29k-Mile 1996 BMW Z3 Five-Speed

Description

When the Mazda Miata proved in 1990 that a small two-seat roadster could be a runaway success — after they had all but disappeared from the market a decade before — other manufacturers began planning their own, the most famous of which were the Porsche Boxster, Mercedes-Benz SLK, and BMW Z3. 

The Z3 project began in 1991 with a design from Joji Nagashima, and a final version was launched in 1995, with production starting that September at BMW’s facility in Spartanburg, South Carolina. The BMW Z3 was based on the E36 3-Series platform, with MacPherson strut front suspension and rear semi-trailing arm suspension from the older E30 (1982-94) 3-Series. The first Z3s were powered by a 140-horsepower, 1.9 liter four-cylinder engine capable of 0-60 mph in 7.9 seconds and with a top speed of 120 mph. Priced $10,000 higher than the simpler Miata, the Z3 had something that the Mazda did not: BMW’s prestigious performance reputation. 

“‘Grown-up Miata’ is a nutshell summary,” Car and Driver wrote upon the Z3’s release, “[but] that understates the slick and sophisti­cated BMW feel that sets the Z3 apart from any other two-seater on the U.S. market." 

Highlights 

• First-year 1996 BMW Z3 showing 29,949 original miles 

• Finished in Bright Red (314) paint over black leather interior 

• Powered by a 1.9-liter DOHC inline four-cylinder engine rated at 140 horsepower 

• Five-speed manual transmission 

• Black manual soft top 

• Clean CARFAX Vehicle History Report 

  Features 

• Air conditioning serviced 

• Power-assisted rack-and-pinion steering 

• Power anti-lock brakes, seats, windows, and locks  

• Air-conditioning 

• Anti-theft system 

• Aftermarket Pioneer AM/FM/CD stereo 

• Dash instrumentation: 155 mph speedometer and odometer, 7000 rpm tachometer, coolant temperature, fuel level 

• 16-inch, five-spoke stock wheels with Continental tires 

Known Imperfections 

• Small tear on passenger seat 

Included 

• Keys 

• Original radio 

Ownership History 

According to the accompanying CARFAX Vehicle History Report, this 1996 BMW Z3 was purchased new on 15 July 1996 in Rockville Centre, New York. After 26 years of ownership, the Z3 was sold twice (30 September 2022 and 11 December 2023) and remains in New York. The car has been driven fewer than 700 miles in the last two years and is showing 29,949 original miles (confirmed by CARFAX), an average of just over 1,000 miles per year.