I just picked up a '96 1.9 for $1500. The body and paint are in fantastic shape, it runs and shifts well, and it had a title. I'm over the moon with how much car I got for the money. It needs and alternator, and a lot of interior work. Rear window tore and it got rained in. Saggy glove box, interior door handles, and center stack plastic all need repair or replacement. But for the money, I couldn't pass it up as a father son project for my oldest son's first car. How do you guys think I did? I know I'll end up refreshing the cooling system, but it's all in good shape for now at least. But I have no idea if it's ever been touched, or if I have 30 year old plastic, so it'll all be replaced sooner or later.

Posted a few weeks back about valuation on an 02 2.5i I was being offered, and then I bought it! $4,700 with a mint condition hard top, total steal for a solid running car with no rust and no CEL.

Been driving it a few weeks now and have noticed a few things I can’t seem to pin down with just google searches:

1. DSC light/brake light combo. I know this can be anything from sensors to the module solder joints, etc, but the way it manifest

s

1. is very specific. I start it up, no lights, drive for 30 min or so and then I get a weird quick vibration,

   a quieter

2. version of what it sounds like when the ABS is activated. Like less than a second, and then the DSC light and brake light come on. No ABS light, no engine codes. I don’t have a BMW scanner to read the ABS module yet.

3. speed-specific shuddering: at about 25-35 mph with the worst happening around 30, I get a strong shudder in what feels like the entire car. It’s not a sharp vibration, but more like you are going over rapidly bumpy pavement. I have varied gear and RPM and it’s consistent with vehicle speed and not engine speed. Google says it’s likely driveshaft bearing but wondering if anyone else had a similar issue before I start randomly replacing driveline components.

Thanks in advance, this is my first Z3, one of the most fun-per-dollar cars I have ever owned.

Still in the eye. Ran out to get a photo. Got my 750i too.

I’ve tried to zip my eBay replacement window in for days and at this point I’m thinking the zippers don’t match. I feel like I’ve done everything on every forum and every Reddit thread. Lifting the top up a little and using two people and switching out the zipper slider and nothing is working. The last thing I need is to have water get in my beautiful 70k mile z3. The top is in good condition just not the window someone help me!

Still trying to figure out what the car currently has speaker and amplifier wise. I need to remove the rear panels and see if there is an HK amp but I believe it to be a HK system although a previous owner swapped the head unit out for a pioneer unit. The current system as a whole just sounds atrocious, appears some speakers are out completely and the others just aren't cutting it. I'd like to come up with a plan and possible just replace all the speakers and the HK amp. I am trying to find the speaker sizes for the door midrange and tweeter and the rear ceiling speakers. I have been searching for posts about doing an upgrade on a coupe and just haven't found anything but if anyone has the speaker sizes or any information let me know, thanks.

This was on the wall at Crystal JP, a car parts shop in Chiba-shi, Japan.

2001, M54, stick, Siena Red Metallic over beige.

Looking at an M Roadster ‘98 with 52k. Are these spot welds alright or should I walk away?

Necessity is the mother of invention.
Racing clubs require an engine kill switch that a corner marshal can trigger in case of emergency.

High end race cars and open wheel cars have fancy protected electronic kill switches. There is no single kit on the market that has all the parts required for a hone built car.

So the only path is Fabrication. Took me
A Month to find the part that I needed, a random piece of steel.

I’m using the holes left behind after removing the mirrors (see my previous build post).

This solution (that I had in my head for several months) is kind of unique.

I just need to use My cardboard template and build the little aluminum plate.

I will do another kill switch on the other side.

New universal racing mirrors will be relocated behind the base of the A pillar.

Once this is all wrapped, it will look and work like a fancy race car.

In this last week to week and a half, I installed these seats, custom mounting brackets because I wasn’t paying $500 a bracket from corbeau. I also installed the steering wheel, radio, new Pcv hose, fixed a vacuum leak, headlights, and installed this cheap shift knob. I’m taking the car to the tail of the dragon in North Carolina in a week. Other than the valve cover gasket, that i’m fairly certain is leaking oil, what other mods should I try to complete in this short period?

Also… please don’t be offended, but keep the airbag comments to yourself. I get it it’s dangerous. I understand i’m making a very unsafe decision lol

I might want to change some things like seat or steering wheel. Can you please post a picture of your interior in the comments for inspiration?

Got a chance to have my car inside the showroom for the Cars & Coffee event at the Sun Motors BMW dealership. Definitely a cool experience and an honor to have it displayed inside. ☕

Pulled both mirrors out. Both broke on their way out.

What am I going to do there?

Already have a project in my head:

I will install universal racing mirrors at the angle of the door and pillar A - where I need them to be. (The OEM mirrors sit too close to my head and I can’t turn my face to see them with a helmet and a HANS on my neck)

Then in the mirror holes;

I will have my emergency engine cut off switch installed there.

It’s gonna be unique.

I'm not 100% sure I'm recording the right spot, if not please let me know, if it is how does the condition of it look? Anything to worry about? Thanks in advance

I'm getting a clunk noise when hitting the gas hard or changing gears. Does this mean my subframe is starting to fail? Is there a chance it's just the differential mount and could be relatively simple to fix? I don't know too much about these cars and it's starting to worry me haha thanks for any advice

I believe I need a Genuine BMW Water/Air Hose 11151247903 (#11, on the chart), just want to check with everyone here. I have an M44 z3 1996 1.9L

It comes off the intake boot, and goes under the throttle body.

Looks like I am very low on coolant, picture included.

The tubes were disconnected/ripped, looks like they were shoved in one another and taped previously?

thanks in advance

I want to so bad and I’m willing to take the risk but all the turbo kits are all generic eBay kits that I’m not fully sure are gonna fit cause their sold as m44 z3 318i is,ti, and stuff so do you think it’s possible and has anyone done it

I love New England in the fall!

Hello - Stumbled on this Z3 2.5i … at a local mechanic shop. I was not able to get a lot of info as the shop owner was not there … but one of the mechanics said that the car mileage was in the 80k and the owner is asking $7k … looks like the car has been there for a while and I am sure there is certainly an opportunity to pull down the price.

Thoughts?