Buying advice for 2014/15 Z4.

M

Mistertee

New member
Hi, I’m new to the forum and will hopefully soon be the owner of a Z4. In advance of that I’d appreciate some advice please. I’m considering buying a 2014/15 2.0 Z4 as a garaged weekend toy. Based on the weekend toy I recently sold (MK3 MR2), it probably won’t do more than about 3k a year. I’ve never bought Ger an before, only Japanese and have found reliability to be pretty much a given, so not sure what to expect from the Z4, so my key questions are:

1. Is the Z4 for the plate/year I’m proposing to buy, largely reliable? Not sure if I have this right but I believe it’s the E89 model with the N20 engine (?).
2. Am I better buying an automatic or manual? For me that would be about which is the most reliable transmission and least problematic. I understand all the arguments about manuals in sports/sportier cars but I’m 64 so for me it’s about pleasure, comfort, and driving at normal speeds not goin thru the gears like a boy racer and redlining it.
3. Are there any particular things to look out for, or issues which frequently crop up as problems on these cars? (Hood? Vanos? Etc etc).
4. Is it worth paying the extra to get one with Sat Nav or not? (is it a good system?)
5. Are there any colours to avoid in terms of difficulty in repair/colour match etc for stone chips and so on.

Sorry if the questions seem simplistic; I just like Z4’s but know very little technically about them.

Thanks in advance for this and any other hints/tips you can give me.
 
Hi and welcome:
1. Yes. The N20 is generally a good engine. The 18i, 20i and 28i are all the same engine with different power maps. The 18 and 20 are lower power than the engine was designed for (250bhp) so have an easy life.
2. A manual is obviously a simpler gearbox than an auto, but the torque converter autos in the N20 are good. Personal choice IMHO.
3. Roofs are complex but are generally good. Microswitches and relays 'wear out' but are simple and cheap to replace. Check several full operations of the roof on any potential purchase and check the rubber seals all around as these can dry out and perish if not looked after. Check the boot floor where the battery sits for any water or signs of historical water. Check there is no water in the rear light clusters. Many of the wheels can crack (especially the 19" 326M type). Checking the MOT history should highlight any historical problems.
4. Sat nav is part of the iDrive, so gives many other functions. It is a desirable feature for many people (I don't have it).
5. Bright metallic colours are always a pain to colour match, a Z4 is no different. Personal choice.

The 2 litre E89 Z4 is a good car and if looked after is cheap to run and own (for a BMW).
HTH
 
In terms of reliability coming from a MK3 MR2, it shouldn't be too bad. Particularly if you had one of the pre-03 MR2's with the engine that disintegrated somewhere around 100k miles! You'll also be so much more comfortable, it's a totally different experience.

Bear in mind that some things will be more expensive, for example if you go for a Z4 with 19" wheels, the tyres will cost about twice as much as on the MR2. Some plastic parts for the Z4 can be inexplicably expensive too.

Sat nav is fine, but I find myself using google maps on my phone anyway, because if there's a traffic jam it can save me hours. I wouldn't pay more for it, but others would. If you get a Z4 without iDrive you can easily wedge an iPhone/Android in the cubby hole on top of the dash, you don't even need a dash mount for it :thumbsup:
 
Turbo charged cars like the N20 powered 20i are best suited to modern automatics. By all accounts it’s a great marriage between the 4 potter and the ZF box

Unlike the NA cars like the 23i and 30i it’s pointless chasing through the gears in a manual as mid range torque is so much better with turbos and the power tails off well before the red line anyway, bmw manual boxes don’t have a great rap

I’d never have an E89 without iDrive as it gives you far more then just maps..which are just as good as any other map product for road driving purposes

iDrive is a much better user interface when interacting with all the systems in the car..audio, service, phone , parking etc..plus if you have iDrive then its relatively easy to retrofit missing options..without iDrive close to impossible

Make sure you understand the cam chain issue on earlier cars

Apart from that it seems as reliable as any other E89

The N20 engined cars drive well and should give a mature gentleman great pleasure
 
I can't add anything to that as all my Zeds have been from 2006 - but welcome to the forum anyway! :thumbsup:
 
Mistertee said:
4. Is it worth paying the extra to get one with Sat Nav or not? (is it a good system?)
Click to expand...
I find the Sat/Nav system quite useful. It saves me mounting and unmounting my cell phone. The only downside is that the maps do not update automatically. I've updated mine once. It cost me about US $65 and took about 45 minutes to load. I was a bit anxious, but followed instructions and all went well. I'll probably update again in a couple of years.
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Back
Top Bottom