[Crossposted from Car Chat]
So I bought a Z3 [last Sunday]. The seller was in Maryland, not too far away from my dad's family (they mainly live in the Aberdeen and Havre de Grace areas). I went with my dad yesterday to check it out. The car was in very good shape, but I had some concerns after talking to the seller that he was not meticulous about maintenance (he didn't do anything himself, he would just take it to the BMW dealer if something was wrong). I did buy it though...mainly because it is so lightly used. Its a 2001 Z3 3.0i (3.0L I6) with manual transmission, 24,350 miles. Black exterior, beige interior. It has most options you could get on the Z3 at the time...upgraded sound system, CD player, power top, heated seats, etc...but really the car is pretty basic compared to most cars today.
Anyway, since I was taking the plunge to buy it I figured I'd give it its first big test by driving it home [that same day] in the 98F heat (with my dad driving behind me), keeping a close a eye on the thermostat. The good news is that it never overheated (and the A/C blew cold the whole time, which was a pleasant surprise). Once I got bad to NJ (over the DE bridge) and wasn't so much worried about staties out to ticket summer travelers I stopped and put the top down so I could get a better feel for the car. So much fun...but one thing I noticed was how loose the (rear) tire's grip was. Like most non-car guys he was using all seasons (Cooper brand I think). I could break the tires loose just shifting in to second gear aggressively. I am so used to AWD + summer tires it felt disconcerting, but kind of fun after getting used to it.
When I got home I decided to wash it before putting it in the garage (need to get title and registration in NJ this week, then get it through emissions). For me washing a car is a good way to get acquainted with any small imperfections. Got another pleasant surprise seeing the water bead up on the paint. I still don't think the guy was a stickler for mechanical maintenance but he must have been a sticker for keeping it waxed. Also didn't see any water intrusion from the top, so that was good. A couple of the wheels had some light curb rash but nothing too bad.
By the time I got done washing it I was overheated and tired myself so i just put it away for now, so no pics yet. I am actually not sure how to even post pics anymore...I deleted my photobucket account when they started charging people to host pictures. I'll have to find a new photo hosting site at some point I guess.
Anyways, my plan is to get it all legal in NJ first but then I'll probably give it to my dad's shop for a while. I feel like the engine could probably use a tune up, would like to get most (or all) of the fluids/filters changed, and have them go over the suspension and brakes. I am also going to order some new tires and hopefully get them put on at the same time.
BTW, I did take pics yesterday after I got the new title/tags/registration. I uploaded them to Imgur from home, but here at work Imgur is blocked. :shakesfist:
After driving around a bit yesterday I dropped it off at the shop where my dad works. Gonna have them check everything through (plus change all the standard fluids/filters). Also ordering tires in the mean time.
I am shopping on tire rack...figuring michelin pilot sport 42's would be the default choice. Cost is about ~810 for the set.
I did notice though that, for some reason, a set of Pirelli P Zero Nero GT's are super cheap...~490 for a set of 4. Kind of amazed...these are the tires I had on my S4 and they were ~250 per tire. I think I am going to go ahead and order these (unless one of you guys knows of a compelling reason not to).
FWIW, I did look at the michelin UHP all-season tires, those are ~635 for a set of 4.
For reference, tire sizes are 225/45R17 in front, 245/40R17 in the back.
Congrats again man
Yea PS42s should be fine. Then you can put good all seasons on the R
I'm surprised you got enough wheelspin to feel uncomfortable. I haven't driven the regular Z3, but a friend let me take his M Roadster of the same vintage for a run through an auto-x course and my recollection was that the TCS/ESP was super intrusive. Cut the power at the slightest hint of traction loss.
Quote from: MX793 on July 25, 2019, 07:27:22 AM
I'm surprised you got enough wheelspin to feel uncomfortable. I haven't driven the regular Z3, but a friend let me take his M Roadster of the same vintage for a run through an auto-x course and my recollection was that the TCS/ESP was super intrusive. Cut the power at the slightest hint of traction loss.
I turned the DSC off...IMHO it is too intrusive to enjoy the car with. I think I would only leave it on if it is raining for something out (although in that case I likely wouldn't be driving the car anyway).
I hadn't driven a RWD car in a playful way in a while, so that is the main reason it felt weird at first (even though I was expecting it).
Regarding tires, I had a set of P-Zeros on the Mustang (which is different from the Nero, I know) and didn't care for them. Wet grip was quite poor and they were not very progressive when you reached the limit. Especially on wet surfaces. You basically had traction up until you hit the limit, then traction fell sharply. Grip in the dry was good, but similar behavior when they broke loose. Ride quality also sucked. Also got greasy in temperatures under 55F.
The Continental ExtremeContact Sports were a huge improvement across the board. Better ride quality, more progressive at the limit, way better wet traction, more tolerant of cooler temperatures, and better wear life. Tire Rack testing shows them on par with the old Michelin PSS in the dry and better wet grip. Maybe a hair below the newer PS4S, but significantly less money. I highly recommend them and will be getting another set when these wear out.
Looks like, in your size, you could get a set for $664 from TireRack.
Recommend checking Costco prices for tires too BTW. When I was shopping a month or two ago, they beat pretty much everyone, including tire rack.
Quote from: MX793 on July 25, 2019, 07:41:20 AM
Regarding tires, I had a set of P-Zeros on the Mustang (which is different from the Nero, I know) and didn't care for them. Wet grip was quite poor and they were not very progressive when you reached the limit. Especially on wet surfaces. You basically had traction up until you hit the limit, then traction fell sharply. Grip in the dry was good, but similar behavior when they broke loose. Ride quality also sucked. Also got greasy in temperatures under 55F.
The Continental ExtremeContact Sports were a huge improvement across the board. Better ride quality, more progressive at the limit, way better wet traction, more tolerant of cooler temperatures, and better wear life. Tire Rack testing shows them on par with the old Michelin PSS in the dry and better wet grip. Maybe a hair below the newer PS4S, but significantly less money. I highly recommend them and will be getting another set when these wear out.
Looks like, in your size, you could get a set for $664 from TireRack.
Interesting feedback, thanks. I never had issues with the P-Zero's on my S4, but then with AWD any flaw in grip would be less noticeable I guess.
My Golf R using ContiSportContact's, I am reasonably happy with those, but again with AWD their grip flaws (dry or wet) might not be as apparent.
Given I will likely only be putting ~2-3k miles a year on this car maybe I'll just spend the money and get the Michelin's...the extra cost spread over ~5 years seems like less of a big deal.
The EC Sport is a completely different animal from the ContiSportContact. The CSC line is principly aimed at OEMs and reviews and test results are just so-so. The EC Sport was specifically designed as an MPSS rival and the reviews reflect that vs the CSC. If you're after an MPSS caliber tire but want to save some money, the EC Sport is the way to go.
Quote from: MrH on July 25, 2019, 07:41:26 AM
Recommend checking Costco prices for tires too BTW. When I was shopping a month or two ago, they beat pretty much everyone, including tire rack.
I checked, it looks like the tires I would want to consider all member only.
Quote from: MX793 on July 25, 2019, 08:03:46 AM
The EC Sport is a completely different animal from the ContiSportContact. The CSC line is principly aimed at OEMs and reviews and test results are just so-so. The EC Sport was specifically designed as an MPSS rival and the reviews reflect that vs the CSC. If you're after an MPSS caliber tire but want to save some money, the EC Sport is the way to go.
You convinced me, I just order to EC sport tires. :ohyeah:
I just talked to my dad about the car. The did the oil change...I didn't check beforehand but the engine take 6.9 quarts of oil. That's a lot of oil for a little car. :lol: The did change the fuel filter. They checked the air filter and said it really doesn't need one so they left it. The mechanic said it had a code for a crank sensor so they ordered one of those. The gave everything else a once over and they said everything is in remarkably good shape so there isn't anything else they would recommend. They think I am crazy to replace the tires (the Coopers have plenty of tread left) but they mount and balance them tomorrow if they arrive in time (otherwise next week).
Edited to add: I also asked them to do a coolant flush and change that fluid, but again they said it looks perfectly fine the way it is and they definitely would not want to change that, so I figured they know better than me and left it.
pics of shins
Quote from: GoCougs on July 25, 2019, 09:21:33 AM
pics of shins
I'm going home for lunch, I'll post them just for you. :ohyeah: :lol:
I've never been happy with conti's... They always seem to require a large stack of weights to balance and eventually get loud
(https://i.postimg.cc/Z5HxbQgs/9-C1-D640-E-1-AED-4971-9-F8-B-94-A586-CF029-B.jpg)
(https://i.postimg.cc/MZB0MHNQ/CD41-D58-D-7-AD2-470-E-AE49-6150-DACD6-F49.jpg)
(https://i.postimg.cc/cCffVkwm/8-C3-D8-EAD-032-A-428-A-BC33-01-A2-D795-F56-E.jpg)
(https://i.postimg.cc/ZRGrszBn/D9451-A9-F-FD7-C-473-D-8-C8-D-CA44296489-F0.jpg)
(https://i.postimg.cc/3x82cBRX/60-F9-FD39-7-FBB-4-FE6-9-A77-C4367-BB719-DD.jpg)
(https://i.postimg.cc/cLFfyngV/4-BCDAE45-F6-AA-4-EA2-906-A-E401-BFA60460.jpg)
(https://i.postimg.cc/Fsgjpq9F/4-C2460-A6-016-D-4-F52-9-C08-4037-E2-B12-B54.jpg)
Dude, excellent purchase. Congrats!
Validated.
Does look nice.
Congrats, beautiful color combo. You had one before, no?
Quote from: MexicoCityM3 on July 25, 2019, 11:36:15 AM
Congrats, beautiful color combo. You had one before, no?
Yeah, prior to my first stint in Canada I owned a 2000 Z3 2.3i. Looks almost identical, but the exterior was the light blue color (I think it was Atlanta Bue?). I would love to have gotten that color again, but pickings were slim (within a reasonable driving distance)!
Quote from: SJ_GTI on July 25, 2019, 11:43:29 AM
Yeah, prior to my first stint in Canada I owned a 2000 Z3 2.3i. Looks almost identical, but the exterior was the light blue color (I think it was Atlanta Bue?). I would love to have gotten that color again, but pickings were slim (within a reasonable driving distance)!
Personally, black on tan is my favorite color combo for pretty much all Bimmers from that era. It looks fantastic.
Very nice... Now put on some Michelin PSS'scfor a nicer sidewall
Congrats! Looks good! :ohyeah:
Have you seen the new Z4? It's HUGE; very wide. Your Z3 is probably tiny by comparison!
Quote from: cawimmer430 on July 25, 2019, 11:52:09 AM
Congrats! Looks good! :ohyeah:
Have you seen the new Z4? It's HUGE; very wide. Your Z3 is probably tiny by comparison!
IIRC the first Z4 was only slightly longer and wider, but I think each new model got progressively bigger. I think that first Z4 is the sweet spot on mechanical ability and driving dynamics, but for me the nostalgia and looks pushed me toward the Z3. Interestingly, getting a Z4 would have likely only been a couple grand more, so I do wonder if the Z3 is near its bottom on the depreciation curve.
Quote from: r0tor on July 25, 2019, 11:51:06 AM
Very nice... Now put on some Michelin PSS'scfor a nicer sidewall
I already ordered the continentals. :frown:
Quote from: SJ_GTI on July 25, 2019, 09:15:28 AM
I just talked to my dad about the car. The did the oil change...I didn't check beforehand but the engine take 6.9 quarts of oil. That's a lot of oil for a little car. :lol: The did change the fuel filter. They checked the air filter and said it really doesn't need one so they left it. The mechanic said it had a code for a crank sensor so they ordered one of those. The gave everything else a once over and they said everything is in remarkably good shape so there isn't anything else they would recommend. They think I am crazy to replace the tires (the Coopers have plenty of tread left) but they mount and balance them tomorrow if they arrive in time (otherwise next week).
Edited to add: I also asked them to do a coolant flush and change that fluid, but again they said it looks perfectly fine the way it is and they definitely would not want to change that, so I figured they know better than me and left it.
With the low mileage and if the guy serviced regularly at a dealer, it should be in really good shape.
Looks great.
Congrats, looks good!
Seeing pics now.... very very nice man
This car is good.
Beautiful car. The Z3 3.0 is one of my alltime faves. :clap:
:rockon:
Quote from: SJ_GTI on July 25, 2019, 11:59:18 AM
IIRC the first Z4 was only slightly longer and wider, but I think each new model got progressively bigger. I think that first Z4 is the sweet spot on mechanical ability and driving dynamics, but for me the nostalgia and looks pushed me toward the Z3. Interestingly, getting a Z4 would have likely only been a couple grand more, so I do wonder if the Z3 is near its bottom on the depreciation curve.
I think you picked a good car. It's from an era when BMWs still had that direct steering feedback and the cars probably had less electronic safety nannies. In short, it's a driver's car. Have fun! ;)
Quote from: SJ_GTI on July 25, 2019, 11:59:18 AM
IIRC the first Z4 was only slightly longer and wider, but I think each new model got progressively bigger. I think that first Z4 is the sweet spot on mechanical ability and driving dynamics, but for me the nostalgia and looks pushed me toward the Z3. Interestingly, getting a Z4 would have likely only been a couple grand more, so I do wonder if the Z3 is near its bottom on the depreciation curve.
Z4 is 2" longer in wheelbase and overall, 1" wider, and the same height. Wow, I had no idea they were so close in dimensions. The shape of the Z3 makes it look so much smaller.
Good looking car. I love my Z4, of course, but the Z3 is also a looker.
So the new tires were delivered today, but not in time to get them mounted. i dropped them off at the shop around closing time and, since everything but the tires were done i decided to leave the Golf there for the weekend and take the Z3.
Once the sun started going down i took it out just to play around with it. Its so nice to drive. The clutch and shifter feel so much more mechanical and connected than the Golf. The engine is sooooo buttery smooth all the way to redline...plus it sounds so nice with the top down.
Will be interesting to see if or how if feels with new wheels. Its fun as is, but it always feels like its on the edge of losing its grip.
My one regret is that I should have bought something like this years ago. So much wasted time!
Being prudent is wise, but as you get older, enjoying the day becomes more important.
Hope you have a blast with your new toy.
Quote from: SJ_GTI on July 26, 2019, 07:42:48 PM
So the new tires were delivered today, but not in time to get them mounted. i dropped them off at the shop around closing time and, since everything but the tires were done i decided to leave the Golf there for the weekend and take the Z3.
Once the sun started going down i took it out just to play around with it. Its so nice to drive. The clutch and shifter feel so much more mechanical and connected than the Golf. The engine is sooooo buttery smooth all the way to redline...plus it sounds so nice with the top down.
Will be interesting to see if or how if feels with new wheels. Its fun as is, but it always feels like its on the edge of losing its grip.
My one regret is that I should have bought something like this years ago. So much wasted time!
Welcome back to the sports car club. It's good here. :praise:
Pass emissions inspection this morning so I am completely road legal (until 2021) now. :rockon:
Quote from: SJ_GTI on July 29, 2019, 07:50:00 AM
Pass emissions inspection this morning so I am completely road legal (until 2021) now. :rockon:
Starting 2021 you gotta stuff an electric motor or two in it, eh? :lol:
So I dropped my Z3 off at my dad's shop yesterday evening (to get the new tires put on sometime this week) and got my Golf R back. After driving the Z3 all weekend the Golf felt really strange. The clutch, shifter, and steering are all so much lighter (and numb), it took me a while to be able to drive it smoothly again. The seat in the Golf is more comfortable (more bolstering) but I felt like I was sitting so high up. :lol:
At one point, decades ago, I had 2 vehicles that I drove on a regular basis, a '78 Bronco (gen 2) and an Alfa Spider. Sitting in the Spider after driving the Bronco felt like I was sitting on the road.
Quote from: SJ_GTI on July 30, 2019, 06:34:05 AM
So I dropped my Z3 off at my dad's shop yesterday evening (to get the new tires put on sometime this week) and got my Golf R back. After driving the Z3 all weekend the Golf felt really strange. The clutch, shifter, and steering are all so much lighter (and numb), it took me a while to be able to drive it smoothly again. The seat in the Golf is more comfortable (more bolstering) but I felt like I was sitting so high up. :lol:
Oh I bet. Even after driving my E46 for a while, it was strange to drive a mainstream car. Those BMWs have much different steering feel/weight than most new cars. Is the gas pedal pretty heavy too?
If the Golf is anything like my Jetta, steering is as numb as an old arcade game. I'm always amazed at how much better the hydraulic PS on 90s and earlier 00s sporty cars feel. By modern standards, the S550 Mustang's EPAS is pretty good and has decent feedback, but then I jump into a 90s Miata or pre-EPAS BMW and it's like "wow, I forgot how much steering feel these older cars had".
Quote from: MX793 on July 30, 2019, 12:37:31 PM
If the Golf is anything like my Jetta, steering is as numb as an old arcade game. I'm always amazed at how much better the hydraulic PS on 90s and earlier 00s sporty cars feel. By modern standards, the S550 Mustang's EPAS is pretty good and has decent feedback, but then I jump into a 90s Miata or pre-EPAS BMW and it's like "wow, I forgot how much steering feel these older cars had".
I bet your Grandpa's old Chevy has a lot more steering feel as well.
Quote from: CaminoRacer on July 30, 2019, 11:19:27 AM
Oh I bet. Even after driving my E46 for a while, it was strange to drive a mainstream car. Those BMWs have much different steering feel/weight than most new cars. Is the gas pedal pretty heavy too?
I wouldn't have called it heavier, but definitely different.
The gas pedal is probably one of the few areas where I like the Golf is better.
Quote from: MX793 on July 30, 2019, 12:37:31 PM
If the Golf is anything like my Jetta, steering is as numb as an old arcade game. I'm always amazed at how much better the hydraulic PS on 90s and earlier 00s sporty cars feel. By modern standards, the S550 Mustang's EPAS is pretty good and has decent feedback, but then I jump into a 90s Miata or pre-EPAS BMW and it's like "wow, I forgot how much steering feel these older cars had".
It's funny, because force feedback on a decent racing wheel is pretty good. Dare I say as good or even better than some real hydraulic steering racks I've used. I prefer to feel steering load rather than texture though so that may be the difference.
Quote from: 12,000 RPM on July 30, 2019, 01:49:52 PM
It's funny, because force feedback on a decent racing wheel is pretty good. Dare I say as good or even better than some real hydraulic steering racks I've used. I prefer to feel steering load rather than texture though so that may be the difference.
Resistance tells you nothing about what's happening at the wheels. The Jetta has "weight", or resistance, but no actual feel. The resistance doesn't get light when the fronts start to push. There's no feedback from the road.
Congrats d00d!! Great cars- as much as I love Miata much of the appeal is that they're just cheaper (like me). I'd take one of those in a heartbeat!! Looks great, hope you enjoy it lots!
Quote from: MX793 on July 30, 2019, 02:32:28 PM
Resistance tells you nothing about what's happening at the wheels. The Jetta has "weight", or resistance, but no actual feel. The resistance doesn't get light when the fronts start to push. There's no feedback from the road.
So resistance from your Jetta tells you nothing. Fair enough. That's not the case with everything. Best steering I've recently experienced was my Civic. Resistance tied directly to load in that, to the point that I could play right at the absolute limit of grip in the rain (not very high limits and not often). God bless the DWS06s.
With the FFB wheel resistance speaks to the grip load of the car pretty directly as well. Not sure what more feedback is needed
Quote from: 12,000 RPM on July 31, 2019, 04:52:01 AM
So resistance from your Jetta tells you nothing. Fair enough. That's not the case with everything. Best steering I've recently experienced was my Civic. Resistance tied directly to load in that, to the point that I could play right at the absolute limit of grip in the rain (not very high limits and not often). God bless the DWS06s.
With the FFB wheel resistance speaks to the grip load of the car pretty directly as well. Not sure what more feedback is needed
Good steering feedback is more than just ramping resistance with steering wheel angle and vehicle speed. At the limit, steering gets light. That's the first sign that you're about to go over the edge.
As to "texture", the striking difference between driving hard on real surfaces and video game surfaces is that real ones have "texture". Does your racing sim wheel accurately capture what it feels like to hit a patch of speedy-dry or sand/gravel that a car in front of you dragged onto the course after an off-track excursion? How about tar strips or crumbling patches of pavement? Small, choppy bumps (like a pothole patch) that can lighten a tire but not fully loaded/unload the suspension? Transitions between different pavement types (fresh asphalt, old asphalt, recently sealed asphalt, concrete)? The sensation of one or both front wheels hydroplaning in the rain? Driving on a drying track with dry, damp, and wet/puddled sections?
Quote from: 12,000 RPM on July 31, 2019, 04:52:01 AM
So resistance from your Jetta tells you nothing. Fair enough. That's not the case with everything. Best steering I've recently experienced was my Civic. Resistance tied directly to load in that, to the point that I could play right at the absolute limit of grip in the rain (not very high limits and not often). God bless the DWS06s.
With the FFB wheel resistance speaks to the grip load of the car pretty directly as well. Not sure what more feedback is needed
Does the FFB wheel lose resistance when traction is lost?
Quote from: MX793 on July 31, 2019, 06:18:46 AM
Good steering feedback is more than just ramping resistance with steering wheel angle and vehicle speed. At the limit, steering gets light. That's the first sign that you're about to go over the edge.
As to "texture", the striking difference between driving hard on real surfaces and video game surfaces is that real ones have "texture". Does your racing sim wheel accurately capture what it feels like to hit a patch of speedy-dry or sand/gravel that a car in front of you dragged onto the course after an off-track excursion? How about tar strips or crumbling patches of pavement? Small, choppy bumps (like a pothole patch) that can lighten a tire but not fully loaded/unload the suspension? Transitions between different pavement types (fresh asphalt, old asphalt, recently sealed asphalt, concrete)? The sensation of one or both front wheels hydroplaning in the rain? Driving on a drying track with dry, damp, and wet/puddled sections?
IME steering is at its heaviest when grip is highest. And most of what you are speaking to is changes in load, not texture. In any case, yes the wheel also transmits vibrations from curbs and road imperfections. Yes, the wheel transmits the sensation of hydroplaning and the different grip levels stemming from moisture on the ground. Etc. I actually turn down the "texture" stuff just to get a more pure feel for what the tires are doing.
Quote from: giant_mtb on July 31, 2019, 07:36:28 AM
Does the FFB wheel lose resistance when traction is lost?
Yes, that is ground zero of decent FFB
You need to optimize your scrub radius and caster angles.
Quote from: MX793 on July 25, 2019, 07:27:22 AM
I'm surprised you got enough wheelspin to feel uncomfortable. I haven't driven the regular Z3, but a friend let me take his M Roadster of the same vintage for a run through an auto-x course and my recollection was that the TCS/ESP was super intrusive. Cut the power at the slightest hint of traction loss.
I've had 2. Ask me anything.
Saw a beautiful 2000 Z3 M today on the for sale lot today. $12k.
Quote from: AutobahnSHO on August 02, 2019, 08:01:48 PM
Saw a beautiful 2000 Z3 M today on the for sale lot today. $12k.
Does that mean you're getting one?
Saw a nice 1999 Carerra coupe 6 speed manual today. $13K. Only 127K miles. Want to trade for Fiesta?
I picked up my Z3 again Friday evening with the new tires installed. The difference was pretty stark.
As far as grip, I feel like driving with stability control on is more feasible now. I can break the tires loose if I try, but it doesn't happen with normal driving anymore. And even with relatively aggressive driving the grip is very good.
Interestingly, the ride seemed to firm up quite a bit as well. I think I've read reviews that mentioned softer or stiffer sidewalls, but I don't think I've ever felt a difference this stark before. I wonder if it was because the old tires we in fact "really old" even though they had a lot of tread left.
When I switched from the lo-po, high efficiency A/S tires to summer performance tires on my last Mustang, it totally transformed the ride. Way less floaty. I also went up a rim size (shorter sidewalls) which I'm sure stiffened it up some as well. A lot of lower performance, passenger car oriented tires tend to have a softer sidewall for ride comfort.
Quote from: MX793 on August 05, 2019, 09:15:46 AM
When I switched from the lo-po, high efficiency A/S tires to summer performance tires on my last Mustang, it totally transformed the ride. Way less floaty. I also went up a rim size (shorter sidewalls) which I'm sure stiffened it up some as well. A lot of lower performance, passenger car oriented tires tend to have a softer sidewall for ride comfort.
My Mazda had a set of Pirellis on it that always looked like they were low on air because the sidewalls were so squishy.
Quote from: CaminoRacer on August 05, 2019, 10:21:01 AM
My Mazda had a set of Pirellis on it that always looked like they were low on air because the sidewalls were so squishy.
Radials, as opposed to bias ply tires, were used to put a bigger tire-print on the road. Seemingly, shortening the sidewall would take away some of that tire-print. I guess they just make them wider to compensate.
Still miss the ride balance on my G. Coilovers gave it good body control, but the 40 series tires helped take the edge off of impacts. I think the coilovers were more supple overall as well.
Quote from: FoMoJo on August 05, 2019, 12:13:04 PM
Radials, as opposed to bias ply tires, were used to put a bigger tire-print on the road. Seemingly, shortening the sidewall would take away some of that tire-print. I guess they just make them wider to compensate.
I think it's the other way around. With a bias ply, if you reduced the air pressure, you could put a wider contact patch on the ground. With radials, running at lower pressure tends to lift the center of the tread, resulting in less rubber on the road in total.
Quote from: MX793 on August 05, 2019, 01:59:11 PM
I think it's the other way around. With a bias ply, if you reduced the air pressure, you could put a wider contact patch on the ground. With radials, running at lower pressure tends to lift the center of the tread, resulting in less rubber on the road in total.
With radials, at the same/appropriate tire pressure, there is a bigger contact patch. You don't want to run bias ply tires at a pressure low enough for the sidewall to bulge.
I think I might have to have my whole top replaced. I had assumed I would need to replace the plastics rear window but on the inside of the top the insulation seems to be decaying. The car isn't going to be seeing much, if any, rain though so it isn't urgent. Might just hold off until winter since that is when I wouldn't be driving it anyway.
Quote from: SJ_GTI on September 30, 2019, 08:23:27 AM
I think I might have to have my whole top replaced. I had assumed I would need to replace the plastics rear window but on the inside of the top the insulation seems to be decaying. The car isn't going to be seeing much, if any, rain though so it isn't urgent. Might just hold off until winter since that is when I wouldn't be driving it anyway.
Are you planning on doing it yourself or taking it to a shop?
Quote from: MrH on September 30, 2019, 08:26:07 AM
Are you planning on doing it yourself or taking it to a shop?
Almost definitely take it to a shop. My mechanical skills and ambitions are fairly limited. :lol:
Quote from: SJ_GTI on September 30, 2019, 08:28:31 AM
Almost definitely take it to a shop. My mechanical skills and ambitions are fairly limited. :lol:
Good. I was going to recommend that :lol:
I almost went at it myself in the S2000. Bought it with the whole frame and motors out of the car (the previous owner was running a hard top). I installed it all back in and it was pretty tough. Looked into how to replace the fabric top, and it was even worse so I took it a convertible place. It wasn't cheap but totally worth it.
Bump...
I neglected to post on my one year purchase anniversary, but according to the paperwork my z3 turns 20 this month. Even though it is a 2001 model year it was originally delivered in September 2000.
I never did replace the rear window or top. The car never really sees foul weather so it hasn't seemed urgent enough to bother.
Haven't had any mechanical issues. Did an oil change a couple months ago myself. Only had a thousand or so miles on the oil but I've always been told that you need to replace "old" oil even if it hasn't been driven much.
You only put 1000 miles on it this summer?
Quote from: MrH on September 10, 2020, 09:42:33 AM
You only put 1000 miles on it this summer?
lol, you don't want to know how few miles I put on my MX5...
Quote from: Laconian on September 10, 2020, 09:46:37 AM
lol, you don't want to know how few miles I put on my MX5...
:cry:
I haven't been tracking my mileage much this summer. But I'm pretty sure I'm over 1000 miles on the S2000 at least. The mileage I'm putting on the outback fell off a clip.
I don't think I've put 1000 miles on my Mustang this summer.
Outback gets driven more because our trips are always for shopping or biking. Sports cars are more fun when you can drive a ways away and sit at a restaurant at your destination.
Yeah. Basically: road trips to family or weekend trips is in the outback. S2000 gets used for all errands though. Might as well enjoy a little bit of sun on the rare occasion I leave the house :sad:
Quote from: MrH on September 10, 2020, 09:42:33 AM
You only put 1000 miles on it this summer?
I had only put ~1000 miles on it between oil changes. I think I've driven it quite a bit since then (maybe another ~500 miles). I could see myself putting another ~500 or so on it before winter. I'm a little over 26k miles total on it now.
Quote from: MrH on September 10, 2020, 09:42:33 AM
You only put 1000 miles on it this summer?
Quote from: Laconian on September 10, 2020, 09:46:37 AM
lol, you don't want to know how few miles I put on my MX5...
Quote from: MX793 on September 10, 2020, 09:52:48 AM
I don't think I've put 1000 miles on my Mustang this summer.
:cry:
I use Miata for trips to the disc golf course, and anytime I don't need passengers, and commuting to work (yes some still do it). Mileage is going to shoot up quite a bit, we live 20miles from work now instead of 4 LOL.
Impreza is for foul weather days, wife prefers Odyssey for almost everything (overboosted steering ( :( ) and more room/comfort).
It's not like I drive the Mustang a lot to begin with. It's coming up on 5 years old and has 19.x thousand miles on it. But this year, just haven't been driving much in general. I've been to the office twice since mid March. I go grocery shopping once every 3 weeks, and the store is only maybe 3 miles away. And on the topic of errands, I've been using the Rav for shopping/errand duties because the touch surfaces like the steering wheel and shifter are plastic rather than leather, so I can easily wipe them down with disinfectants. Our auto-x season was trimmed to just 3 events and I opted just to sit it out entirely. I've taken a few joy rides with the Mustang, but that's about it. The tires are also on the wear bars and I haven't been able to source replacements because they are on backorder, so that's also somewhat curtailed how much I feel compelled to drive it.
That's a bummer you haven't gotten to enjoy your Mustang much since Covid. Joyriding is one of the few things to do that's Covid proof.
I drive the living shit out of the NC. It's my DD.
Quote from: veeman on September 13, 2020, 09:58:37 AM
That's a bummer you haven't gotten to enjoy your Mustang much since Covid. Joyriding is one of the few things to do that's Covid proof.
Can't really enjoy the destination as much, though.
Quote from: shp4man on September 13, 2020, 11:22:59 AM
I drive the living shit out of the NC. It's my DD.
:rockon:
I'll have to look at paperwork but I've put a TON of miles on NB since I bought it..
With COVID, I've probably put on 1200 miles since the beginning of 2019...
Quote from: Raza on September 28, 2020, 10:30:21 AM
With COVID, I've probably put on 1200 miles since the beginning of 2019...
I have 1,200 miles on my new car, that I got at the end of August. You're staying home too much.
Well, new cars practically beg to be driven :lol:
Quote from: Laconian on October 10, 2020, 07:58:20 PM
Well, new cars practically beg to be driven :lol:
Since I got the new car, inhale driven more than usual because I went to Boston plus I went up.to the Hudson Valley twice for family events. Other than that, I'm not really driving much with my work from home routine. Some days I don't drive at all.
Even so, I'm driving a lot more than Raza.
Quote from: dazzleman on October 10, 2020, 07:24:46 PM
I have 1,200 miles on my new car, that I got at the end of August. You're staying home too much.
Trying not to die and kill my family in the process, though.
Bump...
Got a good reminder that the anniversery is up because I had to take it through inspection. :lol:
Everything is good. No issues in 2 years of ownership and it went through NJ inspection with no issues. Super happy with the car and hoping to keep it the rest of my life. :ohyeah:
Quote from: dazzleman on October 10, 2020, 07:24:46 PM
I have 1,200 miles on my new car, that I got at the end of August. You're staying home too much.
You got a new car?
Quote from: SJ_GTI on July 22, 2021, 07:18:55 AM
Bump...
Got a good reminder that the anniversery is up because I had to take it through inspection. :lol:
Everything is good. No issues in 2 years of ownership and it went through NJ inspection with no issues. Super happy with the car and hoping to keep it the rest of my life. :ohyeah:
:rockon: :thumbsup:
Saw one in the parking lot 35min ago, love them!
As an aside, as of lunchtime the odometer was up to 27,381, so running at about 1500 miles a year so far.
Quote from: SJ_GTI on July 22, 2021, 01:04:24 PM
As an aside, as of lunchtime the odometer was up to 27,381, so running at about 1500 miles a year so far.
:wtf:
Quote from: MrH on July 23, 2021, 07:10:54 AM
:wtf:
:huh:
I live close to work, so I don't put that many miles on my car. I think I've put about ~4000 miles on my Golf in the last year. It will be five years old next week and I am a bit under 25,000 miles total.
Quote from: SJ_GTI on July 23, 2021, 07:46:37 AM
:huh:
I live close to work, so I don't put that many miles on my car. I think I've put about ~4000 miles on my Golf in the last year. It will be five years old next week and I am a bit under 25,000 miles total.
Time for some track time in the Z3.
Quote from: FoMoJo on July 23, 2021, 09:40:14 AM
Time for some track time in the Z3.
Or at least weekend drives!!
Quote from: SJ_GTI on July 23, 2021, 07:46:37 AM
:huh:
I live close to work, so I don't put that many miles on my car. I think I've put about ~4000 miles on my Golf in the last year. It will be five years old next week and I am a bit under 25,000 miles total.
Wow, wild. You barely drive. You should just get a golf cart to roam around in :lol:
Quote from: MrH on July 26, 2021, 07:27:13 AM
Wow, wild. You barely drive. You should just get a golf cart to roam around in :lol:
Apart from that the short work commute, my family also lives really close. They are about ~7 miles away (opposite direction from work) and, currently, both my younger brothers, my dad, and my mom all live within walking distance to each other in the same neighborhood. So even when I go to visit family I usually just park at one house and then walk over to the others to say hi. :lol:
Speaking of gold carts, that seems to be a bit of a trend with families in my neighborhood. I see groups of kids riding around all the time. I presume they are going between each others' houses. The nearest golf course is about a mile away as the crow flies, but you would have to drive ~3-4 miles to get there (no direct path).
Quote from: SJ_GTI on July 26, 2021, 07:39:57 AM
Apart from that the short work commute, my family also lives really close. They are about ~7 miles away (opposite direction from work) and, currently, both my younger brothers, my dad, and my mom all live within walking distance to each other in the same neighborhood. So even when I go to visit family I usually just park at one house and then walk over to the others to say hi. :lol:
Speaking of gold carts, that seems to be a bit of a trend with families in my neighborhood. I see groups of kids riding around all the time. I presume they are going between each others' houses. The nearest golf course is about a mile away as the crow flies, but you would have to drive ~3-4 miles to get there (no direct path).
Golf carts have always been big in the south- and the kids that can't drive yet are often the biggest users.
My town was under a lot of pressure to allow golf carts on the streets....and finally passed a ordinance allowing them as long as they had headlamps, wipers, and a rear utility reflector. This happened after the police stopped my old boss (owner of the business) at the Ford dealership was pulled over several times while driving his Th!nk Neighbor in town.
You still need a driver's license.
Bump...
Still have the Z3, still running about ~1500 miles per year. It is just under 29k right now. It should break the 30k mark sometime next year.
Haven't had any mechanical issues in the last year and it is still fun to drive. Sometimes I'll decide to "run errands" on a nice weekend day just as an excuse to drive it around.
1,500 miles a year?!?
Honestly I probably put less than that on my S2000
I put more miles than that on my tool cart.
Quote from: Eye of the Tiger on August 05, 2022, 05:40:30 AM
I put more miles than that on my tool cart.
You need to motorize that bich.
Little bit of an update. A couple weeks ago my Z3 wouldn't start, battery was dead. I tried jump starting it last week when it got warm out but it still couldn't start (even though the accessories would then at least be powered). I thought maybe it was something worse than just a dead battery. Anyway I had it towed to a mechanic but it did indeed just turn out to be a dead battery that just couldn't hold any charge. So kind of irritating but at least it wasn't expensive. This is actually the first (sort of) mechanical issue I've had with the car since initial purchase and getting it prepped so pretty happy about how it has gone so far. Hopefully I didn't just jinx myself.
Glad that was easy!
I've had tons of issues trying to keep a healthy battery in my not very often used Mazda. On my third different manufacturer battery charger
Quote from: r0tor on April 11, 2023, 06:00:25 AM
I've had tons of issues trying to keep a healthy battery in my not very often used Mazda. On my third different manufacturer battery charger
Optima Yellowtop.
That's probably my next try... Been trying to keep Optima Red top alive with trickle charging with rather poor amounts of success
Quote from: r0tor on April 11, 2023, 08:54:06 AM
That's probably my next try... Been trying to keep Optima Red top alive with trickle charging with rather poor amounts of success
An expensive try, but perhaps cheaper than continuing to buy different trickle chargers...sorta surprised that hasn't worked, though. :hmm:
My Optima red top + Optima trickle charger has worked great in the El Camino, but I'm guessing the battery drain is a lot higher on a newer Mazda with more electronics, plus wankels are harder to start from what I've heard.
So for these trickle chargers, at what point is it worth it to have one? In the Spring/Summer/Fall I am driving my BMW 1-2 times a week (sometimes more). In the winter is when it can sit for weeks at a time though. I'll only take it out if it is over 45F since it has summer tires. In a mild winter it will still get driven pretty often.
If you don't notice any slow cranking, it's fine.
The El Camino has a mechanical fuel pump so it can take a few cranks just to get fuel into the carb after it's sat dry for a couple of months. So it's nice to have the battery at 100% then.
Yeah I wouldn't worry about it. If it starts fine when you drive it, the battery's fine. No charger needed.
Quote from: SJ_GTI on April 11, 2023, 09:34:50 AM
So for these trickle chargers, at what point is it worth it to have one? In the Spring/Summer/Fall I am driving my BMW 1-2 times a week (sometimes more). In the winter is when it can sit for weeks at a time though. I'll only take it out if it is over 45F since it has summer tires. In a mild winter it will still get driven pretty often.
I thought that keeping the voltage good will increase the lifespan of the onboard computers... But I just seem to kill the battery every couple years doing it
Parastic battery drain is a huge problem on a lot of Mazdas for some reason.
https://davidmuller.github.io/posts/2023/04/10/how-i-fixed-a-parasitic-drain-in-408-days.html
Quote from: r0tor on April 11, 2023, 10:50:38 AM
I thought that keeping the voltage good will increase the lifespan of the onboard computers... But I just seem to kill the battery every couple years doing it
Could always just make a habit of starting it and letting it run every week or two for 15-20 minutes.
Took my Z3 through inspection yesterday, so it was a reminder that I have had the car for another year. SO far 4 years is no major issues. The dead battery earlier this year has been the only issue since getting it initially checked out.
Car still drives great. Love the power delivery from the I6. Even though it is slower than my Golf I prefer the linear power delivery. The engine is so smooth. It feels just as comfortable at 6k RPM's as it does at 2k RPM's. I love the way it sounds at high revs so I am running it up to red line pretty often when I do drive it.
That being said, living so close to work and having two cars means I don't put a lot of miles on either car. The Z3 is at 29304 miles as of this morning.
Z3s have aged really well. I still do a double take when I see them out. Looks way more timeless than the Z4.
I can't believe you only put 5,000 miles in 4 years. How many miles do you put on the Golf?
Quote from: MrH on July 14, 2023, 07:21:54 AMZ3s have aged really well. I still do a double take when I see them out. Looks way more timeless than the Z4.
I can't believe you only put 5,000 miles in 4 years. How many miles do you put on the Golf?
I'll have to check when I get home, but I think it is around 33,000 miles (it will be 7 years old next month).
Love it!
I was out in my Z3 a bit this weekend. At one point I came to alight where I was gonna turn left and to my right a guy in a brodozer pulls beside me. He opens his door and hops down and I am think "what the heck is this guy doing????"
Anyway he asks me if I had any interest in selling my car. I said thanks but I am happy with it. He said OK and complimented the car. Then said is it a 2001? I said yep. He asked if it had around 30k miles? I said yep, right at 29.4k miles. I was amazed at his ability to tell both from such a quick look.
He then complimented the car, climbed back into his brodozer, and drove off.
WEIRD!
For some reason I've been seeing a ton of Z3s and E85 Z4s around. They both have aged so well. I never particularly liked them when they were new, but I've definitely warmed on them. Especially the Z3; I've always liked the E85 Z4 and thought it looked fantastic.