Thinking of Z3 M Roadster
Discussion
Hi chaps, I am looking for a convertible for my wife, but also some thing that I can have a bit of fun in too.
The Z3M is the only car that ticks all the boxes for me, I don't want a Boxtser, S2000, SLK, TVR etc.... The Z4M is nice but I refuse to pay £475 pa for the road tax.
I just have a few concerns if I were to take the plunge, having had a e36 M3 before I loved the engine, but is it worth the extra to find one with the S54 engine? Is it worth the extra cash? I know they were slightly de-tuned to 325bhp but I am assuming the power difference is hardly noticeable.
Are there any issues with the floors cracking? Leaking roofs? General other issues?
The next big question is has anyone tracked one? I am interested as the car will be used a fair bit on track if I were to buy one. I like the way the car drives on the road but never seen one on track. Are the brakes up for the job or is it the same as many other BMWs?
I am happy to spend a bit on improving weak areas but I was hoping to get a bit of useful advice from fellow PHers before making the plunge.
Cheers
The Z3M is the only car that ticks all the boxes for me, I don't want a Boxtser, S2000, SLK, TVR etc.... The Z4M is nice but I refuse to pay £475 pa for the road tax.
I just have a few concerns if I were to take the plunge, having had a e36 M3 before I loved the engine, but is it worth the extra to find one with the S54 engine? Is it worth the extra cash? I know they were slightly de-tuned to 325bhp but I am assuming the power difference is hardly noticeable.
Are there any issues with the floors cracking? Leaking roofs? General other issues?
The next big question is has anyone tracked one? I am interested as the car will be used a fair bit on track if I were to buy one. I like the way the car drives on the road but never seen one on track. Are the brakes up for the job or is it the same as many other BMWs?
I am happy to spend a bit on improving weak areas but I was hoping to get a bit of useful advice from fellow PHers before making the plunge.
Cheers
Edited by scarebus on Wednesday 29th August 16:07
scarebus said:
Hi chaps, I am looking for a convertible for my wife, but also some thing that I can have a bit of fun in too.
The Z3M is the only car that ticks all the boxes for me, I don't want a Boxtser, S2000, SLK, TVR etc.... The Z4M is nice but I refuse to pay £475 pa for the road tax.
I just have a few concerns if I were to take the plunge, having had a e36 M3 before I loved the engine, but is it worth the extra to find one with the S54 engine? Is it worth the extra cash? I know they were slightly de-tuned to 325bhp but I am assuming the power difference is hardly noticeable.
Are there any issues with the floors cracking? Leaking roofs? General other issues?
The next big question is has anyone tracked one? I am interested as the car will be used a fair bit on track if I were to buy one. I like the way the car drives on the road but never seen one on track. Are the brakes up for the job or is it the same as many other BMWs?
I am happy to spend a bit on improving weak areas but I was hoping to get a bit of useful advice from fellow PHers before making the plunge.
Cheers
dont track a classicThe Z3M is the only car that ticks all the boxes for me, I don't want a Boxtser, S2000, SLK, TVR etc.... The Z4M is nice but I refuse to pay £475 pa for the road tax.
I just have a few concerns if I were to take the plunge, having had a e36 M3 before I loved the engine, but is it worth the extra to find one with the S54 engine? Is it worth the extra cash? I know they were slightly de-tuned to 325bhp but I am assuming the power difference is hardly noticeable.
Are there any issues with the floors cracking? Leaking roofs? General other issues?
The next big question is has anyone tracked one? I am interested as the car will be used a fair bit on track if I were to buy one. I like the way the car drives on the road but never seen one on track. Are the brakes up for the job or is it the same as many other BMWs?
I am happy to spend a bit on improving weak areas but I was hoping to get a bit of useful advice from fellow PHers before making the plunge.
Cheers
Edited by scarebus on Wednesday 29th August 16:07
Great cars,i bought mine to do a couple of track days but not had the time yet.
Go to the Zroadster site to find out about problem areas good bunch on there
I agree about road tax thats why i went for Z3M instead of Z4M i only do around 1000 miles a year so £475 for tax becomes an issue
Go to the Zroadster site to find out about problem areas good bunch on there
I agree about road tax thats why i went for Z3M instead of Z4M i only do around 1000 miles a year so £475 for tax becomes an issue
Do it, I loved my s50 so much I tracked down an s54 (1 of 73 in uk)My brother ended up buying my s50 when I made the change.
Mine will be up for sale shortly, I'm in the process of removing a few bits before she appears in the classifieds. The s54 is quicker than the s50 and slightly more tuneable. It's also stronger after the bearing shell recall has been carried out. (lack of vanos issues, rods stretching - a lot is scaremongering though and both engines are fairly solid)
Another thing worth noting (and probably the only other main issue) is the boot floor going like the e46's, this is a side effect of the diff mount giving way, check under the carpet for broken spot welds, the s54's came with a reinforced diff mount so are less likely to suffer the same issues
Worth noting if you go down this route, the s54's did not recieve the bearing shell recall like the e46 m3 so factor in this cost if it hasn't been done..
Best of luck with the hunt
Mine will be up for sale shortly, I'm in the process of removing a few bits before she appears in the classifieds. The s54 is quicker than the s50 and slightly more tuneable. It's also stronger after the bearing shell recall has been carried out. (lack of vanos issues, rods stretching - a lot is scaremongering though and both engines are fairly solid)
Another thing worth noting (and probably the only other main issue) is the boot floor going like the e46's, this is a side effect of the diff mount giving way, check under the carpet for broken spot welds, the s54's came with a reinforced diff mount so are less likely to suffer the same issues
Worth noting if you go down this route, the s54's did not recieve the bearing shell recall like the e46 m3 so factor in this cost if it hasn't been done..
Best of luck with the hunt
Edited by shantybeater on Thursday 30th August 22:34
Edited by shantybeater on Thursday 30th August 22:41
You caught me before I made the edits, not 'alot' stronger but there seems to be less known issues with the block (after precautionary bearing shell replacement has been carried out) once the s54's potential is released the power difference will be very noticeable. In stock form alone it's noticeable probably because the s50's real output is usually closer to 300bhp whereas the s54 will probably be higher than the stated 325bhp. Drive both side by side like me and my brother did and you'll see what I mean
I'd also remember the servicing intervals are longer onthe s54
I'd also remember the servicing intervals are longer onthe s54
Edited by shantybeater on Thursday 30th August 22:47
Thanks ShantyB, I didn't realise that the S54 was so rare, that will be why I have not seen any for sale at the moment.
May I ask what mods you have carried out please. Have you tracked yours and if so how did it cope? I am planning to get rid of the 911 as I am in constant fear of it breaking down again (3x in 8 months including an engine rebuild). So as long as it is as quick around a track as an E36 M3 and does not fall to bits I will be happy. Do the brakes need attention, I have driven one on the road before and had no issues.
Drop me a line if you decide to sells yours in the near future, I still need to get rid of mine first and then start looking for a roadster once winter is on the way.
Ta
May I ask what mods you have carried out please. Have you tracked yours and if so how did it cope? I am planning to get rid of the 911 as I am in constant fear of it breaking down again (3x in 8 months including an engine rebuild). So as long as it is as quick around a track as an E36 M3 and does not fall to bits I will be happy. Do the brakes need attention, I have driven one on the road before and had no issues.
Drop me a line if you decide to sells yours in the near future, I still need to get rid of mine first and then start looking for a roadster once winter is on the way.
Ta
Thats weird! I'm selling to step into a 911! it doesn't happen to be a 996 turbo does it?
The mods I carried out were all to the highest standard (unfortunately thats why they cost so much!, on a good note they are still worth the same as when I put them on!)
- Front Strong strut
- Rear Strong strut
- AC Schnitzer roll hoops
- H&R Coilovers with E46 M3 CSL rear top mounts - the usual z3m ones don't last very long
- BBS LM's in TUV approved sizes for the Z3M 8.5/ET30 & 10/ET30, these have recently undergone quite a transformation so they sit perfectly around ET33 front and ET15 rear
- Stereo upgrades (sound system is awful from standard - even the uprated HK system in mine - and i'm not a chav!)
- Bi-Xenon Headlight retrofit carried out by myself and i'm pretty sure the only one in the country
- Storm Motorwerks handbrake, gearknob etc...
- Eisenmann Sport Rear backbox
- Redstuff front pads & green stuff rears
If you are bored check out the build thread I have on the car over at zroadster.net:
http://www.zroadster.net/forum/viewtopic.php?f=32&...
The car has not seen a trackday so I can't give any advice on that, 2 of the previous owners I know of were also both car club members and neither tracked it. As for reliability, in two years my S54 has required NO extra work other than servicing. My s50 decided to blow its VANOS and the diff mount was already in a state of dismantling itself, luckily BMW fixed the diff mount out of free will. I believe I was one of the last to manage this before they started stating the 10year rust warranty expiring
The coupe version is stiffer so you generally get more 'worked' examples on that side and they seem to cope well. From threads i've seen the standard brakes are more than capable but could do with redstuff/greenstuff pads. A chap called exdos has come up with some interesting methods for extra brake cooling using the ducts on the front bumper, worth a search in the future.
I'll let you know when mine's up but i need to remove exhausts/wheels/butt strut and headlights before the car sees the classifieds, I reckon in the next 2-3weeks
The mods I carried out were all to the highest standard (unfortunately thats why they cost so much!, on a good note they are still worth the same as when I put them on!)
- Front Strong strut
- Rear Strong strut
- AC Schnitzer roll hoops
- H&R Coilovers with E46 M3 CSL rear top mounts - the usual z3m ones don't last very long
- BBS LM's in TUV approved sizes for the Z3M 8.5/ET30 & 10/ET30, these have recently undergone quite a transformation so they sit perfectly around ET33 front and ET15 rear
- Stereo upgrades (sound system is awful from standard - even the uprated HK system in mine - and i'm not a chav!)
- Bi-Xenon Headlight retrofit carried out by myself and i'm pretty sure the only one in the country
- Storm Motorwerks handbrake, gearknob etc...
- Eisenmann Sport Rear backbox
- Redstuff front pads & green stuff rears
If you are bored check out the build thread I have on the car over at zroadster.net:
http://www.zroadster.net/forum/viewtopic.php?f=32&...
The car has not seen a trackday so I can't give any advice on that, 2 of the previous owners I know of were also both car club members and neither tracked it. As for reliability, in two years my S54 has required NO extra work other than servicing. My s50 decided to blow its VANOS and the diff mount was already in a state of dismantling itself, luckily BMW fixed the diff mount out of free will. I believe I was one of the last to manage this before they started stating the 10year rust warranty expiring
The coupe version is stiffer so you generally get more 'worked' examples on that side and they seem to cope well. From threads i've seen the standard brakes are more than capable but could do with redstuff/greenstuff pads. A chap called exdos has come up with some interesting methods for extra brake cooling using the ducts on the front bumper, worth a search in the future.
I'll let you know when mine's up but i need to remove exhausts/wheels/butt strut and headlights before the car sees the classifieds, I reckon in the next 2-3weeks
Edited by shantybeater on Friday 31st August 13:37
Shanty I loved reading your build thread, you have taken car caring to the next level!
Washing your wheels in the bath, wow..... You should marry your girlfriend she must be the most tolerant partner in the world, my wife has a go at me every time she catches me waxing mine.
Keep your car, if you don't use it Store it! Do not let it slip through your fingers, it will be a classic one day and yours is by far the nicest in the country (world), letting go will only lead to future regret.
Thanks for your replies
Washing your wheels in the bath, wow..... You should marry your girlfriend she must be the most tolerant partner in the world, my wife has a go at me every time she catches me waxing mine.
Keep your car, if you don't use it Store it! Do not let it slip through your fingers, it will be a classic one day and yours is by far the nicest in the country (world), letting go will only lead to future regret.
Thanks for your replies
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