The Next Classic BMW? Here's Why Z3 Prices Deserve To Go Up
In today's video, I give you a walk around and a driving review of my 2000 BMW Z3 3.0i Roadster. The car is up for sale with Provenance Cars, but this is not a sales pitch as it won't be around forever. Instead I'm talking about why the Z3 wasn't loved when new, the mistakes BMW made - and how this could become a genuine classic.
www.provenance-cars.com/
#BMW #Z3 #Roadster
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The 2.2 is a six. I have it. It’s the M54 motor.
And in fact the 170hp is a decent enough amount of power. So that Velvet Blue is a good car.
^^^^ Thankyou for this. My bad, was sure the 2.2 was a four for some reason.
@@JayEmmOnCars I know why; it was in the 320 e46 and most thought that was a four.
The 520 also a 2.2 litre straight six. Was silly smooth.
@@DivideBYZero69 it's more about the torque band. Power to weight the mx5 has an on paper advantage but in the real world the torque of the 6 pot manages the weight.
That Murcielago intermission, haha.
so easily could've been edited out but i love that he kept it in
That hit me deep in the feels
Intermission? WTF?
Good Lad
@@froggyreynolds4927an intermission is a pause by definition. So a murcielago intermission is a referring to the video stopping due to the presence of a Lamborghini murcielago.
"He just spent 50 quid....60 quid... good lad."
have always been a fan of the Z3 6cyl manual. ...and BTW, as you implied, driving a vehicle on public roads, and evaluating it when doing so, IS valid and makes sense to most driving enthusiasts.
The place I work at specialize in these and have some of the best examples in the country, very nice car to work on and rarely see them have any actual problems. Was never a fan really until I worked there but now I've been close up and hands on I've learned to appreciate them. Very nice car!
Where do you work Harry
@@mallardc6049 it's a BMW Specialist called Rockvale Motor Company based in Stockport, family run business since the 60's. Not been working there long but all the People are fantastic and we get some really cool cars in that you don't see anymore.
I've never been a huge BMW fan, but the Z3 has a certain charm, and you can't beat the sound of a straight six.
The shape of this Z3 is second only to the classic Jaguar E-Type. Classically sexy.
Can get a straight six in any bmw, doesn’t make the z3 special, at all.
@@fteoOpty64 not sure it's quite THAT pretty (250GTO etc might beg to differ) and I say this as a Z3 owner but I do agree the shape has aged pretty well compared with some contemporaries
I'd say the Z3 is underrated, or at least based on my 2.8 experience. It's not a car that people necessarily think of or desire, like an MX-5 below or Boxster above, yet it's a very rewarding experience. It's a heavy car, and feels that way, but with the likes of a 2.8 engine, that counteracts it. It is very mechanical and engaging, and the driver definitely feels connected to the road unlike many modern cars which feel a bit artificial. The soundtrack of six cylinder engine and nice exhaust go very well together, with again those burbles which are sufficiently noticeable but not antisocial. Running costs are surprisingly decent, in thanks part to the quality of materials. Garages comment on how the Z3 is structurally and mechanically a better quality car than the later Z4. So what's bad about a Z3? Well, it's not a dream car like some, and because they are old they have their growing list of issues, but likely no worse than many other cars at a much younger age, testament to their engineering. Arguably, little niggles add character if you're that way inclined. They're also not much fun in urban settings, due to being heavy and that big awareness that you're nowhere near exploiting its potential. The seats are lacking in lumbar support too, so not best for long journeys. Otherwise, affordable and fun.
Miss my 2.8l R reg convertible, in this day and age of cars i truly miss its simplicity, manual box and the fun that came with driving it .
About to go look at an r 2.8 tonight. Has a few issues but nothing I can't deal with and sort while owning it. Can't wait. Always wanted one. Have an e46 330i but it was never as fun as my mx5. Now that's gone the z3 seems ideal replacement.
My mother had one! Bought it from new, collected from germany and turned it on its roof! Came out pretty much unharmed a testent to how brilliant the car was
I'm really glad to see you getting some content out of this car. I enjoyed your take on it. It's a car I dismissed for a long time but I've come to see these as a worthy fun runaround.
Appreciate the quality camera angles and overall look and feel of the video…
I had a gorgeous Estoril Blue (when it was a rarity!) 2.2i - as an individual build, it also had yellow calipers and beautiful style 78 rims. A silky smooth six-pot paired with the five speed manual transmission made it a superb drive, and in all fairness, it didn't lack character. To say it's missed is an understatement.
The shooting brake version of the z3 is a great looking car
always great to wake up to a new post from you James I love your content, your voice and your attention to detail keep it up
I had a 2002 3.0 M Sport and it was a lovely car, good balanced handling and a gusty engine. One of my favs.
I have exactly one of those too, in silver. I’ll be putting it back on the road this Sunday
Love the Z3, work on one regularly, 2.8/5 and it feels so nice to drive it. Thanks for an excellent video.
Excellent job on mentioning all the engine variations!
What a great in-depth review. Great content
I can indeed confirm that the overrun burble is something that these engines did at the time from standard - my E36 with an M52B28 also had that lovely subtle overrun, and a soundtrack largely dominated by the intake noise rather than the exhaust noise (which I personally much prefer).
The Burble!!! Oh yes!
I own a 1998 with the 1.9 four cylinder engine and five speed manual transmission and I really don’t think it’s as bad as most people make it out to be compared to a six cylinder. It’s plenty of fun to drive and easier to work on than the six cylinder. If your complaint is the power then you bought a Z3 for the wrong reason.
"If your complaint is the power then you bought a Z3 for the wrong reason" - no, they just bought the WRONG Z3, they should've bought the 6-cylinder one.
@@andycalifornia426 lol okay nerd
Theres another guy who sees things like I see them. My 1997 Atlanta blue with the 1.9 has the looks of an M without the badges but I never hesitate to drive it on road trips because its a gas saver over my 528i and 330i. 4 banger is the best way to have fun with my Z3. If I want power, Ill jump into the other 2 cars.
@@likits1999 Exactly, the 1.9 definitely doesn’t deserve all of the negativity that it receives.
At that price point a NB Miata would be a better choice..similar power, "decent" interior, a low power Z3 is not the best purchase
I had a 2.8 Coupe EU specs back in the day. Loved it. Great engine. One of the most fun cars I’ve ever driven. Still regret to this day having parted ways with it!
3:38 when you KNOW that Jay is a car guy. We all would do the same thing. ✌🏻🇺🇸
Really nice and fun looking car. Nice video. Keep up the good work.
3:39 is hilarious! Thanks for not editing that part out.
That M54 3.0 engine is a fantastic unit. I have that engine in my E60 on a 6-speed manual... it's on 196k miles now and still running well.
Bought a 2001 Z3 3.0i manual two years ago with 64000kms on the clock. Love the straight-six inline sound with the accompanying pops and burbles. Recently replaced the interior leather with Nappa. Perfect car for South African weekends.
I just picked up a '99 2.8 coupe. Its a really nice one with only 80k miles. Prices are already though the roof for coupes in the US, a nice 2.8 goes for $17k-$20k, 3.0 $20k+, S52 $25k+ and S54 cars are out of this world going for $40k+ up to $90k for ultra low mile ones.
These are excellent cars and the values will only increase dramatically in the near future.
Couldn’t agree more! I’ve always thought these cars will be future classics. Just gotta pick the right one. Deffo the M coupe 3.2 is the pick! Been watching your videos for a while. Just wanted to say, I love your videos and your presenting style. Love the old top gear style you do, and the research you do. Keep up the good work! 💪
Great timing on the sonorous interlude from the big lambo.
FYI: the 1.9 8V engine was also available in the UK
Nice new camera angles.. I had a 2.8 loved it. Now have a mx5 nc love it more. Love the channel. See you in Scotland I hope in April.
I bought one of these a while back for my wife. She insisted in the Z3 rather than the Boxter S which I tried to sway her to. She loves it and I've used and e joyed it as much as her. It's just a great drive and has been super reliable.
Thanks for the video and stay safe ✌️
I have a 2002 2.2L (6 cyl) and you are right the burble from the exhaust is like a symphony. I prefer the exhaust note of my Z3 to the exhaust of my Porsche 987, and love driving both.
Jay I would imagine most that watch your reviews live in the real world and enjoy your real world opinion. I most certainly do.
I put an Eisenmann Sport exhaust on my 3.0 about 6 months ago. Awesome sound, not overly loud just a little deeper and a few more burbles.
I have a 96 1.9 and the power is enough for a joy ride, obviously you are not the fastest, but with a smile in your face who cares? The engine is also reliable with a good maintenance. The only issues with my Z3 is that the interior feels really cheap, lot of hard plastic, the roof system is manually operated and its easier to go down but the hard part is when you need to put the roof up. Great video.
It has grown on me over the years. Quite fancy a manual 2.8 or 3.0 and will be keeping an eye on local BMW specialist forecourt.
And one of these brand new in 1999 - Awesome car (until I test drove a Boxster !) but today they offer incredible value on Autotrader if you want a two seater soft top. And it was a BOND car !
Absolutely love these cars driven many but never owned one. And what a great road at 24:00 ish - used to always go out there to practice when I first got a manual motorbike at 17 because it was always quiet.
The interior on the M version is infinitely more timeless. I love the double stacked 3 circular knobs/gauges
I have one of these in Turkish Green. I love the colour choices of these vs the newer z4s
Keep it up as you do it, James.
Great video and history on the car
Very accurate description of this beast ….I had one 1997 new for about 5 years….1.9 lt woefully underpowered but yet a joy to drive…go figure…
Have read that 1.9 is best-balanced of the lot, unsurprising I suppose given this was the original engine option
Excellent segment. I drove a 3.0 back when I had just graduated high school (a salesman let me take a test drive) and I've remembered it ever since. And of course Pierce Brosnan solidified the cool factor. I sort of still want one
Good review! I have the 2.2 Sport and it’s a 6 cylinder not a 4 pot. Also worth noting the Sport model gives slightly lower suspension and bumpers. The Z3 must be one of the few remaining low priced modern classic sports cars
Because they’re shit. They’re low priced because there’s absolutely nothing special about them, at all. We’ve owned a 2.2, so I’m not just an idiot on the internet giving his opinion on something I haven’t driven.
I test drove a Z3M in Estoril Blue back in 2007 and it was very nice.
Amazing how you can just rattle off all the different specs to the Z3! Thank you!
BMW surely made some bangers in the late 90s. I know a guy who owns a Z3 M, and I hope I can get to drive it someday
The head went on my Z3 just before christmas, I was gutted. The E36 platform was the last platform from BMW that can be truly labelled The Ultimate Driving Machine. The Z3 handling is so light and responsive with so much feedback, it is a pure fun car. I've replaced my Z3 with an SLK 230 from the same time period, it is a much nicer car, but the handling isn't as much fun as the Z3.
Great video as usual Jay. Bit of an odd request on comparisons but if u could a comparison and contrast between German cars? And which is regarded as widely popular? Preferably the beamers to mercs and possibly audis. Legend mate.
As a Z3 coupe non M owner, I can't wait for a teview. Great review of a lovely car
Had the M roadster when I was only 21, funny enough i picked up a 16k mile example for only £6k!! Was cheaper to insure faster and more characterful than a used ep3 type r I was originally looking to get, bargain!!! Had it for 4 years put about 40k Mile's on it trouble free and sold it for 20k about 6 years ago one of my best motoring buys ever 😊. Only downside was it was a little walloway when getting on but none the less fun, engaging, very rare and uniquely special.
My wife had a 2000W Z3 2.8 back in 2006. Unfortunately, we decided to sell it. Wish I knew where it was to go and buy it back again. The only car we've ever regretted selling
I’ve had a 1.9 for over 10yrs es and I still love it
Test driven a few of these and been very tempted in the past (have owned multiple other rivals, Boxster, MR2, MX5s etc). I really like them - think of it like a modern Triumph TR6. Wobbly chassis yes, but feel nicely old school, fabulous engine, dirt cheap, long bonnet, great fun.
I picked up a 3.0i last year and totally agree, it may not be an Elise/Boxster on the twisty bits but I love how faithful it is to traditional roadster layout, sitting behind that long bonnet on the right road, listening to the fantastic engine note, you can almost kid yourself that you're driving an old Healey or TVR S.
The first generation wasn't supposed to get a 6 Cylinder , the reconstructed the whole rear axle (widebody) also the M44 1.9 (140Hp) has about 90kg advantage in generell and especially on the front axle which makes it more agile than the 6 Cylinder cars (less overhang weight, the engine is behind the front axle ) and it always was meant to be a fun car not a sportscar. Still good video mate ! Greetings from Austria
Great video! It's weird that you hardly seen any raced compared to e36 or 46. I bought a 2.8 5spd for $2,000 and full cage build was much easier with no roof. Just posted first track day in it!
I EveryDaily my 198kmi 2001 3.0i Z3 COUPE here in NC (not far from Spartanburg) .. It like driving to work in some idealized 1950s AC Aceca hatch with great Bristol or even an Aston soundtrack but with 250 injected HP and wider hips/tires Plus heated seats, aircon , the hatch carries my stuff and it cost me less than my brothers laptop It’s a hoot and there’s a million 3.0i m54 engines waiting to be released from imprisonment in some sad x5 if mine doesn’t quite make it to 300+kmi :)
1998 M Roadster owner here in New York. My daily driver. Highly recommended.
Excellent! Thank you
I seriously like these a lot!
I had one of those, and still miss it every day.
Enjoyed the review, what a novel concept, driving a road car at road legal speeds instead of at 110 mph on a canyon road. Good work Jay.
The pause to hear the Lambo was mint. 😁 Great review as usual, my boss drives a 3.0. I'm assuming it must be a bit of a handful in the wet. 😉
Spot on man! It seemed classic to me when it was new as a modern take on the classic British roadster. 90s BMWs are a design zenith for the company with many of the cars being great performance cars dressed in a tux. I do miss my 93 E36 with a manual trans and my 2001 330i I kinda miss, the piece of crap. I would own a BMW again in a Z3 with a M50 2.5 or or M52 3.0 six pot. Love those sixes with a manual.
I have had one since 2010, extremely reliable.
I absolutely adore my 02 M roadster, such a beautiful car and even 20 years later, I still get compliments daily on the styling! 😃🤙
The 2.8 did have a wider body compared to the 1.9 at launch. However, when the mid life refresh came along the more muscly haunches (rather than the early 2.8's wider arches) shown in your video were part of the bodyshell re-design. That also coincided with the launch of the 2.0 but included the last of the 2.8's before the launch of the 3.0. So, confusingly you can have a later bodyshell 2.8 and you can also have the lower powered models with the bulkier haunches - provide it is post-refresh.
The US 97/98 with the Aluminum block M52 is my favorite… and I just got one. Also has a Dinan Supercharger. Excited to build it up
I had a 1.9 and a 2.8 from new in period. Both were the kind of cars I just took for a drive, enjoying life with no other purpose. We took them through the continent several times, very nice tour car. I fitted quite well (6,4 high). Still to my surprise, the 2.8 is the best winter car I ever driven (on ice and snow). That is because the car was so predictable, I always new exactly where it was; when it would miss grip on the back wheels, and it was very easy to handle to get back on track. Sort of felt on with the car. I agree - you really want to drive these with the hood down.
The 2.2 litre would have been 6 cylinder im sure. Same engine fitted to the E46 3 & E395 series of that time. Never heard of a 4 cylinder version
6:20 - Every time I rewatch the video, I get a good chuckle out of this XD...
This is a great video tho James
All bmw z car costs are skyrocketing here in the United States. I got myself a 35is z4 last year... great car! Now I'm searching for one of these. In my opinion, they are a sound investment and so fun to drive.
Always liked them in green with the tan interior, and over the Z4.
Being a MB fan, I always adored these. The R170 SLK never quite reached the sportiness of the Z3.
Indeed it never did, but it wasnt meant to. Both BMW and Mercedes knew who their primary buyers of these cars were, and it certainly wasnt those with any sporting pretentions. Mercedes just placed even less emphasis on it than BMW.
I would say that this generation of SLK is the ugliest car Mercedes has ever made... including the MB 100 😀 ... but I also almost bought one used since they seem to be very cheap in Germany- about half of what a Z3 or early Z4 would cost
I love the wing mirror camera angle showing you talking. Very cool! I could never understand the clown shoe but the z3 was cool back in the day.
Clown shoe is just cool, man. Not many shooting break "sportscars" out there. Just sitting in it feels great.
I would love one of these so much
My boss had a track day converted clownshoe 2.8. Wasnt in the uk though. He also had a fully packaged Hartge Z3 M.
Delighted to see this vid, never realised you owned one of these - I picked up a Z3 3.0i (manual, facelift) last summer, wanting a usable/affordable modern 'classic' for summer fun that might also hold its value. No Elise on the bends, but I didn't expect it to be - I do like the old-school layout and roadster sensibilities, though, and the M54 engine is a peach. Even if I do keep reaching for that non-existent sixth gear. Something Healey-esque about the road presence with that burbling inline six and big bonnet up front, even if the chassis feels more California cruiser than B-road racer. Agree the shape has aged well compared to its contemporaries and have a hunch it was a decent investment but I guess time will tell...
I have a 2.8 facelift for a few years, love it. You can improve the engine noise considerably with a cone filter, you get a handful more HP as well. At 5+K rpm it sounds like an old F1! A screamer :-) -- Perhaps worth mentioning that on the 2.8+ you need to have the diff welding in the boot checked, and very likely strengthened as the spot weld give up due to the amount of torque. Any good garage will be able to do that pretty cheaply.
Whered you get your cone filter intake from?
Can I email you about this?
The tiny inline 6’s are pretty great
Happy episode this one, first time I've ever heard someone else say "Canadia"!
Great video of a future classic, how about a comparison video of the z3m, Z4m and Z4 alpina.
My wife saw the Bond firm and wanted one. She got her 1.9l auto in Atlanta Blue and she still owns it after 25 years. Also for 19 years I had the ZM Roadster but had to sell her because I could not still fit in. Must add we were lucky enough to also own a larger family car for shopping, runs to the tip and holidays. Often we would take her roadster because it was more comfortable to drive on the British roads. The M was fun for short Sunday morning drives but for bimbling around on a warm sunny day, no contest. In addition over 50,000 miles the M was about four times the cost to run.
I had the 2.8 for a bit. It was a beast, was quicker than my 225 TT. The sound of the straight six was lovely. I’d love an M but they are way out of my price range now. Canadia? 🤔😬
I just love your honesty and f**k the people that moan that your testing ROAD CARS on an actual Road....and the fact that your not always sucking up to manufacturers so you get press cars or press events....which makes you by far the most loyal, reliable you tuber with by far the most integrity....keep up the great work....your loyal fan...Joseph styles
I must admit that the Z3 is ageing gracefully as a classic, it looks beautiful and I expect prices to slowly rise as it gets rare in the future due to the large production numbers. The 2.8 (3.0 ideally) straight six will be the pick of the bunch over M version due to high running cost, the BMW 3.0 stra8 six is one of the best engines out there for economy and performance, coming from my 6 years ownership of BMW e86. Excellent content!!
You got a point, but how much do running costs matter when cars enter classic territory. Generally the do very few miles, amd these werent exactly used as mile munchers to begin with, for the most part. I suspect for most the M will still be more desirable with some margin.
I have that 2.8, the M52, in an E30. E30 is so much lighter than an e36 that engine makes it fly. I mainly saw the coupe's on the racetrack here, things cornered real good.
Loved these since goldeneye
I don’t know why people are being so critical about this car. I got two (a 1.8 4cyl and a 2.8 6cyl) of them and love both. Just a really great, fun, reliable drivers car. Relatively cheap to maintain, and most of it you can actually do yourself. Really a great daily driver for if you don’t have kids
An excellent review with all bases covered and the same conclusions as my friend who owns a Z3M. I did look at a 2.2 as it's only 20 bhp down on the 2.8 and while I can't speak for other markets, in the UK they all seem to be M54B22 straight sixes with the four cylinder cars being reserved for 1.8 & 1.9. The 2.8 though is probably the best value at the moment it's just that at 6'3" I don't know if I'd fit with the roof on.
A research error on my part
@@JayEmmOnCars Still an excellent video. Thank you.
I'm 6'3" as well and I didn't fit under the roof of a Z3 or an NC Miata (and plenty of coupes don't have enough headroom for me either...). If I could justify buying one just for the occasional, nice weather drive it wouldn't be a problem though.
Probably depends on the length of your torso vs. your legs...?
@@adamduus-boolsen2975 indeed. I'm 6' 2" and could fit in my wife's 2000 2.8 easily
NB and NA prices have crept up quite a lot in NA. Makes me start looking at these
the 2.2 was a 6-pot as well
So was a 2.0. Only 1.8 and 1.9 were 4cyl.
@@youzernejm 2.0 was a straight 6. Only 1.8 and 1.9 were the only 4 cyl. versions.
@@herrrechtschreibprufung7807 that's what I said actually
I had the car for five years a 2001 one like the one here. Never liked the interior/dash -it’s an 80s parts bin from the 3 series. They should’ve made a uniquely styled interior for this roadster. The back end has nice lines. Good video! Allan USA
I definitely want one now
Great tribute to the Z3. I agree, it is underrated, esp the 6 cyl versions. I have the 2.0, bought it new in 1999, and it was only available for a year in the UK because they made it only for a year. It is a great engine though, much better power than the 4 cyl and all the noises from the bigger versions. I didn’t feel the 3.0 was worth 11T DM more at the time. And this version should be very rare now.
i have 2.0 aswell they're great