New to forums based in Stirling

Stirling_James

Regular Member
Joined
Jun 17, 2025
Points
13
Hello everyone, just bought my first Z3 picking it up on Sunday. Already been lurking in the forums and it's a great resource so thanks to the Admins for running it and the members who seem really helpful. I'm sure I'll be posting on here occasionally and will be doing work to the car myself so the guides on here will be invaluable. Cheers, hope you all get to enjoy the top down fun during the current weather!
 

Argyll Andy

Zorg Legend
British Zeds
Scottish Zeds
Joined
Jun 4, 2021
Points
83
Location
Argyll
Model of Z
Z4 - M40i
Welcome from Argyll 😀
 

ktnez99

Zorg Guru (IV)
British Zeds
Joined
May 18, 2018
Points
164
Location
West Midlands
Model of Z
Z3 2.8L
Hello, fellow Zedder.

You’re in the right place for friendly, helpful advice about Zs so ask away.

Tell us about your Z.
 

Stirling_James

Regular Member
Joined
Jun 17, 2025
Points
13
Thanks for the warm welcome 😁 I bought the car almost blind from another member. He kindly took the car to a family member in Wales to have a look and I bought it. It's a 2002 2.2l with just over 100k Miles. It seems like it's had a good life, looks mostly original, has had a new soft top and is in my favourite colour. I'm hoping to keep it for a long while. MOT history looks fairly clean a couple of advisories for brake hoses and a misting of oil on a shock. I'm fairly handy with a spanner so am confident of most servicing jobs, although the VANOS overhaul looks daunting. It took me a while to find one I liked. I'm picking it up in South Wales tomorrow and will be driving back up to Sunny Scotland on the Monday so my first drive is going to be a proper test of the car! Thanks again for all the warm welcomes.
 

Jam03

Zorg Guru (III)
Supporter
British Zeds
Joined
Feb 21, 2022
Points
139
Location
Surrey
Model of Z
2.2i
Thanks for the warm welcome 😁 I bought the car almost blind from another member. He kindly took the car to a family member in Wales to have a look and I bought it. It's a 2002 2.2l with just over 100k Miles. It seems like it's had a good life, looks mostly original, has had a new soft top and is in my favourite colour. I'm hoping to keep it for a long while. MOT history looks fairly clean a couple of advisories for brake hoses and a misting of oil on a shock. I'm fairly handy with a spanner so am confident of most servicing jobs, although the VANOS overhaul looks daunting. It took me a while to find one I liked. I'm picking it up in South Wales tomorrow and will be driving back up to Sunny Scotland on the Monday so my first drive is going to be a proper test of the car! Thanks again for all the warm welcomes.
Good luck with the trip. I love my 2.2 and have been to Wales in it recently. Wales is my favourite destination for recreational driving.
 

Zed Chimp

Zorg Addict
Joined
Jan 24, 2023
Points
56
Good luck with the car and with the journey to Scotland, my daughter lives near Aviemore so my cars used to the south coast to Scotland trip. Normally around ten hours, hopefully yours should be a little less but as you say a great test for the Zed , enjoy.
 

Mint

Zorg Expert (I)
Supporter
British Zeds
East Anglian Crew
Joined
Sep 23, 2012
Points
222
Location
Stafford
Model of Z
2.2 Sport Individual
Hi and :welcome: to the forum from me too in Stafford. How did your trip go today?
 

Stirling_James

Regular Member
Joined
Jun 17, 2025
Points
13
Well the car made it, I nearly didn't though 430 miles and the heating control was stuck on hot so my eardrums are blown from driving with the window down, I did buy the car blind though so my fault. That aside the car seems good, gearbox feels a bit clunky and tram lining is something I'm going to have to get used to! I've never 'properly' driven a Z3 so I can't really compare it to anything.

Jobs to do:
fix the heating control
fix the door cards on properly as they're attached via only the top clips
Change all fluids
Change/repair calipers as it pulls to the right slightly under heavy braking
Adjust the windows so they close properly and seal against roof rubbers.

That should keep me busy for a while.
 

IainP

Zorg Guru (III)
British Zeds
Joined
Feb 20, 2019
Points
125
Location
Out of my Tree, North of Perth, Scotland
Model of Z
1.9
Well the car made it, I nearly didn't though 430 miles and the heating control was stuck on hot so my eardrums are blown from driving with the window down, I did buy the car blind though so my fault. That aside the car seems good, gearbox feels a bit clunky and tram lining is something I'm going to have to get used to! I've never 'properly' driven a Z3 so I can't really compare it to anything.

Jobs to do:
fix the heating control
fix the door cards on properly as they're attached via only the top clips
Change all fluids
Change/repair calipers as it pulls to the right slightly under heavy braking
Adjust the windows so they close properly and seal against roof rubbers.

That should keep me busy for a while.
Welcome from Perth.
The calipers are most often just seized sliders. The sliders are stainless, so polish them and use a little silicone grease. Don’t sandpaper them and use copper grease, as lots of folk do, it’s not a lubricant, it absorbs water, dries and causes them to stick.
The heater will be the cables popping off, easy fix.
 

Stirling_James

Regular Member
Joined
Jun 17, 2025
Points
13
Cheers Iain if it stops raining in Stirling I'll be working on it today. Going to do all the fluids so I know exactly the service state of the car also she's absolutely gulping oil, hoping it's just carbon in the cylinders and after a flush the rings will seal a bit better.

Then I be moving on the the other bits and pieces.

It's such a fun wee car although can be a harsh ride on some of the rough country roads near me, but I think that's down to worn suspension components, mines specced with the sports suspension but I will be changing the dampers and springs and all the rest of it to standard and hopefully that'll make it a little less of a bone shaker.
 

NeRo

Moderator
Staff member
Global Moderator
Supporter
British Zeds
Scottish Zeds
Joined
Dec 6, 2011
Points
132
Location
Linlithgow
Model of Z
Z3
Welcome ~ I'm just along the road from you in Linlithgow.

I bought my car from what was Menzies (now Douglas Park) in Stirling
 
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