Confused--Which Z4 should I buy !!

[Tgstay]

I have 2 choices now and please which would you advice that I buy .please give me reason for your choice

1--- 09 reg Mile 24k =£17,000 2 owners SE but have sports seats and suspension as extra
2--09 reg Miles 68k =£14,000 4 owners Sports

Both are clean with very good service history , same colour

 

[buzyg]

I'd take the 24k car. Barely run in. The running gear should not need attention for many years yet. On a 70k some of it will be reaching the end of it's useful life. Shocks bushes etc etc. 70k on the engine should be no problem though if it has been looked after.

 

[Mr Tidy]

From your previous posts I assume they are both E86s.

Given both are 13 years old I wouldn't be bothered about 2 or 4 previous keepers.

How many miles do you expect to do?

I can see the value of the low miler dropping significantly if you put some miles on it, but not so much with the 68K miler. After all 68K is still very low for a 13 year old car!

I sold my 2nd 3.0Si on 91K and MOT history shows it getting a pass this month on 104K. My 1st 3.0Si passed in November 2021 on 95K - anything on less than 100K has years of life ahead of it.

buzy has a point, but rubber and plastic parts tend to deteriorate over time as much as use.

 

[PDJ]

rubber and plastic parts tend to deteriorate over time as much as use.

Also if you have had the car for many years the drop in sharpness is so slow you get use to it and accept it as normal, look at the people that have refresed the car and say it is night and day.

 

[Zedebee]

It really depends what you want if for.

If you have lots of money, love the aesthetic of the coupe, intend to keep it in the garage and only drive it occasionally, then the 24k one at £17k will see you good and is unlikely to cost you much in the long run. However, you would want to make sure that the car is PRISTINE, especially the bodywork, else there’s no point paying the premium for low miles.

The 68k one still seems around 10% overpriced. Sure, an 09 coupe is a rarity but the mileage isn’t exactly low and an 09 is exactly the same as an 08 and a 57 (there was a mild engine change before this).

So out of the two, assuming you are not on a tight budget, I would go for the more expensive one.

 

[plenty]

If they're E86s and not ///Ms, they're both overpriced.

Ignoring that however, remember that the true cost of ownership is not the cost to buy but the cost to buy minus what you make when you sell.

Assuming condition is equal then from that perspective the lower-miles car is unlikely to actually to cost you more in the long run. You'll recoup the premium you paid at sale time, possibly more, assuming you keep the miles low.

Put it another way. If you put 30k miles on before selling, one example will still be at low miles at 54k and very desirable as a result. The other will be at 98k miles, not high but certainly not low and much less desirable to buyers.

 

[Mau]

Out of sheer curiosity and not being UK-based: is the fact that these coupes are registered in 09 really of added value in the UK?

To me - being based in the Netherlands however - it would not be relevant, knowing that the very last specimen of the E85/E86 generation was produced in August 08. Hence, despite its registration date, any E86 will be at least 14 years old (not being driven before 09 I would assume, but still f relevance for age related deterioration of rubbers etc.).

Hence 09 plate to me would only mean: registered relatively late compared to its production date and would not be worth paying a premium compared to an 08 plate.

Back to your actual question: to me it all depends on your intended use: do you wish to keep it a low mileage garage queen (and be very careful each time you park it, etc.), or do you actually want to use it for significant mileage and be slightly less concerned about it?

 

[plenty]

Re: age deterioration - it varies massively depending on whether the car was stored inside or outside.

In 2020 I bought an 09 plate Renault Megane R26.R on 12k miles. I'd not driven one when new to compare definitively, but it certainly felt (and even smelled) brand new. It had lived indoors all its life.

 

[Zedebee]

If they're E86s and not ///Ms, they're both overpriced.

Show me a 24k Coupe Sport for less than £17k

The other one is definitely overpriced. There’s a bargain on A/T at the moment, albeit auto, 64k for £10,650
https://www.autotrader.co.uk/car-details/202202022073660

 

[plenty]

Show me a 24k Coupe Sport for less than £17k

I can't, but when £17k buys you an ///M with sensible miles I think 'overpriced' is a reasonable assertion.

 

[Zedebee]

Show me a 24k Coupe Sport for less than £17k

I can't, but when £17k buys you an ///M with sensible miles I think 'overpriced' is a reasonable assertion.

I stand corrected, here’s one. Auto again, though:
https://www.autotrader.co.uk/car-details/202203223807180

IMO a 24k Coupe vs say, a 80k M-coupe is a different proposition entirely. Different car, different reason for buying.

 

[Zedebee]

It’s all a matter of opinion of course, no one is right.

 

[plenty]

IMO a 24k Coupe vs say, a 80k M-coupe is a different proposition entirely. Different car, different reason for buying.

Yes that's entirely fair. I just don't see a non-///M E86 as being a particularly collectable model and the target market for an ultra-low-miles example for ///M money must be tiny. But as above, a price differential of £3k I reckon is a good deal.

 

[Tgstay]

a 24k Coupe Sport for less than £17k

I can't, but when £17k buys you an ///M with sensible miles I think 'overpriced' is a reasonable assertion.

Do you think a Z4M with 84k mile for £17,000 and with full BMW service history make sense?

 

[beanie]

If the increased running costs and potential for needing certain parts to be replaced doesn’t bother you, then sure, buy the M. It’s where I’d put my 17k but but I wouldn’t want to run one on a tight budget.

I wouldn’t put any additional value on a fbmwsh vs a specialist one unless the bmw serviced car had a decent transferable bmw warranty coming with it.

 

[plenty]

Do you think a Z4M with 84k mile for £17,000 and with full BMW service history make sense?

If it's a coupe and condition is good, then that's a sensible price for the miles. Whether it 'makes sense' depends on each individual's circumstances.

 

[Mr Tidy]

Do you think a Z4M with 84k mile for £17,000 and with full BMW service history make sense?

I think you may struggle to find an 84K mile MC for £17,000. Either mileage or price is likely to be a bit higher but you never know.

An M is a totally different experience but you need to be aware that running costs are way higher. Starting with £600+ road tax, all consumable parts like brakes, etc. and every other service involving checking valve clearances and if required adjusting them with shims.

Thanks to the forum I knew all that when I bought mine so getting the crank rod bearing shells replaced and new engine mounts fitted at 78K miles with a four figure bill was also no surprise!

2 and a half years later I still love it but in all honesty if my Z4 was a daily driver I'd probably run a 3.0Si.

 

[Tgstay]

Thanks guys for the useful information. I finally settled with the 09 reg, SE, 24k miles for £17,000, SE . It has 2 owners from new and the car look spotless and like a brand new car . According to the seller it the car includes around £5,300 worth of Factory Fitted Extras . Thanks. picture to follow