newbie--sitting on the fence

W

wacjac

Member
hi ,
ive had the 3.0 si coupe for a couple of weeks now.just cant make up my mind whether i like it or not..im sure getting rid of the run-flats will cure the tramlining and road noise issue, but the gearbox is not the best, and i miss the speed of my saab..
on the plus side, it looks quite good and was cheap!! ( 15k for an 07 with 12000 miles).. did you guys take to your cars straight away, or did they grow on you??

joe
 
Welcome to the forum :thumbsup:

liked mine from the off - but guess it depends what you come from?

get the tyres changed to non runflats or a different brand of run flats (such as Michelin PS2 ZP :D ) and reassess?

what colour is it?
 
Hi and welcome Joe!,

I fell in love with my Z before it had even turned up!
Being a smaller, more sports orientated car than your Saab (9-3 Aero I guess?), it's going to be noiser on the road and the gearbox is going to feel much "tighter" and notchier I would suspect.
However, you'll get this on pretty much any sports car you go for (Nissan 350z gearbox is described as "manly", as it's a right fecker to get into first on all but the warmest of days).

From what people have said, changing from RFTs will certainly help with the tramlining. Not done this myself, as I've not experienced it, but people with much more experience say this is the fix... so :)

But bar those little points, I can't really fault my zed so far.


Try finding a smooth backroad and see how the zed holds up against your old Saab.. betcha fall in love then ;)
 
You dont like the gearbox? I presume at 15k it is a manual and if so have you done the CDV mod?

What spec have you got?
 
sk93 said:
Try finding a smooth backroad and see how the zed holds up against your old Saab.. betcha fall in love then ;)
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Got to say ----- trying to find a smooth backroad in the UK could prove to be a little trickey. Though i do agree in principle. :thumbsup:
 
Mafoo said:
sk93 said:
Try finding a smooth backroad and see how the zed holds up against your old Saab.. betcha fall in love then ;)
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Click to expand...

Got to say ----- trying to find a smooth backroad in the UK could prove to be a little trickey. Though i do agree in principle. :thumbsup:
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pah... the "triangle" around my house is almost racetrack smooth... bar one big bump.. lol
 
rudd,
i have a 93 viggen and a later 93ss aero(remapped)..the coupe was to replace the93ss, as i just fancied a change.

sk93
i spent last weekend in the peak district with the coupe. have to agree that it was more fun than the saab, but to be honest not a patch on the girlfriends mx5.

jamiez,
it is a manual,whats the CDV mod???? downshifting to 3rd or 4th is the problem..

dont get me wrong guys, im certainly not slating the z4, its just not what i expected..
 
if it wont stand up to an mx5 there has to be somthing wrong with it :(

Search for CDV mod and a how to guide will come up. you remove your clutch delay valve and it makes for a smoother gear change. notice from 1st to second is often lumpy and juddery.
 
I know what you mean about an MX5 - very very sweet car and for what it is, a perfect package! But, the Z4 is a different proposition and one I prefer!

The clutch and gear change you will get more used to but it's never great! Although driving hard I'm surprised you're having issues coming down through the box?!

Coming from a turbo the six will seem slower, but it is a great engine when you get used to it... have a search for the sound generator mod (on SK93's signature I think) gives it a little more... something!

Although the car runs better on standard tyres I do miss the hard turn in feel from RFTs.

I do hope you learn to like your Z4, it really is a great (if flawed!) car. Coming from a turbo FWD car to a RWD six is, I think, going to take a little acclimatisation, very different way of driving - assuming you don't have experience of this type of car, no offence meant. The extra BHP means you treat it different to the MX5 too.

Stick around here too... great forum and it does help with the love for the car!

By the way, welcome to the forum! Get some pics up or be forever :poke:

Where abouts are you by the way? May be worth meeting up with one or a couple of the guys here and taking them for a run - get a second opinion on the issues you're having.
 
Love at first sight and still is.

Of course a performance saloon like the Saab is always going to feel smoother, easier gearbox and usually easier to drive fast from A to B, but that's not what these are about. My daughters 1.6 Cooper S will give me a run for my money as they are so easy to drive and chuckable, but frankly nowhere near the fun. I also used to drive big Saab's so know just what they're like, indeed once put 50 laps of Silverstone in on a 9000 aero :)

Mostly concerned that you think it's not a patch on the MX5 - I know they are well balanced little roadsters, but what makes it so much better and what were you expecting from a RWD 2 seater?
 
Welcome :thumbsup: sorry you are not enjoying your Z4 never new Saabs were that quick.

Fell in love with mine before i drove her never drove the car till i picked her up from the showroom had someone else do the test drive but the moment i drove out of the showroom i loved it the tramlining is nothing after coming from a lowered Calibra that could be scary.

The nervous reactions from the Z can be scary and other times make me smile but i love the car to bits looks superb and goes well :D the gearbox i cannot comment drive an Auto which is superb especially in Sport Mode :D
 
Rudd_2002 said:
if it wont stand up to an mx5 there has to be somthing wrong with it :(
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cj10jeeper said:
Mostly concerned that you think it's not a patch on the MX5 - I know they are well balanced little roadsters, but what makes it so much better and what were you expecting from a RWD 2 seater?
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Agreed - I've had two MX-5s and my 3.0 Z4 blew them away, it's in a completely different league altogether.

Downshifting to 3rd or 4th shouldn't be an issue at all, seems like something is maybe wrong with the 'box :idunno:
 
gaza,
its not that im not enjoying the z, maybe i just expected more..ive had a few tvr's and a 911, and just not getting much grin factor at the minute. but on the other hand, at least i know it will start each morning !!!
 
ahh. .well there's your issue.
The Z4 isn't in the same class as a 911, but more the Boxster.

Once I nail the promotion at work, a 911c2 is on my shopping list, but the Z4 will be staying... they're just two different classed cars.

I took a boxter s out before the zed and was about to buy it until I saw a zed in the showroom... deal was sealed after 2 minutes of driving it :D

Depending on the TVR, I think the Z4 3.0 is closely matched with the Tuscan 6, except it's likely to start every time you turn the key, and the throttle cable wont snap everytime it gets below 0 degrees.

A T350 is again in a different class (and price bracket), whilst a tamora isn't that much faster considering it has an extra .5 litre and 100bhp more.
A Sagaris is a sweet car, but more up with the 911's than the zed :/
 
wacjac said:
gaza,
its not that im not enjoying the z, maybe i just expected more..ive had a few tvr's and a 911, and just not getting much grin factor at the minute. but on the other hand, at least i know it will start each morning !!!
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Welcome to the forum... :thumbsup:
I've had 2 911's in the past and they are great cars. I'm on my 3rd Z4 and for me they are a lot more fun to drive... :driving:
 
wacjac said:
gaza,
its not that im not enjoying the z, maybe i just expected more..ive had a few tvr's and a 911, and just not getting much grin factor at the minute. but on the other hand, at least i know it will start each morning !!!
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What TVR did you have my mate owned a Griffith 500 what a car loved the starting of the car turn the key and here the fuel pump wine then push the start button and that big ole V8 would kick in awesome car sadly his was written off but he was very impressed with my Z4 first time he went in it.

Still think the Griffith is one of the best looking TVRs ever built
 
wacjac said:
hi ,
ive had the 3.0 si coupe for a couple of weeks now.just cant make up my mind whether i like it or not..im sure getting rid of the run-flats will cure the tramlining and road noise issue, but the gearbox is not the best, and i miss the speed of my saab..
on the plus side, it looks quite good and was cheap!! ( 15k for an 07 with 12000 miles).. did you guys take to your cars straight away, or did they grow on you??

joe
Click to expand...

that sounds remarkably cheap if you ask me - was it a fire sale or something :?
 
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