10 years on how has the ownership profile changed ?

earthdweller

earthdweller

Senior member
I was reading the happy birthday forum post celebrating ten years of this forum and it got me thinking ..

In 2007 the E85 was a current model with a list price up to £40k

Today, it’s been out of production for almost 9 years

It got me thinking how the ownership profile had changed with members on here

I’d assume far more cars are weekend cars today than in 2007 ?

How many of us on here would have shelled out for a new one 11 years ago ?

I’d also think that far more cars on here are owned outright than in 2007 ?

Mine for instance is a weekend car and owned outright
 
I was 20 and driving a Ford Fiesta mk3.5 with a 996cc Engine in when my Z4M Coupe was brand new and I could barely afford to put fuel in the fiesta. Things have come a long way in 10 Years. Like you I own mine outright and only use it when the sun shines or if the other cars are broken/being used which has only happened twice in the 3 year ownership of her.
 
I suspect the ownership profile will go from Banker or investor who didn't want a 911, through the mid-life crises buyer getting a nice sports car for weekend use, tumbling down to the Barry Boy with £3k in his pocket who didn't buy a Renault Clio.

Further on it will start to be more of a garage queen with good ones being admired, then enthusiasts keeping them on the road, then petrol will be rationed and they will all become museum pieces.
 
Paulr said:
I suspect the ownership profile will go from Banker or investor who didn't want a 911, through the mid-life crises buyer getting a nice sports car for weekend use, tumbling down to the Barry Boy with £3k in his pocket who didn't buy a Renault Clio.

Further on it will start to be more of a garage queen with good ones being admired, then enthusiasts keeping them on the road, then petrol will be rationed and they will all become museum pieces.
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Hello,

I am no banker nor investor...yep: midlife crisis 8)

Picked it over a 911 as more of an unconventional choice and for the very distinctive looks (although I have to admit I love the 911).

My Z4MC is not a daily driver (I use a BMW i3 to go to work etc.) but I do drive it most weekends if the weather is not too bad as I like to some spirited :driving:

It's no "garage queen" but I am determined to make it as "perfect" as possible (I am quite OCD!)

A
 
When I got my first one new in 2004, the first meets in Wales etc were with others who had new cars as there were no used models around then. My 2004 3.0 was £34k then, the replacement in 2007 was the M which was actually a bit further north of £40k. I remember from the early days of Z ownership that something like 90% of the owners worked in IT, it was therefor the IT car of choice over a Boxster for example.

During the 10 years of Z ownership I did see some changes in owner types, but that is not necessary always in a bad way as there are many new owners who just appreciate the car for what it is rather than change it into a Barry Boy example.
 
I never really thought about a Z4 at all in my plans for car ownership. I always thought I would go Toyota Supra, straight to a 911 or M3 maybe.

I ended up spending a lot of time looking for and researching the perfect drivers car. Must have's were a 3 litre engine or larger, Normally aspirated, 6 speed manual, RWD, reasonable Mpg on a run and handles well, I came to the conclusion that the Z4 had very little competition south of £40K. That said, I would never buy a new sports car as the depreciation is way to heavy for my tight pockets.

I was only meant to have ours for a year and then onto a 911. Ended up loving ours that much I couldn't sell it when the time came. Instead, she will be used for road trips and the odd day when the sun is out.

H.
 
I didn't even want a z4. I just wanted a half cheap roadster like an s2k or a 2.8 Z3..

Ended up with this. Quite like it though. When the time comes to change it may go for an Alpina and push the boat out.
 
I bought my 2009 Z4 new in 2009, then joined the forum. I had already owned a Z3 and really wasn't that fussed over the looks of the earlier 4's, the E89 changed my mind. Nine years later I have an M Roadster, I guess the looks have grown on me :).
This forum has a database and it wouldn't take a lot of work to bring out the average age/year of the members. Bearing in mind the members never leave, they just stop posting, I would assume the average age has stayed steady as we are all aging at the same time while newer members are probably younger due to the lower cost factors.
 
pvr said:
I remember from the early days of Z ownership that something like 90% of the owners worked in IT, it was therefor the IT car of choice over a Boxster for example.
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Unfortunately for the Zeds, the Boxster scored higher in every box except "looks". The Zeds were much prettier ... Boxsters really don't look very good at all, but they drive like demons. I discovered that after my first twenty minutes in one. :o
 
I purchased my 2003 second hand in 2007 as a daily drive / post hot hatch era, not having to move the kids around.
Paid outright £18k and it did seem a lot for a second hand car. Previous had all been new owned outright and prior to that company cars or various hobby cars & Jeeps to play with

Biggest change for me was that I was almost alone in modding the Z4, most being PCP, leased, or not considered cars to mod.
Now it's standard stuff and a well catered for market

Profile or owners has also changed to a broad spectrum given £3k can get ou into them now
 
cj10jeeper said:
Biggest change for me was that I was almost alone in modding the Z4, most being PCP, leased, or not considered cars to mod.
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I cut the hole in the dashboard in 2006, think I was the first to fit a satnav :lol:

I remember talking to you about your red seats though - think that was your first if I remember well (after the angel eyes on your X5 though).
 
I guess when these cars were new they would have been daily drivers for most owners, would be unlikely to pcp or finance it as a weekend toy (esp considering what £30 to 40k would have bought used).

Now the early ones are old and worth close to sod all, the door is open to the masses, hence me buying a zed for worry free fun. It is a cheap way into a big engined roadster.
Never in a month of Sundays would I have bought a buy one new, (£30k+ would buy truly awesome fun used car).
 
Mine new in 2008 was around the 34k mark. At that time I'd never paid more than 10k for a car (minus trade in value). I bought my current Si in June 2015 and slightly broke that rule to get a low mileage roadster (34k).
I will have paid for it by June 2020.
 
First time round I bought a 3.0 se from the dealer in 2003. It’s was their first demo car and had 6,500 miles on the clock and every toy except the sat nav. Cost me £35k.

14 years later I bought a 2003 3.0 se with 42k miles on the clock for a fraction of the price.

Loved it in 2003, and the design has aged so well I still love it now.
 
pvr said:
cj10jeeper said:
Biggest change for me was that I was almost alone in modding the Z4, most being PCP, leased, or not considered cars to mod.
Click to expand...

I cut the hole in the dashboard in 2006, think I was the first to fit a satnav :lol:

I remember talking to you about your red seats though - think that was your first if I remember well (after the angel eyes on your X5 though).
Click to expand...

The infamous hole in the dash predates my Zed mods and was brave :)
You're right - I did my X5 lights sometime well before 2006 and that was worrying chopping up a £45k X5...
 
I bought my 3.0si in 2013 as I wanted a nice car to remember (when you're old and grey you can say 'i had one of those'!).
I thought I would last a year, what with two kids and all, but that was 5 years ago and I still love it.

Can't see anything that I would like to replace it with (except a Jag f-type, but that's far too expensive).
 
20 years ago I had the pleasure of driving a Z3 and an Alfa Spider around Piniferina's test track in Italy. I loved the Z3 but it wasn't practical with 4 kids under 7.

When the Z4 was launched I absolutely loved it, but still having 4 young kids it wasn't practical and for the same reason it was way out of my price range. I always thought is was going to be a car I would love, but never be able to afford. Thankfully I was wrong, the kids grew up and my wages grew up too and the Z4 prices went down to an affordable (ridiculously good value) amount. So I persuaded the wife that I have worked hard for enough years I deserved something I have always desired (and I couldn't afford Nicole Kidman). So finally got one just over a year ago as a second car to the only other car I have had a long term obsession with a BMW Mini.

Could never afford one new because it is still not practical for me and too expensive for a second car (sadly :cry: )
 
My memorise of Zed don't make it back 10 year. But back in 2011, I got my, pretty much as new 2008 MR, half price. with 12k miles on the clock. :D Only to read in the logbook that the previous owner was none other than my Dentist. Small world.

I recall very few E89's back then. Though the 35i vs ///M debate was already well under way. :driving:

I also recall someone was awarded a can opener for their coupe, though that may just be forum folk law. Craig 3.2 would know. :wink:
 
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