Dilemma.. Z4M or a Z4 3.5is ???

[gramps]

Howdy all..

I would appreciate some comments and insights to my new car purchasing dilemma..

I've been searching for a new "toy" to play with in my retirement years. I've been watching the Z4M market for some time. I recently found a 2007 Z4M red on red with 35k miles from a private seller. Just in the past week my local BMW deal got a Z4 3.5is in or trade with 24k miles, red on black. The problem I'm having is the pricing is very close, within $3k between the two. I really like the Z4M manual for it's back to the basics driving experience. But the 3.5is has the DCT and more modern features... What to do.. and no I can't afford to buy both.. haha

Thanks for your guidance.

Gramps

 

[Anonymous]

Evening buddy

All I'll say is a few have had a 3.5 and sold and now running around in a z4m

E89s can look nice
But how many do you see in a day?
Possibly age quickly
A bit too new and user friendly for my liking

 

[Buckz]

Z4m raw and proper sports car
E89 is more of a daily driver all around car. Still very capable but not as "raw" and back to roots sports car you'd expect it.

Imo, as a weekend/fun/retirement car a z4m is the one to go for. As a fast daily sports car the e89 will do a better job due to its comforts, softer ride etc.

 

[Vanne]

"How can something that looks so good drive so rubbish?" J.Clarkson on e89.

:fuelfire:

 

[Yorkie Z]

Buy the M/// and drive it for a few years, having lots of fun on the way. Then sell it for probably more than you paid and buy a E89. Easy hey

 

[mr wilks]

A tricky choice for the OP if never owning any Z4 previously .
For me the choice goes beyond the actual comparisons between the 2 cars , its about how you plan to spend the time driving .
If it was a 10k/15k a year car out most days it would be the 35Is , if it was a peep at in the garage all week in anticipation of the weekend to enjoy purely pleasure mileage then its ///M :driving: the 89s are a fantastic place to sit & cover long distances with ease , the cabin is a major step up & external styling even now after 8yrs is still fresh & doesn't look out of place against the new range of BMWs on a dealer forecourt
Running costs are going to be more on the ///M dependent on where in the cars service / repairs cycle you buy ?
Brakes are pricey , ins2 is pricey & at 35k the car is getting to the time both will need attention or possibly both could have been done ?
Simple answer is try both then decide

 

[buzyg]

The 35IS is a nicer place to sit whiling away the hours. The ///M is more fun.

 

[sunnydays]

OP since you posted in the M section, your replies are going to mostly be bias towards the Z4M. As a 35is owner I will lay out some objective facts below:

The Z4 35IS is faster than the Z4M
The Z4 35IS has newer tech and a more up to date cabin
The Z4 35IS is rarer than the Z4M (in the UK atleast)

The biggest comment I notice from Z4M owners is how the Z4M handles better than the 35is, the 35is can allegedly provide less feedback and feel abit numb in comparison sometimes. This comes down to how you are going to use the car. Comfortable cruising with lots of power on tap. Or corner carving on a track shifting manual.... 2 different cars but both great.

Exhaust note subjective but the way the 35IS exhaust crackles and pops is hard to beat

In terms of looks both look great, the Z4M is starting to look abit dated imo but depends what you like.

Is Z4M value really guaranteed to go up as suggested? Im not so sure, if they came out with another Z4M then it would probably dip pretty hard.... would be a long time before they were worth something as a classic. Seem to be holding value pretty well though.

Ultimately both very nice cars, only way you will find out for sure is by test driving both!

 

[Mr Tidy]

By the way, welcome to the forum OP.

What a nice choice to have!

I haven't had either, but a others have said the first thing you need to do is get a drive in both and see what suits you!

Saying that, I can't see either being a bad choice.

Looking forward to the photos once you have decided! :lol:

 

[GuidoK]

The Z4 35IS is faster than the Z4M

Faster as in?

 

[Anonymous]

Hahahahah @ sunny

E89 sterile yes quick
Exciting I think not
Rewarding again I think not unless have ability to turn entire traction control off I doubt it
Values going to hold, never as it's not an M
Z4ms dated? I also disagree nothing to do with my owning one, but e89 looks like a computer got bored

Z4M will as is a classic in the making it's the last inline 6
N/A engine so it is and will continue to rise
An e89 with the 35i engine will sink like a stone after 5 years

True we are bias hence we love our cars but to come swinging in with butthurt remarks won't help your kit gain you any friends

As I see around 20 e89s EVERY SINGLE DAY and let's face it I can't tell the base model from the top nor do I actually have any interest upon doing so

An M go look at The post how many have you seen
We owners actively look for other Z4Ms and don't see them !

 

[JustCruzin]

Gosh this is almost like the last referendum! Well for a past 35is owner I would say this. Echoing what others have said, if you want a very powerful comfort wagon, go for a 35is. If you want a something that is going to test your faith in holding on to the limits of what you thought was not possible, Z4M.

Cheers JC

 

[Anonymous]

Gosh this is almost like the last referendum! Well for a past 35is owner I would say this. Echoing what others have said, if you want a very powerful comfort wagon, go for a 35is. If you want a something that is going to test your faith in holding on to the limits of what you thought was not possible, Z4M.

Cheers JC

:rofl:

 

[srhutch]

OP since you posted in the M section, your replies are going to mostly be bias towards the Z4M. As a 35is owner I will lay out some objective facts below:

The Z4 35IS is faster than the Z4M
The Z4 35IS has newer tech and a more up to date cabin
The Z4 35IS is rarer than the Z4M (in the UK atleast)

The biggest comment I notice from Z4M owners is how the Z4M handles better than the 35is, the 35is can allegedly provide less feedback and feel abit numb in comparison sometimes. This comes down to how you are going to use the car. Comfortable cruising with lots of power on tap. Or corner carving on a track shifting manual.... 2 different cars but both great.

Exhaust note subjective but the way the 35IS exhaust crackles and pops is hard to beat

In terms of looks both look great, the Z4M is starting to look abit dated imo but depends what you like.

Is Z4M value really guaranteed to go up as suggested? Im not so sure, if they came out with another Z4M then it would probably dip pretty hard.... would be a long time before they were worth something as a classic. Seem to be holding value pretty well though.

Ultimately both very nice cars, only way you will find out for sure is by test driving both!

Values aren't going to dip if another Z4M came out for a number of reasons, the engine being one.

Most of what you have said is subjective.

OP, best option is go and drive them both and see what you think. Mr Wilks speaks a lot of sense though. :wink:

 

[Pastry]

This is going to be an Interesting thread opcorn:
Mr Wilks sums it up pretty well. Now where is John-e89??? .... he's got both!

 

[sunnydays]

Hahahahah @ sunny

E89 sterile yes quick
Exciting I think not
Rewarding again I think not unless have ability to turn entire traction control off I doubt it
Values going to hold, never as it's not an M
Z4ms dated? I also disagree nothing to do with my owning one, but e89 looks like a computer got bored

Z4M will as is a classic in the making it's the last inline 6
N/A engine so it is and will continue to rise
An e89 with the 35i engine will sink like a stone after 5 years

True we are bias hence we love our cars but to come swinging in with butthurt remarks won't help your kit gain you any friends

As I see around 20 e89s EVERY SINGLE DAY and let's face it I can't tell the base model from the top nor do I actually have any interest upon doing so

An M go look at The post how many have you seen
We owners actively look for other Z4Ms and don't see them !

No need to come accross all defensive, I am not making butthurt remarks anywhere lol. The first 3 points are objective facts. The next few are opinion based or based on others but that is clearly stated.

Your first point calling the E89 sterile but quick, yet the Z4M rewarding is a more defensive bias version of what I have written above. The 35is is a comfortable cruiser with power on tap..... the Z4M a corner carver at the track while shifting manual.... 2 different cars both great.

The Z4M may well be the last NA inline six but the M3 is the last NA V8 BMW may produce yet its values are still slowly declining. What I dont understand is why people think the Z4M is guaranteed to rise in value, based on what?

You see 20 E89s every day. Thats the equivalent of me saying I see 100 E85s or E86s everyday. I may well but they arent the M. And lets be reallistic its not like you can easily tell the M apart unless you are directly behind it.

 

[john-e89]

Hey Gramps,

D4dawg is a true defender of the realm and if you said an M was the best car in the world bar none he'd disagree and argue it's better than that.... :lol: :wink:

It's all been said already, try both. Chalk and cheese.

Very simply do you want to cruise in a powerful GT car with a level of comfort and refinement an M cannot get near, or do you want to go gung ho around the twisties with a level of excitement and manual driving a 35is cannot get near.

Each car WILL do the other task, but nowhere near to the extent that each will do what they were designed for.

Values? It ain't worth worrying about in retirement is it, just enjoy the choice you make. Personally I think the 35is will keep a decent level in a few years due mainly to rarity, 6 pots, and a DCT, they will keep a following even without the 'hallowed' badge. But who knows, does it matter?

Just popping back to the chalk and cheese thing, it's surprising how wide the gap is between the two given they are very close in size dimensions, and both have power a plenty.

One is a sports car, one definately isn't. The die hard M boys shouldn't really kick the 35is so much though, it was never designed to be raw or compete with sports cars, nor should 35is owners say it's as good as an M, they're too different. All just imo obviously.

Best of luck, let us know how you get on, this is a rumbling debate that I doubt will ever be settled... :lol:

 

[Anonymous]

Haha me?

V8 is not a purists recognised engine the bmw brand is sonoymous with the inline 6 of which S54 in z4ms are the last hence will continue to rise and hold

They are 2 completely different cars once focused upon being a track based road car and other a great gt car

Specs 0-60 4.8 Is
4.9M both of which are quicker in real life

I love these debates haha

Ps e89 was designed by 2 females
Just saying haha

 

[Fishy Dave]

What I dont understand is why people think the Z4M is guaranteed to rise in value, based on what?

No-one can guarantee what may happen to the values in the future but M's have been on the rise slowly for the last two or 3 years.

 

[mr wilks]

What I dont understand is why people think the Z4M is guaranteed to rise in value, based on what?

Based on having to pay marginally more each year to buy a car that gets older :?
It may only be small % per year but its still increasing as opposed to being able to buy at less money as a car gets older which would be the norm for 95% of cars (35Is included )