BMW quality!

UK forum for general and technical discussion about the Z3 roadster
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lightning
Joined: Tue 27 Nov, 2007 08:15
Posts: 818

  Z3 roadster 3.0i
Location: Stockport

BMW quality!

Post by lightning »

Had my aircon serviced today as while it was still working it has not been done for at least four years.

Gas quantity was only down about 15% from full, and the car sits idle all winter. I have never had car aircon that's held gas so well. And on top of that it's fourteen years old.
TWO
Joined: Tue 05 Apr, 2011 22:04
Posts: 177

  Z3 roadster 2.2i
Location: Chelmsford

Re: BMW quality!

Post by TWO »

Hi

This is something I keep meaning to have done.......is it expensive?.............is it a quick job?

Cheers
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lightning
Joined: Tue 27 Nov, 2007 08:15
Posts: 818

  Z3 roadster 3.0i
Location: Stockport

Re: BMW quality!

Post by lightning »

It costs between £40 and £70 depending on what you have done.

Cheapest is just to top up the gas.
Or you can have all the existing gas and oil removed, the system cleared of any moisture, and refilled with gas and oil.
I just had it topped up as it was still working.
Rafolian
Joined: Wed 27 Feb, 2013 08:41
Posts: 547

  Z3 roadster 2.8

Re: BMW quality!

Post by Rafolian »

My better half's 15 year old YRis Verso and my 14 year old Renault Master haver never been regassed, and both still ice cold.
(Thank god with living in Spain!!).
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lightning
Joined: Tue 27 Nov, 2007 08:15
Posts: 818

  Z3 roadster 3.0i
Location: Stockport

Re: BMW quality!

Post by lightning »

Air con likes to be used.

I imagine in Spain it's on most of the time. I hardly ever use it in the Z3 here in the UK.
siwilson
Joined: Fri 19 Jun, 2009 09:54
Posts: 790

  M roadster S54
Location: Horley

Re: BMW quality!

Post by siwilson »

I find the A/C VERY useful for clearing misted windows in winter.
2001 M roadster S54 Laguna Seca Blue
mrscalex
Joined: Fri 13 Mar, 2015 09:14
Posts: 910

  Z3 roadster 1.9

Re: BMW quality!

Post by mrscalex »

The air-con in my 2001 2.2 Z3 works better than my 3 year old Seat Alhambra!
ImageImage
2001 Z3 2.2 Topaz Blue (Trudy) - Keeper rebuilt from a write-off
2002 Z3 2.2 Titan Silver (Cookies) - Keeper rebuilt having been bought with a seized engine
2002 Z3 3.0 Sapphire Black (Peanut) - Keeper awaiting rebuilding having been bought as an abandoned project
Plus Willy, Kodak & Maycee - All 2.2 Sport projects. Yes, 6 is a lot of Z3s :)
Always happy to try and help with spares :)
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lightning
Joined: Tue 27 Nov, 2007 08:15
Posts: 818

  Z3 roadster 3.0i
Location: Stockport

Re: BMW quality!

Post by lightning »

siwilson wrote:I find the A/C VERY useful for clearing misted windows in winter.
I don't use my Z3 in the winter!
Del
Joined: Sat 19 Nov, 2011 18:35
Posts: 2136

  Z3 roadster 1.9

Re: BMW quality!

Post by Del »

There is no doubt that at the time BMW were building the Z3, the BMW build quality was at a very high standard - many say it peaked around 15 years ago. Every component I have taken from my car seems to be of the highest quality, bolts come out and apart from light rust on their head, often look like they are fresh & new. Parts of the car almost seem overly tough/heavy and over-engineered like the boot hinges. My doors still look new and fresh inside with no rust, the carpet seems like superb quality and most of the internal trim bullet proof.

On other forums for more modern German cars all people seem to talk about are fragile oil pumps, dodgy timing chains, exploding injectors and fussy turbos. Tuning just seems solely confined to getting the car "remapped". :D
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OXO
Joined: Wed 31 Mar, 2010 08:32
Posts: 567

  Z3 roadster 2.2i
Location: France

Re: BMW quality!

Post by OXO »

Del wrote:There is no doubt that at the time BMW were building the Z3, the BMW build quality was at a very high standard - many say it peaked around 15 years ago. Every component I have taken from my car seems to be of the highest quality, bolts come out and apart from light rust on their head, often look like they are fresh & new. Parts of the car almost seem overly tough/heavy and over-engineered like the boot hinges. My doors still look new and fresh inside with no rust, the carpet seems like superb quality and most of the internal trim bullet proof.

On other forums for more modern German cars all people seem to talk about are fragile oil pumps, dodgy timing chains, exploding injectors and fussy turbos. Tuning just seems solely confined to getting the car "remapped". :D
<cough> boot welds
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lightning
Joined: Tue 27 Nov, 2007 08:15
Posts: 818

  Z3 roadster 3.0i
Location: Stockport

Re: BMW quality!

Post by lightning »

Yes, you wonder why BMW did not rectify this issue. They must have known about it, and it would have been easy to fix.
Towards the end of production they did increase the number of spot welds on the mounting bracket, which helped a bit. My late 2002 56,000 mile 3.0 has the extra spot welds and is still perfect.
My 1997 2.8 (owned in 2009) was failing at a similar mileage and had to be repaired.

It depends on how the car has been driven though, as it's the torque from the larger engines that eventually pulls the bracket away from the boot floor.
So a car that's been driven hard will be more likely to develop the fault.
Not surprisingly the Z3 M was worst affected and BMW repaired those FOC if you were lucky.
Del
Joined: Sat 19 Nov, 2011 18:35
Posts: 2136

  Z3 roadster 1.9

Re: BMW quality!

Post by Del »

lightning wrote:Yes, you wonder why BMW did not rectify this issue
Some E46 M3s also develop a similar problem although I am told it is not usually an issue with the E46 M3 convertible because of the extra, under-body strengthening.
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