BMW Z4 Coupé 3.0si (E86, N52) – Purchase Advice Needed

C

chapaef

Member
 Belgium
Hi everyone,

I’m looking for some honest advice from people who know these cars well.

I recently went to see a BMW Z4 Coupé 3.0si (manual, around 147k km). The owner is asking €20,000. The car is very well specced, BMW Individual in Carbon Black, and visually it’s exactly what I’ve been looking for.

For a bit of background: I live in Belgium and I’ve been searching for a Z4 Coupé for more than a year now. Maybe I’m too picky, but I’m specifically looking for a keeper / weekend car, not something to flip. I enjoy working on cars as a hobby and I’ve done some fairly involved repairs in the past, but I’m definitely not a mechanic — more someone who likes to understand the problem first and then decide if it’s within my limits.

During the inspection and test drive I noticed a few things that give me pause, and I’d really appreciate some input on whether these are normal age/mileage-related issues or potential red flags.

The engine idle isn’t stable. The RPM fluctuates at standstill and this still happens even when the clutch is fully pressed in, so it seems engine-related rather than gearbox-related. From what I’ve read this could be something like a vacuum leak, PCV system, DISA valve, or possibly a dirty throttle body.

There’s also a clunk related to the clutch. With the car in neutral, when the clutch is pressed and then released, there’s a single, hard clunk exactly during the release, roughly halfway through the pedal travel. It doesn’t happen when pressing the clutch in, only while releasing it. With the hood open and someone operating the clutch, the clunk is very easy to hear if the pedal is released quickly. If it’s released slowly, there’s no clunk. The sound seems to come from behind the engine.

On top of that, the driver-side xenon headlight doesn’t work at all. No flickering, just dead. I’m guessing ballast or igniter, but worst case maybe the headlight unit itself.

Finally, on cold start there’s a noticeable ticking noise. It’s only there when the engine is cold and becomes much quieter or disappears once the engine warms up. From what I understand this could be lifters or VANOS-related, but I’m not sure how common or serious this is on the N52.

So my questions are basically:
  • Are these things fairly typical for a Z4 Coupé 3.0si at this mileage?
  • Do any of them suggest something more serious, or are they mostly wear-and-tear items?
  • For someone who enjoys DIY work but isn’t a professional mechanic, are these reasonable repairs?
  • And considering the asking price of €20k, would you try to negotiate heavily, or would you personally walk away even with the spec and condition?
I really like the car and the spec, but I don’t want to let emotions override common sense. Any insight from long-term E86 owners would be very helpful.
Thanks in advance.
 
I'm USA based, so unfortunately cannot help with the price. Some other members are probably more familiar with prices in Europe. Does seem quite steep for the number of issues though.

Unstable idle could be any that you've mentioned. I've heard that it is pretty common for malfunctioning DISAs. Could also be dirty injectors - had a rough cold idle on my 3.0 around 90k miles and putting some fuel system cleaner solved it.

The idle tick is just lifter tick. Not harmful and pretty common on N52 if the engine doesn't stretch it's legs frequently. Occasional Italian tune-up will stop it from happening.
 
The least I would do is read the codes and see if there is anything that could give clues for the engine issue. For the clunk, maybe it’s flywheel related? These do come with a dualmass which can make some noises when not new anymore.
Do you have a possibility to take it to a garage to have a look and maybe get an estimate to get the issues fixed? Based on that try to get the price down.
Also some service records would be good to have, waterpump and thermostat replacement comes almost first to my mind.
 
chapaef said:
Hi everyone,

I’m looking for some honest advice from people who know these cars well.
I recently went to see a BMW Z4 Coupé 3.0si (manual, around 147k km).
Click to expand...
Have a look at the German ZRoadster forum with it's huge knowledgebase.

BMW Z4 Coupe E86

Das Forum für Themen rund um das BMW Z4 Coupe und das BMW Z4 M Coupe E86, Baujahr 2002 - 2008.
www.zroadster.com www.zroadster.com
 
Last edited:
20k (even if EUR) for a 3.0 on 147k

That IMO appears to be very strong money compared to the UK

A similar UK car would be half that

Maybe buy a UK car, pay a little more for insurance but significantly less on purchase price

Pistonheads & Autotrader along with the forum classifieds are a good place to start FYI
 
Jembo said:
20k (even if EUR) for a 3.0 on 147k

That IMO appears to be very strong money compared to the UK

A similar UK car would be half that

Maybe buy a UK car, pay a little more for insurance but significantly less on purchase price

Pistonheads & Autotrader along with the forum classifieds are a good place to start FYI
Click to expand...
But he'd end up with the steering wheel on the wrong side for Belgium.
 
Drive plenty in Europe, there now.

With better roads in EU never been an issue 👍
 
Some good tips here, but I definitely wouldn't worry about lifter ticking if it goes away when the engine is warm. I've had 4 cars with the N52 and they have all done it to some extent, especially when they sit unused for more than a couple of days, but it doesn't seem to cause any damage.

Is there a warning light for a bulb out? It may be as simple as a blown bulb. I had one die on my current Z4 at about 77K miles.
 
Micke said:
The least I would do is read the codes and see if there is anything that could give clues for the engine issue. For the clunk, maybe it’s flywheel related? These do come with a dualmass which can make some noises when not new anymore.
Do you have a possibility to take it to a garage to have a look and maybe get an estimate to get the issues fixed? Based on that try to get the price down.
Also some service records would be good to have, waterpump and thermostat replacement comes almost first to my mind.
Click to expand...
I don’t have an OBD reader. I have a strong feeling that the clunk is related to the flywheel. I did some further research, and it seems this is a fairly big job. Including parts and labor, the cost would be in the range of €1,300–1,500.


Regarding the ticking noise: from what I’ve found online, many people say it’s normal and that the lifters are simply bleeding oil, so the noise should disappear after a few seconds. However, in my case the situation was different. During the test drive, the lifters were still making noticeable noise even though the owner claimed he had already warmed up the car before my arrival (his explanation was that he needed to shoot a video for another potential buyer).


When I arrived, the engine was warm—not hot—and when we started it, the ticking was still clearly present. The noise only disappeared after I drove the car for a couple of minutes, even though it had already been idling in the parking lot for 2–3 minutes beforehand. This makes me wonder whether the issue is already more advanced than what is usually considered “normal.” Looking at the mileage history, it also appears that over the last two years the car has been driven only about 7,000 km in total.


On the positive side, the water pump and thermostat were replaced recently by a BMW dealer (around €1,300), and there is a proper invoice for that. In fact, there are quite a few invoices overall, and it does seem that the car was generally maintained correctly.


That said, the car looks quite rough on the outside, while the interior is actually in very nice condition. This contrast makes me wonder whether there are more underlying issues. Combined with the fact that several problems I noticed were not addressed by the owner, I’m starting to question whether the car may have been neglected, or possibly even abused, despite the documented maintenance.


I’m concerned this could turn into a can of worms, rather than a solid base for a long-term keeper.
 
Jembo said:
20k (even if EUR) for a 3.0 on 147k

That IMO appears to be very strong money compared to the UK

A similar UK car would be half that

Maybe buy a UK car, pay a little more for insurance but significantly less on purchase price

Pistonheads & Autotrader along with the forum classifieds are a good place to start FYI
Click to expand...
I know the price difference is quite significant, but I prefer to sit on the left side of the car when I drive 🙂
Still, thanks for the advice!
 
Mr Tidy said:
Some good tips here, but I definitely wouldn't worry about lifter ticking if it goes away when the engine is warm. I've had 4 cars with the N52 and they have all done it to some extent, especially when they sit unused for more than a couple of days, but it doesn't seem to cause any damage.

Is there a warning light for a bulb out? It may be as simple as a blown bulb. I had one die on my current Z4 at about 77K miles.
Click to expand...
There was a warning light on the dashboard, and it was related to the xenon headlight. I’m not sure whether this can be resolved by simply replacing the bulb, or if the issue is caused by a failed control module or ballast.
I assume that with an OBD scan it should be possible to identify the exact fault. In any case, the replacement parts are not cheap, whether it turns out to be the bulb or one of the xenon modules.
 
If an OBD scan identified which part had failed that would be handy, but I don't know if it gives that level of detail. A bulb would be the cheapest fix of those possibilities though. I paid £65 for a pair of Osram Xenons, but that was back in 2020.
 
As Mr. Tidy said... bulb is probably the easiest and cheapest thing to check first.

Regarding the ticking, I wouldn't worry about it. I've heard of cases where the lifter tick becomes chronic and there's still no engine damage, it's just an annoying noise. It going away once you started driving it is a good sign. It happens if the car idles for too long or consistently doesn't reach full operating temperature between drives. It's because the lifters don't get full lubrication in those scenarios.
 
chapaef said:
There was a warning light on the dashboard, and it was related to the xenon headlight. I’m not sure whether this can be resolved by simply replacing the bulb, or if the issue is caused by a failed control module or ballast.
I assume that with an OBD scan it should be possible to identify the exact fault. In any case, the replacement parts are not cheap, whether it turns out to be the bulb or one of the xenon modules.
Click to expand...
Deffo could be a dead bulb, does the rest of the light work? side light / indicator? if so it probably is just a bulb issue.
i
 
With that many issues I would avoid it. For comparison last year I‘ve bought in Germany a 2007 3.0 si with 124K km and zero issues for 14K. Before I was watching the market around 3 months to get a picture of what is a good price and what is not. I was lucky at Kleinanzeigen but you should also watch mobile…

So many issues is for me a sign that the car was mainly used but no one bothered to invest in it. 20K common lol what a ridiculous price for this condition
 
Oh and for OBD most of the modern OBD readers wil not show you anything. You will need Inpa on a laptop with a Usb OBD reader to get a full picture
 
Last edited:
chapaef said:
There was a warning light on the dashboard, ...
Click to expand...
chapaef said:
I assume that with an OBD scan it should be possible to identify the exact fault.
Click to expand...
It's an absolute must to use an OBD scanner when buying an elder car! Buy a good scanner beforehand, but not Carly.
B21

Post in thread 'Foxwell NT510 / NT530 Question'

javis20 said:
Well how about the Foxwell 530 vs the Protools Master License? I like the advantage of being able to do some coding without NcsExpert. Can the Protools do everything the Foxwell 530 does?
Click to expand...

I have a Foxwell 510 and used Carly and now have the full ISTA/ISTP laptop suite and Protool.

Protool can do everything that Foxwell can do plus so much more…reset most modules / code options you will never need / do detailed analysis / offers a NCS expert door etc..plus the tech support is first class..
  • Like
 
Last edited:
You must log in or register to reply here.
Back
Top Bottom