Decisions Decisions 3.0 or 4.0

I had the 2.0 G29 and traded for the M40i. at the end of the day it was about enjoyment and the M40i did it for me, managed to find one with just over 1,000 miles on at a huge discount which was very much part of the reason for change. End of the day its horses for courses.

Hi,

New forum member here and thinking of dipping my toes into a G29. I've always liked the Z4's and last year came very close to buying a low mileage 2009 E89 3.0i manual. Thought better of it for a number of reasons - can save that for another post. Great looking car I have to say.

I'm more of a GT type driver, preferring comfort over outright performance. I do like sporty driving but not at extremes. That said, I appreciate handling and lightness for all the obvious reasons. I know the benefits from owning an A110. Great car but I miss the wind in the hair experience. Not quite sure what I'll do with the Alpine - I don't drive it much. But when I do, I absolutely love it. For me, the main downside is not being able to wind down the windows to enjoy spring or summer breezes - due to excessive wind buffeting.

Anyway, I've more or less convinced myself that a G29 could the perfect 2 seater car for me - an every day driver, practical and quiet for a 2 seater, sporty and comfortable, and you can drop the roof when it's a nice day. What's not to like!?

I've test driven (a year ago) the 30i and the M40i - it was a good comparison to make. I immediately noticed the 30i was more nimble and playful than the M40i - it was so obvious after trying out the M40i (back2back). But the 30i was also more more crashy and noisier (with the top up) than the M40i. The harder suspension was no doubt down to the 30i demo model not having the adaptive suspension, so no worries. However, not even the dealer could explain the interior noise difference other than suggesting the 6 cylinder engine may be drowsing out other noise distractions...I thought that to be a bit lame. But anyway, I was really impressed with those test drives and the lure of the Z4 has clearly not escaped me...

My reason for joining and posting this reply is I'm looking for some real world experiences of the 30i vs the M40i please. I went through all 16 pages of the forum pages - I'm old school, so out of respect, I don't want to have folks repeating their views over and over gain! This thread (which was on page 9) was the closest that came to my own query - however the comments are from a while back I believe.

Also, having read many of the threads already, I have the impression that most folks on this forum by far prefer the M40i. And that's fine, it's engine is a tour de force and there's always the bragging rights. However, I'm wise enough to look past that (I think). The idea of a 30i with all the nice parts of the M40i i.e. the LSD, adaptive suspension, but with smaller 18" wheels appeals to me - as I can see all of the benefits that this combination will bring i.e. lower maintenance costs, lower insurance, lower road tax, lower fuel costs, plus the nimbler handling in the twisty bits. I live in EU land and we are hammered on large engines with higher emissions... both on new purchase price but also on weight taxation etc. So, there is a big price difference between these two models when buying new.

Yes, I've looked at the MX5 ND and Boxster - both are great cars. However the MX5 would be more of a toy and it's a bit on the small side for me (I'm 1.83m). Feels a bit cramped, especially on the passenger side. The Boxster is great of course but way too expensive for what it is - at least on this side of the channel. And arguably less comfortable than a Z4. I'm looking for fun with no hassle and low cost of ownership. I'm considering buying used to save on the depreciation but with the announcement of a manual transmission being available this year, that may push me to buy new and get the ideal spec etc.

In summary: I'm particularly interested to learn from those who have enjoyed both models (30i and M40i) and what your views are please. Thanks in advance!

Windy.

p.s. great forum by the way - respectful as well as insightful - my compliments.

I’m in a similar situation as you Windy, and will be interested in all the comments, I have test driven both the 30i and the M40 just last weekend.
I have decided it has to be the M40 as it was just so much more fun to drive, like you I will be buying used and would prefer tech and comfort packs.

Bobster67 said:

That said the reviews for the 3.0 are all very good which is making me think that the 3.0 is perhaps the one to go for. It would certainly save me a few quid.

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It will save you a few quid in the short term, yes, but not necessarily long term..
If you are not financially stretching yourself with either, then the M40i is the ONLY one to go for IMHO.
The B48 engine in the 30i (or even the 20i) is fine and a surprisingly refined and smooth engine for everyday duties. I have just acquired one and am really impressed with it.....however....
The B58 in the M40i is in a different league. It is so much more in every respect. If you bought a 30i you may kick yourself for not buying the 'best' available which would leave you disappointed (maybe).
The M40i is also the top model G29, they don't come any better, so SHOULD hold value better. As cars age, the top models have always held residuals better than the 'cooking' ones.
Running costs for the B58 won't be noticeably more, either. They can be very good on fuel if you want them to be. Bloody awful economy around town, but so are most cars, including the B48.
Two more spark plugs and a litre extra of oil at service time, that's about it.

I have never owned a G29, but have owned the B58, N20 and now the B48 (and have an M54 in the garage too). B58 is by far the best engine I have ever driven, ever! And they have virtually no inherent/ common issues, unlike the B48 (although that isn't bad TBH). My two penneth worth.

If they did it in a manual, then I would get another one, tomorrow. :wink:

I posted this earlier but just incase you missed it!

https://youtu.be/82rxavW0A3c

He explains why an in-line 6 is so smooth

[ref]WindyHead[/ref],

Hello and welcome, not driven a 30i, didn’t consider it tbh but I put a reply in this post to a member considering an M40i and it may be helpful re the M40

https://z4-forum.com/forum/viewtopic.php?t=140230

The one thing you may struggle with is spec. I was looking for a pre reg and the spec in a LOT of examples was very poor. A lot of them were PCP/lease orders and the extras weren’t added as often had to be paid up front according to the dealership. It was very common to see ones with only comfort pack when I was looking. Also don’t know if financing is a consideration but it was vastly cheaper to buy a new one than 2nd hand because of the interest rates. HTH’s and good luck with your search

[ref]WindyHead[/ref], I came to my 30i from much the same viewpoint as yourself. Even though I came from a 718 Boxster I knew I didn’t want the M40i as quite simply I didn’t need the extra power. Have never regretted it.

However.......... I do have have a BMW S1000R sport, so I get my power fix elsewhere.

Just noticed the original thread is three years old! :headbang: :headbang:

Resurrected today by a new member - but if you have a question then why not?

Welcome to the forum Windy.

While I know next to nothing about G29s my first Z4 was an E86 3.0Si, but 5+ years later I bought an E86 MC and it just feels so much more special and I don't even care about the increased tax and fuel cost, it's just the price I have to pay.

But I'm quite glad I couldn't afford an M to start with as the 3.0Si was quite a step up from a BMW 123d anyway! And it meant that after I had got used to the 3.0Si I had an obvious next step. Not sure where I might go next though. :lol:

ronk said:

Resurrected today by a new member - but if you have a question then why not?

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But I was commenting on the original post.
How time flies! :roll:

Pondrew said:

ronk said:

Resurrected today by a new member - but if you have a question then why not?

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But I was commenting on the original post.
How time flies! :roll:

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I hate to tell you. - but as you get older the time goes even quicker!
So don’t waste any of it - buy your toys and enjoy :

(Where’s that G29 brochure I put away?)

Scubaregs said:

WindyHead, I came to my 30i from much the same viewpoint as yourself. Even though I came from a 718 Boxster I knew I didn’t want the M40i as quite simply I didn’t need the extra power. Have never regretted it.

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Hi Scu, can you advise more on how you've found the 3.0i c.f. the 718? This would make for a nice real world comparison I should think. Thanks.
Windy.

ronk said:

He explains why an in-line 6 is so smooth

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Thanks Ronk. For sure the B58 is a more impressive engine than the B48 but this is not the whole story I suspect i.e. the sum of the parts, and all that jazz....can deliver a different conclusion than expected. That's why I'm interested in feedback from folks who really know both G29 models (i.e. owned them) rather than just engine comparisons from other BMW models for example. I'm especially interested in understanding the practicalities and driving dynamics and how they differ. Thanks for the clip, appreciated.
Windy.

WindyHead said:

Scubaregs said:

WindyHead, I came to my 30i from much the same viewpoint as yourself. Even though I came from a 718 Boxster I knew I didn’t want the M40i as quite simply I didn’t need the extra power. Have never regretted it.

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Hi Scu, can you advise more on how you've found the 3.0i c.f. the 718? This would make for a nice real world comparison I should think. Thanks.
Windy.

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Power wise, even though there is only about 33hp in it, the 718 felt a good bit quicker and it holds the road brilliantly. Tbf, I've not really pushed the 30i, my wife doesn’t mind speed per se, but the slightest curve in the rod freaks her out. (This was one of my reasons for selling the 718) The Z4 is a roomier cabin, nicer place to sit and nicer instrumentation imo. It feels more of a GT car than the 718, which is exactly what I wanted. I've seen over 45 mpg on longer motorway commutes and overall running costs are far cheaper than the 718, though surprisingly the insurance was a bit more on the z4.

I've never driven the M40i, so cannot offer comparisons there. I work for BMW and have driven most of the M cars and they are fantastic. I can only reiterate my earlier comment, if you don't need the extra power and will rarely use it, the 30i is the best choice. If you want/need/will use the extra power and want a more sports focused car, get the M40i.

Are you going to "make good progress" often whilst driving, or do you want a relaxed cruise?

Try and drive both back to back, see if that helps decision wise.

Thanks guys for your feedback so far, appreciated.

I think it's correct in saying that the M40i on average will probably hold it's value better than a 30i in the long term; not only due to the engine but also due to the additional M parts such as LSD, seats, the adaptive damping etc. However I suspect there is a 'but' in there too....
I notice that most 30i's are not fully spec'd (as already observed in this thread) anywhere near the level of the average M40i. Hence, given the added rarity of the M40i it will likely hold it's residuals better in the long run. However, I dare say a fully spec'd 30i with all the nice M bits on 18" wheels would be even rarer! Food for thought perhaps?

I view the 30i as a sort of grown up MX5 or as a slimmed down, sportier SL. Given the popularity of the MX-5 and how well they hold their value, getting hold of a well spec'd and lightest version of the G29 would not be such a dumb idea IMHO.

Question is: would a G29 30i or M40i fare better as a manual? Petrolheads (mostly) believe that having a manual is a must. I completely get that for true drivers cars which are relatively light such as an MX5 or a Boxster for example - but for a sporty GT such as the G29 models; I have my doubts. All coupe versions by virtue of their lighter weight and stiffer body are arguably a better combination for a manual than a manual in their convertible variant - unless they are designed to be a genuine open top sports car i.e. MX5 and Boxster.
If you take a look at the Morgan Plus Four and compare against the Plus Six; everyone more or less agrees that the B58 is great but that the Plus Four with the B48 is the better car overall. Furthermore, it's widely admitted that the ZF 8 speed is in fact the ideal transmission for the Plus Four; suiting it's character better than the manual. It's just a crying shame Morgan couldn't come up with a more discreet and retro looking auto shifter. Looks so out of place in a Morgan! In summary, I suspect the ZF transmission is the better option for the G29, suiting it's GT character and recognizing it's limitations as a true sports car.
It should be very interesting to see the eventual comparison between a manual M40i and a manual Supra. I suspect the latter will come out on top to be honest. Not unless the additional dynamic changes (steering, chassis tweaks?) BMW say they will make to the manual variants will be truly transformational! Time will tell of course.

Getting back to the thread: is there anyone on the forum who went from a 30i and moved to an M40i or vice-versa perhaps? Would be interesting to gain their perspective. Thanks.

Windy.

My 30i is very well specced, every pack but the lighting pack iirc. They are out there. The 30i is discontinued, probably as you can quite cheaply tune the 20i to the same power. Whether that means it will hold value a bit better is anyone's guess. I test drove a 20i and could have lived with it, but decided on the 30i and my must have was the heads up display and SFR. I got a bit lucky with mine, it was bought remotely and the spec was far better than the description in the listing.

Scubaregs said:

my wife

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Scubaregs said:

My 30i is very well specced, every pack but the lighting pack iirc. They are out there. The 30i is discontinued, probably as you can quite cheaply tune the 20i to the same power. Whether that means it will hold value a bit better is anyone's guess.

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That's interesting, I didn't know the 3.0i was discontinued in the UK - over the Channel it's still available. Well, I think that just increased the residual of your 3.0i I would say! Especially as it's well-spec'd. Great to hear!

I’ve never owned a G29 version…I did have a 30i out for a long weekend and did spend 3-4 hours with a M40i courtesy of Lloyd Carlisle.

There’s a parallel argument with the N20 powered 4 cylinder E89s vs the 6 cylinder N52 or N54 turbo variants.

I’ve had both a re-mapped 20i around 305bhp and my 35is..starting at 335 BHP and now around 550bhp.

The 20i came with an earlier version of the ZF8HP box found in the G29..the 35is has a 7 speed DCT now obsolete..

Folks split into two camps, the majority it seems prefer the 6 cylinder feel and sound and most prefer the power of say a 35i over other models.

A minority…(me) prefer the more dynamic feel of the lighter car with less weight on the front end and importantly no mass in front of the front axle.

I preferred the 30i over the M40i for the same reasons.

There’s no doubt that the B58 is a great engine and gives you that Saturn V feel.

Sound wise all the G29s have a massive amount of sound synthesis with BMW’s active sound design ..which I believe on the G29 can be switched off, masking the ‘true’ sounds of the car.

They are all great cars..pricing may distort folks views..spec wise I’d prefer a LSD which on the B58 pretty much is essential.

As for the perennial argument I’ve never understood why you’d select a manual box on a turbo charged car where the torque and power curves are managed to achieve different goals from the a normslly aspirated car with torque and BHP stacked at the top end of the curves.

Enjoy your search and deliberations