Intro & looking to buy very low mileage Z4 Sport/SE Coupe Automatic

[Joe Barzini]

Hello Fellows,

I am posting this as an introduction to joining the forum.

I am looking to buy a very low mileage Z4 Sport or SE Coupe Automatic either private or through a trader. I have no budget restriction so I want it to have less than 30 thousand miles and a full service history and preferably in Silver, Stratus Grey or White though the colour is not set in stone. It will mostly be used on high days and occasional touring up the Highlands etc. I really look forward to being active on the forum with other fellow members and if anyone can point me in the direction of a Coupe for sale it would be most appreciated. Thanks for reading this post and I look forward to hearing from you. Joe

Unfortunately I missed out on this little beauty that recently sold on Collecting Cars.

 

[mr.tourette]

good luck with your search buddy, se spec is quite rare and sub 30k might be a bit of a unicorn, hopefully one will eventually come through for you..if not you could consider the more popular msport model and change the suspension out if you are looking for a softer ride the se provides

 

[Joe Barzini]

Hello mr tourette,

Thank you for your early reply and yes I will add the Sport to the advert. Many thanks. Joe

 

[mr.tourette]

Hello mr tourette,

Thank you for your early reply and yes I will add the Si to the advert. Many thanks. Joe

Hi Joe, just to clarify all coupe models are si as thats the engine spec, the chassis and spec differences come in the latter part of the name, so you have a 3.0si sport or a 3.0si se

The sport has firmer lower suspension, sports seats and steering wheel, while the se has softer suspension, generally just standard seats unless specced up and skinnier steering wheel

 

[Joe Barzini]

Hello mr. tourette.

Again, thank you. Advert amended. Joe

 

[Zedebee]

Welcome to the forum. The E86 coupe is a fine choice in either SE or Sport trim. You will pay a bit more for the latter.

You should note that these cars are capable of high mileages and can suffer from not being driven or being driven regularly on short journeys, particularly in the cold. Many forum members (and others I’m sure) have maintained their cars in exceptional condition despite 100k+ miles. I only question why you would specifically want a sub-30k car, which you will pay a significant premium for compared to, say, a 60k car, unless you intend to lock it away as an investment and not put your own miles on.

 

[PointedMarlin]

I only question why you would specifically want a sub-30k car, which you will pay a significant premium for compared to, say, a 60k car, unless you intend to lock it away as an investment and not put your own miles on.

I can’t answer for the OP but this was one of my non negotiables as well, although I was looking at the e89 as I needed a hard top

For me it was the fact that I planned on owning the car for a good 10 years & use it as a daily with around 6k-8k a year on it it would hit 100k in my ownership

But each to their own & like I say the OP might have a different reason but this was mine

 

[Mr Tidy]

Hi and welcome to the forum Joe.

According to a database someone on here compiled only 593 Automatic Coupes were registered in the UK, and as the newest are 13 years old now you may have a long wait to find one with less than 30K miles!

Upping that mileage would give you much more choice and the 3 litre N52 engine can cover hugh mileages. My last 3.0Si had done 91K when I sold it and the engine was still sweet. My current 3 Series has the same engine and has done 115K and it's predecessor had done 139K - both engines still pulled strongly with no issues.

Anyway good luck with your search.

 

[Z450]

Hi Joe

Great choice in cars, I am sure you have probably seen these cars, but I thought they are worth sharing in case:

I know this is on 34,000 miles but looks to be a nice example

 

[Joe Barzini]

Hello Fellows,

Thanks for the contributions. In answer to Zedebee I do not have a budget so it is a personal choice to me to have low mileage/low owners as I have the money so I will be prepared to pay a premium. I realise that these beautiful cars are more than renowned for trouble free high mileages and I am not disrespecting any car that has that. If the right car came along then I will buy it cash and as I say I have the budget and I intend to put some miles on it. PointedMarlin said the his spec was non-negotiable as he planned on owning the car for a good 10 years & use it as a daily with around 6k-8k a year on it it would hit 100k in his ownership. I hope to do the same. Thanks to Mr Tidy for his input and to Z450 for the link.

Mind you, if a Coupe came up for sale with 250 thousand miles on it and cat d but previously owned by Monica Bellucci who had left her phone number in the glovebox along with a selection of under garments then I would have it.

 

[Zedebee]

Monica Bellucci

.

Just making the point that if you put 30k on a 30k car it’ll cost you about £5k in value, whereas if you put 30k on a 60k car it will cost you about half that, and so on. At this age, a 60k car won’t be any less reliable or cost you any more to run than a 30k car.

However, if money is no object, then you should be able to get a great low mileage example in exactly the spec you want. Good luck, it will be fun looking.

 

[Joe Barzini]

Hello Zedebee,

Fair point and again thanks for the insight. It will be fun looking and hopefully owning one. Joe.
Are their any weak points to be aware of?

 

[Zedebee]

The only consistent weakness under the bonnet seems to be the electric water pump which is prone to failure without warning. Some members replace theirs as preventative maintenance at 60k+. Cam cover and oil pump gaskets can leak oil (like most bmw engines), but I haven’t experienced this. ABS pump can fail - doesn’t stop you driving the car but quite expensive to fix.
The OEM rear springs have a tendency to snap, even at low mileages, although this doesn’t seem to be terminal and they are easily replaced. The rest of the suspension isn’t likely to be a problem at the mileages you are considering although the rubber bushes could be getting brittle and starting to deteriorate.
For its type, though, it’s generally a reliable car and relatively easy and inexpensive to maintain.

 

[Mr Tidy]

Zedebee has covered the common issues.

But it's worth checking the rear brake pipes about a foot in front of the passenger side rear wheel for corrosion. I had advisories for that on my 2nd Coupe 2 MOTs running so got them replaced in copper.

And tailgates can suffer from rust. BMW replaced some while they were still within the 10 year corrosion warranty - just check around the edges when it's open.