Consider Buying - What Should I be Aware of?
- Thread starter stal023
- Start date
You should be aware of these cars becoming addictive and draining bank account. 
Kidding aside there are many nice examples out there. It really comes down to a personal preference. How much can you afford to spend? What are your must haves? Heated seats, ragtop, hardtop, hardtop convertible? Auto or manual? Sport or not sport seats? Color? So I would look on this forum at cars for sale to give you a sample of what is available cost options etc. Then when you have narrowed the selection then start looking at possible issues with that year etc. Good luck hunting am sure there are more knowledgeable folks on here to provide input.
Kidding aside there are many nice examples out there. It really comes down to a personal preference. How much can you afford to spend? What are your must haves? Heated seats, ragtop, hardtop, hardtop convertible? Auto or manual? Sport or not sport seats? Color? So I would look on this forum at cars for sale to give you a sample of what is available cost options etc. Then when you have narrowed the selection then start looking at possible issues with that year etc. Good luck hunting am sure there are more knowledgeable folks on here to provide input.Here is what I am finding so far:
What am I missing?
- Water pump seems to be a common issue ~$200 part
- Window Regulator ~$200 part
- headlight condensation
- Top motor is in a crap location; new $175-200 and relocate the motor
- Disa Valve, this is just in the M52 and not N52. How do you know which engine is in which vehicle?
What am I missing?
Liverpool
I'd add Oil filter housing/cooler area and valvetronic motor, check for leaks (you'll need remove the 'vanity' cover on top of the rocker cover to check the valvetronic.
My experience is parts are not expensive if you know what to buy and there are plenty of posts that provide info on the oem (or equivalent) parts for a fraction of the price from BMW, especially if you surf discounts online and can wait for a good deal.
For instance, I bought my car last Jan and did all filters, starter motor, new CCV, serpentine belt, oil filter and cooler gaskets, valvetronic gasket, rocker gasket, throttle body seal, x6 new coil packs, x6 new plugs, new oil, replaced any one time use bolts and had the valvetronic motor recalibrated (and prob a few other things I'm forgetting) all for circa £600.
My experience is parts are not expensive if you know what to buy and there are plenty of posts that provide info on the oem (or equivalent) parts for a fraction of the price from BMW, especially if you surf discounts online and can wait for a good deal.
For instance, I bought my car last Jan and did all filters, starter motor, new CCV, serpentine belt, oil filter and cooler gaskets, valvetronic gasket, rocker gasket, throttle body seal, x6 new coil packs, x6 new plugs, new oil, replaced any one time use bolts and had the valvetronic motor recalibrated (and prob a few other things I'm forgetting) all for circa £600.
stal023 said:
Electric water pump I think is a post facelift issue only (someone tell me if I’m wrong)
Headlight condensation is post-facelift only
Motor relocation is roadster only (obvs)
M54 is pre-facelift, N52 is post-facelift. Google pictures, they look different.
M54 can have problems with CCV, particularly in cold climates or running short journeys.
Corroded brake lines are often a problem (all models, it’s a symptom of wet weather and age).
Suspension bushes wear out with mileage.
Vanos solenoids.
The 6 cylinder engine is strong and rarely goes wrong if properly looked after. It can be prone to oil leaks, but these don’t tend to be terminal.
All the above relates to the E85, but also the earlier E89 models fitted with the N52 engine. Good luck finding a nice car.
fernando306
Member
Where to start?
On E85s, from more critical to least critical:
DISA Valve - can destroy your engine
Coolant reservoir crack - can overheat your engine
CCV valve (mine is fine, so far)
Shock absorbers are 100% sure to be done for if they are original
VANOS Seals
Door lock failure
Convertible top hinges failure / leak
Convertible top pump needs to be relocated
Prolly a good idea to change the transmission fluid - mine was gross at 90k, got much better shift quality after replacing.
Once you do these things, it's a very nice and reliable car. No one does any of that stuff, so when you buy it, be ready...
On E85s, from more critical to least critical:
DISA Valve - can destroy your engine
Coolant reservoir crack - can overheat your engine
CCV valve (mine is fine, so far)
Shock absorbers are 100% sure to be done for if they are original
VANOS Seals
Door lock failure
Convertible top hinges failure / leak
Convertible top pump needs to be relocated
Prolly a good idea to change the transmission fluid - mine was gross at 90k, got much better shift quality after replacing.
Once you do these things, it's a very nice and reliable car. No one does any of that stuff, so when you buy it, be ready...
Zedebee said:
That's most issues covered for the 6 cylinder models, and the electric water pump is only a facelift issue but costs more like £250 in the UK. I don't know about the 4 cylinder 2.0i, which is why it helps to have some idea of what you are considering getting! The facelift was in early 2006.
I'd add these as well.
Facelift fog lamps suffer from condensation
They can suffer oil leaks from the cam-cover gasket and/or oil filter housing gasket (N52s anyway, not sure about M54s)
Tailgates can suffer from corrosion on Coupes
If you are thinking of an M with the S54 engine there are a few more items to go on the list. :roll:
Correction to my earlier post - foglight condensation is more or less guaranteed on post-facelift e85/e86. Headlight condensation seems to be only an occasional issue.
DISA valve is an issue on M54 engine, not N52.
Don’t be put off by all the above. All engines have their problems, these are holding up well and capable of big mileages. Parts are readily available and the big engine bay makes them relatively easy to work on.
DISA valve is an issue on M54 engine, not N52.
Don’t be put off by all the above. All engines have their problems, these are holding up well and capable of big mileages. Parts are readily available and the big engine bay makes them relatively easy to work on.
Budget for a suspension refresh if it hasn’t been done already, and to replace the runflat tires.... unless you enjoy a car with a spine jarring ride, and a tendency to ‘self steer and tramline’ like a supermarket shopping trolley...
An E85/E86 with worn out suspension and runflats can feel possessed and as if it’s trying to kill you :evil:
An E85/E86 with worn out suspension and runflats can feel possessed and as if it’s trying to kill you :evil:
As my original post stated, I am looking at the convertible, not the coupe. Also looking at either the 2.5 or 3.0 but wanting the 3.0 they just don't seem to be readily available in manual. With the suspension, what I am looking for underneath that would let me know the life of the suspension? Not all owners are honest with what they have/haven't done in terms of work to the vehicle.
When y'all say facelift, this is 2006+ right? It appears that a 2006+ is the way to go with the engine change. Correct or incorrect? And I am in the US, not UK
When y'all say facelift, this is 2006+ right? It appears that a 2006+ is the way to go with the engine change. Correct or incorrect? And I am in the US, not UK
I drove a 2.5 and a 3.0 yesterday and loved both of them. I couldn't feel a ton more power in the 3.0. Anything to be aware of with a 2.5? Also, I reached out to one person selling their Z4 3.0 about the roof motor and he said his is manual and they didn't have power roofs until 09. I thought these were power in this generation, am I wrong?
Finally, i know this sounds silly but how is one supposed to really inspect the underside of the car as it is so low to the ground?
Finally, i know this sounds silly but how is one supposed to really inspect the underside of the car as it is so low to the ground?
That one looks OK by UK prices, but I've no idea how it compares to US prices. And it does have the sought after M-Sport seats as well as CSL wheels, although they are probably Replicas and I'm not a fan of black wheels!
Spec also differs by country - a US car may well have had a manual roof as standard, but they were all supplied with a power-roof in the UK.
Spec also differs by country - a US car may well have had a manual roof as standard, but they were all supplied with a power-roof in the UK.
I drove nearly 5 hours to see this and the dealer was not honest. Not much worked on it. Almost every warning light on, no AC, power mirrors didn't work, washer fluid wouldn't come out, center navigation system wouldn't work....the list just goes on. Hate dishonest people. Onto the next....
I've noticed in every Z4 I've looked at the molding piece on the outside of the windshield, the larger black plastic piece that goes around the wiper base is usually cracked and completely crap. Is this typical?
I've noticed in every Z4 I've looked at the molding piece on the outside of the windshield, the larger black plastic piece that goes around the wiper base is usually cracked and completely crap. Is this typical?
stal023 said:
All of mine have been faded, but I've not seen a cracked one. Maybe it has lived in a hot state. I've seen plenty of California cars on TV with cracks and splits in the top of their dashboards due to sun damage.
Sorry to hear about your wasted trip though - hopefully you'll find a good one soon.
Spaldingski
