My Saphire Black Z3...

Pete_M · Post by **Pete_M** » Fri 09 Mar, 2007 12:56

Well, I've had my Zed for a week now, so time for some pix... Oh, in case Muppet (who apparently is an authority on shiny things) views this I'd better apologise... I've spent quite some time driving and ...er... no time at all polishing!

Cheers,

Pete.

///M_aniac · Post by **///M_aniac** » Fri 09 Mar, 2007 13:02

Looking good. Muppet will no doubt give you advice on polishing too.

Post by **Robert T** » Fri 09 Mar, 2007 15:55

Aw, how romantic, you took your zed down to the lake for its first photo shoot!

Nice looking motor, Pete. Thanks for posting.

Cheers R.

whiteminks · Post by **whiteminks** » Fri 09 Mar, 2007 15:56

Looking good Pete.
How does it feel compared to your MR2?

Cheers P

Gazza · Post by **Gazza** » Fri 09 Mar, 2007 16:43

Nice car Pete.................I'll keep my eyes peeled for you

Gazza.

Pete_M · Post by **Pete_M** » Fri 09 Mar, 2007 17:58

Robert T wrote:Aw, how romantic, you took your zed down to the lake for its first photo shoot!

Nice looking motor, Pete. Thanks for posting.

Cheers R.

Yeah well, you know how it is... you drive around for ages in beautiful spring sunshine looking for a photo opportunity, and when you find a half-way decent one the clouds come over! Don't know about romantic, but it's better than outside my flat!

Pete_M · Post by **Pete_M** » Fri 09 Mar, 2007 18:59

whiteminks wrote:Looking good Pete.
How does it feel compared to your MR2?

Cheers P

Hmm... well Paula I don't know if your question was rhetorical or not but I'll answer it seriously. To be honest, I loved the MR2; its steering was pin-point accurate and the gear change (if you were in press-on mode) was like a lightswitch, the only limiting factor being how fast you could move your hand and feet. My Zed suffers from severe tramlining, to the extent that if you're trundling through a village street ( with maybe a few speedbumps) at about 20 mph you never know whether it's going to spit you off to the left onto the pavement or to the right into on-coming traffic. Clearly there are some major geometry changes occurring here, and I'm thinking (hoping) that maybe the wishbone bushes are shot. Well, I've got some powerflex bushes to fit, and there'll be a post about the results when done.

I'm learning to be a bit more leisurely with my gearchanges, so that's no problem at all, and the engine, well it sounds fabulous and just pulls and pulls... give me a wheelbarrow with this engine and I'd have a grin on my face!

On re-reading this it sounds as though I'm being very negative, and that isn't my intention at all. I love this car, and if I can sort out the front end it'll be unbeatable!

whiteminks · Post by **whiteminks** » Fri 09 Mar, 2007 19:08

Hi Pete,

I know a lot of people love the MR2. I have never driven one but I used to love the look of the Mark 1 and there were lots of good reports.

My Zed does tram line and it used to startle me at first, but I have got used to just giving it a gentle reminder to get back on course and it obeys

What tyres have you got? I found the Goodyear Eagle F1s have made a HUGE difference to the handling, and I feel so much more confident and in control.
My next step will be to get a front strut brace fitted but I wanted to see what difference the tyres made first.

I am sure you will get sorted, and love it once you get used to it's quirks, and adjust things to suit you?

Cheers P

Pete_M · Post by **Pete_M** » Sat 10 Mar, 2007 09:34

Yeah, my finger of suspicion is also hovering over the tyres! I've got Continental Supercontact something-or-other on the rear and Dunlop Sport Maxx something-or-other on the front; the mix 'n match approach to tyres is rarely a good thing

But there's good tread depth all round, so they'll have to wait a while! I'll go the strut brace route next if my insurer (Elephant) will accept it.

muppet · Post by **muppet** » Sat 10 Mar, 2007 09:55

Pete Zeds are bad for tramlining, I am replacing the rear bushes on the front wishbones next week , Mike Fishwick forum Guru did a thread on replacing these . It does apparently make a big difference .
The car is not too shiney but looks like a good un'. get is spruced up and post some shiney pics....Muppet like shiney things

Gazza · Post by **Gazza** » Sat 10 Mar, 2007 09:57

If the front tyres are the 8800's or is it 8080's just throw them away

Gazza.

risquenun · Post by **risquenun** » Sat 10 Mar, 2007 11:33

Pete,
I would definately change the tyres first off. My car was on Michelins (the rears I later found out were a porsche specific fitment).
The car was lethal onthe Michelins and 16 inch wheels tramlining and willing to let go at the slightest provocation even pulling away quickly on a dry road.
I put a set of 17 inch wheels on which I thought would make the car worse, but with Eagles fitted the car is totally transformed , the tramlining in less, the ride is more compliant and the car feels much safer altogether.

Les

Alex L · Post by **Alex L** » Sat 10 Mar, 2007 13:11

Pete,

I had Contis on the rear of my ///M and something different on the front and it had no ill effect, no point wasting money if yours have plenty of tread.

Elephant do allow strut braces.

Gazza · Post by **Gazza** » Sat 10 Mar, 2007 14:49

Thats why your car didnt like corners Alex

Gazza.

Geoff H · Post by **Geoff H** » Sat 10 Mar, 2007 15:18

Pete_M wrote:
whiteminks wrote:Looking good Pete.
How does it feel compared to your MR2?

Cheers P
Hmm... well Paula I don't know if your question was rhetorical or not but I'll answer it seriously. To be honest, I loved the MR2; its steering was pin-point accurate and the gear change (if you were in press-on mode) was like a lightswitch, the only limiting factor being how fast you could move your hand and feet. My Zed suffers from severe tramlining, to the extent that if you're trundling through a village street ( with maybe a few speedbumps) at about 20 mph you never know whether it's going to spit you off to the left onto the pavement or to the right into on-coming traffic. Clearly there are some major geometry changes occurring here, and I'm thinking (hoping) that maybe the wishbone bushes are shot. Well, I've got some powerflex bushes to fit, and there'll be a post about the results when done.

I'm learning to be a bit more leisurely with my gearchanges, so that's no problem at all, and the engine, well it sounds fabulous and just pulls and pulls... give me a wheelbarrow with this engine and I'd have a grin on my face!

On re-reading this it sounds as though I'm being very negative, and that isn't my intention at all. I love this car, and if I can sort out the front end it'll be unbeatable!

I too came from a MR2 but to a 2.8 and it does take a bit of getting use to the handling, its nowhere as sure footed as the MR2 even with Eagle F1's, but you soon get used to it.5 years + and I still have mine

skinny · Post by **skinny** » Sat 10 Mar, 2007 16:09

Good to see that you got the best colour

hope you enjoy cleaning

Pete_M · Post by **Pete_M** » Sat 10 Mar, 2007 16:56

Muppet, yes it was Mike F's thread that inspired me re the Powerflex bushes... I've gone the whole hog and got the E30/36 M3 offset jobbies (PFF5-303L); this might be a mistake from a diagnostic point of view since I'll be introducing a deliberate geometry change, but we'll see...

Gazza, the fronts are Dunlop SP Sport Maxx, no mention of 8800 or 8080 or 8 anything, so they ain't getting thrown!

Les, apart from the tramlining and general vagueness in the straight-ahead position, I'm actually quite pleased with the handling; there seems to be good grip generally, and once I've sorted out the initial turn-in, the balance and poise of the car is fine. I think your experience with the Michelins was something different to what I'm getting.

Alex L wrote: no point wasting money

Alex, that's the sort of positive mental attitude I like!

Geoff, yeah the Mr2 was an accomplished and underrated car in my view. But I'm getting used to the Zed and I've no regrets; if I can sharpen up the front end a bit there's nothing I'd miss, and it has so much more to offer.

Oh, and to skinny... yeah, black looks fabulous when it's newly polished, but pop down to Tescos and back and it looks like you've just done the Paris-Dakar! But I can live with that...

c_w · Post by **c_w** » Sat 10 Mar, 2007 17:13

Pete_M wrote:Muppet, yes it was Mike F's thread that inspired me re the Powerflex bushes... I've gone the whole hog and got the E30/36 M3 offset jobbies (PFF5-303L); this might be a mistake from a diagnostic point of view since I'll be introducing a deliberate geometry change, but we'll see...

Make sure you get the tracking adjusted afterwards as it will probably be out. Biggest change IMO is by fitting ///M top mounts which are about £65 each from a BMW dealer. These do fit a non-M Z3 strut fine but the only problem is that sometimes the spring can rub the inner arch since it moves the strut back and very close; the Z3M springs and springpans are a smaller diameter. If you're interested in doing this at some point I have some Z3M front dampers and a full Z3M spring set spare which will fit fine.

Alex L · Post by **Alex L** » Sat 10 Mar, 2007 17:29

garythefish wrote:Thats why your car didnt like corners Alex

Gazza.

Didn't mind corners, I just entered them too fast and screeched my way round.