The Z3 was supposed to go away. But the process has slowed. Or maybe stopped altogether.

This isn’t some nostalgia trip. Yes, the car has been in the family since 1999. Yes, it was Mom’s car and then Dad’s car and now they’re both gone. Yes, despite being arguably the “worst” Z3 – the 1.9-liter M44 pushing its modest energy through a tragic General Motors-sourced four-speed automatic – I simply adore it. Driving it, looking at it, even wrenching on it: The Z3 puts a smile on my face no Miata ever has, including our former black-on-blood 1993 LE or the 2000 Evolution Orange Mica example we almost bought new, but didn’t.

We met this 1997 Z3 when she was just off a two-year lease. On the test-drive, with me in the passenger seat, I told Mom to wave at an oncoming gray Z3. She did, he waved back. Our little blue Bond-mobile has been in the collective ever since.

After Mom and then Dad passed, my wife Chris didn’t want the car. Somehow she had only ever ridden in the Z3, top up, in traffic. Once was on the way to Baltimore. I said the only times the top should ever be up are when the car is getting a bath or in storage for the winter.

The new top is now more down than down. Chris allowed how she is liking the car. “Wish it had a stick.” I could fix that. “Wish it was more powerful” was a thing I heard once or twice, but which seems to have fallen by the wayside. Downing Atlanta superchargers for the M42/M44 may as well be made from unicorn nipples.

“Can you fix the seat rocking back and forth?” which is a thing most Z3s do. Yep, parts are on order, along with the glovebox latch reinforcement bracket so that infernal door stops rattling.

We’ve been catching up on maintenance despite its low miles, a skosh over 39,000 of them at this writing. Inspection Service last summer – its first, after it dropped spark on #4 – and then just recently a water pump, thermostat, belts, pulleys, etc. The pump was leaking and the thermostat had already been replaced many years but few miles ago. It needed a coolant flush, anyway. Also replaced the valve cover gasket set. Figure I’ll take care of the oozing oil from the top down.

Still needs tires. They’ve aged out. Probably next year at this point. Haven’t yet found the whistling noise. Some sort of vacuum leak, maybe the intake manifold gasket. No faults or Check Engine Light, but the idle isn’t as smooth as I think it should be. More parts to order. Also, the alternator bearings may be humming after they get hot. Everything else in that area is new except for the power steering pump. The hum is intermittent, of course.

But I do love it. Baur – our son who is named after our E30, or maybe the other way around – loves it. Chris likes it a lot, so she’s getting there.

Chris tried, briefly, arguing for the Z3’s departure, noting it needs work. “Hell,” I said. “They all need work.” Even before some young yutz raked the passenger side and hood with his bicycle, our trusty 2018 Subaru Outback 3.6R Touring needed some extracurricular love. “We’ll just fold the Z3 into the workflow,” I said. A head nod.

I think the Z3 will stick around for a bit.