The strength of the M44 1.9 is its lightness, general handling and improved turn in. Just need to ensure suspension bushes/components are in good condition.
PS, what's with the chrome mesh grill?
PS, what's with the chrome mesh grill?
Request for Help Z3 1.9 needed....
- Thread starter pgunter
- Start date
That's going to be my issue i think @Ianmc. All of the bushes need replacing front and back and its something that's been on the radar for a while now.The strength of the M44 1.9 is its lightness, general handling and improved turn in. Just need to ensure suspension bushes/components are in good condition.
PS, what's with the chrome mesh grill?
If anyone is at a loose end and fancies helping out with some bush replacment over the next few weeks for some free beers, food and banter then that would be ace!!
It could definately do with the Z-shed treatment!!! Lol! As for the grills, they we're on the car when i bought it and i haven't seen another one like it yet. Seems to be a bit of an oddity, but i quite like it because its different. Adds a bit of uniqueness me thinks.
A little update on the photoshoot, i received an email about a week ago from John-Joe -
"Good afternoon all
Apologies for the delay in getting all these details over, but with this many cars and three other shoots all being sorted at the same time, we’ve had a lot of head scratching to do. This shoot involves essentially four different shoots all pulled together.
The cars are grouped into their sectors so we have:
Hatches: Audi S3 vs. Civic Type R (EK9)
Sportscars: BMW Z3 vs. Mazda MX-5 (MkII)
GTs: Porsche 928 vs. Toyota Supra (Mk4)
Saloons: Merc W140 vs. Lexus LS400
DAY ZERO: Sunday July 8th
Those of you coming a long way (Sunny and Robert or any more) you’re welcome to get a hotel room in Corby to save you getting up at dawn!
DAY ONE: Monday July 9th
The plan is to all arrive at Rockingham for 8:30am – 9am on July the 9th. Here we can get our cover shot with all the cars (8) and also you guys can grab some breakfast and a coffee in the canteen or watch us move your cars into position, it’s up to you. We’ll cover all your food and beverage costs regardless. Before grabbing a bacon sandwich, we’ll need to get the cars cleaned. We will have some cleaning materials but it’s unlikely that we’ll have enough for everyone, so it might make sense to bring some along (cloths and detail spray) to speed things along.
With the cover and some detail shots of all the cars sorted (about 12-1pm) we can move onto the first of the action elements of this shoot. For this we will need the Lexus and Merc, plus the Audi S3 and the Civic. The plan is to shoot these four in the afternoon. The owners of the 928, Z3 and Supra can make their way to our overnight stop in North Norfolk, where we’ll shoot the rest of the action the following day.
Once we’ve wrapped up the action elements between Rockingham – Benefield by about 5pm the owners of the Lexus and Merc, plus the Audi and Civic can go home. Phew! Told you this was a complicated one… The rest of us including the Supra, 928 (though I believe you live in Norfolk) and Z3 owners, will need to head to our hotel in Norfolk (details to come in the morning). After a few beers and an evening meal we’ll retire.
DAY TWO: Tuesday July 10th
This day starts with breakfast at the hotel before heading out to some picturesque A-roads to shoot the GTs. Kevin (Z3 owner) you will have the morning and early afternoon to yourself in the area, which is beautiful by the way. Please feel free to enjoy some lunch (on us) and a walk on the beach to pass the time.
Once we’ve finished shooting our GTs, Sunny and Simon can head home. We’ll then meet up with Kevin at the coast to shoot the Z3 vs. MX-5. This will then catch the best of the summer evening light finishing by 9pm at the latest. Kevin, let me know if you’d like another night stay or if you’re happy heading home at this time?
I know this is a lot to take in and I’m sure you’ll have questions, concerns, dietary requirements etc.
Please don’t hesitate to let me know and once again, sorry it’s taken this long to get anything concrete over to you.
I really hope you’re all still in."
It's looking like a really good couple of days out in the Zed are coming up!
Thank you all for the opportunity to be part of such an amazing experience.
"Good afternoon all
Apologies for the delay in getting all these details over, but with this many cars and three other shoots all being sorted at the same time, we’ve had a lot of head scratching to do. This shoot involves essentially four different shoots all pulled together.
The cars are grouped into their sectors so we have:
Hatches: Audi S3 vs. Civic Type R (EK9)
Sportscars: BMW Z3 vs. Mazda MX-5 (MkII)
GTs: Porsche 928 vs. Toyota Supra (Mk4)
Saloons: Merc W140 vs. Lexus LS400
DAY ZERO: Sunday July 8th
Those of you coming a long way (Sunny and Robert or any more) you’re welcome to get a hotel room in Corby to save you getting up at dawn!
DAY ONE: Monday July 9th
The plan is to all arrive at Rockingham for 8:30am – 9am on July the 9th. Here we can get our cover shot with all the cars (8) and also you guys can grab some breakfast and a coffee in the canteen or watch us move your cars into position, it’s up to you. We’ll cover all your food and beverage costs regardless. Before grabbing a bacon sandwich, we’ll need to get the cars cleaned. We will have some cleaning materials but it’s unlikely that we’ll have enough for everyone, so it might make sense to bring some along (cloths and detail spray) to speed things along.
With the cover and some detail shots of all the cars sorted (about 12-1pm) we can move onto the first of the action elements of this shoot. For this we will need the Lexus and Merc, plus the Audi S3 and the Civic. The plan is to shoot these four in the afternoon. The owners of the 928, Z3 and Supra can make their way to our overnight stop in North Norfolk, where we’ll shoot the rest of the action the following day.
Once we’ve wrapped up the action elements between Rockingham – Benefield by about 5pm the owners of the Lexus and Merc, plus the Audi and Civic can go home. Phew! Told you this was a complicated one… The rest of us including the Supra, 928 (though I believe you live in Norfolk) and Z3 owners, will need to head to our hotel in Norfolk (details to come in the morning). After a few beers and an evening meal we’ll retire.
DAY TWO: Tuesday July 10th
This day starts with breakfast at the hotel before heading out to some picturesque A-roads to shoot the GTs. Kevin (Z3 owner) you will have the morning and early afternoon to yourself in the area, which is beautiful by the way. Please feel free to enjoy some lunch (on us) and a walk on the beach to pass the time.
Once we’ve finished shooting our GTs, Sunny and Simon can head home. We’ll then meet up with Kevin at the coast to shoot the Z3 vs. MX-5. This will then catch the best of the summer evening light finishing by 9pm at the latest. Kevin, let me know if you’d like another night stay or if you’re happy heading home at this time?
I know this is a lot to take in and I’m sure you’ll have questions, concerns, dietary requirements etc.
Please don’t hesitate to let me know and once again, sorry it’s taken this long to get anything concrete over to you.
I really hope you’re all still in."
It's looking like a really good couple of days out in the Zed are coming up!
Thank you all for the opportunity to be part of such an amazing experience.
Looks like you and the MX 5 owner are getting the best out of it if you can be away that long. Might as well take the extra day offered if you can make a nice break with the other half. Enjoy your experience anyway and look forward to seeing this print.
Thank you @Althulas. Unfortunately the missus can't get the time off work so i'll come back straight from it on the Tuesday night. Bit of a missed opportunity, but it was a little short notice for her.
I know the Norfolk coast roads quite well, and there's a lot of nice beaches along that stretch, so i'll have a good time whilst waiting for the evening, might even take my own camera and upload some of my own pics.
I'm looking forward to having a look at the Porsche 928 myself, i've always loved those cars!
and we all assumed it would be a performance/driving experience comparison between the z and mx5, we were all wrong
Glad that someone is getting something out of this. Should be a good opportunity to enjoy yourself.
Again, thanks for the opportunity Paul, I really appreciate it.
I just hope the photo's come out well and the Zed gets a good write up as I'd hate to disappoint you all.
I've been frantically polishing up the bodywork, conditioning the leather, and plastrx-ing anything plastic. Still got a bit more to do tomorrow, and then it's under covers for the weekend only to come out on Monday morning.
I'm going to ring the local main dealer tomorrow to see if i can new bonnet and side grill badges, they aren't perfect and I'm not going to be happy if they're not perfect.
I just hope the photo's come out well and the Zed gets a good write up as I'd hate to disappoint you all.
I've been frantically polishing up the bodywork, conditioning the leather, and plastrx-ing anything plastic. Still got a bit more to do tomorrow, and then it's under covers for the weekend only to come out on Monday morning.
I'm going to ring the local main dealer tomorrow to see if i can new bonnet and side grill badges, they aren't perfect and I'm not going to be happy if they're not perfect.
Sounds like it is going to be an amazing experience. I’m not at all jealous. No, really, I’m not!
Nice wheels, shame about the head lightsI know you didn't say anything wrong...
I put some pictures on the Z3 page on Facecloth & some people took the micky out of my 'biscuit wheels'
Anyone that knows me know I am a delicate & sensitive flower (honest) so I don't want anybody criticising my baby as they might hurt her feelings!
You might have to get used to my sense of humour!
Been on the first day of the shoot today at Rockingham -
Magazine cover shots done -
And "Fifth Gear" recording with Ronnie O'Sullivan!!
Magazine cover shots done -
And "Fifth Gear" recording with Ronnie O'Sullivan!!
Another good day today, setting up the rig for some photos
Can't wait to see the shots used in the mag!
Can't wait to see the shots used in the mag!
Car looks well, nice and original. No tonneau cover though.
Thanks @Ianmc!Car looks well, nice and original. No tonneau cover though.
It took me all week to get the car upto a standard I thought would be good enough, and even then there were bits and bobs that still need attention that i was nervous about (bonnet and gill badges, stone chipped front bumber etc). I needn't have worried as Simon (the desinger for the magizine) said that any imperfections are just photoshopped out anyway!
I even resorted to using black shoe polish on the steering wheel to get rid of the patches where it had worn to the base leather!! It works well though, but if you try it, just make sure you polish the excess off otherwise you might get black hands! Lol!
Unfortunately the tonneau cover will have to wait until I've got the spare funds. It's been a busy year so far. With buying a house in April, going on holiday in August to Madeira and then getting married in October, it may have to wait a bit, however i do completely agree that it would have finished the look off nicely. Who knows what Santa may bring this year!
That’s a shame about not having a tonneau, you should have said you could have borrowed mine for the photo shoot. You’ve done a good job with your car detailing. I hope the rest of the shoot goes well. Have done any rib tickling with the MX5 owner
That would have been great, but it wasn't something i thought of until i got there tbh!
I couldn't rib the owner of the MX5 as the magazine had borrowed from the Mazda Heritage centre and its only used for press shoots!!
When JJ drove the Z3 though, he said he preferred the BMW, but all of the columns had already been written and the MX5 had won already!!! Bloody fixed before we even got there!!!
I did however lay it on thick that the mazda felt like a bean can, rattled and shook like the suspension was all loose and was no where near as tight as the Z3 even though it was kept ans maintained by Mazda, to which he agreed to all of the points made!
Oh well, i did try!
I couldn't rib the owner of the MX5 as the magazine had borrowed from the Mazda Heritage centre and its only used for press shoots!!
When JJ drove the Z3 though, he said he preferred the BMW, but all of the columns had already been written and the MX5 had won already!!! Bloody fixed before we even got there!!!
I did however lay it on thick that the mazda felt like a bean can, rattled and shook like the suspension was all loose and was no where near as tight as the Z3 even though it was kept ans maintained by Mazda, to which he agreed to all of the points made!
Oh well, i did try!
Is that really so, and I thought that all journalist wrote was considered, fully researched, impartial and fair.
Perhaps Mazda had "oiled the wheels".
It was really amazing to do something like this, and i would just like to thank everyone in the forum for the opportunity to do it too!@Fraser - I'm so pleased someone managed to step up and help them out! Car looks superb, and we all know what should have won
I will put some more photos up in due course, and if anyone gets the chance to do this, please grab it as you get to meet some great people and do some brilliant things!
At one point we were driving along the Norfolk coastal road at 40mph, the photographer was harnessed into the open boot of an RS4 estate with JJ driving the Z3 within a cars length of the RS4, and me in the MX5 another car length behind! i dont think i was supposed to drive the MX5 as I was pleaded with not to crash it, and if i did, then it was JJ driving!