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M roadster

"M" Specific discussion
Simon Blythe

M roadster

Post by Simon Blythe » Sun Apr 23, 2017 9:07 am

Thanks for your input mmm-five. I'm a big fan of OEM and that's how the M or my current car would stay, it would essentially be a weekend toy. You mentioned almost everything on you car has been replaced, why is that - is there an inherent problem with the M or have you just enjoyed your car?

I know no car is infallible and I've seen brand new cars have significant amounts of trouble with engines and gearboxes etc. My E85 is relatively cheap to fix and parts prices are sensible (yes it's not a super car like an M) but forewarned is forearmed in my book.

Simon Blythe

M roadster

Post by Simon Blythe » Sun Apr 23, 2017 9:09 am

Hi Zoomer - do you have a link mate?

mmm-five
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M roadster

Post by mmm-five » Sun Apr 23, 2017 9:18 am

Simon Blythe wrote: Sun Apr 23, 2017 9:07 am Thanks for your input mmm-five. I'm a big fan of OEM and that's how the M or my current car would stay, it would essentially be a weekend toy. You mentioned almost everything on you car has been replaced, why is that - is there an inherent problem with the M or have you just enjoyed your car?

I know no car is infallible and I've seen brand new cars have significant amounts of trouble with engines and gearboxes etc. My E85 is relatively cheap to fix and parts prices are sensible (yes it's not a super car like an M) but forewarned is forearmed in my book.
Everything has been replaced either due to failures (replaced under waranty - engine at 23k, diff at 80k), due to age/mileage-related wear (clutch/flywheel, brake discs, wheels), accident damage (2nd diff, rear trailing arms, wings, doors), preventative maintenance/upgrades (cooling pack, springs, dampers, exhaust, carbon intake).

Considering mine has done a fair amount of track/hooning miles, I'm surprised the parts lasted that long.

IF I ever come to sell mine, then a potential owner only has to look at my profile/posts on here & Pistonheads to see the service/accident/driving/modification history (good & bad).
Last edited by mmm-five on Sun Apr 23, 2017 9:23 am, edited 1 time in total.
Trigger’s Z4MC
Some bits now over 163,000 miles, some less than 1,000 miles.
Individual Ruby Black, Individual extended champagne leather, plus many options

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john-e89
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M roadster

Post by john-e89 » Sun Apr 23, 2017 9:21 am

M roady...OEM CSL’s, strut brace, Remus back boxes, ZHP
MR2 MK 2
E89 35i project car...mapped 365bhp, M4 stoppers & wheels, KWV3’s, H&R front ARB, M3 front arms, strut brace Eisenmann cat back race exhaust, VRSF downpipes inbound
E89 35is
G29

Simon Blythe

M roadster

Post by Simon Blythe » Sun Apr 23, 2017 9:23 am

Are you planning on doing the crankshaft bearings? I have read they need replacing too.

mmm-five
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M roadster

Post by mmm-five » Sun Apr 23, 2017 9:38 am

Simon Blythe wrote: Sun Apr 23, 2017 9:23 am Are you planning on doing the crankshaft bearings? I have read they need replacing too.
I wasn't...until I started reading some of the recent horror stories on here :headbang:

It's not even worth just having a look to check, as you might as well do the job while your in there.

Although the £1k bill for that, as preventative maintenance, is a much better proposition than a £3k second-hand S54B32 or £6k-£10k full strip & rebuild.

There are also some parts that fail at random. A roadster might have issues with the roof if the motors never been relocated, and some cars have had loads of rear springs & O2 sensors, whilst some have had none...irrelevant of mileage/usage.

The one thing you will have to content with, purely due to age/mileage, will be corrosion/rust. I've been quite lucky as the only surface rust I had on the body was due to faulty factory paint on the rear hatch and that was fixed by BMW under warranty. The chassis/underneath is where you'll see the rest of the corrosion, but other the exhaust clamps and pipes it tends to be purely cosmetic and a stiff brush and POR15 will see to that, and I've replaced a lot of suspension components anyway.
Trigger’s Z4MC
Some bits now over 163,000 miles, some less than 1,000 miles.
Individual Ruby Black, Individual extended champagne leather, plus many options

Image

Zoomer
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M roadster

Post by Zoomer » Sun Apr 23, 2017 9:46 am

Hope this works
I think other members have spotted it as well

http://m.ebay.co.uk/itm/2007-BMW-Z4M-3- ... Ciid%253A2

:D
Sterling Grey 3.0i E85 Black Heated Leather M sports seats , 224's ,Sat Nav, Bluetooth, Xenons, PDC, Gaptech ,Cruise and a nice warm garage. NOW GONE
Silver 3.0i Z4 NOW GONE

Simon Blythe

M roadster

Post by Simon Blythe » Sun Apr 23, 2017 9:48 am

I think the only real areas of concern are the engine and box. The brakes, shocks, sensors etc are just part of owning any car and to a certain extent it's a case of "if you can't stand the heat...." It's just that engine!!

mmm-five
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M roadster

Post by mmm-five » Sun Apr 23, 2017 9:54 am

Simon Blythe wrote: Sun Apr 23, 2017 9:48 am I think the only real areas of concern are the engine and box. The brakes, shocks, sensors etc are just part of owning any car and to a certain extent it's a case of "if you can't stand the heat...." It's just that engine!!
I couldn't tell you whether the replacement engine in mine is a factory modified/later iteration with upgraded bits or not, but considering it's flawlessly done 130,000 miles vs the original's 23k, then it's either due to a modified design (VANOS bits were supposedly updated), better servicing regime, or that I'm a driving god.

My gearbox has been fine, but if anyone does need a clutch/flywheel, then ensure you get it aligned & checked to avoid the notch 1st/2nd gearchange.

Mine was not notchy before or after the clutch change...until the accident, but the insurer won't investigate it any further as they consider it a 'characteristic' of these gearboxes. I'm not surprised as they weren't expecting to have to add £3k to their final bill for the diff either. So I've got to weigh up the cost of taking it all apart again or living with the notchiness.
Last edited by mmm-five on Sun Apr 23, 2017 9:57 am, edited 1 time in total.
Trigger’s Z4MC
Some bits now over 163,000 miles, some less than 1,000 miles.
Individual Ruby Black, Individual extended champagne leather, plus many options

Image

Simon Blythe

M roadster

Post by Simon Blythe » Sun Apr 23, 2017 9:56 am

Hi Zoomer,

That's the car, it's 20 mins away from me. Dan Jones from the Z4 forum came with me to view it (he's completely rebuilt his M) his thoughts were that it's a decent car with issues that need addressing. He too noticed the passenger wing and bonnet has had paint or a light tap at some point, he also thinks it's a 8.5k max car which is interesting. He also mentioned it was originally up for 11k 6 months ago.

Simon Blythe

M roadster

Post by Simon Blythe » Sun Apr 23, 2017 10:00 am

I thought £600 for a clutch and dual mass flywheel was enough for an E85 was enough :)

On a serious note, it's the cost of owning a super car - it's just factoring everything in beforehand.

mmm-five
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M roadster

Post by mmm-five » Sun Apr 23, 2017 10:04 am

Simon Blythe wrote: Sun Apr 23, 2017 9:56 am Hi Zoomer,

That's the car, it's 20 mins away from me. Dan Jones from the Z4 forum came with me to view it (he's completely rebuilt his M) his thoughts were that it's a decent car with issues that need addressing. He too noticed the passenger wing and bonnet has had paint or a light tap at some point, he also thinks it's a 8.5k max car which is interesting. He also mentioned it was originally up for 11k 6 months ago.
Is that because it's up for £9.5k and needs £1k of work, or that the value of a decent ZMR with 130k miles is only £8.5k?

If I was selling, then I'd be pointing out that there's nothing 'broken' on the car and that it's already been reduced to take 'whatever' into account.

However, if I was buying, I'd want to factor in the cost of doing an Insp2 (for peace of mind) and renew discs/pads if they're not recent. I did a very similar thing with the Alfa (and every other car I've bought), and that was only a pocket money purchase.
Trigger’s Z4MC
Some bits now over 163,000 miles, some less than 1,000 miles.
Individual Ruby Black, Individual extended champagne leather, plus many options

Image

Simon Blythe

M roadster

Post by Simon Blythe » Sun Apr 23, 2017 10:11 am

The roof motor is tired and would come up but then again the battery was completely dead so to be expected. Discs are good, the engine according to Dan sounded very nice. The rocker cover gasket needs replacing as does the plug in the side of the sump. The interior needs a deep clean and, in time, the alloys will need a refurb.

Like I say I've booked a test drive so that will be an indicator of the car overall.

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Mad Professor
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M roadster

Post by Mad Professor » Sun Apr 23, 2017 12:56 pm

So your heart says yes and your head says definitely no .
Objectively I'd avoid it for sure with that history without taking the head off for a very close inspection -although on the face of it 9k seems a decent price -for that money you could buy a properly sorted lower miles 3L ,which for most of the time on our shoddy roads is a smuch fun as an M .
Spend your hard earned 9K elsewhere is my advice here .
Present : 987 Box
Past history : ,Z4MR ,Cat HPC evo , XKR , Eunos VR , Eunos VS, Westie S8 ,TVR S2 , S54 Z3MR, SL500 , TVR Wedge 4.6 , Cat Xflow , Saab 900 Turbo ,Cat VXE ,Cat BDR, Cat Twincam , Elan S3 , Haldane Healey, Lancia HF turbo

mmm-five
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M roadster

Post by mmm-five » Sun Apr 23, 2017 1:22 pm

Mad Professor wrote: Sun Apr 23, 2017 12:56 pm So your heart says yes and your head says definitely no .
Objectively I'd avoid it for sure with that history without taking the head off for a very close inspection -although on the face of it 9k seems a decent price -for that money you could buy a properly sorted lower miles 3L ,which for most of the time on our shoddy roads is a smuch fun as an M .
Spend your hard earned 9K elsewhere is my advice here .
OP already has a sorted 3.0, so it's 'just' a step up in status power that he's after I assume :P

The cam cover gasket can weep/leak if the inspections have followed my local dealers' (plural) method of reusing the gasket 'if it looks okay', or not doing the valve clearances 'if it sounds okay'. Of course, you'd never be given a reduction in the cost for these two omissions...hence the need to check what's been done afterwards (my telltales were UV ink on gaskets, air filter or dabs of superglue/epoxy on bolts).

Don't bother now that it goes to someone I trust, and I've not had a weep/leak since. He even diagnosed one when under warranty and the dealer couldn't see the issue - so I got him to fix that one even though it was under warranty.
Trigger’s Z4MC
Some bits now over 163,000 miles, some less than 1,000 miles.
Individual Ruby Black, Individual extended champagne leather, plus many options

Image

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