What was your main reason or buying your Z? Brand loyalty, exterior looks, performance, interior ergonomics, etc, why did you choose the particular model ie 23, 28, 35 etc, was it transmission engine or equipment and what alternatives did you rule out or consider, slk, tt etc
Main reason for z
- Thread starter Hunter
- Start date
My wife always wanted a Mercedes SL from being a child. So she decided that as a retirement gift/toy she would buy herself an SLK. While out looking at SLK's we saw an e89, she was becoming more unimpressed with the styling of the newer SLK's and up to that point we'd never realised that the Z4 came with a hard top.
Safe to say that she fell for the Z4 straight away. From that point it was just a case of listing the options she wanted and finding the car that had as many of them in. As it was an upgrade from a 1.3 Yaris, she felt that the 20i was a big enough step up in performance.
I think given the chance she'd probably have a Z3, as well as the Z4, and the Yaris!
Safe to say that she fell for the Z4 straight away. From that point it was just a case of listing the options she wanted and finding the car that had as many of them in. As it was an upgrade from a 1.3 Yaris, she felt that the 20i was a big enough step up in performance.
I think given the chance she'd probably have a Z3, as well as the Z4, and the Yaris!
My main criteria was something fast under £20k that looks good and with a minimum of 5 cylinders. 5 years ago the E89 35i was the only thing that fitted my needs.
The TTRS was way out of budget and the TTS is a lowly 4 cylinder. The new SLK was ruled out because the non AMG models were too slow and the AMG version was way out of budget. Also the automatic transmission is anything but sporty in the SLK.
I did also consider the 370Z but owner reviews quickly ruled that out. It was hard to find a person that sang it's praise!
I spent a lot of time looking at Caymans but got frustrated with the lack of simple necessities like AUX input (something which even the most basic cars offered as standard equipment). Also IMS failures and bore scoring on the S model made it a risky choice for doing high mileage in. It was only by chance that I came across the Z4, I was torn between the E86 M Coupe and the E89 for a while.
The E89 just pipped the M due to the extra power available, extra leg room and comfort.
The TTRS was way out of budget and the TTS is a lowly 4 cylinder. The new SLK was ruled out because the non AMG models were too slow and the AMG version was way out of budget. Also the automatic transmission is anything but sporty in the SLK.
I did also consider the 370Z but owner reviews quickly ruled that out. It was hard to find a person that sang it's praise!
I spent a lot of time looking at Caymans but got frustrated with the lack of simple necessities like AUX input (something which even the most basic cars offered as standard equipment). Also IMS failures and bore scoring on the S model made it a risky choice for doing high mileage in. It was only by chance that I came across the Z4, I was torn between the E86 M Coupe and the E89 for a while.
The E89 just pipped the M due to the extra power available, extra leg room and comfort.
there was a very recent thread asking exactly the same question... answers probably haven't changed much!
https://z4-forum.com/forum/viewtopic.php?f=2&t=107926
https://z4-forum.com/forum/viewtopic.php?f=2&t=107926
For our first Z4 it started with my wife fancying something a bit sportier than the usual saloons and hatchbacks, short list was an Audi TT or Merc SLK. We went to the Audi dealer and the sales staff at the dealer couldn't be bothered to organise for us to test the TT until the following week so we decided to move on headed to a BMW dealer (on the way to a Merc garage) to check out what they had. Wife and I fell in love with the Z4 as well as an M3 and so decided to buy both cars and that was that (bad luck Audi!).
Over time and with my granddaughter making an appearance and change of job, the first Z4 went along with the M3 and we settled on a 330ci, till recently when I had the opportunity to get my current Z4. Second time around the main reason was I just love that classic long bonnet, short boot, almost sitting on the rear wheels that so few cars offer these days.
Over time and with my granddaughter making an appearance and change of job, the first Z4 went along with the M3 and we settled on a 330ci, till recently when I had the opportunity to get my current Z4. Second time around the main reason was I just love that classic long bonnet, short boot, almost sitting on the rear wheels that so few cars offer these days.
When the E89 was first launched, I always liked the different nature of the interior.
When the time came to change my car I was in a real dilemma what to get, but being newly single I thought "sod it" and started looking at 2 seaters, and remembered the Z4.
I had a test drive in a 28i which was 'OK' but then the dealer went and got a 35i that had just come in, went for a spin in it and that was the point that I was completely hooked!
When the time came to change my car I was in a real dilemma what to get, but being newly single I thought "sod it" and started looking at 2 seaters, and remembered the Z4.
I had a test drive in a 28i which was 'OK' but then the dealer went and got a 35i that had just come in, went for a spin in it and that was the point that I was completely hooked!
Purely a toy, I drive around 25000 miles in a rep mobile every year and the last thing I want to do of a weekend is to get back in my office!!!!
I now have an elderly father (94) in the Midlands so spending a couple of weekends a month going to visit him in the said Rep mobile (grrrrr) or my Ducati (not good for the winter) so though I would buy an E89 just to put a shine on weekend driving again
I now have an elderly father (94) in the Midlands so spending a couple of weekends a month going to visit him in the said Rep mobile (grrrrr) or my Ducati (not good for the winter) so though I would buy an E89 just to put a shine on weekend driving again
R.E92 said:
Pretty similar criteria to me haha! I looked at similar cars. The Porsches standard level of equipment is woeful! The 370Z Nismo is a fantastic car but a totally different experience. More of an old school classic sports car feel, no where near as fast as a 35is though especially when mapped!
About 7 or 8 years ago we were looking to change our Hyundai Coupe for something.
We looked at a couple of E85s and they were always tatty looking and not prepped for sale. Test drove 2 E85s and an SLK at this time and they didnt do it for us. TTs arnt that good looking and never got a look in.
One of the car garages we went to had an E89 which we had never seen before and thought it looked amazing.
To cut a long story short the E89 was too expensive at the time and we decided that it would be worth waiting for this instead of the soft top E85. We bought a Mini Cooper in the meantime to save a bit of cash.
Fast forward a few years and we were looking for a Z4 and after looking around at all the models and what we had for our budget we found one car that suited us, a black with black leather M sport manual E89 Z4 23i with fairly low miles.
At this point we never considered any other car as it was a Z4 we wanted.
This month we will have had it for 5 years and other than services, tyres, brakes the only issue we have had is the e-brake fault that was sorted with a new battery and a software update.
I dont have brand loyalty and always thought BMWs were not worth the money, until I actually drove one.
We looked at a couple of E85s and they were always tatty looking and not prepped for sale. Test drove 2 E85s and an SLK at this time and they didnt do it for us. TTs arnt that good looking and never got a look in.
One of the car garages we went to had an E89 which we had never seen before and thought it looked amazing.
To cut a long story short the E89 was too expensive at the time and we decided that it would be worth waiting for this instead of the soft top E85. We bought a Mini Cooper in the meantime to save a bit of cash.
Fast forward a few years and we were looking for a Z4 and after looking around at all the models and what we had for our budget we found one car that suited us, a black with black leather M sport manual E89 Z4 23i with fairly low miles.
At this point we never considered any other car as it was a Z4 we wanted.
This month we will have had it for 5 years and other than services, tyres, brakes the only issue we have had is the e-brake fault that was sorted with a new battery and a software update.
I dont have brand loyalty and always thought BMWs were not worth the money, until I actually drove one.
1066 Country
My wife bought me a yellow flowered Magnolia tree for my last birthday... (something she had been saying she wanted only a few weeks before)
Miffed was an immense understatement...
With money in the Bank, the perfect //M I’d always wanted suddenly appearing on the scene the deal was sealed...
Miffed was an immense understatement...
With money in the Bank, the perfect //M I’d always wanted suddenly appearing on the scene the deal was sealed...
I used to own a z4 2.0 e85, that car made love the BMW brand and actually enjoy driving as whole as before I used to drive a honda civic as my first car. However I always felt like as if I had the inferior engine as it being the slowest of all the Bmw z4s. (Still faster than 85% of other cars out on the road in my opinion) So after I sold my z4 2.0i I had other cars but I always missed my old car but I didn’t miss any other car I had previously.
So after watching many youtube videos I wanted to get back into an E85 but this like the one which clive drove during the Bmw promo videos. Which I now have a 3.0i e85 2003 with 62K in grey which I am slowly restoring to its former glory. (Last owner was a plum)
So I bought mine because I like all BMW Z4s and I think its great car for looks and making you enjoy the drive.
However I am not sold on the new Z4 G29 as it kind of reminds me of 6 series coupe, maybe it should be called the z6 instead.
So after watching many youtube videos I wanted to get back into an E85 but this like the one which clive drove during the Bmw promo videos. Which I now have a 3.0i e85 2003 with 62K in grey which I am slowly restoring to its former glory. (Last owner was a plum)
So I bought mine because I like all BMW Z4s and I think its great car for looks and making you enjoy the drive.
However I am not sold on the new Z4 G29 as it kind of reminds me of 6 series coupe, maybe it should be called the z6 instead.
For my first car I bought a BMW Z3 2.8 in the original shape as I wanted something rear wheel drive, didn't want to ferry mates around, and the insurance was cheaper than all the typical 'first cars' people get. I think the insurance was cheaper because I couldn't hurt as many people if I crashed 
I kept that for 5 years, using it as a daily driver for a few of them before it became a weekend car due to a different commute. With a change of job and wanting to change the Z3 to something with a bit more power, mod-cons, auto/semi-auto for standing traffic, a tin top, and to retain most of it's value over the next few years. So now I have a 35i DCT and have absolutely fallen in love with it. So much so that I'm eyeing up a 335i DCT for my girlfriend's next car.
I kept that for 5 years, using it as a daily driver for a few of them before it became a weekend car due to a different commute. With a change of job and wanting to change the Z3 to something with a bit more power, mod-cons, auto/semi-auto for standing traffic, a tin top, and to retain most of it's value over the next few years. So now I have a 35i DCT and have absolutely fallen in love with it. So much so that I'm eyeing up a 335i DCT for my girlfriend's next car.
Temporary Insanity
Was looking for a nice 2 series with track package or equivalent new or low mileage 4 cyl turbo for some occasional tracking and autocross. Came across the like new E89 35i for the same price. I was seduced by the power, upscale image and driving a sport roadster again.
Was looking for a nice 2 series with track package or equivalent new or low mileage 4 cyl turbo for some occasional tracking and autocross. Came across the like new E89 35i for the same price. I was seduced by the power, upscale image and driving a sport roadster again.
Looking for a Nissan 350Z, had been looking for several weeks when I forgot to put the Nissan filter on autotrader. One look at the Z4 coupe and all thoughts of a Nissan disappeared in a puff of smoke. The coupe has such lovely classic lines and a beautiful engine. Looked for 3-4 months until I found the car I wanted. Nearly a year later the coop still puts a smile on my face when I look at it, and driving it is still the closest thing to sex with my clothes on. 
My choice was out of E89,a slk 55, an S class and Range Rover sport hst. All very different but after giving up the tvr I wanted a car I could use as a daily an not have to have two cars. It had to feel special, look great, be quick enough to entertain, it also had to have nav, Bluetooth and auto. I decided the car that ticked the boxes was a 35is and I looked for one with colours that I liked. I spoke to the dealer and got an average trade in but a good price on the z.... deal done and I’m very pleased.