1998 BMW Z3 Roadster

- Carolina Car
- Red over Black
- 1.9L I4 with 5 Speed Manual Transmission
- Fun and Affordable

(Please note: If you happen to be viewing this 1998 BMW Z3 Roadster on a website other than our Garage Kept Motors site, it's possible that you've only seen some of our many photographs of the car due to third-party website limitations. To be sure you access all the more than 140 photographs, as well as a short start-up and walk-around video, and a link to the Z3's accident-and-damage-free Carfax history report, please go to our main website: Garage Kept Motors.)

“BMW Z3 – The time is now.” – Car & Classic (U.K.) website, July 2020

Reviewer, Chris Pollitt, gave a summary of the model's development: “The Z3 project began in 1991 and was led by Burkhard Göschel. The brief was for BMW to come up with something that could occupy the competitive two-seater roadster marketplace, of which the Mazda MX-5 was undoubtedly the king. BMW wasn't going directly against the Mazda though, and instead wanted to offer something more solid and luxurious, while also offering the famed BMW handling. As such, the Z3 was based on the floorpan of the hugely successful E36 3 Series, but with the semi-trailing arm suspension designs from the E30 3 Series.”

Pollitt went on to address the Z3's lasting appeal: “Because they're handsome, they're brilliant to drive... they're impressively reliable and let's be honest, who doesn't like the idea of saying they drive a BMW? More than that though, the Z3 is the complete package; a car that was built after serious thought, research and development. BMW didn't just throw this out to compete, it did it to be the best, and in the eyes of many, it succeeded.”

Offered here is a 1998 BMW Z3 in red over black.

The car's production specifications decoded from its VIN are as follows:

Prod. Date: 1998-04-27
Type: Z3
Series: E36 (Z Series)
Steering: Left Hand Drive
Engine: M44
Transmission: Manual
Color: light red
Upholstery: Imitation leather/black

Its equipment list includes:

-Comfort And Interior Equipment-
S410 Window Lifts, Electric, Front
S440 Non-Smoker Package

-Multimedia-
S676 HiFi Speaker System
S687 Radio Preparation
S692 Preparation, BMW 6-CD Changer I-Bus

-Driver-Assistance and Lightning-
S520 Fog Lights
S530 Air Conditioning
S540 Cruise Control

-Wheels And Drive-
S214 Automatic Stability Control (ASC+T)
S240 Steering Wheel, Leather
S243 Airbag for Front Passenger
S272 BMW LA Wheel Z Star

-Environment And Safety-
S354 Windscreen, Green-Tinted Upper Strip
S380 Hardtop-Preparation
S388 Soft-top, Black
S395 Rollover Protection System
S850 Dummy-SALAPA
S853 Language Version, English

The car's odometer currently reads 128,281 miles, or fewer than 5,600 miles per-year on average. A Florida and Carolina car, its Carfax-verified service history shows regular, professional maintenance over its life. The Z3's excellent condition overall shows how owner-care and adult use pays off.

The car's exterior red paint remains in near-showroom condition with an excellent, consistent gloss across all body panels. Black trim (door handles, windshield surround, taillight trim) is in similar excellent condition, as are the tastefully limited chrome touches surrounding the bespoke kidney-shaped grille. There is no evident damage anywhere on the body. The black-fabric soft-top is also without flaw. Factory 16-inch, 5-spoke alloy wheels with BMW-logo center caps are mounted with Nankang® 225/50 performance tires.

Inside, the black upholstery has been nicely maintained, free of rips or tears. Black cabin carpeting (with “Z3”-embroidered carpet mats) is in similar condition. The black door trim and woodgrain-trimmed dashboard surfaces are unmarred; instrument markings and lenses are as-new. The BMW-logoed, leather-trimmed, sport steering wheel shows very little wear. The woodgrain-trimmed center console hosts the HVAC controls, stock radio, power-window buttons, and the shifter for the 5-speed manual transmission. An armrest with storage compartment separates the seats. The twin, black roll bars are unmarred.

Under the hood, the trusty 1.9-liter, BMW inline-4-cylinder occupies an unmodified engine bay. Surfaces are clean without having been treated with shine-enhancing spray-on products. Viewed from below, the car's chassis is complete and orderly with no indications of damage, including the sort of compression marks that can arise from too-aggressive driving. Limited light surface rust (consistent with the car's age) is present on some untreated metal.

An uninstalled set of replacement front struts is included in the sale.

While the more than 140 high-definition photographs and the short walk-around-and-startup video available on the GarageKeptMotors website showcase this BMW Z3 in detail from every angle, including from below, we expect and encourage in-person inspections at our Grand Rapids, Michigan showroom. Please call to arrange an appointment in advance as our showroom is not open to the public. And feel free to get in touch anytime by phone or email if you have questions.

The Cars & Classics summary of the Z3's inherent appeal: “After all, there is little better in life than going for a blast in a car that's designed to be driven hard, all while the wind rushes through your hair. It's exhilarating; the sense of speed, the noise of the engine, the feeling of being at one with your surroundings rather than simply observing them through a sheet of glass. This is it, this is motoring at its best.”

No argument from us on that.