Purchasing a Z4- Need advice please

[BenCoe]

Hi guys. I have decided with a lot of thought, i want to go for a Z4. With not a great deal of experience in buying used cars, i was hoping some of you could point me in the right direction. I am looking at an 04 plate 2.5i SE with 96k and full service history tomorrow, for about £4000. I'd like to know if there is anything i should look out for, how often they should be serviced, and anything else that could prove useful seeing as this amount of money is too much for me to lose.

Thanks in advance,

Ben .

 

[MrPT]

Hi Ben. AlanJ's compiled a buying guide that is very handy: http://www.z4-forum.com/forum/viewtopic.php?t=21281

2.5i SE isn't a bad choice by any means, but you could probably find a similar mileage 3.0i for about £500 more, given a little negotiation. The 3.0i's have a lot of kit and considerably more power.

 

[BenCoe]

Thanks for your input MrPT. I would love the 3.0l model, how does the fuel consumption differ between the 2?

 

[MrPT]

Not a lot in it, I believe, because the 3.0i has a lot more torque so you can keep the engine at lower rpm while cruising. Will leave it to someone that has owned one of these models to comment on real-world economy figures.

Sent from my GT-I9100 using Tapatalk

 

[Oakandacorns]

Welcome BenCoe. I had a 2.5 Zed and the power was very good indeed for what I wanted. I test drove a 3.0 too and yes it had some more grunt but I can't comment on it any more as was only one test drive. Good luck in your search and it's great youre keen to fid out more in your second hand car search. The info on this forum and guides written by others, as said above, are great.

 

[swanicyouth]

Something's I would check:

1. Put it up in the air and make sure nothing's bent or leaking.

2. Make sure the top works!

3. Get someone with a paint thickness gauge to measure the depth of the paint to see if its been re-sprayed. Not necessarily a deal breaker , but its nice to know where or if a car has been hit.

4. Check the oil. Make sure its not nasty old. Ideally, you would pull the valve cover and look for sludge - but you say it has maintenance records and most used car places aren't going to let you do that.

5. If it's an auto check the trans fluid. Should be red, clear, and filled to the correct level.

6. Shake down the front end. Look for for front end parts, especially lower control arm bushings. They are a pretty cheap fix though. Not a deal breaker.

7. You don't want to buy any car with any warming light on. SES, ABS, SRS, etc...

8. Check tires are worn somewhat evenly. If they are not, may be a sign something is bent or alignment is bad.

That's what I would start with.

 

[James Junior]

Hi Ben. AlanJ's compiled a buying guide that is very handy: http://www.z4-forum.com/forum/viewtopic.php?t=21281

2.5i SE isn't a bad choice by any means, but you could probably find a similar mileage 3.0i for about £500 more, given a little negotiation. The 3.0i's have a lot of kit and considerably more power.

This!

Fuel consumption difference is negligible anyway.

My 3.0 is ridiculously economical for a 6 cylinder and has worked out cheaper to run than I was expecting.

Also if you find a car that you really like after a good test drive, I would also recommend getting an AA check done for piece of mind unless you are particularly mechanically savvy. I've had a few done on used cars and each time it has identified issues that I would have missed and that have allowed me to negotiate more into the deal, or off the price, than the cost of the inspection.

 

[BenCoe]

Thanks everyone, all your advice has been really helpful. I have been looking for a 3.0l model online but they are all out of my price range, I think i will take a look at this 2.5 model and go from there, I feel a lot more comfortable knowing what to look for now .

 

[BenCoe]

confident*

 

[Talksthetorque]

Give the brakes a good wworkout. A common issue on many BMws that old is sticking calipers, so check for vibrations. A recon caliper will be about £ 200 fitted with a fluid change.

 

[BenCoe]

After travelling an hour i got there to find an immaculate looking z4, until i taken off the oil cap to discover a yellow substance around the cap. Very dissapointed . On the plus side i can now go for the more exciting 3l model and save up a little more money.

 

[mr wilks]

After travelling an hour i got there to find an immaculate looking z4, until i taken off the oil cap to discover a yellow substance around the cap. Very dissapointed . On the plus side i can now go for the more exciting 3l model and save up a little more money.

That in itself is not always a disaster , short journey,s & cold temps can bring the mayo out through condensation & not necessarily head gasket issues .
Did the heater work correctly ? IE not go from hot to cold / Was the coolant as it should be ? Was the exhaust smoky ?
Don,t rule out a possible good Z at a good price without further investigation , indeed use it as a lever to get the price down & then get the oil + filter changed before some spirited driving

 

[BenCoe]

I did think it might not necessarily be anything wrong, i do have a picture of it which ill put on in a second. The owner drove the car because i didn't want to risk driving uninsured and when i asked him to put his foot down he hardly did so.... although he may not of wanted to give off the impression he drives like that, it did somewhat put me off. Unfortunately i didn't check everything you stated, which i now regret seeing as there aren't many z4s in my price range . I have told him i will get back to him tomorrow to investigate the oil cap.

 

[BenCoe]