Highlights
- Pile of paperwork
- Functional electric roof
- Very clean alloys
- Lovely unmolested example
The Background
Based on the E36 3 Series platform, the Z3 is a popular 2-seater roadster, and the very first mass produced Z car from BMW, and the first to be solely manufactured outside of Germany - instead they were made in South California.
The 4 cylinder models, like the example we have here, can easily be identified by its single exit exhaust pipe. The larger 6 cylinder cars were graced with twin exit exhausts.
The 4 cylinder models, like the example we have here, can easily be identified by its single exit exhaust pipe. The larger 6 cylinder cars were graced with twin exit exhausts.
The History
Owned and loved by a connoisseur of BMW Z3’s, this tidy little roadster has been cared for as you’d expect it to be. It has done very minimal mileage from 2016, with only a few thousand miles covered - however the maintenance side of things has not been forgotten about.
Regular services and MOT’s are still undertaken to ensure that the car is as healthy and as roadworthy as it could possibly be so that it can be used at any given time with no problems.
Regular services and MOT’s are still undertaken to ensure that the car is as healthy and as roadworthy as it could possibly be so that it can be used at any given time with no problems.
The Paperwork
This Z3 has quite the healthy abundance of paperwork - including 2 leather booklets full of BMW paperwork and service history, as well as a folder full of invoices and receipts for any maintenance work that has been carried out over the last number of years over different owners.
The car has a current and valid V5C which is ready to be signed over to the new keeper of this tidy example.
The Interior
Like any classic BMW, it’s quite a nice place to be. The leather bucket sports seats are still plush and comfortable while holding you correctly in position, with only some minimal signs of wear on the drivers side bolster as to be expected - however aside from this it’s quite a difficult car to pick arguments with, it’s honest and welcoming.
The passenger seat shows very little signs of use, and this is echoed by how well maintained the footwell carpet is. Equipped with the M-Sport steering wheel which does show some signs of age, with some colour fading on the lower portion of the airbag cover - however the leather wrapped portion of the wheel is still in good shape with no rips or tears or any burst stitching!
The passenger seat shows very little signs of use, and this is echoed by how well maintained the footwell carpet is. Equipped with the M-Sport steering wheel which does show some signs of age, with some colour fading on the lower portion of the airbag cover - however the leather wrapped portion of the wheel is still in good shape with no rips or tears or any burst stitching!
The centre console still showcases all of the text and symbols brightly with no signs of fading across the control buttons which is nice to see, it’s small things like that which help drive home the feeling of quality in older cars.
The Buttons all still function as they should, as does the electronically assisted folding roof - a very sought after option which cost around £600 at the time of original purchase.
Another sought after bit of tech is the optional Harman Kardon Hi-Fi system, a seriously worthwhile addition, especially to those who are looking to spend a lot of time enjoying this car.
The gauge cluster all still functions as it should too with no present unwelcome warning lights showing upon the engine turning over - it seems a rather happy and trouble-free little roadster.
The Buttons all still function as they should, as does the electronically assisted folding roof - a very sought after option which cost around £600 at the time of original purchase.
Another sought after bit of tech is the optional Harman Kardon Hi-Fi system, a seriously worthwhile addition, especially to those who are looking to spend a lot of time enjoying this car.
The gauge cluster all still functions as it should too with no present unwelcome warning lights showing upon the engine turning over - it seems a rather happy and trouble-free little roadster.
The Exterior
Finished in a stunning Atlanta Blue Metallic paint, it very much suits its late 90’s era. The Z3 is a car that has aged very little over the years and to this day looks more modern than it is thanks to its long body curves and its aggressive fender vents.
At the front of the vehicle, the paintwork has the usual stone chips that all used cars have. The headlamp lenses are in good condition with no signs of any visible cracks, and the fog lights are still present with the lenses intact.
The famous kidney grills are present, however the driver side one does seem to be a little loose in its place, but it doesn’t seem like it’ll be falling out on its own. The bonnet appears damage free and all of the panel gaps appear to be even - always a great sign!
At the front of the vehicle, the paintwork has the usual stone chips that all used cars have. The headlamp lenses are in good condition with no signs of any visible cracks, and the fog lights are still present with the lenses intact.
The famous kidney grills are present, however the driver side one does seem to be a little loose in its place, but it doesn’t seem like it’ll be falling out on its own. The bonnet appears damage free and all of the panel gaps appear to be even - always a great sign!
Moving to the sides of the vehicle we can see the 4 alloy wheels, which are in lovely condition with no signs of any curb marks - they honestly look like they’ve been quite recently refurbished. All of the tyres look good with a meaty amount of tread on all four corners, too.
On the drivers side door there does appear to be some scratches that have been filled in with touch up paint. All four arches appear to be in good shape with no telltale signs of corrosion or bubbling, and all of the panel gaps here look very factory, too.
On the drivers side door there does appear to be some scratches that have been filled in with touch up paint. All four arches appear to be in good shape with no telltale signs of corrosion or bubbling, and all of the panel gaps here look very factory, too.
At the rear of the roadster, we can see that this is indeed the pre-facelift model due to the shape of the tail lights, separated by the model designation badges which still have a great shimmer to them and retain their chrome finish.
The rear bumper has some minor touch up paint marks to try and disguise some paint chips from the years of use, however aside from this, it's a very tidy and respectable little car!
The rear bumper has some minor touch up paint marks to try and disguise some paint chips from the years of use, however aside from this, it's a very tidy and respectable little car!
The canvas soft top is in good condition too with no signs of any tears or rips inside or out, and the latches still function perfectly as do the electric assisted motors to power it.
The rear screen does show some fading but this is to be fully expected as it is not glass like the rest of the windows.
The rear screen does show some fading but this is to be fully expected as it is not glass like the rest of the windows.
The Mechanics
Powered by a 1.9 litre 4-cylinder petrol engine, producing around 140bhp, it was certainly (and still is today) a fun car to throw around.
Thanks to the RWD configuration and the manual transmission handling the power transfer to the rear wheels, the Z3 really is a car that's worthy of the Roadster nametag.
The handling is tight and the gearbox feels precise, it really does give you great confidence - and it gives off a great exhaust note too, especially for a 4-banger.
Thanks to the RWD configuration and the manual transmission handling the power transfer to the rear wheels, the Z3 really is a car that's worthy of the Roadster nametag.
The handling is tight and the gearbox feels precise, it really does give you great confidence - and it gives off a great exhaust note too, especially for a 4-banger.
The Appeal
A BMW Z3 is a car that has stood the test of time and is still very much a relevant sports car, even against today's roadster competition.
It’s a no nonsense car that thanks to being built on top of an already great chassis (the E36) has more capability than you can shake a stick at.
And finding a good honest one like this is becoming harder and harder to find… Don’t miss out on this gem!
Notice to bidders
It’s a no nonsense car that thanks to being built on top of an already great chassis (the E36) has more capability than you can shake a stick at.
And finding a good honest one like this is becoming harder and harder to find… Don’t miss out on this gem!
Notice to bidders
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