Used Z3

Thinking of buying a used Z3.
Are there good years and bad years?
should I go with the Auto Trans or stick with the manual.
Are there options to avoid or options which are a must have?
What about the 2.5 vs the 3.0 engine? I'm looking for dependability rather
than all out performance.
Any input would be appreciated. Also any thoughts about buying through Ebay
Motors.

Milo

> Thinking of buying a used Z3.
> Are there good years and bad years?

Make mine a 3.0i, final year of production ;-)

> should I go with the Auto Trans or stick with the manual.

Manual! More fun and less likely to have expensive faults.

> Are there options to avoid or options which are a must have?
> What about the 2.5 vs the 3.0 engine? I'm looking for dependability rather
> than all out performance.

Both are great engines and from the same series, so if you get a good
deal on a 2.5 go for it.

> Any input would be appreciated. Also any thoughts about buying through Ebay
> Motors.

Buying on ebay is fine, I've bought and sold BMWs there in the UK. Just
be sure to check for good feedback and don't get ripped off. Pay a
deposit up front, but don't pay the rest until you've seen the car in
person and checked the paperwork.

Email the seller and ask a (sensible!) question. If you get a terse
answer from someone who can't spell or punctuate a sentance it's not a
good sign! If they sound nice and helpful so much the better.

--
Who needs a life when you've got Unix? :-)
Email: , John G.Burns B.Eng, Bonny Scotland
Web : http://www.unixnerd.demon.co.uk - The Ultimate BMW Homepage!
Need Sun or HP Unix kit? http://www.unixnerd.demon.co.uk/unix.html
www.Strathspey.co.uk - Quality Binoculars at a Sensible price

On Mon, 26 May 2008 23:31:47 -0400, "Milo" >
wrote:

>Thinking of buying a used Z3.
>Are there good years and bad years?
>should I go with the Auto Trans or stick with the manual.
>Are there options to avoid or options which are a must have?
>What about the 2.5 vs the 3.0 engine? I'm looking for dependability rather
>than all out performance.
>Any input would be appreciated. Also any thoughts about buying through Ebay
>Motors.
>
>Milo
>


Been the owner of the Z3 since it was new in 99 and its a fun car. As
the years went by the engines got bigger so if speed is your thing go
for the bigger engines. There is a sub-frame issue but you can check
for signs of trouble by pulling the carpet from the bottom of the
trunk and look for broken spot welds on the left hand side of the
floorpan close to the front of the trunk floor. If they are broken go
find another candidate.

Manual is more fun than automatic if you don;t have to drive in heavy
stop-and-fo traffic.

RJD

Good luck Milo - you'll love the Z3!

I have successfully purchased 4 cars on eBay and there are still
plenty of Z3s listed. Check the seller's previous ratings. Do a lot
of communications via email (if possible) or eBay email. See if the
seller will provide his / her phone number. It sure relieves a lot of
concern to talk with the seller. Study the pictures posted
carefully. Save them on your PC and blow them up looking for body
flaws or too large gaps in the sheet metal (possible accident
damage). I have not regretted any of my eBay auto purchases.

I purchased my 2001 Z3 on eBay. At the time I was doing a lot of stop
and go driving so I got an automatic. Now I wish I had a stick, but
I'm still happy. Of course if speed and power are your thing - get a
3.0 M series. Also, there are a lot of after market add-ons if speed
is your delight.

My Z has been very dependable. It doesn't appear to have ever been
garaged (I don't have a garage) and the top shows it. I will need a
new top in a year or so. The plastic window was totally fogged and
had a dark line across the center when I purchased it. Mequirer's (or
whichever your favorite brand) plastic cleaner made it (almost)
perfectly clear. The center line still shows, but it is hardly
noticeable.

I suggest you read the forums / groups on the car to help make your
decision. If you ask the same question at

http://autos.groups.yahoo.com/group/z3rides/ you will get a lot of
support and answers.

Check out the Z3 forums by signing up at bimmerforums.com

http://forums.bimmerforums.com/

Regards,

Dave

John Burns wrote:
> <snip>
>> Any input would be appreciated. Also any thoughts about buying through Ebay
>> Motors.
>>
>
> Buying on ebay is fine, I've bought and sold BMWs there in the UK. Just
> be sure to check for good feedback and don't get ripped off. Pay a
> deposit up front, but don't pay the rest until you've seen the car in
> person and checked the paperwork.
>
> Email the seller and ask a (sensible!) question. If you get a terse
> answer from someone who can't spell or punctuate a sentance it's not a
> good sign! If they sound nice and helpful so much the better.
>
>
A great example of poor spelling above:

"sentance"

you can keep your sale mate LOL

"DCA" > wrote in message
news
>>
> A great example of poor spelling above:
>
> "sentance"
>
> you can keep your sale mate LOL
>
>

**** off!

This group has been humming along doing just fine with the assorted top
posters and mis-spellings. We don't need a new-comer nanny.

If you have something useful to say, say it. Else shut the hell up.

Jeff Strickland wrote:

>**** off!

Wow, Jeffy, what's got you so stressed out? Have you been reading
more evil scientist's "blasphemy" about things that happened on Earth
millions of years ago, when the Earth is really only 10,000 years old?

Jeff Strickland wrote:
>
> "DCA" > wrote in message
> news
>>>
>> A great example of poor spelling above:
>>
>> "sentance"
>>
>> you can keep your sale mate LOL
>>
>>
>
> **** off!
>
> This group has been humming along doing just fine with the assorted
> top posters and mis-spellings. We don't need a new-comer nanny.
>
> If you have something useful to say, say it. Else shut the hell up.
>
>
Oh - you big and frightening person <quiver/frightened>
Tell you what - if you wish you keep communicating with your select
little group - why don't YOU **** off and create your own private yahoo
group and leave public ng's to be just that! - PUBLIC newsgroups for all
and sundry to offer comment.

On Sun, 01 Jun 2008 06:13:44 +0100, DCA > wrote:

>Jeff Strickland wrote:
>>
>> "DCA" > wrote in message
>> news
>>>>
>>> A great example of poor spelling above:
>>>
>>> "sentance"
>>>
>>> you can keep your sale mate LOL
>>>
>>>
>>
>> **** off!
>>
>> This group has been humming along doing just fine with the assorted
>> top posters and mis-spellings. We don't need a new-comer nanny.
>>
>> If you have something useful to say, say it. Else shut the hell up.
>>
>>
>Oh - you big and frightening person <quiver/frightened>
>Tell you what - if you wish you keep communicating with your select
>little group - why don't YOU **** off and create your own private yahoo
>group and leave public ng's to be just that! - PUBLIC newsgroups for all
>and sundry to offer comment.

However, some people are not accepted in public such as -- Adolf Hitler if he
was still alive or that guy in Austria that ****ed his daughter and kept her in
a cellar for 20 years so - if you want to be accepted in public then engage
brain before opening mouth or in this case sending an email/NG posting.



Steve

--

wrote:
> On Sun, 01 Jun 2008 06:13:44 +0100, DCA > wrote:
>
>
>> Jeff Strickland wrote:
>>
>>> "DCA" > wrote in message
>>> news >>>
>>>> A great example of poor spelling above:
>>>>
>>>> "sentance"
>>>>
>>>> you can keep your sale mate LOL
>>>>
>>>>
>>>>
>>> **** off!
>>>
>>> This group has been humming along doing just fine with the assorted
>>> top posters and mis-spellings. We don't need a new-comer nanny.
>>>
>>> If you have something useful to say, say it. Else shut the hell up.
>>>
>>>
>>>
>> Oh - you big and frightening person <quiver/frightened>
>> Tell you what - if you wish you keep communicating with your select
>> little group - why don't YOU **** off and create your own private yahoo
>> group and leave public ng's to be just that! - PUBLIC newsgroups for all
>> and sundry to offer comment.
>>
>
> However, some people are not accepted in public such as -- Adolf Hitler if he
> was still alive or that guy in Austria that ****ed his daughter and kept her in
> a cellar for 20 years so - if you want to be accepted in public then engage
> brain before opening mouth or in this case sending an email/NG posting.
>
>
>
> Steve
>
>
Oh Steve - and your language is 'acceptable' in a BMW ng huh?
And you tell ME to engage brain???
Dear oh dear - what selfish retard you appear to be.
My brain WAS engaged - rather more than the post advising someone to
look for spelling errors in a misspelt post - laughable - how'd he spot
it then LOL.