BMW Z Series 2.0i SE 2dr

B

bluecob

Member
BMW Z Series 2.0i SE 2dr - 2005

I am thinking about getting one of these as a fun Car but one I have found is listing the following problems:

  • Air-conditioning needs regassing
    Wheels needs alignment
    Handbrake missing teeth
    Exhaust rattle
    Erratic engine idle
    Oil leak from rocker cover / cam cover

Do you think I should give it a miss or are the above fixable at small cost?

Thanks.
 
Depends how cheap it is, and how handy you are with the spanners.

The first two/three are relatively easy...IF the description is the full extent of the problem, as 'needs regassing' can be shorthand for 'air-con system completely screwed'.

The engine issues are more concerning...and I wouldn't buy unless I knew what the issue was beforehand or knew someone who could check it out before purchase.
 
Good afternoon and welcome aboard.
So you're looking at the 4-pot. Is that due to insurance issues?
Assuming that is the engine you want then my next question is what mileage and what previous history does it have.
There do appear to be some issues with the 4-pot and although there are examples on the forum which have served their owners well, I would also consider looking at the straight 6 engines as overall they do seem to cope much better with the higher mileages.

We have a member known as 'tug' who is running a 2.0 4-pot and regularly sings its praises.
I'd suggest getting to three posts which will then give you the ability to search for him and send him a PM.
He will be more than happy to advise you I'm sure.

Also, if you could give us your rough location and budget, you would be basically employing a whole lot more pairs of eyes to assist you in your search.
 
Hi Guys.

Thanks for the advise.

I am no Mechanic and will not want to tinker - I will use a Garage for any work. Just trying to find out if sorting the problems might be costly.
 
iiNNeX said:
Do not buy a 4 cylinder Z4...

Can your budget stretch to a 2.5Si or 3.0i (prefacelift) ?
Click to expand...
TBH, I have this 2.2i straight 6 here and it is a cracking little car. Returning nearly 40mpg as well.
So whilst everyone says go for the biggest and most powerful, I would suggest that finding one that suits you is most important.
Living in Norfolk with predominantly twisty B-roads, the 2.2 has ample torque coupled to a close ration 5-speed box and that lovely 6-cylinder soundtrack. I doubt I'd get any more fun from a 3.0Si in this neck of the woods.
 
bluecob said:
Expensive to maintain then?
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AFAIK all Z4’s are similar in terms of maintenance. You will get common issues etc. But all Normal for a car of this age. Relatively low costs in terms of Maintenance IMO.

The problem comes when something goes more drastically wrong, which is pretty common on the 2.0 so I’d personally avoid them. Particularly when yours comes with a list of issues, these could be easy or render the car uneconomical to repair.

The other ‘6 pots’ are much better in terms of problems. The 2.2 2.5 and 3.0 pre facelifts (2003 to 2005) sort of production share the same engine as the 3 series and parts are common. Easy to work on, etc.

I’d say get a 2.2i or 2.5i. The 3.0 will be more desirable and also set you back a bit more. The 2.2i or 2.5i can be overlooked and as someone mentioned can still pack a punch whilst still being economical.
 
That erratic idle could be VERY expensive. On the other hand it might just need new spark plugs and/or coils. You'd imagine the previous/current owner would have already tried that though. Even if it is just a simple fix, by the time you've sorted all the other bits you've probably spent just as much as if you had bought one in already good condition - and that's the best case scenario - unless it's incredibly cheap?

If there are all those faults listed, I wouldn't be surprised if there were other unmentioned things that also required some spend. How old/worn/cheap are the tyres? Are the springs & dampers working correctly? How worn are the discs and pads?

Big gamble, I would avoid.
 
Whatever you look at you should budget for at least £1000 to get the things fixed that might need fixed and probably another £1000 to get the tyres replaced if required, wheels refurbed and any minor cosmetics fixed.

Servicing is relatively cheap if you have a garage that will use the parts you supply.

Oil & Filter from Opie Oils
https://www.opieoils.co.uk/

Plugs, Air Filter, Pollen Filter, Coil Packs from Carpart4less
https://www.carparts4less.co.uk/

Read the FAQ and after you read it then read it again...
https://z4-forum.com/forum/viewtopic.php?f=2&t=15177
 
[ref]bluecob[/ref], I find myself repeating this to many new members.................. whereabouts are you, roughly?
For example, if you were within range of me then I'd happily help out with maintenance in exchange for a beer or two. That would save you a fortune in labour costs.
I'm pretty confident there are others who would do the same.
 
Welcome to the forum OP. :thumbsup:

There are some 4 cylinder owners on here who are happy with their cars, but you really don't want to be buying one with faults like that unless it's cheap and you can fix it yourself.

As others have already said the 6 cylinder models seem to be less troublesome and in any case a straight 6 is one of the Z4s unique features, whereas there are other 4 cylinder roadster alternatives.

Anyway good luck finding your Z4. :thumbsup:
 
Notwithstanding the fine offers of help from enuff-zed and Scooba-Steve, you would be much better off buying a car that is in good order than one you know needs work. Fixer-uppers are great if you are handy with the spanner’s, but garages are expensive.

I do agree with the others regarding the six-pot over the four-pot; it’s what gives the Z4 its character.

Edit: I could have saved myself some typing by agreeing with Mr Tidy.
 
enuff_zed said:
iiNNeX said:
Do not buy a 4 cylinder Z4...

Can your budget stretch to a 2.5Si or 3.0i (prefacelift) ?
Click to expand...
TBH, I have this 2.2i straight 6 here and it is a cracking little car. Returning nearly 40mpg as well.
So whilst everyone says go for the biggest and most powerful, I would suggest that finding one that suits you is most important.
Living in Norfolk with predominantly twisty B-roads, the 2.2 has ample torque coupled to a close ration 5-speed box and that lovely 6-cylinder soundtrack. I doubt I'd get any more fun from a 3.0Si in this neck of the woods.
Click to expand...

You still have a 6 cylinder though mate, that was more my point. It's not so much the litres (I have a 2.5 afterall) its more to not get the 4cyl variant. At that point its better to just get an MX5 :)
 
True-Blue said:
The 2.0 N46 is one of the worst engines ever made :cry:
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The performance specs aren’t terrible, however unless you are in the right gear and using all the revs, a 2.0i Z4 will be embarrassed by some very modest modern machinery and feel slow. Not to say you can’t have fun trying to maintain momentum in one. They also sound OK for a I4.

Coupled with fuel efficiency that’s maybe no more than 10% better than a 3.0SI for the same progress, and generally low cost maintenance and insurance on the 6s of all sizes, the 4 pot is a hard sell even before the questionable engine reliability.

The main benefit of the 4 pots today are for plentiful donor parts to keep the 6s going :fuelfire:
 
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