S54 M Roadster Census - Please help

For the M Powered Z3 derivatives
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Gazza
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Post by Gazza »

You can send them in a PM :wink:
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AussieZ3
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Post by AussieZ3 »

What's the earliest VIN you have Neil?
Proud owner of #70 of 73 ever built RHD S54 M Roadster.

2000 Evergreen E36/8 M Coupe
2001 Imola Red E39 M5
2002 Phoenix Yellow E36/7 M Roadster
2003 Dakar Yellow E46 M3 Cabriolet
2005 Estoril Blue E53 X5 4.8is
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NorwegianBlue
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Post by NorwegianBlue »

The earliest car I have details for is 005, a Phoenix Yellow car that looks like it was a press car as the specification was a little different.

When I look at the cars I have records for it is obvious that there's some large gaps in the early VIN's the majority of cars don’t really start until VIN 024 onwards, so do they exist, were they press cars that were kept by BMW.

Having let this little project slide for some time I must admit it would be nice to fill in the gaps and get it published so it can be made use of. After all there are only 73 of them and how many contemporary cars are rarer than that?
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Jonttt
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Post by Jonttt »

Great news BMW have completed the list I supplied them confirming all VINS exterior/interior colours.

So it confirms that all 73 cars exist :thumb: .

Now because I supplied them the list of VINS from Neil (ie 73) it could be that they just completed these and there are more but given they don't exist on RealOEM I'm guessing this is the complete list.I'll query this with BMW and see what they say.

I've emailed Neil the updated spreadsheet for his records so please contact him for copies (its his list and I'm just happy to help out)

We now have colours of all 73 by VIN :D

Here are the exchange of emails

Dear Mr XXXXXX

Thank you for your email to BMW Customer Information.

Please find attached your spreadsheet which I have completed as much as I am able. I am unable to provide the chassis numbers due to security reasons, nor do I have access to the specification of vehicles and therefore also cannot advise on the roof colours.

You can contact our Vehicle Information Team on 09062090001, who will provide you with full vehicle specifications but please be advised that calls to this line will be charged at the rate of £1 per minute.

Please do not hesitate to contact me if I can be of further assistance.

Yours sincerely

BMW Group UK
Darren Hough
Customer Information Advisor
Ellesfield Avenue
Bracknell RG12 8TA

Tel: 0800 325600
Fax: 0870 5050 206
Email: customer.information@bmw.co.uk
Website: www.bmw.co.uk





________________________________________
From: XXXXXX
Sent: 04 November 2009 08:55
To: Customer Service - UK (BMW)
Subject: RHD Z3m Roadster S54 Engine Register
Dear Sir,

I am writing to enquire if BMW would be able to assist me to complete a register of S54 engined RHD Z3m roadsters.

I am a member of the most popular Z3 website in the UK (www.zroadster.net) and I together with other members on the site have been compiling a register of these particular models.

I am the owner of one of these cars (LB64032).

We are led to believe that there were very limited numbers of this particular model produced (c73) and if so would make these cars one of the rarest production M series cars.

As enthusiasts I’m sure you will appreciate that we are very keen to identify details of all 73(?) cars produced with this specification.

I have attached the information that we have currently collated. This has been a very lengthy process and has involved members contacting owners over a number of years.

Whilst I appreciate BMW have a duty to protect certain details with regards to individual cars I would like to request if it would be possible for BMW UK to help us complete our register. Ideally we would like the following information (although any would be greatly appreciated):

- Last 7 digit VIN number
- Exterior colour
- Interior Colour
- Roof Colour

Other useful information would be :

- Factory options
- Production date
- Date first registered

Our hope is that if we can compile a complete register it would add greatly to owners knowledge of these cars which we have no doubt will become classics in their own right.

Given the limited number of cars involved in this register I would be grateful to any consideration you give to this request.

Regards
Last edited by Jonttt on Wed 07 Dec, 2011 22:10, edited 1 time in total.
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Jonttt
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Post by Jonttt »

Alfie/Daz confirmed 4 Imola II Red S54's the "missing" one being the last ever made :shock:

I wondor if this is with BMW somewhere ????????

x2 red/black interior
x2 black/black
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Jonttt
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Post by Jonttt »

Oh the suspense, full run down :D

x1 Cosmos Black = 1% (black/black)

x 2 Leguna Seca Blue = 3% (laguna seca blue/black & black/black)

x3 Steel Grey = 4% (kiwi/black; grey/black; red/black)

x3 Oxford Green II =4% (x2 black/black; kiwi/black)

x4 Imloa II Red = 5% (x2 red/black; x2 black/black)

x11 Pheonix Yellow = 15% (x7 black/black; x4 kiwi/black)

x13 Sapphire Black = 18% (x9 red/black; x3 black/black; x1 blue/black)

x15 Titanium Silver = 21% (x6 black/black; x3 blue/black; x2 Red/black; x2 lagun seca blue/black; x2 grey/black)

x21 Estoril Blue = 29% (x14 blue/black; x7 black/black)
Last edited by Jonttt on Thu 05 Nov, 2009 18:57, edited 2 times in total.
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siwilson
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Post by siwilson »

I also had a result today and have mailed Neil with what I got.
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Jonttt
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Post by Jonttt »

Neil, I always assumed the first 6 (LB64000 to LB64005) were the prototypes/press cars (thats why one is Cosmos Black) but LB64001 was produced in 05/2001,is this a typo/error on the database as 05/2000 would fit in with the other 5 dates :?:
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Jonttt
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Post by Jonttt »

I'm on a roll :D

Interior colour breakdown (two tone with black)

x3 Laguna Seca Blue (4%)
x3 Dark Grey (4%)
x6 Dark Kiwi (8%)
x14 Red (19%)
x18 Blue (25%)
x29 Black (40%)
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Alfie
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Post by Alfie »

WOW...!
That's a fantastic result!
Well done!

I never mentioned it Jon, but I always thought there were five Imolas. I had sketchy details of 2 others. I guess two of the five must've been a duplicate.

Our 3 Imolas were each unique, but now we know there's definitely a fourth, we really need to know the roof colour! I hope it's Classic Red, then all four would be different! If the newcomer's roof is black, then it'll be the same combo as Charlotte.

Shame you can't get roof colours...that would **ahem** top it off....

Well done again, and thanks!

A.
:nerd:
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NorwegianBlue
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Post by NorwegianBlue »

I second that WOW!

Will catch up soon, just in the middle of the school / dance / scout / hairdresser runs :oops:

:)
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whiteminks
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Post by whiteminks »

That's fantastic guys ! :D

How marvelous to know that Sharky has 2 siblings. Each one unique because of the differing interiors. 8-)

Very well done ! 8-)
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whiteminks
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Post by whiteminks »

Just a thought............... were all of these made to order in the colours specified by the new owners or were they released and then sold as they became available?
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siwilson
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Post by siwilson »

Jonttt wrote:Neil, I always assumed the first 6 (LB64000 to LB64005) were the prototypes/press cars (thats why one is Cosmos Black) but LB64001 was produced in 05/2001,is this a typo/error on the database as 05/2000 would fit in with the other 5 dates :?:
LB64000 (April 00) and LB64001 (May 00) are shown as imports by BMW Germany and did not go through BMW UK. They may never have been in the UK and only spent time in Germany for photography or Quality control?

I thnk that between the info John got and what I got we will have a very good picture.

Si.
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Jonttt
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Post by Jonttt »

whiteminks wrote:Just a thought............... were all of these made to order in the colours specified by the new owners or were they released and then sold as they became available?
Whiteminks probably a combination of both.

There was very limited production per month so they will have been made up in the normal Z production run (ie they did not do a special run of 20 RHD ///M's)

BMW may have planned to produce so many per month (and shipped over the engines which was common to all ///M's at this stage) but given the small variable numbers of RHD ///M's I'm guessing they were made to order by either dealers for their showroom or individuals. If I was putting money on it I would guess individuals as it was a run out model for the dealers but the last month may have been different (and of course the first 6 which almost definately seem to be prototypes / press cars).

Breakdown is:

04/2000 x1
05/2000 x1
09/2000 x3
11/2000 x1
02/2001 x3
03/2001 x1
04/2001 x5
05/2001 x6
06/2001 x6
07/2001 x5
08/2001 x4
09/2001 x2
10/2001 x5
11/2001 x3
12/2001 x3
01/2002 x9
02/2002 x3
03/2002 x4
04/2002 x8

I presume the high number 01/2002 was for the new reg in 03/2002.

The high number in the last month may have been some deal BMW did with dealers to run out parts etc. they had in stock in Spartenburg ?

There is a rogue 05/2001 on Neils list that I'm sure is a typo and should be 05/2000 based on the VINS so I have corrected for the above list.
Last edited by Jonttt on Thu 05 Nov, 2009 19:26, edited 1 time in total.
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Jonttt
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Post by Jonttt »

siwilson wrote:
Jonttt wrote:Neil, I always assumed the first 6 (LB64000 to LB64005) were the prototypes/press cars (thats why one is Cosmos Black) but LB64001 was produced in 05/2001,is this a typo/error on the database as 05/2000 would fit in with the other 5 dates :?:
LB64000 (April 00) and LB64001 (May 00) are shown as imports by BMW Germany and did not go through BMW UK. They may never have been in the UK and only spent time in Germany for photography or Quality control?

I thnk that between the info John got and what I got we will have a very good picture.

Si.
Si do you think LB64001 is a typo then and is May 2000 not May 2001, this makes more sense :wink:
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whiteminks
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Post by whiteminks »

Jontt I know there were relatively few imolas but am surprised that more weren't produced? It seems a natural colour choice for a very fast sporty beast? So maybe the production of that colour was limited????

Every car I had before my Zeds was red :lol: :lol: :lol: .

I adore my steel grey but imola would have been my second choice and might even have been my first if I hadn't seen the steel grey colour in the flesh and I was speccing from new.


:wink:
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Jonttt
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Post by Jonttt »

Whiteminks, I don't think any colour was limited on the ///M's. In the USA there were special order "individual" colours produced such as Violet but given the likely "made to order" nature of the majority of the RHD ones they are all effectively "individual" (ie there were a lot more LHD S54 Z3m's produced so these were more likely to be "factory" spec).

I agree with Red generally being associated with with "Fast cars" ie Ferrari's but I think in general red is not a common BMW colour right across their model range.

I remember my brother getting one of the first 3 series coupe's in red and it seemed really really unusual. Similarly when they produced the very limited special e36 M3 (50 only) they were all Red as it was not a common colour for BMW.

It does not surpise me that estoril (specific to ///M cars), silver (very popular in the late 90's) and black (always popular) are the most common colours, followed by Pheonix which was ///M specific but more of a "marmite" colour than estoril.

Obviously I agree Red looks fantastic in the ///M body and is one of those BMW colours you can really get a deep shine on so I'm glad it was not as popular at the time as it adds to its desirability now :D
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Jonttt
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Post by Jonttt »

I'm going to be working till midnight tonight after spending so long on this spreadsheet today :D
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siwilson
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Post by siwilson »

realoem shows 640000 and 64001 as april and May 2000
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Jonttt
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Post by Jonttt »

Cool, I'm sure Neil will amend the register :rtm:

So all thats missing is:

- roof colours
- factory options (HK, Cruise, headlight washer, side airbags)
- date first registered
- original reg (they tend to go back on orig reg from private plate)
- which ones are SORN / written off / Aussiefied

Not sure how to get these but £1 premium number from work anyone (as per BMW email above) :devil: (ps post on here first if your going to try this, don't want several spending company money :D
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AussieZ3
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Post by AussieZ3 »

Great work there Jonttt!

Steel gray over kiwi would be interesting to see!
Proud owner of #70 of 73 ever built RHD S54 M Roadster.

2000 Evergreen E36/8 M Coupe
2001 Imola Red E39 M5
2002 Phoenix Yellow E36/7 M Roadster
2003 Dakar Yellow E46 M3 Cabriolet
2005 Estoril Blue E53 X5 4.8is
S54James
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Post by S54James »

Hello

So currently my Z3M is the last that we know that exists LB64133? so I wonder where 134 is? do we think it was ever manufactured?

all the best

Nick
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Jonttt
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Post by Jonttt »

Nick, it is a mystery. Given that the manufactured spec exists on the BMW system and the VIN is "live" I would guess it was manufactured.

I know some manufacturers keep the last of any model made that they produce and it tends to be the top spec model but I doubt that a RHD Z3m was the last Z3 ever made and if they were going to keep one it would almost certainly be LHD.

Would be nice to think its in a BMW storage museum somewhere but I would not bet on it. Maybe a collector. My local BMW dealer (Halliwell Jones) has one of the largest (if not the largest) indoor dealer storage area in the country and the owner "collects" certain models of BMW's with the right spec traded in. I have been shown around and there where loads of cars stored by him with dust covers on including a number of Z's.

So who knows but one things for sure if an Imola Red S54 comes up for sale that will be it (as it won't be one of the other 3 :wink: )
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S54James
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headlight

Post by S54James »

Hi

Just one quick question, what Halo light units did you use on your car?

regards

Nick
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NorwegianBlue
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Post by NorwegianBlue »

Me thinks I found your last Imola Red car :shock:

Just going through the data piecing all the blanks together and found a car that was sold by Lancaster BMW on the Isle Of Man.
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Jonttt
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Post by Jonttt »

Cool, any pics? You had better tell Alfie what colour roof it has :D
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Re: headlight

Post by Jonttt »

nickjames wrote:Hi

Just one quick question, what Halo light units did you use on your car?

regards

Nick
These

Thats actually a picture of them fitted to my old ///M :wink:

You can see them fitted to my current ///M on my journal in the gallery and instructions to fit are in the knowledgebase.

You can get the same ones for about £210ish delivered from America but you will have import duty and handling fees on top of that so I preferred to get them from a UK supplier in case of problems :wink:
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Alfie
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Post by Alfie »

NorwegianBlue wrote:....sold by Lancaster BMW on the Isle Of Man.
Yep, that is one of the two elusive examples that I mentioned earlier.
I talked to Steve (IOMRoadster) a few years ago and he told me that he knew every Zed on the Island and would certainly have been aware of an Imola ///MZ3 if it had been there. He said he knew nothing of it, so I gave up on that one.
Looking forward to hearing further details....

But in the meantime, here's a few pics of RED with IOMRoadster's absolutey pristine Imola S50.
Enjoy!

Image

Image

Image

A.
Image
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Jonttt
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Post by Jonttt »

As its a "facelift" S50 they look like twins externally :wink:
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Post by NorwegianBlue »

The IOM car was sold back in March 2004. It has a black interior and hood, as extras it had Front side airbags and a Harman Kardon Hi-Fi.

The Reg is ST02 E**

Any one know of it?
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Jonttt
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Post by Jonttt »

So it was Charlottes sister car :rtm:

The last RHD Z3m Roadster ever made :bawl:
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Post by NorwegianBlue »

All right guys I've done some tinkering on the old census and the consensus of opinion is I'm confused :?

I have managed to fill quite a few blanks and few questions have been answered but as in any research you sometimes get more questions.

So we now all 73 cars exist or did and we have colours for them all. However, some of the details I have of actual cars don't match BMW's records :shake:

So for instance on the Titanium Silver cars I have records for eight with Reg's from adverts, etc and we have eight VIN's to match them to. You'd think that was easy but the interior colours don't match :head:

I have a similar problem with the Black Sapphire and Estoril cars, the problem is they nearly all have the same interior colour so can't match them to a VIN with any confidence.

After all that the census now stands at 73 cars, but there's 29 cars with VIN's but no Reg and 18 cars I can't match to a VIN.

Curiously, I always thought it would be the early cars we would not be able to trace, however I have a good number of Y Reg cars I have no VIN for that look like they could fill those early VIN numbers :)

But let's not be disheartened, it was a good exercise and we have made excellent progress. What I will have to do in the next few days is isolate those that could be matched with a little nor no effort and see if we can pick a few more off.
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Post by Gazza »

I think it's a Top Effort with the information that's available, well done to those involved :bow
Gazza

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Jonttt
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Post by Jonttt »

OH MY GOD, there is a 74th car :shock: confirmed by BMW UK

See correspondance below, no details yet but I'm on it (hopefully)

****************************************
Darren, thank you so much for this information.

Would you be able to provide basic details of the “missing” car to enable our members to complete the register in full?

Ideally this would include

VIN (last 7 digits)
External colour
Internal colour

This is really surprising news to us as it has been believed for many years that only 73 where produced including prototypes.

Thanks to your help we now know this is not the case but we now have details missing for the final 74th car which makes our register incomplete again.

I do appreciate the time you have put into providing this information but if you could provide this missing data it really would finish the job for us after many years.

Regards

------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------


From: Customer.Information@bmwfin.com [mailto:Customer.Information@bmwfin.com]
Sent: 10 November 2009 17:31
To:
Subject: RE: RHD Z3m Roadster S54 Engine Register

Dear Mr jonttt (nice edit ;-)

Thank you for your reply.

I have checked and a total of 74 Z3M Roadsters were registered in the United Kingdom and Ireland.

Yours sincerely

BMW Group UK
Darren Hough
Customer Information Advisor
Ellesfield Avenue
Bracknell RG12 8TA

Tel: 0800 325600
Fax: 0870 5050 206
Email: customer.information@bmw.co.uk
Website: www.bmw.co.uk


________________________________________
From:
Sent: 05 November 2009 17:25
To: BMW Customer Information
Subject: RE: RHD Z3m Roadster S54 Engine Register

Darren, out of interest can you confirm that this is the complete list of RHD S54 engined Z3m roadsters ?

There are various rumours regarding prototypes and press cars but RealOEM confirms that these are the only VINS issues ie 73 being

LB64000 to LB64037 (38 cars)
LB64100 to LB64134 (35 cars)

Many thanks again
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Post by Jonttt »

AussieZ3, you'll have to change your tag again :D

Now the suspense, what colour and was it an early one with an "out of synch" VIN :?: :rtm:

NorwegionBlue, may explain one of your cross reference problems :wink:
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Jonttt
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Post by Jonttt »

I'm sure this has already been tried but for piece of mind I tried the following VINs in RealOEM

LB63999 USA 2.8
LB63998 USA 2.8

LB64038 to LB64099 non exist

LB64135 to LB64200 non exist

So what is the missing VIN :head:

Anyone wanna try LB64201 to infinity :D
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Gazza
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Post by Gazza »

As Neils first post suggests

" The cars are know as 'The 79' but we think there's only 73, so it will be interesting to see how many we can trace."

There could be more ?
Gazza

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Jonttt
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Post by Jonttt »

Gary, I think BMW's statement that there are 74 RHD registered in the UK and Ireland would sugges this is the total unless some were made for other markets which so far as I am aware is not the case ie all RHD cars were for the UK and Ireland.
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Post by Jonttt »

Quick reply back from BMW UK

********************************
Dear Mr

Thank you for your further email.

Please find attached a report showing the colours of all Z3M Roadster models registered in the United Kingdom and Ireland. There are eight models we do not hold information on as they are imported models.

I trust this data is helpful to you and hope you can complete your list for this model.

Yours sincerely
*********************************

Here is the attachment contents

E36 Z3 M Roadster S54 3.2

?
? ? 8

335 Estoril Blue
Q6ES Estoril 13
Q6SW Black 7

354 Titanium Silver
Q6ES Estoril 3
Q6IM Imola Red 3
Q6LS Laguna Seca 1
Q6SW Black 5
Q6TT Dark Grey 2

400 Steel Grey
Q6IM Imola Red 1
Q6TT Dark Grey 1

405 Imola Red
Q6IM Imola Red 2
Q6SW Black 2

430 Oxford Green II
Q6OV Dark Kiwi 1
Q6SW Black 2

445 Phoenix Yellow
Q6OV Dark Kiwi 2
Q6SW Black 9

448 Laguna Seca Blue
Q6LS Laguna Seca 1
Q6SW Black 1

475 Black Sapphire
Q6ES Estoril 1
Q6IM Imola Red 7
Q6SW Black 2

E36 Z3 M Roadster S54 3.2 Total 74

I think BMW are reluctant to give VIN numbers but of course I've sent a pretty please (begging) reply.
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Jonttt
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Post by Jonttt »

So that means the colours that "match up" with the 73 and are definately not the 74th car are:

Imola Red
Oxford Green
Pheonix Yellow
Laguna Seca Blue

The following cars must be "import" and the "missing 74th must be one of these colours (and an import?) :rtm:

x1 Cosmos
x1 Estoril Blue
x1 Titanium Silver
x1 Steel Grey
x3 Sapphire

It does not work that the first 7 or 8 VINS must be import as that would include 2 Pheonix Yellows and an Imola Red so......my head hurts :D

Edit: not sure my logic is correct above, my head definately hurts now :shock:
Last edited by Jonttt on Thu 12 Nov, 2009 08:35, edited 1 time in total.
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whiteminks
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Post by whiteminks »

Jonttt the steel grey import must be the one with the kiwi /black interior as mine has the imola/black and the 51 plate that was advertised about a year ago had grey/black. :wink:
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Jonttt
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Post by Jonttt »

Final reply from BMW UK

*************************************
From:
Sent: 11 November 2009 16:43
To: BMW Customer Information
Subject: RE: RHD Z3m Roadster S54 Engine Register

Darren, thank you yet again, I assume you can’t provide the missing VIN (pretty please)

Regards
*************************************

Dear Mr

Thank you for your reply.

Not even with a cherry on top! Due to security this is not something I am able to do but I really do wish you all the best with your register of vehicles.

Yours sincerely

BMW Group UK
Darren Hough
Customer Information Advisor
Ellesfield Avenue
Bracknell RG12 8TA
********************************

So end of trail with BMW UK, so now to BMW Germany :devil:

I'll try and sort a request out for them but my German is not too good and I'm a bit "snowed" under at the moment so will try and pull an email together next week.
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Alfie
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Post by Alfie »

Jonttt wrote:.....so now to BMW Germany :devil:
Perhaps an enquiry to Spartanburg might save any German 'lost in translation' embarrassment?

Well done once again for getting such great results.
:squeeze:

A.
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Post by Jonttt »

mmmm good idea, my american is better than my German :D

Contact made to Spartanburg Manufacturing division (gotta start somewere :rtm: ).......................
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siwilson
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Post by siwilson »

FWIW, the colour/VIN info I got from my local dealer came from the German mainframe. He switched to this because the first two (import) VINs did not show up on the BMW UK system.

I can go ask tomorrow if you like, but would need some data to go on. what info do we have about this missiong VIN?

Si.
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Jonttt
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Post by Jonttt »

Erm nothing at all :shock: thats the problem

It does not make sense that it exists unless its VIN is totally out of synch with all the others.

I've even done some searching on LHD VINS to try and find some early prototypes that may be a mix of LHD and RHD but no luck (Early LHD S54 Roadsters are in the range LJ80000 to LJ80015 (ie through year 2000)

IfI get no joy from Spartanburg I'll try Germany.
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AussieZ3
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Post by AussieZ3 »

Is it possible that a LHD car was registered with BMW UK?
Maybe an early one/demonstrator/prototype/director's car?
Proud owner of #70 of 73 ever built RHD S54 M Roadster.

2000 Evergreen E36/8 M Coupe
2001 Imola Red E39 M5
2002 Phoenix Yellow E36/7 M Roadster
2003 Dakar Yellow E46 M3 Cabriolet
2005 Estoril Blue E53 X5 4.8is
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Jonttt
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Post by Jonttt »

Aussie, at this stage anything is possible, BMW have really shaken things up just when we thought we were nearly there with the register.

I doubt it being the case though as I specifically asked about RHD cars but they did reply "registered" so I see what you mean. Given either RealOEM's database has an error or the VIN is out of sequence (and hence could be LHD) then it could be anything :head:
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Post by Robert T »

Jon, a thought just occurred to me about RealOEM - it is essentially just the BMW ETK with a web frontend - now the ETK is based on a database which you install as part of it... so if the data is in there, then it *may* be possible to find the missing VIN directly from the db. Only problem is I am lacking a windows machine with any spare capacity to reinstall the ETK on to have a play...

Cheers R.
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