zroadster.net

Mike123

OK, so the suspension is sorted, and I'm back in love with the car. :D Last job, sort out the worn leather driver's bolster and give the seats a lick and spit - booked into http://autoretrim.co.uk/ next week - have a look at the Wheeler Dealers clip on the website (no alcantara for me thanks! :oops:...

Mike123

H&R springs went on today. First surprise - stated to lower the car 30mm, actually raised the car by 2mm! :shock: I'm actually really pleased, living in a town with many speed humps, and enjoying back roads (often with green stripes down the middle!), I nearly went for the frighteningly expensiv...

Mike123

Having decided not to change the springs at the same time as the shocks to avoid stiffening the ride, I have just managed to break a rear spring on Dartmoor's pretty lanes :head: So a set of H&R progressive springs on the way from Germany, and suspension out again. :cry: I've read good reports, ...

Mike123

Sold to Aceman - thanks for a very speedy transaction.

Hope he likes them as much as I do.

Mike123

Memory's not as good as it used to be.

http://www.mk-fahrwerkstechnik.de/

Є241 delivered, about £190 pair. Fronts were Є186 each.

Mike123

Anyone who has read http://www.zroadster.net/forum/viewtopic.php?f=6&t=40636 will have seen that I've fitted new Bilstein B6s all round, replacing some 30k miles ish B6 rear shocks. I rate the B6s very highly. The new rears were £150 ish a pair. They are in excellent condition, good for many ten...

Mike123

I think you mean that the reduced front roll increases the rear grip, due to the inside rear wheel staying in touch with the tarmac. It's a diagonal force - the outside front wheel takes the initial turn in load - see the pics above - lifting the inside rear, creating initial understeer, then overst...

Mike123

An update. Having driven the car after the mods for a few weeks, I've got to know it better. The car is tighter, more composed, and feels more planted in all circumstances. It has more rubber on the road, and carries 5-10mph additional speed through corners. There are no surprises in the wet - yes, ...

Mike123

The interior retrim is the least of my worries, the grandson wants Eisennman exhausts and KWv3s fitted!

Mike123

Bilstein shocks and H&R AR bar fitted, and wheels realigned last week. Weather perfect over the weekend, as ordered, to see if I've improved or ruined the car. Initial report (dry roads only): The ride is no harsher, which is really good news! :) :) The front roll has been dramatically reduced, ...

Mike123

Mike123

Top price for one in very good condition.

Please PM me if you know of one for sale.

Thanks

Mike123

No answer to my question about H&R anti-roll bars here, but there's a lot of opinions on the ZCoupe site, mostly strongly in favour of the change. :rtm: I like the existing handling balance and ride quality for fast road driving, so any sort of modification carries a degree of risk, but the Z is...

Mike123

I've been pondering fitting H&R anti-roll bars at the same time. I actually don't mind a bit of roll - I think it's part of the feel of the approaching limits, and don't plan to do any more track days, but the Z does tend to scrape the door handles a bit: http://i1002.photobucket.com/albums/af14...

Mike123

Having owned the Z for coming up to 9 happy years and 80k miles I must admit to casting my eye around for a replacement. I looked at a number of candidates, a 911, SLK55, SL55, M3, M6, Z4M, and Z4 35i, but none of them really did it for me. A C4S 997 Cab came closest, but it meant a chunk of money, ...

Mike123

No need to shout :wink: Peace - I agree with you.:sunny I'm a great advocate of learning the limits of the car (and yourself) on skid pans, track days, or anywhere safe to do so before going anywhere near the limits on a public highway, then there's no unpleasant surprises. I'm convinced tyres are t...

Mike123

The S50 bites if you are not gentle with the throttle, especially when the revs are high. A "normal" car at 6000rpm is gasping for air when you press the throttle, an S50 will still kick you in the back and spin you off if you floor it too quickly. The car is really good if you can keep y...

Mike123

- What are the major differences compared to a regular 6 cylinder (besides performance) The suspension set up is unique to the M, less tramlining, less understeer. - What is the handling like compared to more modern cars? It depends what you define as good handling - without major changes it's not i...

Mike123

Hi
I'd like to buy them at £15, but will pay the postage charges on top, otherwise I think you'll be out of pocket.
Please PM me to arrange.
Mike

Mike123

The Jonco method worked for me. You'll be surprised at the length of the plugs - a good couple of inches long. Take them out by peeling around the edges - don't use anything that will damage the joint. A good clean and new sealant does the trick. It's a strange detail! If it has been leaking for a w...

Mike123

I did a couple of mods to my Z3, and it now looks like this:

I think I preferred it as it was.

Mike123

Welcome!

Here's the link you need.

http://www.zroadster.net/forum/viewtopic.php?t=10660

Mike123

The OEM system is poor, but I'm not sure that it's worth spending a fortune on audio upgrades - the car is just too noisy for any real hifi. The standard speakers have no real bass, so it's worth considering a small sub unit. I have one mounted behind the passenger seat which adds considerably to th...

Mike123

For the last 9 years the Z3M has had number plates relating to the business, but as my son now runs it they're transferring to his car. I looked at the DVLA to see what was available, and was delighted to find: S50 MRO ......which for an S50 M Roadster is a job to beat! ......and at £250 including t...

Mike123

If you have a power hood you will be left with a hole at the front end of the LH side panel, which can be easily filled with an offcut from the original front piece, glued into place. You do not even need to glue the patch, so it's really simple. http://www.zroadster.net/forum/viewtopic.php?f=18&am...

Mike123

To be honest, I couldn't care less about the looks of the tyres, or the brand name. :| I want a tyre that acts predictably, that has a reasonably high level of wet and dry grip, and when the limits of adhesion are reached there are no sudden surprises. I tried numerous makes until I found the 452s w...

Mike123

Falken 453's are the ne kid on the block.
After three sets of 452s, which were great, the 453s are even better.

Mike123

Very similar to mine -

......same year, same Imola Red, same driving style

.............but mine has a black hood and interior.

Mike123

........................but I've only just found this:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6q5SVHpN_CU

Mike123

Well......

......a few sunbeams, a couple of trips with the roof off........

...........the great traction from the new 453s......

.................feeling younger already!

So decision made!

Mike123

Hi Alfie That was my first ZRoadster event, and a great day, and here's the pic you took then of our cars together... http://i1002.photobucket.com/albums/af148/arc123uk/IMGP0002.jpg I'm certainly not desperate to sell, quite the opposite, and I've always believed that Zs are undervalued, so I'll con...

Mike123

I really don't know if I can do it, but I think the time is fast approaching.... I bought the Z in 2005 from its 1st owner at 16.5k miles when it was virtually as new. 8 years and 75k miles later I'm still totally in love with the car, but although the car is still going strong, I'm showing distinct...

Mike123

I assume you had the air con switched on. If so, it sounds like it needs recharging. It loses about 10% of it's pressure per year, so needs recharging about every 3 years. The heating/cooling system is designed for a larger car, so if it's in good working order should dry the interior in a very few ...

Mike123

I would be a keen customer - no boot weld problems yet, but a sound precaution. The single eared diff bracket certainly looks weak for such a highly stressed area.

I've enjoyed the M for 7 years so far, hoping for a few more!

Mike123

This may be worth a look. Anyone on here?

http://www.pistonheads.com/classifieds/ ... 99/1089229

Mike123

Personally, I wouldn't get too hung up on body roll, unless you're looking to get very serious about track days. The roll is less obvious in the car than the pics show, and I think you get a lot of information about adhesion limits from it. The standard suspension deals well with bumpy corners - the...

Mike123

I did say standard M, but I do have a front strut brace and front poly bushes - both are essential for every day use. It's a good idea to check the track rods for any play before you track the car, and replace them if necessary, making the steering much more accurate. The best fun I've had was 'kill...

Mike123

The biggest problem I found (also standard M) was brake pads, which overheated badly after just a couple of fast laps, creating substantial brake judder as the resin bonded to the disks. It feels as if the disks have warped, but in my opinion the standard disks are excellent. I changed to EBC Red St...

Mike123

The M used to be a complete nightmare on Falken 452s in the snow and ice - no matter how careful or skilful, it either went absolutely nowhere or headed for the nearest hedge! I don't know if traction control would have made a difference, but certainly without it in these conditions there was no eff...

Mike123

S50 on winter tyres - a 4x4 Z3 (well, nearly!).

The best fun you can have with your clothes on!

Mike123

Have a look at this excellent write up - this is one of the causes and solutions.

http://www.bimmerfest.com/forums/showth ... p?t=254611

Mike123

........But do you? I've got very effective DSC on my Alpina B12 which is left on 99% of the time :roll: as a friendly comfort blanket. The Z3M is a different kettle of fish, so in all conditions and circumstances it's down to my right foot (with a very occasional left foot dab on the brakes if I'm ...

Mike123

I get 300 miles on longer (fast) runs, so you may have an issue - plugs? HT leads? Maybe a remap. The short wheel base means snappier handling than the 5 series, but it does have the essential LSD, so handling issues could be tyres or shocks. 1st gear is quite low, which helps with the potential sub...

Mike123

I've seen much worse figures on a track day, but normally I get about 240 miles between fill ups, about 25/26mpg which I think is great considering the performance. I'm well beyond the 'honeymoon period' now, though, and, while not wasting much time, wouldn't describe myself as a hooligan. 8-) Skid ...

Mike123

I've had Kumho KW23s for the last couple of winters, swapping with Falken 452s for most of the year.

I look forward to the winter and the amazing improvement in grip on snow and ice over the summer tyres, but even more to putting the summer tyres back on in March!

Mike123

I must say I didn't consider anything else but an S50 Z3M when I bought it 7 years and 70k miles ago, and have had nothing but great driving experiences in that time. It has lost about £1k per year in depreciation, which I consider to be a bargain, certainly compared to other cars I own, and have ow...

Mike123

Now here's a real test - you write some great items for ZRoadster, Jonttt, but I've never been quite sure about the driver/polisher question :?: I'll be very interested to hear your final choice. I made a similar choice a few years ago, and chose the Z3M as my daily driver, and never for a second re...

Mike123

We had a new hood fitted, and some interior work on my wife's Baur Cabriolet a few years ago - good work and good value, but a bit far for the minor repair on the Z3M.

http://www.trim-shop.com/aboutus.html

Mike123

Just a bit of touching up, really, so a small paint shop, G&S Motors at the bottom of town, who've just finished a similar exercise on my B12 Alpina, which now looks a treat! :sunny I need to find somewhere to repair the 'normal' driver's seat minor wear. I know a place in Redditch that is very ...

Mike123

Hi Harvey

Tennis night at the Guy's Cliffe Avenue club.

Going to be tidier soon - booked in for some TLC after 8 years of pure enjoyment!

Mike

Search found 324 matches