Z3M Coupe

[Silver993tt]

What's the consensus on these? Should I go for the later models 2001 and onwards or is the difference very small? Any particular weak points to look out for and anything that should have been done prior to any purchase?

Are they fun?

[E30M3SE]

Silver993tt said:

What's the consensus on these? Should I go for the later models 2001 and onwards or is the difference very small? Any particular weak points to look out for and anything that should have been done prior to any purchase?

Are they fun?

321 odd BHP and the rear suspension from a E30 M3...........

[Raify]

Have a search on here and z3mcoupe.com This thread pops up every few months.

[Mr Fix It]

The later cars had traction control and the later inline 6 engine from the M3. Earlier cars had no TC and the engine was from the previous "square" body shaped M3.

Ived owned an earlier version and it was scary in the wet with over steer and aquaplaning.

But they do look cool!

[Silver993tt]

Mr Fix It said:

The later cars had traction control and the later inline 6 engine from the M3. Earlier cars had no TC and the engine was from the previous "square" body shaped M3.

Ived owned an earlier version and it was scary in the wet with over steer and aquaplaning.

But they do look cool!

does the later engine (S54 I assume) requier any more/less maintenance than the previous incarnations? Are there any real advantages to the S54 engine?

[Mr Fix It]

The services are down to the indicator lights, so are probably the same or similar intervals?

I bought one many years ago when they were a few years old and even then the bushes front and rear and some other suspension components needed to be change due to wear (under warrenty), and it had less than 30k miles on it.

If I was going for one again I would get a later one or fit traction control. Something like Racelogics box to the car. I and my wife had some very scary momements in it....unfortunately I also crashed it as it spun me off the road.

[MC99]

Had an estoril blue S50 engined one back in the day, I drove 20 something odd thousand miles in about 16 months. Never failed, never spat me off the road (it tried once or twice), wasn't too bad on bills - warranty replaced one warped brake from high speed stops every morning on my favourite NSL B road, rear suspension turrets can be a problem, but all round I really loved it and still love the unique shape.

Z3forum.net used to be the place to go..not sure now..

[trundler]

Silver993tt said:

does the later engine (S54 I assume) requier any more/less maintenance than the previous incarnations? Are there any real advantages to the S54 engine?

I've owned both an there is little discernable difference;
The service intervals are longer on the S54, approx 8-10k S50 and 12k + on the S54.
No Vanos on the S54 (a possible weakness of the S50) & elec throttle instead of a cable
You get traction control, tyre pressure monitors & minor styling tweaks.
4 BHP more, and some extra torques no doubt.

I'm sure there's more, as mentioned pop to z3mcoupe.com you should find all you need to know.

[mmm-five]

trundler said:

No Vanos on the S54

Are you sure about that

Edited by mmm-five on Tuesday 11th August 19:13

['Yadi]

The engine has a double vanos iirc which renders it less likely to the problems associated with the earlier S50 model. It's a little overdone as an argument vs the S50 tbh as many have reached high mileage without replacement being required.

I previously owned a 2000 S50 and I went for a spin on a wet road. As a mark of the effect of the car I got straight on the hunt for another to replace it. Unfortunately it took a month as there are not that many around to choose from. I'm now in a 2002 S54 and reassured now that I've got TC.

Throttle by wire instead of by cable and the different engine make for a subtley different drive so far but the car is also in better nick than the last one which may well have a bearing on it. The received wisdom from the owners' community is to buy based on condition. I was ready to travel from Hants to Scotland to check one out.

You need to get yourself over to z3mcoupe.com - friendly folks and lots of the questions you'll have will have been discussed there before.

(Edited to tidy up shoddy grammar)

Edited by 'Yadi on Tuesday 11th August 19:53

[Silver993tt]

ok, thanks very much for the info

[Great Pretender]

'Yadi said:

The engine has a double vanos iirc which renders it less likely to the problems associated with the earlier S50 model. It's a little overdone as an argument vs the S50 tbh as many have reached high mileage without replacement being required.

I previously owned a 2000 S50 and I went for a spin on a wet road. As a mark of the effect of the car I got straight on the hunt for another to replace it. Unfortunately it took a month as there are not that many around to choose from. I'm now in a 2002 S54 and reassured now that I've got TC.

Throttle by wire instead of by cable and the different engine make for a subtley different drive so far but the car is also in better nick than the last one which may well have a bearing on it. The received wisdom from the owners' community is to buy based on condition. I was ready to travel from Hants to Scotland to check one out.

You need to get yourself over to z3mcoupe.com - friendly folks and lots of the questions you'll have will have been discussed there before.

(Edited to tidy up shoddy grammar)

Edited by 'Yadi on Tuesday 11th August 19:53

You should have edited it again to get your facts straight too

[Paul.B]

The BIG problem that is a very expensive fix (although very rare) is the welds splitting around the floor pan in the boot. I ran a S50 engined car for a while and my biggest gripe was lack of support in the seat. I came very close to replacing them with after market ones.

Plus points - I found the handling entertaining, the car never did anything I wasn't expecting, I think tyre brands and condition can have a marked effect. Also, I did not have to use mine every day so it stayed in the garage when the weather was nasty. The engine has to be one of the best EVER! The car is suprisingly practical with decent luggage space and a relaxed drive when not trying too hard. I only sold mine to buy a M5.

Paul.B

[Slurms]

The engines were the same as those in the E36 M3 Evo and the E46 M3

So thats the S50 and S54 respectively.

They both have double vanos though on the later engine the much hyped vanos failures are much much rarer.

The Z3M Coupe only had the 5 speed box due apparently to space issues and I believe that due to a different air intake system the S54 in the Z3M makes around 325 bhp rather than the quoted 343 bhp for the E46 M3

the S54 engined cars have traction control and stablity as standard.

[Mr Fix It]

I also found the seats not very good. If you are a big lad Im sure they will be fine, but for a skinny person like me you slide around on them as they are very wide. I was also thinking about aftermarket ones. Also the plastic on the transmission tunnel is hard, so gave me a sore leg if I rested it against the tunnel on long journeys.

I think tyres were my downfall when the car spun....dunlops...and it was booked in for some rear suspension work, but the spin happened before the dealler got the work done

['Yadi]

Great Pretender said:

You should have edited it again to get your facts straight too

Hell fella I drive and enjoy the thing. I didn't design and build it. When I get another free Internet moment I'll go and educate myself ;-)

['Yadi]

My bad. There was a single vanos S50 engine - it just wasn't the one in the Z3M Coupe.

This url may be of use to the OP and others re: model differences (and more accurate than my memory)

http://www.bmwmregistry.com/model_faq.php?id=17

Is it not fair to note that it's commonly held that the S54 had less VANOS issues associated with it than S50 even if I was mistaken as to why?

[Paul.B]

Mr Fix It said:

I also found the seats not very good. If you are a big lad Im sure they will be fine, but for a skinny person like me you slide around on them as they are very wide. I was also thinking about aftermarket ones. Also the plastic on the transmission tunnel is hard, so gave me a sore leg if I rested it against the tunnel on long journeys.

I think tyres were my downfall when the car spun....dunlops...and it was booked in for some rear suspension work, but the spin happened before the dealler got the work done

I thought being a BIG LAD was my problem with the seats. It wasn't sliding from side to side but forward under heavy braking. There was not enough front tilt up to help stop the sliding and to give extra under thigh support.
My car had new Goodyear F1's fitted when I bought it and I've always rated them as a tyre. My default when replacing tyres on any car.
I wish I could justify another! Too thirsty for my 100 mile commute. To precious as a track weapon. The wife would leave me if she had to use one. Could hardly use one for towing and not extreme enough to replace the Ultima!


Paul.B

[trundler]

mmm-five said:

trundler said:

No Vanos on the S54

Are you sure about that

Edited by mmm-five on Tuesday 11th August 19:13

As it turns out ... nope!!
Like Yadi said, i just get in and drive!!

[Mr Fix It]

Hi Paul, I did not have a problem with forward movement, just lateral...going hard round a corner and I would have to do my best to stop myself sliding off the seat...it was like sitting on a bench seat in the back of a Defender!