Should I buy a Z4?

[Confucious]

Hi

I have a 2001 SLK230 at the moment and love it but it will need replacing soon.

I am thinking of getting a later SLK but someone suggested a Z4.

With a budget of £3500 and being cack handed, I want something that will be reliable, cheap to maintain and fun to drive.

What do people suggest?

Thanks

 

[Mr Tidy]

Hi and welcome to the forum.

For that sort of budget you'd probably be looking at a 2.5i Roadster, or possibly a leggy 3.0i (there was also a 2.2i). All three use the same engine, just in different sizes so running costs are pretty much the same.

One difference you'd notice is that the Z4 Roadster is a bit more of a sports car than a cruiser like the SLK, which may or may not suit you. Which is probably why there are far more manual ones than Autos which your SLK probably is.

But one of the unique features of them is a straight 6 engine which gives a nice soundtrack!

I'm sure others will be able to add to that as I've only owned Z4 Coupes. :roll:

 

[Beerman]

£3500 will only buy an older tired car.

Reliability and running costs might not be on your side.

 

[Confucious]

Thank you. SLKs are very reliable, it’s just rust eventually kills them.
Looks like a Z4 might not be for me then.
Enjoy!

 

[Mr Tidy]

The one thing that doesn't seem too big an issue on Z4s is rust. Wings can get a bit crusty but as all 4 are only bolted on they can be changed.

I'm not sure they are all tired ones. This one is has had plenty of maintenance done already:- https://z4-forum.com/forum/viewtopic.php?t=147181

 

[Confucious]

Thank you Mr Tidy (I’m in south east Surrey BTW). There don’t seem to be dates/times on posts in this forum so I can’t see when that was posted, but that does look quite nice. What do I have to look out for if I do decide to buy one?

 

[enuff_zed]

I disagree. If you can find a seller who understands the current market and isn’t a dreamer then £3500 should get you a decent 3.0i with good to average mileage.

 

[Pondrew]

I disagree. If you can find a seller who understands the current market and isn’t a dreamer then £3500 should get you a decent 3.0i with good to average mileage.

Agreed. There was a 2.5 E85 sold last year on the forum which was pretty much immaculate, pampered car with decent miles. I think it sold for around £3,500.

 

[Pondrew]

There don’t seem to be dates/times on posts in this forum so I can’t see when that was posted,

Look here
https://z4-forum.com/forum/viewtopic.php?t=131753

 

[Mr Tidy]

I think there is somewhere in your profile settings you can change to get the dates, but while the thread was started on 20 May the photos were all added today.

It looks like most of the potential issues have either been dealt with during the 4 years Ratcatcher has owned it, or by the previous owner he bought it from. Otherwise it's just a case of checking things you'd check on any car like paint, wheels, tyres and whether everything works as it should.

 

[enuff_zed]

I think there is somewhere in your profile settings you can change to get the dates, but while the thread was started on 20 May the photos were all added today.

It looks like most of the potential issues have either been dealt with during the 4 years Ratcatcher has owned it, or by the previous owner he bought it from. Otherwise it's just a case of checking things you'd check on any car like paint, wheels, tyres and whether everything works as it should.

I have seen this car during its rebuild and also the engineering environment it was being fettled within.
From that observation I have no hesitation in commending the car to you, well worth a look.

 

[Pondrew]

I am thinking of getting a later SLK but someone suggested a Z4.

Mercs and BMWs are very different animals IMO.

I remember a MB salesman saying something to me 10 years ago when I was considering a BMW 5 series or an E class.
He said (and I'm paraphrasing) "when you get into a BMW it would say "come on let's go. Hurry up. Come on" whereas a Mercedes would say "just one minute, Sir, and I will be with you"".
I think those phrases sum up the difference between Mercs and BMWs quite well. BMWs are made to 'drive', Mercs are made for transportation in relative comfort.
I have owned both and have 3 BMWs now and no Mercs.

 

[Zedebee]

Plenty of decent cars available within your budget. There are plenty of older, tired cars that are priced in dreamland too. You’ll have more to choose from with a 2.5i, than a 3.0i, as the latter tends to command a premium, but the real world performance isn’t that different.

A well looked after car with the usual niggles sorted should be reasonably reliable, just bear in mind these cars are 20 years old now.

 

[Confucious]

There don’t seem to be dates/times on posts in this forum so I can’t see when that was posted,

Thanks, first time up I’ve ever had to turn it on, but sorted now. Most other forums have a like button for posts, I can’t see one here, is that something else I can turn on?

Look here
https://z4-forum.com/forum/viewtopic.php?t=131753

 

[enuff_zed]

https://www.gumtree.com/p/bmw/bmw-z4-se-convertible/1480880750

Xenon lights and a different exhaust by the looks.

Cheap enough to afford to spend a bit on it too.

If only my drive wasn't full!!! :roll:

 

[raymond.harper]

The SLK 170 230 is a rather sweet car. The only problem is the rust and the rather wooly steering. The 171 SLK is much better but the rear subframes can rust, some dealers will fix it free of charge, and the engines are a bit variable on reliability. The Z4 should have no problems with rust, and electric steering is an improvement over the 170 but prone to failure. It will have a much sportier ride, not really a motorway car. Avoid the 4-cylinder engine and 5-speed box. Airbag problems and indeed electronics can be expensive to fix. Do a scan on the car before you buy

 

[enuff_zed]

The SLK 170 230 is a rather sweet car. The only problem is the rust and the rather wooly steering. The 171 SLK is much better but the rear subframes can rust, some dealers will fix it free of charge, and the engines are a bit variable on reliability. The Z4 should have no problems with rust, and electric steering is an improvement over the 170 but prone to failure. It will have a much sportier ride, not really a motorway car. Avoid the 4-cylinder engine and 5-speed box. Airbag problems and indeed electronics can be expensive to fix. Do a scan on the car before you buy

Judicious use of forum expertise can reduce the outlay on issues though.
Electric steering motor is about 2 hours work, £295 for a lifetime warrantied refurbishment and about 4-5 days turn round for the motor.
Airbag modules? I know a man who can supply, fit and code for a fraction of what a garage or dealer would charge (assuming they actually know how to code it!) :wink:
Roof motors? Several people who can relocate and fix on the forum.

2.5i came with a 5-speed box whereas the 3.0i has a 6-speed.

 

[raymond.harper]

Worth remembering that the facelift 2.5 comes with a 6-speed

 

[Abbas]

My first Z4 was a 2.0 facelift. SE? Definitely wasn't a sport. I got it for £3500 with about 60k miles on it and didn't really have any expenditure on it other than it needing new brake lines when I took it for MOT which cost a couple hundred. Was lots of fun and had heated seats etc, was 6-speed if I remember correctly. I couldn't complain at all! Only have good things to say about it. Straight 6 engine is obviously a nicer soundtrack, but might be worth considering a 4 cylinder, if you can get a cleaner one?

Update - had a quick browse on Auto Trader and seems like you can sneak in a facelift 2.5 or a pre-face 3.0! Definitely worth considering. In hindsight I should have probably bought a pre-face 3.0 but I didn't have a clue about Z4's when I bought mine, thought they were all the same :lol:

 

[vmlopes]

Just got rid of a R171 SLK 280 and am in an E85 3.0.

So where to start, the interior of the Merc is a country mile better in everyway, it doesn't even compare, I find the BMW has very tinny and light doors, but maybe that's me and coming from the the Merc. Engine wise and driver engagement there is no compromise that the BMW wins hands down, steering position is spot on for me, I prefer a manual and you will struggle to find similar in the merc. The roof in my merc was just plain annoying when in the closed position forever creaking etc., and trust me I have tried all sort on the seals and adjustments. The 3.0 engine is a peach and really comes alive 4k above, the exhaust note is better IMO than the V6. I just done a 300 odd mile roundtrip in mine and it cost £54 to fill up from brim to full again with premium fuel, not in a million years would the merc have done anywhere near that mpg, and the tax is considerably cheaper. You wont regret getting the Z4, plus the boot space with the roof down wont suddenly reduce by half!!