End of the Z4. E89 production finishing in August.

[ronk]

i don't think i could deal with Valencia It just hasn't done it for me - I just associate it with Ford !
I like my Deep Sea Blue or the Tanzanite Blue of Mrs K's 335 - As a change I looked at the Red, maybe even the Grey? I will take the glossies on holiday for when the books and mags run out!

 

[HillWalker]

Go for it ronk, you know you want to :wink: I swapped my 2.3i for my Red with Oatmeal leather interior 35is 18 months ago and have never regretted it despite having done less than 4k miles in that time, the pride of ownership every time I use it or go in the garage and just take the cover off is worth the cost, and if someone offered me the original purchase price for it they would be met with a flat refusal.

And the reason for swapping the mint 23i with only 5k miles, the same as you it lacked torque, grunt, shove call it what you will but it was definitely missing, I'm not a fast driver and on outright performance the 23i was more than quick enough, but the feeling the 3litre twin turbo engine gives when pulling from 1500/2000 rpm in a high gear is amazing and is what makes a car feel "powerful"

 

[ronk]

I'm going to have my holiday and take it from there when I get home.
The current 3.0l has reasonable power and torque - it's driving her 335xd which has made me realise what the extra torque feels like (680Nm from memory) I don't think the 35is has as much as that but the extra 30ps will compensate

 

[sars]

It's 630 Nm Ronk or approximately 465 lb/ft at the crank and whilst this is considerably more, well 180 Nm more than the 35iS, gear ratios will narrow that gap down.

 

[ronk]

The memory wasn't that bad - I was only 50Nm out after all - I do prefer proper money tho! I have a better "vision" of ft/lbs

630Nm is a very nice amount of torque to have available - it's the very reason my 3.0l feels a bit limp by comparison.

 

[ronk]

It's 630 Nm Ronk or approximately 465 lb/ft at the crank and whilst this is considerably more, well 180 Nm more than the 35iS, gear ratios will narrow that gap down.

I normally just do a quick x 0,7 to get it back to real money !

 

[sars]

The memory wasn't that bad - I was only 50Nm out after all - I do prefer proper money tho! I have a better "vision" of ft/lbs

630Nm is a very nice amount of torque to have available - it's the very reason my 3.0l feels a bit limp by comparison.

Yes I know what you mean, a lb is a bag of sugar and we all know how long a foot is (no a foots longer than that honey :wink: )

 

[Nanu]

I think the 35is was seen as the M?

Absolutely Not.. The 'iS' range (Z4 35iS, 335iS) was simply an over boosted N54 car with a few extras like exhaust etc.

It's no M and went nowhere near BMWs M division. Despite BMW attempting to make a few quid by sticking M looking 'sport' badges all over the place.

Absolutely true but the view was that sending the 35is to the M division would not have improved it any. Not unless they rebuilt the chassis as it can't properly handle the power it's got already, hence no M

 

[Nanu]

i don't think i could deal with Valencia It just hasn't done it for me - I just associate it with Ford !
I like my Deep Sea Blue or the Tanzanite Blue of Mrs K's 335 - As a change I looked at the Red, maybe even the Grey? I will take the glossies on holiday for when the books and mags run out!

Just seen an Estoril Blue in the flesh for the first time and looked great. Spookily just after watching an old Top Gear with James May driving a stunning powder blue Aston Vantage. Not sure if BMW do a slightly lighter Estoril maybe with a shiny black roof?

 

[ronk]

I would happily have another Deep Sea Blue but they don't do it - I don't know if I could spec a Tanzinite Blue? Real His and Hers - more likely is the metallic Red

 

[techathy]

Absolutely true but the view was that sending the 35is to the M division would not have improved it any. Not unless they rebuilt the chassis as it can't properly handle the power it's got already, hence no M

^ comedian right here! ^

The E89s problem isn’t power and it actually responds rather well to geometry changes. The problem is it has a relatively short wheel base and wide track combined with a lot of weight relatively high up at the back of the car. So making the track wider only serves to increase the snap of the chassis when it does break away & make it harder to control once sliding. Suspension geometry won’t dial this out, it needs tangible weight reduction. The problem is that weight reduction would need to focus on the high up weight towards the rear of the car… which is the retractable roof & related mechanisms.

Honestly, on non-RFT tyre my car has absolutely no problems handling the jump from 238kW/429Nm to 266kW/524Nm at the wheels. In fact it seems to handled the extra thrust better, but I do think that is that because the throttle has more predictability and fidelity.

 

[SO8]

I think the 35is was seen as the M?

Absolutely Not.. The 'iS' range (Z4 35iS, 335iS) was simply an over boosted N54 car with a few extras like exhaust etc.

It's no M and went nowhere near BMWs M division. Despite BMW attempting to make a few quid by sticking M looking 'sport' badges all over the place.

Absolutely true but the view was that sending the 35is to the M division would not have improved it any. Not unless they rebuilt the chassis as it can't properly handle the power it's got already, hence no M

Can't handle the power - well, I would have to disagree. Having had two 35iS's I am happy to say I think it can handle the power it has easily. I did not have any issues at all and it was always easy to put the power down in good conditions. When you have 340hp and it is raining or the like of course you won't be able to use the power ... but in normal everyday conditions I never had any problems.

 

[Garvin]

Absolutely Not.. The 'iS' range (Z4 35iS, 335iS) was simply an over boosted N54 car with a few extras like exhaust etc.

It's no M and went nowhere near BMWs M division. Despite BMW attempting to make a few quid by sticking M looking 'sport' badges all over the place.

Absolutely true but the view was that sending the 35is to the M division would not have improved it any. Not unless they rebuilt the chassis as it can't properly handle the power it's got already, hence no M

Can't handle the power - well, I would have to disagree. Having had two 35iS's I am happy to say I think it can handle the power it has easily. I did not have any issues at all and it was always easy to put the power down in good conditions. When you have 340hp and it is raining or the like of course you won't be able to use the power ... but in normal everyday conditions I never had any problems.

My first 35iS did have problems handling the power - the traction light would illuminate on full bore second/third gear acceleration on anything but flat/smooth surfaces even in the bone dry, any slight undulations and the dash lit up like a Cristmas tree! It was woeful in cold weather as well, anything below ~7C and the back end would be all over the place at the mildest provocation. I put this down to the RE050 RFTs!

Current 35iS is a revelation. No difference in spec or tyres but it no longer loses traction unless the most brutal provocative driving style is employed. Improved RE050 RFTs or subtle chassis changes I don't know but it is also much improved at low temperatures so I firmly suspect improved tyres. On a decent set of non RFTs I think it could handle the power quite nicely.

 

[MACK]

Absolutely Not.. The 'iS' range (Z4 35iS, 335iS) was simply an over boosted N54 car with a few extras like exhaust etc.

It's no M and went nowhere near BMWs M division. Despite BMW attempting to make a few quid by sticking M looking 'sport' badges all over the place.

Absolutely true but the view was that sending the 35is to the M division would not have improved it any. Not unless they rebuilt the chassis as it can't properly handle the power it's got already, hence no M

Can't handle the power - well, I would have to disagree. Having had two 35iS's I am happy to say I think it can handle the power it has easily. I did not have any issues at all and it was always easy to put the power down in good conditions. When you have 340hp and it is raining or the like of course you won't be able to use the power ... but in normal everyday conditions I never had any problems.

Putting a lsd in it would improve things greatly, until you drive a car both pre and post an lsd it's really quite hard to understand just what a difference it makes and not too many ever find out due to the relative cost. A number of the more respected bmw tuners seem to think a few chassis tweeks and new suspension transform the car, yes it's no Porsche beater but it seems the so called experts feel it can handle the power and a bit more in fact.

 

[john-e89]

Called in at Sratstone Chesterfield today, they're not taking any more orders for Z4's, in fact they only have one slot left and that's for an already specced car, you cannot build your own. Sales guy did'nt know any more than us about a new car, although he seemed to think it would be called a Z2. I'm going to try ringing some other dealers tomorrow, but from today's visit it's not looking good if you want one.

 

[ronk]

When I saw the fella and the dealer last week he had a build slow t available. There was a dealer jargon term for it. It was available to me but he didn't offer the price we buy any car offered for my current 3.0l Z4 or my Disco3 - about £1k less on each.

As we are off to Netherlands an Germany in a few weeks there's just not time to get sorted - if I miss my chance it's maybe a Merc or Porsche - so not all bad news !

 

[john-e89]

When I saw the fella and the dealer last week he had a build slow t available. There was a dealer jargon term for it. It was available to me but he didn't offer the price we buy any car offered for my current 3.0l Z4 or my Disco3 - about £1k less on each.

As we are off to Netherlands an Germany in a few weeks there's just not time to get sorted - if I miss my chance it's maybe a Merc or Porsche - so not all bad news !

Who's your dealer Ronk? I don't suppose you'll tell me as I might nick your slot though... :wink:

If I can make the numbers work I'm very tempted if there are any slots left anywhere, but not if the dealers are not budging, they had a new 2.0 mineral grey with cream leather in, it fair made me drool.

 

[pvr]

[ref]john-e89[/ref], you upgrading to a 2.0 now? :evil:

 

[john-e89]

[ref]john-e89[/ref], you upgrading to a 2.0 now? :evil:

Hey it's made me think Paul, all I do in the 35is is run out of road very quickly. A 2.0 lighter manual car might not be such a bad thing, you could at least use the rev range without getting an instant ban or head butting a cow, sheep, tractor, cyclist, walking party etc etc...

 

[Grumpyowl]

[ref]john-e89[/ref], you upgrading to a 2.0 now? :evil:

Hey it's made me think Paul, all I do in the 35is is run out of road very quickly. A 2.0 lighter manual car might not be such a bad thing, you could at least use the rev range without getting an instant ban or head butting a cow, sheep, tractor, cyclist, walking party etc etc...

I was looking at that car John, Tuesday when I popped in to order a part for my E85.
It does look really good in that colour combo.