Well where to begin introducing myself? I suppose hello is a good start!
My name is Katie and I'm sure I probably already know a lot of you lovely people from the z3 group on facebook, which I've been a member of for a good few years now! I don't know why I hadn't joined this forum before now (thank you for the good recommendation Stacey!), I suppose I just felt very well supported by the great community on facebook and hadn't thought about the benefits a good forum might offer too!
So a little bit about me and my z3 history...
I bought Felix 4 years ago and, looking back, I was so lucky to have found him! The man I bought him from down in Birmingham had been Felix's one and only owner since the day he picked him up from the showroom. He'd been the ex-demo model (sat out in their forecourt with all his whistles and bells to tempt people in to buy a z3!) so he has all the fabulous extras (his hardtop, a couple of roof covers, his hardtop lifter, the bigger spec 3.0 engine etc) apart from the heated seats - which I do wish I had!
I was given a shoebox containing every single receipt for every single BMW service or repair that he'd ever had done. So I felt really reassured that I was buying a good little and well loved car!
Sure enough, he's been fabulous these past 4 years and has had no major problems. We even drove him down to the south of france and italy on a driving holiday in the summer of 2013 which was a blast! I think sadly, things are now starting to show here and there as a result of ageing and general wear and tear - felix is getting a bit older and needs lots of TLC!
Last year, I had a small hole developing in one of his back silencers (he'd had it repaired before by the past owner - the receipt was in the shoebox for it!) and given the cost of an OEM exhaust, felix was treated to a new stainless steel exhaust from engine manifold to back tailpipes which is fabulous! Aside from that big outlay, he's never needed anything major doing to him.
He was showing very early signs of the infamous subframe failure that is common with the larger engined z's, but I called on a welding friend who liked to work on ralleigh cars to address the issue and reinforce his frame (sadly I couldn't afford to ship over Randy's kit, so sought the right kind of help closer to home) and so Felix seems to be A-ok on that score now.
I do now have a couple of new 'issues' that I am wanting to seek advice on, and am hoping the fellow zed enthusiasts on here might be able to offer me advice, suggestions or even dare I ask it - assistance! (I used to be a medical rep, so I'm quite used to driving the country and quite happy to drive places and meet new people!)
My main worry currently is that my coolant does appear to be going down a little quicker than I think it aught to. I must have topped it up quite significantly twice in the last 12 months I would say. The engine bay has been inspected and there are no obvious signs, but I am worried it might be a very very early sign of the head gasket beginning to fail - that said, he runs like a dream (always has) and there are no white gunky deposists in his oil. I'm just one of those people who believes in fixing potential problems in their early stages rather than waiting until the problems show and things break or desperately need doing (that's my dads mindset - typical yorkshireman!)
I have also recently (just today) had a new steering angle sensor put in and calibrated, as my traction control/dsc light did flicker on a bit too keenly on smooth corners - and the fault codes showed it was this sensor. When he fitted it today, he said he'd run the codes again and this time a new code was also showing up once or twice - my transverse acceleration sensor (supposedly located in a box under the drivers seat) given what I paid for this sensor, I'm not in any massive hurry to change another! Do people think that the transverse sensor is one that really needs doing? or will it likely be damaged again if water gets into the floor of the car (felix is pretty watertight - but I imagine we all occasionally get water leaking in from soft or hardtop at window when it really rains!)
I have to be much more careful with my money these days - as I gave up my great job to follow my dream. I used to be a territory manager in medical sales - but I always wanted to be the other side of the operating table where the surgeon was stood and not the rep! So I've given it all up, company audi, fuel card and all! to pursue my dream and am now studying. It's costly, but I believe where there is a will there is a way!
Felix is my little runaround and I rely on him so much. he's so well loved - i love driving him and I love looking after him. Long may that continue!!
If you've made it to the end of this essay like message! congratulations
My name is Katie and I'm sure I probably already know a lot of you lovely people from the z3 group on facebook, which I've been a member of for a good few years now! I don't know why I hadn't joined this forum before now (thank you for the good recommendation Stacey!), I suppose I just felt very well supported by the great community on facebook and hadn't thought about the benefits a good forum might offer too!
So a little bit about me and my z3 history...
I bought Felix 4 years ago and, looking back, I was so lucky to have found him! The man I bought him from down in Birmingham had been Felix's one and only owner since the day he picked him up from the showroom. He'd been the ex-demo model (sat out in their forecourt with all his whistles and bells to tempt people in to buy a z3!) so he has all the fabulous extras (his hardtop, a couple of roof covers, his hardtop lifter, the bigger spec 3.0 engine etc) apart from the heated seats - which I do wish I had!
I was given a shoebox containing every single receipt for every single BMW service or repair that he'd ever had done. So I felt really reassured that I was buying a good little and well loved car!Sure enough, he's been fabulous these past 4 years and has had no major problems. We even drove him down to the south of france and italy on a driving holiday in the summer of 2013 which was a blast! I think sadly, things are now starting to show here and there as a result of ageing and general wear and tear - felix is getting a bit older and needs lots of TLC!
Last year, I had a small hole developing in one of his back silencers (he'd had it repaired before by the past owner - the receipt was in the shoebox for it!) and given the cost of an OEM exhaust, felix was treated to a new stainless steel exhaust from engine manifold to back tailpipes which is fabulous! Aside from that big outlay, he's never needed anything major doing to him.
He was showing very early signs of the infamous subframe failure that is common with the larger engined z's, but I called on a welding friend who liked to work on ralleigh cars to address the issue and reinforce his frame (sadly I couldn't afford to ship over Randy's kit, so sought the right kind of help closer to home) and so Felix seems to be A-ok on that score now.
I do now have a couple of new 'issues' that I am wanting to seek advice on, and am hoping the fellow zed enthusiasts on here might be able to offer me advice, suggestions or even dare I ask it - assistance! (I used to be a medical rep, so I'm quite used to driving the country and quite happy to drive places and meet new people!)
My main worry currently is that my coolant does appear to be going down a little quicker than I think it aught to. I must have topped it up quite significantly twice in the last 12 months I would say. The engine bay has been inspected and there are no obvious signs, but I am worried it might be a very very early sign of the head gasket beginning to fail - that said, he runs like a dream (always has) and there are no white gunky deposists in his oil. I'm just one of those people who believes in fixing potential problems in their early stages rather than waiting until the problems show and things break or desperately need doing (that's my dads mindset - typical yorkshireman!)
I have also recently (just today) had a new steering angle sensor put in and calibrated, as my traction control/dsc light did flicker on a bit too keenly on smooth corners - and the fault codes showed it was this sensor. When he fitted it today, he said he'd run the codes again and this time a new code was also showing up once or twice - my transverse acceleration sensor (supposedly located in a box under the drivers seat) given what I paid for this sensor, I'm not in any massive hurry to change another! Do people think that the transverse sensor is one that really needs doing? or will it likely be damaged again if water gets into the floor of the car (felix is pretty watertight - but I imagine we all occasionally get water leaking in from soft or hardtop at window when it really rains!)
I have to be much more careful with my money these days - as I gave up my great job to follow my dream. I used to be a territory manager in medical sales - but I always wanted to be the other side of the operating table where the surgeon was stood and not the rep! So I've given it all up, company audi, fuel card and all! to pursue my dream and am now studying. It's costly, but I believe where there is a will there is a way!
Felix is my little runaround and I rely on him so much. he's so well loved - i love driving him and I love looking after him. Long may that continue!!
If you've made it to the end of this essay like message! congratulations
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....... Why the name Felix?