David McNett :: 2002 BMW M Roadster

Like a Miata but fat and fast

From 2002 until 2007 I drove a 2002 BMW Z3 M Roadster. It was unbelievably fast and quite fun to drive, although perhaps a bit on the portly side for a roadster (greater than 3,000 pounds). This page details the events and highlights of my ownership of the car including maintenance and repair issues.

If you are considering purchasing an M Roadster of your own then I hope that the information available here is useful to your decisionmaking. While the plural of "anecdote" is not "data", it's often nice to be able to see what another person's experiences have been. I was happy with the car while I owned it, although by the end of the five years I was ready for something different.

Now I own: 2007 Porsche 911 Carrera S Cabriolet

Summary of Costs

Maintenance and repair cost an average of $69.04 per month in hard costs (including two full sets of tires and one replacement wheel).
If I hadn't hit that damn hole in the road it would be more like $40.38 per month.

Depreciation added another $389.83 in soft cost each month for a total ownership expense of $458.87 a month.
Fuel and insurance is not included in these figures.

Maintenance cost per mile: $0.13
Ownership cost per mile: $0.85

Repair/Maintenance History

Date	Mileage	Description	Cost
13-Feb-2007	32,024	Sold car.
18-Nov-2006	30,094	Low oil light came on after a drive to the grocery. Topped off with about a half quart (leftover from April)
3-Apr-2006	27,514	During a drive to San Antonio the low oil light lit when I shut off the car. I topped off the engine with less than a quart of 5W60. I highly advise anyone who has a BMW with the S54 engine to always carry an extra quart of the oil with them at all times. It's next to impossible to find in stores, and you never know when you might need to add a little. The engine, in general, seems to like to drink oil when run hard.
3-Apr-2006	27,442	Texas State Inspection and repair missing cover plate on center console.	$41.96
Mar-2006	BMW extends the warranty on the ignition coils.
1-Mar-2006	26,955	Got a nice, aggresive alignment from SoulSpeed. [specs]	$64.95
23-Feb-2006	26,931	Driver's rear tire stopped holding air, so it was time for a new set. I decided to go with something different than the first two sets, and picked up some Yokohama ADVAN Neova AD07s. Went wider in the rear (as suggested by some other autocrossers): 225/45R17 up front and 255/40R17 in back (up from 245/40R17).	$1,087.76
3-Jun-2005	23,975	Pulling out of the driveway the car stalled (this is normal) and then wouldn't re-start (this is unusual). When trying to start the car would click energetically but the engine never actually turned over. Car towed to dealership. Battery replaced under warranty.	$0.00
6-Apr-2005	23,619	State inspection, BMW Inspection I (includes oil change), Brake Flush, Fuel Injection Service.	$1,118.84
28-Feb-2005	Factory Service period expires. I'm on my own for maintenance
22-Jul-2004	19,838	Oil change. I paid because the dash indicator hadn't tripped yet, but I was uncomfortable with how long it had been.	$79.95
31-Mar-2004	18,377	State inspection, Headlight control knob faulty, wiggling the knob caused interior lights to flicker	$12.50
5-Nov-2003	13,096	The gear shift knob kept popping off. Replaced.	$0.00
12-Jul-2003	10,821	I smacked a huge hole in the road and bent a rim. New wheel, a new set of tires (it was time) and an alignment done. [receipt]	$1,690.92
9-Jul-2003	10,720	Normal oil service and maintenance as directed by in-dash indicator. [receipt]	$0.00
30-Apr-2003	9,702	Oil light came on, so I picked up some oil and added a quart.	$41.44
28-Jan-2003	7,530	A lady in a van backed into my hood in the parking lot at Wendy's off McNeil.	$0.00
Dec 2002	BMW voluntarily extends the warranty on the engine in the car.
29-Dec-2002	7,187	About 100 miles into a trip to Dallas, the "Service Engine Soon" light lit. Oxygen sensor replaced.	$0.00
9-Nov-2002	6,833	During a spirited drive back from New Braunfels the engine began making a loud knocking noise when under acceleration. Problem seemed to get worse as car warmed up. I didn't drive on the 10th, and took the car to BMW of Austin on the morning of the 11th. The engine was replaced.	$0.00
15-Aug-2002	unsure	Just as we were starting a nice Lime Creek Road drive, the "oil low" indicator light on the dashboard lit. Peter Gildea (co-pilot at the time) and I headed to the nearest AutoZone and checked. The engine was indeed showing the oil level right at the "low" line. Tossed in some oil and experienced no further issues.
9-Apr-2002	1,457	Scheduled 1200 mile service. Added alarm and keyless entry system. [receipt]	$460.06
23-Feb-2002	25	Purchased car.