What has a Z done for you

Jack Ratt

Zorg Expert (I)
Supporter
British Zeds
The West Country
Joined
Dec 3, 2013
Points
200
Location
TRURO, CORNWALL
Model of Z
2.8i AUTO and 2.8i MANUAL
I've had my Zed since December 2013 and as I've already stated I bought it to satisfy an "itch" bought on when I entered what I regard as "late" middle age. I will be 58 next month and although I enjoy relatively good health I constantly think that I'm living on borrowed time. Over the last few years I've lost a number of close friends who were my age, one in particular an old school friend and former work mate who went on holiday and died in his sleep on the first night. I started to question my own mortality, mainly because my Dad died at 63 and Mom died at 61 and now in my late 50's I'm in the zone.
I said to my wife Jill, "that's it, from this day on, if I want something and if I can afford it, I'm going to have it, if I want to go somewhere I'm going to go and if I want to do something I'm going to do it".

I love my job, it's not particularly intense, but I work away from home 4 days a week and I only spend 3 nights a week in my own bed. I'm an Engineering Surveyor, and I specialise in overhead cranes and all types of lifting equipment, including chain and steel wire ropes. I do a very similar job to what your company insurance does for your company. Some days I'm crawling over battle ships at Pompey and Devonport Dockyards and others I'm looking at vehicle ramps at Rolls Royce Motor Cars or looking at the lifting kit on sewerage farms.

Anyway, back on topic, I enjoyed driving my car in the first year I owned it but decided I'd join a club to enjoy a bit of the comradary I used to enjoy in my motorcycling days.

So, my Zed has bought me here. I've enjoyed the forum banter in the 3 or 4 months that I've been posting and I'm looking to getting out and about and meeting a few of you.

I've already met Andy, Spurs fan in a coupe and I've bought my roll hoops and a few other bits from him, and what a lovely bloke he is too.

We'll definitely be at Duxford and maybe perhaps the New Forest meet and we're planning a run up to York later in the summer.

So until then, stay safe :cool:
 

Zeti

Zorg Guru (IV)
Supporter
Romanian Zeds
The M44 Massive
Joined
Oct 9, 2013
Points
167
Location
Bucuresti/ Romania
Model of Z
Z3 roadster 1.9
Wow what a powerful thread this is! Everyone spilling there heart out. Gaz your a legend, only met you once so far but your a smashing bloke and what you do on this forum is fantastic.
Right what's my Zed done for me? Well car wise, I've always loved cars but never had the money to buy a "toy" to tinker with and drive out on a nice day enjoying the true smells and countryside that a drop top car can offer you. Now as above I don't do twatter, faceache or any other sites other than tother side which now appears to be dwindling after finding this forum. I genuinely love it on here, people I have met that I truly see as my friends. Mint, billz, Moz (your a d******* but your bloody ace!) Paul, Koolflyer, t-tony and the lovely very excitable Stacey but to name a few. I've never bothered with hobbies before the Zed. My dogs are my passion and that was always enough but now there's my Zed family who are all really important to me. My cyber yet to meet friends, can't wait to meet you all on future events.
I hope to be around here for a long time if you'll let me stay???....... "Jue, pass me a hanky!"

Here's to future Zedding! :drinks:

Cheers all
Dave.
We still miss the funny face of your first avatar......your "first hobby"!:)
Can you send from time to time pics with him?;)
 

Zeti

Zorg Guru (IV)
Supporter
Romanian Zeds
The M44 Massive
Joined
Oct 9, 2013
Points
167
Location
Bucuresti/ Romania
Model of Z
Z3 roadster 1.9
I've had my Zed since December 2013 and as I've already stated I bought it to satisfy an "itch" bought on when I entered what I regard as "late" middle age. I will be 58 next month and although I enjoy relatively good health I constantly think that I'm living on borrowed time. Over the last few years I've lost a number of close friends who were my age, one in particular an old school friend and former work mate who went on holiday and died in his sleep on the first night. I started to question my own mortality, mainly because my Dad died at 63 and Mom died at 61 and now in my late 50's I'm in the zone.
I said to my wife Jill, "that's it, from this day on, if I want something and if I can afford it, I'm going to have it, if I want to go somewhere I'm going to go and if I want to do something I'm going to do it".

I love my job, it's not particularly intense, but I work away from home 4 days a week and I only spend 3 nights a week in my own bed. I'm an Engineering Surveyor, and I specialise in overhead cranes and all types of lifting equipment, including chain and steel wire ropes. I do a very similar job to what your company insurance does for your company. Some days I'm crawling over battle ships at Pompey and Devonport Dockyards and others I'm looking at vehicle ramps at Rolls Royce Motor Cars or looking at the lifting kit on sewerage farms.

Anyway, back on topic, I enjoyed driving my car in the first year I owned it but decided I'd join a club to enjoy a bit of the comradary I used to enjoy in my motorcycling days.

So, my Zed has bought me here. I've enjoyed the forum banter in the 3 or 4 months that I've been posting and I'm looking to getting out and about and meeting a few of you.

I've already met Andy, Spurs fan in a coupe and I've bought my roll hoops and a few other bits from him, and what a lovely bloke he is too.

We'll definitely be at Duxford and maybe perhaps the New Forest meet and we're planning a run up to York later in the summer.

So until then, stay safe :cool:
Wise decision Jack!:thumbsup:
Many people took the same decision and create a bucket list. Nothing wrong with that.......:)
I'm just a little bit jealous on our mates here, living in an area with 12 months/ year top down........:D
But even their write up makes me feel better, almost like being there....;)
Dan
 

Grumps

Always happy, apart from when I'm not 🤬
Supporter
British Zeds
Joined
Apr 27, 2014
Points
226
Location
Forest Town, Mansfield
Model of Z
Z4 e85 2.5i
We still miss the funny face of your first avatar......your "first hobby"!:)
Can you send from time to time pics with him?;)
Woody as E.T!
IMG_1087.JPG


Here's the other mutt! Intoducing Benny boo!
IMG_0320.JPG


Keep your fix ok for a week or two! :)
 

phil.a

Zorg Guru (I)
The M44 Massive
Joined
Jul 18, 2014
Points
89
Location
redditch
Model of Z
z4
after owning my mgf vvc for4 years i thought it was time for a change, looked at slk 2000 year boxster both a bit pricey never gave the z a thought, then saw the one i have advertized liked the look of it went fro a test drive and brought it,:) was well impressed with the build quality, and ride ( not that brill at first but new rear shocks and spring sorted that thanks to this site ) and almost the lack of buffeting with out a wind stopper, all went well some nice trips but this car lacked the punch i was used to with the mgf checked out everything to try to pull a few more horses out of it ( although when i took someone out in it they did not agree it was slow, especially the wife :whistle:) still a hard choice to make as the care looked stunning to me, then a locale lad put is z4 up for sale again a car i had not considered, a 2.5 areo took one look and thought if it drives how it looks its mine, well it did and and for me it was a lot better than the z3 except for the run flats that will be sorted, brought as a weekend toy and use it most days wife likes it, i think it the heated seats ;) cant say the build quality is better she keeps pulling the inner door handle off:p well of on a run today over Hereford way:rally:
 

Mint

Zorg Expert (I)
Supporter
British Zeds
East Anglian Crew
Joined
Sep 23, 2012
Points
222
Location
Stafford
Model of Z
2.2 & 3.0 Sport
Wow, just back from Egypt and lots of threads to catch up on, this one especially. Little did we know that when we bought our Zed that it would become such a huge part of our lives. It has given us so much pleasure, especially after I joined the forum. We really enjoy the meets and the cruises and feel privileged to have met so many like minded people through this forum (and .net). After telling our kids for years not to talk to or meet anyone from the Internet, one of our first meet ups was with the EAC. In fact we met @Brian4 in a layby before the main meet up. That was just the start of some great times and from then on we are the most Westerly members of the EAC. I have met lots of great people and formed some great friendships, too many to mention, as a result of Zed ownership.:)

This forum has been instrumental in getting like minded people together as we have seen with Hugh & Frankies great thread picking up the ///M and long may it continue.;) Well done Gary:drinks:
 

David Cullen

Zorg Legend
Supporter
The M44 Massive
Joined
Jul 8, 2014
Points
76
Location
Prosperous, County Kildare
what has my Zed done for me..... next question :sorry:
haha my Zed has brought me in to a whole new world of learning, as most of you know, i am from the JDM scene which is similar in the fact that it is car related only Japanese cars, so my crush was on old school Hondas and i still own 3 of them ;-) i spent my time and money on parts and builds and mods by the dozen, thats what we car enthusiasts do, I ran a website and FB page for a good few years and again was quite similar to this only it was usually a younger crowd attracted to it so i felt a bit out of place sometimes but they respected me and i them.
April last year i was in the market to get a new car as my daily, i didnt have much to spend, i was driving a Colt 1.3 97 at the time so wanted something a bit bigger engine wise, then i wanted something a bit different and sporty. I looked through all the adds on_line at all the Jap cars and nothing took my fancy, then i started to think outside my box and thought of older sports cars that might be in my price range and low and behold the Z3 came to mind, went and looked at one or two and remember standing beside the first one i went to and thinking " im not even going to fit in that " it looked so small lol but sure enough there was plenty of room. i brought it home during the night and went to bed, woke up the next day and it felt like Christmas, i couldnt wait to check her over and start the problems list lol after the problems list came the mod list :) and during all this i went to a few forums to sign up and get acquainted with the BMW world. I was flying blind, hadnt a clue what end of the engine bay was what, compared to taking Hondas appart in my sleep, it was great! just what i needed to get me interested again in life in general ( long story ) but out of all the sites this one just done it for me, the people here are respectful and give you time and will help in any way they can, like how i was on my site, which for the moment i have handed over to a young friend of mine, i have lost most interest in the JDM world since i have got my Z. I wash her every Saturday, people constantly comment on how clean she is, in and out, i service her every 5000, i deal with any issues asap, i look at her every time i am walking away, i feel blessed to be the owner of such a car and appreciate all she has done for me, be it just putting a smile on my face, meeting all you guys here or teaching me new things, life is short and we should do things we like and love when we get the chance, now i get the chance every day :D thanks to everyone her for taking me in to the fold and i hope i can return my gratitude by being an asset to the family, peace out
Dave ;)
 

GazHyde

Administrator
Administrator
Global Moderator
M Power
Joined
Dec 2, 2011
Points
226
Location
Berkshire
Model of Z
Z4 MR

pgunter

Zorg Guru (V)
Supporter
British Zeds
#ZedShed
Joined
Aug 15, 2014
Points
185
Location
Winchester
Model of Z
2.2i Sport Zedshed Special
Well, where do I start. I always wanted to own a Z3 from when I used to see them in the BMW Dealers in Portsmouth. Snows BMW used to have at least one next to a Z8 in the showroom.

Then when a family member passed away I thought, sod it.. life is too short.. I need to start enjoying life more rather than working so hard.. Time for a little rebalancing of the scales so to speak. So I ventured out and purchased an amazing 2.0 Z3 'VFN' my very foxy number was brilliant until I had an issue at a junction in Oxfordshire at the rear of a Z3 convoy. As it happens it turned out to be a blessing as though this forum people helped me find another Z3 in Estoril Blue... @BMBabe was so helpful at the time in driving to Milton Keynes to look her over.. Then after getting paid out from the insurance I purchased my 2.2i sport.. Ebbee as she has been named.. Estoril Blue Baby... lol.. is now getting some great TLC and is coming to a nice standard.

Through this forum I have made some great friends and its rebalanced my life work balance.

So what has my Zed done for me.. Well its made me appreciate and share life and its given me one hell of a big smile on my face when I drive her. On the way to the last meet.. Three of us had... well lets say.. 120, 120 , 140.. haha.. People who know me will straight away know who the 140 was..

Heres looking forward to making many more friends around the globe. I have already through owning my Z3 made friends in Germany, France and Italy who I have to visit at some point.
 
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Lexybhoy

Zorg Guru (I)
Supporter
British Zeds
Scottish Zeds
Joined
Jan 11, 2015
Points
98
Location
Glasgow
Model of Z
2.8
i look at her every time i am walking away
Some of us type "lol" from time to time, when I read this I actually shouted out "haha". How true Dave, I look back at the car every time I walk away from it too, I have other cars which I love just as much, but none of them instil the same feeling of "wow" when I look back at them. FTR, I've never slept with any of the cars :)
 
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Rha

Zorg Guru (V)
Supporter
British Zeds
Joined
Oct 26, 2014
Points
181
Location
Hemel Hempstead, Hertfordshire, England.
Model of Z
Z4 coupe sport.
Some of us type "lol" from time to time, when I read this I actually shouted out "haha". How true Dave, I look back at the car every time I walk away from it too, I have other cars which I love just as much, but none of them instil the same feeling of "wow" when I look back at them. FTR, I've never slept with any of the cars :)
HaHaHa!!!! Levy hoy, Wouldn't need to get it up the stairs, all you need to do is go out to your garage with a blanket put it over the z get inside and go to sleep, surely some one on here has got caught out and had to sleep in/with their Z. No??? =))
 

Googy

Zorg Legend
Supporter
British Zeds
Joined
Sep 28, 2014
Points
74
Location
pontefract
when my grandson was 2 yrs old I was into motor bikes and used to think ffs this is a dangerous game and really wanted to grow old watching him grow up.
so bike went z came now on my 5 th one and have done thousands of miles with him sat next to me ..
been away today with the super car club he was sat next to me in the z could not get a smile of his face.
my z as brought me so close to my now 15 yr old grand son its been worth every penny
 

bertiejaffa

Zorg Guru (III)
Supporter
British Zeds
Joined
Mar 15, 2014
Points
135
Location
Manchester
Model of Z
Z3M
well...
Its officially claimed me into the mid life crisis bracket
reduced my savings
made me rip up the front lawn to extend the drive to allow for the "new" silver zed

...only to then buy a Z3M meaning I still have to park on the neighbours drive - with a promise that I will sell the first one...ahem
made my toolkit bigger (not that one)
given me the insight to turn a perfectly good car into this....

and beyond....
allowed me to meet some amazing friends; talk to even more amazing friends; send more parcels to South Africa than I ever did when the in-laws were south african (you know who you are)
got great advise off strangers, no.... restored and surprised me with my faith in strangers (and you know who you are)
sent a work mate on a pick up for parts from a random house feeling like he was on a drugs run
had "w@nkers" shouted at me
..............then met (unfortunately only) 1 of the said shouters at lights and left him for dead
Seen lambs killed at 100 mph over the yorkshire moors (you know who you are)
made me look forward to the new people I will meet this year
....and next year... and the next
made me bore the pants off my mates
but, made me smile...
but more importantly..... made my 8 year old smile
 
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Zeti

Zorg Guru (IV)
Supporter
Romanian Zeds
The M44 Massive
Joined
Oct 9, 2013
Points
167
Location
Bucuresti/ Romania
Model of Z
Z3 roadster 1.9
The best proof the Zed made something for you , is that you make something for him to cherish!:thumbsup:
 

POG

Zorg Legend
Supporter
British Zeds
Joined
Mar 23, 2014
Points
79
Location
Portsmouth, Hampshire, England
Model of Z
2.8
I think it would be safe to say that my little ZED has saved my life... All totally accidental...

Maybe one day when I know you all a little better I will say how it did it, anyway I'm very grateful to own it.
 

POG

Zorg Legend
Supporter
British Zeds
Joined
Mar 23, 2014
Points
79
Location
Portsmouth, Hampshire, England
Model of Z
2.8
I think it would be safe to say that my little ZED has saved my life... All totally accidental...

Maybe one day when I know you all a little better I will say how it did it, anyway I'm very grateful to own it.
Ps. Zroadster.org is a nice place to hang out too...
 
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