£6.5k for an M Roadster... bad idea?
Discussion
http://www.pistonheads.com/sales/2178279.html
Is it me, or does this look too cheap? Theres also been another added to PH in the past day for £6.5k, but that is listed as a Cat D.
My interest has been peaked due to the insurance quote I have gotten being only £50 more a year than my 2.8 Z3. The problem now is convincing the other half a new kitchen can wait a few months, and finding an M for not too much more than I can get for my Z.
Then of course there is the potential costs involved in running an M car compared to my more run of the mill Z. As you can see from my profile the current Z has been pretty good to me concerning costs over and above the usual. Is an M for around £7k going to ruin me with Vanos issues and whatever other problems due to one for this price having quite high mileage?
Any help appreciated before I go and do something silly
Is it me, or does this look too cheap? Theres also been another added to PH in the past day for £6.5k, but that is listed as a Cat D.
My interest has been peaked due to the insurance quote I have gotten being only £50 more a year than my 2.8 Z3. The problem now is convincing the other half a new kitchen can wait a few months, and finding an M for not too much more than I can get for my Z.
Then of course there is the potential costs involved in running an M car compared to my more run of the mill Z. As you can see from my profile the current Z has been pretty good to me concerning costs over and above the usual. Is an M for around £7k going to ruin me with Vanos issues and whatever other problems due to one for this price having quite high mileage?
Any help appreciated before I go and do something silly
Good price, good choice of car but then I'm biased 
There are a handful of posts about that car from the owner over on Zroadster - had a water pump failure back in September which I assume has now been repaired. Will probably be looking to switch to a Coupe this year so may well be moving mine on in Spring if you are still looking then.
There are a handful of posts about that car from the owner over on Zroadster - had a water pump failure back in September which I assume has now been repaired. Will probably be looking to switch to a Coupe this year so may well be moving mine on in Spring if you are still looking then.I have had 3 of these (1 x S50 - the one you are looking at - and 2 x S54's and done about 180,000 miles in them in total) - its pot luck really - if nothing goes wrong its a cheap car and the most fun you will ever have - but boy oh boy if it goes wrong - you are in big trouble . . .
NO DSC - doesnt like standing water!!!!
eats tyres for . . . . errrrrr . . . . breakfast
VANOS VANOS VANOS
Brake Discs are made of cheese
Gear Box - can be tricky - make sure you check its operation when its dead COLD - ie NOT sticky changing gear!!!
Hood - VERY VERY weak - prone to wear, water leaks and the rear window is pants
Sub Frame failure
Gearbox mount failure
Shocks - check em properly - cause if they are shot the ride will be buggered
http://www.zroadster.net/forum/viewtopic.php?t=288...
Just to name a few PLUS there is the matter of a service every 6,000 miles or so - Good Luck - personally - I wouldnt bother unless its had few owners and has got MASSIVE service history.
khushy
NO DSC - doesnt like standing water!!!!
eats tyres for . . . . errrrrr . . . . breakfast
VANOS VANOS VANOS
Brake Discs are made of cheese
Gear Box - can be tricky - make sure you check its operation when its dead COLD - ie NOT sticky changing gear!!!
Hood - VERY VERY weak - prone to wear, water leaks and the rear window is pants
Sub Frame failure
Gearbox mount failure
Shocks - check em properly - cause if they are shot the ride will be buggered
http://www.zroadster.net/forum/viewtopic.php?t=288...
Just to name a few PLUS there is the matter of a service every 6,000 miles or so - Good Luck - personally - I wouldnt bother unless its had few owners and has got MASSIVE service history.
khushy
Edited by khushy on Tuesday 18th January 21:59
khushy said:
I have had 3 of these (1 x S50 - the one you are looking at - and 2 x S54's and done about 180,000 miles in them in total) - its pot luck really - if nothing goes wrong its a cheap car and the most fun you will ever have - but boy oh boy if it goes wrong - you are in big trouble . . .
NO DSC - doesnt like standing water!!!!
eats tyres for . . . . errrrrr . . . . breakfast
VANOS VANOS VANOS
Brake Discs are made of cheese
Gear Box - can be tricky - make sure you check its operation when its dead COLD - ie NOT sticky changing gear!!!
Hood - VERY VERY weak - prone to wear, water leaks and the rear window is pants
Sub Frame failure
Gearbox mount failure
Shocks - check em properly - cause if they are shot the ride will be buggered
http://www.zroadster.net/forum/viewtopic.php?t=288...
Just to name a few PLUS there is the matter of a service every 6,000 miles or so - Good Luck - personally - I wouldnt bother unless its had few owners and has got MASSIVE service history.
khushy
Vanos is overhyped by on a car of this age it could be tired.NO DSC - doesnt like standing water!!!!
eats tyres for . . . . errrrrr . . . . breakfast
VANOS VANOS VANOS
Brake Discs are made of cheese
Gear Box - can be tricky - make sure you check its operation when its dead COLD - ie NOT sticky changing gear!!!
Hood - VERY VERY weak - prone to wear, water leaks and the rear window is pants
Sub Frame failure
Gearbox mount failure
Shocks - check em properly - cause if they are shot the ride will be buggered
http://www.zroadster.net/forum/viewtopic.php?t=288...
Just to name a few PLUS there is the matter of a service every 6,000 miles or so - Good Luck - personally - I wouldnt bother unless its had few owners and has got MASSIVE service history.
khushy
Edited by khushy on Tuesday 18th January 21:59
Loads of preventative maintenance can be completed to ensure Vanos doesn't leave you at the side of the road.
The rear subframe is shockingly spot welded but again this can be checked - cracks in the bootfloor or tears!
As Khushy says, it can eat tyres but its all about the driving style.
I owned a z3mCoupe in S50 form for two years and it was the cheapest car to run I have ever owned.
Just routine maintenance was carried out but I did about 4 oil changes and babied the car.
if the bodywork is good and there is evidence of actual maintenance on the car, then it looks like it could be worth a punt!
Buyer beware and all of that!
OK, just before christmas i paid 5k for an Estoril blue roadster. 72k miles and FBMWSH. Fully stamped book, all service invoices - even a cert for the running in check.
Ive spent about 400 notes getting it 100%. Its the bargain of a lifetime and drive better than my supposedly 'better' M coupe! Admittedly I'm a bit tasty on the DIY front so the little niggles i sorted would cost the regular guy who has to pay to get them fixed; maybe £1000.
You MUST do the following upon inspection (aside from usual stuff)
Remove boot carpet and plastic tool trays and check the spot welds. They start to go at the top lhs first. The crack later develops along the LHS.
Heres mine stripped down - I have ringed the areas to look at in red
Stay away from modded ones as stiffer suspension and the associated driving style puts more imparted stress on the weak areas of boot floor
They tend to have a fair number of owners as they are high maint, impractical and obviously a cabriolet. Amazing little cars though.
Check vanos - growl is not necessarily indicative or shagged vanos though. can be repaired or replaced resonably cheap enough.
Air con can fail and can cost a lot to remedy. Make sure it works
I have had 4 S50 Mroadsters and 1 M coupe and have never suffered vanos or boot floor problems.
Buy a good one with a good history
Ive spent about 400 notes getting it 100%. Its the bargain of a lifetime and drive better than my supposedly 'better' M coupe! Admittedly I'm a bit tasty on the DIY front so the little niggles i sorted would cost the regular guy who has to pay to get them fixed; maybe £1000.
You MUST do the following upon inspection (aside from usual stuff)
Remove boot carpet and plastic tool trays and check the spot welds. They start to go at the top lhs first. The crack later develops along the LHS.
Heres mine stripped down - I have ringed the areas to look at in red
Stay away from modded ones as stiffer suspension and the associated driving style puts more imparted stress on the weak areas of boot floor
They tend to have a fair number of owners as they are high maint, impractical and obviously a cabriolet. Amazing little cars though.
Check vanos - growl is not necessarily indicative or shagged vanos though. can be repaired or replaced resonably cheap enough.
Air con can fail and can cost a lot to remedy. Make sure it works
I have had 4 S50 Mroadsters and 1 M coupe and have never suffered vanos or boot floor problems.
Buy a good one with a good history
Edited by Pig Skill on Wednesday 19th January 21:10
Thats a lot of smiles for the money.
I'm on my second one and after running a sweeeet S50 for 12 months which had 80k on the clock I swapped for an S54 as a keeper car I love them that much.
The best way I can explain the VFM is I drive an F430 when I like and have put 10k on a new GTR this year and yet I can't wait to get my little roadster out of hibernation in a few months time ;-)
VANOS is now a sub £750 fitted refurb if needed
Boot Welds / strengthening is a £400 job IF needed (check for rusty spot welds as described above)
Every car has its week points and the Z3m's are massively overhyped (I had popped welds on my first, did not stop me getting a second as they are that much fun for the money).
For that money, refresh the suspension it will cost you less than £1k to uprate for fast road use and transform the car (springs/dampers/ARB's) and fit EBC yellowstuff pads and your face will ache with laughter.
A lot of car for the money ;-)
I'm on my second one and after running a sweeeet S50 for 12 months which had 80k on the clock I swapped for an S54 as a keeper car I love them that much.
The best way I can explain the VFM is I drive an F430 when I like and have put 10k on a new GTR this year and yet I can't wait to get my little roadster out of hibernation in a few months time ;-)
VANOS is now a sub £750 fitted refurb if needed
Boot Welds / strengthening is a £400 job IF needed (check for rusty spot welds as described above)
Every car has its week points and the Z3m's are massively overhyped (I had popped welds on my first, did not stop me getting a second as they are that much fun for the money).
For that money, refresh the suspension it will cost you less than £1k to uprate for fast road use and transform the car (springs/dampers/ARB's) and fit EBC yellowstuff pads and your face will ache with laughter.
A lot of car for the money ;-)
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