Z3 buying advice.

[Legend83]

Hi all, new to the BMW forum. Have been looking to get an affordable convertible for the summer but also the medium to long-term. I travel quite a bit for work so it needs to be reliable. I am 24 with no points, but have no garage and so the car would be parked in the street. Is a Z3 for me?

Questions:

1. 1.9 or 2.8? Not bothered about the ones in between as the insurance group for the 2.2 is the same as the 2.8.

2. How much premium is there on hard-tops? Can you buy after-market ones? Feel it might be necessary if car is parked outside.

3. Are costs reasonable for a BMW?

4. How practical (as a 2-seat roadster can be!) do people find them?

Thanks guys. Budget is £5-8k.

[Mustard]

Legend83 said:

Hi all, new to the BMW forum. Have been looking to get an affordable convertible for the summer but also the medium to long-term. I travel quite a bit for work so it needs to be reliable. I am 24 with no points, but have no garage and so the car would be parked in the street. Is a Z3 for me?

Questions:

1. 1.9 or 2.8? Not bothered about the ones in between as the insurance group for the 2.2 is the same as the 2.8. Dont Rule out the 2.2 as its reackoned to be the best balanced car in the range (and although its the same ins. grp I bet its cheaper in reality)

2. How much premium is there on hard-tops? Can you buy after-market ones? Feel it might be necessary if car is parked outside. When they come with the car they add next to nothing to its value so worth seeking out, but you dont see that many with them, so I guess they arn't that neccessary! you can buy them used from classifieds here and ebay etc guess around £600 or so

3. Are costs reasonable for a BMW? Yes, its largely E30/E36 3 series mechanics, with a good specialist cheap as chips

4. How practical (as a 2-seat roadster can be!) do people find them? Cant really comment, but note air con, power roof, decent alloys etc were all factory extras, soft tops can and do drible a little bit in heavy rain, has an ok boot, various storage areas, and they are pretty reliable so all together yes they would be quite practical

Thanks guys. Budget is £5-8k.Bought with care you should secure a very nice example

Edited by Mustard on Monday 2nd July 11:22

[Legend83]

Thanks Mustard - appreciate your comments. Won't rule out the 2.2 but they seem to be later models and therefore a bit pricier. What is your take on parking it in the street?

[Mustard]

More a question as with any soft top of your neighbourhood, having said that new soft tops as Z3's are quite a small simple affair arn't that expensive

[dan101smith]

One thing I'd add - drive one asap, they've got what I think is a really odd driving position which doesn't suit everyone.

[StuB]

You'd be hard pressed to find a 2.2 for that budget as they're a lot newer than the 1.9 or 2.8's, but they do have DSC, which is a great thing during winter driving. 2.8's had a lot more standard kit than the 1.9's too.

Mustard's covered most of the main things, but I'd also say to check it's on decent tyres, has a strut brace fitted as it transforms the handling quite noticeably.

Lots of Z3 info on www.zroadster.net and have a look in the stock exchange section there.

[Mustard]

There is of course the 2.0 6cyl Motor to consider