Wallachie Posted November 6, 2004 Report Share Posted November 6, 2004 I'm test driving a Z3 M Coupe today, anyone got any advice/stories about this car?? I'm currently driving an S3 which is for sale at the moment, so as soon as it goes I'm either going for an M3 or a Z3 M Coupe. All advice greatly appreciated. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
RossG Posted November 6, 2004 Report Share Posted November 6, 2004 JHT has one. I went to Le Mans 2004 with him in it and it was a truly awesome car Feels a lot more hardcore (as a passenger) than an M3 and its certainly quick. Stunning looking as well IMHO. Fancy one myself TBH Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
xspencex Posted November 7, 2004 Report Share Posted November 7, 2004 The History and general condition of the car has to be good. There are others here that have bought M Coupes and pitched them against each other only to find one drives different to the other. Its a funny engine the Evo 3.2 ltr loads to go wrong and very costly to fix. A good example needs tones of History. Amazing cars though! Very different and a modern Classic in the making... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
loddrik Posted November 7, 2004 Report Share Posted November 7, 2004 Pre-2002 cars DON'T have DSC, be warned, they are a real handful without it. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
cerbera Posted November 8, 2004 Report Share Posted November 8, 2004 [ QUOTE ] I'm test driving a Z3 M Coupe today, anyone got any advice/stories about this car?? I'm currently driving an S3 which is for sale at the moment, so as soon as it goes I'm either going for an M3 or a Z3 M Coupe. All advice greatly appreciated. [/ QUOTE ] Hi Mills, Have copy/pasted a PM that I sent to another user a short while ago, hope this is of some help....! He was considering swapping his A8 for a Coupe, hence the comparisons... Hi Dave, Having only had the M Coupe since End of April (but having covered over 14K miles in that time ), I'll attempt to pass on the benefit of my time so far with the car.... 1) Whilst I love Audis and think that the A8s are a cracking car, there is simply no comparison. They are very different cars and reward in very different ways. In a nutshell I'd say that the M Coupe is a real petrolhead's, proper driver's car. The A8, whilst a wonderfully luxurious 'magic carpet' simply doesn't reward in the same way.......but then I'm sure you already know all this! 2) The M Coupe makes me smile EVERY time I walk up/away from it. It will keep up with 'almost' anything in a straight line and is sooo much more individual than a porker or even a TVR IMO........when my car is clean I get so many comments about it and people are always intrigued about performance etc as it really does look different. I've had 2 people offer to pay me cash, same day for the car in London! 3) Which dealership are you looking to buy the car from ? I bought mine from Sytners in Nottingham FYI. From keeping an eye on the M Coupe market for a while now, Hexagon BMW in/around London seem keen to buy up nearly all M Coupes for sale and are trying to create a bit of a monopoly and hence keep prices artificially high. I wasn't impressed with Hexagon when I originally started looking at cars - they had a fairly arrogant attitude in sales and they didn't know half as much about the Coupe as they thought they did (at least the bloke I was dealing with didn't....) 4) I took the car on a 3000 mile roadtrip this summer down to Le Mans, through the Alps and down to Tuscanny and it didn't miss a beat! Great car for longer journeys and surprisingly practical. Sensational on some of the faster roads in France/Italy Anyway, I waffle.......sorry! 5) Wet B roads....hmmnnn.....Can be 'interesting' shall we say! I've taken the car round Rockingham and Castle Combe race circuit (both in the dry) and the car was great fun and much better than I anticipated. I've yet to test it on the track in the wet, but I know it will be a bit of a handful. At the end of the day if you are sensible and on your toes then you shouldn't have any real issues. It CAN catch you out on occassion though and it's not the sort of car I'd let my GF drive on a slimey wet winter's day for example.....! I probably cover about 30K miles p/a with a mixture of work/personal miles. I actually bought myself a second hand Bora TDi to cover the big miles in at the same time I bought the Coupe, but the reality is I love the Coupe so much I've lent the Bora to a mate to use for a few months! I originally DID have reservations about using the Coupe as a daily driver (especially over winter), but to be honest if you're happy to have a bit of a 'challenge' and not afraid to learn the characteristics of it then I am certain that you will fall for it in the same way I have! It's not nearly as 'planted' as say, an E46 M3, but then it's much more 'raw', feels seriously fast and has an air of individuality about it that the M3 can only dream of! Right, I've waffled on far too much now and you only asked the one 'little' question! In summary, they are not a 'nightmare' to drive, but you have to have your wits about you - but for me that's half the enjoyment, having a car where you have real driver input! I say go for it! Click here for temptation....! Hope this is of some help - if you have any other questions then just give me a shout! JT PS - FYI I had an R32 before the Coupe, so have experienced the same 'jump' that you are contemplating. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
cerbera Posted November 8, 2004 Report Share Posted November 8, 2004 [ QUOTE ] The History and general condition of the car has to be good. There are others here that have bought M Coupes and pitched them against each other only to find one drives different to the other. Its a funny engine the Evo 3.2 ltr loads to go wrong and very costly to fix. A good example needs tones of History. Amazing cars though! Very different and a modern Classic in the making... [/ QUOTE ] Aye Spencer.. Mills - if you can I'd pay a bit extra to get the car from a BMW main dealer and have the peace of mind of the BMW warranty.... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
cerbera Posted November 8, 2004 Report Share Posted November 8, 2004 [ QUOTE ] Pre-2002 cars DON'T have DSC, be warned, they are a real handful without it. [/ QUOTE ] But more rewarding ultimately IMO..... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
rmmacauley Posted November 8, 2004 Report Share Posted November 8, 2004 I reckon any rear wheel drive car is likely to be a bit of a challenge if you're not used to it. My e30 325i touring almost put me into someone's garden last week in a fit of overexuberant tail out antics on a dry road and it has probably about half the bhp of an M coupe! I do think the M coupe looks superb. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
cerbera Posted November 9, 2004 Report Share Posted November 9, 2004 Glad to hear you avoided the garden...... ! C'mon then Mills - how did you get on with the test drive ??? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
xspencex Posted November 9, 2004 Report Share Posted November 9, 2004 [ QUOTE ] C'mon then Mills - how did you get on with the test drive ??? [/ QUOTE ] Are you not saying anything because it involved hedges?..... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Wallachie Posted November 9, 2004 Author Report Share Posted November 9, 2004 I have to go back another day for the test drive, as the guy who should have been there to meet me wasn't. I was pretty gutted, but at least it gives me something to look forward to on Saturday (weather permitting!) I did get a good look around it as it was in the showroom. He started it up and what a great noise So depressing hearing the noise of the S3 afterwards. The car was immaculate, albeit slightly old. It's a 99,Estoril Blue with 2 tone leather, HK stereo, heated seats, slide sunroof etc, it's done 37k with a massive and comprehensive history, including all receipts from day 1. It's just has something to do with the ABS replaced, and a new Vanos system at £1500, it belonged to a Surgeon in Glasgow who only used it at the w'end and didn't mind dipping into the pocket for maintenance. No DSC which is a bit scary - But as you say JHT - you've went from the 4wd R32 so I'm kinda in the same boat! Thanks for all your advice guys, as soon as I get a rip in it - I'll post my thoughts - if I'm not buried in a hedge somewhere!! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bazza_g Posted November 9, 2004 Report Share Posted November 9, 2004 [ QUOTE ] it's done 37k with a massive and comprehensive history, including all receipts from day 1. It's just has something to do with the ABS replaced, and a new Vanos system at £1500, [/ QUOTE ] I'm surprised it needed the VANOS done after 37k miles ?? I'm sure you'll come away with a big grin after the testdrive Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
cerbera Posted November 10, 2004 Report Share Posted November 10, 2004 [ QUOTE ] I have to go back another day for the test drive, as the guy who should have been there to meet me wasn't. I was pretty gutted, but at least it gives me something to look forward to on Saturday (weather permitting!) I did get a good look around it as it was in the showroom. He started it up and what a great noise So depressing hearing the noise of the S3 afterwards. The car was immaculate, albeit slightly old. It's a 99,Estoril Blue with 2 tone leather, HK stereo, heated seats, slide sunroof etc, it's done 37k with a massive and comprehensive history, including all receipts from day 1. It's just has something to do with the ABS replaced, and a new Vanos system at £1500, it belonged to a Surgeon in Glasgow who only used it at the w'end and didn't mind dipping into the pocket for maintenance. No DSC which is a bit scary - But as you say JHT - you've went from the 4wd R32 so I'm kinda in the same boat! Thanks for all your advice guys, as soon as I get a rip in it - I'll post my thoughts - if I'm not buried in a hedge somewhere!! [/ QUOTE ] Mills - what money are they asking for ? I'm guessing £22k - £24K ? Certainly shouldn't be anymore than that.... I wouldn't let the age put you off - the miles are low for that year and if that car's been properly serviced by BM then you shouldn't really have any problems - from my limited experience it's a pretty solid car. The VANOS system can go at anytime from conversations I've had with Birds UK. I expect that mine will go at some point, but that's one of the main reasons I'm keen to maintain the BMW extended warranty, for that additional peace of mind! Not sure about the ABS system - I'd find out a bit more about that if I was you! The brakes are excellent IMO and at least as good as E46 M3 brakes on a track day - certainly good enough for fast road driving 99% of the time. FYI - the sunroof is very frustrating as you'll find it only actually tilts up about 1 inch! It doesn't slide back at all, which makes it seem slightly pointless at times! I'm glad I've got it on mine though as it does allow more light into an otherwise all black interior. Just be wary that you simply can't boot it out of roundabouts and corners in the same way that you can with your S3 - even in the dry! However it will devour your S3 in a straight line and will teach you to drive smoother with much more forward planning of lines etc! Hope you enjoy your testdrive and look forward to hearing your thoughts! JT PS - there's a decent buying guide for the M Coupe and Roadster in issue 45 of EVO. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
cerbera Posted November 10, 2004 Report Share Posted November 10, 2004 PS - whereabouts in Scotland are you Mills ? (I'm from Edinburgh originally) and which dealer is the car at ? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
cerbera Posted November 12, 2004 Report Share Posted November 12, 2004 I take that back about the car being bombproof..... Had a big drive up to Manchester yesterday to see a client and about 400 yards from home last night the car started to splutter somewhat and the revs were dropping (as if to stall). Kept the revs up for a couple of hundred yards and managed to pull over to park - got out to find oil pi55ing out of the engine and a trail of oil (hansel and gretel style!) for the past 400-500 yards hmmnnn, not good. BMW emergency services have been superb though and I'm very impressed with their efficiency. Flat bed recovery vehicle was with me within the hour and the car was taken to a holding depot. This morning it's been taken to Baron's of Farnborough who I hope will sort it all out in good time and bring the beast back to life..... Those of you that know me probably expect that I hit the roof last night and went ballistic - as it was I'm surprisingly calm about the whole thing....I had a cracking drive in the car yesterday and it didn't miss a beat! I was just glad that I wasn't stranded half way down the M6! Now, where did I put those Bora keys....... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Brabus Posted November 12, 2004 Report Share Posted November 12, 2004 Ouch sorry to hear about that John, any idea what it could be yet? Let us know how you get on Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
cerbera Posted November 12, 2004 Report Share Posted November 12, 2004 Not really sure at all Chris. Whilst there are bloody speed humps all around the residentss parking area where I park up, last night (as always) I crawled over them and certainly didn't hear any grounding. When I retraced my steps to follow the trail of oil, it appeared to just suddenly start whilst I was driving along one of the streets /1. As long as it's something covered by warranty then I'm not too bothered, but it'll be a pain in the arse not having the car for a few days.... Ah well, time to put some miles on the old soot chucker... Should get a call from Barons later today and will let you know what they say..... JT Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
TOK Posted November 12, 2004 Report Share Posted November 12, 2004 ouch...and the whole thing of not flying off he handle...well done!!! you are now an adult...guess puberty just took its merry old time with you on a serious note mate..hope all works out there..any news from Barons yet?? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
cerbera Posted November 12, 2004 Report Share Posted November 12, 2004 There could always be a delayed reaction with the whole 'anger' thing.....depending on whether or not Baron's deem to car to be covered under warranty or not! As I'm pretty anal about looking after the car and keeping an eye on oil/water levels etc and I didn't smash the sump into a kerb, I can't see how it could be anything other than a warranty job (famous last words!). I think it might be a blown gaskett but then I'm no expert! Will keep you posted...Baron's have already called and said that it may be Mon till they have a full examination of the car. Oh, and TOK ? Don't be bitter about being an old fart. Just deal with it ok? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ritey Posted November 12, 2004 Report Share Posted November 12, 2004 Hope it gets sorted without too much fuss JT Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
cerbera Posted November 12, 2004 Report Share Posted November 12, 2004 Cheers Dave. That makes 2 of us! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
TOK Posted November 12, 2004 Report Share Posted November 12, 2004 [ QUOTE ] There could always be a delayed reaction with the whole 'anger' thing.....depending on whether or not Baron's deem to car to be covered under warranty or not! As I'm pretty anal about looking after the car and keeping an eye on oil/water levels etc and I didn't smash the sump into a kerb. I think it might be a blown gaskett but then I'm no expert! Oh, and TOK ? Don't be bitter about being an old fart. Just deal with it ok? [/ QUOTE ] Yeah no you are right, from that angle you can see its the gasket...puhh and you say you're no expert!! Keep us posted..I reckon it will be a warranty job Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
xspencex Posted November 12, 2004 Report Share Posted November 12, 2004 , Sorry JT... I've got me fingers crossed bud... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
RossG Posted November 12, 2004 Report Share Posted November 12, 2004 Sorry to hear about the car big man... Touch wood all is well and before you know it you and the coop will be again. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Wallachie Posted November 15, 2004 Author Report Share Posted November 15, 2004 The car is for sale at Deutche Marque in Dalkeith, just outside Edinburgh. They have it advertised at £18,995. Seems a very reasonable price but I'm paranoid about a car of that age. I'd be stepping from a 2003 car to one 4 years older. Still haven't made it for the test drive as I had to go back to N Ireland at the weekend! Sorry to hear about your car mate, I hope that the warranty covers the repairs. Thanks for all your help/advice thus far! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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