Why did I just buy Mrs. Wizard an old BMW Z3? What was I thinking?

What was I thinking when I bought my wife an old, used 1998 Z3? It's a BMW! I don't like BMW's?!?!?! What did I get myself into? Don't forget to check out ‪@MrsWizardsWays‬ channel for the rest of this story. 1️⃣ • Car dealer tried to sc... AND 2️⃣ • I can't believe the CA...
🎞️🚙 CAR WIZARD SHORTS ON FB: / carwizardfb 🚙🎞️
🔮🔧 AMAZON AFFILIATE STORE: www.amazon.com... 🔧🔮
🇬🇧🇬🇧 UK AMAZON STORE: www.amazon.co.... 🇬🇧🇬🇧
🧰 BENDPAK LIFTS: www.bendpak.com 🧰
👕 CAR WIZARD MERCH: teespring.com/... 👕
📷 INSTAGRAM @realcarwizard / realcarwizard 📷
🎸 MUSIC BY CLAYTON CAGLE: / claytoncalifornia 🎸

[@themechanic9226]

15 year Z3 owner here. Yours has all the common faults but it’s all easy to do even for a shade tree wrencher. I have the same GM transmission in mine and replaced the fluid with Dexron 6 and it’s done fine with that. The best thing about the Z3 is that it’s pretty much old 80s-90s tech from before BMW’s became nightmares. The M52/M54 are some of the most reliable BMW engines they ever made. You may want to look into changing the VANOS seals as they tend to dry out as well which impacts performance. Also pull up the carpet in the trunk and check the spot welds to ensure they are ok - the differential mounts to the trunk floor and if the car was driven hard the spot welds will fail.

[@oldrrocr]

Never a BMW owner, but why would BMW (or MBZ or Audi) allow this to happen? 🤔 To sell more cars?

[@randy1ization]

the DSC and ABS lights are a constant battle to keep off in these cars... other than that, fun little pocket rocket..

[@michaeld2799md]

As an E28 owner, I love these small simple BMW models. Always wanted a 2.8 Z3 growing up.

[@randy1ization]

the wheel speed sensors, magnetic rings on the hub are likely rusted and corroded,, the DSC pump is likley seized up, the DSC module is known for cracked solder joints... also sometimes the seat adjustment motor seize up.. they can be rebuilt or taken apart and cleaned. both of mine had alot of corrosion in them from the brushes , after cleaning them they work like new. to bleed the brakes you will need BMW software and a scanner. also the fan shrouds are known for cracking, I removed mine and made a custom metal shroud to protect the fan from the top. the car runs the same temp with the shroud or without it, you have to run premium gas and they have small tanks, and burn gas pretty fast. these little cars are loved by kids,, everywhere I go kids yell.., COOL CAR MAN.!! ha.,. this car will put a smile on your face and its like a little adventure every time you drive it,, its like a VERY quick , refined go cart... they are not FAST , but they are very zippy .. you can turn around on a dime, and taking corners in these cars is fun, its like they are on rails.... bought mine a 2000 z3 for 2300.00 5 years ago with 98.000 miles.. it was on marketplace, and nobody would buy it because it wouldnt start... the car had been sitting a while, and I knew that fuel pumps like to seize up on volvos and beamers if you dont use them regularly... had it towed home, and it was a seized fuel pump.. they are expensive, like 450.00 but the car runs like new.. mt car is OXFORD GREEN METTALIC 2... will paint it this fall using original color.. what blew me away is I have a neighbor, 2 miles away that has the same year, AND color Z3....

[@burntnougat5341]

M54 is a great engine can confirm. Easy to work on too. Just needs a catch can to take care of the terrible ccv design. 200k on my E46 running strong

[@robc8468]

The Z3 BMW is hands down one of my favorite sports cars.

[@brandyboutwell9388]

i bought my 1996 bmw z3 a year ago. it now has just over 15,000 miles on it. it had just under 13,000 on it when i got it. mine has the 1.9 liter engine with the 5 speed manual. such a fun little car to drive. i love it even though i am 6'4". it is much roomier than a miata.

[@sondjata]

Owner of a 27 year old, 198k mile Z3 2.8 here. Manual tranny. A little advice on the roof: If it's leaking from where the A pillar meets the window put some Vaseline on the rubber and it will seal.

[@ytcmb]

Looking to buy a 2000 z3 2.8 manual and wondered if you had any major problems

[@sondjata]

@@ytcmb Mine is a 97. The 2k one will have some differences. ie: DISA valve, Possibly double VANOS among other things. If the car you are looking at has a good service history and YOU do good service about the only real problems you'll have are: 1) coolant related issues typical of that generation. 2) Roof replacements, 3) Guibo and center support bearning. 4) Rear shock mounts.

[@WayTooManyToys]

As far as those PCV hoses and other plastic tubes, here's a little tip; order the "cold weather package" version of those hoses. They are the exact same hose but wrapped in sturdy foam insulation. The foam also protects the hoses from normal underhood heat and greatly extends their lifespan. Usually these parts are the same price as the standard bare hoses. Love the color, hope Mrs. Wizard enjoys it!

[@Curbesidewrenching]

Cold Weather Option is not available for the M52 Single Vanos. Rather it is an issue for the M52tu and M54 engines

[@burntnougat5341]

Cold weather package doesn't do squat. The fault is in the terrible PCV design. Catch can conversion is the way to go especially for M54, which is the one that has the "cold weather package"

[@WayTooManyToys]

Argh, you are correct... I am thinking of dual VANOS and the E46 versions of the motor. Haven't touched one in a few years, lost track of which do and do not. Thanks for the correction. @@Curbesidewrenching

[@AdamND701]

Wizard is doing the right thing. Complete replacement of the plastic and rubber parts.

[@fastcoffee9878]

Yes! Original owner '98 clocking 116k. Atlantau blau with tan top. We opted for the 1.9L and manual trans. Sure It isnt fast off the line but the motor is silky and loves to wind up. I did a big service for all the same under hood items about 6 yrs ago, along with a clutch and linkage more recently. This car loves carving through the twistys. Light, nimble, and still turning heads.❤

[@Mr_Bones.]

Congratulations to you and your wife! I’ve been driving my 1997 Z3 with the i4 1.9L for the last eight years. Very reliable cars. Every single thing you mentioned I’ve already replaced, especially the struts. It’s all considered standard maintenance for a 26 year old car. Luckily the parts are still available from the dealer, AutoZone, eBay, and rockauto. I’m at 170k mile’s myself. I just replaced the soft top with a GAHH top, it was $700 and took me a about 5 hours. I do all the work myself, which really keeps the costs down. On an average year, I spend about $200- $400 in parts and do the labor myself. This year I outsourced replacement of the main and oil pan seals so the average is much higher this year. Again though, I’m at 170k. Here’s a few tips to keep you Z3 running happy: Replace all the spark plugs every 30k (manual says every 100k 🤦🏽‍♂️ ), buy the OEM Mahle oil and air filter from rockauto, clean/inspect the throttle body every 15k miles (this is a huge preventative maintenance for these cars), inspect the DISA unit and if broken buy the rebuild kits available on eBay for 1/20 of a new unit price, inspect the CCV and/or replace every 50k, replace the transmission fluid every 50k, replace the differential fluid every 50k, replace the fuel filter every 30k, drain and bleed the radiator and brake/clutch fluid every two years. This is the time table I use on my Z3, and in eight years she’s never failed. Last tip is to do an extremely simple mod on the stock seats. I found the seats to be very flat and not great at keeping me in place, but there’s a simple $15 kit you can buy that will tilt the seats back ever so slightly and will really improve comfort. Google Thayer motor sports z3 seat tilt mod. The Z3 is my daily and only car, even though I’m a pilot the trunk and passenger seat fit all my work bags and all my groceries on days off. It’s an awesome little car and I’m happy your wife got a great condition one! Hope you two have a great day

[@Mr_Bones.]

Ohh, use silicate free radiator fluid. I believe it’s the same as GM DexCool. I switched to the silicate free when I bought it and didn’t have to replace the factory original water pump until it was 25 years old.

[@wagonron]

Fantastic information. Thank you. Gotta’ trust a pilot.

[@chrisb9600]

Just bought the seat mods for my 97 Z3 1.9 i've had for 21 years thanks!

[@SlimothyPlays]

What a phenomenal color, congrats Mrs. Wizard!

[@Alltracavenger]

From a purely nostalgic and sentimental perspective this is one of my absolute favorite cars. my mom had a new '99 2.8 that she just about cried when she sold it a few years later(siblings started having kids and she needed to do the grandma thing). I ended up getting an= low mileage '01 3.0 in identical spec so we could take it on road trips and make some memories; it's been a fantastic weekend car. They require some care and feeding, but nothing like newer BMWs.

[@Karl_Kampfwagen]

2001 was like, the Pinnacle Year of BMW... I know, we didn't get the M3 for the year, but the E46 platform was already in full production, and all of the issues were hammered out at that point. My 2001 325xi Touring is in fantastic shape for 250k miles, and is testament to the engineering and materials used. Perfect blend of technology and analog systems.... E36 had everything running as electric/satellite systems, which stressed the alternator, and heavily relied on a good battery. None of the newer BMW cars will ever be as good as the E46 generation

[@TheJeffcurran]

I had a 2003 Z4 for 12 years. Same color combo. Merlot with Beige. Mine had the M54 3 liter engine which was a pretty damn good engine other than that CCV nonsense. I also had a 2000 528i wagon. That had the M52-TUB engine which was essentially the same aside from a cable throttle linkage instead of an electronic throttle body, and of course it was 2.8 liters and not 3. Plastic cooling system parts were a problem. Especially the water pump impeller and the radiator side tanks, and the thermostat housing. This is BMWs best period. 1996 to 2005. My 528 and Z4 needed minimal maintenance. I only sold them because I kept them for a dozen years+. I also had a 2006 325i E90 with the N52 engine I seem to recall. Not nearly as good of a car. Being a 98, yours doesn't have double VANOS which was a good system. The GM trans was made in France.

[@ravennexusmh]

z3 is a really interesting mix of the E36 and e30 parts bin, shunted together and given a softop.

[@tjnucnuc]

I almost bought one before I got my E91. It was the first bmw I ever drove. The early inline 6 are extremely easy to work on. I was doing valve jobs and most big maintenance on them when I was 16.

[@jqentertainment6966]

We have had our 1997 2.8 since new. It has 108k miles and it was even driven in MN winters for 10 years. The car is solid and never had anything wrong with it. Just basic maintenance

[@josephkelly4893]

Those M52 engines are pure silk in the high rev range, great little modern classic BMW Mr and Mrs Wizard. Well done.

[@felixbaum48]

The BMW Z3 Was Secretly the Coolest James Bond Car. I had other 90s BMWs (e30 convertible, e34 535i, e34 wagon) and they were extremely reliable. Good luck!

[@markbennett6367]

I own a 2000 Z3 Individual, Mora metallic in colour.. I honestly can see me owning this for the rest of my life. I love it... A car which makes you smile... It's a great little 6 cylinder car

[@lirr408]

Congratulations on the new purchase and best of luck with it.

[@christopherkraft1327]

Wizard, I am totally shocked!!! 🤯 You obviously love Mrs Wizard very much to buy her a BMW!!! 👍👍🙂

[@taurota1554]

Awesome as always.Thanks for sharing and taking us along

[@Mark-ss1ke]

So glad to see you purchased a BMW !! I hope you show some videos on the maintenance being completed.

[@LexusLuvAffair]

It sure seems like this car had LOTS of deferred maintenance. What HAD been done, seems to have been piecemeal; leading me to believe the previous owner couldn't afford to properly maintain it for at least a decade. I personally run from those types of cars, but I'm not the Car Wizard either. Ha! Beautiful color though, and these cars have a timeless look. Keep us updated as Mrs. Wizard racks up the miles!

[@PlymitBoy]

So you just make stupid assumptions not based on any intuition? I love people like you. If you fix things when they break, you’ll be dealing with broken things all the time. Preventatively maintaining is rewarding in multiple ways. You are at peace of mind knowing you replaced things that were on the way out. You didn’t get rid of a car to only get another car that needs work. You aren’t breaking down randomly since you understand the work that is done and needs to be done. The value of the car is increased, which is more significant than you think when you consider that most of these cars are clapped out, get sold and only get neglected more. But what can you expect from a guy with a Lexus as his profile pic 😅

[@LexusLuvAffair]

@PlymitBoy No. I made assumptions based on the information presented. If you care to watch Mrs. Wizard's video on the car, she in fact acknowledges that the car is well behind on maintenance. Your rambling, practically incoherent brain fart about maintenance was for what? You seem awfully butthurt. BMW fanboy, perhaps? I, in turn, love people like you. Those who have terrible reading comprehension skills, apparently dislike extremely reliable car brands, and have nary two braincells to rub together. ❤️🙄

[@DJ-sr9yq]

You just described 99 percent of bmw owners 😂

[@Beer_Dad1975]

They just get to a point where they are very cheap cars to purchase, but remain very expensive to maintain - so you are spot on, people buy them thinking they are getting a bargain, and then get into trouble being unable to maintain them properly. Having said that, my sister-in-law has a 2014 Hyundai i30 she bought last year, it was perfect when she got it, but it's already in a horrific state - she's let her WOF (roadworthy) and registration (road tax) expire as it will not pass due to the issues she hasn't addressed - probably only needs a few hundred dollars spending on it to get it back to perfect again - but she's the kind of person who doesn't look after her shit - so a lot of the time it's just people not giving a fuck.

[@themechanic9226]

The tires were the giveaway. Anytime I’m looking at a used car I see what kind of tires it has. Cheap no-name tires are a giant red flag to me that the car probably wasn’t maintained all that great, as its an indication the owner either didn’t care or couldn’t afford it.

[@johnhouseholder7682]

I’m both surprised and pleased wizard,I have 2 z3 roadsters a97 and an 01 love them both.mrs wizard will love the z 3 experience mine both have over 166,000 miles still running great.thanks John from Arizona

[@Save_The_Cars]

Oh man, I just finished working on one of these that had water intrusion issues. The fuel pump had failed in it, and is accessed behind the passenger seat. The passenger seat motor was locked up and both seat rails rusted in place, so they couldn't be moved manually. In the end I had two choices: Destroy the seat, or remove the entire rear subframe assembly.. Ended up doing the latter.. even though it was all rusted together too.

[@gregh7457]

water intrusion? you mean the car was in a flood?

[@GTFour]

@@gregh7457probably roof leaked moistening the cabin

[@blaketindle4703]

I never thought I’d see the day!

[@juanmortaco831]

Looking forward to this project! This was BMWs best era period. Been a e46 coupe driver for 20 years now. Best 2 cars I've ever owned.

[@theoneandonly8567]

We've owned a E46 FL 318CI Cabriolet for a few Years. Technically are nice Cars and mostly easy to repair, but rust and seals is a big Problem.😮

[@michaelmartino5100]

Wish I had the time, knowledge and resources to take an older generally reliable car up to almost new. Really great to watch!

[@rockymtnmovies]

Loved my 1998 Z3 4 cylinder. It was great fun to drive when I was Southern Cali in the 1990s. You'll have fun Mrs. Wizard.

[@RAVAGERrules]

These are phenomenal little cars. I myself have a 1.9 Z3 and my partner has the 2.8 a lil work on taking care of the neglect upfront will provide tons and tons of happy motoring miles. I currently have a 318ti with over 235,000 miles and it still happily chugs along to this day. That M52 should be no problem at all for well over another 100,000 miles at least!

[@EndlessMoneyPits]

I don't know, Wheezard, I think you could have done better. You didn't get the M52TU (technical update) engine with dual VANOS, you didn't get the ZF transmission - you got a GM auto which kind of has a bad reputation, and there are plenty of signs that the previous owner cheaped out on this car, and that it's been sitting for a LONG TIME. At least you didn't get an M54. I wish the best for you and the Z3 but I hope you don't go back to hating all BMWs based on your experience with this car. BMW only made a few good cars, and I own one. 2000 328i with 283k miles.

[@christopherguzzi1316]

Just curious how you would know this doesn't have the M52TUB engine. I would speculate that it does based on the year and that it is a 6 cylinder???

[@brendan7632]

What’s your beef with the M54?

[@carlos-bm6658]

@@christopherguzzi1316it only has the one vanos “hump” if it was the tu it would be well there’d be no hump. If that makes sense

[@carlos-bm6658]

-\__/ single vanos \_____/ double vanos

[@mescko]

The good BMWs ended with the e34.

[@houseofno]

I completely agree with and relate to the Car Wizard's feelings about BMW. I have been a loyal BMW enthusiast since the year 2002, and despite that being the first year of BMW going downhill with their TERRIBLE E65/E66 (that's right, the truth had to be said). My first BMW was a 1981 Alpine White 320i (E21). I LOVED that car. Sadly, that car was destroyed by the flood waters of Hurricane Katrina. Buried under twelve feet (4 meters) of water, the car was beyond my ability to save. I replaced it with a 1988 BMW 750iL. A seventeen year old car at the time, I purchased it in Jacksonville, Florida and drove it all the way to Dallas, Texas without an problem. To date, it remains the most fun and most exciting road tip of my life, despite the two vehicles being at completely opposite ends of the fixability spectrum. My 1981 320i had maybe three computer chips in the entire car (the electronic clock and the aftermarket radio counts for two of those). My 1988 750iL has electronics all over the car, but still remains one of my favorite BMWs. The 1.8L M10 four cylinder mustering 100 hp and the 5.0L V12 296 horsepower technological wonder are also at opposite ends of the spectrum. I consider iDrive to be my boundary line between the BMW's I loved and the BMW's I can't stand. Can't wait to see this series of videos. Mrs. Wizard is awesome. Many of the cars Car Wizard purchases would be grounds for divorce on four wheels in some marriages, but you two are truly two peas in a pod and both of you are delightful to watch. Thankfully, this Z3 falls on the correct side of the "I love this" column. Thank you both for this video!

[@georgesmith6356]

My favorite BMW and favorite roadster of all time! Great color too

[@MrTilbin]

Thanks for adding what "lifetime" means. "Liftime" in legal speak translates to what the manufacturer considers lifetime.

[@chriscollins550]

It's kinda different in Europe as any car with around a hundred thousand miles is almost dead. So it is basically life time. We Don't really do the same mileage or distance to get some place's. In general by the time a car has done that many miles it's general rusted out underneath or in bad shape. Also in Germany they have the dac test that makes the car's road legal and this age of car is most likely not to pass that test as it can't have any rust or sharp edges on the body can't have any worn bushes and things like that. So by the time a car gets to a hundred thousand miles in the EU it's not got much life left.

[@MecanoDeLaCave]

To me, manufacturer "lifetime" really means "7 to 10 years of normal use". In some places (not sure everywhere), they sell extended maintenance up to 7 years from new, and the intervals go up to 10 years. After that, you're on your own. I own a BMW Mini (the 2000+ ones), and yeah, power steering fluid is not lifetime (you really do feel the difference when changing it), gearbox oil isn't either (just look at the oil color ...) and supercharger oil certainly isn't (mine doesn't have one, but I'd bet lots of blown R53 superchargers can be attributed to that "lifetime" lie leading to un-serviced superchargers)

[@chriscollins550]

@MecanoDeLaCave yes most people don't bother taking out extended warranty, most people will sell there car's at around 60 thousand and above to people who can't afford a new one and they will just run them into the ground properly only do what's needed to pass there road test to make them legal and maybe standard service. The funny thing is at the moment there's more older car's then new one's around because of the cost of living. But most car's with around 60 thousand are about 10 to 15 + year's old.

[@string2155]

The rear tires have negative camber by default. So expect the rear tires replacement to be more often.

[@Benny_Andreasen_the_dane]

Hi Car Wizzard, nice ride. Violettrot (Violett-Rot) is, translated from Gernan, Violet Red. Greetings from Münich

[@christianchristiansen99]

I was looking for this comment as I preferred it to be pointed out by someone from Germany 🇩🇪. Greetings from Copenhagen 🇩🇰.

[@frestkd]

Check the GM of France automatic transmission rear seal it leaks on overdrive. The front suspension is E36 and rear suspension is E30... the M52 is a good engine...

[@matthewharlowehrscyclespor668]

Congratulations Mrs Wizard! Be good Remain Safe. Have a Deluxe Holiday Weekend!

[@berwhaletheavenger]

A single Vanos 2.8. It might even be an iron block version - a great engine. These were pure E36 so no E46 stuff. It's nice to see such an unrusty one as well. The old GM box is okay and it's worth replacing both the solenoid for the main oil pressure as well was the torque converter solenoid. 1998 should mean it has ASC and a TorSen LSD rather than a plate type.

[@AdamND701]

Even better they're only E36 up front. The back is still E30.

[@AdamND701]

Also yes for ASC and you can turn it off and the LSD works like a charm

[@utubehansrudel]

Loved my Z3, drove it everywhere and was simple and peppy, never needed anything major. Sold it long ago. Just bought a 2014 Z4 S54, its beautiful and fun too, but it will be an expensive nightmare.

[@brian0410]

I would love to own one of these as a weekend car. Definitely not a daily. I think this would be better than just getting a Miata. Even though Miata is always the answer this is a great alternative for the money.

[@Pug106gti]

The "Coolant Expansion Tank" tends to break once the fan clutch is out and the car heats up, so check that. If you have loose seats, you need plastic shims/spacers replaced. Also as with any old car rubber gaskets for door handles and trunk brake lights if they dry they'll let water in. That's pretty much it from my experience. That was 1 year of ownership.

[@lukejolley8354]

I think the tire shop was using new-old stock there buddy, pretty common. Especially if it's a low volume tire or even a low volume shop.

[@robertt3551]

Those are perfect tires for drifting! Mrs. Wizard will have a blast!

[@qq3528]

I love it when the valve covers not having the PCV. every time I replaced gasket on a modern BMW I came back with the PCV 6-18 month later

[@scottworthge7569]

Yes, reputation for a lot of flex. I have the M version of the 98 Z3, and had all the undercarriage stiffening done to prevent that flex. Pretty stiff now, but I can sling it into corners 20 mph over posted and not feel any movement.

[@JamfSlayer]

Please do a short about tire age vs tread depth, leaking, etc. People need to hear this. Thank you, sir. 😊

[@joebloggs4191]

The latest gen BMWs are proving to be pretty reliable actually!

[@CheapBastard1988]

How would you know if the generation isn't over 10 years old yet?

[@joebloggs4191]

@@CheapBastard1988 The B48 and B58 have been around for some years now, enough to tell if they are going to be reliable or not and so far they are proving to be very reliable. Enough so that Toyota uses those engines in their Supra, which actually is almost all BMW!

[@santiagotorres9653]

The Z3 is underrated, decent power and great handling. Most of these are ragged out but if you can find one in good condition or maintained, get one. Good find car wizard

[@garganega]

The rating is more than fair.

[@MyDyerMaker]

Underrated for a turd.

[@milescarter7803]

Its e30 mechanically, and does not look as good as an e30. The newer engine is the only plus.

[@randy1ization]

there a guy in central texas that supercharged his.,,. it was scary fast..

[@themechanic9226]

@@milescarter7803 wrong. It’s an E36 mechanically for the most part. The only E30 parts on a Z3 are in the rear suspension. BMW’s own internal code for the Z3 roadster is E36/7.

[@hawkinsjd11]

Welcome to the Dark Side. I had a 2004 E46 325i, and I love my 2017 M240i. You should revisit the cars with the B58 engine.

[@DucNguyen-bd5ir]

Car Wizard ... love makes fools of all of us. Your love Mrs. Wizard is shown in the BMW purchase.

[@SaneCayne]

Fairly obvious what you were thinking: "It's been about two weeks since we've bought a car, and we've got YT cash to burn, let's buy something that'll be an easy fix and keep the subscribers entertained for the next few weeks".

[@AverageNeighbor]

Update video would be nice to see this looking good again

[@TaylorMMontgomery]

The Z3 is a really fun classic roadster. Great car!

[@1badcisco]

Wizard, the color id Violett-Rot, not Violet-trot, FYI. In other words Violet red

[@2006gtobob]

Obviously, it's BMW's interpretation of a Miata, only with an inline-6. BUT....why oh why did you go with an automatic? Great color, and I look forward to its final form when you and your crew are done with it!

[@nobodynoone2500]

And mcstrut suspension. A miata is literally better.

[@2006gtobob]

@nobodynoone2500 BMW made the strut work well for themselves over the years. Until recently, I was a very happy owner of a 2001 Miata with the 6 speed sport package. I sold that car in April and regret doing so. It was fantastic. Slow, fun fun. It was built from scratch while the BMW was derived, and they worked with what they had. Handling, no question, the Miata is better. Straight line power and smoothness, I tip my hat to BMW. Saying all that, you just read which way I leaned toward.

[@ChrisJames-tf8yw]

I bought a 98 Z3 with the M52 2.8 and the engine was blown. The head bolts pulled out of the aluminum engine block and someone tried to put thread inserts into the block. I replaced the 2.8 M52 aluminum block with the cast iron block M52 engine out of a 528i. It worked great and was a fun car to drive. It seems to be a common failure for the head bolts to pull the threads on the M52 aluminum blocks. The engine conversion was not too bad. Everything bolted up to the cast iron engine and I only had to swap the oil pan, oil pickup, and thermostat housing. I replaced the plastic water pump with a steel impeller pump and replaced the plastic thermostat housing with an aluminum one.

[@josephberrie9550]

who thought a plastic water pump was a good idea

[@KevinStubing]

I’ve had a 99 Z3 coupe for over 20 years. The gas pedal linkage has a grommet that the accelerator cable end is inserted through under the dash. The grommet perishes with age and the accelerator cable separates. The grommet is inexpensive and an easy replacement (once you contort yourself to work under the dashboard). Twenty minutes and a few bucks can keep you from being stranded

[@rogerpratt7996]

Yes my new Z3 98 BMW l was driving back from the store and the lincage to the accelerator stopped working!! I checked the lincage and found it fell off the pedel

[@rogerpratt7996]

😅

[@DerDuckPond]

Even though you like the stock exhaust, a Supersprint exhaust will make it sound much better. An inexpensive and easy “upgrade” is unscrewing the interior mesh from the side gills, spraying them a silver color and reinstalling. Adds a little visual flair. And, yes, the BMW dealer refused to change the fluid in my Z3.

[@tm5346]

I loved my Z3 its didn't have any problems for 10years I've been looking at them for a year

[@AdamND701]

I have the same car with about 16k original miles on it. Such a fun driver. Enjoy you two!

[@Tobikicksass]

Best color, big W

[@craigtiano3455]

Before you get too deep into this car, pull the trunk carpets and make sure that the spot welds in the floor aren't broken. If you've got broken spot welds, you'll want to address that with one of the kits that includes a brace to reinforce the floor. Also, make sure the drains behind the door are clear. When you put down the top on a fall day, all those little pieces of leaves get crunched up and deposited in there, resulting in it filling with water.

[@AdamND701]

Great advice. Looks like Tyler knows his way around so hopefully this has been done.

[@DEEuroworks]

I have a customer with a 2000 2.8 5 speed that I work on sometimes, did an oil pan on it last time. It’s in excellent condition and runs sooo nice. There is a video of it on my channel.

[@XGamesJ6]

Tire date codes are useful, but I've had several instances where the set of tires installed on my car were made at different times. Like two of them were made 8 months before the other pair. The last set of winter tires that I bought and had installed in 2022 were manufactured in 2020.

[@notDonaldFagen]

There's a buffer anyway. They're not going to explode the day they respectively hit 10 years. You should be wearing them out long before that time anyway.

[@eeldude]

I have an '01 Z3 2.5 with 75kmi. Owned since 2003. Rock solid car! I'll bet the seat slides back and forth. Seat rail bushings crumble over time and need replacing.

[@kiilrebuild9082]

When you already removed the valve cover. Check the timing chain guide . Since they are old plastic they like to crack and break which usually ends up in buying a new engine.

[@jordancapps9521]

I get a feeling that a Miata NB would have been a better choice. Even those Bimmers are not known for lasting as long as Mazda's powertrains.

[@Ron-kp5ow]

Obviously, they find that repairing and throwing good money after bad car more fun than actually driving a good one. I guarantee that by the time he ends up buying all the parts that thing needs, he could have bought a really decent older Miata. With no problems. But then, it wouldn't have been the subject of an episode of car wizard

[@burntnougat5341]

Wrong. The M52/M54 are robust engines that have lasted as long if not longer than the Miata engines. They also don't have engine cooling issues. The factory radiator is actually sufficient for throwing the car around on track

[@AdamND701]

Thank God and Valentine One I almost got a nasty ticket in mine a couple weeks ago. These cars are a blast. Top down they are rock solid planted at the limiter.

[@jimmyhamm6041]

Hey wizard have you ever thought about a dry ice blast clean for the underside of that Z3 . This BMW Z3 is a great little sports car .

[@sunnyta619]

That’s very sweet of you to make sure your girl is in her safe rides

[@baitse7676]

If you believe the BMW transmission oil is lifetime, I have a bridge you might want to buy. I changed the solenoids, seals, filter and oil in the ZF transmission in my 178k mile X5, and it totally revived it.

[@sanolivo6867]

I purchased my Z3 on 1997. It has now 176k. Engine never been opened, still running pretty nice, l only drive every summer. No problems

[@pops55650]

Now that’s true love, bringing your wife’s BMW into the shop 😃. I bet that paint would just glow with a detail

[@TheColosiss]

My buddy had a green one. He traded it for a Ford Expedition after enjoying it for 4 years. Very cool little cars.

[@jazzjokesjalopies]

Have had an ‘03 z4 since ‘07 and just love it. Very reliable too.

[@nucleargrizzly1776]

I love BMW's...during the warranty period. 😁

[@jarkkovanska6681]

Crazy😂

[@Mr_Bones.]

Old BMW’s are great, they’re more mechanical and use normal relays or fuses. New BMW’s are made out of 90% recycled plastic and the engine bottom and frame are the only durable parts. I’ve been told electronics on new Bimmers are a costly nightmare. I drive a 97 Z3 and I’m very happy with it. I also am an unlicensed mechanic as a result of maintaining it myself 😂 Coincidentally, I tell all my friends to buy Honda or Toyota.

[@nucleargrizzly1776]

@@Mr_Bones. I love BMW's up to the early '70s. They really lost me after that.

[@BruceLee-xn3nn]

Poor people buy them when it runs out

[@alcoyot]

Newer ones aren’t even good on that. You can read stories where people will try to get it fixed under warranty, but they can’t even figure out how to fix it. One place even offered a refund cause they were unable to fix the customers car. Only problem that didn’t include the sales tax, so they would have been out like 5k. Plus all the other crap fees.

[@ShoelessJP]

The Z3 was a really cool car! Nice score!

[@pinkace]

That is a really really beautiful color! Good find.

[@cnisingle]

I'm curious what the total is going to be in parts to bring it up to snuff. Nice find Wiz!!!

[@gregorytolson1648]

Would like to know how much he would charge in labor if the car wasn’t his wife’s

[@anthonykiedis1765]

​@@gregorytolson1648Yeah, I would like to see what he would charge a normal customer for all these repairs. I'm sure it wouldn't be pretty 😂

[@gregorytolson1648]

@@anthonykiedis1765 he made an e46 video with Hoovie 2 years ago all about the oil filter gasket costing $600 to replace, he just quickly mentions it needs replacement in this one

[@SDE90]

​@@gregorytolson1648takes an hour on these engines. The gasket costs $6 lol. If you're a DIY owning old BMW's they're cheaper than a Toyota to work on.

[@gregorytolson1648]

@@SDE90 oh I know, I own an ‘03 z4 3.0i 6-speed. FCP Euro has been my friend but amazed how much I’ve saved in labor costs just diy’ing everything

[@bradleykurtz5536]

I had a late 2011 E90 that also had the GM 6-speed auto 😣 Shifted well, but had long term concerns.

[@Mr_Mike_S88]

Will post on both channels...I saw this comment about the engine online....with the shop talent...that's a great benefit to keeping this NON TURBO straight 6 going! The comment I saw: "..are bulletproof. You should easily surpass the 200k mile mark without any valves, chain, rods, crank, or seal issues. While the engine and its internals can be beat to death, the supporting engine systems are what are likely to give you problems. " So this could be quite the find! "But wil she get a name?

[@lyfandeth]

Engine mounts have a clock ticking on them too. Ten years old? Past due for replacement!

[@lutomson3496]

Had a z3M with the hard top lots of maint issues and no one wanted to buy it when I sold it better fun more reliable convertibles out there

[@Oldguynotbald]

If you've gone that far, may want to do the Vanos seals. Easy job and helps low end.

[@Karl_Kampfwagen]

Great choice, buddy! I loved the E36, especially the Z cars... But I got an E46 recently, and lucked out with a 2001 year Touring wagon. The Z3 seems like it's strictly good for use as "A Driver's Car." Meaning, you can drive it, and carry one passenger, or some groceries, but it's not very useful beyond moving the driver. You can live out of a coupe (crampedly), sedan (decently), or wagon (comfortably). Great for a commuter or student car, and an awesome weekend/fun driving vehicle. Welcome to Club BMW

[@scottybrowndotca]

I love hearing Mrs Wizard chiming in on these vids .. "Did we just buy another car that needs new tires ..?" .. lol

[@GrandMoffJoseph]

8:00 - based Wizard doing the right thing for the longevity of the car! Any time I see "lifetime fluid" on a car I just assume the OEM and/or dealer is lying to me. xD

[@PeterGoyer]

I own a 1997 Z3, 4 cylinder, manual, a 2000 Z3 auto, a 2004 Z4 auto, and a 330ci M. The 97 is fun to drive into town and on the mountain roads. The manual top is easy to use and the car has 107K now. It was easy to bring it up to all maintenance items refresh. The seats padding are collapsed, but I use a seat cover with some padding. My wife and I love these older BMW convertibles.

[@Cris_MUC]

...lifetime because if the trans-fluid gets saturated you have other issues, changing it does not solve anything, or maybe makes some clutches in lower gears slide, if the adaptation -values are at the max one can change thefluid many times over but it doesn't improve anything...

[@braxtonnelson5375]

Mrs. Wizard will be quite sporty-looking driving her "new" ragtop sports car around town! I'm sure it will be in tip-top shape in no time, and I'm looking forward to seeing it after a good detailing!

[@eugeneweeks3325]

After 3k in parts and supplies you will have a decent little car. Used to have one years ago and super fun car to drive.

[@ChrisPatrick-q6k]

I've had two of them, 2.8's. Nice, you can buy kits to fix the rear screen.

[@randy1ization]

never saw that color before.. what were they thinking? german wine maybe?

[@ChrisPatrick-q6k]

@@randy1ization Looks nice

[@smorris12]

FWIW it's Violett Rot rather than Violet Trot - Violet Red. Lovely colour; don't think I've ever seen one in the flesh

[@biggiefitz6275]

Those Zed 3's are really cool cars. Definitely better than more modern Bimmers. The "lifetime" transmission fluid sticker was a precursor to the "dipstick-less" engines. lol

[@heiniheinsen5866]

"Violettrot" is german and says violet-red, don't know if this is making any sense though. I always liked the Z3. A zippy little 90's BMW-roadster, sounds like fun to me.

[@fredrik3863]

Great to hear Wizard! I believe in you, you will come around and become a BMW (classic) guy 😅 For me (a BMW nerd) the brand will live on in the past. I really dislike the brand since several years :( I still own three BMW’s and I will try to keep them as long as possible as I won’t get any newer BMW 🙈

[@DocMackGarage]

In Car Wizards last video of 6 cars he hated working on, I commented - I was expecting to see BMW there. Welll I'd be! . I am a BMW driver by the way.

[@ChrisKuwait]

Funny you mention the tires and people not replacing them. I bought a 06 Ranger with 62,000 miles on it. The Michelin tires have good tread but dates 2009. I'll be replacing those soon. 😅

[@evalonious]

Of course... those Z3's are awesome!

[@stephenmoncrieff2056]

A good buff and polish and that purple paint is going to pop!!

[@Vanq78]

The color is so cool

[@therelationshipmessenger-u6838]

Great video. Thank you. I have a better idea what to look for before buying.