Car appreciation... the aesthetics, the engineering, etc

Thanks, I see - it's massive. I need to put it in the car - this will probably fit fine but I'll measure it up.

I've always wanted a 993 and I think the 996 is just too delicate and expensive as a left-outside runabout and not special enough to be a keeper. It drives fine but the general quality of the thing is pretty poor, I guess it's getting on. I got a tip because I figured a manual would be annoying in traffic (plus my converted NZ license only allows me to drive an auto, haven't got round to getting that sorted). That was the biggest mistake, the tip doesn't suit me, I've enjoyed driving some modern autos but in a sportscar it's just not a compromise I can live with.

Having owned one now I think I enjoyed my Audi S2 more, and an old Audi is doesn't elicit the same (unwanted) reaction when people find out you drive a Porsche. I'd happily pour all my money into the old S2 but I'm just not attached to the porker. I don't really care how fast a car is so maybe now the 993 is coming down in price it could be worth a shot.

What's the cheapest acceptable OBD2 reader thingy? For a 2006 Ford Fiesta, engine light's come on and the engine is not quite right

I picked up one of these and it works perfectly fine: https://www.amazon.co.uk/WildAuto-Professional-Diagnostic-Automotive-Readiness/dp/B07QRH6LKG

If you're looking for the cheapest option, the bluetooth ones are probably a good bet as there's a lot less to them (they're controlled via your connected smartphone) so I imagine they may well be cheaper for a given level of quality.

Can't imagine there's a difference in how they perform in terms of returning engine codes though.

There's an article I can't find now about the cheap Chinese Bluetooth ones and how they all come from one original fake or something.

@frankenbike
Try and avoid any that say v1.5 on them, I think the v2.2 are generally genuine, if you go for a Bluetooth version

Cheers, went for a slightly cheaper but identical one

I was just reading about that.

The ELM327 is a PIC microcontroller that has been customized with ELM Electronics' proprietary code that implements the testing protocols. When ELM Electronics sold version 1.0 of its ELM327, it did not enable the copy protection feature of the PIC microcontroller. Consequently, anyone could buy a genuine ELM327, and read ELM's proprietary binary microcontroller software using a device programmer. With this software, pirates could trivially produce ELM327 clones by purchasing the same microcontroller chips and programming them with the copied code.[5][6] ELM327 copies were widely sold in devices claiming to contain an ELM327 device, and problems have been reported with the copies.[7] The problems reflect bugs that were present in ELM's version 1.0 microcode; those making the clones may continue to sell the old version.

Although these copies may contain the ELM327 v1.0 code, they may falsely report the version number as the current version provided by the genuine ELM327, and in some cases report an as-yet non-existent version.[8] Released software versions for the ELM327 are 1.0, 1.3a, 1.4b, 2.1 and 2.2 only.[9] The actual functions of these copies are nonetheless limited to the functions of the original ELM327 v1.0, with their inherent deficiencies.

Got to watch this ECP sell a £40 rrp item for £85 on their website then discount through codes back down to £35-45 region. Gives you impression your buying trade price when your actually just back at retail or in a LOT of cases above it.
However got an intercooler for the c220 diesel, £220 (ECP 'rrp') for £40, used ones are more than that so won't roast them too hard lol

If its not the battery deciding its had enough of its life, get the w203 to an auto electrician, almost guarantee you'll have a bad charging/alternator/starter motor cable, its one cable with a junction in the middle (for a block heater on diesels, not sure if the v8 needs one!) and they rot. One of the reasons my little diesel one ended up with me is rampant charging & starting issues that the PO had been chasing for so long (think car has had FOUR starter motors in 3 years) that he finally gave up.
No idea how much the cable is from merc, imagine around £70 to £120, I just made a piggyback cable up from some recycled very high quality process machine cabinet, starts and charges like a boss now. Still has an intermittent medium level drain, not the seat modules, suspect something to do with alarm/coming home lights/interior dome lights or something that has its fingers on all of above.

Gave the family wagon a coat of that mothers ceramic stuff after it worked so well on the 306. Good results again. I should have polished the car first but only had a couple hours spare.... Boring Audi pic....

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Saw a Z3M-coupe in town, really want one now. Are all the decent ones bonkers money?

Yes, totally. They’re alleged not to be as good a drive as the e46 m3 for internet reasons that I don’t recall.

Love that colour!

Depends if you wanted an s50 (e36 m3) or s54 (e46 m3) engined car. The latter would be quite a bit more expensive. Munich legends had a few when I was there, I think in the region of £60k. That's not far off M3 CSL money.

If you are buying a car to drive, and don't want to worry about putting miles up on an appreciating classic, I'd look at the z4 3.0si coupe. Or z4m coupe. z3m's and CSL's are probably overpriced these days.

I just love the bread-van look of the original Z3-coupe, and the M wheel arches and so on make it look that bit more ridiculous. It’d have a bike rack on the roof all the time if I owned one.

I wonder about importing an LHD one- seem to recall they’re much cheaper?

LHD z3m coupe might not be cheaper, but you can get non-M z3 coupe's in LHD that would undoubtedly be cheaper.

Ha i was looking at one of these the other day. They speak to me as well.

Semi-trailing arm rear suspension from the old widow-maker E30?

The original Z3 was very close to being an E30 chassis in a new frock IIRC. Still want one, the number of genuinely fast two door estates is short!

Z3m is fast and exciting, but a modern hot hatch/estate like a leon cupra r estate or golf r estate would absolutely eat a z3m off the road, and have more space, and be cheaper to run. It just wouldn't have a soul.

Fast means very little to me. Fun is whats matters.

Buy an mx5 then?

https://rover.ebay.com/rover/0/0/0?mpre=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.ebay.co.uk%2Fulk%2Fitm%2F324025583418

You'd buy 3 of these for the price of one breadvan

Its gotta be fun to look at as well .)
I learnt that with the 350z

Hard mounting a bike rack to the roof of that.

The Z3 M Coupé is a flawed, but great car. I'd love one in the garage. No amount of MX-5's would fill that space...