Z4 is now 6 years old - endless problems like me?

[Tasty]

After 6 years of enjoyable ownership and 90000 miles I am now dealing with endless issues. In the last 6 months I have had the following problems and relative costs;

Now on my third set of alloys due to bubbling - £250 contribution needed
Air adjuster valve spindle broken, carbon deposits around value caused break - £200
Driver lock mechanism fell apart had to break into door to open it!- £400
Both backs of seats have now fallen off and cannot get back on either– tbc
Today - Roof not retracting - – tbc

What happended to BMW build quality, is this due to the car being constructed in the US? Not being controversial, my German built BMW's have been fine in the past!

Is anybody having similar issues? Should I get rid of a car which has given me so much pleasure?

Feedback appreciated

Regards
Tasty

[paddy wright]

Same as i said in the other thread 6 years old - s**t happens. none are that serious or expensive.

[Citation 650]

Sounds like abuse.

[ay8306]

There are a few members on the board with 2-3 times your mileage, so I do think that you can get long life out of the car. That said, I also have the definite impression that there was some inherent design issues with the early year Z4s (window regulators, gas caps, vanos o-rings, etc.). The issues seem to be more design related and not about build quality. And remember that only about 30% of the car is produced in North America, the vast majority of the components and sub assemblies still come from Germany.

Now that my car is coming up on the end of it's original warranty period, I am planning to invest in the extended warranty.

[TO//M]

Six years, three months and 42K. I had the steering column replaced under warranty to correct the hot weather issue and put in a new battery. That's it. You want trouble free, but Japanese. My wife's Accura is the same age as my Z4 and she hasn't so much added oil.

[ovrkll]

If you want to play, you have to pay.....old addage, but it seems to apply with any sports car. The roof problem seems to be the only problem that shows up a lot for extended mileage, and that was determined to be a defect from the manufacturer for not sealing it properly against the elements.

My 2 pence

[ay8306]

You want trouble free, buy Japanese.

I hate to admit it but I have to agree ...

If you want to play, you have to pay.....old addage, but it seems to apply with any sports car.

Agree here too ...

[melbs]

consider yourself lucky your zed was problem free for 6 years

i had the following problems when my zed was just 1 year old:

DME failure(car just shuts down during cold start) - replaced
EPS failure(no power steering) - replaced twice
cracked third brake light - replaced twice
xenon ballast failure - replaced
leak in A and B pillars - replaced whole top
leaks in door -
stabilizer bushing defect - replaced
window regulators - replaced both sides twice

at any case, bmws are not known for durability, and its proven by our 3 bimmers (z3, x5, z4)

get lexus, those are built like tanks

[Breaker]

Same as i said in the other thread 6 years old - s**t happens. none are that serious or expensive.

No, that's s**t more like!

Not an excuse these days! My run around car is a Diahatsu Terrios and that is 9 years old, 44,000 miles, hardly serviced, never washed and the only thing wrong with it in my ownership of 6 years is the reverse light bulb blew!! Engine sounds like new!!

If my Z4 starts playing up, then good bye BMW! It is something that has been mentioned before about where the car was assembled. You can't ignore the mounting facts!

I know people with old 3 and 5 series BMW's that have never had a problem!

[klarky]

its luck of the draw really, cars are complicated beasts these days. £600 plus the tbc's isnt too bad, maybe im a glass half empty guy but i always assume ill need to spend £600-£800 on a car a year, and if i dont i just put the money aside. ive got a rear bumper repair to sort out soon, plus new brake discs/pads, plus a service due, mines a 6 year old too so i hope the gremlins stay away for now.

[Ian_Mac]

Having just read the thread I do feel some sympathy here. I always have a worry in my mind about something going wrong, every time I put the roof up could it fail etc Touch wood all fine so far though. But driving a nice car I think you do have to expect the odd bill or two.

Personally I love getting the roof down, I'll have it down even as long as it's not raining, not bothered about blazing sun. Anyway, as I was writing this looked out of my apartment window and saw the following



and I just thought to myself, bills or not - Z4 it is!

[WLH]

If you want to play, you have to pay.....old addage, but it seems to apply with any sports car. The roof problem seems to be the only problem that shows up a lot for extended mileage, and that was determined to be a defect from the manufacturer for not sealing it properly against the elements.

My 2 pence

Agree...
When I was a kid my parents had a 1950 Plymouth Special DeLuxe Convertible. They drove this car for 9 years and almost 200,000 miles. The car even went to Japan, Hawaii and back. It was rarely every garaged and the power top never failed. In fact there were very few problems ever with the car. It does annoy me no end that BMW can't properly design and seal a power top motor that has failed me on my 2 previous Z4's...

[elliot_holder]

Same here.

Mine's just about to turn 6, and its almost like there is a timer in the car which activates
all the common Z4 problems!

So far this year I have issues with....

Cracked rear springs
Roof motor failure
Window regulator
Central locking ECU
Wiper motor

All of which seem to be the common Z4 issues. Appreciate stuff will go wrong.
Just wish it wouldn't happen all at the same time!

Likewise, I've owned many older, higher milage cars with no issues what so ever.

Prior to the Zed I had a string of MG TF's, which are well known for their poor build quality, and constant breaking down.
But in 4 years of owning, I never had any significant issues. And all were as old or older than my Zed.

Just hoping once I've sorted all the above that will be it for a while.

[Tasty]

Didn't want to sound too negative before the car is a great drive and the safest car I have ever driven, never out of shape! I don't want Japanese and can live with the pain, just not 4 problems in 6 months. Any expectations when my clutch is likely to go?

I have just arranged a test drive for the new Z4 3.5 twin turbo, been offered an afternoon but said I would wait until I can have an extended drive, maybe a weekend? The depreciation does scare me especially with the way things are at the moment.

I note from member Overkill that the lack of protection for the moment was a design fault, I may be clutching at straws but the old addage 'where theres blame theres a claim' comes to mind, maybe I am being optimistic? Maybe the thought of a extended test drive for the new one is giving me a more positive perspective.

Regards to all that have commented, don't feel too agrieved after some horror stories I have heard.

Taasty

[E85]

Well said. I think I'd rather have a car w/ sunroof over that yellow car. Just looks like they are trying too hard to be a convertable w/o actually being one.

Having just read the thread I do feel some sympathy here. I always have a worry in my mind about something going wrong, every time I put the roof up could it fail etc Touch wood all fine so far though. But driving a nice car I think you do have to expect the odd bill or two.

Personally I love getting the roof down, I'll have it down even as long as it's not raining, not bothered about blazing sun. Anyway, as I was writing this looked out of my apartment window and saw the following



and I just thought to myself, bills or not - Z4 it is!