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inkey$ Imola S50

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  • inkey$ Imola S50

    Hi all,

    After selling my Z4M roadster, I decided to make a leftfield choice and take a fresh look at my car ownership bucket list for options as a replacement.

    I'd had three Z4s in a row (3.0, MC and MR) so it was time to break with tradition and began my search. I found my prospective car after putting out a request on this forum; a 70k mile, 1998 Imola S50 Z3 M Coupe with black/Imola interior, looked after and cherished by forum member Gazman. Test drove it last Sunday and picked her up today!

    She's of course a totally different beast to the Z4M, feeling heavier and definitely very involving to drive. The car oozes character and I drove the 110 miles home with a huge grin on my face! And being an S50 also has that element of extreme danger to her - like you're going to spin at any moment if you accidentally stab the accelerator or don't treat her correctly.

    I like it. A lot!

    Has the GAN reg letters too so was a model launch press car and Gazman included a huge lever arch file jam packed with articles and shots of it in Monaco, SPA etc.

    Bodywork is amazing for a car thats coming up to 16 years old and I checked all the usual advertised areas for issues (rear diff hangers, boot floor welds etc) and all looks good. It comes with a pretty good service history - all the stamps at the correct 7k intervals with Inspection 2 due in 3k miles time.

    Few other little bits and pieces I want to get sorted too such as new throttle cable, refurb mirror base, passenger actuator a bit flaky, outside temp sensor unit and there's a small oil leak which I suspect is CDV related. But she'll be up on a car lift this weekend for full checkup. Wheels are immaculate (thanks Gary!) and all recently refurbished as have the front brake callipers.

    I may do a few subtle mods too. Storm weighted knob, 10/15mm spacers, H&R anti roll bar etc but nothing extreme. Want some roof bars too so if anybody has any to sell please PM me.

    Anyway, here are a few pictures of my new pride and joy after a very entertaining, sunny drive back from Oxford today and I look forward to learning much from this forum




    Last edited by inkey$; 21-03-2014, 11:55 PM.
    S50 M Coupe

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  • #2
    Looks very nice. Must be good to have press shots etc. Oh and if course it's in the best colour combo!

    Build thread: https://www.z3mcoupe.com/forum/showthread.php?t=19347

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    • #3
      nice one

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      • #4
        Thanks gents.

        Had my first weekend living with the MC and day two of ownership saw me take a trip home to see family and friends in Suffolk. What an experience and I realised I need to get used to people slowing down to look at the car!

        Fantastic drive on the B and C roads. Have added H&R coilovers to my mod list though - just to increase confidence a little. Still need to investigate the oil leak and get fettling but for now I'm just going to enjoy!





        S50 M Coupe

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        • #5
          Great shots, car is looking very well!
          2002 '52 S54 - Titanium Silver with 18" BBS LMs, AP Racing BBK, KW V3, H&R anti roll bars & ACS flippers (previously 2000 'X' S50 - Arctic Silver)

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          • #6
            Update on my MC. Booking her into ETA Motorsport soon for Inspection 2. Still have a few green lights showing but figured it was best practice as a new owner to provide a little personal TLC. Apparently the S50 shims are a tenner a piece compared to the lower price S54's, so if anybody is thinking of setting up a parts business, that might be a good one to get into!

            While booked in am also getting ETA to fit a replacement passenger door actuator, new throttle cable and my newly acquired H&R ARB's. While she's up on the ramps I'm also going to get them to investigate the tiny oil leak I have plus of course, properly check and photograph the state of the rear diff hangers and boot floor.

            Lastly I ordered some replacement boot sound deadening foam from the very friendly guys at Sopers in Lincolnshire. The current section is disintegrating due to it's age so once all the work is complete I'll also install that.
            Last edited by inkey$; 14-04-2014, 03:31 PM.
            S50 M Coupe

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            • #7
              the small oil leak is often the engine pressure valve situated on the drivers side near the back of the engine,,,the seal just goes hard....(maybe not) but not expensive to get replaced..HR ARB's will transform your car!

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              • #8
                Originally posted by inkey$ View Post
                Thanks gents.

                Had my first weekend living with the MC and day two of ownership saw me take a trip home to see family and friends in Suffolk. What an experience and I realised I need to get used to people slowing down to look at the car!

                Fantastic drive on the B and C roads. Have added H&R coilovers to my mod list though - just to increase confidence a little. Still need to investigate the oil leak and get fettling but for now I'm just going to enjoy!






                calendar worthy pictures

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                • #9
                  Originally posted by kwoffa View Post
                  the small oil leak is often the engine pressure valve situated on the drivers side near the back of the engine,,,the seal just goes hard....(maybe not) but not expensive to get replaced..HR ARB's will transform your car!
                  Thats what I've heard. ETA are going to check it out for me and I've suggested this as being the first place to look so fingers crossed.

                  Heard the ARBs are like night and day so looking forward to feeling the results
                  S50 M Coupe

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                  • #10
                    Originally posted by Dave P View Post
                    calendar worthy pictures
                    Cheers Dave. Only iPhone shots but took some on the same day with my X100 and not downloaded yet so hoping I have even better ones! I adore the aesthetics of this car. It must be nigh on impossible to get a bad shot of it!
                    S50 M Coupe

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                    • #11
                      Originally posted by kwoffa View Post
                      the small oil leak is often the engine pressure valve situated on the drivers side near the back of the engine,,,the seal just goes hard....(maybe not) but not expensive to get replaced..
                      Anyone got a part number for this CPV seal? My ageing eyes can't locate on RealOEM!
                      S50 M Coupe

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                      • #12
                        Originally posted by inkey$ View Post
                        Anyone got a part number for this CPV seal? My ageing eyes can't locate on RealOEM!
                        Scrub that; found it!

                        - CONSTANT PRESSURE VALVE - 11111318185
                        S50 M Coupe

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                        • #13
                          Went to jack the car up this morning so I could remove the rear drivers side wheel and get at the outside temp sensor - discovered my jacking point rubber was missing (see picture)!

                          Another thing to order.
                          Attached Files
                          S50 M Coupe

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                          • #14
                            Build update: Car currently in with ///M indy for long list of work.

                            - Replacing passenger door actuator
                            - Installation of H&R ARBs (set to soft) and polybushes
                            - Installation of new Meyer HD droplinks
                            - New throttle cable
                            - New headlight bulbs (Osram Night Breakers)
                            - Replace jacking point
                            - Inspection II service
                            - Investigate oil leak
                            - Check state of car generally including rear boot floor welds and diff hangers

                            Just had an update and all going well. Apparently the overall state of the car is in "very good condition". No signs of chassis tears, boot weld issues or semi connected diffs (which is a relief!). Oil leak has been traced to the Exhaust Cam Solenoid on the Vanos and I luckily supplied a kit of new oil seals which has solved the issue. Jacking point being fitted to the rear offside but I still have the front two missing so this is a temporary thing. Come late summer I'll get both sills off and fully treat, waxoil and replace the front two rubber mounts also. Only real issue to report so far was when they came to install the H&R ARBs. Apparently the rear clamps were severely rusted so new OEM parts have been ordered.

                            So far, so good…
                            Last edited by inkey$; 29-04-2014, 11:53 AM.
                            S50 M Coupe

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                            • #15
                              BUILD UPDATE:

                              Back from ETA Motorsport after picking the ///M up this afternoon. Dropped her off on Monday and aside from ETA needing to order replacement ARB brackets all went swimmingly.

                              COMPLETED

                              - Replaced passenger door actuator. Now works with central locking.
                              - Installed H&R front and rear ARBs (set to soft) with polybushes.
                              - Installed new Meyer HD droplinks.
                              - New throttle cable installed.
                              - Replaced jacking point - I now have two fitted at the rear! (still none at the front).
                              - Full Inspection II service - service book stamped and green lights reset.
                              - Minor oil leak traced to Exhaust Cam Solenoid. O-Ring replaced in Vanos.
                              - Checked state of car generally including rear boot floor welds and diff hangers - all checks out and in very good condition.

                              Late summer I'll get both sills stripped and Waxoiled plus add those two missing front jack point rubbers.

                              So other than the fact it was torrential rain and rush hour on the drive back, curtailing any hope of a blasting my breadvan to test the uprated ARBs, I'm a very happy bunny. The biggest difference so far on my drive home has been the new throttle cable. It's like night and day with the old, stretched one. The throttle is properly M responsive now and the slightest blip sets the revs off, fondly reminding me of S54 reaction times. Before it was stiff and sluggish but it's like a new car now! Well worth the £80 cost for parts and labour.

                              A note on ETA - they are wizards. Good prices, know their Beemer/M engines and specialise in everything from track prepping to general maintenance. Apparently a few people had seen my car there this week and recognised it from it's press days too. I can highly recommend them if you're in Kent/London area. This is my 4th Zed and 3rd ///M I've taken to them.

                              http://www.etamotorsport.co.uk
                              S50 M Coupe

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