Newbie! Lots of advice needed please ...

[Liz Collyer]

Hi all,

I have just bought a 1999 Z3 and need some assistance with a couple of things:

Tyre size - what do you all recommend? I have had a look through the handbook and spoken to my local tyre garage but I'm still very confused. Am I to believe that I'm supposed to have different sizes of tyre on the front and back? It currently has 225/50/16 all round. The front end feels very wayward and doesn't handle as well as I thought. Any recommendations on which rubber to use?

Soft top care - I have located the drain hole on the passenger side and stuck a wire coat hanger through to clear BUT - it seems to stop on the sill (inside), where does the drain hole actually come out? And where is the one on the drivers side?

Any help/advice greatly received.

Many thanks

 

[andyglym]

Hi all,

I have just bought a 1999 Z3 and need some assistance with a couple of things:

Tyre size - what do you all recommend? I have had a look through the handbook and spoken to my local tyre garage but I'm still very confused. Am I to believe that I'm supposed to have different sizes of tyre on the front and back? It currently has 225/50/16 all round. The front end feels very wayward and doesn't handle as well as I thought. Any recommendations on which rubber to use?

Soft top care - I have located the drain hole on the passenger side and stuck a wire coat hanger through to clear BUT - it seems to stop on the sill (inside), where does the drain hole actually come out? And where is the one on the drivers side?

Any help/advice greatly received.

Many thanks

to the forum from West Cumbria. Same size tyres front and rear are Just fine though you can choose to go staggered, I'm 225 front and 255 rear on 18" wheels. These cars are prone to tramlining, this can be due to many things, bushes, shocks, tyres etc. Others will be along shortly. Got any pics of your Zed

 

[DavidM]

Welcome from Ireland! First - what condition are your tyres in - tread depth? Do they all need changed? If you perform a search on this site there are posts associated with tyres and alloys with lots of useful information. The experts will be along soon to help with the soft top issue.

 

[Liz Collyer]

to the forum from West Cumbria. Same size tyres front and rear are Just fine though you can choose to go staggered, I'm 225 front and 255 rear on 18" wheels. These cars are prone to tramlining, this can be due to many things, bushes, shocks, tyres etc. Others will be along shortly. Got any pics of your Zed

Thank you Andy, Pics to follow (the other half is out polishing it up for me )

 

[ZTec]

Hello and welcome from The Vale of Glamorgan.

 

[Liz Collyer]

Welcome from Ireland! First - what condition are your tyres in - tread depth? Do they all need changed? If you perform a search on this site there are posts associated with tyres and alloys with lots of useful information. The experts will be along soon to help with the soft top issue.

Hi David, thank you. Yes I think they prob all need changing (the car didn't do much in the last 5 years so has been stood for a while on the same tyres). I will take a look on the forum now.

 

[Liz Collyer]

Hello and welcome from The Vale of Glamorgan.

Hi! I'm down in Pembrokeshire!

 

[Jjim]

Hi, welcome from Mansfield.

In terms of tyres it will depend on the wheels you have or intend to use.

I’m running 18” wheels - 8.5j width and 43 offset. The front has 225/40/18, and rear has 255/35/18.

My Z3 is not a wide body and the wheels fit nicely. If you have a wide boy then the rears can be wider, have a lower offset or you could use spacers.

In terms of the roof, do you have any leaks?

 

[ZTec]

Hi! I'm down in Pembrokeshire!

Not a million miles away then.

 

[Liz Collyer]

Hi, welcome from Mansfield.

In terms of tyres it will depend on the wheels you have or intend to use.

I’m running 18” wheels - 8.5j width and 43 offset. The front has 225/40/18, and rear has 255/35/18.

My Z3 is not a wide body and the wheels fit nicely. If you have a wide boy then the rears can be wider, have a lower offset or you could use spacers.

In terms of the roof, do you have any leaks?

Ok, I'll look into that - re: wide body. Pretty sure it's not.

As for the roof - it is a new (ish) roof, fitted 2 years ago. I didn't think there were any leaks inside, however today when I got in it the floor mat on the drivers side was pretty damp. Hence why I started looking at the drain holes to see if that sorted the problem.

 

[Low Rider]

Welcome Liz

 

[BMBabe]

Welcome from Aylesbury

 

[mrscalex]

Just in case you don’t realise, there are set tyre sizes to maintain the rolling radius of the wheel. Go out of step and the speedo will read wrong.

The normal tyre sizes should be on the sticker on the door jam where it tells you the pressures.

Many Z3s have 16” wheels. Quite a lot have 17” wheels. Those are the 2 common choices. 15” wheels look naff. 18” will compromise ride.

Tyre make is of relevance probably more than profile.

But your issues are not necessarily tyre related. You might have knackered suspension.

 

[hard top]

Welcome on the forum @Liz Collyer from me too.
As for the roof leak, check the A-pillar rubber.

 

[Liz Collyer]

Welcome on the forum @Liz Collyer from me too.
As for the roof leak, check the A-pillar rubber.

Good shout - I did locate them, but didn't clear out! Job for tomorrow!

 

[hard top]

This is the usual suspect @Liz Collyer ....

 

[Bampz]

Hi and lots of good information and friendly advice on here . require photos lots photos
I'm in South Pembs

 

[hard top]

Here you go @Liz Collyer ....

https://zroadster.org/resources/a-pillar-leak-repair.39/

 

[Jjim]

Agree with @hard top that will be your problem.

On the corners at the top of the windscreen there are these joints. The centre ‘bung’ section should be sealed into the rest of the rubber, but as you open and close the door it squashed the rubber and over time it breaks the seal on the bung with the rest of the rubber. As you use the drivers side more often than the passenger, the drivers side seal is usually the first to go.

To seal it you need to use a sealer that will adhere to rubber. Clean the areas up where the bung is against the rubber and dry. Then use the sealer. This will usually take a couple of hours to cure. So the top will need to be down during this time.

 

[GazHyde]

Hi Liz, Welcome on board...

Gaz