Coupe vs roadster

M

MartynFrancis

Member
 Norwich
After today's antics, I've also got thinking about the above topic. I loved my roadster, great in the summer, crap in the winter and cleaning the roof was always a ball ache. There's some great prices on coupes at the moment about. So leads me on to a couple of questions...
In particular Boot space.... I can't seem to find anywhere the litre capacity between the e85 and e86?

I'm looking for 2006 and newer, but as my 2.5 2003 roadster was only 67k on the clock before it was sadly written off, I feel a little uncomfortable with more miles than 80k for the kind of money of around £7k. Despite this I have no idea why as our 56 plate 320d tourer has 160k on the clock and never skips a beat! Opinions? Help me get this out of my head should I feel uncomfortable about a car that's 10 years old ish and 100k?
 
MartynFrancis said:
After today's antics, I've also got thinking about the above topic. I loved my roadster, great in the summer, crap in the winter and cleaning the roof was always a ball ache. There's some great prices on coupes at the moment about. So leads me on to a couple of questions...
In particular Boot space.... I can't seem to find anywhere the litre capacity between the e85 and e86?

I'm looking for 2006 and newer, but as my 2.5 2003 roadster was only 67k on the clock before it was sadly written off, I feel a little uncomfortable with more miles than 80k for the kind of money of around £7k. Despite this I have no idea why as our 56 plate 320d tourer has 160k on the clock and never skips a beat! Opinions? Help me get this out of my head should I feel uncomfortable about a car that's 10 years old ish and 100k?
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What's important is the service history and the condition, far more so than the mileage.
 
TR4man said:
^^^^ very true.

Why are people so obsessed with mileage - it's just a number!
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Always makes me laugh this obsession we seem to have with mileage this side of the pond. You don't really get it to anything like the same extent in the us/Canada. Maybe it's to do with them running big v8's when we were running ford anglias etc and the engines lasted longer. Times have changed and any decent modern engine should have a good 200k+ in it if looked after, even the smaller ones
 
Try getting two front tyres in the boot of a roadster (225/40/18)...

The boot is a really useful feature on the coupe, no good for long DIY items but swallows plenty of luggage.
 
Steve84N said:
Try getting two front tyres in the boot of a roadster (225/40/18)...

The boot is a really useful feature on the coupe, no good for long DIY items but swallows plenty of luggage.
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I put my tyres in the passenger seat when I run them up to be fitted. Realy easy to get them in, with the roof down. :D :thumbsup:
 
buzyg said:
Steve84N said:
Try getting two front tyres in the boot of a roadster (225/40/18)...

The boot is a really useful feature on the coupe, no good for long DIY items but swallows plenty of luggage.
Click to expand...

I put my tyres in the passenger seat when I run them up to be fitted. Realy easy to get them in, with the roof down. :D :thumbsup:
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Maybe, but I wouldn't want to be putting wheels in the passenger seat when it is trimmed in Pearl Grey! Thinking about it, maybe that is why I bought a Coupe? :lol:

To be honest I never wanted a Roadster, but the more time I spend on here the more inclined I am to try one if I get a chance. After all any N/A straight 6 petrol BMW with a manual gearbox can't be all bad! (Just a shame they don't make any now AFAIK)!
 
buzyg said:
Steve84N said:
Try getting two front tyres in the boot of a roadster (225/40/18)...

The boot is a really useful feature on the coupe, no good for long DIY items but swallows plenty of luggage.
Click to expand...

I put my tyres in the passenger seat when I run them up to be fitted. Realy easy to get them in, with the roof down. :D :thumbsup:
Click to expand...

Maybe, but you can't go on holiday with the Mrs and a similar volume of luggage... :P
 
Steve84N said:
buzyg said:
Steve84N said:
Try getting two front tyres in the boot of a roadster (225/40/18)...

The boot is a really useful feature on the coupe, no good for long DIY items but swallows plenty of luggage.
Click to expand...

I put my tyres in the passenger seat when I run them up to be fitted. Realy easy to get them in, with the roof down. :D :thumbsup:
Click to expand...

Maybe, but you can't go on holiday with the Mrs and a similar volume of luggage... :P
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Most convincing argument so far for the coupe over the roadster.

:thumbsup:

Go for a coupe if you find the right one. Just my £0.02.
 
I like them both, mileage is more of a psychological factor provided the car has been well looked after.
The coupe is a stunning looking car, its body shape and curves look great from all angles, and its quite rare to spot one so they have an exclusive air about them. Your choice depends on how much you like open top motoring I guess?
For me you cant beat top down driving on a sunny day, or even a cold crisp winters day with the heated seats on full. Driving down country lanes you feel part of the landscape, seeing the sky and hearing the birds in the trees - its a completely different driving experience.
:driving:
Like 85genius, I have a hardtop which I will use in the winter months, so I guess that makes me a pseudo coupe driver :wink:
 
The coupe boot is quite big. Once you remove to detractabe cover you can get quite a bit in there
 
TR4man said:
^^^^ very true.

Why are people so obsessed with mileage - it's just a number!
Click to expand...

I kind of agree, but higher mileage cars in general can tend towards tired trim, squeaks, rattles, niggly faults etc. I realise you can get any manner of issues with low mileage cars too, just statistically as components come towards the end of their lives, the failure rate will increase.

Having said that, I had a drive in Jamie_Z4's coupe last week and if mine drives, sounds, and looks as good as that by the time it hits 94K, I'll be more than happy!
 
Mine's got 61,000 on it and it has some bloody annoying trim rattles I've yet to track down. Had common problems like water pump failure, exhaust hanger snapped etc so to me the high mileage is not something to ignore but it should be OK if all these little jobs are addressed as they crop up. The real problems are the high owner number cars where a list of stuff has built up. Not easy to spot everything though on viewing without a proper inspection on a ramp.
 
As said above, depends if you like roof down motoring.
I've had mine 3 years and use as a daily drive and can't imagine not being able to drop the roof.

Both look stunning so it's down to your personal preferences and practicality of the bigger boot (note, I can get my folding bike in my roadster boot)

Alternatively get both!
 
MACK said:
TR4man said:
^^^^ very true.

Why are people so obsessed with mileage - it's just a number!
Click to expand...
Always makes me laugh this obsession we seem to have with mileage this side of the pond. You don't really get it to anything like the same extent in the us/Canada. Maybe it's to do with them running big v8's when we were running ford anglias etc and the engines lasted longer. Times have changed and any decent modern engine should have a good 200k+ in it if looked after, even the smaller ones
Click to expand...

Sort of agree. Here mileage is in kms so always seems so much higher - but generally people think nothing of buying a car with 20, 300kms on the clock.. BUT I guess a) a lot of them are v8's b) not much in the way of close towns here so you're often talking 3 hour trips, and c) no ice/salt so mileage isn't as tied in with rusting as it is in the uk.. I'd normally shrug away from 150k mile cars in the UK but the most problem free car I've owned was a ford xr8 v8 with about 160k miles on the clock - it ran like new.

That said - My dad has a 735 in the uk on about 270k miles - and due to him being ill, is barely driven and seldom serviced - with a hose down it could pass as a car 15 years younger.
 
I think my heart still says roadster, do love the roof down in the summer. I'm in no rush and when the right car comes up at the right price I'll know.
Shame about the other one, yes it was a bit marmite, but bloody glad I checked before anything.. Seems I may have lit the fuse on in that one!
 
dhobbs said:
As said above, depends if you like roof down motoring.
I've had mine 3 years and use as a daily drive and can't imagine not being able to drop the roof.

Both look stunning so it's down to your personal preferences and practicality of the bigger boot (note, I can get my folding bike in my roadster boot)

Alternatively get both!
Click to expand...

Totally agree, some folks get the roof down like twice a year in the absolutely optimum conditions (25c+ cloudless skies) or only in certain environments (country driving etc) due to feeling vulnerable with the roof down in a urban setting. Which is fine but you do wonder why they didn't plum for a coupe with so little use, maybe the cheaper roadster prices attracted them.

Then there are folks like me, roof down when ever I can, even in winter and a coupe just doesn't float my boat, as a big part of the ownership experience for me is the roof down driving. Its fair to say, even with prices being equal between the coupe and the roadster (which we all known they aint!) I wouldn't be a Z4 owner if they only did the coupe and I'm sure their are plenty of coupe owners who would say the reverse.

Mileage wise, its a funny thing. One persons high miles is some folks low for a start and perseptions are often vehicle dependant. I wouldn't have any issues buying say a 130k Z4 if it had been well looked after because of the mileage. What I would be worried about is my selling prospects 3/4/5 years down the line with say north of 150k on it because my market would be very limited in terms of those prepared to buy a z4 with that sort of miles. However swap the zed in this scenario for say a diesel 3 series and I would not be so bothered as there's plenty that would take that on, particularly if it was an estate
 
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