Hi All,
Great forum, really useful when looking for my car. Below are my thoughts on my new toy...
I picked up my Sterling Grey / Black leather 3.0 (2003) a week ago and have to say I am really impressed with the car. For the last two years I've been renting a Fiesta 1.4L diesel (painful when you are a car nut!). My car history includes 1989 525i SE, 1993 318is coupe, 1994 325i Coupe, 1999 Z3 2.8, 2000 Boxster S, 2002 Mini Cooper S (tuned 193 BHP) and now the 2003 Z3 3.0. I recently road tested the 2008 Boxster S (295HP) and Cayman S (295HP) for an online magazine I run (http://www.dolceguide.com)
My first impression of the car is very positive. Bearing in mind I recently road tested the two Porsches above that are approx 70,000 euros each I am having as much fun driving my zed and I don't have to give it back : ) . I had forgotten just how nice the 6 cyl BMW engine is. It is really smooth and makes a lovely sound. In a funny way I have noticed that I am actually driving slower on the motorways than in the Fiesta? I kind of enjoy just cruising at 120km. This will change no doubt as I get more used to the car
When I collected the car I had a 600km journey from Madrid to the south coast of Spain and found the car pretty comfortable for a long journey. The combination of RFT, 18" rims and sports suspension is pretty hard on rough surfaces but day to day it isn't as bad as I thought it would be. Saying that when the time comes to change the rubber I will seriously consider non FLT in order to get a better ride. In terms of fuel economy I averaged 7.3L per 100km for the journey, I was doing between 100 - 140km/h throughout the journey.
I have the 10 speaker sound system + large screen Navi. I love the sound system and this is my first car with navi. It was a massive help when making my way back from Madrid as there were loads of exits to take to get onto the right motorways. The navigation just made my life a lot easier, not something I use everyday but nice to have all the same.
I have used the sport button and mainly notice the difference in the steering. The throttle response is supposed to get sharper but I can't say I've noticed it that much. Still, it's early days and I need to drive it more.
Having owned the Boxster S from new to 36,000 miles (a car that I loved) I wasn't sure how the Z4 3.0 would compare, I was pleasantly surprised. Although the Boxster S is probably the better roadster in terms of performance and engineering, the Z4 3.0 is not far behind at all. When I went from the 2.8 Z3 to the Boxster S I remember noticing quite a big difference.
When choosing which model of Z4 to go for I only got to test drive a 2.2 and then the one I bought, the 3.0. My impression is that if you are an enthusiast and want the maximum fun go for the 3.0 (I haven't tried the 2.5 so can't comment). I looked at the fuel figures / performance stats plus asked some car dealer friends and they all recommended I go for the 3.0 as there is very little difference in fuel economy compared to the 2.5 plus you get the 6 speed box and other extras.
I'll take some pictures and post them after the weekend, I need to give the car a good wash as part of the bonding ritual
Well that's it for now, hope the above info is useful to people thinking of buying.
Great forum, really useful when looking for my car. Below are my thoughts on my new toy...
I picked up my Sterling Grey / Black leather 3.0 (2003) a week ago and have to say I am really impressed with the car. For the last two years I've been renting a Fiesta 1.4L diesel (painful when you are a car nut!). My car history includes 1989 525i SE, 1993 318is coupe, 1994 325i Coupe, 1999 Z3 2.8, 2000 Boxster S, 2002 Mini Cooper S (tuned 193 BHP) and now the 2003 Z3 3.0. I recently road tested the 2008 Boxster S (295HP) and Cayman S (295HP) for an online magazine I run (http://www.dolceguide.com)
My first impression of the car is very positive. Bearing in mind I recently road tested the two Porsches above that are approx 70,000 euros each I am having as much fun driving my zed and I don't have to give it back : ) . I had forgotten just how nice the 6 cyl BMW engine is. It is really smooth and makes a lovely sound. In a funny way I have noticed that I am actually driving slower on the motorways than in the Fiesta? I kind of enjoy just cruising at 120km. This will change no doubt as I get more used to the car
When I collected the car I had a 600km journey from Madrid to the south coast of Spain and found the car pretty comfortable for a long journey. The combination of RFT, 18" rims and sports suspension is pretty hard on rough surfaces but day to day it isn't as bad as I thought it would be. Saying that when the time comes to change the rubber I will seriously consider non FLT in order to get a better ride. In terms of fuel economy I averaged 7.3L per 100km for the journey, I was doing between 100 - 140km/h throughout the journey.
I have the 10 speaker sound system + large screen Navi. I love the sound system and this is my first car with navi. It was a massive help when making my way back from Madrid as there were loads of exits to take to get onto the right motorways. The navigation just made my life a lot easier, not something I use everyday but nice to have all the same.
I have used the sport button and mainly notice the difference in the steering. The throttle response is supposed to get sharper but I can't say I've noticed it that much. Still, it's early days and I need to drive it more.
Having owned the Boxster S from new to 36,000 miles (a car that I loved) I wasn't sure how the Z4 3.0 would compare, I was pleasantly surprised. Although the Boxster S is probably the better roadster in terms of performance and engineering, the Z4 3.0 is not far behind at all. When I went from the 2.8 Z3 to the Boxster S I remember noticing quite a big difference.
When choosing which model of Z4 to go for I only got to test drive a 2.2 and then the one I bought, the 3.0. My impression is that if you are an enthusiast and want the maximum fun go for the 3.0 (I haven't tried the 2.5 so can't comment). I looked at the fuel figures / performance stats plus asked some car dealer friends and they all recommended I go for the 3.0 as there is very little difference in fuel economy compared to the 2.5 plus you get the 6 speed box and other extras.
I'll take some pictures and post them after the weekend, I need to give the car a good wash as part of the bonding ritual
Well that's it for now, hope the above info is useful to people thinking of buying.
