Z3 advice please

Well I might not, actually, considering that it's a 1.9-liter engine :(

Ramapriya

My '97 Z3 2.8 had the following problems and recalls, all taken care of under warranty:

1,500 miles - Instrument cluster replaced 8,000 - Starter control module (recall) 26,000 - Fuel Sender & Fuel Pump replaced 27,000 - Driver's seat track & motor replaced 45,000 - Crank position sensor (recall)

The only reason I traded it at 68,000 was to purchase a Z4.

Tom K.

In that case, keep looking. You want at least the 2.8 litre. We bought a 98 2.8 litre with the 5 speed and 61,000 miles on it two years ago, and so far the only problems have been:

Wiper motor fell out of position, reseated

Driver side seat belt sensor replaced

It's the most enjoyable car I have ever owned.

I bought a '98 Z3 1.9 about 5 months ago. Mine had 100K miles on it, and I paid $8200 from a used car lot. It had a noisy throwout bearing, was missing the boot cover and owners manual.

The 1.9 is a bit underpowered. At 138 HP it has less power and more weight than a Miata. Still a good ride, but it would be better with more torque. As others have said, if you can get a 2.8, or even the later 2.3 you will enjoy it more. There appears to be no fuel mileage advantage to the smaller engines, they all seem to get about 23/29 mpg. But I don't regret buying my 1.9. It was a good car for the money, and still is. No problems with it that I did not bring on myself.

Appreciate the really nice inputs. Funnily, for all its passion for nouveau cars, the Mazda Miata is missing from the United Arab Emirates. Looking at its pix, it really is inexplicable.

Ramapriya

bit of a change from the 7-series you wanted a little while back!

True :) It began with a 7-series (not that it's out of the radar) and has wandered to a Z3, an Alfa Romeo Spyder half-seriously and a '93 Porsche 968 that's being quoted $10,500, apart from oohing and aahing at every A8 and TT I see :)

I'm yet to achieve stability on what I want, but that's probably because I know so little of cars. When I bought the used C240 in Feb, it was my first ever car in life - and at an age of all of 39, can you believe that? :)

Ramapriya

True :) It began with a 7-series (not that it's out of the radar) and has wandered to a Z3, an Alfa Romeo Spyder half-seriously and a '93 Porsche 968 that's being quoted $10,500, apart from oohing and aahing at every A8 and TT I see :)

I'm yet to achieve stability on what I want, but that's probably because I know so little of cars. When I bought the '01 C240 in Feb, it was my first ever car in life - and at an age of all of 39, can you believe that? :)

Ramapriya

The 968 *was* one of the best cars money could buy and if your only concern is how a car drives then probably is still up there although for the money you could get something a lot newer. E38 & series are a bit dated now style-wise, certainly compared to an A8. Z3s are like toy cars.