The roof! I'm scared by metal folding roofs, after having an Astra Twintop! followed by a simplistic MX-5 roof, I felt the E85 was about as simple as an electric roof can get.
E85/E86 owners... is there any reason why you did not go for an E89?
- Thread starter eBrooker
- Start date
Somerset
Several reasons, E85s are cheaper and more like an old British roadster but more comfortable, safer and more reliable. I drove an E89 a couple of years earlier and it seemed too much like 2 seat saloon convertible. More comfortable but missing something, they are very nice looking cars though. Each to there own I suppose. 
All though I am new to the Z4 community and have bought a E89 which I love. I was looking at the E85 when I first starting look around as I liked the soft top. In the end I went for the E89 due to finding a really nice one and I find the interior a lot more updated, in my opinion of course. I did get the N52 auto and just love it.
Have to agree with this, 100%.
SAinSurrey
Member
So I actually bought an E89 first. It was a 3.0i Sdrive Auto. As much as I tried, didnt love it. May have been that it was auto, maybe too refined, but didnt excite me. Thought maybe because it wasn't an Mcar (had an f87 before which I stupidly sold and regret selling). Sold it after a year. Then got an itch to get another roadster. Found an e85 3.0si manual and absolutely love it. It is a lot more visceral and raw.
So depends what you are looking for, but e85 ticks the boxes for old school driving excitement.
So depends what you are looking for, but e85 ticks the boxes for old school driving excitement.
At the summit of the picturesque fens
Having had two E89s, no E85/6 but now have an E36 Z3; if I were to ever buy another Z4, it would be an E86.
The E89 is OK but, as said by many, it is a little 'bland' to drive. With the M-sport package and 19" wheels it is also the most uncomfortable ride I have ever experienced (in a car!). I know that can be sorted by smaller wheels and changing suspension, but they look their best on 19" wheels. And suspension parts are expensive just to make it ride better.
The Z3 is old fashioned but fun. It is based on a 80s/ 90s chassis and suspension so was old when new. But it is fun.
I would imagine the E85/6 is a slightly more modern version of the Z3. But I am not a fan of convertibles (weirdly), so the E86 would fit.
The only problem is that I think the E86 is fugly. I can't own a fugly car no matter how fun it may be.
The E89 is OK but, as said by many, it is a little 'bland' to drive. With the M-sport package and 19" wheels it is also the most uncomfortable ride I have ever experienced (in a car!). I know that can be sorted by smaller wheels and changing suspension, but they look their best on 19" wheels. And suspension parts are expensive just to make it ride better.
The Z3 is old fashioned but fun. It is based on a 80s/ 90s chassis and suspension so was old when new. But it is fun.
I would imagine the E85/6 is a slightly more modern version of the Z3. But I am not a fan of convertibles (weirdly), so the E86 would fit.
The only problem is that I think the E86 is fugly. I can't own a fugly car no matter how fun it may be.
Really, you did buy an Audi not so long ago!
Price difference, 100%
I had only a passing interest in the E85 Z4 roadster when it was released. Then, when I sat in an Interlagos Blue Z4M coupe at a motor show, I decided I wanted one.
None of the many iterations of Z1/3/4/8 roadster seem special when compared with the Z3M and Z4M coupes. I bought my Zed with the intention of using it as a track car, and I wanted the best base to start from. Otherwise, I might have bought a Z3M Coupe instead of the Z4M. I missed out on a couple of Z3M Coupes around five years later, otherwise I would have one of each. That’s becoming less likely as the Z3 prices become increasingly unreasonable. It’s hard to justify paying 100k AUD (50k GBP) for equivalent cars to those that I turned down at 7.5k - 8k GBP not much more than a decade ago.
The E89 didn’t exist when I bought mine, but I wouldn’t have considered it anyway. It was designed to be a boulevard cruiser not a sports car. I’m sure they’re great cars and can be extremely fast, but they aren’t visceral enough. I like a screaming NA engine that needs to be worked to get the best from it and a torquey turbo doesn’t excite me greatly.
None of the many iterations of Z1/3/4/8 roadster seem special when compared with the Z3M and Z4M coupes. I bought my Zed with the intention of using it as a track car, and I wanted the best base to start from. Otherwise, I might have bought a Z3M Coupe instead of the Z4M. I missed out on a couple of Z3M Coupes around five years later, otherwise I would have one of each. That’s becoming less likely as the Z3 prices become increasingly unreasonable. It’s hard to justify paying 100k AUD (50k GBP) for equivalent cars to those that I turned down at 7.5k - 8k GBP not much more than a decade ago.
The E89 didn’t exist when I bought mine, but I wouldn’t have considered it anyway. It was designed to be a boulevard cruiser not a sports car. I’m sure they’re great cars and can be extremely fast, but they aren’t visceral enough. I like a screaming NA engine that needs to be worked to get the best from it and a torquey turbo doesn’t excite me greatly.
My Audi A4 avant is a pretty car. Boring to drive, yes.
E85 dimensions says it fitted in my garage
E89 dimensions says it wouldn't fit.
E89 dimensions says it wouldn't fit.
I think you might be surprised at how different they are. Driving them back to back you’d swear there must have been an in between model. Like you said, the Z3 has that old feel, slow steering, soft chassis, much like an 80’s car in many respects whereas the E85/6 feels way taughter, more direct and sharper. I like both, but for different reasons-the Z3 is charming, old fashioned fun for cruising and enjoyment. The Z4 suits the times when you want to hoon around with your pants on fire.
As for the OP, it was always about the E86 for me, you couldn’t have paid me to buy an E89. Not that they’re bad, they just didn’t have the same appeal to me.
Last edited:
I recenlty discussed with my friend about cars and we created a definition of a "low cortisol car".
E85 is low cortisol car: it's cheap, M54 has it's own quirks but otherwise it's bulletproof etc.
E89 is a high cortisol car: Only N52 is a decent engine. N54 is a costly timebomb. And all 4 cylinder engines are bad. And I can only imagine the hard top having a bad day...
So I bought my E85 as a second car.
Oh absolutely not.
I wanted to buy a Z3 but any decent ones were a bit too pricey for what you were getting. So I bought a Z4 for less, in a better shape, with more horsepower etc.
Z3 is very rough, very basic, very analog. Z4 feels absolutely like a normal car. And it's also bigger.
E85 is low cortisol car: it's cheap, M54 has it's own quirks but otherwise it's bulletproof etc.
E89 is a high cortisol car: Only N52 is a decent engine. N54 is a costly timebomb. And all 4 cylinder engines are bad. And I can only imagine the hard top having a bad day...
So I bought my E85 as a second car.
Oh absolutely not.
I wanted to buy a Z3 but any decent ones were a bit too pricey for what you were getting. So I bought a Z4 for less, in a better shape, with more horsepower etc.
Z3 is very rough, very basic, very analog. Z4 feels absolutely like a normal car. And it's also bigger.
Last edited:
abar121
Active member
I would go for the E89 over an E86. I actually prefer the rear end and light of the E89 and roof down is what these roadsters are all about.
E89 over an E85 is a different matter. It depends if you want more refinement / space or a slightly more traditional, smaller and lighter roadster.
E89 over an E85 is a different matter. It depends if you want more refinement / space or a slightly more traditional, smaller and lighter roadster.
You’re fugly