Hello and welcome from Shotley Bridge in the North East of England. The articles in this section may be of interest to you https://zroadster.org/articles/?category=bmw-z3-general-information&id=280. There is some good advice above also.
I believe one of the of advantages of buying a car for Japan is that little salt is used on Japanese roads so cars tend not to suffer as much from rust as those that has spent their lives in the UK. Whilst generally good for resisting rust many of our cars are showing a few week areas, with sill outer covers and front wings needing to be replaced. Fortunately almost all panels are bolted on, so replacement is not particularly difficult, and new panels or second hand panels are readily available. Door mirrors are made from alloy and do suffer corrosion with failure to swivel on the base being an indication of problems, plastic replacements are available. Under the body fuel tank straps are prone to rust, but otherwise the only real corrosion concern is brake lines.
Due to age rubber components are deteriorating so suspension bushes, air intake and coolant hoses plus drive belts should be checked. Tyres also age and those on a low mileage car may still have plenty of tread but be cracking in the bottom of the treads and need replacing. In the US, it is recommended that tyres are replaced when they are 6 years old. In the UK I believe it is 8 years mainly because we have less sunlight and lower temperatures. The conditions in most of Japan will be similar to the US. Tyre manufacture week and year are usually marked on the sidewall. Obviously most of this applies irrespective of the brand or model.
The rear plastic screen in the hood also deteriorates with age. Replacements are available, however, replacement hoods are not too expensive and may be a better option if the hood fabric is also worn.
Whichever Z3 you decide to buy, you are making a good choice in Make and model. Finding a good example may require a little effort, however, they are available. With cars of this age expect to have some maintenance jobs on a fairly regular basis, but stay on top of them and you should expect few major problems or breakdowns. One of the jobs to do would be changing all the fluids brake, coolant, engine gearbox and diff oils. Bear in mind that BMW only expect cars to have a life of 10 years or so although oils are "lifelong" they are now well past their peak.
Enjoy hunting for you car, prices are heading up as spring approaches, so don't leave it too long to get looking. Prices normally come down again in October, but that is a year of missed Zed'ing.
I believe one of the of advantages of buying a car for Japan is that little salt is used on Japanese roads so cars tend not to suffer as much from rust as those that has spent their lives in the UK. Whilst generally good for resisting rust many of our cars are showing a few week areas, with sill outer covers and front wings needing to be replaced. Fortunately almost all panels are bolted on, so replacement is not particularly difficult, and new panels or second hand panels are readily available. Door mirrors are made from alloy and do suffer corrosion with failure to swivel on the base being an indication of problems, plastic replacements are available. Under the body fuel tank straps are prone to rust, but otherwise the only real corrosion concern is brake lines.
Due to age rubber components are deteriorating so suspension bushes, air intake and coolant hoses plus drive belts should be checked. Tyres also age and those on a low mileage car may still have plenty of tread but be cracking in the bottom of the treads and need replacing. In the US, it is recommended that tyres are replaced when they are 6 years old. In the UK I believe it is 8 years mainly because we have less sunlight and lower temperatures. The conditions in most of Japan will be similar to the US. Tyre manufacture week and year are usually marked on the sidewall. Obviously most of this applies irrespective of the brand or model.
The rear plastic screen in the hood also deteriorates with age. Replacements are available, however, replacement hoods are not too expensive and may be a better option if the hood fabric is also worn.
Whichever Z3 you decide to buy, you are making a good choice in Make and model. Finding a good example may require a little effort, however, they are available. With cars of this age expect to have some maintenance jobs on a fairly regular basis, but stay on top of them and you should expect few major problems or breakdowns. One of the jobs to do would be changing all the fluids brake, coolant, engine gearbox and diff oils. Bear in mind that BMW only expect cars to have a life of 10 years or so although oils are "lifelong" they are now well past their peak.
Enjoy hunting for you car, prices are heading up as spring approaches, so don't leave it too long to get looking. Prices normally come down again in October, but that is a year of missed Zed'ing.
to the forum from me too in Staffordshire. Good luck in your search
