1999 BMW M Roadster

I OWN A 1999 BMW Z3 ROADSTER, PURCHASED IN NOV 1998. RECENTLY, THE FRONT AND REAR SEAT HAVE BEGUN TO SLIP FORE AND AFT, AS WELL AS ROCK SIDE-SIDE . BOTH SEATS ARE MOTORIZED. I HAVE HAD THE SEATS EXAMINED BY MY MECHANIC WHO TELLS ME THE WORM GEAR/CRADLE ASSEMBLIES FOR BOTH SEATS ARE EXCESSIVELY WORN AND THAT TO REPAIR THE PROBLEM WILL REQUIRE REPLACEMENT OF BOTH SEAT ASSEMBLIES. INTERESTINGLY, MY MECHANIC TELLS ME EVERY Z3 THEY HAVE SEEN HAS DEVELOPED THE SAME PROBLEM. THIS STATEMENT WAS CONFIRMED BY THE BMW DEALER, ALTHOUGH NOT IN SO MANY WORDS. ALTHOUGH MY CAR IS A 1999 IT HAS ONLY 29600 MILES ON IT. I AM ALSO UNLIKELY TO HAVE OVERLY-STRESS THE SEATS AS I AM 5'6" AND WEIGH 139 POUNDS. I AM WRITING TO ASK IF THE NHTSA HAS RECEIVED ANY OTHER REPORTS OF SEAT FAILURE IN Z3 AUTOMOBILES, SINCE BMW NORTH AMERICA TELLS ME THAT THEY CONSIDER THIS "NORMAL WEAR AND TEAR." THANK YOU VERY MUCH FOR YOUR TIME RONALD AIKAWA, MD. *NM

FOUR MONTHS AGO I PURCHASED A STOCK EXCELLENT CONDITION 99 M ROADSTER (MY 4TH BMW IN 5 YEARS). 75000 MILES, NO TRACK TIME, NO MODIFICATIONS TO THE DRIVELINE. NORMAL DRIVING HAS CAUSED THE DIFFERENTIAL MOUNTS TO FAIL - THE MOUNT IS RIVETS TO THE TRUNK BED AND THE RIVETS ARE POPPING OUT. IF I LAY ANY SIGNIFICANT POWER THROUGH THE DRIVELINE THE DIFFERENTIAL WILL TORQUE RIGHT OFF. MY DIFFERENTIAL IS FALLING OFF DUE TO NOTHING MORE THAN ILL-DESIGN. I WILL HAVE TO FIND A WAY TO REBUILD AND SUPPORT THIS AREA BECAUSE THIS IS MY ONLY VEHICLE AND IT'S NOT REALLY DRIVABLE. I HEAR FROM LOCAL FOLKS AND READ ONLINE THAT THIS IS A COMMON PROBLEM WITH THIS VEHICLE, AND BMW'S ONLY REPAIR IS BACK TO FACTORY SPEC. CONSIDER THIS COMPLAINT OFFICIAL FROM ME TO BMW FOR THEIR INADEQUATE DIFFERENTIAL MOUNT DESIGN ON THE Z3 BODY. TRUE REPAIR WILL BE VERY COSTLY AND TIME CONSUMING. *JB

1) FAILURE OCCURRED SUDDENLY DURING ACCELERATION 2) THE DIFFERENTIAL MOUNTS AND SUBFRAME ON MY 1999 BMW M ROADSTER (MZ3) GAVE WAY, ALLOWING THE DIFFERENTIAL TO DROP TO THE ROAD MOMENTARILY AND CRACK THE HEAT SINK. THE DIFFERENTIAL THEN RESTED ON THE EXHAUST PIPES. THIS CAUSED THE CV JOINT BOLTS TO IMPACT THE EXHAUST PIPE UPON ROTATION, CREATING NOISE AND VIBRATION. 3) A TEMPORARY WELD WAS MADE ON DEC 19, 2005, UNTIL PERMANENT BODY WORK CAN BE COMPLETED. *JB

AFTER OTHERS TOLD ME OF THE DEFECTS IN THEIR Z3 CARS, I DECIDED TO CHECK MY OWN CAR. AFTER REMOVING THE CARPET IN THE TRUNK AND IT REVEALED MULTIPLE BROKEN SPOTWELDS OF THE CROSSMEMBER THAT SUPPORTS THE DIFFERENTIAL AND CONNECTS TO THE TRUNK FLOOR PAN. ALSO THE LEFT SIDE OF THE FLOOR PAN IS PULLING LOOSE FROM THE BODY AND EXTENDS ALONG THE ENTIRE LEFT SIDE OF THE FLOOR PAN. THE LEFT SIDE OF THE TRUNK HAS RECESSED BY ABOUT A HALF INCH. THE DIFFERENTIAL MOUNT THAT CONNECTS THE CROSSMEMBER TO THE DIFFERETIAL HAS A CRACK IN IT.

1998 & 1999 M ROADSTER AND M COUPE BMWS HAVE A HUGE REARVIEW MIRROR THAT IS POSITIONED LOW, AND IMPAIRS FRONT VISIBILITY. MIRROR CREATES A HUGE BLIND SPOT. REPORTED TROUBLE TO DEALER AND BMWNA REPRESENTATIVE, BUT THEY HAD NO RECOMMENDATION AND STATED THEY WERE NOT AWARE OF ANY ISSUES. MANY OWNERS DISAGREE. Z3 MESSAGE BOARD LISTS MANY OWNER COMPLAINTS. URL IS "HTTP://WWW.BIMMER.ORG/Z3/MESSAGES/SEARCH.HTML" SEARCH ON "REARVIEW MIRROR". I HAVE HAD SEVERAL CLOSE CALL INCIDENTS, PARTICULARLY AT A 4 WAY STOP. WILL PROBABLY HAVE MIRROR CHANGED AT MY OWN COST TO FIX SAFETY HAZZARD, BUT DO NOT FEEL THIS IS PROPER. I LOVE THE CAR, BUT DO NOT LIKE BEING TOLD THAT A PROBLEM DOES NOT EXIST, PARTICULARLY WHEN I HAVE EXPERIENCED IT MYSELF. THE FACT THAT OTHERS HAVE THE SAME ISSUE JUST PROVIDES CONFIRMATION. *AK