Not A Z3 - Meet The BMW M Roadster 

CORRECTION: S52/S54 engines are "straight six" engines, not "V6" engines. First video, script typos shall abound haha!

Mine is a ‘99 Arctic Silver M Roadster. My late husband ordered it new when he retired. I love driving the little beauty. I hope you get to 2021 ZFEST in SC in July. Oh, and your video is top notch! Thanks for sharing it. Z ya.

These cars came with housewife spec suspensions. M cars included. Loosing that stuff is an epic journey as the platform is radically transformed. Recommend Ground Control Systems.

I just recently acquired a 02 Z3 M Roadster. Just wanted to send a big THANK YOU! I watched your videos on your 98 M, your 01 M, and the comparison video. I think you did an outstanding job on explaining things, and they helped to make choices. Keep up the great work.

Excellent my dude, what a unique retro vehicle... Fun times indeed!

Great presentation style and good balanced mix of info with entertainment 💪

LOL at new owner of an almost 20 year old used M Roadster saying it is not a Z3. Even those that purchased brand new didn’t say that. It is a Z3 just a high performance M version PERIOD. We always knew those that bought used would not “get it”.

Great video man! Very well put together.

I already wanted one and now I need one! Great video!

Personally, the Bond Connection backfired spectacularly! I saw it only had a 140 bhp and put me off the Z3 for over twenty years. I saw the M coupe and thought it was ghastly. Then more recently I discovered that my friend has a Z3M roadster in Estoril Blue with 321 bhp. Never has an opinion changed so quickly. Fantastic thing! Had Bond driven a 2.8 from the start it may have been a bit different.

Great video and it's all the same reasons I own a 99 M Roadster now for 20 years. And the colors - oh my - mine is Palmetto Green with Kyalami Orange interior. As Don mentioned below, hope to see you at a ZSCCA event some day and you should definitely plan to be in South Carolina this July for Zfest and the 25th anniversary of this amazing car!

Great video! Awesome pictures on Georgetown Lake.

Welcome to the BMW Z family, Alex - I have an '01 3.0i Z3 and an '08 3.0si Z4. Hope to see you on some of the ZSCCA drives. I'm in Texas, but we get together with the Colorado group pretty often.

Great vid Alex. I've got a 2000 M Roadster that I've had since December 1999, (Santa was very good to me that year!) She (Rosalita, in Imola Red) was brought up in Maryland, hidden away in the winters and a 'daily' driver in the Spring, Summer, and Fall. In the summer of 2019 I dragged her out to Southern Arizona where we are both retiring. She's been the most reliable car I've owned. Routine items include; she's on her third clutch, second set of brake pads and rotors (They lasted 98,000 miles!), second set of shocks and struts all around, second canvas top, second water pump, 5th or 6th set of tires, and really not much else besides the routine stuff. She now has 134,000 and no sign of aging or getting sloppy. Feels as good as the day I drove her home. When the newer one came out I was tempted but early on I had done some Dinan mods added; front tower brace, cold air, performance chip and exhaust system. I don't think it would have been in my best interest to go with a newer one, this one is too much of "Get In Trouble" car for me already. I saw the vid saying you bought the next one! COOL! KEEP 'EM BOTH! The demand and price will just continue to climb.NO other cars in its class will compare to them!

Thank you for this great video! I‘m looking for one too at the moment (maybe Z4M) but I prefer the Z3 😍 Have fun! Best regards from Vienna/Austria, Alex

Excellent job, on your presentation of a exclamation of a classic…

Well done! Great video!

3.2V6? I know it's a 3.2 inline 6. I like your Z3M.👍👍👍

2001 3.0i 5spd roadie here. Love the car. Similar power to the S52 M cars but with in my opinion, the better looking tail lights ;) Also no //M fanboy tax!

Great video and a nice car. I live in Sweden and my M is an Estoril blue, all black interior, S50 321hp.

Cool looking car. Great video

I love this video and this car. Not just 'cause he's my son. I have the 2008 Z4 and Alex was part of my search back then. We actually test drove a later model M Roadster (maybe a 2003 - also in blue), which we both decided was way to fast for dear ol' Dad. My love for this car goes back to the day's of my Dad's 1967 and 1972 MGB convertibles - the classic English roadster. Alex's grandfather gave it to me after I graduated and got married and it will remain one of my favorite cars ever! So Alex and his car have great lineage. Enjoy the drive!

Hey loved the video. Could you do one on the relatibility aspects of the m roadster? I know there's a subframe issue but don't know the details on diagnosis, cost of fix, etc. Thanks!

i have the exact same car, a 2000 s52 m roadster in latin américa, i´m having fun, and i love it! great video!

Well written! Good stuff.

Wow! I want an M Roadster now!

Awesome video! I have a 2000 M myself in estriol blue. You should’ve mentioned the color, estoril was the color bond wish he had over that Atlanta blue/green. Any more videos on the pros and cons of the S52 and S54 engines?

S52/54 are inline 6 rather than V. Virtually same 3.2L displacement... S54 has a higher redline and individual throttle bodies.

Bought my 1999 M Roadster about 9 years ago. Dakar Yellow. Love the car, always a thrill to drive, lots of looks and compliments on it.

After owning five Z3's I would say get the one you can afford to buy AND maintain, and the one that fits your driving style and roads. IMO if you already have a 3.0 the S52 extra 15HP doesn't justify almost double the price and higher maintenance costs. Picking an M Roadster to drive on the street over any Miata, similar price or not, is a no brainer.

M roadster is awesome. Fun video, good info. I’d also take a Z3 but only with a 2.8 or 3.0

I’m an original owner of this car out here in CA. It’s been a love/(not so much) hate relationship. I’ve changed the engine, CAT, exhaust years ago to another S52 engine (old one leaked like a sieve due to pitting on the cylinder walls). I continue to drive it (165k miles!) and love every minute of it. There’s a long list of electrical issues that have crept up (gauges not working, auto top sensor/cable bad and on-and-on). Let’s not forget about that rear window with the scuff mark down the middle and that ridiculous center speaker in the back! I’ve kept this car mainly in the garage and it’s only seen rain maybe 10 times in all those years so that means the top is down almost every time (yeah, top up creates horrible blind spots!). Bottom line - we will continue to grow old together!

To my knowledge, the rod bearing issue was only in the s54 engines as well. The s52 will support enough upgrades to match or beat the s54 without killing the budget.

I still love my 1999 M Roadster. It currently has just under 23, 000 miles on it! Always garaged and covered and has only been in the rain once.

Fun video about a great car! I own a 2002 S54 in Estoril Blue!

As a fellow Coloradan who likes these cars, I'd like to point out a couple more viable options that sit between the anemic 1.8/1.9 Z3s and the M. BMW quickly added the well-loved M52 I6 to the lineup; my mom bought the higher-spec 2.8L version in 1999. That one put out 190bhp and I remember it was an absolute blast. Definitely not as quick as the S52 M, but in that light a chassis it still moves with authority. My mom absolutely loved that car, but it had to go after my siblings started having children and she needed to do the whole 'grandma' thing. We talked about that car off and on, and I decided to let a couple of cars go in order to find one. The final years of the Z3 came with a power bump; the M got the blistering(if slightly notorious) S54 with its amazing, high-revving nature and over 300 horses. The normal Z3 came with the M54s out of the E46; the 2.5L putting out close to the old 2.8's numbers. The new 3.0, however, put down close to 230bhp; not too far from the S52 M. I found a low mileage 3.0 about six months ago in an almost identical configuration as my mom had her 2.8, even down to the rare optional hardtop. It's been an incredible car and I know it's gong to be a very enjoyable experience over the coming years.

I have a silver 2000 M Roadster. So s52. Sometimes I wish I had the s54, but my s52 has been so reliable. Only has 65k miles on it!

Nice presentation is very pro you are big potentiel, I like this car I have small cars collection and I have 2 Z3, one Z3 M Roadster 1998 black satin and 2.5i Roadster M pakage 2002 silver.

my dad had an S52 M Roadster back when it was new. I have always wanted an S54 version someday, in the meantime I just bought a 2.8 Z3. Quite fun, especially considering the price!!

I have a similar spec 1998 Model, Estoril Blue. It's a RHD UK Model so has the S50B32 Engine. 321bhp. Great car.

I still have my M Roadster that I bought new in April 2000. I have about 21k miles on it. It has been kept in a garage. It even still has new car smell. I plan to keep it to my death. I sometimes call it my "Gran Torino" (referring to the car of the Clint Eastwood character in Gran Torino, how he kept it to his death).

Guess I better hang onto my 98. Got lucky and found a hardtop for it. Still looking for where they hid the spare tire, so bought some run flat rubber just in case.

So cool looking

My 02 S54 has been a great friend, the last analog bmw, I’d never change anything on her... except I upgraded to spyder headlights to update with halo’s and HID’s! 😉

Thanks!

Alex, I have a 1998 BMW M Roadster. I bought it with about 20, 000 miles and now have 62,000. Some interior parts are getting worn out .Is there any place where I can purchase parts besides E-Bay. It didn't come with a cassette case but rather a flip storage compartment which is designed to break easily. Can't find a decent cover. Could this be changed to a cassette compartment to make it at least more attractive than an open compartment. Great video! Thanks, Eddie

Hello Alex, I have a 1996 Bmw Z3, I use it every day and driving it is a very pleasant experience, I would like you to make a video driving the car perhaps touring the city where you live, greetings from Paraguay !!!

Why on earth are there 2 thumbs down on this video? This is the first Z3 video that’s actually entertained and fun 🤩

Great take on the MR! I wonder what the real-world performance difference is between the US Spec S52 and S54 cars? 0-60 and Highway (60+) acceleration...

Please tell me what you have in your steering fluid reservoir. Does the cap show ATF Oil or CHF? What's in yours? Red stuff (ATF) or green stuff (CHF)? Thanks.

PLEAASE MORE M ROADSTR VIDEOS

Got a silver 1998. Great car!

I just saw one of these today in The upper state of South Carolina, I was so confused with what it was, it just had a M badge on that back and nothing else

I miss my old clown shoe. I had a new 2001 3.0 coupe in college, it was my favorite car.

I have the exact same spec but mine is estoril exterior and Nappa black interior. I love it love it love it its my daily

I have the SUS z3... a first gen 1.9l but i swapped whit s52 engine. Previous owner blow the engine and buy it from less that 2k, searching on forums what can i do i decide to install that engine, well... that took me a more like 1yr and half to complete and a tons of issues catching pices to adjusting... but is totally worth seen a "1.9" speeding in track days with mid 00"/15" sports cars. And yes, tons of people says me the same "take off, buy a M3 or some more powerfull" and what I say to them? This car is from Bond, James Bond

Get one while you can , especially low mileage ones are on the increase . Drivers will always be more affordable but are increasing too .

I have a 2000 m roadster s52 with a supercharger and stage 2 clutch, loads of torque and super fun to drive, I drove a 2001 s54 but I enjoy the low end torque on my car, no comparison

Nice Z3

1998 Esprit was a 350hp twin turbo flat plane crank V8. Last year of turbo 4 was in 1996. First year V8 worldwide was 1997

I've owned 4 different Z3 models now! Never the 4cyl though, that's too slow haha. And I can say they have certainly hit the bottom, actually they hit bottom about 2 years ago. I was able to find Ms for well under $10k in decent "drivers car" shape! Get these cars before they turn into the next e30 M3. It's going to happen!!!!!!!

Weird seeing the blank gauge in the middle on the 98’s. Supposed to be the battery or oil pressure gauge. And no ASC either with a cassette deck instead of CD player. I believe the amber lights and it says roadster on the door sill was unique to the 98 as well

You could get regular z3s with a variety of straight 6 configurations and they were much cheaper.

The S52 also came in Europe, it was just much closer to the S54. See, there are two engines named S52. The US market one is dubbed the S52B30US. Its got more in common with the M52 than the euro S52. See S engines are supposed to have individual throttle bodies and crazy high flow heads. But when the E36 M3 came out, bmw thought the US didn't want it, since the E30 325i was more popular than the E30 M3. So they never got the proper S52 engine to pass US emissions rules. BMW fans petitioned BMW to sell the M3 here, but they couldn't use the M3 engine. So they took an M52B28, bored and stroked it, and fiddled with the ecu to create the USDM S52, not a true BMW S engine. Both Europe and US got the S54 when it came out. Here's the thing, the S52B30US is a disappointment in the M3, where it fails to deliver the fun of an M3, namely, an exotic engine in a regular car. But the Z3 is already more exciting with a 2.5L engine than the M3 was with the S52B30US. So when you put the mildly hot S52B30US in the Z3, there is no disappointment.

The s54 is the only M version that's really worth owning, the s52 only came with 240 horsepower. Which isn't much more than the 3.0. The 2.8 has 200 horsepower although it's 400 pounds lighter then the 3.0 and M variant. The Z3 came with multiple engines and are great candidates for engine swaps. Roadsters used to be about the ride and the experience with the top down not getting to your destination as fast as you can. The z3 2.8 also came standard with a wide body , so it wasn't just indicative of the M car. I used to own a Z3 M but I've upgraded to a Z4 M Coupe.

good

the frozen lake made me so nervous

I have a black 98 m love the car

I love that nobody likes these cars, and that makes it a little more affordable. I've had my eye on the S54 Z3 M Roadster and in one year I will buy one.

You should talk about the subframe issue....

Nice video, Alex. And fabulous colour for your M roadster - then again, I am biased! I have an Estoril Blue, 2000 M roadster with the Euro-spec S50 (321 HP) engine. It was a Japanese export (log books and many engine bay tags are in Japanese), and now it lives in British Columba where it sees the roads when they are dry and salt-free, so basically a spring and summer ride. Here's a video I shot of my car early last year: ru-vid.com/video/%D0%B2%D0%B8%D0%B4%D0%B5%D0%BE-5mEV9qzou2M.html

Hey I got one of those too!

M roadster ? its Z3M same body wide as 2.8

My parents bought a z3 1.8 I4 and it was £800 it's so fun and he uses it as his daily driver

ugggh i want this car sooo bad, i own a x3 now but i am going to do everything i can to get a m roadster

😍

I am probably selling mine. 2000 bmw m roadster silver color with 136,000 miles clean title it’s a daily driver, so not perfect. Will be putting it up on Facebook marketplace and Monterey county Craigslist for $8,000 obo

How does a car guy not know the difference between a V and an inline engine?

I got mine for $8000. Still have it.

Man I had a long and positive comment and it got deleted :/ I have this same car and it is the bees knees. That's the short version lol

It has an INLINE 6 no V at all

You guys in the US really got stiffed with that S52. I didn’t know they put it in the Z too, lame. S54 for life!

you mean 3 engine options. Euro S50, US S52 then the S54

Cassettes?.....isn't that going backwards?

nightmare in repair cost.

Beautiful car but nothing matches the beauty of a perfectly intact spot weld. Stuck with the 1.9. I plan to tour, not race.

Say that again slow this this time cause the s52b32 is a straight six motor

🤣 dude you need to check out colin furze here on RU-vid

You guys really got screwed with this generation of M cars. S52 in the E36 and Z3 has 320ish hp everywhere else.

I own a 2000 Z3M also. It IS a Z3. Please show me ANYTHING that says an M roadster is not a Z3. It's a great car, but dont missrepresent it. I looked everywhere and found nothing saying the M roadster is a stand alone model.

Saying it’s not a Z3 is pretty silly as it would not exist without it and it is a Z3 with a bigger engine and a better suspension

I never understand why car enthusiasts cannot pronounce Porsche. You don’t drive a Ferrar, or a Hond, or a Toyot, or a Tesl. The unstressed schwa-e is pronounced uh. Ferdinand thanks you.

What is your instagram?

A V6 ? Chrome around the gearbox ? Credibility lost.

It's like 90% Z3 so it's basically an upgraded Z3 especially if you talk about the American spec which only had about 10 horsepower more than the Z3 3.0 😑😑 Oh and the every Z3 after 1997 came with wide fenders. They're both the same width. This video is so off. Lol .smh

V6😅

Not five seconds, 4.2 also you forgot to say. MADE IN AMERICA!!!

Not a V6… 🤦‍♂️

To say that the M Roadster is not a Z3 is absolut ignorant. It shares the same body as any other Z3 Roadster with an R6 engine, only the 4-cylinders got narrow bodies. Also the NA S52 with it's 240 hp, should not even be called an M model, only 10 hp more than a 3.0 non-M. S52 VS S54? S54 is a way better engine. Typically why people are considering a S52 it's because if color combinations, not the engine.

Why can't you admit the car is a Z3? The M modifications increase performance, but the car is still a Z3. 90% of the parts are interchangeable. I've driven the '98 Z3M, and my '98 Z3 2.8. Both are great cars, and have their advantages & disadvantages. But they are still based on the Z3. It almost sounds like you are embarrassed to own a Z3.