Should I change my E85 for e89

Ziggythez4

Member
 Sheffield
Hi had my 2.5 2003 e85 for 5 years and joined the forum to find out more about long term ownership, changing oil in diffs and gearboxes, things beyond normal maintenance, ( she’s now done112k) but things you do to keep and older car running.
But a rather nice e89 has come up
Red with beige interior which has caught my eye
If I posted this on the e85 the answers would be keep, so I’ve posted on the e89 have any of you swapped from a 6 cylinder e85 to 4 cylinder e89,, could I live without the burble? How have you found the change ?
Thanks
 
I part exchanged a 6 cyl E85 for a brand new E89 20i 5 years ago, I loved the car and kept it for 3 years but I have to say I really missed that engine sound and exhaust note and didn’t realise how much it added to the pleasure of owning a Zed. When I went to test drive my current 35iS the moment I pushed the starter button I knew I’d be buying that car :wub:
 
I moved from a e85 3.0 which I had owned for 10 yrs to a e89 23i 2.5.The 6cyl in the e89 is a sweet reving motor,the interior is a big step up from a car that designed 18 yrs ago.The appeal of a z4 for me is the 6pot motor.
 
I’ve previously owned an e85 & an e89 with 3litre engines, my present 2litre turbo has a fair amount more torque which makes it a hoot to drive, cheaper running costs are just a bonus, the turbo engine sounds good in its own right :thumbsup:
Rob
 
Also moved from a 3.0 E85 to a 3.0 E89.

You'll always get a different opinion depending on personal circumstances, uses, size, driving patterns etc etc. but for me the E89 is superior in almost every conceivable way, bar the handling (my E85 had M-tec suspension, my E89 does NOT have the M-Sport package which I assume includes firmer suspension?).

The interior alone is enough to make me smile each time I get in the car. E85 looks better from the back though :D
 
You could always try an E86. :lol:

But getting back to your question I've always thought that having a straight 6 engine was one of the Z4s unique features compared to it's rivals at the time.

Red with beige interior sounds good, but a 4 cylinder turbo is going to drive very differently to your E85. Ideally you need to drive one before you decide - if that is possible at the moment.

There probably isn't a wrong answer, it's just about personal preference - after all you'll still have a Z4. :thumbsup:
 
I briefly owned an e86 3.0si but then got an e89 Z4 20i.

I would say the 20i is an all round better car.

Possibly controversial, but just my opinion.

The Straight six e89’s are possibly the best of both.
I am going to look for a nice 35is over the coming years!
Not really interested in the styling of the G29 or many modern BMWs.
 
I appear to have a similar car to you; my dissatisfaction with it is I feel it has to be worked harder than my natural style of driving inclines to. So, I'd be a bit cautious about moving to any model that had worse on-the-road usable performance.
 
Sometimes when manufacturers update their product it may have more gizmo's, more safety features and more emission control but is it a better car? to me the E85 has far more personality than an E89 but we all like different things so your decision.
 
Storini said:
I appear to have a similar car to you; my dissatisfaction with it is I feel it has to be worked harder than my natural style of driving inclines to. So, I'd be a bit cautious about moving to any model that had worse on-the-road usable performance.
Wouldn't call the e89 handling worse, just different, in some ways better i.e more supple, more compliant, less crashy, but not as focused and sharp mainly due to the extra weight..also it can be easily improved further by upgrading :thumbsup:
 
As per the comments above I don't think there is a right or wrong answer and as such ideally you would run both - unfortunately reality and ideals very rarely go hand in hand so let me give you my thoughts.
Similar to you OP I was recently tempted with a good deal on an E89 sDrive 23i and now find myself with a Z3 and the E89. Probably the big difference is that unlike you the E89 is the 6th Zed I've owned since March 2020 when I sold my Z4MC - along the way I've had a 2004 E85 3.0i, a 2006 E85 2.5i a 1999 Z3 M44 and a 1999 Z3 2.8.
Now the Z4MC was everything everyone said it would be and to sum it up every trip out was an event - by that I mean there was at least one point in every journey that I thought the car would be written off. Fun yes but what I was looking for - initially probably yes but as the months progressed no. I still look back with fondness and sometimes still wish I had that car but in reality for me it was a square peg round hole scenario.
When I moved to the 3.0i the drives weren't as eventful but it did sound good and with the automatic box was a lot more sedate. However I could never resolve myself to having a weekend car with an automatic box so I bough the 2.5i manual. Never really took to the 2.5i and as a result ended up buying the M44 just for something totally different.
The M44 was great for what I wanted and the high revving engine coupled with the light body was great fun on the Peak District Country roads. But this time I got fed up having to work it so hard and missed the sound of the straight six.
Enter the pre-facelift Z3 2.8 - the chap I bought it off was in his 80's and admitted to me he had virtually stop driving it because he felt it was to much car for him. He had done very few miles in the 7 years he had owned it so it came to me in lovely original condition. It doesn't feel anything like the E85 and you sit more on top of it than in it but it sounds great and I think the looks are surpassed only by the Z4MC. So much so that I am really struggling to bring myself to part with it and if I had any history with the car I don't think I would.
However, having spent a couple of weeks with the E89 it has grown on me and the 2.5 straight six sounds great and has to be worked just enough to make it fun. The driving position is good and somewhere between sitting on top of the Z3 and down inside the E85. Equally the handling is perfect for me and much more sure footed the the Z3 and less flighty than the E85. Finally I love the versatility the hardtop affords and although not as immediately striking as a coupe it does come a close 2nd with the roof up.
So for me I guess the E89 really is the goldilocks Zed and as much I'd love to keep the Z3 to experience it's occasional rawness with the high revving 2.5 on the 19 inch rims I can still get some of that from the comfort of the E89.
At the end of the day it's all about experiences rather than things and I guess from my perspective it just feels like I can have more of those for less effort in the E89 - with the Z3 or indeed the E85 there would always be more to do to keep the good times rolling but I guess that's the joy of classic motoring.
Anyway whatever you do I'm sure you'll have fun just as soon as they let us get out on the road again. :driving:
 
Ed.Straker said:
Gwest44....very interesting set of reflections and analysis :thumbsup:
And to be honest it was as much for my benefit as the OP's - was hoping writing it down would help me see sense and get the Z3 up for sale.
But I guess that's the problem - decisions regarding cars or should I say these type of cars are very rarely made with the head :rofl:
 
Gwest44 said:
Ed.Straker said:
Gwest44....very interesting set of reflections and analysis :thumbsup:
And to be honest it was as much for my benefit as the OP's - was hoping writing it down would help me see sense and get the Z3 up for sale.
But I guess that's the problem - decisions regarding cars or should I say these type of cars are very rarely made with the head :rofl:

Clearly any decision to buy ‘a toy’ is almost all emotion and little logic...people may use logic to articulate or defend their decisions but these things can turn on a whim..

What I find invaluable is taking council from someone whose decision has been bounded by many points and usually not just simply in a linear faster, better mentality :thumbsup:
 
Owning both an E89 and E85 I can honestly say the E89 is the best all rounder, especially if its going to be your daily transport.
 
I went E85 3.0l Manual to an E89 3.0l Auto then to a 35is - It will be a cold day in hell if make any hint of a reverse journey!
Don' t misunderstand me tho', each of the two previous cars were good - just each of the subsequent cars were better than the previous and the biggest change was the E89 3.0l Auto to the 35is :thumbsup:
 
ronk said:
I went E85 3.0l Manual to an E89 3.0l Auto then to a 35is - It will be a cold day in hell if make any hint of a reverse journey!
Don' t misunderstand me tho', each of the two previous cars were good - just each of the subsequent cars were better than the previous and the biggest change was the E89 3.0l Auto to the 35is :thumbsup:

We have followed a similar path.....i’ve ended up in a G29 M40i.....Zeds are addictive.
 
ori said:
ronk said:
I went E85 3.0l Manual to an E89 3.0l Auto then to a 35is - It will be a cold day in hell if make any hint of a reverse journey!
Don' t misunderstand me tho', each of the two previous cars were good - just each of the subsequent cars were better than the previous and the biggest change was the E89 3.0l Auto to the 35is :thumbsup:

We have followed a similar path.....i’ve ended up in a G29 M40i.....Zeds are addictive.

Please don’t get me going down that path again!!! :rofl:
I talked myself out of it before the lockdown but you already know the score on those decisions it seems!
 
I’ve only had my E89 a few days, but the interior is a massive leap in quality over the E85 ...to the extent that it feels like there should be a model in between the E85 and E89!

If you want a car that ‘feels’ like a classic, then stick with the E85. The E85 feels like a car that was designed nearly 20 years ago, because it was.

My last E85 was a 2006 3.0si with under 30k miles on it at the time I sold it. It still felt tight and solid, and all the switch gear and plastics were unworn.... it felt like a new, old car!

My E89 has done 46k miles, it’s a 2013 20i, and it feels like a new, ‘new’ car comparatively. It also has a lot more torque and a sweeter gear change than any of my E85’s (or my E86), so it’s easier to ‘press on’ in!

Does it sound as good? No, but I can’t see myself going back to an E85 any time soon, the whole ‘original is best’ argument doesn’t hold water for me.
 
Back
Top Bottom