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'96 BMW Z3 Montreal Blue
Peter...
saw your comments, thought i'd reply...
i've had my montreal blue with tan leather for about 6 weeks now! 5 speed,
mats and cd changer. i originally ordered silver like yours, with heated
seats and OBC, but that one got delayed for production until at least
September (I ordered Christmas 95!) and this one without heated seats and OBC
came in July, so I went for it, and never regretted it for a second!
i've NEVER had so many comments on a car (or anything for that matter!) in my
life! people yell on the highway, stop at lights and ask - a guy even ran out
of a store to shake my hand through the dropped roof! his 50-something austin
healey was parked nearby! (woodstock ny) you're right - the z3 has a real
vintage retro feel to it!
fit and finish excellent, waxes up beatifully! not a squeak or rattle
anywhere.
as for the ride - this says it all - i drove around 7 hours west from central
new jersey to near pittsburgh (frank lloyd wright's fallingwater in mill run,
pa), then right back the next day - total comfort! in fact, i came back in my
house after the 7 hour drive home, picked up a newspaper, started to read -
then said "i feel like another drive!" and went out to the z3 and drove
around another couple hours. and i'm 6 feet tall, and well, let's say a very
large size..... couldn't have been more comfortable - the wind goes past your
head, not into your face!
and out here in hunterdon county, nj we get SERIOUS lightening and
thunderstorms with torrential rain - NO PROBLEM! no leaks, no trouble
slipping on the road, and i don't have all season traction...
>>I am almost ready to conclude that it is the best car I have ever owned.
so far, i agree.... course i've never owned a 7 series!
>I do have a couple of questions for fellow Z3 owners:
>(1) I haven't seen anyone mention the fact that the stereo volume is
automatically raised as you go faster and then lowers when you slow down.
i had NO idea this worked until out on the highway - i was stumped but i KNEW
it was happening - what a GREAT feature, especially for a convertible!
>(2) Does the electrical socket (fka cigarette lighter) work?
radar detector, cell phone, bearcat scanner all plugged in and working!
>(3) What kinds of items are you keeping in the upper and lower bins? My
garage door opener fits nicely in the small rubbery tray next to the parking
brake.
kleenex, tire guage, sunglasses, sunscreen lotion, all the items in #2 above
when not in use in the upper bin. pretty much nothing fits in the smaller
lower bin. maybe a really small tissue box. cell phone plugged in fits under
the parking brake perfectly while driving!
>>(4) Any word on cupholders and will they be free?
tried them out at the local dealer, very convoluted flip around devices with
little grip and not much width to hold anything, too easy to flip. besides i
kinda like the tape cassette holder, but might check out the phone for the
power boost feature. and the cupholders would have been thrown in as
"standard" equip if i wanted them, at least at my dealer.
>(5) Any word on a tonneau cover? A cockpit cover (where you can leave the
top-down with boot, yet the cockpit can be covered?
might be kind of nice, had one and liked it on my old(er) mercury capri xr2.
never bother with the top cover that comes with the Z3 - takes up too much
room in the trunk, can't be bothered snapping it on and off, always prefered
the bare mechanics showing look of a convertible besides...
>>(6) Has anyone replaced just the kickpanel speakers and has that alone made
a significant difference? If so, what brand and model speakers were used and
is it a DIY project?
i'm DYING to hear someone who has! wish we had the subwoofer instead of the
storage compartments like they have in europe - the sound system really
BLOWS. already seem to have blown a tweeter. on beethoven no less. ok, it was
the 9th! but somebody has to do some kind of killer sound upgrade, BMW or
aftermarket. the radio/player seems to be powerful enough and works great
(love the weather band! wish it had shortwave!) but the speakers are crap.
but you would think quality conscious BMW would do better hear, especially
for an open top car!
>I haven't even had the top-down yet and can't wait to do so.
you're joking right!?!?!? i drove it HOME with the top down!
enjoy it!
Walter O'Brien
I look forward to hearing from you!
'96 BMW Z3 Montreal Blue
PS: my lawyer was talking to his client in LA about my Z3 - says he has one
too. i asked what color - he says - the James Bond car. I said, you mean the
light blue one like in the movie? he says, yeh, the James Bond car. the one
IN the movie. I said, so who's your client that he gets the actual Z3 from
the movie? yep. Pierce Brosnan! can't get closer than that to the real car!