Z4 Pros and Cons

[Chris_D]

Chris has form. Most people ignore him.

Hilarious.
Most people ignore me...except you it seems!

Photo 07-11-2016, 19 40 37.jpg (124.41 KiB) Viewed 668 times

[ori]

I only didn’t ignore you this time as you were commenting on post you shouldn’t have. Don’t worry. I’ll also ignore you in the future. Don’t want to get to that point where you threaten people again.

[Nanu]

When I owned a E89 35is I thought that was the best. Now I own a G29 I think that is the best.

What ever I own next, that will be the best. Not that I am biased in any way

[mrwkuk]

Its the looong legs that make life difficult when getting into cars. And getting comfy..

I have this exact same issue. I am 6'4" and currently drive a smart roadster. You would think that would be ridiculously small but amazingly because its a 2004, it doesnt have all the sound padding and saftey dampening systems on it that newer cars do, so the cabin space is massive comparitively.

Over the last decade I have been looking for a more modern alternative and i have tried almost every 2 seater out there. Mazda MX5, MG, Merc SLC/K, Audi TT, Alpine, Honda S2000... to name a few. Even the earlier Z4s were too small for me. My left leg was always touching the steering wheel.

But i tested a 2019 G29 this week on a whim, and it fit perfectly on the test drive, so bought it on the spot. I am picking it up next week

[r2uzenblot]

The G29 is brilliant for comfortable long distance driving and extremely comfortable. Yes lots of gizmos but heyho you need a parking app on your phone just to use a car park these days. Great handling and a good turn of speed. If you want a cross between a long distance tourer and back lane blast then the G29 is perfect. What it is not is a 2 seater sports car with razor sharp sports car handling around the bends.

Can't tell you what interior noise is like as I never have the roof up

[1Maz51]

Just my two cents worth. I've been a roadster junky for decades. Had a Tr-4A back in the day with a few Datsun and Nissan Z's, E-85's, E-89's, E-92's, 981's and a Jag v8 f-type in between. I'm now the proud owner of a G-29 M40i and I am really enjoying it. It's not as nimble as the 981 but it sticks just as well and is far peppier. It's less cumbersome than the F-type, is just as pedal responsive and accommodates far more gear. For me it represents the proper progression for the Z4 line of cars. It is, in all aspects, (the styling has grown on me) a better car than its predecessors. It's definitely a keeper.......until

[doubledoom]

I have two E89s. The first version was good enough for me to buy the LCI version. The LCI was better looking with the black alloys, black roof and burnt orange paint and better chrome placement. The 2.8 engine in the LCI was a much smaller block and the weight ratio was much better. Plus, it had a nicer note. Neither car was exciting to drive and my old Landrover defender put more of a smile on my face. However, with hindsight and several years driving a G29 M40i, I realise that the E89 felt more like a tourer. The G29 is far more comfortable. I drove from Wales to Norfolk in E89 LCI and was stiff afterwards. However, I did a similar distance trip in the E89 and no stiffness at all. And the driving experience puts a smile on your face. The G29 feels closer to a comparable Porsche (not quite there but damned close). The E89s never came close. They were comparable to an MX5.

The eco mode in the G29 is also fantastic. As daft as it sounds with an M40i, I use the eco mode a lot. The way it disengages the wheels and allows you to coast with minimal friction gives you a new way to play when driving. Yes, eco is not very sports car like but it can create its own enjoyment in hilly areas as you can adjust your driving style and just see how long you can coast and the mpg you can get. I usually end up blowing the gains when dropping it into sports mode later in the journey.