BMW Z3 3.0i Sport | PH Fleet

You're planning the perfect summer road trip - what car do you buy?

Being a consignor for the PH Auctions team now for over a year and a half, it is fair to say that I have been fully immersed in the world of modern classics. This is something five years ago I wouldn't have believed if you told me, as previously I would have insisted on a proper sports car having wire wheels and multiple carburettors.

Informed by my manager that I desperately needed to use some of my annual leave, I immediately started dreaming up ways to incorporate four wheels into proceedings. I had always fantasised about doing a trip inspired by a fairly unknown series by Clarkson called ‘Meet the Neighbours’ where he took a Series 1 Jaguar E-Type around Europe for some tightly scripted antics. A group chat was swiftly formed with some friends titled ‘The Perfect Road Trip’ and the idea was fleshed out. Namely, three two-seater sports cars on a 3000-mile odyssey around France and Spain.

Having shepherded so many BMWs through successful auctions - and entered into an all-too-brief love affair with a manual E46 M3 CS - my solution simply had to be from Munich. The bug for bombproof six-cylinder performance meant the Z3 was the strongest candidate. The standard offerings don't get the love its more exotic cousin, the Z3M, enjoys – but that just makes it a bit of an understated gem.

Buying the cars in secret to add suspense amongst the group, my sights were set on the surprisingly rare 3.0i Sport, I figured 231hp and a LSD would upset anything my unimaginative counterparts would muster. So the hunt began in March. By May, an Atlanta Blue example cropped up with 64,000 miles from a couple who had it for 13 years. Looking at three other cars prior, this car was unbelievably original having never been repainted and was the tightest I tested. It was safe to say I had Golden Eyes for it; a deal was struck and some questionable Brosnan-esque sunglasses immediately followed.

Of course, with a road trip of this scale beckoning, some preparation was required before one could expect to head to Dover with anything like a clear mind. Thankfully, it turned out that the car was essentially solid, though some remedial tasks needed ticking off…

1. Seat bushes – fixed at home
Classic Z3 issue: seats rocking back and forth under braking, caused by worn-out bushings in the seat runners. It’s one of those faults that really can drive even a non-enthusiast mad and you can’t un-notice it. Having spent my teenage years restoring classic cars with my father, I had no quibbles about doing what is a surprisingly satisfying DIY fix. I would encourage any owner that this is something you can undertake at home with ease.

2. Tyres & wheels – Michelin & Ace Car Care
Michelin kindly supplied a set of Pilot Sport tyres – and the transformation proved little short of staggering. Steering feel, cornering confidence and composure are all on another level. It’s hard to overstate just how much fresh tyres can improve a car like this. Next stop: Ace Car Care for a full wheel refurb. The factory Style 78s were not showing their age but were painted in an anthracite grey, so they’ve been freshly refinished in bright silver to OEM spec just as Bond would have insisted.

3. Full service & hidden faults – CR M Tech Motorsport, Shropshire
I left the rest to the pros, having been put onto CR M Tech by a trusted friend who commissioned an E36 race car build. Chris and the team at CR M Tech Motorsport gave the Z3 a comprehensive once-over. We did all fluids, plugs and filters, but also uncovered a failing air mass sensor – one of those issues that saps performance gradually until you forget what the car should feel like. Replacing it brought the throttle response back to life. While we were at it, the suspension bushes were swapped out for uprated E36 M3 Evo items – a subtle but effective improvement in rear-end feel and high-speed stability. K&N supplied a panel air filter to improve the six cylinders gulping of air.

4. Road trip itinerary
Finally, confirmation of the route, which we decided would encompass Calais, Embrun, Nice, St Tropez, Avignon, Collioure, Cadaqués, Alquézar, San Sebastian, Sarlat, Angers and then Calais again. Following a final shakedown on the back roads to and from Festival of Speed last month, I was fairly confident that we were ready for a road trip worthy of a PH Dream Drive. Next time, the reality.