G29 Test Drive thoughts compared to E89

[millview22]

Totally depends on what you want from a car. I'm a bit pissed off with continual criticism of the G29.

If you like a noisy hard ride with a touch of hot oil odour then go for a Porsche Boxster or similar, nothing wrong with that if that's your bag. Just don't ask me to drive one on 400 mile journey (again). I know, I've been there.

At my age that's all behind me, I actually WANT a comfortable ride with engine noise at a nice low burble, and able to appreciate a quality sound system. The G29 technology is exactly what I want, screens, HUD, etc etc.

I don't care what the f*ck it's called, sports car, saloon, whatever. I've owned 3 E89's and enjoyed every minute of them, the G29 is a great progression.

Well said...

 

[Captain Vimes]

this car has absolutely no heritage when compared to the old z4 MODELS THAT IN MY EXPERT ONION ARE THE BETTER CARS

What is it about being in your expert onion that makes them the better car? Are they still better when outside of the onion?

 

[ronk]

sorry .....IN MY EXPERT ONION ARE THE BETTER CARS

Don’t you just love predictive text?

 

[Nictrix]

sorry .....IN MY EXPERT ONION ARE THE BETTER CARS

Don’t you just love predictive text?

Its almost as predictive as Mr Bond. How many times has he said he will never be back again? Yet here he is. :lol:

 

[Mr Whippy]

Totally depends on what you want from a car. I'm a bit pissed off with continual criticism of the G29.

If you like a noisy hard ride with a touch of hot oil odour then go for a Porsche Boxster or similar, nothing wrong with that if that's your bag. Just don't ask me to drive one on 400 mile journey (again). I know, I've been there.

At my age that's all behind me, I actually WANT a comfortable ride with engine noise at a nice low burble, and able to appreciate a quality sound system. The G29 technology is exactly what I want, screens, HUD, etc etc.

I don't care what the f*ck it's called, sports car, saloon, whatever. I've owned 3 E89's and enjoyed every minute of them, the G29 is a great progression.

Agree totally about the stupid Porsche Boxter, test drove a couple of them and hated it!
As I said in my OP the tech and controls in the G29 felt great, and it was much more responsive and a much sharper drive all round than my E89.
My main criticism of the G29 was that it felt more like you were in a 3 series Coupe than a Sports Car, because BMW now basically make all their cars have the same interior give or take a bit, and even from the outside it has more in common with the rest of the BMW range than previous Z4's had.
Previous Z4's were always their own thing styling wise, both inside and out.
That's what's bothers me.

It's funny you mention the G29 feels more liek a 3er Coupe than a sports car.

I felt exactly the same way about my E85 3.0i at first. In the first few months, maybe even 6 months or so, I just thought they'd put the 330Ci in an attractive frock, and that it was too easy to drive... too comfortable. Not compromised enough. Not loud enough. Not enough of a sports car.

But then with time it's depth of ability came out. The character was hidden in there.

Cripes, a few years back I bought a 335Xd, and hated the auto box, hated the power delivery. But it was a great family car.

But now I can drive it and I can take the best bits from it. It's actually quite enjoyable to drive when you drive it in a way where it delivers the fun... and for me that's just ignoring the gearbox and engine and focussing on the chassis and steering... which imo are perfectly ok enough.
You only need to go drive a VAG car to realise how communicative even an Xdrive SE suspension 3er is!


So maybe the G29 just needs to sink in a bit? A test drive might not always tell you everything you need to know. Maybe even a 24hr test drive, or a week of borrowing one, might not be enough.


I'd love to bash the G29, there is a lot about it I don't like on the face of it... but until I'd owned one for a good few months and done a few thousand miles, I wouldn't feel like I was doing much more than having a rant, than having a genuinely valid perspective on it.


And I bet, just like the E85, there are a few simple things you can tweak which can make a world of difference.

 

[Smartbear]

IN MY EXPERT ONION

Amazing.

Eye wateringly amazing
Rob

 

[scootr]

:roll: Good riddance then, thread killer. Wait. Oops! Page 2 Good to see Mr Bond was not successful.
I think a few of us were looking forward to a bit more discussion and a bit less it's crap because I say so. :roll:
So far all of the Z cars have their differences and virtues.
I would like to hear more comparison... after time these 382hp Z4s will be used and fordable one day.

 

[enuff_zed]

after time these 382hp Z4s will be used and fordable one day.

If the water ingress is as bad as on earlier models then they will need to be 'fordable'.

 

[scootr]

Oh - Lost my af, did I.
I am sad to see the retractable roof, - retracted.
I would hope the swimming pool issues have been address. We will see here I'm sure of that

 

[jamesbond]

Hello Chaps

Happy new Year .... and good health to all ..

 

[firebobby]

Hello Chaps

Happy new Year .... and good health to all ..

Happy new year to you too Sean

 

[john-e89]

Personally I’m a turncoat on this subject, after another couple of test drives I’ve changed my opinion on the G29, some of that is down to the seats which I thought were uncomfortable which turns out it was some bruising down my left side causing the issues, not the seats, another is having had more time in it I kinda clicked with it which I didn’t before. I still think it’s more of the same but in a much much better chassis than the E89, but then is that a bad thing? A classy sports 2 seater GT car with a decent boot. AC Shnitzer among a couple of others are getting some good exhaust notes from it, the so so HK wireless speakers can always be swapped out to make a very good system, so hmmmm....very tempting. Such, such a shame BMW don’t offer cooled seats, why they don’t is beyond me, I specced cooled seats in the Evoque and they’re brilliant, utterly brilliant, they’d be so welcome in the Zed along with offering a high end gramophone like the Burmester in Porsche’s, then you’d have a really classy open top car, adaptive cruise is there, they’re very tempting as is but with those two additions even more so.

Bloody turncoat.... :roll:

 

[dr_john]

Personally I’m a turncoat on this subject, after another couple of test drives I’ve changed my opinion on the G29, some of that is down to the seats which I thought were uncomfortable which turns out it was some bruising down my left side causing the issues, not the seats, another is having had more time in it I kinda clicked with it which I didn’t before. I still think it’s more of the same but in a much much better chassis than the E89, but then is that a bad thing? A classy sports 2 seater GT car with a decent boot. AC Shnitzer among a couple of others are getting some good exhaust notes from it, the so so HK wireless speakers can always be swapped out to make a very good system, so hmmmm....very tempting. Such, such a shame BMW don’t offer cooled seats, why they don’t is beyond me, I specced cooled seats in the Evoque and they’re brilliant, utterly brilliant, they’d be so welcome in the Zed along with offering a high end gramophone like the Burmester in Porsche’s, then you’d have a really classy open top car, adaptive cruise is there, they’re very tempting as is but with those two additions even more so.

Bloody turncoat.... :roll:

Good to see you coming round John!

Cooled seats? That's a new one on me. I don't think so in this country.

How are you getting on with the Porsche these days?

 

[john-e89]

Personally I’m a turncoat on this subject, after another couple of test drives I’ve changed my opinion on the G29, some of that is down to the seats which I thought were uncomfortable which turns out it was some bruising down my left side causing the issues, not the seats, another is having had more time in it I kinda clicked with it which I didn’t before. I still think it’s more of the same but in a much much better chassis than the E89, but then is that a bad thing? A classy sports 2 seater GT car with a decent boot. AC Shnitzer among a couple of others are getting some good exhaust notes from it, the so so HK wireless speakers can always be swapped out to make a very good system, so hmmmm....very tempting. Such, such a shame BMW don’t offer cooled seats, why they don’t is beyond me, I specced cooled seats in the Evoque and they’re brilliant, utterly brilliant, they’d be so welcome in the Zed along with offering a high end gramophone like the Burmester in Porsche’s, then you’d have a really classy open top car, adaptive cruise is there, they’re very tempting as is but with those two additions even more so.

Bloody turncoat.... :roll:

Good to see you coming round John!

Cooled seats? That's a new one on me. I don't think so in this country.

How are you getting on with the Porsche these days?

Yes I hold my hands up Doc, thoroughly enjoyed the afternoon in the G29.

You’d be surprised at cooled seats, if you try them you wouldn’t want to be without them. I drove to Cornwall last July with them on low setting and got out the car feeling like I’d just got in it. On hot days they really do keep you fresh with leather seats, I think they’d be a great addition to the Zed.

Ahhhh...the 718, that went to a new owner a couple of months ago. Too harsh, too uncomfortable, dreadful engine note that became very very annoying, it was hard to accept the mistake buying it but it was worth a shot at selling it, I was bloody lucky to shift it before winter especially with the uncertainty over Brexit/government etc, a bit of a kick in the nads but sometimes things don’t work out, that’s life I guess. :roll:

 

[ronk]

Ahhhh...the 718, that went to a new owner a couple of months ago. Too harsh, too uncomfortable, dreadful engine note that became very very annoying, it was hard to accept the mistake buying it but it was worth a shot at selling it, I was bloody lucky to shift it before winter especially with the uncertainty over Brexit/government etc, a bit of a kick in the nads but sometimes things don’t work out, that’s life I guess. :roll:

Before you ask John - NO I'm not selling mine!

 

[john-e89]

Ahhhh...the 718, that went to a new owner a couple of months ago. Too harsh, too uncomfortable, dreadful engine note that became very very annoying, it was hard to accept the mistake buying it but it was worth a shot at selling it, I was bloody lucky to shift it before winter especially with the uncertainty over Brexit/government etc, a bit of a kick in the nads but sometimes things don’t work out, that’s life I guess. :roll:

Before you ask John - NO I'm not selling mine!

:lol:

No I knew that Ronk, 14 plate mineral grey 35is on the drive.....just waiting until they get their butts in gear and add cooled seats to the G29....... :wink:

 

[Jollyjoiner]

No I knew that Ronk, 14 plate mineral grey 35is on the drive.....just waiting until they get their butts in gear and add cooled seats to the G29....... :wink:

You never know they might bring an update in for March time new reg cars, you'll be able to order one then

 

[ronk]

I was very tempted to change after the test drive but a big £'s hit at 33 months and only 9.5k didn't impress me - add to that the same hit in another three years and it wouldn't sit easy on my mind. I still keep getting fishing texts from WBAC offering a few quid. It annoys me that they offer the same price but don't consider it has all the toys added.

The one thing the test drive did, is give me the lock up the arse to put some good/ Michelin rubber on the current car. Im sure as many have said before the change will transform the car and give it a new lease of life!

The car is sorned at the moment, tucked up in the garage with a dust sheet, a full tank and maintenance charger attached. Only another 10 or 12 weeks to go

 

[john-e89]

I was very tempted to change after the test drive but a big £'s hit at 33 months and only 9.5k didn't impress me - add to that the same hit in another three years and it wouldn't sit easy on my mind. I still keep getting fishing texts from WBAC offering a few quid. It annoys me that they offer the same price but don't consider it has all the toys added.

The one thing the test drive did, is give me the lock up the arse to put some good/ Michelin rubber on the current car. Im sure as many have said before the change will transform the car and give it a new lease of life!

The car is sorned at the moment, tucked up in the garage with a dust sheet, a full tank and maintenance charger attached. Only another 10 or 12 weeks to go

Yep it’s how they operate, buy on a flat rate regardless of toys but sell with them all mentioned, seems unfair but they’re there to make money obviously.

You really need to get some non run flat rubber on it, you’ll be shocked at how much better the car is on them. I put Michelin’s on, transforms the thing, money very well spent.

 

[dr_john]

Ahhhh...the 718, that went to a new owner a couple of months ago. Too harsh, too uncomfortable, dreadful engine note that became very very annoying, it was hard to accept the mistake buying it but it was worth a shot at selling it, I was bloody lucky to shift it before winter especially with the uncertainty over Brexit/government etc, a bit of a kick in the nads but sometimes things don’t work out, that’s life I guess. :roll:

Much the same feelings that I had when I ditched my 718. I decided to bite the bullet and cut my losses, there was no way I was going to bond with it.