How Long Can I Keep My Zed (N52) As A Daily Drive?

[Theog]

Evening all,

So, I really love my car, but I sometimes wondering about when / how I'm going to be in the position where I can't use it anymore.

I'm coming up to 140k miles, and still going strong. Some people are well past the 200k mark, but where does it end? I love using it for my daily drive and don't really want it any other way.

What will be the 'death' so to speak? Im no mechanic but I'm guessing it will go on the lines of:
1. Gearbox / clutch / other key drive train goes - I can get these replaced easy (I think).
2. Engine needs full replacement - I'm guessing I can buy a new one!? Any ideas on this though?
3. Chassis is extremely rusty and needs full rebuilt - but I'm guessing this can also be fixed up.
4. Seats have turned to shreds - I'm guessing a tailor can do a pretty good mimic?

Essentially what I'm saying here, is could I just keep the car indefinitely, or will there be a point where it's a complete no go?

Based on my rough miles per year, and if I keep the car till I'm 80 years old then that would assume I would clock around 735k miles in my lifetime.

Any thoughts welcome.

Thanks,

T

 

[Buckz]

If you maintain it and replace things when they go then there's literally no reason why you can't keep it unless the government bans petrol etc cars in the future.

 

[Ducklakeview]

Just service it a bit more often than required using quality parts and there's no reason it won't see another 140k..

In realistic terms, the odds of you having an accident serious enough to total it are probably higher than those of the items you have mentioned packing up..

Mike

 

[buzyg]

In daily use there may come a time when you still love the car to death, BUT she starts costing you too much money.. Firstly you will stop using her daily. But eventually you either hardly drive her, or pay lots of money out on the car, for the love of it knowing you wont get it back. After that happens a few times, unless you win the lottery, you will finally give in to common sense and let her go, or park her up and just visit the garage now and then. Been there got the tee shirt, ran a Fiat Coupe daily for just a bit too long.

The good news. The Z4 is so much more reliable, that I reckon even a very average one will run to the far side of 200k ,before that happens and a well cared for example might just see you out.

 

[Anonymous]

Evening all,

So, I really love my car, but I sometimes wondering about when / how I'm going to be in the position where I can't use it anymore.

I'm coming up to 140k miles, and still going strong. Some people are well past the 200k mark, but where does it end? I love using it for my daily drive and don't really want it any other way.

What will be the 'death' so to speak? Im no mechanic but I'm guessing it will go on the lines of:
1. Gearbox / clutch / other key drive train goes - I can get these replaced easy (I think).
2. Engine needs full replacement - I'm guessing I can buy a new one!? Any ideas on this though?
3. Chassis is extremely rusty and needs full rebuilt - but I'm guessing this can also be fixed up.
4. Seats have turned to shreds - I'm guessing a tailor can do a pretty good mimic?

Essentially what I'm saying here, is could I just keep the car indefinitely, or will there be a point where it's a complete no go?

Based on my rough miles per year, and if I keep the car till I'm 80 years old then that would assume I would clock around 735k miles in my lifetime.

Any thoughts welcome.

Thanks,

T

No reason not to keep it. There’s a fella in the US who has racked up almost 3 million miles in his Volvo he purchased new in 1966, that’s an average of 60k miles per year! I know Volvo have a reputation for having comfy seats but doing that sort of mileage for so many years I can only guess he knows a good osteopath! http://www.popularmechanics.com/cars/g121/million-mile-club-the-worlds-longest-lived-cars/

 

[Machine monkey]

The electrics and gubbins are probably likley to kill it before it’s a mechanical problem serious enougth to kill the car. Engines and gearboxes are cheap second hand.

DLV is probably right with high millage a crash is its more likely demise!

 

[Mr Tidy]

Have to agree with the above - high mileage crash or electrical gremlins are likely to get it before mechanicals.

If it's still running sweet, just use it.

 

[Crazy Harry]

+1 to that Machine monkey. Mileage never killed a car; bodywork used to - particularly if your of an age to remember the 1970's but the new killer will be electronics. Or they will be a booming market for rewiring and coding aftermarket ECU's

 

[Theog]

Very interesting.

I almost feel the need to see how many miles i can get out of the old beast.

Work isn't that far away (20mins) but im looking to do a few euro trips throughout the year.

Im not that hot on car mechanics. Of the electrics to go wrong, what would be the likely candidates? I had a (i think) traction control sensor go last year. Only cost £80 i think. That kind of thing?

 

[Buckz]

Very interesting.

I almost feel the need to see how many miles i can get out of the old beast.

Work isn't that far away (20mins) but im looking to do a few euro trips throughout the year.

Im not that hot on car mechanics. Of the electrics to go wrong, what would be the likely candidates? I had a (i think) traction control sensor go last year. Only cost £80 i think. That kind of thing?

roof motor, water pump, valvetronic motor seals.. valve cover gaskets, washer pumps, washer jets, rear lights etc... loads of little gremlins but nothing that I would classify as crazy. Other than the electric steering rack but that is fixable.

 

[coupedan]

I've been using mine daily for the last 5 years for approximately 60 miles or so every day.

I'm nearing 125k miles now, the car is starting to have it's niggles though and because of that it won't be used daily anymore.

I will start to get everything sorted but not as a priority (Few oil leaks, front ARB mount has been ripped from the chassis at one point, wheels need refurbishing and I need the front N/S wing re-painted as it got caught on a wall)

None of these things will kill the car though, but I want to get them sorted before they get worse.

The N52 engine has been seen to go over 200k in 3 and 5 series but haven't really seen anything higher than that.
Also you won't really see any Z4's going that high as for most people they are a weekend "play thing"

I think one of the higher mileage Zed's out there has got to be MMM-Five but his is an ///M, not sure about the N52 engine'd cars?

 

[Marlon]

Good to hear all the responses, great question OP.
As another DD and only car lots of reassuring comments here. Bought mine on 34k in June 2015 and now climbed to 63k, I want to keep it forever

 

[Theog]

Good to hear all the responses, great question OP.
As another DD and only car lots of reassuring comments here. Bought mine on 34k in June 2015 and now climbed to 63k, I want to keep it forever

I see your a moderator now @Marlon!

I almost see it as a challenge to see how high I can get mine.

I have only recently started looking into the quirks of the BMW range, as I'm looking to get a 2007 ish 3 series in the not too distant future, and it seems that people praise the N52 quite a lot due to BMW's love of straight 6 engines.

Do you know which would be better (in terms of reliability) the N52 or the M sport engine (S54B32 I think)?

I'm just wondering as to which would be a better daily drive. I guess the Z4M variant will cost more for all the little things though?

 

[Marlon]

Good to hear all the responses, great question OP.
As another DD and only car lots of reassuring comments here. Bought mine on 34k in June 2015 and now climbed to 63k, I want to keep it forever

I see your a moderator now @Marlon!

I almost see it as a challenge to see how high I can get mine.

I have only recently started looking into the quirks of the BMW range, as I'm looking to get a 2007 ish 3 series in the not too distant future, and it seems that people praise the N52 quite a lot due to BMW's love of straight 6 engines.

Do you know which would be better (in terms of reliability) the N52 or the M sport engine (S54B32 I think)?

I'm just wondering as to which would be a better daily drive. I guess the Z4M variant will cost more for all the little things though?

Good to chat again Theog, and good to hear you are still enjoying your car.
I've not had the pleasure of owning a Z4M, however I believe they are more expensive to maintain and not a first choice for a DD.

 

[Theog]

@Marlon, I thought this might be the case.

I have always flirted with the idea of getting an electric car, or some really cheap 1L and then having a Z4M for the weekends / trips. But I'm starting to warm to the idea of just keeping my 3L SI as it ticks so many boxes!

 

[85genius]

@Marlon, I thought this might be the case.

I have always flirted with the idea of getting an electric car, or some really cheap 1L and then having a Z4M for the weekends / trips. But I'm starting to warm to the idea of just keeping my 3L SI as it ticks so many boxes!

I was thinking of going for the electric daily + z4m route too but as it stands the 3.0si is too good to swap.

I'm guessing by the time I can get a decent enough electric to make me change from the SI as my daily it'll actually be faster than a Z4m

 

[Theog]

@Marlon, I thought this might be the case.

I have always flirted with the idea of getting an electric car, or some really cheap 1L and then having a Z4M for the weekends / trips. But I'm starting to warm to the idea of just keeping my 3L SI as it ticks so many boxes!

I was thinking of going for the electric daily + z4m route too but as it stands the 3.0si is too good to swap.

I'm guessing by the time I can get a decent enough electric to make me change from the SI as my daily it'll actually be faster than a Z4m

True, but fast electric cars I doubt will have the same feeling as a 'tradition' car. Well for the time being anyways. Maybe they will be more interesting down the line.

 

[85genius]

@Marlon, I thought this might be the case.

I have always flirted with the idea of getting an electric car, or some really cheap 1L and then having a Z4M for the weekends / trips. But I'm starting to warm to the idea of just keeping my 3L SI as it ticks so many boxes!

I was thinking of going for the electric daily + z4m route too but as it stands the 3.0si is too good to swap.

I'm guessing by the time I can get a decent enough electric to make me change from the SI as my daily it'll actually be faster than a Z4m

True, but fast electric cars I doubt will have the same feeling as a 'tradition' car. Well for the time being anyways. Maybe they will be more interesting down the line.

Yeah was kinda hoping that when tesla released the new roadster it would based on the new model 3 platform hence light cheap and probably similar gocartish driving experience to a zed just but faster... But they made a hypercar instead

 

[Joycey]

Mines not used as a daily but I'm still doing 25,000 miles a year in it. I've not had any big issues yet but as everyone says use quality service parts. I've also been to 6 track days since I first bought her and other than discs & pads along with tyres she's been good as gold. I can see the coupe going on for a long time.

Miles 130,000

 

[buzyg]

I love reading threads like this. They really don't make em like the Z4 any more. May they all see 250k before they go.