New-to-me 1998 Z3

[mccalli]

Hi.

Just joined. Have picked up a 1998 Z3 with 83k on the clock. Few bits of tidy-ups to do, and a few have been done. Front bushes done, handbrake cable replaced, head unit brought up to date with bluetooth/DAB, ProClip phone holder installed and I've just replaced the heater controls console bulbs since one was out.

Next things to do are replace the bushings for the seats, and fix the rear view mirror which I knocked during the bulb fix and it fell off. 'Good'. After that, all sorted for what I need.

(radio in last image has now gone, new one is black and fits the interior better).

 

[Antm72]

Looking good., Hello from me in South Yorkshire.

 

[Paul Rice]

Welcome to the forum (suggest removing the badge of the back before the M police see it)

 

[mccalli]

Welcome to the forum (suggest removing the badge of the back before the M police see it)

Yes - about that. What's with the M? The car is full of M-branded components, so many and matching the ageing so well that I doubt they've been retrofitted. There's the M on the back, an M on the grill, an M on the ashtray cover, an M up by the interior light, an M on a blanking switch where the controls are...

Yet it's a 1.9i. Was there some sort of special package at one point?

 

[mccalli]

Looking good., Hello from me in South Yorkshire.

Hi. Originally from South Yorkshire myself, though been in the South since a couple of years before this car was built now. Buckinghamshire these days.

 

[Paul Rice]

Only M Badge is normally seen on the Steering wheel if fitted with the M-Sport wheel.
Its a bit of a running theme on here re M-Badging but at the end of the day we always support individual taste.

 

[Ianmc]

M badges were originally only fitted to cars with Motorsport engines. In recent times, BMW has used the m badge to "spruce up" non motorsport cars and accessories for short term gain, and devalued its status in the process. The aftermarket jumped on this bandwagon to sell m badges to all. My non motorsport engined BMWs don't have a m badge in sight, but each to their own.

 

[Sean d]

They only fitted 2 M badges to non M cars, one on top of the gear stick and one on the steering wheel, welcome to the forum by the way, if you are happy with badges just leave them where they are

 

[Grumps]

Hi from Mansfield. The ///M police will be with you shortly! Enjoy the forum.

 

[Mazza]

Hi and welcome from Bognor Regis.
I have an illegal M badge on the gear shift, but was let off with a warning by the M Police.

 

[Slam]

Hi and welcome from London , car looks great.

 

[andyglym]

to the forum from West Cumbria. That reminds me, must put my ///M stickers back on my wheels

 

[Mint]

Hi @mccalli, to the forum from me too in Staffordshire.

 

[hard top]

Welcome on the forum.
The ///M badge thing only comes from people in the know, as it started out being a logo for ///M powered cars only.
But as has already been posted, BMW bastardized that themselves.

 

[ZTec]

Hi and welcome from the Vale of Glamorgan.

 

[Bonzeau]

Hi and welcome from Bognor Regis.
I have an illegal M badge on the gear shift, but was let off with a warning by the M Police.

As I've said, many times before, An ///M badge on a steering wheel indicates it's an ///M steering wheel. An ///M badge on a gearstick knob says it's an ///M gearstick knob. Alpina on my alloy wheels says they are Alpina wheels, not an Alpina CAR! Putting ///M badges on a non ///M CAR is like putting a pair of socks down the front of your Y Fronts or Boxers before going out on the pull! You are pretending to have something that you haven't got at all. Not only that, anyone who knows Z3s would not be fooled!..... Self delusion anyone? Quod Erat Demonstradum.

( Other Opinions are of course available.)

( This is not a rant by the way!......Or?)



Bonzo.

 

[Tracy Dee]

Hi welcome from Hertfordshire.
Nice looking unmolested car I know a lot on here are into modified Zeds but nice to see a genuine example.

 

[Stevo7682]

Hi and welcome from me in Scotland

 

[How 29]

Sounded like a rant. Does it really matter what badges it has on as long as you enjoy it.

 

[BMBabe]

Welcome from Aylesbury