How To Guide BMW Z3 Tow Bar....

[Tony Dean]

Now there will be horrified people who read this, but when your down to one car and it needs to be a "used" and "abused" car because its all you've got.. Then you start to look at Mods that keep your enjoyment with a bit more than just our smug smiles......because we know the cars we have.

So I Have fitted a really nice Tow bar. Mod. The Roadster can only pull up to 1/2 tonne. No more because if you did go heavier you would damage your chassis. Which if you have never seen it is below in the pictures. It is not a heavily built chassis making it lighter.

Watling motors do a special bar assembly that is really subtle. All you see is the square section under the rear bumper for the removable tow bar. There is no need to cut the bumper which is good. This is a WIP and I am still assembling her after a strip down and re-spray. But this is the Tow bar fitted with the bumper off. Before the spray up. It took 2 hours.

The good thing is now I can pick up bigger stuff in a lightweight trailer (like you could with an estate) opening up more opportunity to drive her for small tasks .

Towing Weight limit here though must be adhered to. I think you can apply this mod onto roadsters to 1998. though you need to check..

More Pics to this ... As part of the strip and repaint I went round the body looking for areas that had corrosion caused by the design. The worst parts were where the Boot drains down over the rear light assemblies.
So a bit of welding, filling and repainting were in Order. The good thing is that none of the spraying and wax oiling can be seen when the bumpers back on. Subsequently I think the work done may prevent future work.

 

[GazHyde]

This has been asked about a few times now with no specific source for one, so great that we can now say for sure its possible in the UK at least.

 

[EnthuZiaZT]

, There is not a 'hate' or 'should not be allowed' emoji on here!!!!

Mike

 

[Mint]

I'm sure there was a photo on here not long ago of a Z4 towing a caravan

 

[Brian H]

All jokes,aside, I think this makes perfect sense if you are going on a long trip, a small trailer and you could go away for weeks on end, I think I've see a picture of a guy towing a sailing boat with a Z3.

 

[mwpe]

That is a good mod especially with a removable tow bar. There is nothing wrong with getting the most out of your car, I have a removable tow bar on my E46 compact and I used to tow a caravan with my triumph Spitfire.

 

[Dino D]

This is great.
I've seen a black 3.0 with tow bar and jet ski.
Can you get one of the fold down caravans under 500kg. Could make for great road trips.

Great for taco day tyres and spares too....

Mmmmm what is the legality of putting kids in a trailer...I could get to more events with both boys that way!

 

[stevie_a]

Tow bar is great, i don't have one on the Z3

But on the Triumph i do and it is great for the camping trips to the shows as my tent would no way fit in the car.

 

[gookah]

try a BMW trailer:

 

[Bozzy]

I think a descretely fitted tow bar on a zed is a great idea,as said above,it means you can use a small trailer to haul camping gear or a small fold down caravan .

Do you mind me asking what it cost @Tony Dean ?.

Steve.

 

[lucky jim]

great idea not only for towing but fit a bike rack

 

[Jack Ratt]

I need one of these little trailers to carry all the stuff Jill wants to take on the Euro trip

 

[Antm72]

A nice addition for when more space is needed. Subtle too

 

[Low Rider]

I need one of these little trailers to carry all the stuff Jill wants to take on the Euro trip

Does Jill really have that many shoe's Gary

 

[Tony Dean]

, There is not a 'hate' or 'should not be allowed' emoji on here!!!!

Mike

 

[Tony Dean]

Mike, I understand your condition and Fear for the unadulterated model Zorg community.
However when you see a Glider, Boat or Jetski (not a Bl@@dy Push Bike on a rack) being towed out into a field by a uprated drop top Z3 with 350-400BHP. There is a certain smug face you can pull that you can do no other time...unless it's passing a pretzel, cossa or something else Essex over styled with a big bore exhaust.

Note: The best Smugg face comes just when you rev her just be before you turn her off,,,,, to go flying..... All I need now is a 6ft model to drape over the bonnet and polish her!

 

[Tony Dean]

great idea not only for towing but fit a bike rack

bad idea, not wide enough. And the thought of a push bike on the back of a Z3???? It has to be something more stylish and less sweaty...

 

[Tony Dean]

Cost was 248, and it did not need a relay box on my wiring...Fitted it myself. Only difficult thing was a self fixing hole nut under the passenger seat that needed a fiddle fix and pre compress with the bolt that holds the long stay arm in place.

While the back bumper was off I also wax oiled the entire back panel, and underneath...

Warning:
I had to have the emergency tire grit blasted and re-sprayed (Guys be warned here, check your spare now they get really manky in that plastic cover especially if you expect your run flats to do the Job all the time (it does not protect them well) and it could be that in an emergency when you do need to use it .........it might not be useable).

To stop this happening again. After the re-spray I have wax oiled the spare and shrink wrapped it before replacing it back in the tire holder)

 

[mwpe]

Tow bar is great, i don't have one on the Z3

But on the Triumph i do and it is great for the camping trips to the shows as my tent would no way fit in the car.

I found this old photo, surprising what you can do when your fun car is your only car, about 1970.

 

[Ianmc]

MK 3 spitfire, nice, had a white one in the late 70s.

For information, the September 1997 price list and specification for 1.9 and 2.8 clearly states that "Fitment of a towbar is not permitted". I would assume that it is a structural limitation.