My newly purchased Z 3

DavidM

Zorg Expert (I)
Supporter
British Zeds
Joined
Apr 25, 2013
Points
208
Location
Ireland
Model of Z
2.8 Roadster
Great progress - and great work!
 

Tracy Dee

Zorg Guru (III)
The M44 Massive
Joined
Aug 3, 2015
Points
145
Location
Hertfordshire
Air filter and a fresh Mot recently.
Now problems again new front caliper needed really fed up with all the work and money spent on this car.
Not been a happy experience.
 

Grumps

Always happy, apart from when I'm not 🤬
Supporter
British Zeds
Joined
Apr 27, 2014
Points
226
Location
Forest Town, Mansfield
Model of Z
Z4 e85 2.5i
These cars are the best part of 20 years old and are constantly going to need bits and bobs to keep them healthy. Recently had to replace a caliper on mine, last month the boot was stripped as it wouldn't stay shut, today my heater control went "clunk" and now it's only blowing hot. Another problem to resolve.
 

Tracy Dee

Zorg Guru (III)
The M44 Massive
Joined
Aug 3, 2015
Points
145
Location
Hertfordshire
To be fair I knew it will need some work but I have not been very lucky with the huge list of work done on. Fully serviced 74 k car only 3 thousand miles with the items and money spent is not been value for money plenty of headache into the bargain.
It spoiled a drive out today. Unless you can fix your own car I don't think this is the way to go.
Not a happy bunny .
 

Grumps

Always happy, apart from when I'm not 🤬
Supporter
British Zeds
Joined
Apr 27, 2014
Points
226
Location
Forest Town, Mansfield
Model of Z
Z4 e85 2.5i
Brake calipers unfortunately are a wear and tear item. They usually start sticking and smell before they give up completely. I used to be into the Golf GTI scene and they used to chew threw them.
 

Tracy Dee

Zorg Guru (III)
The M44 Massive
Joined
Aug 3, 2015
Points
145
Location
Hertfordshire
I do appreciate a car needs to be maintained but check out my list of some of the work been done on page 3 is this a normal amount in 2 years and 3 thousand miles.
I have pile of bills I must shares in garage repairs.
 

DavidM

Zorg Expert (I)
Supporter
British Zeds
Joined
Apr 25, 2013
Points
208
Location
Ireland
Model of Z
2.8 Roadster
Tracy - is this car your daily driver - and - do you drive the car hard?
 

Tracy Dee

Zorg Guru (III)
The M44 Massive
Joined
Aug 3, 2015
Points
145
Location
Hertfordshire
No not a daily car hardly used this year once a week maybe not done Zed events this year only Santa Pod I drive it with respect never thrash it 70 top whack on motorways never rev it high I think I drive it like a classic which after all it is.
 

Jjim

Zorg Guru (IV)
British Zeds
Joined
Jul 21, 2017
Points
168
Location
Mansfield
Model of Z
1.9 Roadster
Done a lot of work on mine. Must admit if I hadn't done it myself, I would be seriously been put off as I dread to think how much it would have cost me.

That said, the Zeb is fairly easy to work on and the parts are fairly easy to come by.
 

oldcarman

Zorg Guru (V)
Supporter
Canadian Zeds
The M44 Massive
Joined
Feb 11, 2014
Points
188
Location
Pine Falls Manitoba can.
Model of Z
1.9 M44
I've been around. cars for a long time Tracey and know the expenses as well as the frustrations that go with maintaining old vehicles as I have a bunch of them. Hopefully you are getting to the maintain only phase, you've replaced about everything else so good luck!! JIM
 

Faheem

Zorg Guru (III)
Supporter
British Zeds
The M44 Massive
Joined
Jun 9, 2016
Points
145
Location
Leicester
Model of Z
1.9 M44
It can be annoying the amount of work that needs to be done to keep these cars running but at the end of the day they're never going to be as reliable as something that's 5 years old. I bought my Zed 2 years ago with similar low miles and have spent more than what I paid for the car on maintenance and despite all the money spent something still manages to break regularly. :whistle:

You'll fix something and then have an almost perfect zed, a few days later something will start to rattle and so on =)) a vicious cycle.

Just a labour of love I guess. The work will always be endless. :thumbsup:
 

hard top

Zorg Expert (I)
Dutch Zeds
The M44 Massive
Joined
Dec 5, 2011
Points
213
Location
Netherlands
You'll fix something and then have an almost perfect zed, a few days later something will start to rattle and so on =)) a vicious cycle.
Absolute bull Faheem, you buy junk, you pay for it.
I paid a premium for a well looked after, well driven M44 from a car collector with 160 K one it.
Never ever had a problems with it, never lost any sweat at MOT time like a lot of members on here.
 

Tracy Dee

Zorg Guru (III)
The M44 Massive
Joined
Aug 3, 2015
Points
145
Location
Hertfordshire
I've been around. cars for a long time Tracey and know the expenses as well as the frustrations that go with maintaining old vehicles as I have a bunch of them. Hopefully you are getting to the maintain only phase, you've replaced about everything else so good luck!! JIM
Thank Jim kind words as always and wise ones.
The list was a long one so your probably right.
 

Faheem

Zorg Guru (III)
Supporter
British Zeds
The M44 Massive
Joined
Jun 9, 2016
Points
145
Location
Leicester
Model of Z
1.9 M44
@hard top I disagree :whistle: Some of these zeds including mine are reaching over 20 years old now. In 20 years stuff is going to deteriorate no matter how well looked after ed the car has been. Unless it came of the production line, went into a heated garage and hasn't left the garage since. =))

My car had 100k less than what yours did when I got it and the outside and parts of the interior were like new. Full service history, lots of the old MOT certs etc but still managed to spend over a grand on it in the first three months of ownership just on maintenance. And I didn't buy it from a scrap yard. ;) If the reliability of an older car was the same / better than newer ones then why would people bother buying new cars when many older cars can be had for much less...
 

hard top

Zorg Expert (I)
Dutch Zeds
The M44 Massive
Joined
Dec 5, 2011
Points
213
Location
Netherlands
I disagree
As the saying goes, its not always what you know but who you know.
I only ever bought my cars from two sellers over here, one a BMW/Merc Indy, the other, a private seller who is a Harley Davidson mechanic with his own workshop and showroom.
Sometimes I would like a car but they would not sell it to me as they knew its history and the car would normally go to auction.

Only ever had two problems, sticky starter motor on a Land Rover (used to carry a lump hammer, always worked) and a blown expansion tank on a 318i (my own fault)
 

Sean d

Zorg Expert (I)
Supporter
British Zeds
Joined
Sep 29, 2015
Points
201
Location
Lincolnshire
Model of Z
Z3 2.8
You wouldn't want to know the costs Jim :whistle:
I think one of the problems with the lower mileage cars (around the 70-80,000) is that a lot of items are on the edge and will need replacing within a few thousand miles, this is where buying a higher mileage car could be of benefit as all the wear and tear items have been replaced.
 

Jjim

Zorg Guru (IV)
British Zeds
Joined
Jul 21, 2017
Points
168
Location
Mansfield
Model of Z
1.9 Roadster
I think one of the problems with the lower mileage cars (around the 70-80,000) is that a lot of items are on the edge and will need replacing within a few thousand miles, this is where buying a higher mileage car could be of benefit as all the wear and tear items have been replaced.
Completely agree, I have found that with most cars I've owned around 80k things start to go. Usually the mechanical stuff.
 

Tracy Dee

Zorg Guru (III)
The M44 Massive
Joined
Aug 3, 2015
Points
145
Location
Hertfordshire
Looks like almost every consumables on mine has been done then now.
Even with a full service history
 

Paul M

Zorg Guru (I)
British Zeds
The M44 Massive
Joined
May 2, 2016
Points
89
Location
Shackerstone/Köln Germany
Model of Z
1.9
Sorry to hear about the problems Tracy, you were missed at the Zedfest.
Maybe you are paying premium prices for the repairs, I'm lucky my village garage is cheap.
I drive mine quite hard because I want to enjoy the driving experience. Especially with new suspension.
Don't give up it will all get sorted.
 
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