Running Costs
- Thread starter Sollytear
- Start date
Hi and welcome to the Forum. 
Go for the 6 cylinder engine , 2.5, 3,0. Much better imo than the 2.0 (not to say the 2.0 is not enjoyable and reliable), it's what you wallet and insurance can stretch too that may be a deciding factor.
Tyres can make all the difference and the majority get rid of the run flats asap when worn (or before....) to achieve a significant improvement in handling a road feel - a quick search on here will show numerous threads on tyres. Full service history is, for me, an important factor. BMW dealers can be expensive but there are some excellent Indies out there who give excellent service and a stamp from them is as valid as a dealer.
General BMW OEM spares are not cheap but there are dealers who can give you a good deal (Sopers in Lincoln is a good friend of this Forum and will post spares to you).
Certainly take your time in looking and you will get a good one.
Go for the 6 cylinder engine , 2.5, 3,0. Much better imo than the 2.0 (not to say the 2.0 is not enjoyable and reliable), it's what you wallet and insurance can stretch too that may be a deciding factor.
Tyres can make all the difference and the majority get rid of the run flats asap when worn (or before....) to achieve a significant improvement in handling a road feel - a quick search on here will show numerous threads on tyres. Full service history is, for me, an important factor. BMW dealers can be expensive but there are some excellent Indies out there who give excellent service and a stamp from them is as valid as a dealer.
General BMW OEM spares are not cheap but there are dealers who can give you a good deal (Sopers in Lincoln is a good friend of this Forum and will post spares to you).
Certainly take your time in looking and you will get a good one.
Hello and welcome! AlanJ is the daddy of buying advice, so nothing more to add 
Hi,
There's lots of useful experience and advice on this forum - but here's my response to initial ownership. I bought a 2.0l 1996 model Z4, 3 months ago. Was initially seduced by the looks of the car and then was pleased to hear it had a 2 litre engine as this would help running costs, insurance etc.
The car will return more than 40+mpg on a very relaxed long run (the 6 gears help) and on a fairly relaxed cruise, high 30s. Spirited driving can bring it down from this though into the high 20s but this is easily balanced by 'normal' driving.
The insurance costs are reasonable (I have 10+ years no claims). I have had fitted two rear mid range tyres (Falcon 452s) - My car is a sport with 18 inch, wider rear tyres, 255 (fronts 225) which means the tyres are more expensive - £295 for the two fitted. The SE version of the car has 17 inch tyres which are much cheaper (and the SE has a softer ride). Depreciation is a factor you should consider. I now think I paid too much for my car though the cost of Z4s seems to vary so much depending on which version and the service history of the car - it's a niche market.
Be warned though that resale is difficult unless the car is well cared for and most essentially - has a BMW service history.
There's much to learn from this forum and I wish I had known about it before I bought my Z4 - look through the frequently asked questions and the sections on what to look for when buying a Z4.
Essentially there are known faults some of which such as the roof motor can be expensive to fix but the pleasure in owning a Z4 balances out the costs (in my opinion). Mine drives like a thoroughbred sports car and corners fantastically. The service costs can vary - again read through some of the threads on the forum - depends what you intend doing with the car and whether you are looking to resell at the least loss in the future.
I can say that the fantastic looking Z4 is worth the extra costs for me - so much so that I wonder about a 6 pot - and then I put my business head back on - hmmm....we shall see.
There's lots of useful experience and advice on this forum - but here's my response to initial ownership. I bought a 2.0l 1996 model Z4, 3 months ago. Was initially seduced by the looks of the car and then was pleased to hear it had a 2 litre engine as this would help running costs, insurance etc.
The car will return more than 40+mpg on a very relaxed long run (the 6 gears help) and on a fairly relaxed cruise, high 30s. Spirited driving can bring it down from this though into the high 20s but this is easily balanced by 'normal' driving.
The insurance costs are reasonable (I have 10+ years no claims). I have had fitted two rear mid range tyres (Falcon 452s) - My car is a sport with 18 inch, wider rear tyres, 255 (fronts 225) which means the tyres are more expensive - £295 for the two fitted. The SE version of the car has 17 inch tyres which are much cheaper (and the SE has a softer ride). Depreciation is a factor you should consider. I now think I paid too much for my car though the cost of Z4s seems to vary so much depending on which version and the service history of the car - it's a niche market.
Be warned though that resale is difficult unless the car is well cared for and most essentially - has a BMW service history.
There's much to learn from this forum and I wish I had known about it before I bought my Z4 - look through the frequently asked questions and the sections on what to look for when buying a Z4.
Essentially there are known faults some of which such as the roof motor can be expensive to fix but the pleasure in owning a Z4 balances out the costs (in my opinion). Mine drives like a thoroughbred sports car and corners fantastically. The service costs can vary - again read through some of the threads on the forum - depends what you intend doing with the car and whether you are looking to resell at the least loss in the future.
I can say that the fantastic looking Z4 is worth the extra costs for me - so much so that I wonder about a 6 pot - and then I put my business head back on - hmmm....we shall see.
lacroupade
Veteran
Sollytear said:
Don't be swayed by the 'get a bigger engine' argument LOL.
If you want cheapest running costs, a bit less complexity and are more about the ragtop motoring experience than go-kart racing, then the four-pot is a highly acceptable option. 0-60 sub 8 seconds and almost 140mph, plus a genuine 37-38mpg in mixed driving. I've done 42k miles from new and spent out on four tyres, a battery and a £35 software reset in six years.
I have a 2.0 and generally am happy with it, i would have liked a 6 pot but the higher costs put me off. I agree about fuel consumption, in town its crap, on the motorway I have on occasion got 50+ mpg however its usually in the 42mpg area.
Insurance costs were good, cost me £280 for fully comp with protected no claims with admiral.
Had 2 new run flat tyres last month at a cost of £132 each.
Service I had done two months back (oil inspection) which was £230 but this can vary at dealers, the car has a full BMW history and I will keep it that way for selling on.
One thing I would deffo recommend is a BMW Warranty - I paid £366 for mine and its saved me over £2,000 in the past 8 months alone (windscreen wiper motor, vacuum pump, oil leak, exhaust manifold and fuel injector). I bought the warranty mainly to cover me with the roof motor going (which hasnt happened yet touch wood but can be in excess of £1000 to fix).
Generally in terms of looks and running costs I am happy with it. Depends what your budget is and how much performance you want, but i've got 132mph out of mine. As others have said, look for one with a full BMW History.
My next service is an Inspection 2 which I have been told will be around the £350 mark - this is the most expensive service of them all. Generally the servicing is done every 15,000 miles depending on your driving style.
Insurance costs were good, cost me £280 for fully comp with protected no claims with admiral.
Had 2 new run flat tyres last month at a cost of £132 each.
Service I had done two months back (oil inspection) which was £230 but this can vary at dealers, the car has a full BMW history and I will keep it that way for selling on.
One thing I would deffo recommend is a BMW Warranty - I paid £366 for mine and its saved me over £2,000 in the past 8 months alone (windscreen wiper motor, vacuum pump, oil leak, exhaust manifold and fuel injector). I bought the warranty mainly to cover me with the roof motor going (which hasnt happened yet touch wood but can be in excess of £1000 to fix).
Generally in terms of looks and running costs I am happy with it. Depends what your budget is and how much performance you want, but i've got 132mph out of mine. As others have said, look for one with a full BMW History.
My next service is an Inspection 2 which I have been told will be around the £350 mark - this is the most expensive service of them all. Generally the servicing is done every 15,000 miles depending on your driving style.
I am also interested in this, so the more feedback from you guys the better
Thanks for the replies guys.
To give you some more information on myself, I am 24 and have been driving for 5yrs as a named driver, so no NCB here! Ive been saving since 17 for one of these bad boys
Ill have a read of some of buying tips, does anyone have a link handy?
Any more advice is welcome
Thank you,
Joe
To give you some more information on myself, I am 24 and have been driving for 5yrs as a named driver, so no NCB here! Ive been saving since 17 for one of these bad boys
Ill have a read of some of buying tips, does anyone have a link handy?
Any more advice is welcome
Thank you,
Joe
Joe when you say you have been driving 5 years and have no NCB, dont you mean you have 5 years NCB (or have you had a bump?)
Some links:
Buying checklist : http://www.z4-forum.com/forum/viewtopic.php?f=9&t=20887
WhatCar guide : http://www.whatcar.com/car-reviews/used/bmw/z4-open/summary/23762-1/
Parkers in depth guide : http://www.parkers.co.uk/cars/reviews/bmw/z4/roadster-2003/
BMW Mag : http://www.total-bmw-mag.co.uk/features/buyers-guides/628-buying-guide-bmw-z4
Some links:
Buying checklist : http://www.z4-forum.com/forum/viewtopic.php?f=9&t=20887
WhatCar guide : http://www.whatcar.com/car-reviews/used/bmw/z4-open/summary/23762-1/
Parkers in depth guide : http://www.parkers.co.uk/cars/reviews/bmw/z4/roadster-2003/
BMW Mag : http://www.total-bmw-mag.co.uk/features/buyers-guides/628-buying-guide-bmw-z4
I actually think you are being sensible in getting the 2.0. At your age with zero NCB insurance would be crazy on a 3.0 plus, if you don't have much experience with performance cars and rear wheel drive in particular the 3.0 could be a bit scary.... The M is a hooligan.
Yeah I think 2.0 is the sensible option here given the insurance circumstances. Some companies do allow you to have your own NCB if a named second driver - worth checking!
As for using a BMW Dealer to buy the car --- I didnt personally because as you say their cars are a lot more expensive. Basically do your homework, run through the checklist on the site, look for full BMW Service history, then ring the garage and confirm the service history matches their records, check for any other work done, ask to see the HPI check on the vehicle or do your own to see for any accident damage, finance owing etc. There is no reason why you cant pick up a perfectly decent Z4 from outside the BMW AUC program if you do your research. The money you save on not buying one from BMW you could put towards a BMW Extended Warranty and have some petrol money left over
As for using a BMW Dealer to buy the car --- I didnt personally because as you say their cars are a lot more expensive. Basically do your homework, run through the checklist on the site, look for full BMW Service history, then ring the garage and confirm the service history matches their records, check for any other work done, ask to see the HPI check on the vehicle or do your own to see for any accident damage, finance owing etc. There is no reason why you cant pick up a perfectly decent Z4 from outside the BMW AUC program if you do your research. The money you save on not buying one from BMW you could put towards a BMW Extended Warranty and have some petrol money left over
GaryH said:
Oh yes, as I recently found out! (£2500 worth of work done, no problem at all)