RE: BMW Z3 M Coupe: Spotted

[L100NYY]

This is where my money would go, absolutely stunning in the flesh and if I had the spare cash I would

https://www.pistonheads.com/classifieds/used-cars/...

[MNBrennan]

Aes87 said:

You’re all wrong! The Z3 was conceived as a roadster first. The M Roadster was rated the best handling car of the mid-90s by Tiff, who knows his cars, and is actually torsionally rigid by comparison with its contemporaries. Give it a full set of custom struts, a lifetime filter and a ti exhaust and the roadster will embarrass many modern performance cars around a circuit. They are also one of BMWs best looking designs in estoril on two tone matching (if you disagree you have probably spent years looking into a mirror convincing yourself that you’re good looking). The breadvan is visually compromised vis-à-vis the roadster, and trades on its weirdness. Driving experience near as makes no difference identical. I know which I’d take, and I know which will be worth more in the long run. Anyway, you would have more chance of getting laid in the south of France with the roadster. But again, the coupe is good for hiding one’s fugly face in the summer.

Actually I find the Coupe drives so much better than the roadster. And I say this having owned a 2.0, currently a 2.8 alongside the coupe and my gf has a 2.2 and an M Roadster (credentials done!)

The coupe has zero scuttle shake and feels stiffer on the road.

Different purposes for me though. The coupe is for driving for the joy of driving, the Roadster is for fun in the sun

[D4VDJ]

Here’s mine. It’ll be 20 years old in November.

[Thingsofbeauty]

Personally I feel the Coupe looks far better than the Roadster. This is a proper classic car, it is rare, has a very good engine and looks different to anything else from the same era in the same price brackets!
The z4m has a nice behind, drives better but does not have the same impact.

[Greenbot35]

Still love these, I missed the boat badly though. It looks like the z4 coupes going the same way too.

[helix402]

2 GKC said:

Three great cars, but need a respray

What are those wheels on the Z3? Don't look standard?

The wheels look like the Azev A to me.

[HardtopManual]

Surely the top end of the M Coupe market now overlaps 1M prices. What would you go for?

[London335igb]

Mcoupe without a doubt- especially if it’s the S54. I loved the idea of the 1M when it first came out, but the details were a let down. What used to make Ms special at all the price points was bespoke M tuning and ground up engine development. The S54 engine is special- from startup to 7k+ rpm... Although punchy and fun i’m sure, the 1M N4 with new turbos, Ecu & exhaust does not an M make... not to mention the MCoupe has a great back story.. not that I am biased:

Edited by London335igb on Monday 12th February 22:04

[jorders500]

104,000 miles?
£23,995?

[Thingsofbeauty]

The very low mileage pristine ones go for twice that + more albeit to collectors.
1m is a beaut and probably the one to have from the “new” m cars using turbos to power them.

[s m]

HardtopManual said:

Surely the top end of the M Coupe market now overlaps 1M prices. What would you go for?

I'd probably go for the 'bowler hat' rather the 'clown shoe' by virtue of it having 4 seats plus I like the classic 3 box shape.
If the Z3M Coupe had small rear seats it would be more appealing as a useable vehicle

[f1ten]

Wonderful cars albeit short chassis twitchy making for more fun!
Prices are high but I reckon they aren't going to drop. It's a good alrounder, low build numbers, coupe, good brand, good performance and it sounds damn good.

[CRA1G]

f1ten said:

Wonderful cars albeit short chassis twitchy making for more fun!
Prices are high but I reckon they aren't going to drop. It's a good alrounder, low build numbers, coupe, good brand, good performance and it sounds damn good.

I couldn't have put it better.... Because they are great fun to drive... When i do take mine out it always gives me a smile...! and only 821 UK RHD produced... and how many off them are left now...? because your right they are twitchy ...

[Fetchez la vache]

Aes87 said:

You’re all wrong! ....
They are also one of BMWs best looking designs in estoril on two tone matching (if you disagree you have probably spent years looking into a mirror convincing yourself that you’re good looking). The breadvan is visually compromised vis-à-vis the roadster, and trades on its weirdness. Driving experience near as makes no difference identical. I know which I’d take, and I know which will be worth more in the long run. Anyway, you would have more chance of getting laid in the south of France with the roadster. But again, the coupe is good for hiding one’s fugly face in the summer.

Congratulations. That has to be one of the most wky self obsessed comments I've seen in PH in quite some time.

...and yes. I prefer the bread van.

[Alex_225]

They're not pretty but they are significantly cool!

[London335igb]

Rear seats, even if small does make the 1M more useable, especially as a daily. I wouldn’t say no to one. Z3M more special though, looks and feels it in my opinion.

[Leins]

s m said:

I'd probably go for the 'bowler hat' rather the 'clown shoe' by virtue of it having 4 seats plus I like the classic 3 box shape.
If the Z3M Coupe had small rear seats it would be more appealing as a useable vehicle

I love the Z3M, but it's one of the very few hardtop BMWs I can't fit into. They really are very small inside, even with just 2 seats

1M for me regardless too though I think

[Limpet]

Always loved these. They are ugly in the same brutal and appealing way as an Apache helicopter. There's also the whole skunk works / after hours thing. Fantastic cars that I have long since added to my "wish I'd bought when they were affordable" list.

[brightonpad]

jorders500 said:

104,000 miles?
£23,995?

We paid more for ours last year, with slightly less mileage. Not really bothered if it was 'good value' - we love it, it was the colour we wanted so job done. I'd say the asking price is more than fair in today's market.

[athol]

Petecossie said:

How right you are about the deep dish wheels.

BMW missed a trick with the Z4 MC as it should have had a more bullous rear arch.

The difference is the Z3MC was conceived and built by engineers and no stylists & bean counters involved. The Z4MC was designed by stylists and had bean counters involved to keep the cost down!!

It will never happen again at BMW I'm sure.

Someone is wearing rose tinted glasses.

Both the Z3MC and Z4MC where built as low volume "specials" by the M Division. Both involved stylists and bean counters but to a minimum compared to the regular, high volume models. I have owned 2 z3mc and a z4mc from new and the z4 is a far far better car in all aspects. It's better as a driver's car, quicker, sounds better, built better, looks better (with CSL wheels and a side skirts). Both are special and like the 1M, unlikely to appear again as BMW has now worked out it can confuse the market and cheapen the brand by adding an M badge to anything. I loved the z3mc's that I owned but not as much as the z4mc.

A z4mc for the same price is much better buy.

Oh, also had an M3CSL and the z4mc is better than that too. They are great but massively overrated and not worth the crazy prices now.