[RheTT1]

[ FIRST POST]

Hey guys, I am currently looking to buy my first BMW and I would greatly appreciate some advice. I am looking at two options at the moment: a 98 z3 1.9 (91k), and a 00 z3 2.3 (78k). I plan to do most of the work on the car myself but as a moderately broke college student, I was wondering if the maintenance and parts costs on the 2.3 would be too high for me.

TLDR: Is the 1.9 z3 THAT more reliable and cheaper to maintain than the 2.3?

All help is greatly appreciated, thanks for reading

 

[drivinfaster]

yes and no....:dunno:


as far as actual maintenance costs?? depends on a lot of factors. you doing the repairs yourself will save some, but again, depending on where you live and what the labor rates are for the shops, it's difficult to say how much.

parts are another factor. while some components are going to be similar, parts in general for cars are expensive. for instance, a gm van wheel bearing was about 80 dollars, which is about what a wheel bearing for my bmw was. but i also scored rear brake pads for a mercedes benz for 5 dollars, and oil filters for 2 because they were close outs. they were not cheap knock off parts. they were mann filters and wagner pads. just happen to find them on sale online and jumped on them


ymmv.




df

 

[RheTT1]

yes and no....:dunno:

as far as actual maintenance costs?? depends on a lot of factors. you doing the repairs yourself will save some, but again, depending on where you live and what the labor rates are for the shops, it's difficult to say how much.

parts are another factor. while some components are going to be similar, parts in general for cars are expensive. for instance, a gm van wheel bearing was about 80 dollars, which is about what a wheel bearing for my bmw was. but i also scored rear brake pads for a mercedes benz for 5 dollars, and oil filters for 2 because they were close outs. they were not cheap knock off parts. they were mann filters and wagner pads. just happen to find them on sale online and jumped on them

ymmv.

df

Thanks for the reply

I am curious on the difference of reliability on the 1.9 and 2.3. I know that thanks to negligent owners and these being sensitive cars, that things can and will break so is there any difference between these two from a reliability standpoint?

 

[vintage42]

... I know that thanks to negligent owners and these being sensitive cars, that things can and will break so is there any difference between these two from a reliability standpoint?

I don't think Z3s are more sensitive to neglect than any other car, or prone to break.
The question of reliability had not occurred to me --in reading a couple of Z3 forums for the past four years, I have not noticed any difference between the 1.9 and 2.3 in reliability.
As for parts cost, both cars share the same cooling system (different part numbers) and suspension, interior and top. There is no big difference except in the engine, intake and exhaust, if you are anticipating doing anything to them.