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- BMW Z3 2.8
- robgee1964's review
Have a picture of BMW Z3 2.8?, please send it to us.
Picture courtesy of Patrick.
| Performance | 8.8/10   |
|---|---|
| Practicality | 5.9/10 |
| Reliability | 8.9/10 |
| Value for Money | 8.3/10 |
| Reviewer Rating | 7.9/10 |
| Overall Rating | 7.7/10 |
By robgee1964 on 26th Jul 2005
| Year Manufactured | 1998 |
|---|---|
| Length of ownership | 2 |
| Doors | 2 |
| Performance | 8/10 |
| Practicality | 3/10 |
| Reliability | 10/10 |
| Value for money | 8/10 |
| Overall value | 7/10 |
 robgee1964's recommendation | |
Good build quality, switchgear, great engine, good ride, quiet for this type of car.
Not very engaging handling, although actual grip is very good. Straight line stability could be better. Very thirsty.
Looks and feels a far higher quality item than say a Mazda MX5 or MGF. Retro styling looks great.
Driving position is excellent, you feel part of the car, rather than merely sitting on top of it. All instruments and switchgear are easy to see and operate.
Performance is excellent, although the auto transmission kick down is a little savage, I found it preferable to downshift manually when overtaking. The auto transmissions sports mode is pretty much a complete waste of time, all it does is delay the upshifts, and holds onto 3rd gear until about 65-70mph. Also the transmission feels very "slurry" i.e. the torque converter stall speed seems rather high, which no doubt contributes to the appalling fuel consumption (22-23mpg average).
Engine is strong and quiet, but nowhere near as sweet at the earlier 12 valve straight 6 BMW units.
Actual cornerning grip is very good, but the chassis feels rather lifeless and unengaging. The back end is well controlled with the combination of limited slip diff and ASC+T traction control.
Boot space is utterly hopeless, even for this class of car, rendering the car a tad limited for weekends away etc... unless you really do go minimalist on the luggage. Space saver spare is a bad idea too.
Motorised hood works well, although is quite tight to get back on the header rail. Draughtproofing is good, and the only water leaks are a few minor drips round the front windows in real hard driving rain.
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