Blasé about the Z4MC performance?

mmm-five

Lifer
 Liverpool
Site Supporter
Shows what perspective can do, but maybe I'm just used to M cars now, after having e34 M5s since 2000, and always having quick cars before that, but I don't think the Z4MC is 'that' fast.

But gave a colleague a test drive of my Z4MC after work yesterday, as he's thinking of buying one (the roadster unfortunately).

He started it up, did what I consider was a slow launch, stopped after 200 metres and simply said 'FOOK' (it sounded just like that as he's Glaswegian) and started shaking his head.

Swapped seats and I drove the rest of the way to the hotel, and I didn't get another word out of him until we reached our hotel, where he said he'd love one, but the wife would 'murder him to death' :P
 
Yes, but I think it's the same way with most cars, you get used to the performance - just look at what some people do to 911 Turbos, although they're almost effortless these days so don't feel as frantic.

I wonder if it is possible to do a factory reset? Go back to a non-turbo diesel or sub 1.0l petrol for a year and then start again on the performance trail.

mmm-five said:
...but the wife would 'murder him to death' :P

:lol: the worst kind of murder!
 
I've been driving a 1.4 hire car for a wk, jumped in last night and was doing 100 before i even knew about it!! It's scary quick!! But then this morning i was used to it once again!
 
Ha, a friend always said one of the best [perceptual] performance upgrades was to go on holiday and get a hire car! Every now and then I get a Range Rover to drive, even after a day in that mine feels quick - and it's only the 2.5!
 
Which is exactly why you are best off with a car that is involving and feels faster than it is, imo.

Just going fast without feeling much going on can't be good for the driving license or risk of death issues :D

Dave
 
coming form a Raft of high performance motors, m3, fq400 evo, highly tuned skylines, supra's the z4m isnt what id call fast, but compared to alot of machinery its still very fast, that engine is a masterpiece, so awesome..... i suppose thats why i added FI to my car and i can now tell you its seriously fast, its a power im not seeming to get used to either, many a time i been blatting along and though "this is fucking dangerous"...... i suppose thats what i like about the s54, its got real scope to get decent power whether that be NA or Fi..... And for ALOT cheaper than moving to another car with similar performance..... With a few choice mods to the engine, braking, suspension and seats, the car is moved into serious performance league.... i would sell mine to fund another toy, but with prices @ 15k now... whats the point.... It seems the wages/salary is staying the same and every single thing in life is going up in cost........

anyhow i slightly went off topic but you get my drift :-)
 
FI? Fuel injection? My old Pug 106 1.0 had that and it was serriously quick!! :P

Yeah, my last car was terrifyingly fast, but then it felt like it could kill you at any moment :o I suspect the fact that the M would feel a lot better put together, quieter, more comfortable, etc etc means that for most of the time you dont realise that you are being a naughty boy. Until you look down at the speedo :P
 
I guess part of my problem is that it's my 20k/year daily driver, so it's not like I'm stepping from a daily hack into a sports car at the weekend.
 
mmm-five said:
I guess part of my problem is that it's my 20k/year daily driver, so it's not like I'm stepping from a daily hack into a sports car at the weekend.

i think youve hit the nail on the head, i always have a shitter to go from so the performance is always a suprise....
 
This brings up a funny point I've noticed as well.

When I first got my car (coming from a 180 BHP E46), the E86 was CRAZY fast. Now I'm just use to it and seeing passengers in the car while auto-crossing is pretty funny to watch on video, their head whipping all over the place and me, just in 1 spot the whole time
 
Beedub said:
mmm-five said:
I guess part of my problem is that it's my 20k/year daily driver, so it's not like I'm stepping from a daily hack into a sports car at the weekend.

i think youve hit the nail on the head, i always have a shitter to go from so the performance is always a suprise....

Your shitter being a 240hp Audi TT....? :roll: :rofl:
 
You can definitely get used to 330 odd horsepower. What you can do though is install a great big exhaust so that you'll think you're going a million miles an hour when you're doing 50. :lol:

I know people dont like the drone and the high volume and whatnot but i dare anyone to go on a mountain drive or tunnel run with my car and not come back with a grin THIS big. Whenever i drive through a tunnel i drop the windows, kill the music and air con and blast from 2nd to 4th! A year and a half since the RPI's and it still makes me laugh out loud every single time.
 
10 minutes in our third car, which is a soccer mum Mitsubishi Grandis VRX, and the Z4MC feels like a rocket ship again :-)


Sent from my iPad using Tapatalk
 
You get comfy with what you're used to. I've had a daily runabout which is far less powered so it keeps the feeling of the zed a bit more special.
A while ago I ended up with a 1l hire car. I'd done about 2 1/2 hrs driving in it back to the office and was figuring the only way to overtake was flooring it about 10 seconds before you pulled out! Jumped back in my own car at the office and set off home. Completely forgot the switch of cars when I went to overtake someone, put the foot down before pulling out and had to very quickly back off so I didn't ram the poor old bloke in front off the road!!

Go hire or borrow something seriously rubbish for a few days, then you'll love your M again!
 
mmm-five said:
I guess part of my problem is that it's my 20k/year daily driver, so it's not like I'm stepping from a daily hack into a sports car at the weekend.
That's exactly the problem. You should get another car to use for the daily commute. I went through a period of almost a year of driving the Z every day, and it sucked in the end: I was always going waaay too fast and no longer appreciating what the Z offers. Since May 2010 I have been using a different car for the commute and the Z only once a week or every fortnight, just to keep the oil and everything else turning over. Now I absolutely love my MC again.
This past weekend my three brothers visited me and I took each of them for a little drive. (They are used to driving Japanese sedans and SUV's with no more than about 80kW) Each one of them heaped effusive praise on the Z, which quite surprised me.
I intend to never sell it, but that is topic for another post. :driving:
 
PawnSacrifice said:
Ha, a friend always said one of the best [perceptual] performance upgrades was to go on holiday and get a hire car! Every now and then I get a Range Rover to drive, even after a day in that mine feels quick - and it's only the 2.5!
So true!
 
You should try and use the Trains and Tube during the week and then get into the Z4M at the weekend..... Now that's a change up :D
 
Back
Top Bottom