newbie seeking great advices :)

Clio Tjonnadi

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Mar 14, 2014
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hi everyone!
here is my new baby, just got it off last week. Everything seems to be in good condition except for the leaking weather strip on the passenger side, anyone has any good DIY tricks i can pull off my self?
Im also thinking of getting new suspension and rims! any ideas will be a lot of help.

cheers from malaysia
 

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Jackster

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Hey Clio welcome to the best Z forum on the net, am sure someone will be along soon with answers to your questions. Great looking car!

Cheers
 

GazHyde

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Welcome Clio :welcome:,

There are plenty of choices for suspension and wheels. What are you looking to achieve? Lower it, make it handle better make the ride smoother?

Wheel wise, there are lots of standard BMW wheels which will fit including 3 series, 1 series and the first model Z4.

Cheers, Gary.
 

FRANKIE

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Welcome to the forum Clio. Good to have you with us.Not too long ago, someone else had a similiar problem and several other members responded with solutions, so it won't be long before they give you some good answers. I'll be listening too since a piece of weatherstriping is coming loose from my small side window. I'm sue you'll like it here as they are all a great bunch of guys. Frankie from work at Caesars in Atlantic City.
 

Clio Tjonnadi

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Welcome Clio :welcome:,

There are plenty of choices for suspension and wheels. What are you looking to achieve? Lower it, make it handle better make the ride smoother?

Wheel wise, there are lots of standard BMW wheels which will fit including 3 series, 1 series and the first model Z4.

Cheers, Gary.
hi gary! ummm i think the suspension might be too soft or old ? cause i keep hitting the bottom of my car to speed bumps no matter how slow i go, and it sometimes makes like a knocking sound.

sorry for the silly questions...18 yo clueless girl here haha
 

GazHyde

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sorry for the silly questions...
The only silly question is the one you don't ask :)

hi gary! ummm i think the suspension might be too soft or old ? cause i keep hitting the bottom of my car to speed bumps no matter how slow i go, and it sometimes makes like a knocking sound.
If your grinding on speed bump it sounds like you are just looking to improve your current suspension, rather than to make it lower..

It could be the amount of clearance under the car just isn't enough to clear the bump. Have you tried going over the speed bumps at a 45 degree angle as that could give you a bit more clearance without changing your suspension.

You may get funny looks doing it though, but I've encountered some bumps I could only get across at an angle!
 

Clio Tjonnadi

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The only silly question is the one you don't ask :)


If your grinding on speed bump it sounds like you are just looking to improve your current suspension, rather than to make it lower..

It could be the amount of clearance under the car just isn't enough to clear the bump. Have you tried going over the speed bumps at a 45 degree angle as that could give you a bit more clearance without changing your suspension.

You may get funny looks doing it though, but I've encountered some bumps I could only get across at an angle!
hahah! alright ive been trying the angle thing but maybe im not doing enough tho.
Any advice on parts that should be replaced or checked? since the previous owner pretty much did nothing for the past 14 years.
 

GazHyde

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Other more knowledgeable people will be along soon, but first thing I would check is that the springs are not broken.

It's quite common for old springs to rust through and snap (mainly at the top and bottom), lowering the car slightly.
 
Z

zedonist

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just got it off last week. any good DIY tricks i can pull off my self?
Hi and welcome, best introduction i've ever seen, and as it is officially Steak and Ahmm (BJ) Day today, you may get the wrong advice........=))
 
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zedonist

Guest
Following on from Gaz's questions, are you looking for upgrades or just replacing oem with new?

If you are looking to upgrade then you cant beat the Bilstein B12 kit which includes B* sport shocks and Eibach 30mm lowering springs. if keeping oem, then sachs super touring or bilstein B4 shock absorbers are the best bet, it is also worth changing out the front and rear shock mounts as these do cause a knocking noise when worn, and makes sense to do it as you have the shocks off.

Rims, you have a fantastic range of BMW alloys in 16" to 18" to buy off ebay etc secondhand, just watch out for the centre bore dimension (72.6mm), wheel offset (35 to 45) and remember it is 5 stud not 4. After market, you can get upto 20" alloys, 19" are probably as far as you want to go though.
 

Stormy_be

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Hello,

Welcome.

Something that may need to get looked at (as with all cars of that age):
Bushings as the rubber seem to go bad after 10-15 years.

There are a lot of "opinions" on what to get to replace them with (original, aftermarket or upgraded).
But it all comes down to what you want from the car (cruising, sporty driving, occasional trackday or real racing) and what your budget is.

Regards, Koen
 

Zeti

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Welcome Clio!:)
My suggestion is to keep it close as possible to original, as it's a colectible....;)
In order to not ruin the post I'll give some opinions on private.
 

Zeti

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Gaz could consider the off post, here being a welcome post........if Gaz will open new topic I'll gladly share everything Frankie!:)
No secrets here! just listen to the captain!;)
 

GazHyde

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Gaz could consider the off post, here being a welcome post........if Gaz will open new topic I'll gladly share everything Frankie!:)
No secrets here! just listen to the captain!;)
Hey @Zeti, feel free to post what you want.

I don't mind welcome posts going off topic. I only move posts if they are better served as their own topic for better discussion :)
 

Zeti

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Hi Clio,
For your car I don't know the engine and the millage and if you trust the maintenance book (if any); it looks like an automatic 2.8 !?
Five years ago, when I got my Zed 1996, 1.9 16V, with 138 000 km, everything was factory original on the car; I had the same problems with a very elastic suspension. As I see from photos your road clearance it's standard so all you need is to buy new schock absorbers front and rear. The standard aftermarket set of front/rear coil springs and schock absorbers plus all new related fittings plus the front arms and bushings should be arround 500-600 EUR and you will have a new car for at least 70 000 km! My advice is to not spend on low guard or famous brands as long as the Z3 it's a car for fun and for the soul!
Also I will keep the beautiful star rims you have and of course the 16' tyres; the cost for 17' or 18' tyres it's double!
But I'm concerned by the soft top you have: I noticed that your soft top has a very large arch on the sides and looks as shrinked on! It's possible to have been replaced with an aftermarket with not the right dimensions? Or the mounting was wrong? Because if you look in some other Z3 photos (difficult to find photos with the roof on!), the sides of the soft top are almost covering the arms; in your case you can see the arms half naked......Here you have to manage on the spot because it's difficult to ofer advices from far away.
Also I suggest to make a full Inspection 2, just to be sure that everything it's new for the engine: engine oil and oil filter, brake fluid, antifreeze (it's protecting the inner side of the engine from corrosion, not only from frozen!), gear box oil, gear box oil filter, whiper blades, air filter, fuel filter, belts (if with small cracks) and spark plugs.
It looks scarry but isn't so costly, but you will be safe on the road. The Z3 it's a very safe and reliable car: I'm lovin'it and hope you will do it too!
Best of luck!:)
 
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Bazza

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Welcome Clio enjoy the car and the forum.:)

Bazza & Zelda
 

t-tony

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Hi Clio,a fairly cost effective repair for the weather strip is to insert a piece of rubber pipe/tubing into the hollow part of the strip to help bulk it out to maintain the seal. ;) Apologies, welcome to the forum too.
 
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