SOLD Silver grey Z4M

[Simon 3.2M]

Thank you for all those who showed an interest in the car and those who have positive comments, the car sold today to one very happy new owner.

[Angelus666]

Excellent stuff....great car at a great price!

[BMWZ4MC]

Hi Simon,

I have literally just entered the market for a Z4M, either a coupe or a roadster. I have yet to drive either but aim to next week. Is your Z4MR still for sale?

Could I ask where you are in the country? You state that you’ve had the rod bearing shells replaced? Should I be looking out for this work on all Z4M’s? Is there a certain mileage to have this done by?

Thanks,

SparkyZ

P.S. Please excuse any bad forum etiquette as this is my first time posting on a forum!!!

There’s a history of bearing shell failure with the S54 engine, albeit seen more often with the E46 M3 than the Z4M. The consequences of spinning a bearing usually are catastrophic resulting in a need to rebuild or even replace the engine. As such, replacing the shells as preventative maintenance is a good idea.
I swapped mine at 50k miles and they looked fine, others have changed them at around 100k miles and seen severe wear that likely would have resulted in failure sooner rather than later. I’ll change mine again at 100k miles simply because my Zed sees more track than road miles.
Another point to consider is cam follower wear which can result in damage to the cam lobes, again necessitating major engine work. There doesn’t seem to be a pattern as to which cars are affected, but rigorous adherence to the service schedule must be important since the followers are ‘gapped’ at each inspection service. The likely weak point is the case hardening of the follower. Once this has worn away, the surface of the cam lobe will rapidly abrade. Schrick sell OEM followers with an aftermarket coating that seems more durable and should lessen the chances of the surface wearing through.
Other than these potential problems, the S54 is remarkably reliable for such a highly strung engine and the Z4M has few major problems that can’t be avoided with regular servicing and preventative maintenance.

[Number5]

Well done Simon and to James the buyer.
A happy deal all round I hope