,I have had a spin in one.Pulled the gear **** off trying to get reverse

pslewis

Its £9995 ....... seems a lot for the money?

immprezz'd

sounds to me like you're trying really hard to convince yoursel, end of the day m8 it is up to you.

pslewis

I've got this £10-20,000 burning a bloody hole

ScoobyJawa

Buy it then - then wish you'd got a Z4 if you've got 20k Leaps and bounds better

Square

innit

Sbradley

If it's a 2 litre then it's a 4 cylinder engine. It'll be a little thrashy and gutless, but then you you claim never to break speed limits and normally drive an MX5 so neither of those things should be an issue.

But BMWs are well made, generally, and if you find the right dealer then you're laughing - mine's bloody brilliant though it is a rather better car than a base spec Z3...and I'm rather less of an obnoxious person than you are which always helps in getting customer service.

SB