Potential Z4M Dilemma

[survivalist]

I’ve owned a Z4MC since 2010. It went from being my daily driver to a weekend car.

Although I don’t drive it often, when I do I love the experience. I’ve driven loads of other performance cars, but there’s something I really love about the Z4.

The issue that I gave now is that I’m struggling to find a decent garage for private parking space for the Z4. So it’s likely that my choice is to

1. sell
2. use a car storage facility
3. park it on the street and (potentially) use it more than I currently do.

My main issue with storing it is that I can’t find any facilities that are close enough that I’d actually use the car much.

Part of me thinks I should not ruin its current condition. The other part thinks I should do as many miles as possible before we’re all forced into soulless electric vehicles.

What would you do?

 

[Argyll Andy]

Difficult one to answer for non car reasons, like do you need the money, is it an absolute minter and street parking and more use will kill the value.

My personal view on any car that’s main purpose is fun is to use it as often as possible and get as many smiles amd miles in while we still can

 

[Gwest44]

I've got a Tesla Model 3 and I've owned a Z4MC - I sold the Z4MC because I just couldn’t justify the expense as a 2nd occasional car. .

The Tesla is great for the majority of driving I do for work and with the family but I do like to get out on my own for a blast every now and again - for that I now have a 2.2 E85 which is great and doesn't cost me half as much as the ///M did.

In short if you can keep the ///M and enjoy it do so - you'll certainly miss it when it's gone.

 

[Smartbear]

Have you tried asking about garage space on here, whereabouts do you live? :?
Rob

 

[survivalist]

Difficult one to answer for non car reasons, like do you need the money, is it an absolute minter and street parking and more use will kill the value.

My personal view on any car that’s main purpose is fun is to use it as often as possible and get as many smiles amd miles in while we still can

Everyone's definition of mint is different. It's low mileage (30k) and probably been serviced more than is technically necessary. That said, it's spend half of it's time living outside, so not a complete garage queen.

IMHO money is an odd discussion with a Z4M - the difference in prices between the best and worst examples isn't significant, although I expect it to grow at some point.

Running costs aren't currently an issue, which is why I'm leaning towards keeping it.

 

[Mr Tidy]

It's a tough one.

If you can't find storage near enough that would mean you'd hardly use it I think that option is probably ruled out.

As others have said cost is a factor as a little used M isn't cheap to keep - as I'm finding out!

I knew mine would have to live outdoors, but at least it is in an allocated parking space. I'm not sure I'd want to keep it in the street though, but I haven't had it 2 years yet so I'm still a bit precious about it. I'm sure quite a few will have been kept on the street over the years, but only you know if that's a risk you'd be willing to take.

But as you say maybe we should be enjoying cars like this while we still can!

Good luck whatever you decide to do.

 

[sw4nny]

Keep it,drive it more often.as you say the experience you get whilst out in it is good.so just feel good on a regular basis

 

[Mr Tidy]

Everyone's definition of mint is different. It's low mileage (30k) and probably been serviced more than is technically necessary. That said, it's spend half of it's time living outside, so not a complete garage queen.

IMHO money is an odd discussion with a Z4M - the difference in prices between the best and worst examples isn't significant, although I expect it to grow at some point.

Running costs aren't currently an issue, which is why I'm leaning towards keeping it.

Apologies, I hadn't seen this before I posted.

If money isn't an issue I'd probably take a chance on street parking and keep it - if you did sell you'd struggle to find another with such good history - as in 30K miles and one owner for over 10 years!

 

[buzyg]

Just enjoy it and when it's finally gone, you will always have those miles in your head. :wink: Sat in storage it's doing nothing but costing you money. :thumbsdown:

 

[MichaelK]

Pointless story to tell but a contribution.....

When I lived at my parents until September last year, the last car I had was an immaculate and I mean immaculate e46 m3 which I always kept in their garage. It had always been said over the years that when I move out they can have their garage back, to fill with crap, which it's well on the way to doing now.

House I bought last September had no garage, just residents parking area so I sold my m3 as couldnt bare the thought of it potentially getting knocked etc.

Look at the prices of e46 m3s now. Mine was an individual colour , one of 14 in that colour and I sold it for 10.5k , now already would easily be a 16k car.

So what I'm trying to get at is do all you can to keep your car if it's a mint low miler as one day you'll regret it.

 

[WillP]

Hang in there until a private garage comes up to rent (or beg a mate to use theirs!) - you have a low mileage, ultra rare coloured MC - you would never forgive yourself if you sold it......in the meantime rather than leaving it on the street i'd put into storage knowing (hopefully) it won't be stored for too long. Good luck!

 

[BMWZ4MC]

Mine has gone from daily driver to weekend car to track car over the last 12 years. It's lived on the street in London, then in garages in London, Buckinghamshire and Devon. It's now in a garage in Sydney because I couldn't bring myself to sell it when I emigrated. I say keep it by whatever means necessary

 

[Crawford08]

I think the answer should always be Drive it.

My E46 M3 had well over 200k miles on it when I sold it for only a little less than any of them that weren't insanely low miles and the guy that bought it wrecked it 3 weeks after owning it.

 

[Ed Doe]

Mine has gone from daily driver to weekend car to track car over the last 12 years. It's lived on the street in London, then in garages in London, Buckinghamshire and Devon. It's now in a garage in Sydney because I couldn't bring myself to sell it when I emigrated. I say keep it by whatever means necessary

Absolute hero

I'm hoping to keep mine the same, we want to emigrate to Canada and I'd love to take mine over with me! Wife just rolls her eyes :lol:

 

[Scubaregs]

Absolute hero

I'm hoping to keep mine the same, we want to emigrate to Canada and I'd love to take mine over with me! Wife just rolls her eyes :lol:

Perhaps if you offered to take her too?

 

[Ed Doe]

Absolute hero

I'm hoping to keep mine the same, we want to emigrate to Canada and I'd love to take mine over with me! Wife just rolls her eyes :lol:

Perhaps if you offered to take her too?

I suppose I could :roll:

 

[Anonymous]

Absolute hero

I'm hoping to keep mine the same, we want to emigrate to Canada and I'd love to take mine over with me! Wife just rolls her eyes :lol:

Perhaps if you offered to take her too?

 

[BMWZ4MC]

Mine has gone from daily driver to weekend car to track car over the last 12 years. It's lived on the street in London, then in garages in London, Buckinghamshire and Devon. It's now in a garage in Sydney because I couldn't bring myself to sell it when I emigrated. I say keep it by whatever means necessary

Absolute hero

I'm hoping to keep mine the same, we want to emigrate to Canada and I'd love to take mine over with me! Wife just rolls her eyes :lol:

Can RHD cars be driven on the road in Canada? Shipping a car isn’t hugely expensive, but look into the regulations before you go. I had to register my intent to ship a car under the personal import scheme within six months of arriving or forfeit the opportunity.

Perhaps if you offered to take her too?

Usually spare parts etc can be included inside the car without incurring additional costs. Perhaps you could save the cost of a flight…

 

[survivalist]

Have you tried asking about garage space on here, whereabouts do you live? :?
Rob

I’m in Harpenden in Hertfordshire. He’d a look at a few garages, but they always seem compromised enough that I would use the car even less.

I can decent quality storage, but it’s a good 25 mins away so would definitely use the car less.

 

[Ed Doe]

Can RHD cars be driven on the road in Canada? Shipping a car isn’t hugely expensive, but look into the regulations before you go. I had to register my intent to ship a car under the personal import scheme within six months of arriving or forfeit the opportunity.

Perhaps if you offered to take her too?

Usually spare parts etc can be included inside the car without incurring additional costs. Perhaps you could save the cost of a flight…

You can yes. It's a bit muddy and I need to do a chunk more research on it beforehand, but you have to pass an 'out of province vehicle inspection', as part of which various bits need modifying (headlights etc) to drive on the other side of the road. After this it needs to be registered normal and it's good to go!

A bit of me is still tempted if we do move to take it across on the ferry from the UK to East Coast Newfoundland and drive it the width of Canada to Alberta/BC. As road trips go it'd be quite something I reckon! Heyho, will probably be a few years yet before that happens, but I can daydream :lol: