HMC- Lada back from exile

[grogee]

1 hour ago, beko1987 said:

I forgot about the bloody heater valves! Mine went in my Puma but stuck on cold... In winter... Remember a few trips where I had the aircon on and windows open trying to drive at night 🤣 The fake leather and bloody aluminum gear knob weren't always great things to have

I've already changed two on my Puma inside four years. Luckily they're not too hard to change. 

[beko1987]

Just now, grogee said:

I've already changed two on my Puma inside four years. Luckily they're not too hard to change. 

No their nice and handy for sure! I went for a genuine ford one as that's what every project puma answer said to do and it outlasted the car. Infact as I was breaking it for spares before scrapping the rest Amy's cousin's 51 plate one of these shat it's valve! So I took it off the puma at lunchtime and we went over that evening and I had it fitted before the kettle had boiled! It out-lived 2 cars did that valve... 

[HMC]

Fleet news-

 

The lop sided VDP1300 has sold to a shiter and is due to be collected in the next few days

 

The fiesta , meanwhile was far to nice for my lifestyle, (kids, dogs, Russian GF caning cars etc) And its lovely interior and unwelded silla would probably succumb to the Dartmoor climate pretty fast.

 

Despite its AS credentials, it didnt find a home here. Happily a good condition low mile small auto is an easy sell to the general public. 

I decided to move those two on and replace with something completely different for the same money- 

I dont like silver cars, nor cars with blacked out wheels. And im allergic to facebook marketplace.  But i had to get down and dirty for a cheap z4.

As a slightly scruffy 2.5 manual with heated seats (WBOD kudos) at a very decent price, i did a buy. Obviously it was at the bottom end of the market- and i cant get over what good value these are right now. Its not really shite at all, in fact its such a great vehicle for so little money its the ultimate antidote to the state of the used car, and classic car market.

When they were launched i REALLY disliked the styling, but over the years its grown on me. I would have liked a 3.0 manual in gunmetal grey with red leather- but i wanted one for rock bottom money and a functioning one of those is more expensive.

I found the driving position in the z3 a bit odd (i remember wanting the seat base to be lower and more angled) but this is much easier to get comfortable in. The rear tyres slither about on the damp dartmoor roads, and the dampers are a bit tired on the front end, but otherwise its great.

[2flags]

I remember those little 1.25 Fiestas. We had them as driving school cars. Great little things. First car we had with power steering and air-con! However, I do remember when you wanted to overtake, you had to turn the air-con off to get that little bit more power!! 😂 It's amazing how cheap these BMW's are now. Good buy. 

[Dick Cheeseburger]

24 minutes ago, HMC said:

Fleet news-

 

The lop sided VDP1300 has sold to a shiter and is due to be collected in the next few days

 

The fiesta , meanwhile was far to nice for my lifestyle, (kids, dogs, Russian GF caning cars etc) And its lovely interior and unwelded silla would probably succumb to the Dartmoor climate pretty fast.

 

Despite its AS credentials, it didnt find a home here. Happily a good condition low mile small auto is an easy sell to the general public. 

I decided to move those two on and replace with something completely different for the same money- 

I dont like silver cars, nor cars with blacked out wheels. And im allergic to facebook marketplace.  But i had to get down and dirty for a cheap z4.

As a slightly scruffy 2.5 manual with heated seats (WBOD kudos) at a very decent price, i did a buy. Obviously it was at the bottom end of the market- and i cant get over what good value these are right now. Its not really shite at all, in fact its such a great vehicle for so little money its the ultimate antidote to the state of the used car, and classic car market.

When they were launched i REALLY disliked the styling, but over the years its grown on me. I would have liked a 3.0 manual in gunmetal grey with red leather- but i wanted one for rock bottom money and a functioning one of those is more expensive.

I found the driving position in the z3 a bit odd but this is much easier to get comfortable in. The rear tyres slither about on the damp dartmoor roads, and the dampers are a bit tired on the front end, but otherwise its great.

Have fun!

I owned an 03 2.5 6 pot silver Zed a few years back. My mates ended up bored of me repeating how the designer craftily sculpted a Z onto the front passenger wing. Nice detail though. I ended up shifting mine and keeping hold of the MR2 as the E85 was way too refined. 

[Schaefft]

I mentioned it in my Z3 tread how crazy undervalued they are in the UK compared to pretty much anywhere else, this is even more so the case for the Z4 which objectively is the better car. I'm really not sure why this is though (aside from RHD market), all I can guess is that there are just so many around that supply outnumbers demand and that the weather in the UK just isnt good enough to make ownership of a convertible super desireable (which however would not explain the large numbers sold when new). Maybe people just wanted to look good driving a BMW roadster, which might be less the case when its just "an old car" 15+ years on. My older brother paid probably 4-6 times as much for his 2.5 in silver.

[Cookiesouwest]

Nice purchase.

Like you I disliked the styling when new, but now I've warmed up to them.

Well bought.

[Matty]

10 hours ago, HMC said:

Fleet news-

 

The lop sided VDP1300 has sold to a shiter and is due to be collected in the next few days

 

The fiesta , meanwhile was far to nice for my lifestyle, (kids, dogs, Russian GF caning cars etc) And its lovely interior and unwelded silla would probably succumb to the Dartmoor climate pretty fast.

 

Despite its AS credentials, it didnt find a home here. Happily a good condition low mile small auto is an easy sell to the general public. 

I decided to move those two on and replace with something completely different for the same money- 

I dont like silver cars, nor cars with blacked out wheels. And im allergic to facebook marketplace.  But i had to get down and dirty for a cheap z4.

As a slightly scruffy 2.5 manual with heated seats (WBOD kudos) at a very decent price, i did a buy. Obviously it was at the bottom end of the market- and i cant get over what good value these are right now. Its not really shite at all, in fact its such a great vehicle for so little money its the ultimate antidote to the state of the used car, and classic car market.

When they were launched i REALLY disliked the styling, but over the years its grown on me. I would have liked a 3.0 manual in gunmetal grey with red leather- but i wanted one for rock bottom money and a functioning one of those is more expensive.

I found the driving position in the z3 a bit odd (i remember wanting the seat base to be lower and more angled) but this is much easier to get comfortable in. The rear tyres slither about on the damp dartmoor roads, and the dampers are a bit tired on the front end, but otherwise its great.

I'm in the club and glad to be there

[wuvvum]

I do like Z4s.  Only problem with them is that the insurance group is much higher than a 3-series or whatever with the equivalent engine, so the only ones I can sneak under my Group 39 limit are the 2-litre four pots - and I'd much rather have a straight 6 howling away in front of me.

[timolloyd]

I had one of these in 2006, as a brand new company car. Loved it, especially the quick roof. And I still quite like the styling too.

My observation is that, like Binis, a number of these were sold to people who could just about afford the finance. But when the initial servicing package ran out, lots of these were neglected.

I looked at several years after owning one and was hugely disappointed: patchy service history, tatty and poor repairs. 

[HMC]

37 minutes ago, timolloyd said:

I had one of these in 2006, as a brand new company car. Loved it, especially the quick roof. And I still quite like the styling too.

My observation is that, like Binis, a number of these were sold to people who could just about afford the finance. But when the initial servicing package ran out, lots of these were neglected.

I looked at several years after owning one and was hugely disappointed: patchy service history, tatty and poor repairs. 

Youve summed up this one quite well 😂

[Schaefft]

Spent the last two evenings going through this thread up to somewhat recently again, thanks for hours of great entertainment. Its incredible to see how many forum owned cars originated from just one person.

[HMC]

This z4 is doing bmw stuff. The radiator is bowed out at the bottom and weeps when warmed up- ordered a new rad- £56. Its a pattern part but this is a budget z4 and the OEM stuff is pretty much a service item anyway!

[cort16]

One of the great things about Z4's is the low parts prices.  I had one with the 2.5. I did shit loads of work to it including replacing the rear wings and removing the roof neither of which I would recommend.  After enjoying it over a couple of summers I sold it and instantly regretted it. 

[HMC]

10 minutes ago, cort16 said:

One of the great things about Z4's is the low parts prices.  I had one with the 2.5. I did shit loads of work to it including replacing the rear wings and removing the roof neither of which I would recommend.  After enjoying it over a couple of summers I sold it and instantly regretted it. 

I remember you sorting the rear wings. The ones on this one are bubbling up. I think they suit dark metallics best 100%

[cort16]

16 minutes ago, HMC said:

I remember you sorting the rear wings. The ones on this one are bubbling up. I think they suit dark metallics best 100%

I bought 2 new second hand rear wings and had my mate paint them. I fitted one of them but he "carefully" left the other out to cure on the ground in the car park and the guy who owned the garage drove over the top of it.

How I laughed*

[scooobydont]

Another previous z4 owner here, was actually looking at them again the other night. Loved mine. You cannot mistake it for any other car, the styling I think looks really slick now. Mine was the 3.0 with a custom stainless back box, it really growled (and droned a bit, but lets forget that part). I agree with others on here, BMW, convertible, fantastic engine, great looks...fantastic prices given how everything else seems to have changed.

[HMC]

Lop sided Vdp1300 now on its journey to the new owner. Always a good one for people of a certain age to reminisce…..

 

[Hertz]

Are they a bit tight for space for the taller chap those Z4's? They were on my radar until I sat (or tried to sit) in one but just couldn't get comfy. I'm 6ft 6" and a heavy build lol. 

[HMC]

5 hours ago, Hertz said:

Are they a bit tight for space for the taller chap those Z4's? They were on my radar until I sat (or tried to sit) in one but just couldn't get comfy. I'm 6ft 6" and a heavy build lol. 

Im a fair bit shorter (6ft) and whilst i found the z3 seat too high (felt like i was sitting on rather than in the car) the z4 has a more spacious cabin and more adjustable driving position (the wheel also adjusts for rake and reach) 

[HMC]

7 hours ago, scooobydont said:

Another previous z4 owner here, was actually looking at them again the other night. Loved mine. You cannot mistake it for any other car, the styling I think looks really slick now. Mine was the 3.0 with a custom stainless back box, it really growled (and droned a bit, but lets forget that part). I agree with others on here, BMW, convertible, fantastic engine, great looks...fantastic prices given how everything else seems to have changed.

Yours and @cort16 ‘s look fantastic! 

On the styling, i read one review that thought the styling has dated badly, whereas i think they look better now than they did new- that might just me getting used to the lines?

[Crackers]

8 hours ago, HMC said:

Lop sided Vdp1300 now on its journey to the new owner. Always a good one for people of a certain age to reminisce…..

 

Hang on a second, I recognise that flatbed... 

Don't tell me he's done it again! 

[HMC]

3 minutes ago, Crackers said:

Hang on a second, I recognise that flatbed... 

Don't tell me he's done it again! 

Hes aiming for a full set!

[scooobydont]

1 hour ago, HMC said:

Yours and @cort16 ‘s look fantastic! 

On the styling, i read one review that thought the styling has dated badly, whereas i think they look better now than they did new- that might just me getting used to the lines?

Thanks. 'Styling' is subjective, you either like how they look or not, I personally think they look really good, the lines down the sides flow over the car (hopefully a better pic below), the front maybe look a little droopy with the shape of the headlights but again, subjective. You don't really see the lines too much, certainly I didn't until I detailed within an inch of it's life! Ironically I found my very car up for sale just the other day looking a complete shadow of its former self, such a shame the next owner never kept on top of it (although he is still asking more than I sold it for...)

[sierraman]

I loved the 1.25 Fiesta we had, it was fucking fucked but it kept going. Sounded pretty good when you gave it some beans. 

[EyesWeldedShut]

On 16/10/2023 at 11:16, cort16 said:

One of the great things about Z4's is the low parts prices.  I had one with the 2.5. I did shit loads of work to it including replacing the rear wings and removing the roof neither of which I would recommend.  After enjoying it over a couple of summers I sold it and instantly regretted it. 

Another victim of The Electric Brae?  

p.s. I went to school with a girl called Ailsa Craig (honest)

[cort16]

20 minutes ago, EyesWeldedShut said:

Another victim of The Electric Brae?  

p.s. I went to school with a girl called Ailsa Craig (honest)

It is indeed, just above Dunure. Always delivers on a sunset picture. 

[tooSavvy]

On 16/10/2023 at 12:07, HMC said:

Lop sided Vdp1300 now on its journey to the new owner. Always a good one for people of a certain age to reminisce…..

 

EFA... 'reminisce' = front wing needs to be lashed to roof 🤔

🤣🤣

[HMC]

Not a lot of news to report, the only vehicle on the much reduced fleet in this 215k passat

Its got very little (ie none) history, but the front suspension isnt knackered, it doesnt fill with water and all the door locks work. So as a banger b5 goes its not bad. I quite like the dark green. A fastidious* former keeper has replaced the drivers door, from a blue one, then done no prep and rattle canned the door; so the paint is flaking off when you touch it. Bad match anyway. Rocking the banger vibe.

Its one of the “highline” models so you get heated leather. it also has circa 2003 sat nav

And it still works! although not updated so things that were industrial units/ petrol stations on the map are sometimes now housing estates.

So this has gone steadily down the food chain until it has been userped by the b6 as the banger passat of choice. But with the TDI PD AWX lump in it its  practical, swift, economic and from the era of possibly the apex of turbodiesel development. feels a long time ago! For some reason i find these very comfortable and very relaxing to drive so i just cruise about everywhere guided by my vintage “road navigation system”

[hairnet]

thats a bit not weird or scary

are you feeling ok