Hi all, first post, looking at Z4s this weekend

[MotorcyclesFish]

Hi everyone, great forum, had to join as all the top google results were here!

So I'm in the market for a Z4 3.0i and have a couple of options lined up at the moment, both SEs.

80k, grey, partial s/h, 2 owners, xenons, heated seats
90k, blue, FBMWSH, 1 owner, not much spec but heated seats and cream interior. Ellipsoidal wheels.

I'm leaning towards the blue one, but I am wondering what bills I am in for at 100k, having read through the service schedule from the BMW USA site you so kindly link to here....

Cheers

Grant

 

[azazelus]

Nothing special at 100k ... it is just a number.. people think that at 100k the car is done... I am using zed as a daily driver going to 80k now...doing all the service myself .. it will go 200k with no issues at all..

you need to check:

1. service history ( what was done , where was done )
2. any signs of previous accidents ( trust me online you cant see if the car had a small damage ) - especially the bar in front of the radiator
3. under the bonnet - condition of belts, condition of rollers ( just shake them a little ?) , condition and level of antifreeze , condition and level of oil because this car eats oil , condition and level of brake fluid , missing parts, any signs of leaking antifreeze - usually white spots on rubber pipes , rattles , weird sounds, oil leaks
4 all electrics including AC
5. tyres condition , alloy condition
6. rotors condition , braking pad condition
7. under the car - exhaust condition, all bushes condition , springs condition, - the rear springs snap , steering condition, arms condition, major rust
8. test drive - gear shifting condition, dumpers condition by going on the bumps ( it should not bounce twice ) , hight speed testing - 90mph + ( you need to watch for weird vibration, left/right pulling, instability , steering too loose, basically feel the car
9. roadster - roof condition, check if roof motor has been changed , check drain holes with a glass of water, check rubber near the windows

i think this sums up the basics.

If you check all this and there is no problem 100k is nothing --- you can change diff oil and transmission oil after... so you can be sure its done.

 

[tomscott]

I wouldnt say that it eats oil...

General consumables springs/shocks/belts/tyres/clutch (is it jerky) brake disks and pads

Make sure its kept to its service schedule 14k or 2 years.

Other than that should be fine at 100k mechanically.

Its the interiors, they wear quite easily. Check bolsters on seats, steering wheel and the multifunction covers which are renowned for wear, plastic components like ash tray, glove compartment, scratches to the trim, gear stick etc

Thankfully interior bits are fairly easy to get hold of

 

[azazelus]

Well.. compared to other cars .. adding 1 litre of oil at 5k miles .. i would say it eats oil..

I saw some forum posts with 1litre/ 2000 miles

Counting that you need to put 6.5 litres of oil inside plus around 3 litres top up till you get 15 k ... you will need 10 litres of oil per change.

Also i noticed that Mobil1 is way much better than Castrol edge .

 

[jaRED]

I've got a 3.0 SE and can't ever remember having to top the oil up. It's on 62 K and it's checked over regularly.

Is this just a problem at higher mileage?

It's a great car by the way - can't drive it without smiling

 

[MotorcyclesFish]

Hi everyone,

Thanks for all the advice! I bought the dark blue one. Few exterior dings and scrapes but a good spec (more than I expected) and that lovely cream interior. Goes well, feels like a well-loved car and returned 30mpg on a not-overly-careful 100mile drive home.

Now, what's all this talk about cupholders, gap-tech and intravee?

 

[MotorcyclesFish]

Oh, the grey one was a dog. Car had been warmed up before I got there, broken interior trims, more scrapes than mentioned, generally a grubby example and no service history at all, not a jot!

Dodddgggyyyyyyyyyyy

 

[DPG]

Congratulations Grant

Pictures please

 

[Bing]

Congratulations

Regarding oil, I have had my car since September 2011 when it was on 59k... It rolled over 95k last week and in all that time over all those miles I have topped up the oil with a litre between services (when the car told me to) precisely twice.

Perhaps the prefacelift engine consumes more oil, but mine is fine.

 

[StJimmyL]

Oh, the grey one was a dog. Car had been warmed up before I got there, broken interior trims, more scrapes than mentioned, generally a grubby example and no service history at all, not a jot!

Dodddgggyyyyyyyyyyy

Not a single stamp in the log book?

 

[Bing]

Oh, the grey one was a dog. Car had been warmed up before I got there, broken interior trims, more scrapes than mentioned, generally a grubby example and no service history at all, not a jot!

Dodddgggyyyyyyyyyyy

Not a single stamp in the log book?

More likely no log book...

 

[srhutch]

Oil consumption will vary, on my old 2.5si I had to add two litres before my first service and one before my second.

The ///M doesn't do enough miles to use any oil :lol:

 

[MotorcyclesFish]

Oh, the grey one was a dog. Car had been warmed up before I got there, broken interior trims, more scrapes than mentioned, generally a grubby example and no service history at all, not a jot!

Dodddgggyyyyyyyyyyy

Not a single stamp in the log book?

More likely no log book...

Correct! No documentation at all. And the guy was asking market rate for it!!

I shall put a picture up - this site needs a built-in uploader to preserve pics on old threads!!

edit: here she is!




Also I have been unfairly disparaging about my new car, the spec is great, just wasn't advertised - auto lights/wipers, heated electric seats, sports steering wheel, sports button, engine, steering wheel, horn

no xenons or cupholders though - cupholders a genuine issue as I'm partial to a Costa hot spiced apple on the go!

 

[Bing]

Mine was advertised with xenons but I knew no wiser and only realised it didn't actually have them when I couldn't see where I was going :lol:

I'd like them, but I can deal with brighter bulbs and using The Force.

As for cupholders, you can still get them on the BMW eBay shop for about £39 plus a faceplate for a tenner. They very rarely come up on here, so if you're in need quickly then I'd go the eBay route. Dead easy to install. When you get one, don't make the mistake of thinking it's too big for the cup, the ratchet arm pushes in to grip the cup. Wee tip with coffee cups - push the arm in till it touches the cup, lift the cup a smidgen, push one more click then let the cup down. Perfectly gripped Oh yeah, face the drinking hole away from you to avoid scalded bollocks, and remember to shut off the air vent in the summer else you'll end up with iced coffee...

Sounds like a lovely spec, you're going to have soooooo much fun

 

[MotorcyclesFish]

hahaha already this is my preconception of this forum, I ask about cupholders and practically get a PDF partslist and photographic how-to...

Cheers mate!

 

[Bing]

You're very welcome - sorry for not digging out the part numbers, note to self for next time :lol: