Greetings from Hertfordshire!
A little recent history - back in Covid (remember that?) having loved every minute of owning my "practical" RX8 I agreed to sell it as it hardly got any use and was essentially burning money sitting outside the house. A brilliant but ruinously expensive second car for a family with three children, we decided after much life-reflection to prioritise super-cheap motoring and allocate more of our resources to holidays and time with the children etc.
Enter the Mazda 2...or as my wife dubbed it, the "student's car".
Fast-forward to now, triggered by some recent tragic bereavement and further life-reflection (with the conclusion life is short), some discussions have been had about replacing the Mazda 2.
Initial conversations were shockingly directed towards a newer, safer, more comfortable 5 door hatchback like a Volvo V40 or Mazda 3....god help me.
Last week however I raised the question of "do we think we could manage with a two-seater?"...and I was not shot down in flames
A very rapid shortlist based on a budget of £6-10k was pulled together:
- original Boxster ("too expensive, too showy")
- Mk3 MX5 ("we love them but have had two already")
- Nissan 350Z ("meh")
Z4??? ("mmm yes I do like them")
So here I am on the initial stages of a Z4 hunt. My biggest dilemma is wind-in-the-hair Roadster v "that-shape" Coupe...
I can tell already this site is going to be a) an absolute treasure-trove of information; b) an enemy to my wallet
Regards!
L83
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Morning all!
- MikeyH
- Lifer
- Posts: 4946
- Joined: Sat Oct 02, 2021 10:57 pm
- Location: Devon
Morning all!
Hi, welcome to the forum, you’ve come to the right place for Z4 buying advice. Yes the E86 is a nice looking car but you can’t put the roof down enjoy your search
Now, Sterling grey Z4 2.2 with cup holders, stubby aerial and sport seats. Roadsters ‘cause they’re great with the roof down.
Ford Anglia, Red Sprite, a few MG midgets, MGB Roadster and yellow Ford Capri, all gone many years now.
Ford Anglia, Red Sprite, a few MG midgets, MGB Roadster and yellow Ford Capri, all gone many years now.
- buzyg
- Legend
- Posts: 26605
- Joined: Fri May 20, 2011 6:11 pm
- Location: Cornwall
Morning all!
Great introduction, welcome on board. A serial Nissan and Mazda Owner. her. I have a Mazda2 sat on the drive along side an mx5 mk3.75 HT and a mk4 sport sat in the garage. Our Mazda2 is nicknamed the bus.
Mazda3 great car as is the 6. tried them all. We don't need a family car any more retired.. , we do need practical, the bus, do need driving fun, the mk4.
Despite owning many Japanese cars, the most reliable car I have ever owned was my Z4. It was also the most pampered. (probably related) Find a good one and get enjoying driving again.
Mazda3 great car as is the 6. tried them all. We don't need a family car any more retired.. , we do need practical, the bus, do need driving fun, the mk4.
Despite owning many Japanese cars, the most reliable car I have ever owned was my Z4. It was also the most pampered. (probably related) Find a good one and get enjoying driving again.
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- Newbie
- Posts: 2
- Joined: Wed Apr 03, 2024 8:19 am
- Location: Hertfordshire
Morning all!
Thanks MikeyH and buzyg.
Yes there is something about the Mazda brand I can't put my finger on but I just love it - had 2 x MK1 MX-5, one was a Dakar special edition (nothing special about it really other than the colour which was a beautiful deep navy), the other in red was supercharged...gosh I miss that car.
The RX8 was the same deep navy and that was a wonderful car. Not fast, but hitting the 9.5krpm limit with the Militek exhaust I had attached was addictive...as was it's penchant for petrol stations!
Buying a Z4 would be my first venture into BMW ownership. I have hankered after one ever since my mother purchased a 316 Compact M-Sport - slow as a bulldog but looked amazing.
It will be a long drawn-out process full of procrastination (it always is with me) but will keep this board updated on my progress!
Yes there is something about the Mazda brand I can't put my finger on but I just love it - had 2 x MK1 MX-5, one was a Dakar special edition (nothing special about it really other than the colour which was a beautiful deep navy), the other in red was supercharged...gosh I miss that car.
The RX8 was the same deep navy and that was a wonderful car. Not fast, but hitting the 9.5krpm limit with the Militek exhaust I had attached was addictive...as was it's penchant for petrol stations!
Buying a Z4 would be my first venture into BMW ownership. I have hankered after one ever since my mother purchased a 316 Compact M-Sport - slow as a bulldog but looked amazing.
It will be a long drawn-out process full of procrastination (it always is with me) but will keep this board updated on my progress!
- Mr Tidy
- Legend
- Posts: 24060
- Joined: Wed Jul 02, 2014 12:18 pm
- Location: North West Surrey
Morning all!
To be fair it seems to be a combination of both, but welcome aboard anyway.
I bought my first BMW in 2005 and haven't been without one since, probably mainly because there aren't too many RWD alternatives with a manual gearbox.
The Roadster/Coupe debate will last as long as the forum even if there is no right or wrong answer, just personal preferences.
I've just never had or wanted a convertible, and anyway I just fell in love with the looks of the Coupe.
Coupes because stunning!
Current - Silver Grey MC, Imola Red heated Nappa & carbon trim. Aeros, H & R Coil-overs, 224s, OE Strut brace, Nav, cup-holders, DSP Hi-Fi, pdc, cruise, MFSW, no CDV! E90 330i daily
Gone - Montego Blue
Gone - Ruby Black
Current - Silver Grey MC, Imola Red heated Nappa & carbon trim. Aeros, H & R Coil-overs, 224s, OE Strut brace, Nav, cup-holders, DSP Hi-Fi, pdc, cruise, MFSW, no CDV! E90 330i daily
Gone - Montego Blue
Gone - Ruby Black