Strut Brace
Cost: $399 plus shipping
Pros: Increased front end stability and reduced cowl shake. Easy installation
Cons: Cost. Possible increase in damage during collision
Installation Time: ~1/2 hourA strut brace should be standard equipment on a Z3. If you don't have one, you need one (whether it be a Dinan or another).
The strut brace stiffens the front end helping front-end stability and practically eliminates tram-lining (the tendency for the tires to follow grooves in the road).
The construction of the Dinan brace is great, with its massive strut tower mounting plates and sturdy brace. The installation is very easy and should take the average DIYer about 1/2 hour to install.
There is speculation that the strut brace might increase the amount of damage to the vehicle in a front-end collision because of the connection of the two side of the car and the transmission of kinetic energy through the brace. I just try not to think my Z3 being subjected to any damage beyond the persistant paint chipping (which is bad enough).
