Articles by GazHyde
BMW Z3 Seat Belt Guides (adding or changing)
Article written and submitted by ZRoadster.org forum member ‘Zedonist‘
This article details how to fix issues with your BMW Z3 seat belt guides. It’s unfortunately common for the Z3 seat belt guides to snap or break if you are not careful. It’s...
BMW Z3 Rear screen replacement
Article submitted by Aceman
Well after splitting my rear screen I was left with no alternative but to seek out a replacement. An OEM screen is now in excess of £200 so I started a search for a good quality aftermarket one and having looked at several on offer on...
BMW Z3 Replacing Heater Control Bulbs
Article reproduced with the kind permission of Mike Fishwick
As is the case with most of the Z3, the heater controls are ‘borrowed’ from the E36 series, but in their new home there is far less space behind them than in the original application. This...
BMW Z3 Radio Head Unit Removal and Replacement
Article written and submitted by ZRoadster.org forum member ‘GazHyde’
In this case I am replacing the standard low quality OEM Business RDS head unit for a Sony MEX BT3800U head unit. This new unit provides better sound quality, and a host of...
How to fix your BMW Z3 Rocking Seats (changing the bushes/bushings)
Article written and submitted by ZRoadster.org forum member ‘Zedonist’
This article details how to fix your BMW Z3 Rocking Seats. It’s a common problem that all BMW Z3 owners will suffer from at some stage as our cars get...
Basic BMW Z3 Suspension Modifications by Mike Fishwick
Article reproduced with kind permission from Mike Fishwick
Body Bracing
Back in the days when cars had a separate chassis it was not unusual for the driver to see that the radiator and bonnet were moving relative to the scuttle – the front...
This article will show you how to manually move your seats forwards if the back/forwards motor has failed.
It's all too common that either the seat motor fails, or that the seat jams in the rails because it has been adjusted too far back. Using this procedure you can move the seat forwards...
The BMW Z3 was designed by Joji Nagashima of the BMW Design Team. It was based around the well established E36 3-Series platform.
The BMW Z3 was announced in 1995, making its first public appearance in the James Bond film ‘Goldeneye.’ It was soon a real success,
Originally shipped with the...
BMW Z3 Hard Top Fitting (1996 – 2002)
The following is the experience from Paul Lynch in fitting his hard top.
I fitted my fitting kit and hardtop a while ago now – but it wasn’t really perfect (I was about 95% happy with it).. It was weather tight – but I was getting a slight clunk from the...
BMW Z3 ALARM 3G EWS Gemel User Guide
Article reproduced by kind permission of Paul Lynch
I’ve seen a lot of posts on here whilst browsing regarding the factory fitted option alarm on early Z3′s – the 3G EWS (the one with the large house brick key with red and grey buttons). I think most of the...
BMW Z3 Resetting the Service Indicator
Article reproduced by kind permission of Mike Fishwick
The Service Indicator system operates the SI lights, which lose one of five green lights at a time, in response to the amount of fuel used – hard driving and/or cold running uses more fuel – changing...
BMW Z3 Protecting the rear plastic screen
Article submitted by Titan
Below is a sequence of pictures I took one morning when the car was covered in dew.
You can clearly see that it is the second roof spar (arrowed) which rubs against the rear screen causing those awful scratches and a fold...
As it stands there is currently no dedicated BMW Z3 Club in the UK. There are plenty of useful resources out on the internet, and top of that list is the ZRoadster.org BMW Z3 Forum which has been running since December 2011. We like to think of ourselves as a BMW Z3 Club, as we do all the...
BMW Z3 Radio Head Unit Removal and Replacement
Article written and submitted by ZRoadster.org forum member ‘GazHyde’
In this case I am replacing the standard low quality OEM Business RDS head unit for a Sony MEX BT3800U head unit. This new unit provides better sound quality, and a host of...
BMW Z3 3rd brake light gasket replacement
Article reproduced with permission from Paul Lynch
A common complaint with leaks on the BMW Z3 seems to be in the boot and specifically around the third brake light – the root cause for this is because the gasket perishes over time.. it’s a fairly cheap...
BMW Z3 M52TU Cam sensor replacement
Article submitted by Aceman
Firstly the following explanations and part numbers are for the M52TU engine but I am sure it can also be applied to the other varients in some way.
I originally experienced problems with my old 2.8 but did not initially attribute...
BMW Z3 Sill removal and protection
Article supplied by z3cade (Liam)
Jack up the car and place on axle stands
Remove wheels
Remove rear arch liner
Remove kick pannel trim and door rubber
Remove kick panel plastic plug
Remove kick panel by lifting up
You may brake some plastic clips...
BMW Z3 Mirror Base Refurbishment
Article submitted by ‘r37′ (Dan)
This guide is mainly for those of us whose mirrors are so badly corroded they cant be twisted to access the bolts. Theres no extra work per se but the removal process is somewhat backwards.
1: Remove your doorcard by prising out...
BMW Z3 Replacing Heater Control Bulbs
Article reproduced with the kind permission of Mike Fishwick
As is the case with most of the Z3, the heater controls are ‘borrowed’ from the E36 series, but in their new home there is far less space behind them than in the original application. This...
BMW Z3 M52TU Thermostat Replacement
Article reproduced with kind permission of Mike Fishwick
When the M52TU double-VANOS versions of the established M52 engine were introduced in September 1998, it featured a cooling system thermostat which was electrically controlled. These thermostats are now...