I finally bought a Z4 - Ownership thread!

[DaveP]

Ring trackday booked for the end of May 2025, and an instructor booked for the morning again. Really hoping this can be the moment I finally get to learn the Ring in the dry.

MOT looming large on Thursday, and heading out to the car this morning saw the inside of the screen (but none of the other windows) covered in condensation. I ran it up to temperature on the driveway, with the aircon blasting and a moisture trap in the footwell to clear the screen, which seemed to work.

I wonder if the flaky scuttle seal is allowing water ingress?

 

[DaveP]

MOT passed in December, with zero advisories. Always a pleasure.

Although the garage did note that there was a small oil leak from somewhere high up, which is a pain. Will get that sorted in due course. Next two jobs are to change the windscreen surround trim, and to take enuff_zed up on his offer of a replacement scuttle panel.

The 5-mile round trip to the MOT station was the most the car has moved in months. And I promptly parked it up and went away on holiday for two weeks.

Since the Tesla arrived, it's been the car I tend to use for 90% of journeys, to the point that even the Discovery (with its coolant leak, gearbox oil cooler line leak and sinking suspension - all hopefully getting fixed next week!) is only being used for pottering around the countryside.

I'm still suffering with massively itchy feet on the possible replacement for the Z4, with a deadline of early May for back-to-back days on Spa and the Nurburgring to focus the mind a little.

The easiest thing to do would be to stick with the Z4, sort the small bits, and drive it. It needs nothing more than the oil leak and windscreen bits sorted to be fine for the trip.

Then I fire up Autotrader, and find myself looking at all sorts of replacements. A 35i probably isn't going to be quite right, as it's going to take too much work to get it how I like. I want an M2, but not being a convertible means I'd drive it even less than the Z4. I look at PDK Boxsters, and feel like they might be bland and painful to own. Then I start having impure thoughts about an M4 convertible, before realising it's too big and heavy.

Analysis paralysis.

 

[Mr Tidy]

If there is no stand-out obvious replacement sometimes it's best to just enjoy what you have!

 

[TheDan]

Then I fire up Autotrader, and find myself looking at all sorts of replacements. A 35i probably isn't going to be quite right, as it's going to take too much work to get it how I like. I want an M2, but not being a convertible means I'd drive it even less than the Z4. I look at PDK Boxsters, and feel like they might be bland and painful to own. Then I start having impure thoughts about an M4 convertible, before realising it's too big and heavy.

Have you thought about a Nissan 370 Z? Great engine, great little car, a decent amount of power, cheap to fix . Not sure what the auto box is like though as I've only ever driven a manual.

 

[DaveP]

(Double-post. Ignore.)

 

[DaveP]

Then I fire up Autotrader, and find myself looking at all sorts of replacements. A 35i probably isn't going to be quite right, as it's going to take too much work to get it how I like. I want an M2, but not being a convertible means I'd drive it even less than the Z4. I look at PDK Boxsters, and feel like they might be bland and painful to own. Then I start having impure thoughts about an M4 convertible, before realising it's too big and heavy.

Have you thought about a Nissan 370 Z? Great engine, great little car, a decent amount of power, cheap to fix . Not sure what the auto box is like though as I've only ever driven a manual.

If you had the patience to wade through the pages of drivel on this thread, I actually went and drove one last summer at a Nissan dealership, around the same time as I drove a 35i. Not a huge fan at all, for a number of reasons.
1. Seating position. This was the deal-breaker. I'm 6ft3, and there's no reach adjustment in the wheel. I felt like I was hunched forward. Just awful.
2. The autobox is slow and dim-witted. It's an old-school slushbox. No dice.
3. It just didn't feel fast. I reckon it's barely any quicker than my current car since I had the shorter diff fitted.
4. Interior material quality on a 2015 car was absolutely dire.

Having had a load of RWD Japanese cars in my youth, I really wanted to like it. But it was rubbish.

 

[DaveP]

If there is no stand-out obvious replacement sometimes it's best to just enjoy what you have!

But if I wasn't researching my next car, what would I do with my spare time?

On a more serious note, I quite like a 'project'. But I feel like I've taken this one as far as makes financial sense, given it's probably worth less than I paid for it despite me ploughing thousands into it.

This was never planned to be a 'forever' car, but it's proven much more competent than I expected. The biggest challenge is its straight-line pace. I'm doing trackdays on Spa and the Ring this May (and potentially later in the year again), which both favour cars with more power. In this Z4 I'm basically a mobile chicane on the straight bits.

That's not the end of the world in itself, because it's easy to be courteous and get out of the way of the faster cars. It's more that, while I'm getting out of the way of these faster cars on the straight bits, it's spoiling the flow of my laps and I'm never able to really settle into a rhythm. First-world problems, I realise. But the plan is to do more of these Euro trackdays, and I don't think this Z4 is the right tool for the job.

 

[Mr Tidy]

I can see why you want more power for the Ring and Spa.

Back in the 90s a mate and I took his MK3 Escort 1.6 on a track day at Thruxton and most of the time it was flat out! Fun, but not exactly challenging.

Good luck working out what to get next.

 

[TheDan]

1. Seating position. This was the deal-breaker. I'm 6ft3, and there's no reach adjustment in the wheel. I felt like I was hunched forward. Just awful.
2. The autobox is slow and dim-witted. It's an old-school slushbox. No dice.
3. It just didn't feel fast. I reckon it's barely any quicker than my current car since I had the shorter diff fitted.
4. Interior material quality on a 2015 car was absolutely dire.

Ah, I'd been keeping up with the thread, but clearly not well enough haha!

All very good points tbh, for me its the interior which is absolutely awful for a 2015 car I agree!

Have you been perusing the Trackstormers Cars and Parts For Sale FB page? Often get some good deals on there with either heavily tracked prepped cars (mainly M3s tbh), but there are also sometimes some nicely "lightly" modded cars too!

 

[DaveP]

1. Seating position. This was the deal-breaker. I'm 6ft3, and there's no reach adjustment in the wheel. I felt like I was hunched forward. Just awful.
2. The autobox is slow and dim-witted. It's an old-school slushbox. No dice.
3. It just didn't feel fast. I reckon it's barely any quicker than my current car since I had the shorter diff fitted.
4. Interior material quality on a 2015 car was absolutely dire.

Ah, I'd been keeping up with the thread, but clearly not well enough haha!

All very good points tbh, for me its the interior which is absolutely awful for a 2015 car I agree!

Have you been perusing the Trackstormers Cars and Parts For Sale FB page? Often get some good deals on there with either heavily tracked prepped cars (mainly M3s tbh), but there are also sometimes some nicely "lightly" modded cars too!

I do keep a look out, but there tend not to be very many convertibles (for obvious reasons). The last thing I want is another car that's basically ruined for the road, like my old Mini. Trying to find something that can be hammered around the Nurburgring and is happy pottering around the Norfolk countryside with the roof down is a tough ask...

 

[DaveP]

I can see why you want more power for the Ring and Spa.

Back in the 90s a mate and I took his MK3 Escort 1.6 on a track day at Thruxton and most of the time it was flat out! Fun, but not exactly challenging.

Good luck working out what to get next.

I bloody loved Thruxton in my old Mini. Proper test of faith/balls around the back end of the circuit. Had a good mate (who I shared my first track car with) follow me in his Mini, and lose his bottle at the worst possible moment. Cue me watching a huge tankslapper in my mirrors, and him coming back to the pits sheepishly with a car covered in grass. Not one for the faint-hearted.

 

[DaveP]

On one of my many autotrader browsing sessions I decided to sort the available 35i E89s by distance, and spotted that there was an interesting one for sale 20 miles away from me.

Positives
- Very low miles
- Plenty of service stamps (done on time, not miles)
- Looks to be in good condition
- Has some decent options ticked
- Reasonable price

Negatives
- It's a very early car (2009)
- It's only got the base hi-fi (with pro navigation?)
- It's an SE (not the end of the world to fit an MSport front bumper)
- Nothing in the service history about injectors, hpfp or water pump
- Lack of service receipts in general (bought from a dealer, who probably couldn't be bothered)

It's not quite right, and would likely be more of a project than I'm looking for, but I'm going to go take a look anyway. It's been for sale a few months now (as is the case with many 35i/s), so perhaps the seller might be open to a cheeky offer?

 

[Andrew J]

Would a Z4M appeal? Got the grunt for the big circuits. Not sure on the price point between a 35i and the M? Might be a little more to maintain given the M tax but then you get a screaming S54!

 

[DaveP]

Would a Z4M appeal? Got the grunt for the big circuits. Not sure on the price point between a 35i and the M? Might be a little more to maintain given the M tax but then you get a screaming S54!

I started a thread in the E89 section a couple of weeks back with a bit more detail, but net is that I'm looking to move towards a double-clutch auto. At 42 I've decided that I'm giving up on ever being able to heel/toe in a small car like a Z4. Plus, I quite fancy playing around with a double-clutch auto to see what the fuss is all about.

 

[DaveP]

Went and drove the 35i yesterday morning, and I'm smitten. It feels like a grown-up, slightly heavier, more modern and significantly more muscular version of my car.

The damping felt poor and the 19s made the ride a bit more jiggly than I'd like, but both of those issues are solvable with the application of cash. It also had the bloody awful push/pull paddles, which need to get in the sea.

Currently writing up a for sale ad for mine. Don't really need to get my money back on it, so planning to price it keenly and get it shifted. Give me a shout if you're interested.

Not sure if I'm going to buy this exact 35i, as I've had a few people contact me with good examples they are selling, and it's definitely a buyers market. It's a very low mileage example, in very good condition, that's clearly been looked after (brand new serpentine belt etc.), but is a bit light on receipts. Unless I can get a few quid off, my preference is for a car with a bit more history.

 

[damocell]

Went and drove the 35i yesterday morning, and I'm smitten. It feels like a grown-up, slightly heavier, more modern and significantly more muscular version of my car.

The damping felt poor and the 19s made the ride a bit more jiggly than I'd like, but both of those issues are solvable with the application of cash. It also had the bloody awful push/pull paddles, which need to get in the sea.

Currently writing up a for sale ad for mine. Don't really need to get my money back on it, so planning to price it keenly and get it shifted. Give me a shout if you're interested.

Not sure if I'm going to buy this exact 35i, as I've had a few people contact me with good examples they are selling, and it's definitely a buyers market. It's a very low mileage example, in very good condition, that's clearly been looked after (brand new serpentine belt etc.), but is a bit light on receipts. Unless I can get a few quid off, my preference is for a car with a bit more history.

Nice mate, they look like a good platform for tuning from a power POV. I'm assuming you'll still track it? What are they like weight-wise?

Hope to see you on track soon in it (once you buy one obvs)

Keen to see your advert for the Z4 and happy to share it to some whatsapp track groups I'm in if it helps

 

[DaveP]

Went and drove the 35i yesterday morning, and I'm smitten. It feels like a grown-up, slightly heavier, more modern and significantly more muscular version of my car.

The damping felt poor and the 19s made the ride a bit more jiggly than I'd like, but both of those issues are solvable with the application of cash. It also had the bloody awful push/pull paddles, which need to get in the sea.

Currently writing up a for sale ad for mine. Don't really need to get my money back on it, so planning to price it keenly and get it shifted. Give me a shout if you're interested.

Not sure if I'm going to buy this exact 35i, as I've had a few people contact me with good examples they are selling, and it's definitely a buyers market. It's a very low mileage example, in very good condition, that's clearly been looked after (brand new serpentine belt etc.), but is a bit light on receipts. Unless I can get a few quid off, my preference is for a car with a bit more history.

Nice mate, they look like a good platform for tuning from a power POV. I'm assuming you'll still track it? What are they like weight-wise?

Hope to see you on track soon in it (once you buy one obvs)

Keen to see your advert for the Z4 and happy to share it to some whatsapp track groups I'm in if it helps

Appreciate the offer.

The 35i weighs about as much as the E92 M3/F87 M2, with a lower centre of gravity and 50/50 weight distribution. It's at the heavier end of the spectrum for a track car, but not unfeasibly so. The downside compared to those two is that options to lose weight aren't plentiful. That said, even if I was buying an M3 or M2, I wouldn't be stripping it and making it miserable, so the point is largely moot.

Current plan is to do suspension, brakes, and power to stage 2 (400-420bhp and similar torque) with a few bits of proactive maintenance in time for Spa and the Ring at the end of April. I'll probably try and do a shakedown or two and a tuition day beforehand, just to figure out what's going to fail.

Tossing up between having AReeve or the motorsport company I've used for the current car to do all the work.

 

[damocell]

Sounds like a good option and plan mate for sure. Not crazily heavy then by today's standards

I know what you mean about stripping weight, I'm in the same boat at the moment, had a less liveable track car before and appreciate the creature comforts/padding for my old bum now

We're at Bedford on the 3rd of Feb for a cheap day if you get one in time and fancy a shake-down.

 

[DaveP]

Sounds like a good option and plan mate for sure. Not crazily heavy then by today's standards

I know what you mean about stripping weight, I'm in the same boat at the moment, had a less liveable track car before and appreciate the creature comforts/padding for my old bum now

We're at Bedford on the 3rd of Feb for a cheap day if you get one in time and fancy a shake-down.

Lovely stuff. I think I might have some mates from my trackday group there on the 3rd, so I may be along to passenger/spectate. I'll come say hi if I make it.

 

[DaveP]

Advert is live in the classifieds and on Facebook Z4 and trackday groups, priced fairly reasonably I think.

Can't wait for the deafening silence, punctuated by "Is this still available".