Potential New Z4m... Advice Please...

J

Jwh90

Member
So, as above, i'm thinking of buying a Z4m,

My daily commute totals 15 miles so MPG isn't a major issue, However i do have some questions that i'd like to ask, as most of my knowledge sits with 1 series Bmw's so i'm a little behind with Z4 bits and pieces.

My thinking is to buy a z4m roadster, around the 12-13k mark - FSH etc.. nothing stupid, and from a dealer, ideally not private. Then i'd like to fit Alloys, exhaust system and other bits and pieces so its a little more raw than the off the shelf car,

Where is the best place to get alloys from? - CSL's - VMR Replicas ( think thats right ) or even something with a dish, not cheap though - no cades or venom! Also, i've seen a fair few people running vredestein tyres, personal preference or price?

Can anyone recommend a exhaust system, i've seen Hessler and Eisenmann videos on youtube, they sound like the sort of thing i'd like, a real raw noise.

Also, Coilovers, im aware that the car is low, even lower than my 123Dm coupe, but i think it could fit the wheels to the arches a little more snug, so again, does anyone have any real outstanding advice on those? you get what you pay for with this stuff, but sometimes there are less costly little gems in the market. For the 123 its the Bilstein B12 kit, half the price of a quality coilover kit and gives 90% the same results.

Thanks for your time,

John :)
 
First off John, welcome to the forum and good choice :thumbsup:

Price wise, £12-13k might not quite be enough for dealer bought car but you never know and winter is a good time to buy a premium roadster. Personally this forum offers you a good chance to see, check history and buy privately from an enthusiast and you may even get lucky with the extras you seek such as wheels and exhaust.

Speaking of wheels, the general consensus is standard M wheels = fine, OEM CSL = next obvious upgrade, VMR = good looking alternative options. Dish style wheel = lots to choose from and IMO comes down to the colour and stance of the car, so if you go any of these routes - as you suggest, you may wish to consider something like Eibach's to drop a few inches.

Tyres: Vreds okay and low price premium tyre. Conti's PS2s or my favourite, Goodyear Eagle F1s - horses for courses really.

Exhausts. Both you mention are good throaty options. Also look at SuperSprint, Hayward & Scott and Diablo cat back systems (all available on Z4's to view via YouTube).

Supersprint
[youtube]AJyfwr2_35k[/youtube]

Diablo
[youtube]bak8OuAn6ks[/youtube]

Hayward & Scott
[youtube]GE2d-K842ko[/youtube]

Am sure you'll receive lots more advice from other forum members here. Good luck with your search and keep us all posted.
 
Vredstein tyres are very well thought of on here, not as good as premium Michelin but much cheaper, a good compromise while still providing excellent grip
 
Jwh90 said:
So, as above, i'm thinking of buying a Z4m,

My daily commute totals 15 miles so MPG isn't a major issue, However i do have some questions that i'd like to ask, as most of my knowledge sits with 1 series Bmw's so i'm a little behind with Z4 bits and pieces.

My thinking is to buy a z4m roadster, around the 12-13k mark - FSH etc.. nothing stupid, and from a dealer, ideally not private. Then i'd like to fit Alloys, exhaust system and other bits and pieces so its a little more raw than the off the shelf car,

Where is the best place to get alloys from? - CSL's - VMR Replicas ( think thats right ) or even something with a dish, not cheap though - no cades or venom! Also, i've seen a fair few people running vredestein tyres, personal preference or price?

Can anyone recommend a exhaust system, i've seen Hessler and Eisenmann videos on youtube, they sound like the sort of thing i'd like, a real raw noise.

Also, Coilovers, im aware that the car is low, even lower than my 123Dm coupe, but i think it could fit the wheels to the arches a little more snug, so again, does anyone have any real outstanding advice on those? you get what you pay for with this stuff, but sometimes there are less costly little gems in the market. For the 123 its the Bilstein B12 kit, half the price of a quality coilover kit and gives 90% the same results.

Thanks for your time,

John :)
Click to expand...

Hi John, I can't help from experience on all the mods you want to carry out as my car is standard and is staying that way - I did want to change the wheels but having lived with the car for the first month or so and seeing the original wheels from various angles decided I actually really liked them. The archives/search will probably hold all the answers to your questions. I personally would buy a better tyre than the vred brand. Your budget maybe a little on the light side to obtain a car from a BMW dealer however it may just get you in a higher mileage, lower spec 06 vintage from a private garage. I bought mine around this time last year. :thumbsup:
 
Buy one and drive it. I think my back cans are standard and the car makes a wonderful sound from the engine and exhausts...
Gar will point you in the direction of csl reps like we have. They are awesome cars :-)...
 
Hi and welcome. As inkey said if you can get a car via the forum you will probably have a lot more history. Nothing stopping you from putting a BMW or other warranty on it either.
 
Thank you all for the advice, i really appreciate it, it gives me a sounding board to bounce ideas off...

The Supersprint & Hayward & Scott sound sweet, i'm not so keen on the diablo system though!

I've seen nothing bud good feedback around Vredesteins, for what you pay, i think the consensus is excellent value for money.

I think that was a type-o by me, i meant i'd like to purchase from a private dealer, not a main BMW dealer, i don't feel BMW main-dealers are always the most helpful people, and that spending sub 20k is a hassle to them! Plus Simon you're right, about the budget, there are comparative cars for 13k to be picked up from private dealerships, with an almost 2 - 2.5k price hike with Bmw themselves!

I've seen a couple of potential cars on Pistonheads and Autotrader, i'm fancying a black paint on a black roof car, not fussed on leather colour, i currently have red leather, and thats fine once you get used to it! - Must have sat-nab (shame theres no i-drive, its fantastic) - Would love one with the big soundsystem upgrade too! And electric seats...

I've got a few things to sort out with work, then my tax to pay at the end of the month, and after that it should fingers crossed be all systems go for the Z4M R.

P.S. - Has anyone had their Z4m Mapped? i've got a fantastic tuning specialist near me, i'm just wondering if its worth it?

Thanks Again,

John :evil:
 
Shouldn't see much gains from a remap but if your tuner offers a money-back guarantee if you're not happy you could try and see if you like it or not.

As for suspension, if you only need some lowering then get a set of lowering springs, MUCH cheaper than a suspension kit and will get your job done. If you still want a kit then i believe the H&R coilover kit is a decent option, cheap and lowers the car but non-adjustable (for stiffness) and is harsher riding than stock suspension. If you want adjustable suspension there are several kits available like the KW V3, Bilstein PSS10 and others.

For wheels I can't really help as i've not bought any aftermarket before. Exhausts are a very personal thing, if possible it's best to actually hear a car with the particular kit installed so you can decide if it's right for you. Videos are not always reliable...

Best of luck! :)
 
Re. wheels I have recently bought a set of Apex EC-7 wheels - very pleased with them. However, they are quite hard to get: I ordered through Baan Velgen in the Netherlands.

Re. exhaust my car had a Supersprint Race system on it when I bought it and I found it far too loud for my taste so have gone back to standard.
 
John

If your anywhere near Wales and want a test drive give me a shout... Mines not for sale but ticks all your boxes and you can see what it rides and sounds like before upgrading...
The top end BMW sound system is as good as bang and O.
 
Thank you all for the advice, really appreciate it.

I could do with another favour please, i've found a couple of cars, one via the forum, one via a dealership...

I'm thinking of purchasing VMR alloys at the same time, but i've also seen these on this car...

http://www.bimmer-mag.com/issues/115/articles/black-and-bold#.Uo5k_BZiMb2

Can anyone tell me what brand they are? I have a feeling they may be VMR, but i cannot see them on their website, so they may be discontinued!

Once again, really appreciate your help!

P.S. MY 123d Bmw is now up for sale on pistonheads, if you know anyone interested... http://www.pistonheads.com/classifieds/used-cars/bmw/1-series/bmw-123d-m-sport-coupe--space-grey-red-leather-sat-nav-and-i-drive-paddles--auto--2010/1879908?isexperiment=true&utm_expid=73689293-28.GwaTIa0tTx6mQ1ehYJDijg.1&utm_referrer=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.pistonheads.com%2Fclassifieds%2Fused-cars%2Fbmw%2F1-series

Cheers. :D :D :D :D
 
Those seem like Apex ARC-8 wheels if I'm not mistaken. Some of the most popular track wheels for BMW's in North America. They're US made, pretty light, godd value for money in their home market and available in many widths and offsets. Personally really like them though they're not as cheap in Europe as they are in the US...
 
I have a H&S Exhaust and it sounds epic..... I opted for a set of BBS 19" CH wheels for my M.

The E46 M3 fitment for most wheels will fit straight onto a Z4M no problem I'm sure mine are 19x8.5 ET35 and 19x10 ET20 which fit perfectly :)

ETA The Michelins on my standard 18" wheels seemed quite a bit better than the Vreds but the Vreds are a very good tyre all the same....
 
ga41 said:
Those seem like Apex ARC-8 wheels if I'm not mistaken. Some of the most popular track wheels for BMW's in North America. They're US made, pretty light, godd value for money in their home market and available in many widths and offsets. Personally really like them though they're not as cheap in Europe as they are in the US...
Click to expand...

Yeah, thats the ones, Thanks for that... I'm trying to get a quote for a set, waiting on a reply on costings!

I've got 4 people wanting to buy the 123D Now, 2 of them are coming this weekend, fingers crossed i can get another car in place before hand and this time next week the deed could be done! :D :D :D

Thanks again!
 
So, i picked my Z4M Roadster up 2 days ago, and im in love with it, although its a huge change from a diesel boost powered 1 series, in terms of the interior, the way the power is released and general road holding, its amazing - really happy with the car!

The car is a 06 plate, with 30300 Miles on the clock, 1 former owner, from new, and 3 services including the 1200 mile service!

Its black sapphire metallic, black interior, with carbon weave dash. The only snag is no Sat-nav unit, but by the summer time, i should hopefully have retro-fitted one :)

It needed a rear coil-spring at its MOT - and nothing more, aside from that, the car needs a cover cap for behind the interior door handle, and a washer fluid bottle cap, again nothing in reality...

I dont have any photos of my own, as i've been at work after getting the car, and im living in the darkness with the time of year, but this is the link to the dealers site with his photos...

http://www.parkwayspecialistcars.co.uk/stocklist/bmw-z4-32-m-roadster/

I can understand why everyone is so attached to their Z4's now! :evil: :evil: :evil: :evil:
 
Congrats mate she looks a good un :thumbsup: , I know the exact feeling I bought mine on a Sunday night then worked 14 straight days before I seen it in daylight lol!

The M's certainly know how to put a smile on your face :D
 
Hi and welcome, you have just got a complete copy of mine on an 06, I've had mine just under 2 weeks and totally love the drive, mine is staying standard, yours looks in lovely condition, roll on the summer to get the roof down so I can here that noise from the rear cheers andy
 
The roofs do go down in the winter as well you know.....an epic way to experience the car come all weathers so try it. Heater cranked up, hat, gloves and heated seats on, roof down and 75miles of head room. :D
 
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