Annual maintenance costs of a Z4?

Y

yepega

Member
 Houston, TX
I am thinking about buying a 2003 Z4 with 70000 miles on it but I have heard terrible stories from people about maintenance cost of a bmw. So I would like some input from people that own used Z4s to see what i am getting into. like how much have you spent in maintenance over the last year?
 
I have a 2003 Z4. It just came out of warranty, so I don't know how much annual maintenance is.

Since it came out of warranty, I have:
put on a set of tires - this cost can vary base on how far you can squeeze a nickel.
oil change. Again - you can DIY or you can spend $$$
I expect I will have to replace the battery soon - 4 years old.
My wife has an 03 325i and she had to replace the alternator - so maybe that also.
Other than that - who knows? I don't expect to spend much else.

My car is garaged and/or covered, so my top is still in very good condition. Tops don't last forever.
 
i've just had an inspection 1 at a main dealer for around £250 plus £50 for a brake fluid change - i was quoted £220 + VAt at an independent.

BMW do cheaper labour rates for cars 4 years old + which definitely helps!!
 
Hi and welcome! You picked the right forum for Z4 talk :thumbsup: . I have an 03 2.5i and it is still under warranty. May I suggest you not buy any higher-end vehicle without a warranty -whether original or purchased extended. As you know, anything can happen at anytime, and working on BMW's is very expensive. I am having some steering issues right now and my c/d player has stopped working. I'm taking it in on Monday and dropping it off. I have reserved posting this in the problem area for now until I see what happens, but apparently this is quite a dangerous problem - and very expensive to fix!
Again, I have to suggest you not buy a BMW or any other higher-end vehicle w/out a warranty!
Good luck,
T.
 
yepega said:
I am thinking about buying a 2003 Z4 with 70000 miles on it but I have heard terrible stories from people about maintenance cost of a bmw. So I would like some input from people that own used Z4s to see what i am getting into. like how much have you spent in maintenance over the last year?
Click to expand...

I would shop around for another car as that mileage seems high.

Also ask the thieving gits how much the servicing costs are as it will vary from dealer to dealer. It could vary between £50 - £150 depending on the service you require.

Also ask around and find out what the reputation of the dealers is like. They might be great at selling cars but what's their reputation like for fixing problems.

There used to be a list somewhere on what to look out for even when buying a Z4. It was a list of possible problems and things that should have been looked at before the car is purchased.
 
Not really advice just my $0.02 anyways, I know there are bunches other z4's on auto trader, carmax(well not so many there), an even bmw's website with less than 70k. No gaurentees and of course finding one with options you want will take months. So i'm figuring your 70k is the one you want anyways. I reckon my point I was making (I ramble) is simply look around alot. I got mine through carmax and decided to get the 12k warrenty so if anything does break i'm not paying out of pocket.

Lots of people say do your own oil, tire rotations etc....I agree, not that difficult. Although I've not done the oil in the car.
Try to find a reputable service place that works on BMW's so you don't have to bring it to a dealer.

Wish I could help you better on prices, but i've only had mine a month :)
 
The servicing and running costs - well if you shop around for servicing then it's not too bad. Tyres are expensive if you stick with the RFTs.

My major concern would be something major failing out of warranty. I had a 2005 3.0 that required a new gearbox and a new catalytic convertor (both done under warranty) that would have cost upwards of 6k USD. I agree with Skelters, 70k is too many miles, there must be plenty 03s around with not even half that mileage.
 
yepega; are you looking for support in your consideration? BMW's are very expensive to maintain and upkeep when they are in disrepair, I would advise against purchasing one w/70K + miles and no warranty, look around and be very very careful. You're getting good advice here from those of us who have experienced or are experiencing maintenance issues on our BMW's. Let's not forget the time lost from work by taking it to the dealership and the inconvenience of it all.
T.
 
fire-n-ice said:
Let's not forget the time lost from work by taking it to the dealership and the inconvenience of it all.
Click to expand...
Yeah, forgot about that - it's such a pain to keep going backwards and forwards to the dealer, even if it's under warranty and not costing you.
 
I've had my 2003 2.5i for about 6 months now. It only had 28k miles on it. So 70k is a lot. I'm really glad I have the warranty...but also looking for it to expire. Here's why...in the last 6 months, I've replaced the radio, power top, and airbag sensor under warranty. Expect the top to go if it hasn't already (if it's a power top). I expect the brakes and clutch to go (clutch is covered under maintenance but not warranty) in the next 18 months. So first, I'd check to see when these things were replaced.

Advantages for an older, out of warranty vehicle...you're free to play!! I'm waiting for the warranty to expire before I add a supercharger as this will void the warranty on associated components (engine, tranny, clutch, etc.).

So my recomendation...get one with a year or so of warranty left, work out the bugs, then you'll at least know what you've got.
 
And then there is people like me. Not to scare you away, but it seems to me that every time my car goes in for repair, it costs $1000 or more. I have a 03 2.5i Z4 as well and I hae lots of miles on it. 153k. and it has been in the shop quite often.
 
My 03 Z4 2.5i has 50,000 on it. Bought it this Feb with 40,000. I bought the maintenance package with it and it is Certified Pre-Owned to 100,000. So far, no problems. I had a 97 318ti before the Zed and had zero problems with it beyond 60,000 miles (all early probs were covered under warranty). Drove it to 167,000 before the timing chain finally gave out (which had I EVER taken it in for anything other than an oil change I would have known was recommended to be changed at 100,000). So, moral of the story... this bloke has had good luck with his BMW's. Just keep up with the recommended maintenance schedule and she should last you a good time. :driving:

P.S. Welcome to the 4um, mate! 8)
 
Before you buy you should look into the price for an extended warranty.

My son bought a MB CLK430 from me last year. It had 34k miles and he bought a warranty from AAA for about $1300.

It is supposed to cover everything to 100k miles. With a $50 deductable.

Seems like cheap insurance on a car that could be as expensive to fix as a BMW.
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Back
Top Bottom