Buying help!

[Z450]

As above on a forum you will always hear the issues with these cars. It does not mean every one has the issues.

The roofs generally a good and the majority of issues are micro switches, which can be straight forward.

If you do have issues the Zed shed seem to know there roofs well and a very reasonably priced

 

[JakeS76]

It's worth getting the BimmerLink app on your mobile and a Vpeak+ or similar Bluetooth OBD. This should highlight any issues that the onboard computer monitors that the car you are looking at has. If the seller isn't happy for you to use this I'd be wary.

 

[Zeddy28]

Buying Z4.

What should I be looking for in terms of servicing. Found a lovely 2.0. 2016. 28,000. No service done!?

Says he’s done oil and brakes.

Can’t find much on when to service a z4 online tbh.

My Z3 is when my instrument cluster tells me so, and I’m guessing that’s the same for Z4 so surely more often than 30,000?

Any information appreciated please?

Thanks.

 

[B21]

In theory a N20 engine can go to 30k kilometres on an oil change..

So 28k miles is way past it..

Does the car have idrive..? It will show when service intervals are next due..

Z4 E89 use condition based service ie determined by on board ECU as to what and when..

Best to revert to a time / distance based system..

 

[Zeddy28]

In theory a N20 engine can go to 30k kilometres on an oil change..

So 28k miles is way past it..

Does the car have idrive..? It will show when service intervals are next due..

Z4 E89 use condition based service ie determined by on board ECU as to what and when..

Best to revert to a time / distance based system..

Nope, No idrive and no stamps as of yet. Done oil changes himself.

 

[B21]

Well it’s I guess a case of fo you believe him..when did he do it, what oil was used and if/what filters were changed..

If you buy it just replace the oil, filters and plugs..not to mention brake fluid which is a 2 yearly mandatory change..the car should have a service stamp in 2018, 2020, 2022 for brake fluid changes..

 

[Zeddy28]

Well it’s I guess a case of fo you believe him..when did he do it, what oil was used and if/what filters were changed..

If you buy it just replace the oil, filters and plugs..not to mention brake fluid which is a 2 yearly mandatory change..the car should have a service stamp in 2018, 2020, 2022 for brake fluid changes..

Yeah, will give it a miss then. Plenty more fish as they say!!! Thanks for the advice.

 

[B21]

Well it’s I guess a case of fo you believe him..when did he do it, what oil was used and if/what filters were changed..

If you buy it just replace the oil, filters and plugs..not to mention brake fluid which is a 2 yearly mandatory change..the car should have a service stamp in 2018, 2020, 2022 for brake fluid changes..

Yeah, will give it a miss then. Plenty more fish as they say!!! Thanks for the advice.

No shortage of E89s on the market..it’s a buyers shoot

 

[Beerman]

Well it’s I guess a case of fo you believe him..when did he do it, what oil was used and if/what filters were changed..

If you buy it just replace the oil, filters and plugs..not to mention brake fluid which is a 2 yearly mandatory change..the car should have a service stamp in 2018, 2020, 2022 for brake fluid changes..

Yeah, will give it a miss then. Plenty more fish as they say!!! Thanks for the advice.

No shortage of E89s on the market..it’s a buyers shoot

I've been keeping my eye for one. The amount of cars going up for sale was increasing all the time, but at the bank holiday weekend the numbers for sale dropped. Since then the numbers for sale have increased again.

Nice cars priced well sell immediately. There's too many too highly priced especially from private sellers.

 

[Zeddy28]

Off to see 4 zeddys tomorrow.

All 2.0. About service history. One garage says they have all the paper work for every service. Been completed by an Indy.

But no book, no stamps. All the paper work matches the car. Should I be bothered? I’m kinda bothered. I have Z3 from 2003, and I have the book, stamps and most of the service paperwork.

 

[B21]

Off to see 4 zeddys tomorrow.

All 2.0. About service history. One garage says they have all the paper work for every service. Been completed by an Indy.

But no book, no stamps. All the paper work matches the car. Should I be bothered? I’m kinda bothered. I have Z3 from 2003, and I have the book, stamps and most of the service paperwork.

Given the standard piss poor service strategy from bmw on these later e89s it’s frankly Russian roulette even if you have a well stamped bmw book..a lot of peoples view on maintenance would probably do better than the ‘official’ service strategy..

If you have receipts that seem to endorse filter / oil changes I’d take that as pretty good..

Devil as always is in the detail..

You can always pop the details for people to shoot to bits / constructively criticise etc..

 

[Pondy]

Off to see 4 zeddys tomorrow.

All 2.0. About service history. One garage says they have all the paper work for every service. Been completed by an Indy.

But no book, no stamps. All the paper work matches the car. Should I be bothered? I’m kinda bothered. I have Z3 from 2003, and I have the book, stamps and most of the service paperwork.

As long as the paperwork stacks up then don't see a problem TBH. Nothing wrong with an Indy. Just cheaper and most of the time better than dealerships IME.

I would be a little suspicious of no service book, though. And remember, thanks to our wonderful GDPR rules, garages have 'carte blanche' to dispose of any incriminating evidence and cite 'data protection' as the reason.
If the paperwork has details, you can make your own enquiries as to whether it's genuine.

E89s do have service notifications, but they can be reset (to whatever date you like) via the onboard computer in the car. A bit of a waste of time if you are looking for servicing data IMO.