Discussion
Hi. You need to get yourself over to z3mcoupe.com and look at the FAQ. ;-)
Lots of useful info there
S50 engine was used 1999-2000 and the S54 2001-2002. There are other differences like traction control in the latter version too and you'll pay a premium.
Got my S50 a month or so ago and it's had niggling little things to deal with but I still enjoy every time I get in it or see it on the drive.
Always amusing that people who claim to have hated it based on photos before I bought see and hear it in real life and change their mind.
Lots of useful info there
S50 engine was used 1999-2000 and the S54 2001-2002. There are other differences like traction control in the latter version too and you'll pay a premium.
Got my S50 a month or so ago and it's had niggling little things to deal with but I still enjoy every time I get in it or see it on the drive.
Always amusing that people who claim to have hated it based on photos before I bought see and hear it in real life and change their mind.
had one - an S50 in estoril, possibly one of my favourite cars of all time; yes - it's low tech - yes the tailgate is wafer thin....
rear suspension turrets can be a problem, but really they're tried and tested; abused they're like any M, but well looked after they're reliable and great fun. Good for old school fun. A decent one will put out 300-310BHP, that's honest...hope you get a good one, you'll love it if you do. I ran mine for 18 months and over 22,000 miles without a hiccup (suspension turrets on warranty, but everything was done on std servicing intervals) great cars.
rear suspension turrets can be a problem, but really they're tried and tested; abused they're like any M, but well looked after they're reliable and great fun. Good for old school fun. A decent one will put out 300-310BHP, that's honest...hope you get a good one, you'll love it if you do. I ran mine for 18 months and over 22,000 miles without a hiccup (suspension turrets on warranty, but everything was done on std servicing intervals) great cars.
Firstly, the engine's power was mislabeled in this country. In the M3 it was 321PS which is approximately 316 BHP. They rarely make as much as this on the dyno though, mine was considered average at 293 BHP. I believe they made less in the Z3 due to the more compact exhaust but don't quote me on that.
Surprised to find they were 5 speed too.
Surprised to find they were 5 speed too.
Fantastic cars, I've had mine about 18 months now and has been nothing but reliable and needed only an oil service that cost £160.00 so far.
I love driving it and love the attention it gets from other road users, most of whom have never seen one before.
As has been said earlier, get yourself over to www.z3mcoupe.com for all your answers and more.
Good luck in finding a good one.
I love driving it and love the attention it gets from other road users, most of whom have never seen one before.
As has been said earlier, get yourself over to www.z3mcoupe.com for all your answers and more.
Good luck in finding a good one.
I love mine. Had it for 2 1/2 years and 20k miles which is about the longest I have kept any car. It's been brilliant, all over the Alps, Le Mans, Scotland, Dales.
Sadly (or happily) we now have a new baby and it's going back up for sale (I had it up for the same reasons before but took it down as I didn't really want to sell and couldn't figure out what to replace it with).
Sadly (or happily) we now have a new baby and it's going back up for sale (I had it up for the same reasons before but took it down as I didn't really want to sell and couldn't figure out what to replace it with).
Just sold mine, I actually shed a tear as it went off down the road with new owner. It's been a week now and I am no where near over it. 4 years we had it. Loved driving it, loved looking at it, loved other people looking at it. I did 15k and spent less than 2K running it, ex tax ins etc. It was so reliable. To date, it's the most complete 'sports car' I have ever driven. You will not regret owning one. All IMHO of course 
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Z
. Z
I have the Z3Roadster S50 and its my second one, I ran mine on the dyno and achieved 311.5 Bhp which was well impressed with.
They are great cars, i cant talk for the coupe but the engine, drive, delivery or power etc are great.
Having previously owned a Tuscan I cant recommend one enough, especially for the money - and reliability.
They are great cars, i cant talk for the coupe but the engine, drive, delivery or power etc are great.
Having previously owned a Tuscan I cant recommend one enough, especially for the money - and reliability.
These cars an acquired taste....marmite cars.
Look out for cracks in the boot floor, usual vanos issues, bumps/bangs from the suspension, and now as they are getting old rust.
I have had no trouble from mine apart from a sticking caliper in 18 months.
Would recommend one definitely and love the car (if TVR built a hot hatch it would be something like this....but nowhere near as well engineered!) but things that I don't like are:
Low gearing. Only 5 speeed. Pretty loud at anything over 70
Its a low car, even as standard. Watch the speed bumps
Handling can be hairy in the wet, no traction control on S50's. Drive with care.....
Good luck
Look out for cracks in the boot floor, usual vanos issues, bumps/bangs from the suspension, and now as they are getting old rust.
I have had no trouble from mine apart from a sticking caliper in 18 months.
Would recommend one definitely and love the car (if TVR built a hot hatch it would be something like this....but nowhere near as well engineered!) but things that I don't like are:
Low gearing. Only 5 speeed. Pretty loud at anything over 70
Its a low car, even as standard. Watch the speed bumps
Handling can be hairy in the wet, no traction control on S50's. Drive with care.....
Good luck
what about gearbox?
the one id rove saturday had had a new one and clutch/flywheel from BMW less than 30k ago. It seemed incredibly stiff, much much harder to change gear than a TVR box. Is this normal?
It has BMW warranty up til 06, which has meant. new box, clutch, flyhweel, vanos, diff, rear dampers, calipers. Just had new tyres and some other bits. Little spot of rust under mirror on door leading edge! Oil light stayed on abit after starup. This normal?other than that i dindt open it up much, flet a bit lifeless upto 4k which is about as much as i could manage in the wet/twisty roads
the one id rove saturday had had a new one and clutch/flywheel from BMW less than 30k ago. It seemed incredibly stiff, much much harder to change gear than a TVR box. Is this normal?
It has BMW warranty up til 06, which has meant. new box, clutch, flyhweel, vanos, diff, rear dampers, calipers. Just had new tyres and some other bits. Little spot of rust under mirror on door leading edge! Oil light stayed on abit after starup. This normal?other than that i dindt open it up much, flet a bit lifeless upto 4k which is about as much as i could manage in the wet/twisty roads
StardustV8 said:
what about gearbox?
the one id rove saturday had had a new one and clutch/flywheel from BMW less than 30k ago. It seemed incredibly stiff, much much harder to change gear than a TVR box. Is this normal?
It has BMW warranty up til 06, which has meant. new box, clutch, flyhweel, vanos, diff, rear dampers, calipers. Just had new tyres and some other bits. Little spot of rust under mirror on door leading edge! Oil light stayed on abit after starup. This normal?other than that i dindt open it up much, flet a bit lifeless upto 4k which is about as much as i could manage in the wet/twisty roads
The clutch is heavy but not as heavy as the Cerbera I had. The door mirror rust is quite common and pretty much all of them had it when I was looking. I heard it's to do with the way the water runs down the drain channels but not sure. I never really looked too much into it. Oil light should go off almost immediately.the one id rove saturday had had a new one and clutch/flywheel from BMW less than 30k ago. It seemed incredibly stiff, much much harder to change gear than a TVR box. Is this normal?
It has BMW warranty up til 06, which has meant. new box, clutch, flyhweel, vanos, diff, rear dampers, calipers. Just had new tyres and some other bits. Little spot of rust under mirror on door leading edge! Oil light stayed on abit after starup. This normal?other than that i dindt open it up much, flet a bit lifeless upto 4k which is about as much as i could manage in the wet/twisty roads
A lot of warranties expired in 2006 as thats when BMW put the prices up (almost double) so many owners put the money into a slush fund instead and probably saved money as a result of that.
StardustV8 said:
what about gearbox?
the one id rove saturday had had a new one and clutch/flywheel from BMW less than 30k ago. It seemed incredibly stiff, much much harder to change gear than a TVR box. Is this normal?
It has BMW warranty up til 06, which has meant. new box, clutch, flyhweel, vanos, diff, rear dampers, calipers. Just had new tyres and some other bits. Little spot of rust under mirror on door leading edge! Oil light stayed on abit after starup. This normal?other than that i dindt open it up much, flet a bit lifeless upto 4k which is about as much as i could manage in the wet/twisty roads
Clutch is heavy on mine, attested to by two friends who have taken a spin in it as well. the one id rove saturday had had a new one and clutch/flywheel from BMW less than 30k ago. It seemed incredibly stiff, much much harder to change gear than a TVR box. Is this normal?
It has BMW warranty up til 06, which has meant. new box, clutch, flyhweel, vanos, diff, rear dampers, calipers. Just had new tyres and some other bits. Little spot of rust under mirror on door leading edge! Oil light stayed on abit after starup. This normal?other than that i dindt open it up much, flet a bit lifeless upto 4k which is about as much as i could manage in the wet/twisty roads
My oil light goes off almost instantly once car starts up.
Wouldn't say mine is lifeless under 4k revs but I don't (and I believe this is the accepted wisdom) take it beyond 3k revs until the oil is up to temp and I guess it does feel a little pedestrian when compared to the power I get to play with a little later on.
Might just be me but the gear change becomes a little easier after the same sort of time as well.
Edited by 'Yadi on Monday 18th May 13:28
Oil light is not oil temp, you need to look to the left of of the gearbox there is a gauge which shows temp. You should never drive it Above 3k rpm until temp is around 80 degrees.
The gear box is naturally a little stiffer when cold, the accelerator is stiff on all these cars and you need to really push it hard to get them going, i quite like this!. The only thing i notice about the clutch is they squeek slightly???
Never noticed the rust on the two i have owned.
The gear box is naturally a little stiffer when cold, the accelerator is stiff on all these cars and you need to really push it hard to get them going, i quite like this!. The only thing i notice about the clutch is they squeek slightly???
Never noticed the rust on the two i have owned.
StardustV8 said:
what about gearbox?
the one id rove saturday had had a new one and clutch/flywheel from BMW less than 30k ago. It seemed incredibly stiff, much much harder to change gear than a TVR box. Is this normal?
It has BMW warranty up til 06, which has meant. new box, clutch, flyhweel, vanos, diff,
I've always thought the shift on my mate's Z3 MC was really light and easy, box flicks around like a saloon car's and clutch isn't much worse. All three Cerbera's I've driven had much heavier shifts.the one id rove saturday had had a new one and clutch/flywheel from BMW less than 30k ago. It seemed incredibly stiff, much much harder to change gear than a TVR box. Is this normal?
It has BMW warranty up til 06, which has meant. new box, clutch, flyhweel, vanos, diff,
IMHO any BMW that has had a new box and diff at 70k miles has been driven "enthusiastically". The diffs from that period are supposed to be strong.
Also the S50 produces peak torque at 3250 rpm, and although it may feel brisker higher up as the urgency/noise builds it should pull in a linear manner from not much over 2.5k rpm - it is an awesome piece of engineering! But based on your observations it would seem this car is not optimal.
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