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DRP67
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Joined: Sun Sep 12, 2021 11:46 am

New Member and Prospective Owner

Post by DRP67 » Mon Sep 13, 2021 9:27 am

Hi.

New to this forum

My current passion is building / restoring and riding classic Lambretta, but time to move on, although i will keep one.

I am looking to take the plunge and purchase a Z4 E85; ideally 2.5 or 3.0 (at 54 insurance is cheap!)

Budget up to £7k. The car will be our won't be either of our main drives so mileage not really main focus.

Been looking on usual pages - Autotrader / Ebay - lot of choices and varied prices

What are the things I should look out for / avoid / common issues?

When do Cam-Belts / Timing chains need replacing

Thanks for any advice.

Zedebee
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New Member and Prospective Owner

Post by Zedebee » Mon Sep 13, 2021 2:10 pm

Hi and welcome to the forum. You should have plenty of choice at that budget, except the later 3.0Si which may be out of reach.

Both the M54 (earlier) and N52 (later) engines are capable of high mileages, so buy on condition and service history.

Oil leaks around the cam cover and oil pump housing are common, so don’t necessarily see this as a problem. So is condensation in the post-facelift fog lights. Higher mileage cars are likely to need a suspension refresh if not already done. Rear coil springs will snap at some point unless replaced with non-OEM, usually when rust starts to eat through the pigtail end. M54 can have issues with CCV (particularly with short journeys in cold weather) and DISA valve (seems to be a DIY job). N52 electric water pump recommended for replacement at 60k+. Hood motor needs to be relocated to the boot to stop it sitting in a pool of water and there have been a few reported problems of broken wires in the loom where the roof folds (n.b. getting a coupe avoids these issues).

Both engines have a timing chain, so there is no belt to replace. I have not heard of the chain giving any problems, although the VANOS can cause issues.

If you are handy with the spanners they are pretty good cars to work on with the engine sitting longitudinally in a big engine bay and most parts are readily available. There is also a wealth of great help and advice on this forum.
2003 Maldives Blue 3.0i auto
Previously: Maldives Blue 2.5i manual (its back!) and another, and a Monaco Blue 3.0Si coupe

DRP67
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New Member and Prospective Owner

Post by DRP67 » Mon Sep 13, 2021 2:29 pm

:thumbsup:

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Mr Tidy
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Post by Mr Tidy » Tue Sep 14, 2021 8:31 pm

Hi and welcome aboard (from another older member). :thumbsup:

I saw you have 2 posts running, but I thought mine might follow on better from what Zedebee said, so here goes!

The M54 engine in the pre-facelifts came in 3 sizes, 2.21 with 170bhp, 2.5i with 192bhp and 3.0i with 231bhp.

The N52 in facelifts (2006 on) came as a 2.5i with 177bhp, 2.5Si with 218bhp and 3.0Si with 265bhp.

I've only had one M54 in a 3 Series but am on my 4th N52, 2 in Z4s and 2 in 3 Series. Personally I prefer the N52 in a sports car as it revs higher - to 7,000rpm rather than 6,500. Either way if insurance isn't an issue bigger is always better as the running costs are the same as for the smaller engines!

The electric water pump on the N52 will die at some point and when it does the engine will overheat within a mile. Whether you replace as a preventative measure depends on how inconvenient such a failure would be - new ones cost £250+. The pump on my 1st Z4 died at 60K miles but my 2nd was on the original when I sold it on 91K. My first 3 Series needed a new one at 135K, but for all I know that might have been it's second pump - they are a lottery, but that's why I have recovery insurance.

M-Sport seats are highly desirable (used ones sell for up to £1K a pair) and were a rarely specified option on pre-facelifts. But facelifts came in SE or Sport trim and M-Sport seats were standard on Sport models. All 3 litre Z4s had electric seat adjustment with driver's memory.

But standard spec was a bit mean so there are some desirable options, with heated seats being top of the list by all accounts for E85s to prolong the roof-down season.

Other options to look for may be Bi-Xenon headlights, rear parking sensors, wind deflector, rear parking sensors, Multi-Function Steering Wheel and cruise control although that last one is a fairly easy retro-fit.

One other thing to look for is corroded rear brakes pipes. They are in a plastic cover under the floor, but that ends a bit in front of the passenger side rear wheel and then end pf the cover traps road debris which absorbs water and can lead to corrosion.

Lastly the N52 engine can have "ticking" from the top end when cold, especially if the car has sat for a while but it doesn't seem to cause any problems. Getting the car properly warmed up and a spirited drive makes it go away.

It might be worth having a look at any classifieds on here as forum members do tend to spoil their cars. Anyway good luck finding the right one. :thumbsup:
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

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