M Roadster owner from tomorrow
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- Joined: Tue 15 Oct, 2013 13:36
- Posts: 119
- Location: Kent
M Roadster owner from tomorrow
So I waved good bye to my 2.8 1998 today. Sold unseen to a chap from Northern Ireland. Tomorrow I pick up a '98 S50 M Roadster in Estoril Blue, more miles, a few niggles, but more than twice as much money naturally. Have I done the right thing?
Well it was advertised on EBay and the vendor had had very little interest until I came along. The reason was partly I think that he had a racing steering wheel on it and partly because it was pictured in a rather gritty urban setting. Scant detail in the description of the sort of stuff that people on here prefer to know about.
So it's straight and clean but the vendor knows very little about it, this was worrying, but a look at the history revealed that the Vanos was replaced by Mr Vanos in 2012 very few miles ago. A BMW service log print out shows a recall for rear subframe and repairs to the diff carrier. The original steering wheel is available and can easily be (has been) replaced. It has four matching Falken tyres.
91k miles and 9 owners.
It drove well enough idled cleanly when hot and I can report that it is much faster and more, well, "planted" on the road than the 2.8.
So did I miss loads of electrics that don't work ? Are there clonks, knocks and rattles all over the place?
Watch this space. Pictures tomorrow evening.
Well it was advertised on EBay and the vendor had had very little interest until I came along. The reason was partly I think that he had a racing steering wheel on it and partly because it was pictured in a rather gritty urban setting. Scant detail in the description of the sort of stuff that people on here prefer to know about.
So it's straight and clean but the vendor knows very little about it, this was worrying, but a look at the history revealed that the Vanos was replaced by Mr Vanos in 2012 very few miles ago. A BMW service log print out shows a recall for rear subframe and repairs to the diff carrier. The original steering wheel is available and can easily be (has been) replaced. It has four matching Falken tyres.
91k miles and 9 owners.
It drove well enough idled cleanly when hot and I can report that it is much faster and more, well, "planted" on the road than the 2.8.
So did I miss loads of electrics that don't work ? Are there clonks, knocks and rattles all over the place?
Watch this space. Pictures tomorrow evening.
- Southernboy
- Joined: Thu 07 Oct, 2010 12:39
- Posts: 6437
- Location: Johannesburg
Re: M Roadster owner from tomorrow
Good luck...I'll be watching this space...
Re: M Roadster owner from tomorrow
Didn't get a chance to chat to you about you wanting a Z3M on the Kent Cruise a couple of weeks ago.
Looking forward to seeing the pictures.
Looking forward to seeing the pictures.
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- Joined: Tue 15 Oct, 2013 13:36
- Posts: 119
- Location: Kent
Re: M Roadster owner from tomorrow
Ok so I made it home in one piece and have spent the afternoon going over it.
It goes very well, starts on the button idles smoothly and quite quietly, there is a canary trapped at the front of the engine chirping away but I'm hoping a few miles will sort that out because It has barely turned a wheel recently. It took a new water pump and idler pulley to fix a similar noise on the 2.8.
Just like the green car it needs seat bushes (yes please Aceman) but the seat electrics are good and so is all the leather.
The interior is so much better than the other one all round. The dials light up but my knob doesn't so that's on the list.
I think there's a loose wire round the back of the clocks because the external temp boings around and thinks its 10 degrees.
One broken seat belt guide and the net thing is missing from the footwell.
Paint is good for age I think, one tiny rust bubble on the top of the door.
There are three rusty spot welds in the boot but no splits or cracks, I knew this but thought that the rebuilt Vanos compensated for it.
Just one key, which is annoying because the vendor said there were two. Oh and the hood is a bit tatty but works as it should.
All in all it's exactly what a wanted, a smart M with lots of little jobs to keep me interested. That is a big part of the hobby isn't it? Pics tomorrow
It goes very well, starts on the button idles smoothly and quite quietly, there is a canary trapped at the front of the engine chirping away but I'm hoping a few miles will sort that out because It has barely turned a wheel recently. It took a new water pump and idler pulley to fix a similar noise on the 2.8.
Just like the green car it needs seat bushes (yes please Aceman) but the seat electrics are good and so is all the leather.
The interior is so much better than the other one all round. The dials light up but my knob doesn't so that's on the list.
I think there's a loose wire round the back of the clocks because the external temp boings around and thinks its 10 degrees.
One broken seat belt guide and the net thing is missing from the footwell.
Paint is good for age I think, one tiny rust bubble on the top of the door.
There are three rusty spot welds in the boot but no splits or cracks, I knew this but thought that the rebuilt Vanos compensated for it.
Just one key, which is annoying because the vendor said there were two. Oh and the hood is a bit tatty but works as it should.
All in all it's exactly what a wanted, a smart M with lots of little jobs to keep me interested. That is a big part of the hobby isn't it? Pics tomorrow
- Southernboy
- Joined: Thu 07 Oct, 2010 12:39
- Posts: 6437
- Location: Johannesburg
Re: M Roadster owner from tomorrow
Sounds like you have a fair buy by your account... Yes, the canary is likely a belt tnsioner pulley... Maybe a squirt of WD40 will shut it's beak in the short term...
Let me know if you want a set of seatbelt guide fixers...I'll get them off to you... and looking forward to seeing the pictures soon too !!
Let me know if you want a set of seatbelt guide fixers...I'll get them off to you... and looking forward to seeing the pictures soon too !!
Re: M Roadster owner from tomorrow
Sound like a good purchase you've got there, look forward to the photos.
Yes, it's a bit of time since we had a good knob thread!!Thesurveyor wrote:The dials light up but my knob doesn't ...
- Southernboy
- Joined: Thu 07 Oct, 2010 12:39
- Posts: 6437
- Location: Johannesburg
Re: M Roadster owner from tomorrow
...... his knob may not light up, but I'll bet his eyes do when he sees it in his garage in the morning...
Re: M Roadster owner from tomorrow
Another gem. Brilliant
''need I remind you 007, you have a licence to kill...not to break the traffic laws''
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- Joined: Tue 15 Oct, 2013 13:36
- Posts: 119
- Location: Kent
Re: M Roadster owner from tomorrow
Here we go. I am spending a very pleasant bank holliday just fiddling with this and that on the car.
No nasty surprises yet and a squirt of WD on the idler pulley seems to have silenced the canary for the moment at least.
If any one thinks it looks familiar...... and yes I know that all Estoril Blue Ms look pretty much the same........
It used to wear the number S250 TWG. There are lots of former owners out there so quite a good chance that one of you will see this.
No nasty surprises yet and a squirt of WD on the idler pulley seems to have silenced the canary for the moment at least.
If any one thinks it looks familiar...... and yes I know that all Estoril Blue Ms look pretty much the same........
It used to wear the number S250 TWG. There are lots of former owners out there so quite a good chance that one of you will see this.
Re: M Roadster owner from tomorrow
^^ Nice looking ///M, congrats
- Southernboy
- Joined: Thu 07 Oct, 2010 12:39
- Posts: 6437
- Location: Johannesburg
Re: M Roadster owner from tomorrow
Looks like you did alright with the purchase... happy motoring.
Re: M Roadster owner from tomorrow
Very nice sounds like you have got yourself essentially a good ///M there that just needs a little TLC. You know where I am for the seat bushes and having done them before I am sure you will get them rattled off within the hour, let me know if you also need a badge refurb kit.
Aceman
Arctic Silver '98 Z3M
Previously;
Bright RED '99 Z3 2.8
Rocking seats ? You need seat bushes click HERE
Arctic Silver '98 Z3M
Previously;
Bright RED '99 Z3 2.8
Rocking seats ? You need seat bushes click HERE
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- Joined: Fri 26 Jul, 2013 09:28
- Posts: 1733
- Location: Manchester
Re: M Roadster owner from tomorrow
Welcome to the group. Looks in good shape from the pics. Boot weld will need doing asap I suggest, but the rest looks pretty mint.
Re: M Roadster owner from tomorrow
Looks a good car. I am sure you will enjoy both working on it and driving it.