Lady owner: Advice for buying my 1st Z4 & selling Z3 2.8

[Marekdawg]

Hi and Welcome!
Sorry to hear about your Z3 :thumbsdown: but good luck with finding the right Zed! Would definitely take as much time as you are able to look around and drive a few! As for the looks of each option I'm sure someone like Mr Wilks will be able to share a few photos of the various options..
Good Luck and hopefully see you in a Zed soon!

 

[ph001]

If the soft top is really your thing then for £10k - £12k you can take your pic of the very best E85 3.0Si cars BUT they don't come up for sale very often compared to the E86 Coupes.

The E89 folding hardtop cars are more refined but a little less agile and exciting as a result. Coming from a Z3, you will immediately find the E85 a step up in terms of refinement and handling anyway (assuming the run flats have been swapped out).

You shouldn't encounter any of the major corrosion issues you have on the Z3 with either. I came through the route Z3M (S54 engined) - E46 M3 - Z4 E85 3.0Si.

The Z4 is tons better stability wise compared to the Z3M.

As for your Z3 with 155k and with what sounds like a very imminent MOT fail coming up you might well find the best option would be to break it for parts (esp if you have brand new Goodyears on it). Bit of hassle though I guess. Selling with no MOT is unlikely to net you more than £1k IMHO. It's basically a scrapper with all that corrosion on the chassis.

 

[Anonymous]

Hi there,

I bought my Z3 2.8 Montreal blue car from new in 1998 (20 years in May!). It has been fabulous but unfortunately due to corrosion of the sill/floor, suspension arm, corrosion of sub frame mountings amongst other things I was advised to sell. It drives beautifully still and mechanically is sound (one careful lady owner!). I cried all the way home....

I am now considering buying a Z4 approx £10k-£12k budget and would welcome advice on models, engine size etc. I was absolutely delighted with the 2.8 engine in the Z3 with a Bhp of 196 compared to the 1.9 at that time. So I would be looking at the mid/larger engine to provide similar if not improved performance! (-: Also would prefer a soft top. But open to advice on the pros and cons of hard vs soft.

Also did the models change in 2009? Would it be better to buy from then or later e.g. 2010? Were there significant improvements in styling etc from then? Suggestions on which models and years would be really appreciated. Also best places to look for one. My mot on the Z3 runs out on 31 Jan18 so feel a bit shell shocked and not prepared for buying a Z4!! Not quite sure how to go about selling the Z3. It has 4 brand new Good year tyres on and various reasonable saleable parts. It has done 155k miles but always carefully driven! Shall I try on EBay?

Thank you so much

Its a very personal thing but here is my conclusion as to why i bought my Z4 35is.

Things have changed a lot since 1998 in the world of BMW! I bought a brand new 4.4 Sport X5 on a 51 plate and it was a 4.4ltr engine. Now BMW produce certain models where one has the 4 and one has the six cylinder engines in them. They play with the on board computer to either increase or decrease the BHP of the engine.

I would personally always go for the 6 cylinder BMW engine as i don't rate the 4 cylinder one. Its ok but then so is a Mercedes? (please forget I said that)

Other than the engine here is the only other things i looked at.

2009 - Radical change in body style including change from soft top to hard top folding roof. Slight increase in both length and with of the car plus the front wing BMW logo with chrome attachments on certain models.

2013 - DRLs changed from normal bulbs to led DRL.

I can only speak for my car but i wouldn't change it for the world!


.

 

[Smartbear]

Hi there,

I bought my Z3 2.8 Montreal blue car from new in 1998 (20 years in May!). It has been fabulous but unfortunately due to corrosion of the sill/floor, suspension arm, corrosion of sub frame mountings amongst other things I was advised to sell. It drives beautifully still and mechanically is sound (one careful lady owner!). I cried all the way home....

I am now considering buying a Z4 approx £10k-£12k budget and would welcome advice on models, engine size etc. I was absolutely delighted with the 2.8 engine in the Z3 with a Bhp of 196 compared to the 1.9 at that time. So I would be looking at the mid/larger engine to provide similar if not improved performance! (-: Also would prefer a soft top. But open to advice on the pros and cons of hard vs soft.

Also did the models change in 2009? Would it be better to buy from then or later e.g. 2010? Were there significant improvements in styling etc from then? Suggestions on which models and years would be really appreciated. Also best places to look for one. My mot on the Z3 runs out on 31 Jan18 so feel a bit shell shocked and not prepared for buying a Z4!! Not quite sure how to go about selling the Z3. It has 4 brand new Good year tyres on and various reasonable saleable parts. It has done 155k miles but always carefully driven! Shall I try on EBay?

Thank you so much

Its a very personal thing but here is my conclusion as to why i bought my Z4 35is.

Things have changed a lot since 1998 in the world of BMW! I bought a brand new 4.4 Sport X5 on a 51 plate and it was a 4.4ltr engine. Now BMW produce certain models where one has the 4 and one has the six cylinder engines in them. They play with the on board computer to either increase or decrease the BHP of the engine.

I would personally always go for the 6 cylinder BMW engine as i don't rate the 4 cylinder one. Its ok but then so is a Mercedes? (please forget I said that)

Other than the engine here is the only other things i looked at.

2009 - Radical change in body style including change from soft top to hard top folding roof. Slight increase in both length and with of the car plus the front wing BMW logo with chrome attachments on certain models.

2013 - DRLs changed from normal bulbs to led DRL.

I can only speak for my car but i wouldn't change it for the world!

DSC_0013.JPG
.

Hi, ignore sad old man-the 4cylinder turbo is a great engine that’s fast & economical
Ps, you have my seats in your car

Rob

 

[ph001]

Well looks like the OP has gone to sleep, but at least we all got to see some pics of some nice Z's!

 

[Anonymous]

Hi there,

I bought my Z3 2.8 Montreal blue car from new in 1998 (20 years in May!). It has been fabulous but unfortunately due to corrosion of the sill/floor, suspension arm, corrosion of sub frame mountings amongst other things I was advised to sell. It drives beautifully still and mechanically is sound (one careful lady owner!). I cried all the way home....

I am now considering buying a Z4 approx £10k-£12k budget and would welcome advice on models, engine size etc. I was absolutely delighted with the 2.8 engine in the Z3 with a Bhp of 196 compared to the 1.9 at that time. So I would be looking at the mid/larger engine to provide similar if not improved performance! (-: Also would prefer a soft top. But open to advice on the pros and cons of hard vs soft.

Also did the models change in 2009? Would it be better to buy from then or later e.g. 2010? Were there significant improvements in styling etc from then? Suggestions on which models and years would be really appreciated. Also best places to look for one. My mot on the Z3 runs out on 31 Jan18 so feel a bit shell shocked and not prepared for buying a Z4!! Not quite sure how to go about selling the Z3. It has 4 brand new Good year tyres on and various reasonable saleable parts. It has done 155k miles but always carefully driven! Shall I try on EBay?

Thank you so much

Its a very personal thing but here is my conclusion as to why i bought my Z4 35is.

Things have changed a lot since 1998 in the world of BMW! I bought a brand new 4.4 Sport X5 on a 51 plate and it was a 4.4ltr engine. Now BMW produce certain models where one has the 4 and one has the six cylinder engines in them. They play with the on board computer to either increase or decrease the BHP of the engine.

I would personally always go for the 6 cylinder BMW engine as i don't rate the 4 cylinder one. Its ok but then so is a Mercedes? (please forget I said that)

Other than the engine here is the only other things i looked at.

2009 - Radical change in body style including change from soft top to hard top folding roof. Slight increase in both length and with of the car plus the front wing BMW logo with chrome attachments on certain models.

2013 - DRLs changed from normal bulbs to led DRL.

I can only speak for my car but i wouldn't change it for the world!

DSC_0013.JPG
.

Hi, ignore sad old man-the 4cylinder turbo is a great engine that’s fast & economical
Ps, you have my seats in your car
1675EC11-1F87-4E17-86FA-3962E37E67D3.jpeg8CF5C08D-6596-4BD9-ADB9-D3AE1377E177.jpeg
Rob

Is it bear hunting season yet?

 

[Mr Tidy]

Hi, ignore sad old man-the 4cylinder turbo is a great engine that’s fast & economical
Rob

Is it bear hunting season yet?

Seriously though, the OP stated a budget of £10-12K, so I can't see a facelift E89 being in budget somehow!

 

[Anonymous]

Hi, ignore sad old man-the 4cylinder turbo is a great engine that’s fast & economical
Rob

Is it bear hunting season yet?

Seriously though, the OP stated a budget of £10-12K, so I can't see a facelift E89 being in budget somehow!

note to myself: Try reading the posts properly?

 

[Smartbear]

Hi, ignore sad old man-the 4cylinder turbo is a great engine that’s fast & economical
Rob

Is it bear hunting season yet?

Seriously though, the OP stated a budget of £10-12K, so I can't see a facelift E89 being in budget somehow!

You could possibly pick up a high miler 20i for that budget?
Rob

 

[Mr Tidy]

You could possibly pick up a high miler 20i for that budget?
Rob

Yes, I was thinking that might be possible - but not a 35is! :lol: