Bought a Z3 - it failed MOT - advice needed!

[Z3newbie!]

I purchased a 1998 BMW Z3 - 67000 miles - all paperwork, original books etc etc, at auction this week as my first Z3.
Took it for its MOT and it failed on one item, corrosion near the jacking point.
The garage said the repair could escalate very quickly and it may not be worth doing.
My question is what is a car like this worth as not sure what to do right now, I love the car already having driven it from the auction house to the garage.
Any advice welcome right now!

 

[RB2]

Depends on what you think is how much is worth doing. If the rest of the car is clean and the low miles is bonus fixing would give you a good one. Usually these things dont make financial sense if you just look at it from the bean counting approach. Most of the rusty bits in your photo are bolt on and the metal at the jacking points can be cut out and welded, replacement sills are hard to find. You'd be better finding a mig welder car repair place and get a quote for the work and see what you're working with. The outer sill covers are really easy to remove. It would be worth doing this and checking what else lurks behind. An MOT failure with welding required will hurt the sale price... but the low miles will help. I've bought a couple now very cheap but they've not been clean with low miles.

 

[Duncodin]

You said you love the car. That's your reason for doing any work on it. Don't try to justify work on an old car based on it's value. The sums will not add especially if you have to pay somebody else to do the work.

Maybe get yourself a set of spanners and sockets and get the outer sills off. As a 25 year old zed owner you do need to at least have a go ar some of the easier jobs. Getting the sill covers off is easy. They just screw on.

With the sills off you'll have a better view if what needs welding and when you roll up at a workshop to get a quote for welding they'll be able to see it without guessing

You didn't say what engine it has?

Edit. I see it's a 1.9 Would have been nicer if it was a 2.8 or 3.0 but don't take that as too big a negative. Mine is a 1.9 too and I've had it nigh on 20 years and love it.

That MOT doesn't look too bad. Not too many advisories. So see what I said above about getting the outer sill covers off before deciding what to do.

 

[elevensies]

do it, you bought the car because you loved it, just as every one of us on here has.

i bought one, failed mot on both inner sills, and a brake pipe, £500 later i have a car that will last, i have now thrown £1000's into it, to bring it fully back to life, its not fully about the money, its the way the car makes me feel when i open the garage door, and .......

you will rarely see another on the roads


your repair isnt the end of the world, nor hugely expensive

do it, come summer you wont even think about the cost

 

[Stevo7682]

@Duncodin looking at the picture its a 4cyl m43 or m44 as its a narrow body.

As others have said if you can do some strip down yourself you will save labour costs and allow garage a better look at the potential repair required
You will find plenty of advice on here how to attack most jobs on z3's anything you can find ask someone will always help out.
Stephen.

 

[Jimbob_OD]

This is a really useful thread on how to get the sills off to properly assess the condition underneath on the structural inner sills

BMW Z3 Sill Removal and Protection

BMW Z3 Sill removal and protection Article supplied by z3cade (Liam) Jack up the car and place on axle stands Remove wheels Remove rear arch liner Remove kick pannel trim and door rubber Remove kick panel plastic plug Remove kick panel...

zroadster.org

 

[Duncodin]

@Duncodin looking at the picture its a 4cyl m43 or m44 as its a narrow body.

Ha. I guess that's coz mine is also a 1.9 that the narrower body isn't so obvious to me. I went the long way round to the original auction to find out what it was.

 

[Duncodin]

The MOT fail report mentions a (ie one?) hole within 30cm of this cross beam. So I assume this is the one you failed on (in red?) Yep. That's certainly a failure.

You won't need the sills off to fix that - but you did mention jacking points so maybe there's more holes? But, in theory at least, if you get that one hole fixed and go for a retest with the same tester then he might just look at that hole and not look elsewhere.

Welding up that hole isn't likely to be expensive. But it needs to be chopped out proper and not just patched over the rust. Problem is those two screws (highlighted in white). Could be difficult to get out. That plate (called the "push rod") would need to be removed to clean up the hole proper and then hope that the steel around those screws (ie what the screws screw into) is solid.

But if that's all there is to do - as mentioned earlier not many advisories so rest of car looks OK - I'd go for it.

I can't see what the cross member bush is like, too much muck, but it didn't fail on that so don't go there (yet).

 

[Jam03]

Looking at the photo, I would tend to agree with the garage. You really need to check the rest of the underbody bits. As has been said above, the issue you have is the sill and the push rod plate that supports the rear beam. The beam itself looks pretty rusty and I would be worried about similar rust on the trailing arms. Repair costs could easily exceed what you paid for the car.
I suggest getting some more photos under ear the car and getting some advice from our resident Zshed guys.

 

[bombur]

You've got to wonder how it past its previous MOT as that doesn't look like a year of corrosion, unless its been sat for a few years without a MOT

 

[Duncodin]

You've got to wonder how it past its previous MOT as that doesn't look like a year of corrosion, unless its been sat for a few years without a MOT

It's had regular MOTs. Passed last year 3000 miles ago..

That hole looks poked through. Was probably covered in the OEM stonechip/underbody coating so wasn't really visible. Mot tester did a proper job finding it.

 

[bombur]

It's had regular MOTs. Passed last year 3000 miles ago..

That hole looks poked through. Was probably covered in the OEM stonechip/underbody coating so wasn't really visible. Mot tester did a proper job finding it.

Ah yes thats likely, like the tester who poked holes through my sills

 

[Z3newbie!]

Thank you for all the advice, much appreciated.

The MOT garage have kindly kept it there as I did not think I could drive it home with the failure of MOT and there is a local welder heading voer ealry next week to have a look at it, fingers crossed.

They only found the one hole, that was correctly identified earlier

I am happy to have a go at jobs as had a few other older cars in the past but just felt this needed sorting by someone who knows how to weld properly.

 

[Z3newbie!]

Update - garage that was recommended does not want to do the work, too busy etc. they say it is an easy patch but are concerned if they take off the bolts at the right angle part they could snap etc and be stuck.

Do I try to take bolts out etc myself, soak, soak etc and see if they come loose. Try to go from outside sills in over or just break it for parts. I have grinder, axle stands etc

Happy to have a go but don’t want to take on something that may quickly escalate out of my ability.

Thoughts?

 

[RB2]

I found the easiest way to get those out is to just chap in an easy out. The threads on the back sides of mine were good condition. Better than the head would make you think they were going to be. Pretty well sheltered inside the sill.

 

[Z3newbie!]

Sorry slightly confused ‘an easy out’?

 

[RB2]

Sorry slightly confused ‘an easy out’?

This was mine

An easy out, it a left hand thread that bites into holes allowing the stuck bolt to be removed.

 

[Z3newbie!]

Is that same part of the chassis / sills?

 

[RB2]

It's this bit

 

[RB2]

If you're around aberdeenshire I'll take them out for you. Not sure where you're based?