Drove a Z4M again after selling mine in 2018 (impression)

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Franzino

Active member
For who is interested; I made a small Instagram impression on how it was driving a Z4M again after selling my own car in 2018. The car that came after the Z4M is the Alpine A110. I stepped out of the A110 straight into the Z4M and drove it for the rest of the day. It's not a detailed Z4M vs Alpine review, but just a small impression of me back behind the wheel of a Z4M and the reaction of some other Z4M owners.

https://www.instagram.com/p/CN2tbmAJulw/?igshid=1iyni14rqpai1

It was a long time a go that I drove a Z4M. I owned one for 8 years and I sold it in 2018. It was a great car; but how did it feel in 2021 when stepping out of the Alpine straight behind the wheel of a Z4M? Ofcourse the Z4M felt oldschool and a lot less modern then the Alpine. For some reason the Z4M felt slightly slower then I remembered; while on paper they have somewhat the same performance numbers. The higher revving S54 straight-six engine is a dream when you talk about engine response and sound. The hydraulic power steering, has a more direct and communicative feel then all the modern ones. The worst thing about the Z4M are the horrible seats; they are so much worse then I remember. No support on the side, lower back or shoulders. Put some Recaro seats in the car and it’s the best upgrade you could give it. If I need to choose between Z4M vs Alpine => Alpine A110 🥇
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Totally agree about the seats (maybe Recaro Sportster CS instead of the Pole Positions ABE I have) - but I'd also add a set of decent coilovers to make the car how it should have been and can comfortably live with & drive on a daily basis for less than 1/3 the price of a used Alpine (about £50k at the moment in the UK).

I went with the PP ABE as I couldn't stomach the £5k for the Sportsters (although I did keep an eye out for about a year for any 2nd hand ones from crashed, newer Ms) - and I didn't need any reclining or folding functionality.

Also had the PSS10 kit fitted, and some other bits...but had to keep it usable on the road too, as I was doing 25,000 miles a year in it...and never found the PP ABEs uncomfortable on long trips either :P

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mmm-five said:
Totally agree about the seats (maybe Recaro Sportster CS instead of the Pole Positions ABE I have) - but I'd also add a set of decent coilovers to make the car how it should have been and can comfortably live with & drive on a daily basis for less than 1/3 the price of a used Alpine (about £50k at the moment in the UK).
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100% correct about suspension and seats. I already had Bilstein PSS-10 on my Z4M (very good upgrade), but if I did not sell my Z4M I would have fitted Recaro CS sportster seats (not Pole Position). But fitting CS sporter seats with seat frames and coding will set you back 5.000euro + decent suspension (and alignment) 2.500euro = 7.500euro (= £6.500). I always felt the Z4M seats were bad, but now after not driving it for some year I was surprised to feel they are so horrible (for my taste). The make the car also feel less connected to you, because you sit so loose.

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As stated; my Z4M roadster had a Bilstein PSS-10 suspension and the blue Z4M coupe a KW V3. Handling wise the Alpine feels scharper...but it is also 10 years younger. Overal grip is more on the Z4M and balance is totally different (front engine / mid engine). The Alpine feels more playfull and changes direction more quickly. The Alpine has NO manual gearbox; so lacks involvement in that area and the 1.8L turbo engine has also nothing special or unique about it. The Alpine A110 is unique and different as a total package, but his engine will not be remembered like the S54 from the Z4M. The engine, gearbox, high rpm make the Z4M a more emotional car on different levels.

I think the Z4M aged very wel and it’s already starting to feel like a old car but not yet a classic. In the coming years it will certainly evolve into a great classic. For the current money (halve the price of a Alpine) the Z4M is a great and rare car to buy & own 👌🏼

When talking about the price of used Z4M vs used Alpine. In my country the price difference is around 50%...you can get a Z4M coupe + a Z4M roadster for the price of a Alpine A110 :)
 
Completely agree about the seats, truly awful.

They were ranked badly in a few surveys yonks ago and are still the only seats that I've had a problem with. Uncomfortable, unsupportive. But I guess they look good.

Seats are getting much bigger these days though. I used to find Porsche sports seats perfect, but they are way too big from the 981 / 991 onwards. Designed for the US market I guess.
 
Cant complain (yet) about the seats, maybe its on track-use that it will not be the best option? Bought a Z4MC a month ago in Belgium. Hope to enjoy it for a while. Groeten uit NL. Ps. Nice M2!
 
RvsBmw said:
Cant complain (yet) about the seats, maybe its on track-use that it will not be the best option? Bought a Z4MC a month ago in Belgium. Hope to enjoy it for a while. Groeten uit NL. Ps. Nice M2!
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On track and street I think the seats are horrible and worse then I remembered. They were never great; but when driving other cars it was just something I noticed straight away when driving the Z4M again. Rest of the Z4M is still a great and unique car and something you will enjoy for many years to come. :thumbsup:
 
Franzino said:
On track and street I think the seats are horrible and worse then I remembered. They were never great; but when driving other cars it was just something I noticed straight away when driving the Z4M again. Rest of the Z4M is still a great and unique car and something you will enjoy for many years to come. :thumbsup:
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Sometimes you remember it when you experience it again. Till now its oke, compairing it with de G20 (M) seats or Mini clubman sport seats. Hope to enjoy a little nible car for a while :)
 
Not as good as my Recaro wingbacks in the TT RS they really hold you in place. I do find the Z4 lacking after them.
 

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I have a Z4MC, and drove it across the US and into Mexico, 2600 miles, and to my anatomy, they were perfect, comfortable, and supportive, but I am a small bloke and fit, so to me, they were just plain perfect. Recaros CS are in my sight, but just for the improved looks, and not by much, the shape of the factory seats is pretty in my eyes.
 
maupineda said:
I have a Z4MC, and drove it across the US and into Mexico, 2600 miles, and to my anatomy, they were perfect, comfortable, and supportive, but I am a small bloke and fit, so to me, they were just plain perfect. Recaros CS are in my sight, but just for the improved looks, and not by much, the shape of the factory seats is pretty in my eyes.
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Sounds like some amazing roadtrip !!!
 
maupineda said:
I have a Z4MC, and drove it across the US and into Mexico, 2600 miles, and to my anatomy, they were perfect, comfortable, and supportive, but I am a small bloke and fit, so to me, they were just plain perfect. Recaros CS are in my sight, but just for the improved looks, and not by much, the shape of the factory seats is pretty in my eyes.
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Sounds like some amazing roadtrip !!!
 
That's an interesting comparison OP. :thumbsup:

I've had Z4s with the M-Sport seats for 7 years (to the day today) and never had an issue with them. They are much better than the Sport seats in my current 3 Series. :(

Although I did like the electric side bolster adjustment on the M-Sport seats that my 1 Series had, probably because I'm skinny. :roll:
 
I don't mind the seats too much but a friend bought a Civic Type R. I jumped into it straight after being in the Z4M and the Civic seats are so much better!

The increase in support through the corners make them appear more comfortable because I assume your body is less tense as it's not having the counteract the sliding sensation. Only reason stopping me changing them is the shoulder support make the seats look much wider so lose the interior aesthetic.
 
I don't have a problem with the M seats, and given that I have bad knees, I probably would have trouble with access/egress f I replaced them with a high sided seat like most Recaros. If I were racing, then sure, I'd go for a seat with more side bolstering, but I find the stock M seats a good setup for street use.
 
I drove the Alpine a110S on Tuesday and was impressed with many things except the price, which has no wiggle room not even a single £. The seats and level of comfort was far better than I had imagined being 6ft 3 and the road holding was very impressive. The only issue I foresee is maintenance as it MUST be serviced by an Alpine specialist and those are very thin on the ground. These are currently holding money second hand very well and they are being produced in limited numbers. I just need to test a Cayman now before I can decide on what I purchase to replace my Z4MC!
 
SiJar said:
I drove the Alpine a110S on Tuesday and was impressed with many things except the price, which has no wiggle room not even a single £. The seats and level of comfort was far better than I had imagined being 6ft 3 and the road holding was very impressive. The only issue I foresee is maintenance as it MUST be serviced by an Alpine specialist and those are very thin on the ground. These are currently holding money second hand very well and they are being produced in limited numbers. I just need to test a Cayman now before I can decide on what I purchase to replace my Z4MC!
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Alpine don’t give discounts (like Porsche), in their opinion it devaluates the brand and the product. Personally I think they are right…is a low volume car and the price is the price. That is also why the used Alpine cars keep their value rather wel (in my country at least). I think the A110 is totally worth the asking price. It’s a unique (low weight) car with a chassis and set up developed from zero. It’s not a car that is a further development form an existing car (like the Z4M is from the normal Z4). When comparing price with Porsche… In my country you pay +/- 68.000euro (£58.000) for a fully loaded A110 Légende (sport exhaust, heated seats, big brakes, etc), for an equally equipped (and equally fast) Cayman 2.0 (with leather, PDK, etc) you pay 10.000euro (£8.500) more. So; in this view I think the A110 is excellent value for money (talking about price when bought new of course)

In the UK the situation is different and I understand why UK people think the Alpine is rather expensive. In UK; the price of most sport cars like (Audi RS, BMW M, Porsche GT, etc) are cheaper then in the rest of Europe (the sport car market is massive in the UK and it's tradition from years ago that sportcar prices are lower in the UK). For example; a base 718 GT4 is £76.500 in UK and £86.500 in de rest of Europe. Alpine decided to not change their UK price and keep it as in the rest of EU, this is why the Alpine seems more expensive then some other cars and Alpine sales are also lower in UK then rest of Europe. UK people can get really nice cars way cheaper then us EU folks ;)

By the way; did you consider the new Lotus Emira in your Z4MC replacement list?
 
Scubaregs said:
Franzino said:
Alpine don’t give discounts (like Porsche)
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I got £4K discount on a new, unregistered 718 Boxster 3 years ago.
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That’s nice...in my country I never heard about discounts with the people I know who bought Porsche (maybe they are not good negotiators 😉 )
 
No I have not really considered a Lotus as a replacement, I think most of them are too low and the sills are very wide making them very awkward to get in and out of. I’ve always wanted a Porsche and feel it’s now or never at my stage of life, however the Alpine A110s is still tempting, but I need to drive the Porsche before I make my mind up!
 
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