New z3 owner from sunny Essex!

[matt_j_smith]

Hi all!!!

I'm matt ( origional user name as you can see!)

After a few drift / track cars ive chopped and changed between over the last few years ( lots of s14's, s13's, 420hp soarer, bmw e30, skylines.. and fun cars like ford sierra, 420 sec v8 merc.. and more lol) I've landed on a little beaut of a z3 ( i think!)

Its a 2.8 wide one. full BMWSH. It was totaly standard. Obviously, going from big bhp turbo'd motors to na has been a jump however i have always prefered the drive of a NA or supercharged car.


I honestly wasnt expecting much from the z3 aparet from something fun for the summer however it has totaly won me over. its got fantastic grip, its pokey enough and makes a decent noise. I thought i'd keep it stock.. but that lasted all of 5 minutes. I have made some alterations to the airbox to make it totaly free flowing and I have also changed the manifold to the m50 one ( a common upgrade amougst matres with 328's) WOW! what a difference!!! i will be getting it re mapped to regain some of the lost torque but very happy and it sounds soooo much better now!

Annoyingly my steering wheel column wasn't an adjustable one. ( an optional extra apparently.. cheer bmw you stingy buggers!) so I popped a smaller race one on for the moment.

so.. PLANS!

lower it
change wheels ( something not ott in price but good looking .. recommendations? z3m wheels?)
pair of bucket seats
exhaust system
remap
brake upgrades
cage
track

then possibly some sort of custom roof.. id love to see a 'fastback' type one of these.. its prob been done .. if so.. pics?!

i also have a couple of issues. the main one being the alarm not working at present.. but ill do some research before asking any further questions!

Less of the talking, more pics.. apologies for the boring long intro..forum looks great.









with dads tt.. finally a car i can park next to it that isnt a POS!

[Brian H]

Welcome Matt,

Nice Intro, Looks like you have a nice car there with some interesting mods already done and plenty more lined up

Annoyingly my steering wheel column wasn't an adjustable one. ( an optional extra apparently.. cheer bmw you stingy buggers!) so I popped a smaller race one on for the moment.

I have not heard of any Z3s with adjustable columns, I did not know this was an option TBH. I assume you mean smaller race steering wheel rather than smaller race column?

Lots of info on here for you to get through, any problems just ask, very few questions go unanswered.

[matt_j_smith]

Ah right! I was told by someone it was an optional extra!

Great, thank you very much! I have a few questions collecting up!

[spurs fan in a coupe]

Hi Matt,

Nice Z3 you have there, I'm toying with a TT coupe as my next car, is that yours next to the Zed?

You mentioned Z3M wheels, I fitted them to mine and have 2 sets for sale if you are interested. PM me for more details (one black set with decent rubber and one set in need of tyres and a re-furb). I fitted mine by have the rear arches rolled at a body shop, I'm sure someone will post on here shortly about it being wrong to put them on a non ///M car and how they protrude illegally.

lots of info and links here

http://www.zroadster.net/forum/viewtopi ... ed#p322888

Can't help you with anything else though!

[Gazza]

Welcome to the Forum

[matt_j_smith]

Thanks guys!

Spurs man... I will pm u dude...ive been driving around in silly stanced jap cars fir the last few years..one if then had the rims sticking out 25mm and the tyre stretch under the arch! A little poke is ok

re the tt. Its my mum n dads. Ive driven it and cant recommend it enough. Perfect driving position.. decent power (2.0 turbo model) and the grip is superb. Really feels excellent. Its the fwd model... a few have said theyre better on road than the quattro... im not sure but it certainly is a drivers car. My dad just drove it back from the south of france and took every back road he could!


Gazza - cheers mate!

[Woody1000]

Hi Matt, welcome from another Essex Z owner, they are great cars and fun to drive, nice looking Z too. Enjoy !

[matt_j_smith]

Hi Matt, welcome from another Essex Z owner, they are great cars and fun to drive, nice looking Z too. Enjoy !

Thank you mate! Im in braintree so fairly local. Work in Brentwood!

[Captain]

Welcome Matt,
What mods did you do to the airbox, would be interested to know as I also have a 2.8.

[Woody1000]

Hi Matt, welcome from another Essex Z owner, they are great cars and fun to drive, nice looking Z too. Enjoy !

Thank you mate! Im in braintree so fairly local. Work in Brentwood!

I will look out for you Matt as I'm in South Woodham Just down the road.

[matt_j_smith]

Cheers for the welcomes! In a extremly annoying twist of fate this is now going up for sale. Sods law that my friends getting married abroad and I gotta get out there, well.. I dont want to miss it.

If anyone knows anyone after a lovely z3.. chuck me a message.

fixed the alarm thanks to this forum thou so very chuffed!