New member

[bonzo]

Welcome from Bonzo and Zelda The best thing is to try as many different Z3 specs as poss, and to try them in a wide range of driving conditions, town, motorway, country roads, etc. I bought Zelda from a chum, and was so pleased at the overall package when I saw and drove her that I didn't bother to try any others. You might love the first one you drive, but hate the interior colour, so it's not just the engine size to consider.

I would say something naughty about the 1.8 and 1.9 versions, but as one road tester remarked, " I would give up all the available options if I could have the 2.8 engine!"

Also I have been posting naughty replies and am being a very good boy following a severe wrist slapping!
(All limp wristed now!)

Bonzo.

 

[Shelly]

Welcome from Bradwell near Great Yarmouth
Any luck with finding a Z yet

 

[zedonist]

My advice, if you are after power and handling and an OEM looking car go for the //M Roadster, nothing else will compare as all non //M share the same suspension somhandlevthe same, and it costs rather a lot to get //M style handling.

If you like tinkering and generally getting dirty under the bonnet then go for the 4 pot, I would choose the 1.9 16v version, and with a few little tweaks becomes a very responsive back road hooner, despite what people may say it is not a slouch and is very easy to work on. That said you can apply the suspension mods to all varieties, so go for the one that suits your driving style, they all respond to the right foot in different ways, but power is not everything, it is the whole package that counts, unless you drive Route 66 daily.

If power is not your thing and a standard looking car is, then just focus on the array of different array of interior options, and choose the car that you feel comfortable with, you will know the one when you drive it.

Budget is a big factor, the market is quite strong at the moment, give it a couple of months the prices will come down, and it is one car you want to look at in the rain as some tend to leak.

So go and drive plenty, and take your time, it's not a race.

 

[FRANKIE]

Zedonist quote:"So go and drive plenty, and take your time, it's not a race."

Excellent, excellent advice from Zedonist. Frankie

 

[spurs fan in a coupe]

You need a z3 for touring in?

Well if you could find a nice coupe in that ball park budget, I'm sure you'd be interested?

Imagine there was a z3 2.8 coupe with a big boot, sport heated seats, air con, well looked after etc etc!

Mmmmmmmm if only!

 

[billz]

One of the most sort after z3 non ms is the 3.0 if you could pick one up for your budget i would go for that. They are all facelift models and are very economical. You get 231bhp 0 to 60 5.8secs yet you can drive it in 5th gear all day as low as 25mph due to the Torque it also returns around 32 to 36mpg driven sensibly it is also an excellent car to due any road trip. We had one before the z4 and took it through the Pyrenees and the Alps. The other models i test drove were the 2.8 and 1.9 but for me the 3.0 had it all. But which ever model you go for try and get one with Heated Sport seats. Like Zedonist said try as many as possible through the range, you will know which feels right for you.

 

[Woody100]

One of the most sort after z3 non ms is the 3.0 if you could pick one up for your budget i would go for that. They are all facelift models and are very economical. You get 231bhp 0 to 60 5.8secs yet you can drive it in 5th gear all day as low as 25mph due to the Torque it also returns around 32 to 36mpg driven sensibly it is also an excellent car to due any road trip. We had one before the z4 and took it through the Pyrenees and the Alps. The other models i test drove were the 2.8 and 1.9 but for me the 3.0 had it all. But which ever model you go for try and get one with Heated Sport seats. Like Zedonist said try as many as possible through the range, you will know which feels right for you.

And if you can find a 3.0 with steptronic gearbox then even better for cruising !
Auto when your feeling lazy, sport mode when your feeling energised and manual mode when your want to be a hooligan !!!

 

[bonzo]

My advice, if you are after power and handling and an OEM looking car go for the //M Roadster, nothing else will compare as all non //M share the same suspension somhandlevthe same, and it costs rather a lot to get //M style handling.

If you like getting dirty under the bonnet then go for the pot, I would choose the 1.9 16v v.

More room for some carnal action is there? And a spliff always adds a little je ne sais quoi I find!

 

[bonzo]

And if you can find a 3.0 with steptronic gearbox then even better for cruising !
Auto when your feeling lazy, sport mode when your feeling energised and manual mode when your want to be a hooligan !!!

A real man NEVER feels the need for an auto slush box!

 

[oldcarman]

A real man NEVER feels the need for an auto slush box!

We see the transplant hasn't taken!!

 

[zedonist]

No his body rejected it, apparently the doctors had never seen a physiology like it on a man, closest thing they could compare it too was woman......

 

[Woody100]

A real man NEVER feels the need for an auto slush box!

Different things to different people !! a auto will change gear quicker than any manual Z driver !!

 

[zedonist]

Different things to different people !! a auto will change gear quicker than any manual Z driver !!

Will have to disagree, the human brain is still the fastest computer currently on planet earth, the time between subconscious thought and action will beat any interaction between a sensor, ECU and end action.

 

[bonzo]

We see the transplant hasn't taken!!

Op. scheduled for this afternoon, as soon as the surgeon, Prof. Erik Shurn can get away from the golf course!

Will post after I am settled in the recovery room!........... If I make it that far.

 

[bonzo]

Zedonist quote:"So go and drive plenty, and take your time, it's not a race."

Excellent, excellent advice from Zedonist. Frankie

Yeah, but he's only repeated what I said first, the big copycat!

 

[bonzo]

No his body rejected it, apparently the doctors had never seen a physiology like it on a man, closest thing they could compare it too was woman......

Hey guys, that means I'm a hermaphrodite. I can have sex with myself!

 

[Woody100]

Will have to disagree, the human brain is still the fastest computer currently on planet earth, the time between subconscious thought and action will beat any interaction between a sensor, ECU and end action.

I agree the human brain is by far the fastest computer in the world, just not your one !!!

 

[bonzo]

Fight, fight!

 

[billz]

Different things to different people !! a auto will change gear quicker than any manual Z driver !!

Thats why the manual model is quicker than the Auto according to the official figures

 

[Woody100]

I'm no expert but having had both manual and auto Zeds the auto changes faster than manual. The speed figures are surely down to the manual being geared differently !