1997 BMW Z3

Manual

4USCJ3328VLC03665

I'm the original owner of this 1997 BMW Z3 2.8. It is in exceptional shape for a car of this era and gets many compliments. The engine runs like new. It is still super smooth and as powerful as it was new. It is a wonderful car that is so much fun to drive. It also looks great! This is due to: Having always been garaged Never driven in bad weatherNever been in an accident (and all body panels are original) This car has no door dings! (I'm one of those people that park at the back of the parking lot.) Don't get me wrong, it does have flaws. There are a number of paint chips, mostly on the front bumper, hood, and front side of the rear fenders. As you can see in the pictures, these aren't horrible scars but the paint has been around since 1997. The interior is in reasonable shape but the leather is showing age. The biggest worn part of the car was the convertible top. So, I just replaced it with a new one made from the same quality material as the original. The top came with a new rear window so the view in the rearview mirror is crystal clear. Features 6 cylinder 2.8L engine5 speed manual transmissionHeated SeatsCar Computer showing time, miles to empty, average speed, miles per gallon90,200 milesNew Convertible TopCruise ControlPower SeatsPower WindowsAir ConditioningBoston Green There are also a number of extra components that I added over the years. Here is the basic list: Upgrade Stereo $800SuperSprint Exhaust $1040Koni Shocks $750StrongStuts $400Mille Miglia Wheels $900Goodyear Eagles $800Bike Rack $500Wind Deflector $350Cup Holders $100New Top $500 Totaling Over $6000 Extras The 1997 2.8 was the first year of the 6 cylinder Z3. There were two shortcomings that were commonly talked about among the new car owners: The stereo was very minimal for a premium car. The exhaust sound was almost non-existent (or worse, it was described as sounding like a vacuum cleaner). Alpine Stereo (and Roll-bars) There isn't much room to add extra stereo gear in a Z3. The trunk is small already and there just aren't many places to put an amp. A subwoofer is a really nice addition but again there isn't much room. What I decided on was a basic head unit from Alpine that had decent power output, a subwoofer pre-amplifier output, and an IPod connector. I then replaced the storage unit behind the seats with a custom subwoofer enclosure that fits inside the BMW trim. As part of this work, I also added roll-bars to the car as they were not included until the 1998 model year. The roll-bars integrate with the subwoofer enclosure. The subwoofer is powered by a small amp that is inside the subwoofer area and out of sight. I also added two rear speakers and upgraded the front speakers to separate midrange and tweeter combos for a total of 7 speakers in the car. It sounds really nice with the top up and still good with the top down. The iPod connector is in the middle console. The iPod is hidden inside the covered section. Supersprint Exhaust System I researched exhaust systems for the Z3 to see what others were saying and buying and finally decided on the Supersprint. This is a high quality stainless exhaust system that sounds wonderful on the car. It really sounds like a sports car but without being horribly loud. You can hear examples on youtube by searching for SuperSprint and Z3. Suspension and Chassis After I drove the car for a while, I decided I also wanted mine to have a more aggressive feel. On the advice of my local BMW shop, I had all the struts and shocks replaced with Koni Yellows. These are very high quality and carry a lifetime warranty. The ride is still good and the look of the car changed as it lowered about a half inch. The car became much more fun to drive with the new shocks and struts. The Z3 chassis is pretty soft in turns as is common with many convertibles. Several companies make stiffening bars that allow the car to corner much more tightly than stock. I added StrongStrut brand front and rear bars. This setup combined with the Koni shocks makes the car handle wonderfully. I live in Colorado and it is really a blast to drive the Z3 through the twisty mountain roads. Wheels The stock wheels were small by today's standards - only 16 inch diameter. I looked at a lot of wheels and finally picked the Mille Miglia. They are similar to the stock look but really add a new visual dimension. Tires To fit the larger wheels and track, I went with Goodyear Eagles. These are a premium tire that offer excellent handling. Bike Rack One thing I really like to do is bike ride so I had to figure out how to get a bike rack on the Z3 without damaging the look or the paint. What I found was a hidden receiver hitch and rack setup. The rack holds two bikes when installed but when removed shows no trace of a bike rack or hitch. Wind Screen and Console Two more features I eventually added were the wind screen and a center console. The Z3 can be a pretty windy car to drive with the top down especially at highway speeds. The wind screen really controls the buffeting so the wind is no problem at all. The wind screen is made of soft mesh and vinyl and can be removed and stored easily. The console was a must-have because the Z3 does not come with cup holders. I didn't last long as a new Z3 owner without the console so I would have a place to put a cup of coffee. Keyless Entry As keyless entry became more of a standard, I decided to upgrade the Z3 as it came 'keyless ready'. I added an aftermarket unit that unlocks/locks both doors and the trunk. It uses a typical key fob controller.On May-10-12 at 20:20:33 PDT, seller added the following information: Several people requested any maintenance history records. I don't have receipts for all. Some dates are taken from our bank statements and marked with NR for No Receipt. 5/12/97 Oil Change Ralph Schomp 9/11/98 Oil Change Ralph Schomp BMW NR 7/27/99 Oil Change Gebhardt BMW 11/18/99 Oil Change - 30K service 1/8/00 Oil Change Advance Auto Parts NR 5/17/01 Oil Change Gebhardt BMW 4/6/02 Oil Change Ralph Schomp BMW NR 3/4/03 Installed Porterfield front brake pads BimmerHaus 4/21/03 Installed Koni Suspension Kit BimmerHaus 5/2/03 Oil Change BimmerHaus NR 8/6/03 Replaced A/C Compressor Gebhardt BMW 2/18/04 Goodyear Eagle Tires 5/12/04 Installed SuperSprint Muffler BimmerHaus 5/26/04 Oil Change BimmerHaus NR 2/4/05 Oil Change BimmerHaus NR 5/25/05 Serpentine Belt and Water Pump Replaced BimmerHaus 4/19/06 Oil Change, New Spark Plugs, Brake Fluid Flush/Replace, Differential Flush/Replace BimmerHaus 1/31/07 Oil Change BimmerHaus NR 1/13/08 Oil Change Advance Auto Parts NR 3/15/09 Oil ChangeAdvance Auto Parts NR 2/2/10 Oil Change Gebhardt BMW NR 4/9/2011 New Battery 5/20/11 Oil Change Gebhardt BMW NR 5/11/12 Oil Change Gebhard BMW