Morning all,
I'm new to the forum, but I just picked up a 2003 manual 3.0. It's on a mere 65k and appears to have been well loved by previous owners - 6 consecutive 'green' MOTs and it was on a SORN for several recent winters. Paint is near perfect, tasty alloys, and interior appears almost new. I need to pour over the service record and make myself an OCD spreadsheet, but new shocks within the last 5k, various links/tie-rods replaced, all the normal stuff and no red flags.
Good - I'm sure someone must have done the 'sound generator' mod as it is crazy loud on throttle inside - I really cannot believe BMW would sell it this way even though I love it! They have also done the coding for the key-operated roof mechanism, and relocated the roof mechanism.
Bad - there is a horrible JVC stereo that immediately needs replacing as it has no bluetooth!
I'm wondering if the suspension is a little too crashy. It's running on 18s at the moment, but I think stock is 17' for these? It has M-sport suspension. I'm very conscious that my daily driver is a Galaxy, and the last toy I had was a TVR Chimaera running on 16' wheels with 50 profile tyres, so I'm quite used to a very compliant ride!
Anyway, I need to give it some proper love, then take some arty photos, but these are good enough for day 1.


I'm new to the forum, but I just picked up a 2003 manual 3.0. It's on a mere 65k and appears to have been well loved by previous owners - 6 consecutive 'green' MOTs and it was on a SORN for several recent winters. Paint is near perfect, tasty alloys, and interior appears almost new. I need to pour over the service record and make myself an OCD spreadsheet, but new shocks within the last 5k, various links/tie-rods replaced, all the normal stuff and no red flags.
Good - I'm sure someone must have done the 'sound generator' mod as it is crazy loud on throttle inside - I really cannot believe BMW would sell it this way even though I love it! They have also done the coding for the key-operated roof mechanism, and relocated the roof mechanism.
Bad - there is a horrible JVC stereo that immediately needs replacing as it has no bluetooth!
I'm wondering if the suspension is a little too crashy. It's running on 18s at the moment, but I think stock is 17' for these? It has M-sport suspension. I'm very conscious that my daily driver is a Galaxy, and the last toy I had was a TVR Chimaera running on 16' wheels with 50 profile tyres, so I'm quite used to a very compliant ride!
Anyway, I need to give it some proper love, then take some arty photos, but these are good enough for day 1.

