Think I should have test driven one

Bodyboarder · Post by **Bodyboarder** » Tue Jul 10, 2018 4:37 pm

After only 2 weeks with the z4mc and 100 miles I’m not feeling it

I guess I should have really driven one before I bought one

Anyone else feel the same when they bought one ? Does it take time to grow to love it ?

BradleyB · Post by **BradleyB** » Tue Jul 10, 2018 5:01 pm

I had the same sort of feeling when I bought my MR last year. It was a totally different drive to my old 2.5i zed and I didn’t know if I enjoyed it or not.

A few months into my MR ownership I decided to go and test drive a 2012 TTS. I hated it. I then realised how special the M is and that I’d be a fool to trade it in for a TTS.

Since that day, I’ve loved my car like no other!

Stick with it and enjoy that engine!

Rene_Z4MC · Post by **Rene_Z4MC** » Tue Jul 10, 2018 5:01 pm

Stock suspension etc? If so there is hope.
Coming from an Elise I didn't like the ride too much when I just bought it, but after the following (relatively cheap) mods I have been enjoying it almost every day for the past 4 years

- CDV delete
- Eibach Pro Kit
- RTAB limiters
- Vibra Tech engine mounts

Jembo · Post by **Jembo** » Tue Jul 10, 2018 5:18 pm

Bodyboarder wrote: ↑Tue Jul 10, 2018 4:37 pm After only 2 weeks with the z4mc and 100 miles I’m not feeling it

I guess I should have really driven one before I bought one

Anyone else feel the same when they bought one ? Does it take time to grow to love it ?

Gosh, what’s the issue?

If you live in a traffic jammed infested city & don’t leave it, then I’d understand.

Otherwise suggest to plan an A road drive to the coast, get up @ 6am on a sunny Sunday, practice blipping the throttle between 1st n 2nd changes & don’t rush... the //M will do that for you.

Good luck.

mmm-five · Post by **mmm-five** » Tue Jul 10, 2018 5:44 pm

I loved mine from the moment I test drove it.

But, after a few weeks I found that it was not perfect, and set about sorting things out...gradually...over 10 years and 150,000 miles.

First was the wheels & tyres (swapped 19” CSLs for OE 224M); then came an louder exhaust; then got rid of the OE Conti M3 tyres; then Vibratechnic engiepne mount & poly-bushes; then Gruppe-M; then Bilstein B16/PSS10 suspension (about the best mod so far); and now onto brakes.

You really do need to ‘abuse’ it a little to make it come alive, and it doesn’t reward pussy-footing.

mr wilks · Post by **mr wilks** » Tue Jul 10, 2018 5:53 pm

I don't think its necessarily about what you can do to improve the ZM , you have to bear in mind these are not "modern" cars , they are gruff ( some would even say rudimentary

) by nature with heavy steering , clutch & a gearbox you have to get to know

Also the cabin itself can feel cramped & unrefined

but , there is ///Magic there once it clicks & ive been drawn back several times now as little else in its sector comes close ( especially with the MRs )

Bodyboarder · Post by **Bodyboarder** » Tue Jul 10, 2018 6:03 pm

The car has eibach springs on and I find the ride pretty good .... the main issue I have is actually the engine !

Not a fan of the noise it makes at low rpm , sounds very tappy , almost like there’s a leak in the exhaust and is not particularly smooth in the lower rev range . Higher up sounds better .

I’ve put the car into my local Bmw specialist to go through anything that needs doing but when I dropped it off he did say they all sound like that . He’s also going to do the cdv delete for me .

I also have a s2000 and it’s does everything a sport car should ... light , nimble , great gear change ect

I’ve also ordered a f10 m5 zhp shifter to try and help the bmw’s Gear change

DPG · Post by **DPG** » Tue Jul 10, 2018 6:05 pm

I loved mine from day 1 but I’ve heard others have struggled at first - especially those that came from a 3.0si.

Didn’t Paul have similar feelings at first?

Bodyboarder · Post by **Bodyboarder** » Tue Jul 10, 2018 6:16 pm

It’s funny you say coming from 3.0 , as that’s what I’ve driven a bit ( my brother in laws one ) and that seemed to be an awful lot smoother and didn’t sound a bit rough at lower rpm .... I just thought the M would be like his but better ! Not so sure at the moment

Bing · Post by **Bing** » Tue Jul 10, 2018 6:29 pm

I came from a 3.0Si. Did not test drive my car, though I had a hoon as a pax in srhutch’s prior to buying.

My wife instantly said the ride felt more comfortable and the power delivery felt smoother (from the passenger seat).

The gear change first to second foxed me - kept kangarooing. Learnt to drive round it, but CDV delete helped a lot. It has a half kilo stainless steel stormwerks gear knob which also helps. Also, the gearbox needs to be told what to do if that makes sense, as mmm-five kind of says above.

The engine noise freaked me out for quite a while - steady speed, outside lane of a motorway, you hear the tappy noise bouncing off the barrier. Also when cold can sound ill. It is normal, though it may need valve clearances done which helps make it less tappy. Mine needed 14 shims at it’s first insp 2, and was a lot quieter after the service. You get used to it, some induction or exhaust changes may drown it out, don’t know, not done those things. I love that the car has so many different sounds depending on how you drive it. Low speed burble and occasional pop, right up to tear-your-face-off-screaming-banshee, and loads in between.

For me it’s mostly all about the noise and the blunt force power, because it’s actually not that much faster than the 3.0. Roof down, country lane with hedgerows or a rocky slope to reflect the sound, 3rd gear, bury throttle, 4k to 8k RPM, absolutely f***ing mental, has NEVER failed to make me grin maniacally in 4 years

I have done nothing to mine since I got it, and it’s pretty much stock. When I can, or it needs it, I will fit the RTAB limiters I’ve had for over two years... do the engine mounts, shocks & springs, and probably induction rather than exhaust.

As Jembo says, drive it, especially now, with this weather. Get up proper early, figure out a rough route, and go wring it’s neck on some decent A roads.

Bodyboarder · Post by **Bodyboarder** » Tue Jul 10, 2018 6:39 pm

What’s these RTAB?

The valve checks have been done and your description sounds exactly like mine .... really can’t be bothered with an exhaust but a ind kit does appeal.

I absolutely love the way it looks and to be honest it’s the main reason I bought one ! Ive also got in booked in to be fully paint corrected and ceramic coated , so looking forward to that .

Appreciate peoples good replies and I guess I’ll give it some time and go from there

Lynchy · Post by **Lynchy** » Tue Jul 10, 2018 6:41 pm

What Bing said

Bing · Post by **Bing** » Tue Jul 10, 2018 6:55 pm

Bodyboarder wrote: ↑Tue Jul 10, 2018 6:39 pm What’s these RTAB?

Rear Trailing Arm Bush limiters. There are two bushes on the rear suspension that move laterally when the car is being cornered, adding the limiters reduces this lateral movement and firms up the rear end. Apparently, I am no car scientist

As for exhaust, I agree. Some people have done both exhaust and induction and they’ve almost drowned each other out - so lots of noise, but lose the uniqueness of each. Others love it, or have the right combo of parts. Personally I use mine on the motorway a lot, so I don’t even want to chance spending £700 and then getting a drone I can’t live with. But induction is easily reversible and I’ve heard the results and am convinced. Not really cheaper though

Bing · Post by **Bing** » Tue Jul 10, 2018 6:56 pm

Lynchy wrote: ↑Tue Jul 10, 2018 6:41 pm What Bing said

we are such children

Rene_Z4MC · Post by **Rene_Z4MC** » Tue Jul 10, 2018 6:57 pm

Rear Trailing Arm Bushes. Oem design has quite some left to right play which can cause a strange/annoying steering/unstable effect when throttling while in a corner. The limiter kit removes this left to right play making the ride more predictable without any downsides (afaik). I still don't understand why BMW has designed it that way.

Like mentioned before I also highly recommend the engine mounts. I installed them to improve shifting behaviour, but was pleasantly surprised what this mod did to the ride, the car now feels more as one solid piece when going round short corners (e.g. roundabout). Slightly more vibration at idle but very much a price I like to pay for the better ride.

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