Friend's Z3 A/C vents always blowing air - Normal?

New here (first post), as I am an Audi S4 owner myself.

My buddy has a 2000 Z3 2.8L Coupe and I've noticed there is absolutely no way to stop the A/C vents from blowing air, even when you turn the dial to the 0 (zero) position.

He says he has discussed this with the dealer mechanics before and they tell him this is normal in the Z3's and the new Z4's.

This makes absolutely no sense to me. You must have air blowing at you at all times, whether cold or from the outside?

The ventilation system is always "open", and therefore air will pass through.

Setting them to 0 just means let normal air flow in, and it blows when you're moving

If you turn on 'recirc', you get a fan speed of 1. If you turn on the AC, you also get a fan speed of 1. Either button defeats the fan speed dial setting of 0 in this regard.

Come on, I know you're all BMW owners and all, but tell me honestly...

Does it make any sense that there is no way to turn the vents completely OFF?

My honest, totally impartial and humble opinion? This -->

Other than that, I think the car's mad cool.

Originally Posted by Razor1973

Come on, I know you're all BMW owners and all, but tell me honestly...

Does it make any sense that there is no way to turn the vents completely OFF?

My honest, totally impartial and humble opinion? This -->

Other than that, I think the car's mad cool.

Too bad. The Z3's a parts-bin car, man. Deal.

If you don't want ventilation, turn the flow dial to the dash vents and then move the thumbwheels to 0. That's yer "off".

My buddy has a 2000 Z3 2.8L Coupe and I've noticed there is absolutely no way to stop the A/C vents from blowing air, even when you turn the dial to the 0 (zero) position.

Originally Posted by WileECoyote

Too bad. The Z3's a parts-bin car, man. Deal.

Is it really!? I always thought that the Z3/M roadsters and coupes were too unique to be pards-bin cars?

Originally Posted by Ben Carufel

Is it really!? I always thought that the Z3/M roadsters and coupes were too unique to be pards-bin cars?

Maybe a comment on the hybrid E36 front/E30 rear suspension. Stylingwise, they are indeed unique...

Originally Posted by Ben Carufel

Is it really!? I always thought that the Z3/M roadsters and coupes were too unique to be pards-bin cars?

Mechanically, they are very similar to other BMWs. The body/sheetmetal is unique.

Back at the 1999 Z3 Homecoming, Burkhard Goeschel (the lead designer of the Z3) said as much, which is why they came to market rather quickly.

The vents do NOT blow at all on my Z4 with the dial set to "0". They did blow on my old '99 Z3 even when set to "0". That was one definite difference I noticed.

don't think I ever noticed that in the TeamZ3 2.8 coupe, but then it wasn't a daily driver

Every BMW I have every been in does this. The way to stop the air flow is to manually close the vents (all 4 of em).

Originally Posted by WileECoyote

Too bad. The Z3's a parts-bin car, man. Deal.

If you don't want ventilation, turn the flow dial to the dash vents and then move the thumbwheels to 0. That's yer "off".

Talk about a welcome!

Thanks everyone else!

Originally Posted by Razor1973

Talk about a welcome!

Thanks everyone else!

Hey!

That's how I've dealt with it for 4+ years...Geez.

Ok, Ok, actually I've accepted it as fact, and just turned the dial to 'defrost'