Hello everyone. Joe here from Pittsburgh, PA with his Newbie Intro. Wanted to join for all the usual reasons but also to tell a this story about my family's rare '99 Artic Silver Z3 coupe 2.8, to an audience that can appreciate it more than most. I'll try to be brief.
BMW sponsored a senior PGA golf tournament in Birmingham (Alabama USA), and this Zed was the hole-in-one prize on a par 3. No pro made an ace, and it went back to the dealer and sat for a few weeks with little interest (apparently the coupes were not fast sellers like the roadsters). My father-in-law test drove it, liked it, made an offer he thought was too low, which the dealer first rejected then accepted a few days later. The car's next 24+ years were spent in rural Alabama while I was in my family man minivan phase and "Grandad" would join us often with his cool and well-maintained Z3. I was busy then, only drove it a few times not far, and my son borrowed it as a prom (senior high school dance) ride in 2008 when it still had the original "Radial" style 32 wheels. Each passing year it was driven less and less, then 2020 came and essentially kept it in the garage, and then back issues and other realities resulted in Grandad handing me the keys Christmas '23 when the odometer read a little under 110K miles, he bid it farewell, and I drove it 750 miles back to Pennsylvania thinking, this is great - now what?.
Spring arrived I took care of registrations, inspections, insurance, maintenance etc. and since my acquisition cost was low, invested a few thou' fixing the worst of the cosmetic issues: minor dents/dimples ($), rocker panel under door ($$) and replacing a cracked windshield and seal with new BMW parts ($$$! never again I pray!). Entered it in the local car show held annually on a certain golf course where the BMW club instructed me to park it next to the other Z3s and 4s off the 12th green.
Now it is running well and looking good...enough for now, and I am thrilled to have it and honored to be its next caretaker. I feel taller somehow when I walk towards it or away, and often glance back - if you can relate I think I'm in the right forum. It's not M or 3.0 but I love the smooth eager 2.8, the curves, and the quirks (like the windows jumping down and up when you open and shut the door; the "gentle reminder" that you left your lights on). It's neat to have the 25 yr old window sticker touting the features of the time (central locking! LDC Clock!), repair records, CD radio, and all the bits like manuals, tools and jack/spare. Not much creature comforts beyond the leather seats - no cup holders or center armrest, as if BMW was saying "2 hands on the wheel bud, remember this is the Ultimate Driving Machine". Maybe - I am a little shy about pushing it - but it's definitely the Ultimate Time Machine.
So no major issues or questions at the moment, thankfully, but I welcome the welcomers to opine on the wheels, for fun. I like the current aftermarket Andros wheels, not a big fan of the style 32s, but they were the original, and parts will only get scarcer and more expensive as years go by, right? I think the style 78 cross-spoke is my favorite Z3 OEM choice, but so do many others apparently, so the 78s seem even more precious (staggered 17" setup). Anyway feel free to let me know what you think would look best or be most appropriate, I'll take it under advisement. Also at about 111.5K now, how much "should" I drive it, given I don't need it for daily driving, and I won't be saying "it's a pretty day let's put the top down and go motoring" like you might a roadster. It's one of those cool/weird, weather resistant, well-balanced sports car, a dying breed, yes? A BMW Z3 "coupester", with lowish miles, but not ultra low, but not so high that it doesn't matter. I know these are all good problems to have, and I do consider myself a lucky lad. Happy to join this forum and we'll just see how long this next chapter lasts (25yrs to 200K?).
If you made it the end - Thanks for listening!.....I tried!....(enough story - pics below!)
BMW sponsored a senior PGA golf tournament in Birmingham (Alabama USA), and this Zed was the hole-in-one prize on a par 3. No pro made an ace, and it went back to the dealer and sat for a few weeks with little interest (apparently the coupes were not fast sellers like the roadsters). My father-in-law test drove it, liked it, made an offer he thought was too low, which the dealer first rejected then accepted a few days later. The car's next 24+ years were spent in rural Alabama while I was in my family man minivan phase and "Grandad" would join us often with his cool and well-maintained Z3. I was busy then, only drove it a few times not far, and my son borrowed it as a prom (senior high school dance) ride in 2008 when it still had the original "Radial" style 32 wheels. Each passing year it was driven less and less, then 2020 came and essentially kept it in the garage, and then back issues and other realities resulted in Grandad handing me the keys Christmas '23 when the odometer read a little under 110K miles, he bid it farewell, and I drove it 750 miles back to Pennsylvania thinking, this is great - now what?.
Spring arrived I took care of registrations, inspections, insurance, maintenance etc. and since my acquisition cost was low, invested a few thou' fixing the worst of the cosmetic issues: minor dents/dimples ($), rocker panel under door ($$) and replacing a cracked windshield and seal with new BMW parts ($$$! never again I pray!). Entered it in the local car show held annually on a certain golf course where the BMW club instructed me to park it next to the other Z3s and 4s off the 12th green.
Now it is running well and looking good...enough for now, and I am thrilled to have it and honored to be its next caretaker. I feel taller somehow when I walk towards it or away, and often glance back - if you can relate I think I'm in the right forum. It's not M or 3.0 but I love the smooth eager 2.8, the curves, and the quirks (like the windows jumping down and up when you open and shut the door; the "gentle reminder" that you left your lights on). It's neat to have the 25 yr old window sticker touting the features of the time (central locking! LDC Clock!), repair records, CD radio, and all the bits like manuals, tools and jack/spare. Not much creature comforts beyond the leather seats - no cup holders or center armrest, as if BMW was saying "2 hands on the wheel bud, remember this is the Ultimate Driving Machine". Maybe - I am a little shy about pushing it - but it's definitely the Ultimate Time Machine.
So no major issues or questions at the moment, thankfully, but I welcome the welcomers to opine on the wheels, for fun. I like the current aftermarket Andros wheels, not a big fan of the style 32s, but they were the original, and parts will only get scarcer and more expensive as years go by, right? I think the style 78 cross-spoke is my favorite Z3 OEM choice, but so do many others apparently, so the 78s seem even more precious (staggered 17" setup). Anyway feel free to let me know what you think would look best or be most appropriate, I'll take it under advisement. Also at about 111.5K now, how much "should" I drive it, given I don't need it for daily driving, and I won't be saying "it's a pretty day let's put the top down and go motoring" like you might a roadster. It's one of those cool/weird, weather resistant, well-balanced sports car, a dying breed, yes? A BMW Z3 "coupester", with lowish miles, but not ultra low, but not so high that it doesn't matter. I know these are all good problems to have, and I do consider myself a lucky lad. Happy to join this forum and we'll just see how long this next chapter lasts (25yrs to 200K?).
If you made it the end - Thanks for listening!.....I tried!....(enough story - pics below!)
