Getting cold feet on E89!

B

Bishop60

Member
Hi,

I’m a Newbie who just submitted a lengthy post - only to see l was logged out, and lost the entire content! Damn!
The good news for you it forces me to be more brief... I’m looking for some neutral advice on E89s please.

I was seriously considering an E85 2.5 or 3.0 litre version for some old fashioned roadster fun. Keep it simple like a TR6 but without the hassle! I moved out of classic cars for precisely that reason, and to save my relationship and bank balance... However l’m lured back in again, and l’ve determined a Z4 would fit the bill.

I’ve researched the E85s and E89s and driven quite a few. My preference is for an I6 without a turbo. I was leaning towards an E85. However l have an opportunity to purchase a remarkable E89 2010 which has driven just 5K miles, with full BMW history, one older owner, always garaged and serviced. An Indie checked it out, and it’s the genuine article. It’s fully spec’d, manual, 3 litre, all original, no damage apart from some kerbing on the 296 wheels.

My original plan was to ditch the RFTs, purchase 18 inch OEM wheels and fit some PS4s or Conti’s on them - presumably non-RFTs despite the improvement in RFT technology. And off l go!

However, l’ve since further researched the E89 roof issues, and it is scaring the bejesus out of me! I really do not need that stress in my life.

It seems l have various options open to me:

* get the whole roof harness, salmon relays, and micro switches replaced by an E89 roof expert such as Robbi on this forum - but how much would that cost?; OR
* walk away and wait for the right E85 to come along; OR
* wait for a modern alternative to come along e.g. a used G29 or a new future MX-5 or a new S2000 ( if the rumours are to be believed)

I’d welcome thoughts and advice please from those who E89s and E85s. I like this particular E89 but l won’t be driven by FOMO. And there are no free lunches in this world. Perhaps the price to pay is the E89 roof ultimately failing on me...

All thoughts welcomed!

Bishop
 
A low mileage low use E89’s roof should probably go on for a very long time..

Most of the faults are coming through years of wear n tear and use.

A 30i E89 is pretty bomb proof…

Just buy it and live !
 
Well many years ago in my late teens early 20s I owned a few mg midgets and an MGB roadster. Always wanted another one but like you put off by the unreliability problems so opted for the e85 in 2.2 form. Haven’t regretted it, okay others will say a 3.0 is the one to go for but there weren’t any low mileage on the market at the time. To me it’s the MGB but modern. :thumbsup:
 
It is true the roof will not have been used much - but that is not necessarily a complete positive. The roof mechanism remains 13 years old...

I also could hear an occasional clunk noise when the roof is up whenever the car drove over a dip or bump in the road. No noise when roof is down. Hence, l dived into the subject more and have read the multiple horror stories! It seems with the E89 it is a question of when not if you get a roof problem. This is stress l just don’t need to be honest.

Are there any steps l can take to (virtually) guarantee l won’t have the E89 roof that fail on me?
 
The E89 is more noisy roof up..most clunks are from the rear suspension area..you only hear them roof up..

Given your desire to avoid stress then best go elsewhere than an E89…

I’ve had two E89s..one 2012 MY and one 2011 MY..50k miles over 7 years, hundreds of roof operations..but…
 
Any folding roof will be a maintenance point over time & use.

Even basic non-electrical folders will need care & attention to keep them functioning well.

I wouldn't worry about it - fix it if you see a problem & enjoy the open air.

All the other elements also have a maintenence issue lurking round the corner - suspension will age, bushes will creak & fail, engine has a limited life etc etc etc.

No everyone gas problems with the roof BTW despite what the forum will tell you - I'm on my 3rd z4, and the only roof problem I had was mold in my e85.

If you really must avoid folding roof issues, do not buy any convertible of any kind.
 
Thanks Matt, l’ve had old cabrios in the past, similar to Mikey. Fabric and manual, no issues.

It’s the specific E89 roof which is so complex to my eyes. If there was a way to manually close the roof securely in the event of a roof failure, l would rest a whole lot more easily, truth be told.

But my understanding there is no such solution, even aftermarket. Or am l mistaken?
 
I think you are thinking into it too much. If you are worried about costs to repair in case of something going wrong keep a sensible amount of cash aside and if you are worried about the roof being stuck open (chances of which again is slim) make sure you have good break down cover like AA RAC etc that can get the car to a garage if needed. The roof may go wrong it's mehcanical so there is always a possiblity but I think the number of roofs going wrong is very tiny compared to number of cars out there.

By the way if you are looking at a Z4 30i with just 5k on the clock chances are the asking price will have a heavy price premium which if you put any sort of mileage on, all value will be lost and if you keep the mileage ridiculously low to secure it's future value then you probably don't need to worry about the roof.
 
Silverstar said:
I think you are thinking into it too much.
Click to expand...
Agreed. Yes the E89 has a complex roof, but they are relatively reliable IMO.
In 2 1/2 years I have had to change 2 microswitches in the bootlid. That is it. Cost was £36 and was an easy DIY job.

My experience is the car is very quiet with the roof up. Much less squeaky than my newer, three times the cost, F33 440 was.
 
An E85 for pure, reduced electronic module/relay/etc failure paranoia.
...and I know a really good one for sale too... :wink:
https://z4-forum.com/forum/viewtopic.php?t=142057
 
Silverstar said:
I think you are thinking into it too much. If you are worried about costs to repair in case of something going wrong keep a sensible amount of cash aside and if you are worried about the roof being stuck open (chances of which again is slim) make sure you have good break down cover like AA RAC etc that can get the car to a garage if needed. The roof may go wrong it's mehcanical so there is always a possiblity but I think the number of roofs going wrong is very tiny compared to number of cars out there.

By the way if you are looking at a Z4 30i with just 5k on the clock chances are the asking price will have a heavy price premium which if you put any sort of mileage on, all value will be lost and if you keep the mileage ridiculously low to secure it's future value then you probably don't need to worry about the roof.
Click to expand...

Thanks, food for thought indeed. Yes, l’d be paying a premium but at 21K GBP l wouldn’t say extortionate - at least to my mind. Or not? My thinking originally, was l keep the car for 10 years, keep it fully BMW serviced, and even at 50K miles, it would still be low mileage. So what to lose l thought? Except for that damn roof! Only other immediate costs would be buying some 18 inch OEM wheels, and 4 new tyres. Any thoughts on the wheel / tyre subject? I like the look of the 296 wheels but prefer the comfort of a smaller wheel. Also to avoid picking up cracks which early 296 wheels appear to be prone too.

Thoughts anyone?

Note: l really appreciate all the points and advice received! Very responsive and informative forum, l have to say.
 
Bishop60 said:
Silverstar said:
I think you are thinking into it too much. If you are worried about costs to repair in case of something going wrong keep a sensible amount of cash aside and if you are worried about the roof being stuck open (chances of which again is slim) make sure you have good break down cover like AA RAC etc that can get the car to a garage if needed. The roof may go wrong it's mehcanical so there is always a possiblity but I think the number of roofs going wrong is very tiny compared to number of cars out there.

By the way if you are looking at a Z4 30i with just 5k on the clock chances are the asking price will have a heavy price premium which if you put any sort of mileage on, all value will be lost and if you keep the mileage ridiculously low to secure it's future value then you probably don't need to worry about the roof.
Click to expand...

Thanks, food for thought indeed. Yes, l’d be paying a premium but at 21K GBP l wouldn’t say extortionate - at least to my mind. Or not? My thinking originally, was l keep the car for 10 years, keep it fully BMW serviced, and even at 50K miles, it would still be low mileage. So what to lose l thought? Except for that damn roof! Only other immediate costs would be buying some 18 inch OEM wheels, and 4 new tyres. Any thoughts on the wheel / tyre subject? I like the look of the 296 wheels but prefer the comfort of a smaller wheel. Also to avoid picking up cracks which early 296 wheels appear to be prone too.

Thoughts anyone?

Note: l really appreciate all the points and advice received! Very responsive and informative forum, l have to say.
Click to expand...

21k is a lot for a 30i, as I mentioned before a premium for the very low mileage. You can probably pick up a 2010 with around 30 to 40K miles which is still low mileage for around 12 to 13K if I am not mistaken, so you are paying a premium of at least 6k. And if you put that sort of miles on the car the future sale price will drop dramatically.

At that price it's really one for the collector who intends to do only 500 miles or so a year on it hence protecting it's value. Keep in mind also if the car has immaculate original paint work and you then collect any kind of paint damage that will also dramatically alter the value of the car too.
 
On the wheels, 19" looks better on the car and some say with non runflats the ride quality isn't much difference to 18" but I am not sure about that I would have thought 18" smaller wheels would give a better ride quality. I have 18" wheels on non runflats it rides just great.
 
Had 3 e89's over a period of 10 years and never had a scrap of bother with the roof and all fitted with 19" run flats.

No complaints whatsoever.
 
I'd trust the E89 roof over the E85 all day long.

E85 is almost certain to fail unless the pump has been moved into the boot!

End of the day any used car could be a money pit, only way to avoid this is to lease or buy with a warranty.

You sound very risk adverse, so I suggest you walk away and save yourself the worry.
 
You can’t buy a BMW and not expect some sort of bill at some point. The issue with a car from 2010 with 5K miles is that it hasn’t had enough time to fail.

You won’t know how reliable it is. If you have a 60k car with no faults, then it’s been more broken in.

I don’t think a convertible is a sensible or practical choice of car. It’s compromised in many ways. The trick is not to be too analytical and think of all the ways it can go wrong, or you will never enjoy it.

If you want it, own the decision and consequences. Don’t replace anything which isn’t broken. The only thing I would do is maybe ditch 19” runflats but I would keep the rims.

Any convertible is a heart over head decision and you have to love the car. It’s not worth all the headache and potential hassle if you don’t.

The E89 is a beautiful machine, it’s pretty reliable but no one can promise fault free motoring.
 
I’ve had 2 E89s (still own one and my friend still has my old one) and never had any issue with roof problems with either of them . What about getting a warranty? Not too sure on the age limits of the car with the BMW one but I know the mileage limit is nothing over 100K (I think)
 
All cars break. :coffee:
Life is short. :drinkwine:
Convertibles are cars designed for fun and sport -- use it for that! :dance2:

:erm: Get yourself a cheap, reliable workhorse car/truck as well and don't put all of your eggs in one basket.
 
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