Reviewing a BMW Z3 During a Storm - What Could Possibly Go Wrong?

My friend's bought his "girlfriend" a new car for the summer.
It isn't summer. He asked me if I wanted to drive it before he had it made all pretty. So, with storm warnings on the news I decided to take a RWD sports car out for a test drive.
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eepurl.com/bTMtcf

[@briandechant972]

In the middle of a 20 year marriage and a midlife crisis, my wife walked out on me. I bought me a 09 Z4 E89. Wish the nag left me 10 years sooner. Driving it puts a smile on my face better than she ever could.

[@Sensei_Gaz]

just got one myself whilst recovering from a very abusive engagement. she wouldnt of wanted me to have it so it brings me a lot of joy

[@Kref3]

Did not go through the end of a nasty breakup, but - just to live the cliche - I signed the purchase contract of a at that time 5 year old E89 35i exactly on my 40th birthday. Midlife crisis? Nooooo.

[@Newfielad00]

Cant belive u didnt get a corvette lol

[@SageAhmed2222]

In same boat ish, getting divorce now and am looking for a sports car, looking between the mx5 and z3

[@gunnsmoke357]

Hell yeah.

[@BringIt96]

As a Z3 owner it is my year round daily driver! Scary at some points but it is a solid car. 20 years old and still runs smoothly

[@erendyalatorre7785]

BringIt96 same here luckily i live in san diego where it rarely rains and never snows

[@foreverrafterr5870]

Javi ayy from SD too, it rained like 3 times this year lol

[@JayEmmOnCars]

I might be in SD next year. My aunt lives in Carlsbad!

[@daniellewis1962]

Another Z3 daily driver! Top down always, am I right? If it rains the roof won't keep you dry anyways lmao

[@elijahmullins3289]

How does it do in snow?

[@superlazyorg]

I have the 3.0. I took it on a 3,800 mile trip this past summer from Denver-Seattle-SanFran-Denver and it was fantastic!

[@GravTsport]

I have a 2002 3.0i Clownshoe. After 6 years of ownership , it still makes me smile every time I drive it.

[@darbymcbride41]

"Clownshoe" I like that a lot mate, idk if that's been said many times or not, funny reading that for the first time. I'm 25 I got my 96 z3 in black/5spd... s54 block sourced locally for cheap. Z3M clone someday. Wish me luck

[@_BURRBANK777]

"i want a z3 thats a two seater boi"

[@g9icy]

You're a great reviewer JayEmm. There's a lot of Tubers these days who're about 12 years old and have no idea what they're talking about, and your style and manner is very professional and refreshing in comparison. What's interesting is how you're changing my perception of older cars. Having almost 0 knowledge of how to repair them, I almost want to go and get an old BMW and do it up as a project. I have a brand new 435d but almost regret paying so much, when I could have put some love, care and attention into an older one, saved money and still had a fantastic car. Thanks!

[@JayEmmOnCars]

+g9icy Happy to help :)

[@moviebod]

Good on ya. It is a labour of love. I am knocking on 60 and the temperature today was not however. I was under my 26 year old E34 M5 changing a fuel filter. I feel great for managing it, but didn't get as wet as Lawrie, just a bit damp.

[@waynusp1664]

Do you know why you like his "Style?"...Its mid to early 90's....Factual....with erm.....facts!

[@JayEmmOnCars]

Thanks!

[@waynusp1664]

Keep it up sir, its really nice to watch honesty for a change! good job!..subscribed!

[@theshadowloafknows8135]

14:42 - typical petrol head conversation when it's raining: "What's that warning light?" "I turned traction control off."

[@ryanshek4101]

You deserved more views and subscribers than some of the others, keep up the good work!!!

[@JayEmmOnCars]

+Ryan Shek thanks!

[@JJFPV]

Use mine every day in the UK, they're gorgeous little cars and very well built.

[@waynusp1664]

Respect...A man who knows his cars and respects his coffee...

[@dartology]

You guys are doing a fantastic job. Always entertaining, great presentation and a good range of different cars. Thanks for your work.

[@JayEmmOnCars]

+dartology Thankyou!

[@Isnt-it-Lovely]

if you learn to use that old 80's suspension in the rear very rewarding. Predictable oversteer, an enthusiast's rear suspension you could say.

[@CaptPatrick01]

Excellent roadster. Its forgotten status has given it a current price tag around _a third_ of its Miata rival from the same era. Though probably because the Miata NA is considered a classic now and is appreciating rapidly.

[@geoffreyeustis4355]

Bought a z3 last year. Fell in love with it.

[@Shinkaaaa]

I wanna know too

[@rowanford5274]

If possible i would love to see a review of its replacement, the Z4 with the 3.0 lump. Loving to show, my new favorite car channel.

[@JayEmmOnCars]

I used to own a Z4 M Coupe. Interesting car.

[@davidhammond3738]

@@JayEmmOnCars so did I..... I remember overtaking a tractor pulling a trailer of manure. I whacked it in 2nd gear and floored it. The back stepped out, I nearly lost control.... I told my wife that the smell in the car was probably from the trailer...... it wasn’t. 🤣

[@少川靖男]

I m an orig owner of a 97' z3, still driving it. believe or not , I just changed out the original spark plugs just 7 months ago, people in the shop showed me the orig plugs !! I drove my car top down in -25 c cold, with a wind breaker at the back and windows up of course, the jet stream doom allowed no cold air in...and the same in the rain as long as the speed was kept at 50 km/hr, not a drop of rain came inside. still madly in love with it. And quite likely my last car as I will be 70 in 18 months

[@kanalnamn]

The rudementary anti spinn function in the E36 generation actually makes a pretty decent job in keeping you not spinning considering what it is. You certainly won't spin from power induced oversteer, but speed induced it can't handle as simple. (Beating these several hundredsthusand kilometers (about 300kkm) and never spun on anything other than polished ice when starting in a too high gear. Then the wheels gets too mcuh momentum before the throttle is shut.)

[@johnj2781]

Great video, much prefer reviews on everyday affordable cars as opposed to rich kids with super cars

[@brandonkpalmer1737]

John J I mean I got mine for only 5 k lol and I’m not rich by any means

[@matleith]

A nice car, a nice review, shame not nice weather! Nice!

[@stingy955i]

Have a 2002 3 litre sport with only 35k miles , mint condition. Calypso red so rarer colour , won't sell it as it's fabulous. Prices will rise in the UK soon , but 10k wouldn't tempt me to part with it

[@alfonsovazquez5511]

The z3 is the car that got me into cars i remember being a little kid i was playing need for speed hot pursuit and the z3 was the beginner car i would use i had forgotten i liked them so much

[@itsalgud1459]

Only Jay would test a droptop sports car in a foot of water! Dryish? 😂

[@lewis_hughes]

More reviews of affordable sports cars please - maybe with an MR2 roadster?

[@JayEmmOnCars]

+Lewis an MR2 review is on the cards. I was scheduled to do a proper review on Lawrie's the week he stacked it

[@woodlandowl]

JayEmm on Cars my Mr2 drives fine. Had it out today.

[@velardechelo]

why z3 isnt quite popular as the miata being a better car ?? I wish the community were bigger because I love my z3 2.8 2000

[@spainter1985]

That was an awesome shot... I was wondering how far you'd go before swerving out of the puddle, but nope! Impressive. Have owned a couple of Mk1 Mx5's in the past and these Z3's seem to be pretty overlooked, that 6cylinder sounds lovely and creamy. Have to be better as a daily driver prospect.

[@woodlandowl]

spainter1985 at the time I wondered the same thing...

[@davidviner4932]

What a great review, thank you guys!

[@JayEmmOnCars]

Happy to be of service

[@09juliancarr]

The sacrifices that camera operators make.....

[@woodlandowl]

Julian Carr camera operator's who don't know that's going to happen...

[@888johnmac]

well done Lawrie.. taking one for the team

[@lozz0dnb]

I never considered one of these but i took a 3.0 Manual in P/X and im a big fan

[@AndyC3.0]

As a BMW Z3 3.0 liter owner I have to say this car is rather amazing and quite underestimated by a lot of people. This car is fast and extremely light . I've driven a current-day Mazda Miata and they're just lacking in power as they always have been. I'd put my twenty-year-old Z3 up against any current day car and feel completely confident that my Z3 would more than hold its own if not best most of them.

[@mahesh_sharma_7]

The 3.0i is the best non m engine. I have owned the 2.8, 3.0 and z3m. Best value is 3.0 as only slightly slower than the m and takes a lot less maintenance.

[@StephenButlerOne]

That weather is just another Wednesday in Wales.👍

[@charlesglass999]

Stephen Butler that sucks man there's great weather here in the us

[@StephenButlerOne]

Charles Glass you're just showing off now. Our current weather outlook is super dyer for the next few weeks lol

[@Fee.1]

Charles Glass there’s just about every variant of weather possible in the US

[@wesleygonzales2049]

Cool video. I thought that carrying a cup of coffee the whole time is a nice touch.

[@youngstayoung6633]

Hahaha he was stood there 🤣🤣🤣 thought you were guna let him get his own back for a minute there 😁😁

[@93455Driver]

Full speed ahead and forget the floods! Oh, and switch off the nannies.

[@jackc7943]

Great review, only issue, 2.8 is not the best engine. 3.0 is the best z3 engine (not including the m's)

[@ronaldsanpedro1976]

the 2.8 m52tub28 on the 98-99 z3 are quiet nice. its has dual vanos like the m54. although you can feel the weight in front with that 6 cylinder. the 1.9 4 cyl z3 is also good. not as powerful but it revs up really fast. and the handling is quite nice. plus it sips fuel. everything feels faster once you put down the top.

[@daveg8040]

Had a 2.8i Wow.. it was like a boat so should have been perfect conditions.. hard on the brakes nose dive... back on gas pointing at the clouds... try and slide the backend a little, total rebound carnage 720 spin nod at fellow witnesses.and continue the day. Dreadful even the steering wheel was vertical and huge....again boat springs to mind. Awful. Looked nice though.

[@henrykslum]

As a Z3 owner I love this carrrrr!!!!

[@ColdComrade]

I have a z3 at my house and I want to restore it because it’s a beautiful sports car and it’s just sitting in the yard

[@papatorr3669]

I'm NO expert, but I too love driving two seaters since my first car, a 1973 Triumph GT6 MK III back in '75. I pick up minor collision sporty cars. I happen to own a Miata, a Z3, and a Boxster. I understand that you can make any of these from Mild (Miata) or Moderate to Wild with enough time and money. But stock: Miata: mild/sporty economy car, just plain fun, and more fun, but no kick in the pants. Under-powered engine, vent fan, A/C, defogger, noisy, difficult phone conversations. Z3, 6 cylinder: Moderate sports car. More everything, more power, more acceleration, more features, a little quieter, better engine sounds, better daily driver; just on another level/experience. Boxster: a real sports car, slot car experience. I'd need to be off the street and on a track to go wild with this one. Pick a line around a turn or a corner and it follows it. In a highschooler sort of way, the Miata is the most "fun." The more serious the driver, the better the Boxster. For in betweeners, like me: the Z3! I have two of those and looking for a coupe next! (yes, I know the z4 is "better," I just like the Z3 looks, affordability, and "funner" handling!) I find more 200+ thousand mile Z3's than Miatas or Boxsters, it's the one drivers drive more, based on personall observation of collision and salvage vehicles. BTW: the Miata parts are a little less expensive than the Z3 parts, which are less than the Boxster parts...because they ARE cheaper! Still, I just paid $149 for a smallish run of the mill battery today... For The Miata!!! Less expensive my but, same price for same same parts. Less expensive for cheaper parts.

[@christopherlawrence8270]

2.8 do have limited slip diff

[@junedobson5776]

Hi my Z3 is S reg ,I've had her long time, I love her, then my daughter said lets test Z4, so I said ok, then I wish I hadn't , it was so nosey, I came back with headache, not for me , keeping my baby best ever,😃😍

[@ChristianArreguin]

the 3.0l versions is much nicer than 2.8l. surprising difference. the 2.8 always felt like it needed just a bit more power. that 3l is close enough to s52 levels of power without needed S52 levels of maintenance cost as its just a normal 3L. loads of fun and LSD from factory too and a better traction control system though it is a bit too aggressive on cutting throttle.

[@jonnyspeed]

Agreed. Love my '01 3.0i. I swapped to a square set of Apex Arc 8's with Pilot Supersports and it is a fantastic sports car for the road. Also, the 3.O is lighter and better balanced than the S52 M cars as it has an aluminum engine.

[@bowlingballmagic]

Christian Arreguin if your doing a dyno pull on a 3.0 what do you do with the DSC? Hold it down for a certain amount of time?

[@bowlingballmagic]

Christian Arreguin hi, I have a 2001 bmw z3 roadster 3.0i (M54)and am looking at getting a VF supercharger vortech blower 6psi boost that would take it from 225 stock to 330. Although, I have a stage 3 didnan upgrade throttle body/CAI and catback exhaust. Do you you think it’s a bad idea to drop 4,500 plus 1000 into for a super charger? What additional upgrade would I need down the line if any? I know that I wouldn’t get my money back out of the Zed, but it’s low mileage and I like the idea of a sleeper. Thoughts? Ty

[@ColonelForkEyes]

FYI all 6-cyl z3 in the UK have 25% lock-up Torsen LSD as standard from MY 1997

[@JayEmmOnCars]

+VDBSS Yeah my mistake, got confused with the later E46 based cars where only M cars got diffs

[@bowlingballmagic]

VDBSS what do you mean by 25%lock up Torsen? Ty

[@amigachris]

had a 318ti as a stop gap once - wasn't as bad as I thought. maybe i'll try a Z3

[@youngstayoung6633]

Opening shot was brilliant m8 was someone stood there filming?? Hahaha

[@hjr.holland]

Owned a Z3 1.8 for 3 years, great machine beside the fact that the roof leaked in the car wash, the heating system knew 89 settings of lukewarm and one of HOT (seird that didn’t come in your vid, it’s a known issue) and that the engine warning light up every damn month. Spent 130.000km in it in those 3 years, always with a smile 😀 So good conclusion from your brief experience 👍

[@rubenVS100]

Ooff dont bring your softtops through the carwash

[@hjr.holland]

@@rubenVS100 living life on the edge man 🤘😎

[@erendyalatorre7785]

What i found most odd was the blind spot mirror. My z3 doesnt have ny blind spots lol dont see why it would be needed

[@jacobmoya4460]

dude you are on the wrong side of the road. tryin to gove me a heart attack?

[@jamesdean8669]

I have a 1997 Z3 that I've owned for 11 years and it's still in mint condition. I usually take it out at the end of April in to May and put her in the garage at the end of October. I don't drive it in the rain but have been caught twice. Have to say it's pretty scary.. In fact, crap! Saying that, LOVE driving it in dry weather . Had a Porsche Boxter too but hated it. Bought as everyone who I know who has one speaks highly of them. Over engineered , very expensive to maintain and honestly, enjoy the Z3 much more as I find it sportier

[@ChrisLitton]

Not bad, what's the servicing like on the Z3's.

[@JayEmmOnCars]

+Chris Litton Will be same as any other 6cyl BMW of that era. I'd recommend annual/12k mile. Lots of good specialists

[@ChrisLitton]

Fair, my knowledge of BMW's are very limited. As I currently have two cars ... I would still be concerned about how reliable it would be with minimal use. Maybe if I can get my MR2 back on the road I could swap it for one, what would you recommend?

[@ChrisLitton]

If you also know someone who specialises in 4age engines, I have some un-diagnosed noises coming from my engine bay.

[@JayEmmOnCars]

+Chris Litton They are quite different cars. This Z3 was basically abandoned for five years, a basic service and a fresh battery and she is running superb

[@moviebod]

DIY like all good old BMWs

[@TheSleathable]

Zed all the way. Nothing sader than an mx5 driver

[@shngsam8777]

is the car owner alex from carthrottle? since he have an e36 m3 maybe he bought this one too

[@JayEmmOnCars]

+shng sam No a different Alex

[@shngsam8777]

i guess wrongly :) anyway thx for the really nice review , looking forward for more review vid

[@baron_von_noob3117]

I own a 2001 2.2 facelift, i had it for seven years now as a daily driver. Very reliable, i have 225 tyres at the front and 245 in the rear, and those are not cheap XD And those M54 engines love their oil when they put more mileage on, so a switch to 10w60 oil at that time is a must. And yeah, the ASC pretty much only cuts power when you're already drifting, which is quite funny, because i did manage to accidentally start a drift on a rainy saturday night, right in front of a waiting line at a nightclub, only for the ASC to kick in and gently straighten the car out. It actually made me look like a pro :)

[@damiandelapp5490]

I have the 98 m series 3.2 these are quickly becoming collected

[@thorick590]

I had a BMW Z3 3.0 that I bought new in 2000. It was a great car that I had many engaging hours in as a daily-style car (as a motorcyclist and bicyclist I spent more time on 2 wheels than 4). I was really sad to see it go in trade last year in very good lightly used shape with easily more than 100k miles of engine life left to go. I miss that car's straight 6 engine, very sweet.

[@JoseHernandez-hx6sw]

You lie 🤥

[@aqualix7642]

Excellent reveiw. I love the presentation. Best of luck this channel

[@InspirationSessions]

Nice review - I like the fact you judged what is after all a fairly old car these days on its relative merits and didn't expect it to be as stiff and fast as the latest generation of Boxsters etc. To me, these 6-cylinder Z3s are more in the spirit of old roadsters like the TR6 or even the Healey - I positively appreciate the fact they have the odd creak and noticeable scuttle shake, all adds to the feeling of immersion and connection with the driving experience which is too often dulled in this age of fully computer-assisted motoring. Also: BMW straight sixes (M54 in particular) are one of the engines we'll miss the most once we're all driving EVs.

[@starguard4122]

Dude I'm downloading this.This is a Totally Awsome Video. How many miles does this car have?

[@many4173]

I bought a 1996 new, 1.9 and still today... No regrets

[@golders99]

That is a tart's shirt. Quite like it

[@Luftwaffe1O1]

All z3s had some form of limited slip, either mechanical or a torsen, at least in the US. While the torsens arent as good as a clutch type LSD, they werent exactly open diffs.

[@Fatal_Inertia]

As a previous owner of bow a Z3 2.5 and NB MX-5, the Z3 was a superior car in almost every aspect.

[@surge88]

have owned a mk2 MX5 and the mk2 tt - around the same price range - how does it compare?

[@davep5829]

Not sure I would have driven my car through that puddle!

[@MrKeyboardCommando]

Yeah, but it wasn't his car‼️😜

[@gosportjamie]

You drowned Lawrie on "dry" land. Is that revenge for him stacking it the week you were supposed to be reviewing it? It's worth saying that the car you tested is a bit of an exception, early Z3s are notorious for water leaking inside, especially if they have the original hood as the material used in them shrinks badly on exposure to UV. A lot of aftermarket replacement hoods don't fit very well and good quality, well-fitting ones are expensive so keeping the car garaged over winter or getting a hard top is a good idea. The build quality on first generation cars can be very variable, they were built in a different factory from most BMW products we got in the UK, in the US I believe, and the earliest cars tend to be average at best and lousy at worst in terms of build quality, and abused or hard used ones can be truly terrible and often very rusty indeed. The 1.9 4-cylinder engine is not great, the 8 valve is decidedly lethargic, the 16 valve isn't a lot better and is rather raucous and neither are the best in terms of reliability and they can be expensive to fix. The straight-6 is generally a better bet but they were saddled with some of the more stupid decisions that BMW engineers took in the '90s so low mileage cars may well be a ticking time bomb waiting to explode when the well documented dodgy parts fail. Perhaps the most important thing, though, is that a Z3 is probably best for experienced and more skilled drivers, just like the E30 3-series that it shares a chunk of DNA with they can be quite twitchy getting towards the limit and can be very prone to trying to disappear into the scenery backwards, something that the MX-5 isn't inclined to do unless you're really provoking it. Plus, at the bottom end of the price range you really have to know your stuff and be incredibly picky to find a decent Z3 as there are a lot of ruined cars out there. And don't even think of buying an automatic 4-cylinder, the gearbox really is hideously bad, expensive to fix and extremely prone to dying for no apparent good reason...

[@woodlandowl]

gosportjamie Mr2 still drives. That's fine for reviewing right?

[@gosportjamie]

+woodlandowl Very slowly, which is absolutely fine for this kind of weather...

[@shahidmohammed6757]

Great review mate. I managed to get a 2002 Z3 with M Sport Pack in Estoril Blue last year for £1700 and it’s great in most conditions but especially with the roof down. Fitted a perspex wind deflector, well worth the £90 and definitely worth spending money on a custom fit half roof cover as they let in water at the point where the roof joins the body due to permeability of the rubber seal.

[@iDayno]

Will definitely reconsider an MX-5 now! More cars like this :-)

[@dachanist]

Speed is useless on public roads. You could do 110 mph test driving a cops' BMW m3 e90 with him in the passenger seat and it would be just 5 seconds of unspectacular performance. You could ride shotgun in your managers' C6 doing the same speed on a city street and again, it would be just 5 seconds of straight line speed. Speed is a one trick pony. Speed gets you killed or in jail or someone else killed. The question is how does it feel? Z3 is the only reliable and the only affordable Bond car. Z3 is very drift-able. Z3 can be maintained in your driveway or by any reasonably competent mechanic. Z3 is manual, and has analog steering. Z3 is often available in good condition from a 1st or 2nd owner. Z3 isn't dirt cheap but also hasn't gone nuts like the Boxster or the S2000. $10k USD Z3 in garage kept, summer driven, very good condition and very low miles is available and makes a lot of sense.

[@2702simmo]

Great video Entertaining 👍

[@Sanpedranoazul]

This car was the bomb, then the TT

[@Darrenhankin]

Fabby video Mr. I bought my 2.2z3 last year and absolutely love her. It was the perfect summer to enjoy. Roll on the summer of 2019

[@CarsofGlasgow]

great video, makes me miss my e85 Z4 haha

[@vwukben]

Watch out for the boot floor detaching, common problem on these which leads to the differential dragging on the floor and some expensive body repairs. These were built in the era of BMW scrimping on metal quality, similar problem with the e46 m3s.

[@RumblestripDotNet]

So to back this up on the "cheap used convertible sports cars, it's time for a 90's Boxster with the 2.5.

[@JayEmmOnCars]

+Rumblestrip.NET Good shout

[@tolga1cool]

2 grand? No. Way. The cheapest I could find is a 1997 with close to 350.000km on the clock for 6000...

[@ThungStudios]

The Miata, Z3, and MR2 Spyder are the holy trinity of affordable rwd roadsters

[@JayEmmOnCars]

+Aiden is all Knowing I would go with that

[@geoffreyeustis4355]

Don't forget the Boxster, same price range, believe it or not...

[@JayEmmOnCars]

+Geoffrey Eustis It is but those engine issues will always hang over it

[@MrBaskevin]

But the maintanance of an old porsche is not for everyone.

[@gamos6698]

Goldeneye isn’t that good

[@lucaschuele4383]

I thought every Z3 2.8 has a LSD?

[@kent570253]

I can't believe that you only redlined it once. I redline my BMW's on a daily basis.

[@Shinkaaaa]

Well, build for the Autobahn (not mainly ofc) for high rpms i guess...

[@andrewmitchell2313]

Ok, now you are being original on the tests..... likey

[@beaverman1974]

See, I was respecting your opinions till the Goldeneye comment. Anyone who knows anything about James Bond knows that Moonraker is the best Bond movie. Also as an MX5 owner I'm going to be somewhat in opposition to your comments about my beloved roadster. That said I always liked the look of the Z3 and certainly would consider one. What I want to see is stuff like boot space, engine bay, how easy is it to put the roof down and up, what's the common issues with that model etc... Can we get a part 2 for all that stuff?

[@marcoschafer4370]

beaverman1974 roof up and down? This is not doug demuro

[@geoffreyeustis4355]

Roof is super easy. Literally goes up and down in ten seconds. Boot is plenty big for a small roadster. Can fit a golf bag and a couple of briefcases. Engine bay is easy access for oil fill, dipstick, filter, belt you can even change your own spark plugs if you have a socket-set. Common issues are water pump failures and leaky radiators and shocks are usually done after 15-20 years. But overall, very reliable car. Mine is 20 years old and I have put 10,000miles on it this year without any problems.

[@Craig_Bolin]

Maintainence for my 01 2.5i Z3 is super easy for DIY. At 17 years old I am now replacing all the rubber coolant and vacuum lines that are disentigrating. I need a new door handle Mechanism and just had to replace the cam sensor. As a previous NB Miata owner as well I'd say they are both pretty similar. The miata is lighter on its feet but even my meek 2.5i is so much noticeably faster and more refined with power seats, roll bars and stereo.

[@schte1n]

More reviews like this please!

[@noecker97]

What Are You Doin?!!! You Have Quattro and You're Stuck There? LMAO...

[@gosportjamie]

Time to hoist the mainsail I think...

[@dielaughing73]

Shame he didn't have an NC Miata

[@Lineage2ErtheiaPvP]

the z3 is worst in the rain, never drive it in the rain, wtf is wrong with these dudes.

[@moviebod]

Brilliant. You are getting there (like as in someone will give you a job as an automotive tv tart)

[@JayEmmOnCars]

+moviebod That would be nice

[@midnightspecial2990]

The rattling in the back is the rear shock mount bushings.

[@radicalkonrad765]

So.......considering I live in Toronto I'm guessing I shouldn't buy this

[@danielthomas2621]

I drive a early MX-5 and I agree with some of what you say James like interior quality, but where the 5 blows the beemer away is driver feel .the 5 uses dual wishbone suspension the BMW trailing arms and the difference is worth buying the jappa the beemer is a baby GT the 5 is a sport car

[@JayEmmOnCars]

I think that's a fair assessment. I need more time with an early MX-5.

[@danielthomas2621]

JayEmm on Cars hope to see you do a review on one one day James cheers mate

[@waynesimpson2074]

Daniel Thomas; plus one for the mx5 comment, it is the most involving/engaging most feedback-iest?! :-) car for the money. JayEmm;You need to try out the Lotus from the Spy Who Loved Me, then you'd know which is the best James Bond film?

[@paulallan5517]

Liked that video guys, for God’s Sake tell your mate the 90’s are dead P.s does he want to purchase another fire engine that is far less rotten than that god awful dodge/Renault thing ! Lol

[@woodlandowl]

Paul Allan I'm a child of the 90's they're alive and well! That dodge is fine. Just the cab that's full of rot. But tell me more.

[@paulallan5517]

woodlandowl yeah I have a 1990 Volvo fl6-14, it was bastardised into a limo ( actually to a very high standard ). 4 speed alinson automatic, drop me a pm and I can give you more info.

[@becomematrix]

Great car but only cheap in the UK. Elsewhere it's still pricy. 6 cilinders starting at 8 grand.

[@JayEmmOnCars]

Unfortunately the case with many used cars - I've seen MINIs in Europe that are 5-6x as expensive as the same car here

[@becomematrix]

JayEmm on Cars nonetheless good review :-)

[@WhiteMouse77]

...people loved convertibles of 323, 325 and 328 R6 engines right for their linear torque and rew range....+ at those times cars were not overwheight yet and for summer cruising were just right on money....can you remember lightweight Z1 with magic doors? It had to be quite fun!

[@tonypp.7093]

What about a Mercedes slk of similar vintage? They are an absolute bargain now.

[@JayEmmOnCars]

+TonyP P. Good shout. The 55 in particular is a bit mad

[@Freimopp777]

first gen had "only" SLK 32 AMG

[@geoffreyeustis4355]

One problem. They only came in Automatic here in the States...

[@markbiggart1265]

You’ll get nearer 38mpg on the 2.8 at a cruise.

[@31acruz]

what a filthy car...doesn't any one wash it in 20 years???

[@DaveMenzies]

I had a Mk1 MX5 1.8 for a couple of years. Before it rusted itself to death it was without doubt the most fun car I've ever had. The company car was an Audi A4 sport (the most uncomfortable car I've ever driven - fast though) The Mazda, despite its 127K miles was totally reliable and just a pleasure to drive. It would kick its back end out at the slightest encouragement but never in a dangerous or scary way. A perfect driver's car. I replaced it with a Z3 which is a far more refined, though less fun car. It's now 20 years old and has just been sorned after the immobiliser (i think) failed leaving it unable to be opened with the key button, unable to start and with the alarm going off whenever the battery is connected. It has just over 80k miles on it. The Z3 was more of a motorway mile eater than a chuck around laughmobile. Both cars are excellent but for different reasons. If you want a big smile on your face and can find one which isn't made of rust and filler the MX5 is the one.

[@danieldelaparra7708]

What's going on there?? WATER IS FALLING FROM THE SKY!!!! (sorry, I'm from Southern California, we're not used to rain)

[@JamesDownes]

Clean that car immediately!!

[@andyjamess]

When I had my 986 3.2S all it would do was go round and round in circles. lol. kzbin.info/www/bejne/mX7ZpJqna9mejpI

[@SimonLeeds]

The TT is better but the Quattro is a faff and heavy.