Very long story as published in the ZSCCA's Cruizin' Newz.
My Z3 Story
Well, my story goes back to the spring of 1999. I was a plucky 23 year old who was going to get a late graduation present from my parents. At the time I was an avid GM fan and had owned many Chevy Cavaliers and assorted GM “J” bodies. I was really sold on a model year 2000 dark blue Cavalier Z24 coupe. That was also the year my parents ordered a brand spanking new 2000 e46 323Cic for my mother, fully loaded with all the toys. I couldn’t comprehend paying $50K+ for any vehicle, extolling the virtues that one doesn’t need to spend vast amounts of cash for a fun ride. Can you believe I was crazy enough to turn down a Z3 roadster my dad was trying to sell me on? Anyways, I took delivery of my Cavalier and was as happy as a clam until my mom’s e46 was finally ready for delivery. One test drive in the car and I thought that the 4 cyl in my Z24 was not enough for me.
After owning the Z24 for 6 short months, I traded it in on a late model Pontiac Grand Prix GT coupe. That was a beautiful car, but still no match for my mom’s 323Ci (which by the way had less horsepower then my Grand Prix.) I kept the Grand Prix for 2 more years while saving enough pennies to buy my very own BMW.
When the time had come I found a CPO’d 1998 323is coupe in titanium silver over dove gray interior, it was an absolutely beautiful machine that was a joy to drive.
2 years later I had an itch for a convertible, and traded my trusty 323is in on a 328iC. I owned that car for 5 years. (2003-2008) It was a blast to drive top down, and gave me 5 years of mostly trouble free service. In January 2008 I decided I should get something that was at least manufactured in this decade, so I traded my 328iC on a 2001 325Ci coupe. The e46 coupe body is highly attractive and sporty looking at every angle, and it’s driving dynamics make it a bonafide pleasure to drive.
As winter turned to spring, and the weather got warmer, I feared I made a huge mistake. I kept looking for the retractable roof switch, which my coupe simply couldn’t provide. Friends told me to “just open the windows and sunroof.” By that statement, I could tell they just didn’t get it. The search was on once again. I immediately started scouring all the online sites to find my perfect convertible. I was looking for e36 M3 convertibles, and e46 325/330 convertibles. I found an estoril blue M3 convertible at a local Lexus dealer, so I called. Unfortunately, it had been sold that day, so back to the drawing board. Searching and searching, all the e46 convertibles I found either had too much mileage or were really beat, and e36 M3’s were sort of hard to come by, and I wasn’t going to get another non M3 323/328 e36. At this point I started considering the Z3, after all, my best friend has had a boston green 1.9L for 6 years and he still loved it. His motto is “the only way you’ll get my Z is to pry it from my cold dead fingers!” HAHA, there has to be some reason why he says that.
Whilst searching Autotrader, I found the car I wanted. A 2000 (4/00 manufacture date) Z3 2.3 roadster in Dakar Yellow over black. Just from the pictures I wanted that car so bad. I immediately called the dealer and inquired about it. The salesman told me that the owner of the dealership was driving it at the shore and it should be back in a few days. I told him that I am very very interested in the car, and to please let me know when it’s back because if I like it, he had a guaranteed sale, he said he’d call me, I thanked him, and hung up.
Day 1 passes, Day 2 passes, Day 3 is halfway over and still no call. Being the anxious person I am I called the salesman back to inquire. He told me that he hadn’t forgotten me and that in the past few days they have received quite a few calls about the car, and that I had “first dibbs” because I called first. He then proceeded to tell me the car would be in later that day around 4:30, so if I wanted to come see it then, it would be there. I agreed, and the rest is history!
I love my Z3 and thinking back, if I had accepted my dad’s offer, I could have bought this car new! Either way, it was a great journey, and one I wouldn’t change at all.
* Love the Z so much I bought a second one to keep the first one company in 2013.
