New member and Z3 2.8 owner

[Cylon-One]

Hi all,

Great to be here - I come to you straight from the BMW5 forum! After long term 5 series ownership, I've sold my E39 and have yesterday bought a '98 (S) Z3 2.8 in Boston Green.

Haven't picked the car up yet (pick it up on Saturday in Cambridge - I'm in Durham so a long slog to get it but worth it!).

Don't really know anything about Z's, other than (I know, this is so cliched) I knew I had to have one after watching Goldeneye in 1996



I'm lucky in that my Z3 is a garage toy - my daily commuting ride is a VW Bora TDi 130. The Z will only come out to play when the weather is good and there's no work to be done.

Only other 2 seater car I've had was a 1991 Mazda MX-5. Tremendous fun and competent handling but asthmatically underpowered (mine was a 109hp 1.6).

I'm hoping the 2.8 straight six lump in the Z3 will contrast with this!

Good to be here and I'll get some pics up soon.

David R
"Cylon-One"
Durham

[Hang_em_high]

Hi and welcome David. good choice of zed I think you should find it a little more exciting than your last soft top
I did think at first lucky you for having it as a toy but then I thought, I get to drive mine every day and look forward to it every time I get in it

Once again welcome to the forum and make sure you get some pics up and maybe your first impressions of it on your drive home.

[Zed Carer]

Hi and Welcome - I'm sure that the 2.8 will not disappoint you in any way but I am biased.

Mine was supposed to be a weekend car for fun but I now split commuting (when its sunny) between the Z3 and a Citroen C5 Auto diesel.

If you fancy meeting some of the people on here check out this LINK as its not that far from Durham to Boroughbridge.

Its not just the waiting though is it Need to keep checking the weather - will it be hood down ' or hood up ' on Saturday

[Tori]

2.8 good choice

[stu]

2.8's are mostly underpowered IMHO



Congrats and enjoy.

[estocks]

2.8's are mostly underpowered IMHO

[tomf84]

2.8's are mostly underpowered IMHO

You are having a laugh!

[Cylon-One]

Thanks for the welcomes and yes, when I get my lovely new 'Z tidied up, I'd definately be up for some meets.

So first impressions; Love it - the drivers electric seat up/down movement is broken (only fault on the car), and stuck in an awkwardly high position but even this didn't spoil an amazing ride home.

The handling is as everyone described; tight and great fun. The looks are gorgous, but the winner for me is the engine. Silky smooth power delivery - lovely and docile when you just want to toddle about (it's almost like an auto - it doesn't really car what gear it's in!), but I slipped it into 3rd at 45mph on a slip road, floored it and wow, the acceleration and the sound were really satisfying. It's not quite as quick as the Fiat Coupe 20v Turbo I had about 4 years ago, but heck at least it's not going to die on me at the entrance to the Tyne Tunnel with 400 cars backed up behind me ...... Really beautiful - transformed with the top down (waited til I got home for that pleasure). The wife loves it. It's generally HAPPY DAYS!

I spent 6 hours cleaning it today and enjoyed every second!

Another very happy surprise was the insurance - got it with Classicline: £190 per year !!!! That's fully comp, with a £250 excess, and based on a £4,000 valuation and 1,500 miles per year.

[Guest]

Hi David

So nice to see another Boston Green and a 2.8, nearly twins, I've got a green soft top, like to be a little bit different

[Titan]

Hi David and welcome to the the forum

Another very happy surprise was the insurance - got it with Classicline: £190 per year !!!! That's fully comp, with a £250 excess, and based on a £4,000 valuation and 1,500 miles per year.

Have you quoted these figures correctly?
1,500 miles is hardly enough to get the engine warmed up once a month

[Cylon-One]

Mine is for occasional use only - 1500 miles equated to 45 miles per week over the 9 months I'll be using it - more than I would ever use!

Got a Bora TDi "slug" for commuting; the Z3 is for nice days only.

[Titan]

Mine is for occasional use only - 1500 miles equated to 45 miles per week over the 9 months I'll be using it - more than I would ever use!

Well that's a good theory.
However, when DTS bites you may find that the normal 2 mile run to the shops turns into 62
Then of course you forgot something (even deliberately perhaps ) and the 62 becomes 124 etc etc

[Cylon-One]

Heh heh ..... I'm trying to keep the miles low so that I don't get bored - I'm terrible for that. There are a few cars that I classed as a 'dream' car that I'd always wanted and once I got it I'd keep it for years. Then after 6 months or so, I was bored and wanted to try something else.

But I genuinely think the Z will be different - I have always loved BMWs but the experience has been tarred by some awful experiences in the snow and ice. But thats because my BM's have always been my main car, that I had to use in all weathers. With the Z I want to slowly get it to showroom condition over a couple of years, and drive it once a twice per month, so that each drive feels like the first ever again, and the love affair lasts a long time! Do you get what I mean? Or am I just mad?

The other thing to remember is that the 1500 miles is just a good will estimation - you don't have to prove or demonstrate mileage to the insurance companies (I worked for Royal & SunAlliance for 11 years on Motor Insurance projects until being made redundant in December just gone). So some months I may just pop for the bacon on a Sunday morning, but other months I may just do that 62 mile ride out.

Cheers,