Thoughts from the Curb

Oct 13, 2008 - 1998 BMW Z3 2.8: A Drive Through the Smoky Backyard

At Edmunds, we get just about every holiday imaginable off, so in honor of Columbus Day (or for me, Canadian Thanksgiving) I'm writing this from home today. Since everyone I know outside of Edmunds is working today, I thought I'd drop off the Saturn Astra I was driving this weekend at the office and grab my Z3.

 As I cruised up PCH with the top down, it dawned on me that I've now owned her for more than a year (with only 700 miles) and this was the first time I'd drive her up my favorite stomping ground of Topanga Canyon Road. I therefore have never really found out what she can do on a twisty road.

Obviously, the Z3 shows its age. The whole car jiggles and shakes over bumps, and forget 1998, the rear suspension is from the 1980s. And while the steering is wonderfully weighted and communicative at lower speeds, when pushed through the mountains, it lightens up a lot and stops speaking to you as fluently. But bless it, she can wag her tail and the 2.8-liter inline-6 is just a beautiful engine (happiness, thy name is torque). It's really hard to imagine BMW sandwiched in three engines that were more powerful than this, including a 315-hp version of our LT M3's engine.

Unfortunately, with the Santa Ana's blowing and fires in the Valley, I didn't do my usual full Old Topanga Run -- I didn't feel like getting the Z3 filled with dust and smelling like barbecue. But even if the Z3 isn't the mechanical powerhouse that many of the fun cars I run through Topanga are, with the top down, the sun up and a cool breeze, what a way to spend Columbus Day.

-James Riswick

12:38 pm | Categories: my z3 Permalink | Alert Administrator

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