Calling all non lowered Z3s without wheel spacers!

UK forum for general and technical discussion about the Z3 roadster
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Bonzo
Joined: Wed 21 Mar, 2012 21:52
Posts: 866

  Z3 roadster 2.8
Location: Norfolk

Calling all non lowered Z3s without wheel spacers!

Post by Bonzo »

Calling all Z3s without lowered suspension or wheel spacers. Please make yourselves Known!

:cheers
Last edited by Bonzo on Fri 10 Feb, 2017 20:02, edited 1 time in total.
Z3lda (Zelda), 1998 2.8, Montreal Blue, Beige Oregon leather interior and M steering wheel, Sports Seats, Wood trim, Chrome Line Interior, Centre armrest with Cupholder, Alpina Softline wheels, Chromed Angel Eyes, De- tango'd, Rear stone guards, Sport aerial, ASC front strut brace, Strong Strut Butt Strut and Body Brace, Uprated brake fluid, Yellowstuff pads 78k.
Bonzo
Joined: Wed 21 Mar, 2012 21:52
Posts: 866

  Z3 roadster 2.8
Location: Norfolk

Re: Calling all non lowered Z3s without wheel spacers!

Post by Bonzo »

Hi, I'm Z3lda. I'm an Aries and I'm nearly 19! I don't have any spacers and I haven't been lowered because I don't want to scrape my butt (struts) on the road. :roll:
Z3lda (Zelda), 1998 2.8, Montreal Blue, Beige Oregon leather interior and M steering wheel, Sports Seats, Wood trim, Chrome Line Interior, Centre armrest with Cupholder, Alpina Softline wheels, Chromed Angel Eyes, De- tango'd, Rear stone guards, Sport aerial, ASC front strut brace, Strong Strut Butt Strut and Body Brace, Uprated brake fluid, Yellowstuff pads 78k.
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Robert T
Site Admin
Joined: Mon 12 Jun, 2006 10:35
Posts: 10170

  Z3 roadster 1.9
Location: Cheshire

Re: Calling all non lowered Z3s without wheel spacers!

Post by Robert T »

Mine's standard but for retrofitted rollhoops, hardtop and multi-changer hump removal. Wouldn't have it any other way. The Sprite on the other hand...

Cheers R.

Sent from my SM-G920F using Tapatalk
Arctic Silver '99 Z3 1.9 & Black '59 Frogeye 1275cc
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NZ00Z3
Joined: Thu 23 Jun, 2016 01:26
Posts: 95

  Z3 roadster 3.0i

Re: Calling all non lowered Z3s without wheel spacers!

Post by NZ00Z3 »

Hi

Both Z3's in the garage are still running standard suspension and wheels.
Boosh
Joined: Sun 30 Nov, 2014 22:40
Posts: 324

  Z3 roadster 1.9i

Re: Calling all non lowered Z3s without wheel spacers!

Post by Boosh »

I changed original 16" wheels for 17", and don't intend to make the car any more prone to scraping by lowering it. Let alone ease of getting in and out of the car in tightish parking bays where the doors can't be fully opened. For the looks though, I might be tempted by 15mm spacers.

Boosh.
Bonzo
Joined: Wed 21 Mar, 2012 21:52
Posts: 866

  Z3 roadster 2.8
Location: Norfolk

Re: Calling all non lowered Z3s without wheel spacers!

Post by Bonzo »

I might be tempted by 15mm spacers.

Boosh [/quote]

Sacrilege! :nono

:cheers
Z3lda (Zelda), 1998 2.8, Montreal Blue, Beige Oregon leather interior and M steering wheel, Sports Seats, Wood trim, Chrome Line Interior, Centre armrest with Cupholder, Alpina Softline wheels, Chromed Angel Eyes, De- tango'd, Rear stone guards, Sport aerial, ASC front strut brace, Strong Strut Butt Strut and Body Brace, Uprated brake fluid, Yellowstuff pads 78k.
nang
Joined: Sat 25 Jun, 2016 03:27
Posts: 51

  Z3 roadster 2.8

Re: Calling all non lowered Z3s without wheel spacers!

Post by nang »

Mine's also standard.
I only sold the Spitfire and bought the Z3 as I had trouble getting in and out with a buggered knee. :x
Tony.
Flight
Joined: Mon 16 Sep, 2013 20:43
Posts: 97

  blank

Re: Calling all non lowered Z3s without wheel spacers!

Post by Flight »

Don't understand why anyone would want to lower their car, or fit wheel spacers. These cars are beautiful the way they are, and more than adequate for road use. I think they are converting an elegant car into a posers hotrod.
Flight
Boosh
Joined: Sun 30 Nov, 2014 22:40
Posts: 324

  Z3 roadster 1.9i

Re: Calling all non lowered Z3s without wheel spacers!

Post by Boosh »

Bonzo wrote:I might be tempted by 15mm spacers.

Boosh
Sacrilege! :nono

:cheers[/quote]
Sacrilege indeed, but considering that I swapped my style 55s for 89s, which were not originally available for Z3s, purists would disown me anyway... That's me added to the list of foes, isn't it? Am I getting banned? Do I have to hand the car to a higher authority? Will I get pointed at when in public? Is there some kind of penitence? What will become of me?

Boosh.
peter2b
Joined: Sat 01 Nov, 2014 18:47
Posts: 963

  Z3 roadster 2.2i
Location: cheshire

Re: Calling all non lowered Z3s without wheel spacers!

Post by peter2b »

mines a sport model so doesn't need any mods
peterz3
Bonzo
Joined: Wed 21 Mar, 2012 21:52
Posts: 866

  Z3 roadster 2.8
Location: Norfolk

Re: Calling all non lowered Z3s without wheel spacers!

Post by Bonzo »

Boosh wrote:
Bonzo wrote:I might be tempted by 15mm spacers.

Boosh
Sacrilege! :nono

:cheers
Sacrilege indeed, but considering that I swapped my style 55s for 89s, which were not originally available for Z3s, purists would disown me anyway... That's me added to the list of foes, isn't it? Am I getting banned? Do I have to hand the car to a higher authority? Will I get pointed at when in public? Is there some kind of penitence? What will become of me?

Boosh.[/quote]
I don't think my Alpina 17x8 wheels were standard, though possibly an option. The addition of the strut and body braces I fitted are also obviously not OEM equipment, but they don't alter the ride height, just the ride and handling. As for spacers, I like the line my front wheels take with the arch, and the bottom line of the rear wheels are level with the arch, but that could be due to the 8 inch width of the wheel. To me, putting spacers on the rear wheels makes the car look bow legged when viewed from the rear.
It could be a generational thing, People owning sports cars in the 60's didn't really feel the need to fit spacers or lower the ride height in classic sports cars of that era. I think Max Power Magazine has a lot to answer for! :shock:

:cheers

Bonzo.
Z3lda (Zelda), 1998 2.8, Montreal Blue, Beige Oregon leather interior and M steering wheel, Sports Seats, Wood trim, Chrome Line Interior, Centre armrest with Cupholder, Alpina Softline wheels, Chromed Angel Eyes, De- tango'd, Rear stone guards, Sport aerial, ASC front strut brace, Strong Strut Butt Strut and Body Brace, Uprated brake fluid, Yellowstuff pads 78k.
Del
Joined: Sat 19 Nov, 2011 18:35
Posts: 2136

  Z3 roadster 1.9

Re: Calling all non lowered Z3s without wheel spacers!

Post by Del »

My 1998 1.9 is standard height and the handling is good. It now has Bilstein B3 springs (Bilstein's OE replacement option), Sach Super Touring shocks and an ever increasing number of Powerflex bushes.

Lowering on the Z3 is probably more for the "look" rather than "handling".
Bonzo
Joined: Wed 21 Mar, 2012 21:52
Posts: 866

  Z3 roadster 2.8
Location: Norfolk

Re: Calling all non lowered Z3s without wheel spacers!

Post by Bonzo »

Agreed, I changed my springs, shocks, mounts. drop links and A.R.B. bushes last year ( OEM ) and noticed the difference.... It is cosmetic no doubt, but lowering and spacers to me seems like a bit of a herd instinct thing.

:cheers
Z3lda (Zelda), 1998 2.8, Montreal Blue, Beige Oregon leather interior and M steering wheel, Sports Seats, Wood trim, Chrome Line Interior, Centre armrest with Cupholder, Alpina Softline wheels, Chromed Angel Eyes, De- tango'd, Rear stone guards, Sport aerial, ASC front strut brace, Strong Strut Butt Strut and Body Brace, Uprated brake fluid, Yellowstuff pads 78k.
Howard Adams
Joined: Mon 10 Oct, 2016 15:39
Posts: 57

  Z3 roadster 3.0i

Re: Calling all non lowered Z3s without wheel spacers!

Post by Howard Adams »

Hi Guys, as you probably know when I got my Z3 (3.0i manual) it handled like a lame duck & tramlined with the best of them. So after fitting new 16inch wheels & new tyres and replacing the front (rear) arm bushes (Polly bushes), so now back to the wheels size that BMW designed the car with. Still looks good and all handeling issues gone.
The hight of the tyre wall will always effect and alter the handeling and the comfort of the ride. Big/ oversized wheels will always look smart but there will always be a compromise.
Not sure about spacers, my new wheels have a 35mm off set which doesn't need spacers.
I suspect a large percentage of Z3 are now on larger wheels.
H
4wheels
Joined: Sat 24 Sep, 2016 19:42
Posts: 83

  Z3 roadster 3.0i

Re: Calling all non lowered Z3s without wheel spacers!

Post by 4wheels »

mines a 3.0, on 15" wheels.... all drives fine, nice and slideable, 4 wheel drifting etc!
but.. they do look naff, and i want bigger brakes..... do you pick 16 or 17's?
its fairly soft in my opinion compared to my S4, but its a lighter car and they tend to be softer.
Bonzo
Joined: Wed 21 Mar, 2012 21:52
Posts: 866

  Z3 roadster 2.8
Location: Norfolk

Re: Calling all non lowered Z3s without wheel spacers!

Post by Bonzo »

I think 17" wheels are fine, they were fitted OEM to old shape 2.8s . Anything bigger to me seems to shout, "WHEELS, LOOK," and is out of proportion to the shape and size of a Z3. I recently saw a Z3 with great big wide wheels and had to laugh, it looked ridiculous, all wheels, oh, and a car! :roflmao:
Just my opinion, for what it's worth!

:cheers

Bonzo
Z3lda (Zelda), 1998 2.8, Montreal Blue, Beige Oregon leather interior and M steering wheel, Sports Seats, Wood trim, Chrome Line Interior, Centre armrest with Cupholder, Alpina Softline wheels, Chromed Angel Eyes, De- tango'd, Rear stone guards, Sport aerial, ASC front strut brace, Strong Strut Butt Strut and Body Brace, Uprated brake fluid, Yellowstuff pads 78k.
Alan W
Joined: Thu 20 Jun, 2013 10:56
Posts: 670

  Z3 roadster 2.8
Location: Bexley, Kent UK

Re: Calling all non lowered Z3s without wheel spacers!

Post by Alan W »

I've recently gone from 16" to 17" with no change in ride quality.. saying that l made sure that l bought non-XL tyres which have a softer sidewall, and the added bonus of having to buy new tyres all round means that l now no longer suffer tramlining.

I also have 20mm spacers on the rear as lve not liked how both sets of wheels failed to fill the facelift rear arches, it's a matter of personal taste and not a permanent fixture so the car can be put back to standard n about 10 mins..

16" without spacers on rear

Image

17" with spacers on rear

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1999 facelit Z3 Roadster 2.8 Auto in Cosmos Black aka 'Gloria'
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Del
Joined: Sat 19 Nov, 2011 18:35
Posts: 2136

  Z3 roadster 1.9

Re: Calling all non lowered Z3s without wheel spacers!

Post by Del »

Bonzo wrote:Anything bigger to me seems to shout, "WHEELS, LOOK," and is out of proportion
I agree, as far as I know they were never fitted with anything larger than 17 inch
Bonzo
Joined: Wed 21 Mar, 2012 21:52
Posts: 866

  Z3 roadster 2.8
Location: Norfolk

Re: Calling all non lowered Z3s without wheel spacers!

Post by Bonzo »

That's right! But I was talking about people fitting 18"-19" wheels as replacements.
Z3lda (Zelda), 1998 2.8, Montreal Blue, Beige Oregon leather interior and M steering wheel, Sports Seats, Wood trim, Chrome Line Interior, Centre armrest with Cupholder, Alpina Softline wheels, Chromed Angel Eyes, De- tango'd, Rear stone guards, Sport aerial, ASC front strut brace, Strong Strut Butt Strut and Body Brace, Uprated brake fluid, Yellowstuff pads 78k.
deni2s
Joined: Mon 25 Mar, 2013 22:02
Posts: 761

  Z3 roadster 2.8

Re: Calling all non lowered Z3s without wheel spacers!

Post by deni2s »

No spacers on my black one and it is not lowered (at least yet).
Rich-Z
Joined: Wed 07 Oct, 2015 10:37
Posts: 10

  Z3 roadster 1.9

Re: Calling all non lowered Z3s without wheel spacers!

Post by Rich-Z »

Stock ride height over here! Can't go any lower otherwise I'd scrape her belly where I live! Although the new rims with a different offset give a more sportier look (now 18" 255 previously 17" 225) love it! :) Image2017-02-13_01-54-45 by Rich Oldham, on Flickr
Image

Z3 > Miata
4wheels
Joined: Sat 24 Sep, 2016 19:42
Posts: 83

  Z3 roadster 3.0i

Re: Calling all non lowered Z3s without wheel spacers!

Post by 4wheels »

With spacers on the rear, surely this makes it tend to understeer more?
Or is it so slight you can't tell
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