Owned since new…..?

[BuzzardBiker]

Probably covered before but I was wondering who has owned their E85/E86 from new/ex demo etc.

Be interested to hear how the car has changed during its ownership eg how it drives, feels, jobs you didn’t expect to do also if you service the car any different now to how you used to.

I appreciate everyone is different with how they use their car and the environment they use it in.

 

[left98204]

I bought mine from new from what was Rydale, now Sytner, in Cardiff in October 2004, it has now covered 98,000 miles.

I have actually just put it back on the road following 2 years SORN. It is now my daily driver again as of 4th April 2025!

The alloys need a refurb, and the bodywork could do with some tlc, but other than that, it drives beautifully. Yes it squeaks and rattles a little and it feels old compared to modern cars but it is still a real pleasure to drive. The headlights are particularly bad, meaning night time driving is a struggle that I try to avoid. I'm going to have to look at that when the light evenings and mornings come to an end. The seats are a little worn, nothing a good leather cleaner wont fix, but the rest of the interior is in really good condition, the brushed alluminium looks as good as it did the day I bought it.

I have looked after it, and know the car from day one, so over the years, all I have had to do, other than MOTs and tyres are:
* Driver-side window regulator replacement.
* Various replacements of brake discs and pads.
* Replaced broken rear suspension springs.
* Front suspension ball joint replacement.
* Two new batteries
* Cleaned the gunk off the windscreen wiper motor a number of times to fix it from stopping mid sweep.

Things I have done to improve the car:
* Replaced the run flats very early in my ownership to stop the appalling tramlining.
* Bought and fitted a second hand set of staggered 18" 108 split rims.
* Fitted Cruise Control.
* Fitted second hand Heated and Electric MSports seats (Later replacing sensor in passenger seat to get rid of the bypass module).
* Fitted Gaptech remote roof module.
* Purchased a mint black hard top.

The roof motor is still in its original location and I have had no trouble with it (touch wood). I service it locally, and not at the dealer for obvious reasons, and I'm more than happy with how it has always been looked after by various garages.

This was the first car I ever bought new, and I am really attached to it, hence never selling it. Since I bought it, I have also owned at various times a 987 Cayman S, a 991.1 Carrera S, a Cayenne and I've just parted company with my 991.2 911 Targa 4 GTS. Not one of those cars has been able to win my heart like my 2004 6 cylinder 2.2i Z4.

Although mine is an early model, there may well be someone out there who has owned one from new longer than me. Mine is on a 54 plate, are there any owners from new on a 53 or 04 plate?

 

[BuzzardBiker]

I bought mine from new from what was Rydale, now Sytner, in Cardiff in October 2004, it has now covered 98,000 miles.

I have actually just put it back on the road following 2 years SORN. It is now my daily driver again as of 4th April 2025!

The alloys need a refurb, and the bodywork could do with some tlc, but other than that, it drives beautifully. Yes it squeaks and rattles a little and it feels old compared to modern cars but it is still a real pleasure to drive. The headlights are particularly bad, meaning night time driving is a struggle that I try to avoid. I'm going to have to look at that when the light evenings and mornings come to an end. The seats are a little worn, nothing a good leather cleaner wont fix, but the rest of the interior is in really good condition, the brushed alluminium looks as good as it did the day I bought it.

I have looked after it, and know the car from day one, so over the years, all I have had to do, other than MOTs and tyres are:
* Driver-side window regulator replacement.
* Various replacements of brake discs and pads.
* Replaced broken rear suspension springs.
* Front suspension ball joint replacement.
* Two new batteries
* Cleaned the gunk off the windscreen wiper motor a number of times to fix it from stopping mid sweep.

Things I have done to improve the car:
* Replaced the run flats very early in my ownership to stop the appalling tramlining.
* Bought and fitted a second hand set of staggered 18" 108 split rims.
* Fitted Cruise Control.
* Fitted second hand Heated and Electric MSports seats (Later replacing sensor in passenger seat to get rid of the bypass module).
* Fitted Gaptech remote roof module.
* Purchased a mint black hard top.

The roof motor is still in its original location and I have had no trouble with it (touch wood). I service it locally, and not at the dealer for obvious reasons, and I'm more than happy with how it has always been looked after by various garages.

This was the first car I ever bought new, and I am really attached to it, hence never selling it. Since I bought it, I have also owned at various times a 987 Cayman S, a 991.1 Carrera S, a Cayenne and I've just parted company with my 991.2 911 Targa 4 GTS. Not one of those cars has been able to win my heart like my 2004 6 cylinder 2.2i Z4.

Although mine is an early model, there may well be someone out there who has owned one from new longer than me. Mine is on a 54 plate, are there any owners from new on a 53 or 04 plate?

That’s impressive. I certainly understand your attachment to it.

No break downs then?

 

[GreySquirrel]

That’s encouraging to hear! What is it about the 2.2 straight 6 Z4 that you prefer over the Porsches? Mines a 2.2 and I love it! But it sounds like Porsche isn’t the upgrade that it appears! Thoughts from current, future and past Porsche owners welcome. Could save me from a 3rd midlife crisis…

 

[left98204]

The only breakdown was when the front suspension went, and I ran out of petrol once

It's difficult to put into words, some cars just get you and my attachment to this one has never been broken, even by owning a number of unbelievable Porsches, that on paper beat it in every department.

Don't get me wrong, I loved my various Porsches, and still think the 911 is the ultimate daily driver, which is why I have owned two which were exactly that. I would recommend to anyone, if possible, to own a 911 at some point, they are remarkable.

I have never been able to explain to anyone why my Z4 was always my true love when compared to those!

 

[RMB]

I was thinking of starting a thread like this.
Any other original owners of E85 or E86s out there??

 

[pizZ4zz]

My E85 Z4 was bought as a pre-registered car with 111 miles on the clock at the end of May 2009. It was made in June 2008; probably reached the dealer in (say) September; and was registered in mid-December 2008, possibly to ensure that dealer bonuses were paid. I got a big discount off list price (nearly 40%), which was probably down to the combined effects of the financial crash and the fact that E89 cars were already beginning to appear in showrooms (there was one there when I collected my car from Knight’s in Stoke on Trent).

It's covered a bit under 82k miles now. I still treat it essentially as a new car, because it still behaves like one. Even now, it’s covered by the full BMW warranty, which I extended from December 2011 onwards. This gives me a fair bit of peace of mind in terms of breakdown cover and the like.

For example, last summer, even though it was then 16 years old I was confident enough to drive it from Yorkshire down to Provence, and then across to the French Alps to see the Tour de France at Valloire; even venturing over the border to Turin one day (the Fréjus Tunnel under the alps is VERY expensive if you’re thinking of doing the same), and then calling into Paris on the way back (parked the car at Bercy and took the Métro into the centre).

It's been used mainly for high days and holidays, though sometimes also as my main car. Have done LOTS of trips to France and also ventured as far as Austria and Italy. Fuel consumption on the long trips is around 33mpg. I’ve never seen more than 40mpg, but long UK motorway runs usually give 36/37mpg. Very short trips around town give more like 22mpg.

I’ve got a theory that cars do need using regularly for them to behave properly, even if it’s only a couple of thousand miles a year. It’s amazing how many cars you see advertised with very low miles that have had tens of £000s spent getting them back up to scratch for them then to be used a couple of times a year. In truth cars are utility items and many of the more recent models (from the last 25 years or so) can have really good and reliable lifespans if not mollycoddled.

Mine is serviced every two years, always to the recommended schedule and uses one litre of oil in between services, usually at about 8000 miles in. I’ve used the local BMW dealer (Sandal Motors, Wakefield) from time to time but for the last 11 years or so I’ve mostly used Autotechnics in Doncaster who I trust to do things properly.

It’s been garaged for most of the time I’ve had it - so around 80% of its total existence if we assume it was stood outside for the 11 months or so before I picked it up. That might explain why the roof motor is still happily working in its original location.

Servicing, maintenance and repairs have cost just under £600 per year on average, and depreciation will have been about £1000 per year based on what I paid for it, not the £35k list price. Road tax, fuel and insurance are the only things to add to that. Fully comp insurance is just over £200 per year, I think.

Apart from servicing it’s had:

• 2 x front lower suspension bushes
• 2 x rear shock absorbers
• 2 x rear springs
• 2 x replacement glove box lid
• 1 x battery
• 2 x front brake disc c/w pads
• 1 x brake pads all round
• 3 x sets of wipers
• 1 x set of OE front fog lamps
• 1 x set of refurbished MV2 wheels (BM Autosport)
• 1 x fix broken wire in roof mechanism (Zed Shed)
• 1 x repaint front bumper after parking speed scrape.
• 4 x front tyres
• 6 x rear tyres

Under warranty & extended warranty:

• 2 x sets of type 108 wheels
• 1 x central locking fix
• 1 x new horn
• 1 x heated seat squab
• 1 x electronic control unit (regulates hill start assist, etc)

There’s no rust. There are minor marks and scrapes of course, but it still looks like new from two or three paces. Rubberized controls have deteriorated a bit; driver’s seat outer bolster is worn but not excessively; there road rash on the front bumper and the phone has to be programmed into the original Bluetooth set up as the button on the replacement glove box lids has never worked.

I had factory spec cruise control fitted by Autotechnics about 10 years ago; the wheels are non-original but still factory spec of course; and I’m still on run flats! Everything else is ex-factory.

The only things that new doing right now are a kerbed alloy needs sorting and the windscreen washers aren't working properly (there was sediment in the solution, but I realised too late).

The photo below was taken in the Austrian Tyrol in June 2023.

I hope that helps,

Mike

 

[Mr Tidy]

That's a fantastic ownership history Mike.

There can't be many E85s that still have the factory warranty, and getting two sets of 108s out of it was a real bonus.

Long may you keep enjoying it.

 

[pizZ4zz]

Thanks for your kind comments, Mr Tidy.

The windscreen washers have now been sorted. I asked Autotechnics to blow the piping clear with an airline, which did the trick!

Regards, M

 

[Mr Tidy]

That's good news!

I've found a few times the washers stop working because there is a build up of algae on the washer pump filters. Once I've got them clean I only ever use one brand of fluid which seems to prevent any further problem.

 

[DMike]

Interesting thread, thank you OP.

I ordered ours in April 2005, it was build in August and delivered in Finland in October 2005, iirc. The VO was a 3.0i auto with basic sport seats, carver hifi w/o navigation, alarm and cruise control, heated seats, wind deflector plus hardtop. Big engine, modest options.

It has been garaged since new and sorn every winter, with only a couple of months driving on snow and ice. Annual oil service and inspections at the same dealership for the first 10 years and for the past 10 years, once I’ve had my own garage, done everything myself. Retrofitted paddle shifts, M seats, 224s and have tried to keep everything as oem as possible, replacing worn parts (brake parts, wiper blades, mats…) and taking care of every dent and paint chip. Even sourced one of the last oem windscreens in the market, to be used in a decade or two. After annual winter hibernation service and meticulous interior and exterior detailing it still looks rather new to an untrained eye.

The zed has been driven some 1000 to 8000 km per year and has, to date, clocked 95000 km. During this journey it has been reasonably reliable, with one broken roof anterior lock bowden cable, one transmission position switch, two broken third brake lights, two or three batteries, front trailing arm bushings, and VANOS refurb. I relocated the roof motor early and in mint condition. Still on original springs and shocks, while mot measurements indicate that they’re still ok. Some tramlining at high speeds since new, but otherwise it has been a fun and agile drive.

This zed has a history. I ordered it at difficult times when my wife’s health plummeted, she couldn’t properly walk or air travel anymore, and the future looked quite grim altogether. With a devil-may-care attitude we made roadtrips to the Arctic for whalewatching and blasted dubious and loud rock n’ roll navigating B-roads in Europe. Turned out she survived and is still going strong. After this journey we have no intention sell the zed — in the contrary, it will probably some day, hopefully in a very distant future, again be a getaway car. For escaping a nursing home!

Some shots from my zed’s journey:

 

[Neens76]

Loving this thread. DMike, what a great story of ownership so far.

 

[BuzzardBiker]

Great for you guys to take the time to share your story with us. Thank you.
Really interesting read.
We all have different twists and turns in life and although the car is essentially metal and plastic etc it’s still a significant part of our memories and the shared journeys we undertake.
May your cars continue to provide joy and new adventures.

More owners welcome to add to the thread.

 

[Mr Tidy]

Wow, that's another great ownership history DMike.

The amount of TLC you have lavished on your car means it will probably last forever!

 

[BMWZ4MC]

As others have said, this is a great thread.
I’ve not owned mine from new, but I have owned it for 16 years from just over 2 years old. In that time, I’ve taken it from 25k through to almost 100k miles.
It was my only car for a few years before becoming a second car to various daily drivers including a 3-series, an S2000, an RS4 and now an Exige.
It was mostly a track car for a period but it has also been in storage on several occasions, including all of 2013 and 2016 and some of 2018. It’s lived in London, Buckinghamshire, and Devon and, in 2018, I shipped it to Sydney.
It’s worn three different number plates and will soon wear a fourth. It’s currently on its fourth set of wheels and I still have all of them.
I owned it when I was young and single and I still own it now I’m married with kids, living on the other side of the world.

 

[RMB]

[ref]BMWZ4MC[/ref], that’s fantastic. You must really love it.

 

[BMWZ4MC]

Yep! We’ve been through a lot together!

 

[Mr Tidy]

Moving it half way around the world is real dedication.