Made it back to Catalunya

C

Courageous

Member
Jesus Christ (sorry if i offend anyone with that) but I absolutely love this car!

I had a 2.0 6 cylinder Z3 for a few years and thought that was the "nuts" but this 2.0L E85 is just a few levels up. This is all about a car I bought by remote control. Found her on Facebook marketplace at the shocking price of 2k. The seller, after advising him I was in Catalunya immediately declared she had an oil leak (cam cover gasket) and drivers window doesn't work and said "you can have her for 1800"! I got a mate to take a look and he decided she was a great buy.

First observations: A search online revealed she had had ten owners and was previously registered CatD. I'm never scared away by Categories (my 3 had been CatC). But ten owners!!!! Webuyanycar doesn't even stretch to that number! MOT history looked shockingly suspicious - two and three MOT's earlier picked up on Rusty brake lines rear and flexi brake hoses front. Amazingly the last MOT was totally clean. My mate's mech drove it back to his place, hoisted her and immediately declared "I'm not driving that thing even off the ramp, those rear brake lines and front flexi's are dangerous!" So we know what happened there don't we kids? The oil leak turned out to be cam cover gasket but he also recorded a buggered brake sensor and evidence of radweld. I'm not scared of much but the radweld had me butt clenching. Thanks to you guys here I was able to direct him to the expansion tank. All work completed and fresh genuine MOT obtained all I had to do was get her down to Catalunya. So with the boot filled up with bottles of Spitfire ale and one packet of crisps for the missus we set off on our journey of re-discovery looking for the passion for driving long since awol.

I fixed up a trip to our very own Zed Shed for some tweaks. Mike looked after me royally. Had to be on a Sunday - no problem. Not sure what we are going to need to do - no problem. Great service! On the way I discovered the aircon didn't work, called in advance to Mike - no problem. Mike did all the work and right at the end showed me that stupid oil level checking procedure! WTF??? No dipstick! So when the sensor stops working how do you know what's actually in there? "Dump it all and replace it as a measured amount" says Mike. Great! That's a viable option at the motorway services isn't it? With 1800km ahead of me in a car I have only known for ten minutes it was obvious what we had to do! Oil dropped and then returned back in I was good to go.

Trip through UK wasn't the most exciting. On a mission to meet up with a guy in Brum to replace the Macbook air I had thrown tea over that morning meant motorway as a start. Is there a complete mile stretch that isn't down to a 50 limit on that so called motorway??? Visited Mum in her nursing home in Dover and then set about on a twisty to Newhaven to catch my ferry. Umm..... sorry if if I offend anyone again but was has happened to UK roads? I heard of the pothole crisis but had no idea of the extent. Couldn't say I enjoyed that but we got there.

"France was where we first met and fell in love." Oh my f@cking God! French roads are quality, no question. I didn't want to stop even for pee breaks. Wow, ok she's only a recently re-loved 2.0L but just wow! this makes me want to rethink and go back and get a 2.5 or 3.0 but I can't take anything away from the whole experience. Incredibly at a constant 90Mph on the national roads she's returning 40Mpg too! That's one hell of a ride for this money.

42250567172_85c5cfc23a_z.jpgMilau Bridge first time in the Zed by Ian Kenyon, on Flickr

Here's me and the new "lover" crossing the Milau bridge.

So, this is the new beginning for me and this particular mid-life crisis. New oil level sensor on order and wheels to refurb are the next two jobs on the list. Then lefty headlights and we are on a new beginning. Hoping to make some real genuine friends on this forum. I have to say you're shaping up just fine up to now.

Thanks guys, here's to the future! - Ian
 
Sounds like an epic first trip. Brave too considering you'd only just picked it up, but then getting a specialist to give it the once over must have given you the necessary reassurance. Certainly a good way to get to know a new car on a loooong trip like that.

What a bargain car, even if it did need some work. You're right, ten owners is a lot, but I wouldn't be too concerned. Mine has had something like seven before me, but over 15 years that's averaging just over two years each. This type of car tends to change hands quite regularly. With mine I hope to break that trend and keep hold of it for a few years.
 
Where you to in Catalunya? I was there for 11 yrs know the trip well. But not done it in any of the Zeds yet.
D
 
No way bud I was in Roses. Family changes over here. How long u been there? And are u registering the Z or winging it?
I ask as I had an e36 convertible and got busted by the guardia.
Also Hablas espanyol?
 
I pop over to Roses and Empuriabrava regularly, usually in the Z, from Arles-sur-Tech, just West of Ceret in the Pyrenees foothills and just over the border. Often go over the mountain after Prats de Mollo which is a good trip with the top down in the sunshine. Takes maybe an hour and a half. Lovely part of the world. I keep a boat in St.Cyprien and keep meaning to potter round to Roses for a few days. Not many Zs in this part of the world! ... :thumbsup:
 
It's a beautiful part of the world, Ceret also a lovely place. And Zds are big bucks in Spain our friend has my car but lhd and it's worth double of the value here. Crazy. I'll have to get back there for a blast.
 
Nice to see you've finally picked her up! Have to say I think you've made a mistake... only a 2.0? What were you thinking?! :rofl:
 
Hehe! Thanks guys I'm feeling the love already!

Coupster - I moved here in 2004. Living aboard my Beneteau for the first two years, moved her to Empuriabrava for a year and then bought a house on the canal and have never looked back. Sorry you had to leave. I moved here when Ryanair opened the base in Girona. I work for them. Living my own distorted dream lol! You need to get back here in the Zed for a nice visit. I can see you want to! Regarding the Zed, at the price I paid the import duty would be more than I paid! Bugger that! Going to wing it for as long as it lasts then we will see. "Sí, hablo demasiado. De acuerdo con mi esposa!"

Kingfisher - you need to drop me a line when you're coming through next! Mollo - we were there (rented a cottage at the animal park) in the winter. 4 foot of snow. Beautiful. Let's fix up a meet sometime. An hour and a half is nothing.

Kis - you know the answer to that. It was just down to the dollar. You know also though, don't you, that I'm already planning lol! Let's see :)
 
You did not by any chance look for houses with Engel &Volkers did you? And did you by any chance look at other areas before settling in Santa?
I've got a sneaky feeling we may have met, or had some communication regarding property.
Maybe I'm wrong, but I was there then in Real estate.
D
 
Z4 COUPSTER said:
You did not by any chance look for houses with Engel &Volkers did you? And did you by any chance look at other areas before settling in Santa?
I've got a sneaky feeling we may have met, or had some communication regarding property.
Maybe I'm wrong, but I was there then in Real estate.
D
Click to expand...

I called by there for sure during my search but didn't see anything that caught my eye in budget. One or two colleagues looked around that time and one bought in St Pere Pescador. He was the boss in the base. Tom Flynn.
 
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