My Baby.

Faheem

Zorg Guru (III)
Supporter
British Zeds
The M44 Massive
Joined
Jun 9, 2016
Points
145
Location
Leicester
Model of Z
1.9 M44
Hello guys, my name is Faheem, I'm only 19 years old - so I'm probably a lot younger than the majority of the users on here. :thumbsup: Ever since I was young I wanted a Z3 as I loved the look of the car. Dad owns an E36 and he has done for 16 odd years - my family does have a thing for old BMW's - and I'm proud to carry that tradition on!

When I passed my driving test I wanted a Z3 fast, I was looking at getting one with 160, 000 miles, fortunately dad found one with 62000 miles from new very, very cheap. I bought it! Best decision I've made so far!

Insurance is very expensive - I'm paying about £4500 (~$6000) a year on a car that I purchased for £2500!! :whistle::whistle:

Since purchasing the car I've gone from knowing absolutely nothing about cars - to knowing an awful lot about them. Before I purchased my Zed I couldn't even identify the oil dipstick in the engine bay.

So far I've:
- Fixed my third brake light and the wiring loom in the boot
- Replaced both front control arms
- Changed both front brake pads
- Painted the headliner inside the car - which had started to flake paint
- Painted the mirror base (followed Dan's guide - long before I was a member here)
- Fixed some very minor surface rust on the O/S wheel arch - and unfortunately I was newbie so I made a slight mess of the paint work
- Fixed the issue of my leaky roof - used petroleum jelly on the rubber plugs and cleaned them out, then stuck a piece of rubber from a car mat to the roof itself.
- Installed a K&N Air Intake
- Fixed my MAF Sensor - contaminated by the K&N Air Intake
- Removed the K&N Air Intake
- Replaced all the cracked and perished vacuum tubes
- I've also driven 10000 miles in a year :mad::mad: - which I know I wouldn't have done had I got a Corsa!
- Seat bushings were replaced in the first week of me having the car - it was that bad.

I've paid to have all the brake pipes replaced - and for a new roof as mine was 19 years old (my car actually rolled off the factory a month after I was born - and somehow it looks better than I do) Everything else I've done to the car myself. I know there is a LOT of things I've forgotten to mention as I remember having a two page list of things I'd done to my car.... I can't find that list :(

What I've got left to do till she's perfect! ;)
- Redye drivers side seat and steering wheel
- Get the car resprayed to fix even the tiniest imperfections (I can't stand imperfections in the paintwork lol).
- Fix the annoying issue where my boot refuses to lock. Initially when I got the car the third brake light didn't work, so I fixed the broken connections in the boot wiring loom - after fixing all the connections, the third brake light worked as did the light inside the boot and the central locking in the boot HOWEVER MY REMOTE LOCKING STOPPED WORKING. I had to disconnect a wire to get my remote locking back - this means that the boot doesn't lock unless I lock it manually. :(
- The interior dome light doesn't work when I open the drivers side door - it did when I bought the car - probably a bad sensor.
-There is also a nasty rattle from the back of the car, it's not the anti-roll bar links or the shock absorbers - hell I even took the spare tyre out to see if there was something that had fallen in there. It's a tiny 1.9 and I really, really hope it's not a subframe issue. Problem is that it is not from the rear right or left just generalised to the back of the car.
- ALSO THE SEATBELT IS LAZY!!
-The large puddle of water under my drivers carpet is unbearable, it kills me to think what damage it could be causing to the electrics and the chassis of the car, I got a towel to dry most of it when I removed the seat but there is still quite a significant amount there - not something I'm proud of....


I loved my Z3 so much that I had to buy another one as a project, so now I have two Z3's. Interesting fact: they are only two cars apart in terms of the VIN number - made in the same year - about 10 days apart if I recall correctly. The Z3 I bought as a project had to be towed to my house - this is because the clutch had been abused so much that the car wouldn't move, so far I've installed the clutch, attempted to fix the horrible paint job on it (looks like its been done with tip-ex) :thumbsup:

Anyway - pictures of my Z3



^^ You can see my white project Z3 in the above photograph too.




So that's it from me, please help me with all my problems. And if you see me on the road flash your headlights continually at me.

Also never try and fit an E36 Strut brace in a Z3 as it may leave a dent on your bonnet.
 

t-tony

The Legend
Deceased
Supporter
#ZedShed
Joined
Dec 31, 2013
Points
226
Location
Torksey Lock,Lincoln, England
Model of Z
E89 Z4 23i Auto
fit an E36 Strut brace in a Z3
They do fit Faheem, but they do need modifying. I fitted one on my Z3. Welcome to the forum. Keep up the good work. Lazy seat belt ? Give the webbing a good clean with warm soapy water, dry well and spray liberally with silicon spray.

Tony.
 

Low Rider

Zorg Guru (V)
Supporter
British Zeds
Joined
Mar 15, 2015
Points
191
Hello and welcome from Worcestershire.
Excellent write up.
 

Stevo7682

Zorg Expert (I)
Supporter
The M44 Massive
Scottish Zeds
Joined
Apr 1, 2016
Points
218
Location
Maybole , South Ayrshire
Model of Z
Z3 Individual Dakar / Orinoco Individual
Hi and welcome from me another 1.9 owner in Scotland. Great write up nice looking zed you've been busy I'm sure your rear rattle just be a drop link or a broken spring and not a subframe
 

Faheem

Zorg Guru (III)
Supporter
British Zeds
The M44 Massive
Joined
Jun 9, 2016
Points
145
Location
Leicester
Model of Z
1.9 M44
They do fit Faheem, but they do need modifying. I fitted one on my Z3. Welcome to the forum. Keep up the good work. Lazy seat belt ? Give the webbing a good clean with warm soapy water, dry well and spray liberally with silicon spray.

Tony.
Interesting - I grinded half of the brace off and grinded the mounting plates too - then removed the insulation under the bonnet and it still left a nasty dent :( It's a small dent but it's a dent and that is very annoying. I'll give the seat belt a good wipe tomorrow :) For some reason, my seat motors seized today! It's the one that allows you to lift the seat up and down - it's had some work done to it before I assume as the connectors have been bypassed completely and there is a crimp connection that is being used to connect the motor to the wiring loom in the car - I have no idea why they've had to bypass it... Perhaps you do? ;)

Hello and welcome from Worcestershire.
Excellent write up.
Thank You!

Hi and welcome from me another 1.9 owner in Scotland. Great write up nice looking zed you've been busy I'm sure your rear rattle just be a drop link or a broken spring and not a subframe
Thanks Steve - I've already replaced both the rear springs :( One had corroded and broken when I bought the car and the other I replaced a couple of months ago as that too corroded :thumbsup:
 

Faheem

Zorg Guru (III)
Supporter
British Zeds
The M44 Massive
Joined
Jun 9, 2016
Points
145
Location
Leicester
Model of Z
1.9 M44
Old cars sure beats buying a brand new car as there is always something to work on when you're bored. It's almost like a project that will never be complete no matter how good other people think the car is ;)
 

t-tony

The Legend
Deceased
Supporter
#ZedShed
Joined
Dec 31, 2013
Points
226
Location
Torksey Lock,Lincoln, England
Model of Z
E89 Z4 23i Auto
Not had any experience of seat motors personally Faheem, but someone on here will have and help isn't far away, trust me. When I fitted my strut brace I closed the bonnet very gently and found that the mountings on the strut tops were too high. I re-drilled the brackets lower down and cut off the excess alloy, then screwed the adjusting threads further out, in effect lowering the whole brace. I had only a few mm between the brace and the rocker cover of the engine, but it worked good.

Tony.
 

Stevo7682

Zorg Expert (I)
Supporter
The M44 Massive
Scottish Zeds
Joined
Apr 1, 2016
Points
218
Location
Maybole , South Ayrshire
Model of Z
Z3 Individual Dakar / Orinoco Individual
Older cars like the zeds are cherished far more than most modern cars so owner are far more happy to invest time and money I know I certainly have a list (or maybe more of a revolving scroll =))) of things I want to do and buy as most of us on here probably do. :)
 

Stevo7682

Zorg Expert (I)
Supporter
The M44 Massive
Scottish Zeds
Joined
Apr 1, 2016
Points
218
Location
Maybole , South Ayrshire
Model of Z
Z3 Individual Dakar / Orinoco Individual
@t-tony I love those lines on here
' help isn't far away ' and ' someone to help will be along soon ' makes me laugh as I always think it would form part of an advertising campaign to advertise

Z Roadster your 5th emergency service :D
=))=))
 

t-tony

The Legend
Deceased
Supporter
#ZedShed
Joined
Dec 31, 2013
Points
226
Location
Torksey Lock,Lincoln, England
Model of Z
E89 Z4 23i Auto
Bit like Green Flag Steve?;)=))

Tony.
 

Stevo7682

Zorg Expert (I)
Supporter
The M44 Massive
Scottish Zeds
Joined
Apr 1, 2016
Points
218
Location
Maybole , South Ayrshire
Model of Z
Z3 Individual Dakar / Orinoco Individual
Better than green flag at least on here always someone about when was the last time you saw a green flag van :whistle:
 

Nodzed

Zorg Expert (II)
Supporter
British Zeds
M Power
Joined
Feb 18, 2016
Points
231
Location
Forest of Dean, Gloucestershire, England
Model of Z
Z3M Imola and Z4 (e89)
@Faheem
Wow you've been busy ;) Welcome to the forum from Gloucestershire. You've picked up valuable knowledge already, don't forget you can share too, we love to see how someone else does their jobs. Great write up BTW and Top Bloke for choosing a Zed, hope to meet you at an event sometime.

Niall
 

Faheem

Zorg Guru (III)
Supporter
British Zeds
The M44 Massive
Joined
Jun 9, 2016
Points
145
Location
Leicester
Model of Z
1.9 M44
Thanks mate, I do want to drive an M some day even if it is literally for 2 minutes, thus far I've driven 2 different 1.9 and 1 2.8, all I want to drive now is a Z3M Roadster and a Coupe. If they'd made an Z3 M Coupe with 4 seats it would be the perfect family car =))

I really want to test the current power my car is producing on a dyno - compared to the other zeds that I've driven - mine seemed nippier than the 2,8 I drove - obviously won't be quicker than an M or even a 3.0l but I'm unsure whether its been remapped in the past or not and combined with the fact that it has only done 60000 miles, it'll be interesting to see how much power has been lost. Yes the 1,9 isn't the most powerful car ever made but it's the only Z3 I could get insured on. :whistle:
 

Nodzed

Zorg Expert (II)
Supporter
British Zeds
M Power
Joined
Feb 18, 2016
Points
231
Location
Forest of Dean, Gloucestershire, England
Model of Z
Z3M Imola and Z4 (e89)
Thanks mate, I do want to drive an M some day even if it is literally for 2 minutes, thus far I've driven 2 different 1.9 and 1 2.8, all I want to drive now is a Z3M Roadster and a Coupe. If they'd made an Z3 M Coupe with 4 seats it would be the perfect family car =))

I really want to test the current power my car is producing on a dyno - compared to the other zeds that I've driven - mine seemed nippier than the 2,8 I drove - obviously won't be quicker than an M or even a 3.0l but I'm unsure whether its been remapped in the past or not and combined with the fact that it has only done 60000 miles, it'll be interesting to see how much power has been lost. Yes the 1,9 isn't the most powerful car ever made but it's the only Z3 I could get insured on. :whistle:
Nothing wrong with a 1.9, same roof down fun as the bigger engines and a hell of a lot less fuel. FYI I don't even let my son drive mine and he's 25, just in case we do meet up and you get any ideas ;)=))=))
 

Faheem

Zorg Guru (III)
Supporter
British Zeds
The M44 Massive
Joined
Jun 9, 2016
Points
145
Location
Leicester
Model of Z
1.9 M44
I've been told I'm very mature for my age...  =)):whistle::whistle:
 

Shelly

Zorg Expert (I)
Supporter
British Zeds
East Anglian Crew
Joined
Jul 9, 2013
Points
201
Location
Norfolk
Model of Z
Z4 2.0 20i M Sport sDrive
:welcome: Hi and welcome from me too :coolsteer)
 

BMBabe

Zorg Expert (I)
Staff member
Supporter
British Zeds
Community Admin
Joined
Sep 4, 2014
Points
206
Location
Aylesbury
Model of Z
Z3
A big welcome to you from Aylesbury :p
There are some Younger Zedders on here but I reckon you must be the youngest
Don't panic as you can see already plenty of advice on here and Zedders willing to help you :thumbsup:
 
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