Classic or not

M

Mike6

Senior member
I know this topic has been covered before but I go to a number of classic car shows/meets and have noticed that the Z3 is starting to make an appearance in line ups. Indeed whilst at the London excel car show a couple of months ago there was a Z3 on display. I got talking to a chap from Essex classic sports cars and he said that they had all but given up on the traditional classics as getting them up to standard for sale meant there was no profit in it. He could get hold of Z3s all day long and mostly they could be brought up to sales standard fairly easily and turned a profit. If anyone buys classic car mags look for the Essex ad and you will Z3s. He mentioned that it wouldnt be long before he turned his attention to Z4s which will mean it starts getting modern classic status.
Also there is a very prestigious classic sports car showroom near me (Nutley Sports cars) and he actually has two Z4s up for sale, one an M and the other the mid ranking 2.2i so perhaps the elevation of our cars has already started. Believe me this showroom does not sell any old rubbish, check out the website yourself .
Good to know that our cherished cars are now growing in status!!!.
 
The z3m is a rare car but the other models are as cheap as chips, I’d say the same thing applies to z4’s :?
Rob
 
That begs the question..... What is a classic. To your man from Essex it sounds like at is simply good old supply and demand. :wink:

I guess that is indeed basically it. :)
 
I would hate to have to worry whether my beat up 132 thousand mile Z4 could possibly one day be a classic :lol: just enjoy the thing and whatever happens will happen.

You see hamster engined old Fiestas going for crazy money these days, so a 3.0 rear wheel drive, straight six roadster will no doubt become a classic, appreciating model in future, especially with all the electric driver assistance rubbish coming through.

Some people will prefer the analogue cars (apart from the atrocious steering assembly).

My advice is to enjoy what you have before you aren't able to anymore :thumbsup:
 
My post was not to suggest rising prices or anything like that, simply that it is interesting that top end classic car showrooms are starting to take an interest in Z4s. Nutley Car Sales seem to have taken a deposit on the 2.2i before they have even been able to load pictures of the car. It is a very low mileage car so has an attraction and in due course standout Z4s will become a more interesting proposition. I was just surprised to see that top end sellers are starting to grace the Z4 and even the mid range 2.2i within their showrooms.
 
There was a 2.8 Z3 sold locally for around £6k a year or two ago with around 50 or 60k on the clock so it might be possible they're becoming cheap classics.

Autotrader prices don't seem to be saying that though.

Prices for high mileage cars is low. Low mileage cars is higher.

So pretty much the same as the E85 prices there's just fewer of them for sale.
 
I don't think Z4s - apart from Ms maybe - have quite got there yet, but I'm sure they will one day.

In the meantime I'll just keep enjoying mine. :driving:
 
I think some classic dealers have been importing California cars and passing them through to Europe. VAT is only 5% on a car over 30 years old. It was easy to make a margin. Brexit is going to kill this for them. They are having to find new income streams. Plus the people who dreamt of e-types etc are now dying. They need stuff to sell to the next generation of old bats like me. I never saw an e-type as a kid so don't yearn for it. But I would stop and stare at a breadvan z3m.
 
ben g said:
I would hate to have to worry whether my beat up 132 thousand mile Z4 could possibly one day be a classic :lol: just enjoy the thing and whatever happens will happen.

You see hamster engined old Fiestas going for crazy money these days, so a 3.0 rear wheel drive, straight six roadster will no doubt become a classic, appreciating model in future, especially with all the electric driver assistance rubbish coming through.

Some people will prefer the analogue cars (apart from the atrocious steering assembly).

My advice is to enjoy what you have before you aren't able to anymore :thumbsup:
Click to expand...

This ^ :thumbsup: :driving:
 
Remember that back then E-Types, Morris Minors etc reached classic status in about 15 years, because most rusted to nothing in 10 years. 1990s and 2000s cars don't rust anywhere near as much. They go off the road due to emissions worries, scrappage schemes and expensive electrical gremlins.
There are still a lot of Z3s, E36s, Z4s, E46s out there. But try finding a good condition, unmodified, reasonable mileage one with a good service history that's worth tucking away ? That's a different story. I'm keeping my 19 year old E46 Touring and having it restored as I wouldn't be able to replace it for the money.
 
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