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Viewed a potential replacement today but....

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  • Viewed a potential replacement today but....

    Hi all

    just checked over and test drove an S50 today and came away with a few conclusions and a question

    1. I need to play the lottery since this dealer's other stock is amazing. Got one of Jim Clarke's old cars there.

    2. Like the shape of the car itself Dakar yellow is done no justice in any of the many photos I have seen. What an amazing colour for the car

    3. Like a heretic since the write off I've been considering Z4 coupes even non-M but I know for sure I'm buying another Z3MC now

    4. If anything the oem S50 felt better planted and more controlled than the ACS suspension S50 I had previously. I'll miss the meatier ACS exhaust sound though I think.


    5. Now the question. And I apologise if the owner of the car is a member as this is not a suggestion of me not trusting someones word. The cari looked at today didn't register its first inspection 1 service until 32000 miles. Had the initial run in service at 1320 miles and 3 oil inspections at various points. Was owned on the isle of Wight so roads there with limit of 40mph might account for the service indicator requiring only oil changes.

    I'll confess I'm still surprised at the intervals. At 37000 miles it's only had one inspection 1....

    Cheers
    ex- 2000 Titanium Silver S50 with AC Schnitzer road suspension, exhaust, rear wing and gear knob
    now 2002 Sapphire Black S54 with black/red interior, S54 Bearing Shell upgrade with ARP Con Rod bolts, Cam shaft bolt upgrade

  • #2
    If it is an IOW car there is good and bad. Suppose low mileage may be considered good. The car will rarely have warmed up - if used by a grandma fine, if not worry! As we know, the cars normally need 5 miles or so running to bring temp up.

    There are some good driving roads on the South of the Island and on stretch of duel carriageway at Newport - a mile at best.

    Both high and low mileages run a risk. Suggests get an Inspection 2 done.
    S54 Titan Silver metallic. Black leather, most factory options including sunroof, Becker Cascade and Becker Silverstone changer.

    Comment


    • #3
      My understanding is no matter how hard the car is used the gap is 7500 miles between oil or inspection services - seems true on my own car as its not been tracked for ages.

      If that was a S54 it may be plausible.

      Comment


      • #4
        Thanks for the thoughts guys

        My understanding of the servicing counter reads like your interpretation Broccers and had it been an S54 it would have made a little more sense.

        I did speak to the owner ( dealers are selling on his behalf) and it is a very tidy car. He'd rather not be selling it and is related to the only other owner who is a relative. All very genuine folks. Even gave me a screwdriver to let me loose on the boot to check for spot welds etc ;-)

        Another thought was the lack of sunroof made for significantly quiter cabin I thought.

        I'm going to check some others over the next couple of weeks. Noticed that there's some ads moving on Pistonheads over last fortnight. Couple of new interestingly priced examples and some removed from the list of ads completely. Normally they leave them there as 'sold on pistonheads' for a week or longer
        ex- 2000 Titanium Silver S50 with AC Schnitzer road suspension, exhaust, rear wing and gear knob
        now 2002 Sapphire Black S54 with black/red interior, S54 Bearing Shell upgrade with ARP Con Rod bolts, Cam shaft bolt upgrade

        Comment


        • #5
          IMO oil and filter changes are the most important parts to look for (and ARE the service to me), if it's had 3 of those since the running in service and before the Insp 1 at 32k it sounds good to me.

          There are the valve clearances and throttle bodies but can't see any of that being out at that mileage.

          Comment


          • #6
            Originally posted by Broccers View Post
            My understanding is no matter how hard the car is used the gap is 7500 miles between oil or inspection services - seems true on my own car as its not been tracked for ages.
            I'd agree with this. I recently went from doing 75 miles a week on mainly shortish runs to driving over to Eastern Austria over the course of 4 days (1300 miles) and the interval between dropping lights on the service indicator is near enough as normal (like a saddo, I log these things...).
            Current: 2005 330i Sport
            Sold but never forgotten: 2000 Estoril S50

            Comment


            • #7
              Raided the piggy bank more than intended (recent life experience suggesting I should live more for the moment maybe) and bought a black S54 MC with 12500 on the clock. Sure I paid a premium but it was as close to new as I'm going to get and although I could get similar mileage later BMW or other models ( maybe not Z4MC) I know I only wanted another z3MC.

              Great pleasure dealing with Neil at The Hairpin Company near Monmouth and nice to see Z3mc alongside some oher more widely acknowledged classics in his showroom. They have a very tidy looking S50 in Estoril with 28000 on the clock as well.

              Experience was the complete opposite of dealing with Abdul, one of the salesmen at Hexagon BMW on Friday. Rude phone technique and effectively told me not to bother coming to look at the car f I wasn't bringing the asking price. Needless to say he chased me his morning to see if I still wanted to see their AUC S54
              ex- 2000 Titanium Silver S50 with AC Schnitzer road suspension, exhaust, rear wing and gear knob
              now 2002 Sapphire Black S54 with black/red interior, S54 Bearing Shell upgrade with ARP Con Rod bolts, Cam shaft bolt upgrade

              Comment


              • #8
                Just looked at pictures on the hairpin website......very good work. That is one to cherish (as they all are)!

                Read the text about it and the first owner was 80 when he bought it and 84 when he sold it, fair play to him as well
                S50 Black, H&R Arbs/ Springs, B8s, Larini Exhaust

                Comment


                • #9
                  Car looks brilliant

                  I just wish mine was in the same condition

                  Sure to be some happy motoring to come

                  Comment


                  • #10
                    Congrats!

                    My favourite color comb and with that condition, you're really one lucky...

                    Comment


                    • #11
                      Very smart - my second favourite colour.

                      There is a black/red interior 1/18 model of this car on ebay, should you be interested in such things.
                      S54 Titan Silver metallic. Black leather, most factory options including sunroof, Becker Cascade and Becker Silverstone changer.

                      Comment


                      • #12
                        Thanks...Yep I'm chuffed at the moment...

                        The new owner of my previously owned 2000 Titanium Silver S50 MC called me today to ask about the warranty work I'd had done.

                        Insurers wrote it off as being too expensive to fix, salvage guys got it sorted within a month and new guy seems happy as larry with it. No probs with the suspension at all just new body panels it would seem and no categorisation at all against its records. Not sure if that means the remaining AUC warranty cover is still valid for him though.
                        Last edited by 'Yadi; 03-08-2009, 06:38 PM. Reason: forgot to say thanks
                        ex- 2000 Titanium Silver S50 with AC Schnitzer road suspension, exhaust, rear wing and gear knob
                        now 2002 Sapphire Black S54 with black/red interior, S54 Bearing Shell upgrade with ARP Con Rod bolts, Cam shaft bolt upgrade

                        Comment

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