New Purchase

QUIKSTER said:
Think I'm going nuts, been living on this forum now for weeks and dont even own a Z4 yet :)
My sensible head is telling me to just wait, as theres no rush the right car will come along, but I'm sure we've all been there when your just itching to get something.

Anyhow I noticed this Ebay car come up on another thread, which I think I'm gonna go and view this week.
https://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/BMW-Z4-Coupe-3-0si/283390716026?hash=item41fb67287a:g:32gAAOSwAWtbzx54:rk:4:pf:1

I've spoken with the owner and its sounds like a good genuine one, hes fixed things when they've needed doing.

Spoke with the garage thats done the last two services and they say hes very OCD with his cars.

The Pro's are its a Grey, good options and from the walk around Video he sent me, seems tidy. Has long MOT, recent Insp 2 service and newish Tyres.

The Con's well its at 81k, not the sub 60k I was after, and hes the 7th owner. No evidence of water pump, 108's could do with a refurb.

So my question is, Is this the car with this mileage, owners to be the one to cherish as the long term keeper, and have parked next to the Corrado. (Which I've decided to keep).
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You can look forever , highly unlikely one will come along that fulfills all your wants & i really don't get why folks are so hung up on the waterpump thing as if its a walkaway issue without it being done :? , yea they go but then so do starter motors & clutches .
You will wait a good while i suspect before you see a spec like in the above grey one , with a sub £8k ask with just 81k covered ( your 60k quest would need another £2k/£3k to fund & may be no better in condition or history )
Ok so you might need to spend a few £ on wheel refurb (or fresh wheels ) get it bought & start enjoying it :driving:
 
My water pump just failed :headbang:
101K, so almost a cliché! New pump and thermostat was £300 and will fit myself. Realistically the pump is the equivelant cost to a quality set of rear tyres.

If you like the car, the price is right, it looks like it has been looked after and with no obvious issues, go for it. :thumbsup:
 
I'm feelin ya Mr Wilks, but is a 80k miler, 7 owner car the right car to start a long term life ownership with, as this tends the spec of car people get out there system after 12,18 months then flip. Probably the reason why its got 7 owners now.

Either way I'll go and view it and if drives tight, looks straight and I like the colour then I'm driving back in it.
 
The grey one looks like the one to go for- you are trying to convince yourself to like the black one- not a way to start long term ownership.
 
My 1st Z4C (56 plate) had 3 previous owners when I bought it in 2014.

The 1st was the dealership (it was a pre-reg) the next was apparently a retired gent who stopped using it as he struggled to get in or out of it then the guy I bought it from had just got a dog, so then it didn't work for him either!

My current one (also 56 plate) has had 5 previous keepers, but they just seem to be that sort of car. Mostly a weekend toy, but when house purchases/renovations or kids come along they get sold to release some money or because they aren't suitable.

I wouldn't get too hung up over water pumps - my 1st Z4C needed a new one at just 60K miles and 10 years. I've no idea about my current E86, but it is what it is. :lol:

Last year I bought an E91 325i with the same N52 engine that had full main agent history (including bulb changes and fluid top-ups) that got to 12 years old and 135K miles on the original pump - which then died 6 months after I bought it. :lol:

If it's had one that's great, but if it hasn't just budget for one. But don't buy it from BMW as they charge over £500 for them. :o You can get the same Pierburg pump for less than £300 in various places.

So it looks like the N52 engine can do serious mileages as my E91 325i is now on 138K, and my E86 will have 90K the next time I use it.

Good luck. :thumbsup:
 
7 owners on that grey one :o that's insane. I suppose it's the sort of car that people buy an then maybe realise they're either too fat to fit in or have to sell after having kids.

I do like the look of the grey coupe, and I have been looking at it all weekend, but not sure I could get over the fact it's had 7 different owners already.
 
What's the issue with 7 previous owners? So long as it has good history why should that be an issue?

In my first 20 years of car ownership I never kept any of them for more than 2 years - there was always something else I wanted. :lol:
 
Mr Tidy said:
What's the issue with 7 previous owners? So long as it has good history why should that be an issue?

In my first 20 years of car ownership I never kept any of them for more than 2 years - there was always something else I wanted. :lol:
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I think it's a generation thing, as my dad was always of the view that the less owners a car has, the better buy it is, for some reason :lol:
 
I think I'm destined to buy one, just had a guy pull up next to me in a Montego Blue Coupe 5 mins from my house.

Pulled the window and said I might be an owner of one of them tomorrow.
 
QUIKSTER said:
I think I'm destined to buy one, just had a guy pull up next to me in a Montego Blue Coupe 5 mins from my house.

Pulled the window and said I might be an owner of one of them tomorrow.
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Thats a good omen 8) let us know how you get on with the grey one :thumbsup:
 
@Vijay, Nah the owner of the black one never came back to me.

But if I bag this Grey one, it leaves me with funds to give the suspension, bushes a complete overhaul.

Oh and not forgetting the "Water Pump".
 
Well it wasn't my Montego Blue Coupe! :rofl:

I hope all goes well tomorrow. :thumbsup:
 
Needs some tidying up.

Front bumper has been painted in the past, and to my eyes does not match up exactly to the bonnet, so will need redoing.

Drivers bolster is cracking so needs a refurb.

fogs have some condensation in them

headlights look a little dull, looks like its the external plastic coating

Alloys I knew about already.

But first impressions are it drives well, pulled well through the gears up the rev range, handled well, no creaks or groans.
Gearbox felt a lil notchy, when going 2nd to 3rd.
Defo need to enhance the engine acoustics inside the car, maybe Cold Air Intake, the enclosed type. (What are thoughts here).
 
Glad you bought that one, saves me driving to leeds to view it :lol: Looks like a good buy. Hopefully a similar one comes up for sale in the south east :thumbsup:

The headlights probably just need sanding and polishing. I used the 3m kit 5 years ago. It does a wonderful job on the plastic covers. I'll be redoing mine this weekend with the same kit. It's well worth 20 quid.
 
Nice find Quickster.
Yeah I found that gearbox a surprise, takes a bit getting used to. Ive changed the gear knob, and planning to change the gear oil..
What’s the interior like?
 
Most of them suffer from condensation in the fog lights! I drilled a few small holes in the bottom of mine and they've dried out now.

Notchy gearboxes aren't unusual either. :( But mine did improve after a fluid change and with a ZHP gear-knob fitted.

On the acoustics front there are 2 foam inserts in the Sound Generator - most people remove one of them. :thumbsup: You can take them both out, but I'm sure I've read of people who did that putting one back in! But it's a good starting point for a bit more sound, especially as it's free. :lol:
 
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