**WANTED** Z3 or Z4 3.0

[sasker]

Hi everyone

I am looking to buy myself a weekend toy and I'm looking for a Z3 or Z4 with no more than 80,000 miles on it with full service history if possible.

I want the 3 litre or possibly if budget can stretch the 3 litre M model

I have only just started looking but if anyone has anything which matches my requirements then I would like to hear from you.

Thanks

Stu

[Southernboy]

M's are 3.2 litre...S50's or less common S54's....... There's an M for sale on the forum right now...... might not be in your mileage bracket, but seems to have been in the "family" for many years....

[sasker]

Hi,

I quite like the sounds of that 3.2 M. I had a look but didn't see that for sale so will have another look.

What do you mean, S50's or S54's?

[Southernboy]

The early M cars were the S50 motor, and the later M's are the S54 motors...

[Smartbear]

or if you look at the facelift z4 2006-2008 (3.0si) they have 265hp, better economy than the M, cheaper tax than the M, & for road use are very close to an M's performance.
Had mine for 8months now & very pleased with it

[sasker]

Hi

I have been looking at the z4 but my budget is max 5k so trying to find one for that sort of money is proving difficult. I have seen some with 120k + miles but that is quite a lot of miles.

[Del]

my budget is max 5k

Should be able to get a tidy, late 3.0 Z3 for that with lowish mileage. Good time of year (price wise) to buy as well.

http://www.autotrader.co.uk/classified/ ... ?logcode=p
http://www.autotrader.co.uk/classified/ ... ?logcode=p
http://www.autotrader.co.uk/classified/ ... ?logcode=p
http://www.autotrader.co.uk/classified/ ... ?logcode=p
http://www.autotrader.co.uk/classified/ ... ?logcode=p

[akirk]

Buy on condition not mileage...
My Z3 3.0l has 122k miles on it - is solid and in very good condition I certainly wouldn't expect to sell it for under £4-5K (and have been offered the upper end of that a couple of times recently).
120K+ has many miles still in it - I drive mine c. 6K miles a year so would have no issue expecting to get another 5 years out of it without any big work on it if I bought it today for £5K that is only £1K per annum - cheap motoring...

Alasdair

[sasker]

my budget is max 5k

Should be able to get a tidy, late 3.0 Z3 for that with lowish mileage. Good time of year (price wise) to buy as well.

http://www.autotrader.co.uk/classified/ ... ?logcode=p
http://www.autotrader.co.uk/classified/ ... ?logcode=p
http://www.autotrader.co.uk/classified/ ... ?logcode=p
http://www.autotrader.co.uk/classified/ ... ?logcode=p
http://www.autotrader.co.uk/classified/ ... ?logcode=p

Yeah hopefully i'll find a nice one. It's not going to be used that much as it's just my toy / weekend car so just got to be patient until the right one comes up

[sasker]

Buy on condition not mileage...
My Z3 3.0l has 122k miles on it - is solid and in very good condition I certainly wouldn't expect to sell it for under £4-5K (and have been offered the upper end of that a couple of times recently).
120K+ has many miles still in it - I drive mine c. 6K miles a year so would have no issue expecting to get another 5 years out of it without any big work on it if I bought it today for £5K that is only £1K per annum - cheap motoring...

Yeah it's always put me off with higher mileage petrol cars as you instantly think of having to spend out on things but as you say if it's been serviced regular and been looked after then as you say I should not let it put me off.

Been a few years since I had a performance car too, my last one was a lovely Accord Type R but the Z3 I have been told is a very quick car which would leave the accord in it's wake so chomping at the bit to get one now



Alasdair

[akirk]

it is certainly fast - though I believe the Z4 3.0 is not quite up to the z3 3.0
I would guess that there isn't a car around here which would compete without speeds going quite high if you think of normal country road driving up to 60 - or even if someone was a bit naughty and took it faster to 80-90 - it is fast enough to leave most cars in the dust, and for those that are as fast / faster the difference is small enough to be affected by the driver / or only to show at silly speeds...
It will happily overtake a string of cars and I can say that I have rarely tested its full power
it is a lot of fun for small money

Alasdair

[sasker]

Yeah I have only read positive things so far from here and from searching the internet.

[Woody1000]

I have a 3.0 sport Z3 and it is dam quick and not too far away from my mates M3 and for the money you get a lot of car. Good luck with your search.

[Smartbear]

it is certainly fast - though I believe the Z4 3.0 is not quite up to the z3 3.0
I would guess that there isn't a car around here which would compete without speeds going quite high if you think of normal country road driving up to 60 - or even if someone was a bit naughty and took it faster to 80-90 - it is fast enough to leave most cars in the dust, and for those that are as fast / faster the difference is small enough to be affected by the driver / or only to show at silly speeds...
It will happily overtake a string of cars and I can say that I have rarely tested its full power
it is a lot of fun for small money

Alasdair

You are mistaken there akirk, the facelift z4 is faster than a 3litre z3 with the dash to 60 taking 5.7secs-it's got more power & less weight than a z3 so no surprise really.
Still very nice cars though

[bertiejaffa]

The early M cars were the S50 motor, and the later M's are the S54 motors...

Just to add to Barry's comments, s50 (z3m) were released in the UK in January 1998 and just over 900 were made up until 2000. They were then upgraded very slightly in 2001 with the biggest change being the engine (s54) - 73 of these were made for the UK until the end of production in 2002. - see here http://www.bmwmregistry.com/model_faq.php?id=16

... And yes they are very quick

[akirk]

Ah okay - had heard otherwise! But happy to be corrected... Still prefer the z3

Alasdair