1997 Z3 BMW 2.8 just purchased

[Zeti]

Welcome @Smiling Z3 !
Nice car, nice story and if you felt the connection, that's it! It will have great future!
Enjoy the car and the forum,
Dan

 

[oldcarman]

Welcome from Canada! What type of larger zipped window are you talking about? Is the top zippered now or stitched. If zipped there is a co that has ads on eBay UK that sells a great product for around £75-80 and is of high quality. If the window is stitched in then your hood has been changed as BMW are the only ones that use zippered windows all others are stitched in. HTH. JIM

 

[Bazza]

from me nearly pension age is really a criteria to join and she will give you something to do in the week

 

[Shelly]

Hi and welcome from me too

 

[BMBabe]

@Smiling Z3 welcime from Aylesbury
What an awesome forum name

 

[Siamanda]

Hi and from the new forest

 

[Smiling Z3]

Welcome to the forum from Mansfield. As Tony said mine is Montreal blue and yes it is almost purple. It's great in the sun but a little dull on a grey day. It had gone really flat but much better after a machine polish.

Is this a picture of your car, I like the wheels?

 

[t-tony]

Is this a picture of your car, I like the wheels?

Yep, that's "Reggie".

Tony.

 

[Stevo7682]

Hi and welcome from me in Scotland

 

[Smiling Z3]

Welcome from Canada! What type of larger zipped window are you talking about? Is the top zippered now or stitched. If zipped there is a co that has ads on eBay UK that sells a great product for around £75-80 and is of high quality. If the window is stitched in then your hood has been changed as BMW are the only ones that use zippered windows all others are stitched in. HTH. JIM

Hello Jim, I didn't realise BMW had zipped the Z3 Windows. All of the cars we have seen gave been without a zip. I am uncertain as to whether we will or not completely change the hood. The garage was very up front about it's condition. However, the only major issue we identified was the rear screen that has a small hole and has been re sealed with a silicone sealer. Our first thought is to see if it's feasible to take out the existing window and replace with a zipped one. We will have to wait until the car is here and the hood has been cleaned before we can make a decision. Thank you for the information re eBay I will take a look. CJ

 

[Smiling Z3]

Welcome to the forum from Mansfield. As Tony said mine is Montreal blue and yes it is almost purple. It's great in the sun but a little dull on a grey day. It had gone really flat but much better after a machine polish.

Hi, it was difficult to tell if the paint work is dull as it has so much tree sap on it. Going by the pre storage photo's I have put up it was gleaming. We could see quite extensive swirling in the paint. The local Valeting chap who is going to valet it is mainly working on the swirling issue. Hopefully as you say after a polish it will be completely revived. CJ

 

[oldcarman]

To replace a stitched in window the hood must be completely removed I believe. Also you may have to buy the zippered window from BMW at a cost that will likely be near the cost of a complete new hood. There are several recommended shops on here and I'm sure someone will be along to provide names and links to those with reasonable costs and great workmanship!! Might want to check that out before your valet spends a lot of time cleaning a top that will be replaced. JMO. JIM

 

[Brian4]

Hi and welcome from Leicestershire you sound really looking forward to collecting your new toy. The zipped in window is original type and can be replaced with another zipped in one insrtuctions and experiences on here somewhere if that is the way you want to go,. the zip is only to fix the window and not unzip as an MX5.

Enjoy

 

[Nodzed]

@Smiling Z3
Hi & Welcome from the Forrest great to have another forum member in Gloucestershire I was getting a bit lonely Hope you will join us in a few runs out before winter sets in would be great to meet you both. Keep your eye on the forthcoming events as a few of us are doing a becons cruise sometime soon just a turn up if you can day plus theres a full blown organised Brecon cruise too, and there's the Forrest & Wye Valley Autumn Colours cruise in October if your interested, probably not new territory to you but you'll get to meet a few members.
Niall

 

[Paul Rice]

View attachment 37768 View attachment 37769 Before she was stored, I will add the photo's we took on the day at some point but I think they do not reflect how ' grim' she looked.

Best colour, yep i am biased and yep i am right

 

[Redline]

Welcome from Warwickshire. There's lots of enthusiastic and knowledgeable Z3 owners on here. You've come to the right place. Not only will you get advice, you'll get real help and support too should you need it.

 

[oldcarman]

Hi @Brian4 I believe that @Smiling Z3 has a hood with a stitched in window and as you stated it's just for replacement not operational or functional which I forgot to add! Thanks, JIM

 

[roadvoyager1]

Welcome to the forum. Check the condition of the general stitching on the hood. At almost 20 years it may have started to rot in places, making a replacement roof a good option.
Enjoy your Zed'ing when you get it on the road.

 

[Mint]

Hi @Smiling Z3, to the forum from me too in Staffordshire.