USED BMW Z3 Roadster (97 - 03)

My car

Some may call it a hairdressers car, and frankly if you have the 1.9 I may agree (stay weell clear of 1.9, 2.0 & 2.2). A lot of car for little money don’t tend to see many about due to Z4, Start the engine and press the throttle and what you get is 193 angry bees all humming in harmony (I guess I am trying to say it sounds great), and compared to its rivals the in cabin equipment is more than satisfactory w\ aircon, heated electric seats on board comp etc etc(great view of the long nose) seats could be alittle more figure hugging, but plenty of torque, great second and third gear, not much space for shopping (solution: just shop weekly, not monthly) and overall does turn heads. Recommend warranty, if she goes wrong can be expensive. Overall if your looking for a car thats "rare" with a punchy engine, great styling and your willing to accept the odd taunts from friends about your occupation (jealous) then have a go, you wont be dissapointed.

My car

The day after I bought this car it rained. The cabin was saturated - the driver's seat, the passenger seat, and the floor all were soaking.

I still can't believe it that a car of BMW quality can leak so much. I changed from a Mazda MX-5 and not once did that leak.

This is my third BMW (the other two are saloons) but the Z3 is a disappointment because of the rain leaking into to the cabin, either through the roof or the window seals.

My car

Despite comments from many concerning ride and handling, I find the sheer pleasure of driving a machine which looks so great more than compensates. I don't need to get from A to B as quickly as possible but as stylishly as possible and the Z3 fits the bill!

It still gives me the greatest pleasure to drive after three years of ownership. It has been completely reliable and the servicing costs have been suprisingly low.

The only problem my wife and I have is trying to ignore other drivers who seem to think we want to race them all the time.

My car

I selected the 2.8 engined model having driven the 2.2 version because I found it to be more refined and to have bags of torque low down.

The engine is silky smooth and on a long journey the car easily exceeds 30mpg if driven sensibly.

I am 6' tall and there is ample room in the cabin for me. I also drive a Mazda MX5 1.8 and the BMW is much easier to enter and exit from. My severely arthritic father-in-law has no problem in getting in and out even with the hood raised.

The hood is easy to erect qucikly being electrically powered. The aircon blows nice and cold and is a must in my opinion for a convertible in our rainy summers.

The build quality is good and this is reflected in the good residual values. There are plenty of low mileage pampered cars available so go try one - you will be pleasantly surprised.