Discussion
A pal of mine on here had a bread van a while back and was full of praise for it. The one thing that he did have a problem with was the seats. I have been out on a run with him and did not have a problem but as we all know, it is a different experience from the driving seat.
Don't really have any useful info about what you should look for but to my knowledge, they are pretty robust and apart from the Vanos issues that you are already aware of, I don't think you will have too much of a problem. Buy on condition, not age or millage and don't get a yellow one ( unless you intend to paint it BLACK before you get it home )
Don't really have any useful info about what you should look for but to my knowledge, they are pretty robust and apart from the Vanos issues that you are already aware of, I don't think you will have too much of a problem. Buy on condition, not age or millage and don't get a yellow one ( unless you intend to paint it BLACK before you get it home )
Hi
Good choice even though I say so myself.
I have the S54 version (later model years), engine same as E46. The S54 suffers less from the dreaded Vanos complaint. The S50 (earlier version) seems to suffer, but some think it is over hyped.
Mad quick car, as Jezzer says, 'pick it if you love going sideways' !
Check out:
http://www.z3mcoupe.com/
Good choice even though I say so myself.
I have the S54 version (later model years), engine same as E46. The S54 suffers less from the dreaded Vanos complaint. The S50 (earlier version) seems to suffer, but some think it is over hyped.
Mad quick car, as Jezzer says, 'pick it if you love going sideways' !
Check out:
http://www.z3mcoupe.com/
one of my fav cars ever!! you can get some bargans now days..... super fast and also scary in the rain (especially the earlier non TC version).
wouldnt worry about vanos, buy on condition and keep a grand aside incase the vanos goes......then relax and enjoy driving a great car!!
to be honest, i really want one, but i currently do motorway miles so my m3 evo is more "sensible" as it has the 6 gear for the motorway..
Jam
wouldnt worry about vanos, buy on condition and keep a grand aside incase the vanos goes......then relax and enjoy driving a great car!!
to be honest, i really want one, but i currently do motorway miles so my m3 evo is more "sensible" as it has the 6 gear for the motorway..
Jam
I used to have one, now have a Z4MC. As already mentioned www.z3mcoupe.com is a wealth of knowledge. Newer S54 will have traction and larger service intervals, older S50 needs more servicing, if the vanos goes, it can normally be replaced by an indy for £1500. The S54 has the same M3 shell bearing issues, so a much more expensive potential problem, the rev limiter is set lower than an M3 but plenty have alreay let go.
In saying that nothing at all went on mine in 3 years, from 25k to 55k, although the Vanos did go on the new owner at 60k!!
More things to check: seat rails, they wear causing the seats to rock very slightly. Check the boot floor, these have been been known crack and tear apart under heavy abuse. Also the rear diff mount has been known to crack. That's all really, I really enjoyed mine, if I had to get in one again, I'd buy an S50 with the lowest miles I could from an owner off the above website. Good Luck.
In saying that nothing at all went on mine in 3 years, from 25k to 55k, although the Vanos did go on the new owner at 60k!!
More things to check: seat rails, they wear causing the seats to rock very slightly. Check the boot floor, these have been been known crack and tear apart under heavy abuse. Also the rear diff mount has been known to crack. That's all really, I really enjoyed mine, if I had to get in one again, I'd buy an S50 with the lowest miles I could from an owner off the above website. Good Luck.
Jam Rock said:
one of my fav cars ever!! you can get some bargans now days..... super fast and also scary in the rain (especially the earlier non TC version).
wouldnt worry about vanos, buy on condition and keep a grand aside incase the vanos goes......then relax and enjoy driving a great car!!
to be honest, i really want one, but i currently do motorway miles so my m3 evo is more "sensible" as it has the 6 gear for the motorway..
Jam
mine has a 6-speedwouldnt worry about vanos, buy on condition and keep a grand aside incase the vanos goes......then relax and enjoy driving a great car!!
to be honest, i really want one, but i currently do motorway miles so my m3 evo is more "sensible" as it has the 6 gear for the motorway..
Jam
and opw, also a very good special diff(not as scary as the S50) and its my 4th Z3 M coupe I had 2 black S50 Z3 M coupe's, 1 phoenixgelb S54 Z3 M coupe and still today the one off Hartge Z3 coupe 5.0 6-speed
they are lovely cars and pretty rare too!
GTRene
Matt,
Great car indeed, I bought the Roadster coz i like the sun on my barnet (whats left of it!!)......
Would really really recommend some of the mods i have done as its transforms the car into an altogether different beast!!!
Anyway good luck you won't regret it...as for colour got to be Artic Silver
with large BBS LM's!
Cheers
Jason
Great car indeed, I bought the Roadster coz i like the sun on my barnet (whats left of it!!)......
Would really really recommend some of the mods i have done as its transforms the car into an altogether different beast!!!
Anyway good luck you won't regret it...as for colour got to be Artic Silver
with large BBS LM's!Cheers
Jason
Sorry Matt missed off some of the useful mods see below:
Z3M Roadster 22,000 miles:
Schrick 284 Cams
Underdrive Pulleys
Carbon Intake
UUC Competition Flywheel
Supersprint De-cat & Full system
Full dyno setup/Remap + Unichip
Handling:
18" BBS LM's
H&R Coilovers
H&R Anti Roll Bars
Carbon Strut Brace
Tarox "6" Brake conversion front and rear + braided lines
Cheers
Jason
Z3M Roadster 22,000 miles:
Schrick 284 Cams
Underdrive Pulleys
Carbon Intake
UUC Competition Flywheel
Supersprint De-cat & Full system
Full dyno setup/Remap + Unichip
Handling:
18" BBS LM's
H&R Coilovers
H&R Anti Roll Bars
Carbon Strut Brace
Tarox "6" Brake conversion front and rear + braided lines
Cheers
Jason
Hi I bought 1 a month ago after months of trawling the tinternet for advice.
The best thing to do is do some research and buy the best you can afford.
Put a few quid aside incase the Vanos doese go but dont be overly worried about it.
Try and get 1 that a enthusiast has had and you wont go far wrong.
Its the maddest car Ive ever had and I love it.
Mine does not have traction control but hey none of the cars I grew up with did.
Go on get 1 while the prices are good they can only go up as they are getting hard to find.
The best thing to do is do some research and buy the best you can afford.
Put a few quid aside incase the Vanos doese go but dont be overly worried about it.
Try and get 1 that a enthusiast has had and you wont go far wrong.
Its the maddest car Ive ever had and I love it.
Mine does not have traction control but hey none of the cars I grew up with did.
Go on get 1 while the prices are good they can only go up as they are getting hard to find.
"problem" of the vanos is often only the tension-er from that thing! don't worry...
ow here a video how fast you can go in them, 310km/h on the speedo(with some small ingredients)
http://smg.photobucket.com/albums/v635/mpowerd/Vid...
GTRene
ow here a video how fast you can go in them, 310km/h on the speedo(with some small ingredients
)http://smg.photobucket.com/albums/v635/mpowerd/Vid...
GTRene
mc stoney said:
Mine does not have traction control but hey none of the cars I grew up with did.
I Know !! I think they had a starting handle at the front didnt they ??And what were you suppose to be doing when you wrote this ??? I dont think your work computer is to do things like this on is it ??
thanks chaps.
very useful info on the cars and links of where to go.
so the Vanos issue doesn't sound quiet so bad now, more the case of chinese whispers.
woulds be looking at about 12k i'd imagine, but of course i'd have to shift the GTV before.
but then im in no hurry, so can enjoy hunting and researching.
many thanks again
Matt
very useful info on the cars and links of where to go.
so the Vanos issue doesn't sound quiet so bad now, more the case of chinese whispers.
woulds be looking at about 12k i'd imagine, but of course i'd have to shift the GTV before.
but then im in no hurry, so can enjoy hunting and researching.
many thanks again
Matt
Missed this thread...
I got mine about a year ago from the ads in the z3mcoupe forum mentioned above. It's had a lot of owners but was in great condition, and black with kyalami (the best colour for them I think).
The VANOS is the main issue with them but I think it's probably blown a bit out of proportion as the dealers seemed to change them under warranty at the slightest hint of a problem.
Check round the boot floor area as there's been a few cases of the floor ripping and needing replaced due to spot welding rather than seam welding I believe. I never saw one like that when I was looking but there's been a few reports.
You might find that a few of them have a sticky gearstick into fifth when cold. Seems to be normal and it should be fine when the oil warms up. The dealer response was a new gearbox but I've been told it's just a worn spring that can be changed for a few quid. I'll get round to it someday!!!
Other than that there's not much.. Mines is coming up on 90k miles, of which I've done 13k, and apart from a misfire due to a coil on its way out it's just been routine servicing.
I got mine about a year ago from the ads in the z3mcoupe forum mentioned above. It's had a lot of owners but was in great condition, and black with kyalami (the best colour for them I think).
The VANOS is the main issue with them but I think it's probably blown a bit out of proportion as the dealers seemed to change them under warranty at the slightest hint of a problem.
Check round the boot floor area as there's been a few cases of the floor ripping and needing replaced due to spot welding rather than seam welding I believe. I never saw one like that when I was looking but there's been a few reports.
You might find that a few of them have a sticky gearstick into fifth when cold. Seems to be normal and it should be fine when the oil warms up. The dealer response was a new gearbox but I've been told it's just a worn spring that can be changed for a few quid. I'll get round to it someday!!!
Other than that there's not much.. Mines is coming up on 90k miles, of which I've done 13k, and apart from a misfire due to a coil on its way out it's just been routine servicing.
I'm the bloke GTWayne was on about. My problem with the seats were they are rather flat. I'm not the smallest owner out there, but I found even under moderate braking I would slide forward and have to push myself back. Until I braked again and slid forward etc...etc. I was looking to change to some Sparcos or Cobra but changed the car for an M5 (not the best move!!) The seat belts mount to the seat unit so it wasn't a straight swap. I wanted 4-points too so was looking to get a half cage fitted. Also, being electric the OEM seats are very heavy. After market ones would make a big saving. There is a guy on the z3forum who changed his and could not believe how much they weighed.
Anyhow, great cars and will have another when prices have softerned a little so I can turn it into a track-day car and do the above mods, along with others. As a road car they are great. Vanos is over hyped and as said the gear lever is reluctant to go accross the gates when cold. Windows can be very slow and door locks can play up. Not much else with mine went wrong.
Good luck
Paul.B
Anyhow, great cars and will have another when prices have softerned a little so I can turn it into a track-day car and do the above mods, along with others. As a road car they are great. Vanos is over hyped and as said the gear lever is reluctant to go accross the gates when cold. Windows can be very slow and door locks can play up. Not much else with mine went wrong.
Good luck
Paul.B
_Batty_ said:
thanks chaps.
very useful info on the cars and links of where to go.
so the Vanos issue doesn't sound quiet so bad now, more the case of chinese whispers.
woulds be looking at about 12k i'd imagine, but of course i'd have to shift the GTV before.
but then im in no hurry, so can enjoy hunting and researching.
many thanks again
Matt
Mine's in the classifieds for £11.5K if you are interested.very useful info on the cars and links of where to go.
so the Vanos issue doesn't sound quiet so bad now, more the case of chinese whispers.
woulds be looking at about 12k i'd imagine, but of course i'd have to shift the GTV before.
but then im in no hurry, so can enjoy hunting and researching.
many thanks again
Matt
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