It's official - The BMW Z3 is a classic car

[Brian4]

As we all know the z3 is a classic car well it is official now according to the article in Practical Classics magazine. The issue with our car in the buyers guide is out now and a pretty good write up and nothing to complain about and I'm quite proud of most of the picture and even the one of me isn't too scary.

Quote @ 'Now that the svelte soft top is a classic, it's appeal is arguably greater than ever.'

Some of the pics not in the magazine.

 

[zedonist]

Great News, can start pushing the selling price up!

 

[TWO]

Great to see that the Z3 has now started to be recognised as a 'classic'..........a got a copy of the magazine today

 

[z3cade]

Great shots Brian looking good!

 

[t-tony]

Not before time if I may say so, these cars have been classic from day! It just took others a while to catch up.

 

[GazHyde]

Your car looks factory fresh!

 

[Zeti]

As we all know the z3 is a classic car well it is official now according to the article in Practical Classics magazine. The issue with our car in the buyers guide is out now and a pretty good write up and nothing to complain about and I'm quite proud of most of the picture and even the one of me isn't too scary.

Quote @ 'Now that the svelte soft top is a classic, it's appeal is arguably greater than ever.'

Some of the pics not in the magazine.

I never had doubts about the classic "blood" of Z3! It's shape was classic from the first day when went out the factory........
The problem , in some countries (as mine), is that Z3 needs 30 years from the end of production of the model(!) to be declared "historical vehicle"!
So even if my car is a '96 , I have to wait untill 2030 in order to authorize the car. Funny , no?
But who cares? I love it anyway.........

 

[joey]

It's always looked great..

And without offending anyone I don't think the boxster or the Z4 will be seen as a design classic in years to come..the Z3 has always had the kind of styling that makes it look at home with MGb's triumph TR4's E type jags etc etc..

Classy ,classic ,stylish and ageless...

 

[Aceman]

Bought the mag today and it is a good read with great pics of your zed Brian. The comment about the nikasil coated liners wearing out in early cars got me thinking though as I am sure those engines were never fitted to Z3's and was more of a problem with the E36 3 series cars.

Never the less a great article and good to see our babies getting some limelight.

 

[zedonist]

Well bought the mag today, have to say very disappointed by the reporters bias towards all things OEM and buyer beware anything that has been modified as it will mean woe and destruction, where do these people get off! Actually read as though someone off.net had written it, the thing about these cars is that they are all things to all men and in twenty years when a lot of the garage queens have gone to meet their maker in the sky due to perished bushes and seals, my modified driving king will fetch a pretty penny, as an example just read the the article on the Ford Consul Capri, it is well modified with a V8 engine, and the introduction of rear seats etc, people are offering £20k for it. things like this need a balanced view IMHO..........

Sorry Friday rant, plus i expect the article pictures are of a modified car!

 

[badman gee]

Yep, I don't blame them.

I'd only buy oem

 

[zedonist]

Yep, I don't blame them.

I'd only buy oem

Fair enough BMG i respect your delicacies, and would not insult you by saying OEM is no good, as i said in my post it needs a balanced view, as both OEM and modder exists, and some of the mods such as ARB's and B12 kits really make good difference to the non //M cars.......

 

[joey]

the fact of the matter is OEM = expensive...there are many quality parts out there at a fraction of the price, and if your intention is to drive the car rather than look at it polish it and drive it a few miles a year the up-keep will need to be at an affordable price,as a 15 yr old car will need just a bit more TLC than something newer, my recent front brake replacement parts came to £260 for both sides using Pagid Discs callipers and pads ,the quote from BMW was £263 for one calliper!.

I also think in the case of some of the earlier pre facelift Zs there are some weak points like bushings and water pumps that need to be replaced with aftermarket parts in order for the car to perform at its optimum..

not so much the case with the M// versions...they were designed with a specific purpose in mind...driving fast!

 

[Brian4]

I think it is good that these cars have at least had a chance to be presented in the forum of the magazine and to highlight their points. I agree some points made in the article are inaccurate and refer to that era of BMW in general. Nikasil liners eg.
The section on transmission is incorrect as ours has the later 5 speed auto. and the 2.5 engine was never available here so why mention it?
I don't think the author was decrying modifications in fact even suggested it in one section regarding wheels but there was a warning for ' seriously low profile tyres'.

All round a fairly bland write up and no horror stories as in some other buyers guides I've read in the same magazine.

Ps my car is modified aftermarket stereo, polybushes to front, tyres are not the same it was delivered with etc.

 

[zedonist]

i agree Brian, it is great that the Z3 is getting the press it deserves, but it does have a scene, OEM and modding, i expect in another 10 years it will just be the classic restro scene, i expect the MG's went through a similar period just before they became classics, so best to ignore my rantings.......

That said, remap is next......

 

[t-tony]

the fact of the matter is OEM = expensive...there are many quality parts out there at a fraction of the price, and if your intention is to drive the car rather than look at it polish it and drive it a few miles a year the up-keep will need to be at an affordable price,as a 15 yr old car will need just a bit more TLC than something newer, my recent front brake replacement parts came to £260 for both sides using Pagid Discs callipers and pads ,the quote from BMW was £263 for one calliper!.

I also think in the case of some of the earlier pre facelift Zs there are some weak points like bushings and water pumps that need to be replaced with aftermarket parts in order for the car to perform at its optimum..

not so much the case with the M// versions...they were designed with a specific purpose in mind...driving fast!

I, like quite a few other members, I suspect, have to run 2 cars and with this in mind sometimes you have to strike a balance when it comes to costs. I would always choose quality over price but if OEM quality parts are an alternative to GENUINE parts they have to be considered. Often the after market parts are the exact same ones the manufacturer uses. A point which came to light last week at work when we looked into an air filter for a BMW made by MAN filters. Price difference being it being in a BMW packaging or MAN Filter box. Price differential of £32.

 

[joey]

I like a nice BMW box...

But I'm not paying £32 for one !..that's really interesting tony and not at all a surprise..

just to add a slightly different perspective to the debate..

I trained as a Guitar maker and repairer when I left school and we had similar issues with Gibson, Fender,Guild, Gretsch and Rickenbacker guitars with OEM vs aftermarket ,often the parts manufacturer was the same for both with the exception of a logo, and when this was not the case, at anything but the lowest price points aftermarket was and still is the same or better quality than OEM....whilst the all OEM guitars will be worth considerablely more in monetary value in years to come (an all original pre CBS 60's fender strat can now go for £15,000 and a 59 les paul with PAF pick ups in good nick can go for £500,000.. and I have seen them go for more.. in perspective either one with aftermarket pick-ps and hardware might be half the value or less and it isn't half the guitar!..

I'm a pro player and have 20+ guitars to upkeep..I care about function and reliability over potential future resale value...so I suppose what i'm saying is you set your stall out based on what you intend to do with the thing, my 3 go to telecasters are not fender and don't have any fender parts!...and they play sound and feel great, although I admit they are at the "top end" of the market at £1500+ a piece.

my guitars I play and my car I drive often and hard on both counts so my main considerations are not about keeping it original but about keeping it working..however I have a feeling that an all OEM Z3 in 20 years may well be worth more than a modded one...in the meantime it will however cost you a bucket more to keep on the road if it's your daily drive.

my tuppence.

 

[micklaw]

Does it matter what we bolt on to our cars.
It's your own car so do what you will
Whatever anyone else may think!!!!
Joey luv to chat guitars with you at some point

 

[Stormy_be]

Totally agree.
If you want to keep it's resale value, you should keep it original.
Although highly modded examples will also have a high resale value.... I would doubt the total value would be the same as the total price you have put in these modification parts.

If you are not going for resale value, but in diving pleasure, then modify your cars as YOU like them.
If you like your car with a giant spoiler (even if it doesn't have any use), if you want to fit 13 or 22 inch wheels...just do what YOU like.

There is a matter of taste. But there is also the matter if you care about the opinion of others.

If you are happy driving the car, and you are happy with the looks of it, then I can bare having it on the streets (as long as everything is safe for others - I don't even care if it's not safe for the owner, that's his choice).

 

[zedonist]

Point in question here is very heavily modded vehicle without provenance that in my youth would have been £880 - £1200 to buy is now £25k:

http://www.autotrader.co.uk/classif...ew,new/postcode/ws124ud/radius/1501?logcode=p

And then a fully restored model for only £21k

http://www.autotrader.co.uk/classif...1501/onesearchad/used,nearlynew,new?logcode=p