Forthcoming Pistonheads M Guide

Wtf! Sorry sniffer but I agree with what the others have said to be honest, no problem with the negative stuff but surely you should balance it out with the positives too. You say all the positives can be found with a quick google search, well so can the negatives so why just post the negatives up? (Hence the glass half empty comments I imagine).

To be honest mate, I know we've spoke about some of the issues you have had on your car but I don't think they are that widespread and a review is generally focusing on the common failure points to look out for, not every single potential failure on a car! Half the points you mention are just general wear and tear stuff and you could list every part of the car if your going down the route.

Deffo seem to have a downer on your car....maybe time to sell? (Trust me I know with some of the issues you've mentioned which don't seem to have a fix it can be a frustrating car at times) :|
 
sniffer said:
original guvnor said:
I was thinking the same myself Byron (on the negativity). Funny how people's minds work.
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Well, in response to you and beedub, I simply posted in response to to the OP with knowledge I have which may I thought may be useful to potential purchasers in terms of a buying guide type document.

Your back slapping is not that useful to potential purchasers in my opinion as they can get all that from a quick Google which will produce reviews of the cars back in the day. The reviews will talk about the good points.

When people are looking to purchase such a car, they want information which may be useful in terms of what to expect and what to look out for so they are forewarned This information is by its very nature 'negative' if you inhabit the rose tinted rarefied atmosphere area which you guys seem to live in.

Get over it, you are not the Police and cannot control what I choose to write on a free forum such as this. I like the car, I own one FFS but if people want useful information about buying one, I will talk openly about it and share my knowledge on the subject.

If you want to write how much you love your car and what is good about, feel free, but don't kick me for trying to respond to the thread in a useful manner.
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back slapping how about balance to the view?? Kick you??? LMAOOO.... you baby.

its not perfect i agree but their are WAY more positives than negatives.... The dash for example, poor materials but a timeless simple design, the ergonomics ?? fantastic, that engine in such a small car!! we won't be seeing stuff like that again without paying stupid money, the cars values are slowly increasing so if WE the owners SLAG them off we are doing nothing but hurting the situation.. all I'm saying is balance, what the hell is up with you today... lol.... no-one attacked you, and your coming out guns blazing & you making yourself look rather silly. Its the internet, don't take it so seriously, i respect your views do me the same courtesy i simply asked why the negativity.
 
I was not and have never said or thought the cars are "crap" and it was not my intention to be "negative".

As I have previously tried to explain, I saw the OPs thread title and wanted to list some things which I thought might help go into a "buying guide".

My intention was nothing more than trying to help the OP, who I assumed would collate everything on this thread together to make some sort of article for PH.

If other people wanted to contribute how they saw fit, that is what the thread is for and that's how it could then be balanced out and everything collated together?

I obviously like the car a lot or would not continue to own it.

I post on this forum because I want to be part of the community, help others, enjoy owning the car, and get along and meet other owners.

I have previously posted on the forum in an effort to help people with the cars and tried to actively help in the community, which is what it is all about.

People launching into me here for being "negative", name calling and personal insults (read the above posts, you have done it), assuming I must of had enough of my car and telling me to sell it, etc, I think is totally out of order.

I am disappointed, feel let down by some people on this thread and that is why this will be my last post on this forum.

I will end by saying, whatever the reasons, I think it is a shame because something has clearly gone wrong here for me to feel like this.
 
You were the one who resorted to name-calling. 'Circle jerking' I believe was the highly offensive term you used. Nobody else did that prior to you (or since) and all because people suggested you were being a bit negative. I think you also referred to us a "forum police" because we had the temerity to disagree.
 
arhhh FFS your leaving over this??... this is getting mad now...seriously.

not even going to reply again on this thread. unreal.

I'm out.
 
Sorry If I offended you with my post Sniffer, you seem like a decent chap who was very helpful on some of the mechanical knowledge type threads on here.

I've gotta say though, you gave as good as you got in this thread (not that a lot really even happened IMO!) although I've no idea why it's ended in escalating so far?! People seem to get upset on the internet far too easily these days....never really understood that, but....
If you likewise accuse people of wearing rose tinted glasses, circle jerking, back patting, "blah blah" about the car's positive points, then I guess your always going to get some kind of reaction and it did seem like a strange overly negative post/s. It is a Z4 forum, of course we're going to be biased in it's favour :)

Is a shame anyway :( Hopefully you reconsider
 
Kaw blimey govner what happened to this thread. Came back in expecting the normal banter and it's a war zone.

Zed's a cracking car. Coupe or roadster. (roadster's just more fun.) :wink:

£ for$ there is nothing, sensible I can think of out there, that can out gun an Z4 ///M.

The fact it can do a 2k miles tour route whilst cosseting an old git like me, with Mrs G aboard is also another massive plus. It's so much more than just a great drivers car. :thumbsup:

Every car purchase is a compromise:-

Charisma (TVR Tuscan)
Reliability (Audi TT) ,
Speed & Balance. (Porker 911),
Comfort (Merc SL55) and importantly
Looks. (Zed Wins that one hands down IMHO, It' fecking beautifully).

For me the Zed has the perfect balance of all the above. :D

Lets get positive for the PH's :thumbsup:
 
sniffer said:
Trailing arm bushes go soft very quick, leading to wandering from back end under hard acceleration. Replace with new BMW, or poly or limiter set up....

Very fussy on tyres. Can feel awful on wrong tyres.

Swimming hood motor.

Bad running during warm up - jerky and nasty - when coolant temperature less than 50 deg c - update DME to latest version

Hesitation issue at low RPM - when come on throttle, nothing then huge jerk - ongoing, see thread I believe to be ICV.

Brake discs - expensive

Awful DSC nanny which cuts in far too early - code car to enable M track mode

Knock through steering when hitting brakes - front control arm bushes a la E46

Sat nav's which pack up, crash and generally muck about but can often be sent away to specialists for repair

Dodgy clutch feel, which does not respond to driver input - CDV delete

Engine mount issues - documented here

O2 sensor(s) packing up and are expensive

Expensive inspection 2 service with shim adjustment

Some cases of rocker arms wearing leading to misfires on higher mileage cars

etc, etc

Hope to help

:D
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Some of this stuff is just factually incorrect tbh.

Expensive discs - £600/£700 front and rears is fairly reasonable other similar cars are more expensive.

Cup holders are easy and simple to use.

DSC can be turned off.

Drain holes need to be cleared for the roof.

Mine was fine on vreds and michelins.

Mine cost £740 to service over three years and 15/16k miles (just an inspection II) or less than £250 a year :)
 
Looking forward to the PH write up / guide.

The article comments are almost as amusing as some of the recent threads on here.
 
I've submitted a couple of pages from what I've discovered myself so far along with a few photos they may not have commonly on file (!), just thought I'd give a heads up that PH were putting together the guide. I've referenced this forum a number of times as a friendly, informative place :wink: Please to hear they have been in touch with other owners who have a greater length of ownership than my 3 1/2 months (although I like to think I've learnt a fair bit before and during this time). :D
Without wanting to re-ignite the above I was happy enough to read Sniffers comments as I would like to think that the positives of the car almost write themselves, it's some of the little problems and niggles that are sometimes harder to discover when you're new to a model and will hopefully form a comprehensive buyers guide. The writers seem to be contacting enough different sources to be able to determine which features/problems are common to many and which may be freak occurrences affecting a small number or even an individual owner. If anyone wants to volunteer information or photos I'm sure they would be happy to hear from you, the email I received was as follows:

Hi David,

Please excuse this email bolt from the blue. I'm putting together a buying guide for PistonHeads about the BMW Z4 M Roadster and Coupe, and I see from your garage on PH that you've had the pleasure of this car. I hope you can help as I'm after owner insight to help make the guide as comprehensive as possible.

I've already written guides that are up on the site, so this will give an idea of the information and detail we're after. For an example, have a look at:

http://www.pistonheads.com/features/ph-buying-guides/nissan-350z-ph-buying-guide/32601

We want the guide to be as definitive as possible, so anything from your experience would be great. Doesn't matter how small or big, we're after anything and everything. Whether it's running costs, problems, fixes you've discovered, great driving experiences, the best specialist, the worst garage. You name it, we want it, so it would be great if you could let us know what you love, hate and covet about the car.

Thanks for your time and look forward to hearing from you. You can contact me via PistonHeads or more directly on [email protected]. Don't worry, I won't try to send you Lottery winnings from the Banana Republic or sell you a talking lion.

Best,

Al
 
Some salient points from me..

Powertrain:
-S54 generally reliable engine, the iteration fitted to the Z4M is the last one so has most of the major fixes. The problems that people have may be subject to reporter bias - people who have problems are more likely to tell others about them than the people with reliable cars. Things to watch out for - excessive ticking at idle/over-run, and knocking.
-Gear shift/clutch is heavy. 1st to 2nd change can be difficult. Diff can whine on over-run. Diff output seals can leak.

Rolling chassis:
-CSL inspired brakes (same discs)
-Relatively hard ride - soft front and hard rear springs, easily fixed with aftermarket springs or full coil-over kits.
-Proper steering!
-Intrusive/old school traction control can get in the way of making good progress

Body:
-Bangle styling is a bit like Van Gogh - now he's gone people appreciate the design! Rear haunches are a treat to look at in the rear view mirror, and the power bulge on the bonnet is complemented by the double-bubble roof

Interior:
-Z4 debuted in 2003 - it feels old. Fairly well built, some plastics feel hard. Steering wheel trim is a bit naff. Tight inside - would be difficult for anyone over 6ft for legroom in my opinion. Navigation system is old hat but seems to command a higher price. Folding mirrors are a more rare option, but the folded vertical mirrors look so mean! Cupholders are easy to break if they are left out and you don't realise when getting in and out of the car. Rattle from door lock pin is irritating but is a simple fix. 10 speaker stereo sounds great, but for some reason the amplifier is coded differently in the coupe resulting in less bass - an easy fix for someone with a laptop.

Hope that helps!
 
I'm enjoying reading different owners thoughts , some of which is hard to argue with but some of which can be specific to their own cars
Neatly compressed summary zmaster some of which i agree & some i don't but as you say a lot of comment is owner/car specific
Agreed the brakes are superlative , just a dab is enough to feel them kick in
Steering again is faultless ,the wheel connects you to all you need to know about the road & car & i am yet to find the car ever "worried" on any surface or speed
Views on interior spec & trim is subjective , its better than my Astravan but not as good as a 645 i had , i don't look at it as old , more "quirky" but do agree i wouldn't think it was a great place to spend a long time if 6-2 6-4 ! I'm only 5-8 so fit a treat
Can only speak as i find but my clutch,gearbox & 1st to 2nd could not be easier , a real joy to be involved with . No difference whether stone cold or fully warmed
Ride quality on standard springs/shockers is also extremely good , nothing i would want to change & certainly never found it hard , that said OG has indicated noticeable differences in this dept between coupes & roadsters . The roadster being more compliant & a softer ride

K
 
You're dead right Mr W, the 4M Roadster is definitely better sorted suspension wise I reckon. Well at least for UK roads it is.

I'm 6'1" and the Coupe is fine for me but my mate is the same height and really has to have the seat right back so the leather is up against the rear storage compartment. Headroom is, shall we say, snug in the Coupe. I think there's a bit more generosity in that department in the Roadster.
 
I thought the ride was a little harsh and I personally didn't like the first to second gear change and found the TC was a tiny bit obtrusive(I was used to a TVR though) and the original spec conti (M3) tyres weren't the best but other than that there is so much to love about them.

The engine is an icon and won multiple awards, the Nappa leather is lovely and in this day and age its nice to have a car with a three pedal manual and a LSD :driving:

They are rare and gaining value too and in this current day of age of electric steering, DCT gearboxes and Turbo`s the Z4M should be celebrated to high heaven. :D :thumbsup:
 
I think I maybe one of the few owners here who has an Z4M as their daily driver and not their "best" or "sunday driver". I purchased it because I liked the colour combo of Ruby black with cream extended leather with 28K miles I thought I could get a few years use with little depreciation. It also cost relatively little to buy and I like the aesthetics more than a Porsche Boxster.

However as far as a drivers car goes I have to admit I find it massively flawed, compared to a bespoke sports car the steering is heavy enough but quite disconnected. The chassis is not resolved anything like a Porsche, the spring rate seems far too hard and the sitting over the rear wheel far from intuitive. The front seems to lighten at speed and the brakes have a huge deadspot and like all M cars until the recent F80 has a rep mobile brake feel not a sportscar pedal. It has an LSD but plenty of well engineered sports cars (mostly with the engine in the middle) have shown that you don't need an LSD for the majority of fast road driving. The engine is "fun" but it's too heavy and lots of modern turbo engines which are just as well responding but more torque better suited to daily driving, even BMW latest turbo incarnations have no perceptible lag.

To put it into perspective, I let my friend who has an Honda Accord drive it and he thought it was a supercar. I let my colleague with a 458 Speciale drive it and he thought it was a joke (I can't remember the last time he didn't have a mid engined Ferrari and he regularly takes the Spec to SPA). It depends what your benchmarks are and where you perception is. For me personally the rareness and the quirkiness are enough to keep me interested but glad I have more bespoke machines for speed thrills.
 
I've been using mine as a daily driver since purchase at the end of Jan and it has been a joy. Whilst it's not the most comfortable, mainly due to the suspension setup, it is enough of an occasion to put a smile on your face. I actually bought the Z4M over a 996 C4S and 997 C2S Porsche.

For me, the engine is a masterpiece. I owned an E46 M3 some years back and for me it definitely feels more at home in the Z4M chassis. The aggressive chassis setup combined with the high revving engine make for an entertaining driving experience - if you push on you do need to know what you're doing. The more you drive it, the better the engine gets. It's very 'old skool racing car' in the way it drives, which is where I find it's charm; finding the power by working it through the rev range, for me I just find it extremely rewarding.

The styling is something that I personally find magnificent. Against a normal Z4 it's incredibly stealthy. I can turn up to a meeting and it's understated enough to go unnoticed, and for those who take a second glance at it and realise what it is, gains a tremendous amount of appreciation. I think it gets more recognition now than it did when it first came out. I wasn't a particular fan of it's styling when the Z4 first came out, but I now think it's a beautiful looking car. It has an intellectual beauty. I was sat at some traffic lights by Covent Garden the other day and the amount of people taking pictures left me pleasantly surprised - comparatively popular as my R8.

These car's get a lot of comparisons against TVR's, for which I've owned several, and for me I think it couldn't be more of a compliment. (I've put a picture below against my old T350 - near enough exactly the same: Wheel base, engine displacement, body type; the TVR being a little lighter, noisier and perhaps more radical looking).

The only things I'd change or would have been nice from standard; would be the suspension setup, as I think it could ride far better than it does for the road - I get the impression little engineering went towards as it is poor, and perhaps a bit more theater from the exhaust.

 
Why didn't sniffer's posts show any details such as membership level, number of posts, location etc?
 
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