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3.0 si - common issues & have I got a deal?

2003 - 2009, roadster, coupe, facelift
Gg.z495
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3.0 si - common issues & have I got a deal?

Post by Gg.z495 » Sun Mar 14, 2021 10:15 pm

Hi all

Was hoping for some well needed advice as bit of a z4 novice. I’m looking at a 3.0 si automatic 08 plate with 73k mileage and have a few questions:

1. What are the common things to look out for when buying a z4 of this model + age?
2. Is it ok as a daily driver?
3. Is 73k this classed as ‘high mileage’ ?
4. Car is of great inside and out condition, timing chain replaced last year, two previous oweners - have option to buy for £7.5k.... good deal???

Thank you very much in advance!!

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3.0 si - common issues & have I got a deal?

Post by davidmudley12 » Sun Mar 14, 2021 10:18 pm

E85 (roadster) or E86 (coupe)? There’s a premium on the E86.
Current cars: 2006 3.0si E85 Sapphire Black, cruise, MFSW.
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3.0 si - common issues & have I got a deal?

Post by mr wilks » Sun Mar 14, 2021 10:22 pm

I would want to know why the timing chain was replaced & only 73k covered :? that is most definitely not the norm for a N52
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3.0 si - common issues & have I got a deal?

Post by Gg.z495 » Sun Mar 14, 2021 10:58 pm

davidmudley12 wrote: Sun Mar 14, 2021 10:18 pm E85 (roadster) or E86 (coupe)? There’s a premium on the E86.
. E85 roadster - thanks!

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3.0 si - common issues & have I got a deal?

Post by Gg.z495 » Sun Mar 14, 2021 10:59 pm

mr wilks wrote: Sun Mar 14, 2021 10:22 pm I would want to know why the timing chain was replaced & only 73k covered that is most definitely not the norm for a N52
Thanks - will raise the question!

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3.0 si - common issues & have I got a deal?

Post by Smartbear » Sun Mar 14, 2021 11:13 pm

No problem being a daily driver, unless the journey’s only a few miles in which case it’s not good for the engine.
The electronic water pump can be on thin ice around that mileage, check if it’s been replaced & budget a few hundred if it’s still on the original.
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3.0 si - common issues & have I got a deal?

Post by ShaunKC » Sun Mar 14, 2021 11:33 pm

Prices appear to be all over the place at the moment, you only have look at the for sale section on this forum to see that. This one that you are considering is a facelift which you will pay a premium for, but it is an automatic which will generally make a sports car harder to move on. The miles are perhaps slightly lower than average but it’s not a low mileage car. Without knowing anything about the car I would say that (in my opinion), whilst you may not be getting your pants pulled down, you certainly aren’t getting a deal.

I hope that helps.
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3.0 si - common issues & have I got a deal?

Post by rawpilot » Mon Mar 15, 2021 10:25 am

I just bought a 3.0si Auto and love it. For me, you get the best of both worlds with flappy paddles.
Sounds like a very good price, if there are no hidden problems.
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3.0 si - common issues & have I got a deal?

Post by mr.tourette » Mon Mar 15, 2021 11:02 am

I dont know if you got a deal as the current market is a bit bonkers but seeing these posts lately I do know I sold mine too cheap :D
if its got tits or tyres..its trouble :D

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3.0 si - common issues & have I got a deal?

Post by Rucky » Mon Mar 15, 2021 11:08 am

For that Money and Mileage if its the E85 rag top in my experience having bought both a E85 04 2.5 and an 07 30si -
Tyres Discs and brakes - should all be good or replacement factored into asking price.
Check Rear coil springs intact - difficult to spot as they break right at the bottom and you would need a torch and lay on the ground.
ABS / DSC lights (Pump failure) and Steering angle sensor, wheel speed sensors - Any chance you could borrow a code reader and see if there are any faults logged - even intermittent warnings eventually become permanent. I use both a simple Icarsoft fault reader - fits in your pocket as well as INPA on a laptop.
Have a test drive, should be straight and true no wheel wobble , especually under braking
Dont accept any - "Oh yes it does that occasionally" without understanding what could be about to fail.

Does hood operate smoothly with the windows dropping partially and do the lights go out or still flash?

When was last oil change and what does it say on the miles to service in the speedo window on start up -are they recorded.
(Oil service indiacator) I had to replace VANOS solenoids eventually - car immediately went better and MPG improved significantly.

MPG on a warm engine driven steady should show about 35mpg dropping to mid 20's around town
On a good Mway run at steady 68/70 it is nor unusual to see 38mpg over a 300 mile run.

They are great cars but I would suggest can be very expensive if you are not a moderately good DIY er.

Plenty of advice on here though use it wisely.
I expect a few will disagree with my two pence worth but that is my personal experience.

The issues I speak about were partly why the cars I bought were negotiated on price at the time of purchase.
I accepted evidential faults as I knew I could fix them - but got the price discounted.

For £7.5K I would not expect to have to do anything until the next service due.
(But I would do an immediate oil and filter change anyway)

Good luck, enjot the paddles, buy a dashcam and pay attention to speed cameras!
Take it to Europe and have a blast!
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07 3.0si Silver Grey M Sport pak.
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3.0 si - common issues & have I got a deal?

Post by davidmudley12 » Mon Mar 15, 2021 11:15 am

Also worth paying attention to the lights, the headlights and fog lights are notorious for getting moisture in which is a bit of a faff to address, or expensive to replace (the headlight units).

The price feels reasonable to me if it’s in good condition and the mileage is below average of not low.

It’s a wonderful type of car, so hope you find a good example.
Current cars: 2006 3.0si E85 Sapphire Black, cruise, MFSW.
BMW 535d Touring (F11)
Skoda Fabia 1.2
BMW S1000XR

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3.0 si - common issues & have I got a deal?

Post by Gg.z495 » Tue Mar 16, 2021 11:37 am

Rucky wrote: Mon Mar 15, 2021 11:08 am For that Money and Mileage if its the E85 rag top in my experience having bought both a E85 04 2.5 and an 07 30si -
Tyres Discs and brakes - should all be good or replacement factored into asking price.
Check Rear coil springs intact - difficult to spot as they break right at the bottom and you would need a torch and lay on the ground.
ABS / DSC lights (Pump failure) and Steering angle sensor, wheel speed sensors - Any chance you could borrow a code reader and see if there are any faults logged - even intermittent warnings eventually become permanent. I use both a simple Icarsoft fault reader - fits in your pocket as well as INPA on a laptop.
Have a test drive, should be straight and true no wheel wobble , especually under braking
Dont accept any - "Oh yes it does that occasionally" without understanding what could be about to fail.

Does hood operate smoothly with the windows dropping partially and do the lights go out or still flash?

When was last oil change and what does it say on the miles to service in the speedo window on start up -are they recorded.
(Oil service indiacator) I had to replace VANOS solenoids eventually - car immediately went better and MPG improved significantly.

MPG on a warm engine driven steady should show about 35mpg dropping to mid 20's around town
On a good Mway run at steady 68/70 it is nor unusual to see 38mpg over a 300 mile run.

They are great cars but I would suggest can be very expensive if you are not a moderately good DIY er.

Plenty of advice on here though use it wisely.
I expect a few will disagree with my two pence worth but that is my personal experience.

The issues I speak about were partly why the cars I bought were negotiated on price at the time of purchase.
I accepted evidential faults as I knew I could fix them - but got the price discounted.

For £7.5K I would not expect to have to do anything until the next service due.
(But I would do an immediate oil and filter change anyway)

Good luck, enjot the paddles, buy a dashcam and pay attention to speed cameras!
Take it to Europe and have a blast!
Hi there Rucky!

Thank you very much for all of the knowledge shared. That's very helpful.

You mention that it can become costly if not a DIY’er... I must admit I am not the best at DIY, although, I have heard elsewhere that many tutorials are on YouTube? Do you know if that’s the case and would these videos suffice for a novice like myself?

Thank you!!
Greg

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3.0 si - common issues & have I got a deal?

Post by Rucky » Tue Mar 16, 2021 12:15 pm

The mechanicals and servicing are pretty straightforward and theire is a lot of information on both this site and You Tube - I have found that it is not always accurate but you will get an idea for the tasks involved.
Engine oil changes, brakes and suspension are all within the realms of simple DIY.

The Z4 and my X5 are the first cars I needed a Laptop for to carry out some diagnostics and repair including brakes.
There are a lot of safety and indication systems warning lights etc that you can only rsolve with a code reader.

I suspect that by the time Petrol and Diesels are phased out we will have little choice but to put our vehicles into a dealership for repair so enjoy your Z4 while you can, they are great cars.
04 2.5i Titan silver - 1st Z4 now sold on
07 3.0si Silver Grey M Sport pak.
X5 and assorted motorbikes

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3.0 si - common issues & have I got a deal?

Post by Jameszy » Tue Mar 16, 2021 12:17 pm

Gg.z495 wrote: Tue Mar 16, 2021 11:37 am
Rucky wrote: Mon Mar 15, 2021 11:08 am For that Money and Mileage if its the E85 rag top in my experience having bought both a E85 04 2.5 and an 07 30si -
Tyres Discs and brakes - should all be good or replacement factored into asking price.
Check Rear coil springs intact - difficult to spot as they break right at the bottom and you would need a torch and lay on the ground.
ABS / DSC lights (Pump failure) and Steering angle sensor, wheel speed sensors - Any chance you could borrow a code reader and see if there are any faults logged - even intermittent warnings eventually become permanent. I use both a simple Icarsoft fault reader - fits in your pocket as well as INPA on a laptop.
Have a test drive, should be straight and true no wheel wobble , especually under braking
Dont accept any - "Oh yes it does that occasionally" without understanding what could be about to fail.

Does hood operate smoothly with the windows dropping partially and do the lights go out or still flash?

When was last oil change and what does it say on the miles to service in the speedo window on start up -are they recorded.
(Oil service indiacator) I had to replace VANOS solenoids eventually - car immediately went better and MPG improved significantly.

MPG on a warm engine driven steady should show about 35mpg dropping to mid 20's around town
On a good Mway run at steady 68/70 it is nor unusual to see 38mpg over a 300 mile run.

They are great cars but I would suggest can be very expensive if you are not a moderately good DIY er.

Plenty of advice on here though use it wisely.
I expect a few will disagree with my two pence worth but that is my personal experience.

The issues I speak about were partly why the cars I bought were negotiated on price at the time of purchase.
I accepted evidential faults as I knew I could fix them - but got the price discounted.

For £7.5K I would not expect to have to do anything until the next service due.
(But I would do an immediate oil and filter change anyway)

Good luck, enjot the paddles, buy a dashcam and pay attention to speed cameras!
Take it to Europe and have a blast!
Hi there Rucky!

Thank you very much for all of the knowledge shared. That's very helpful.

You mention that it can become costly if not a DIY’er... I must admit I am not the best at DIY, although, I have heard elsewhere that many tutorials are on YouTube? Do you know if that’s the case and would these videos suffice for a novice like myself?

Thank you!!
Greg
Hi Greg I was in your shoes when I bought my Z4 Coupe back in 2018. I didn't want to spend a fortune on servicing costs (or depreciation, hence the car choice), and can say that over 20,000 miles it has been inexpensive to run and fix.

YouTube videos and patience will definitely suffice for most issues. There are some niggly things that may crop up (as with any car this age) that if you are prepared to buy the tools for, watch the YouTube videos of and take the time to fix can be cheap to sort, but ruinously expensive at a dealer and fairly expensive at an Indy.

E.g. in order of "DIY involvement" if the ABS Motor goes, then a BMW dealer will want well over £1000 + labour to fix. An Indy will want about half that. ECU Tuning will want only £250 or so (but you will have to take the motor out yourself and send it off). However if you took the ABS motor out AND fixed the bushes yourself, we are talking less than £20 in parts.

Similar if you need something like a rocker cover gasket (valve cover gasket). Like with all rubber seals, they need replacing at some point. BMW dealer would charge 4 to 5 hours plus parts. Indy would charge the same amount of hours, albeit at lower per hour rate. Cost to you if you DIY'd would be best part of a Saturday plus £30 in parts and about £50 in tools if you had none to begin with.

In short if you are prepared to put in some time, you can save a fortune as the cars themselves are very easy to work on (when compared with more modern equivalents). This is especially the case for the engines - the N52 is fairly "simple" (no Turbo), and the engine bay is massive so you can easily fix stuff without having to take off loads of other ancillary parts (like you would have to with an X3, 1 series, 3 series, 5 series etc where half the engine is inaccessible).

My advice to you would be to go for it. Accept that if you can't DIY a task, then an Indy will be able to sort it for you without wrecking your bank account. Also, buy a dedicated code reader (e.g. C110 for £35). These can read all the computers in the car in detail, and provide you live readouts. This makes problem solving much easier (and cheaper than paying someone else to do it).

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3.0 si - common issues & have I got a deal?

Post by enuff_zed » Tue Mar 16, 2021 12:18 pm

Gg.z495 wrote: Tue Mar 16, 2021 11:37 am You mention that it can become costly if not a DIY’er... I must admit I am not the best at DIY, although, I have heard elsewhere that many tutorials are on YouTube? Do you know if that’s the case and would these videos suffice for a novice like myself?
Greg, with a lot of the jobs it is more a case of confidence. If you have the correct tools and a degree of mechanical sympathy (ie. you can feel when you're about to shear off a bolt :wink: ) then most things can be achieved.
However there is no substitute for experience.
Taking it to a garage will end up very costly. Relying on Youtube can sometimes lead you into trouble.
My suggestion would be to maybe find someone near you from the forum who does their own fixing and try to learn from them.
If a fault crops up it's always to the forum for research and advice for me. From that I can decide how much is achievable on my drive. Then I ask for pointers from those who went before.
Some really helpful members have even sent me their mobile numbers and said ring if you get stuck.
Unless you have a go you'll always be a novice. We all had to start somewhere.
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Always happy to help if I can.

If the forum helped you, why not help the forum back. Thats the Z4 way! :thumbsup:
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