My own personal BMW Z3 is the only car I have owned twice. I originally bought mine in 2015 while attending the Lime Rock Historic Festival. I bought it sight unseen after having had my friend Joe Gearin take a look at it. By the end of that weekend, I had wired the seller the money. I did this because it was a one-owner 1996 007-edition Z3 with a full service history and 16,000 original miles. I took that car to the Hilton Head Concours in 2015, drove it from Connecticut to Amelia Island in 2016 on the Hagerty Rally to Amelia, plus I showed it at The Quail in Monterey in 2016 as well. Our Pick of the Day is one of these cars, a second-year 1997 BMW Z3 listed for sale on ClassicCars.com by a dealer in Salem, Ohio.
My Z3 was fun-to-drive and did everything I wanted a classic roadster to do, plus it had functional air conditioning, comfortable seats, and a top that was not only easy to open and close, but was also watertight. In a fit of stupidity, I sold it in 2019 in order to pay for another car I had my eyes on. Last year, I bought my exact Z3 back, and the reason I did it is because every other car I have owned after the Z3 was not as fun as that crazy BMW.
The Z3 is so good because, like the Mazda Miata, it takes all the elements of a classic roadster and incorporates modern elements to make the car easy to live with. I say that having owned a number of classic roadsters over the years so, to me, the Z3 is the perfect example. Sure, a Miata is a fine car, but BMW took the Miata idea and built a higher-end version. It is interesting that today, an exceptional, low-mile example of the four-cylinder Z3 sells for less money that a first-generation Miata in the same condition. What makes this even more interesting is that the Z3 cost around $10,000 more than the Miata when new, but you can see why the minute you take a long look at and actually drive a Z3. Sorry, Miata fans, the 1.9-liter four-cylinder Z3 is a better car.
One thing to know about this specific car is that since it is a 1997 model, it does not have the integrated roll bars that BMW added in 1998. To me, the lack of these make the first two years a much nicer and more classic design.
This Z3 is painted in its original Arctic Silver Metallic paint and, from the photos, looks to be in perfect as-new condition. It is riding on its original Style 35 16-inch alloy wheels that are clad with Firestone tires. The factory original black soft top is also in great condition, with a clear rear window and no signs of any wear. This should not be a surprise as this Z3 has only covered 14,487 miles from new that is verified by its CARFAX report.
The interior of this Z3 is also in remarkable condition. The Tanin Red leather seats and door panels are very clean with no rips or cracks anywhere, and little to no fading as well. The carpets, dash, and everything else about the interior is also perfect. This is as close as you can get to owning a brand new 1997 Z3.
Under the hood is the DOHC 1.9 liter “M44” inline-four that looks just like it did when new—and it still even has evidence of the factory cosmoline. According to the seller, the car has had a lot of recent servicing including new clutch, tires, replacement of major AC components, and new front struts, plus all fluids have recently replaced, serviced, or flushed. This again is the exact kind of car to buy if you want an absolute trouble-free collector car.
The driving experience of the 1.9 liter Z3 is a perfect mix of modern and classic. From behind the wheel, these cars feel like a classic roadster but with more power, better handling, and comfort no MGB, TR4, or Spitfire could ever dream of having. The leather used on the seats is very high quality and the seats are comfortable and supportive. My longest time behind the wheel of my Z3 is 14 hours, and the car did not beat me up. The steering is typical BMW power-assisted steering of the era and uses a hydraulic (and not an electric) pump. The road feel in this system is part of what made BMWs legendary, with that, combined with the staggeringly high limits due to the 225 series tires with the 1.9 liter engine, makes this a car that can really surprise you with how well it handles corners. Over uneven pavement, the rear end will step around slightly in corners, giving a vintage feel almost like a live-axle car like an Alfa Spider or MG, but then it takes a set and hooks up in a way those cars can only dream about. The Bimmer does not offer blistering acceleration, covering the 0-60 sprint in 8.1 seconds but, due to the small size and low seating position, it feels a lot faster.
Top speed is just under 120 mph and, again, the sense of speed at 80-100 mph makes you think you are traveling much faster. This is the very essence of a car that you can fully use and drive hard without risk of losing your license. Every drive feels fun, and longer drives are an event much like they are in a vintage car but with the certainty that you will be able to complete any trip without getting stranded. In addition, because these cars are so good, finding a low-mile example is next to impossible as most of these early cars have clocked more than 100,000 miles at this point. That makes this 14,000-mile 1997 BMW Z3 a serious find.
Something interesting about the Z3 today is that these cars seem to get noticed as being special by people you see on the road and at stops. This happened when they were launched, but people seem to be rediscovering them, though somehow the market has yet to respond with higher prices. I think that the Z3 is the best value for a modern classic car and prices are already starting to increase, so you can buy this one for the old price or wait and pay more if you can even find one that is in this amazingly original condition. If I didn’t already my own mint-condition Z3, I would buy this one myself.
Click here to view this Pick of the Day on ClassicCars.com
