That is one great Z4MC, Mr Flat Out!

[Cheburator]

Had the pleasure of seeing Mr FlatOut's Z4MC repeatedly take a CSL scalp on the way to the Ring on Good Friday! Could not believe it, so I lined up my car against his and eventhough I jumped him a touch by the time we were grabbing 5th, my derriere was being handed to me on a plate too! Nice one...

Maybe I should open my wallet after nearly 4.5yrs of ownership for a few go-faster bits...

 

[playalistic]

Tis certainly well equipped

Bet the ring was busy this weekend?

 

[daz05]

The CSL straight line performance really isn't any faster in my experience.

What power is he running and what bits?

 

[PawnSacrifice]

Lovely car, as good as it goes, it's the noise it makes while doing it that I like

 

[Cheburator]

The CSL straight line performance really isn't any faster in my experience.

What power is he running and what bits?

Standard cars- the CSL is noticeably quicker from 120mph onwards...

No idea what power the Z4MC is running at the moment, but it is fast... I think SuperSprint headers, SuperSprint race cats and middle section, H&S back boxes, Gruppe M and Evolve remap... The CSL is running SuperSprint race cats, Miltek middle section and SuperSprint race back boxes with a DMS remap...

The CSL was beaten in terms of car lengths by the way...

Ring was busy, but the action on track was OK - not too much traffic, but the amount of crashesh and the lengthy closures were a bit annoying. I was there for my Stag do, so I got to drive the Ring for the whole of Saturday in full Superman costume Great fun was had and Flatout got to see how a standard car goes around the Ring too

The Z4MC is not that far behind...

It was interesting watching Matt (the CSL owner) pilot the car around the Ring. He does not hang about at all - but it feels surreal. It is like a watching the operator of a precision machine pressing controls, which respond with a reassuring mechanical "click and clack" and then the car does exactly what it has been told to do. Short of the engine noise it feels like you are in a operating theater. Zero drama and great results.

Contrast this with the Z4MC. Everytime I drive this car, which is totally stock except the Porsche brakes all round, it feels that I am mounting an angry bull from Pamplona, grabbing it by the horns and whispering in its ear - "now go left, please, please... good boy! and now right, please, pretty please on a stick, good. Now in a straight line, no, not left, not right, but in a straight line..." Fundamentally flawed concept of a car, but the first word when de-constructed sums it up very well - Fun (da) mental... 8) and that is why I am still with it...

 

[playalistic]

Contrast this with the Z4MC. Everytime I drive this car, which is totally stock except the Porsche brakes all round, it feels that I am mounting an angry bull from Pamplona, grabbing it by the horns and whispering in its ear - "now go left, please, please... good boy! and now right, please, pretty please on a stick, good. Now in a straight line, no, not left, not right, but in a straight line..." Fundamentally flawed concept of a car, but the first word when de-constructed sums it up very well - Fun (da) mental... 8) and that is why I am still with it...

Love it, my opinion exactly!

I've been heard to mutter quietly "don't kill me, don't kill me, don't kill me" on occasion.

 

[mmm-five]

Definitely agree that the CSL is the car that's easier to go faster(er) in.

It seems to have a suppleness that the Z4M cannot match, and the weight saving, better seats, better sound and SMG box make it feel even better.

Pity that they're now almost twice the price of a similar spec Z4M. I'm kicking myself now for not buying that higher mileage CSL instead of the Z4M for the same money

 

[daz05]

I used to think it was as you said an angry bull in my first few months of ownership it very nearly chewed me up and spat me out a few times. Doesn't feel so bad now but yeah it keeps you on your toes the CSL is a much calmer experience.

In terms of straight line I think noticeably faster is an exageration, but you get good z4ms and bad csls I suppose they are all slightly different.

I've been in a few Z4mcs now, all with genuine CSLs and stangely enough I've noticed that some ride a lot more harshly than others which I find strange. Anyone else noticed this.

 

[ChawenHalo]

Definitely agree that the CSL is the car that's easier to go faster(er) in.

It seems to have a suppleness that the Z4M cannot match, and the weight saving, better seats, better sound and SMG box make it feel even better.

Pity that they're now almost twice the price of a similar spec Z4M. I'm kicking myself now for not buying that higher mileage CSL instead of the Z4M for the same money

In France there €44k! not long ago £25k in GB

For the price of the Z4MC over here I could have a UK CSL. No regret though, its just sooo pretty

 

[mmm-five]

In France there €44k! not long ago £25k in GB

For the price of the Z4MC over here I could have a UK CSL. No regret though, its just sooo pretty

That was more or less the choice I had.

2.5 years ago I was offered a 9,000 mile, fully loaded Z4MC for £26k, or a 45,000 mile 2003 M3 CSL. I took the Z4MC as it looked better and didn't think there was any way it could weigh more than a CSL

I bet an 80k mile CSL is worth more than a 40k mile Z4MC now though.

 

[Beedub]

Really enjoyable thread!!!
Well done flat out!!

 

[markos]

In France there €44k! not long ago £25k in GB

For the price of the Z4MC over here I could have a UK CSL. No regret though, its just sooo pretty

That was more or less the choice I had.

2.5 years ago I was offered a 9,000 mile, fully loaded Z4MC for £26k, or a 45,000 mile 2003 M3 CSL. I took the Z4MC as it looked better and didn't think there was any way it could weigh more than a CSL

I bet an 80k mile CSL is worth more than a 40k mile Z4MC now though.

I've not checked CSL prices lately, but I'm guessing probably a £4k difference in favour of the CSL? Not seen any CSLs at 80k that I can recall, and all M values are very sensitive to mileage...

 

[ga41]

Contrast this with the Z4MC. Everytime I drive this car, which is totally stock except the Porsche brakes all round, it feels that I am mounting an angry bull from Pamplona, grabbing it by the horns and whispering in its ear - "now go left, please, please... good boy! and now right, please, pretty please on a stick, good. Now in a straight line, no, not left, not right, but in a straight line..." Fundamentally flawed concept of a car, but the first word when de-constructed sums it up very well - Fun (da) mental... 8) and that is why I am still with it...

Love it, my opinion exactly!

I've been heard to mutter quietly "don't kill me, don't kill me, don't kill me" on occasion.

Completely agree with both of you! The Z4M is a total laugh!

Good story Cheburator.

 

[flatout]

Had the pleasure of seeing Mr FlatOut's Z4MC repeatedly take a CSL scalp on the way to the Ring on Good Friday! Could not believe it, so I lined up my car against his and eventhough I jumped him a touch by the time we were grabbing 5th, my derriere was being handed to me on a plate too! Nice one...

Maybe I should open my wallet after nearly 4.5yrs of ownership for a few go-faster bits...

That was one of my highlights for the w/e as i'd just picked the car up from Evolve the previous night. I think the remap was the final piece of the puzzle, bringing everything together. Not sure what power the car is running as i wasn't present when Evolve did the remap, although Sal did say that he'd expected more power given the mods on the car and has promised to take it back for round 2 at some point..

This is a new map specifically developed for the Z4M, i think one or two on here had the previous form and Evolve are happy to update with the new version free of charge..

For me keeping up with the tuned E39 M5 was what really surprised me the most, just wish I video'd the whole stint for all you lot here. Oh BTW thanks for the pax laps, still speechless at how you're so quick in stock form at the ring - great driving, defo learnt a thing or two...

I was hoping to do some Vmax tests on the way back home via the de-restricted sections on the autobahn but traffic was abit on the heavy side, maybe one for next time. Still have 10 laps left on my ring card so look forward to the next one later in the summer.

Agree, the CSL's balance and composure is something the Z will never achieve :x ... it doesn't seem to require that much effort to be driven quickly in a clinical manner. With the Z, you'd better be prepared to get stuck in if you want to go fast, the "Bull" analogy above describes it quite well, but that's why we LOVE IT !!!

 

[ChawenHalo]

In France there €44k! not long ago £25k in GB

For the price of the Z4MC over here I could have a UK CSL. No regret though, its just sooo pretty

That was more or less the choice I had.

2.5 years ago I was offered a 9,000 mile, fully loaded Z4MC for £26k, or a 45,000 mile 2003 M3 CSL. I took the Z4MC as it looked better and didn't think there was any way it could weigh more than a CSL

I bet an 80k mile CSL is worth more than a 40k mile Z4MC now though.

I've not checked CSL prices lately, but I'm guessing probably a £4k difference in favour of the CSL? Not seen any CSLs at 80k that I can recall, and all M values are very sensitive to mileage...

True enough. It means a good deal for people like me. I've always picked up "big" cars with higher than normal mileage. I'll take a higher mileage motorway cruiser over a short mileage B road barn stormer/ trackday car anyday. HIgher mileage also means all the little problems tend to have been sorted. These engines are pretty solid too.
MMM5: I just thought that there is no way some paddle shift (now completely out of date) jumped up M3 was going to increase. On the other hand, there's a very special CSL badge, true weight saving (not the ridiculous -100kg from carbon bits that Ferrari and Lamborgini do).

Am glad I stuck to my choice though. If I bang it (not literally of course ) it won't cast me the earth for lightweight pannels and a gearshift is better to improve skills on.

 

[mmm-five]

Am glad I stuck to my choice though. If I bang it (not literally of course ) it won't cast me the earth for lightweight pannels and a gearshift is better to improve skills on.

I know exactly what you mean, but I don't think (expensive) lighter panels on a Z4M will help with it's road handling due to it's shorter wheelbase, and lightening it up will mean you'll need to address the suspension too.

My mate is collecting spares for his, and buys any bargains as they come up, as he doesn't want to pay BMW prices for CF bits.

 

[daz05]

Had the pleasure of seeing Mr FlatOut's Z4MC repeatedly take a CSL scalp on the way to the Ring on Good Friday! Could not believe it, so I lined up my car against his and eventhough I jumped him a touch by the time we were grabbing 5th, my derriere was being handed to me on a plate too! Nice one...

Maybe I should open my wallet after nearly 4.5yrs of ownership for a few go-faster bits...

Agree, the CSL's balance and composure is something the Z will never achieve :x ...

Is this really the case, surely a well set up Zed on coilovers with the equivalent tyres etc would be very close? Stock for stock yeah the CSL is ahead but the Zed isn't that bad.

 

[Beedub]

Had the pleasure of seeing Mr FlatOut's Z4MC repeatedly take a CSL scalp on the way to the Ring on Good Friday! Could not believe it, so I lined up my car against his and eventhough I jumped him a touch by the time we were grabbing 5th, my derriere was being handed to me on a plate too! Nice one...

Maybe I should open my wallet after nearly 4.5yrs of ownership for a few go-faster bits...

Agree, the CSL's balance and composure is something the Z will never achieve :x ...

Is this really the case, surely a well set up Zed on coilovers with the equivalent tyres etc would be very close? Stock for stock yeah the CSL is ahead but the Zed isn't that bad.

I agree, i got to really drive a z4 m with stock suspension, camber set to -2.7 with the use of shim kit combined proper alignment and cup tyres. The car blew me away........ It was fabulous!!!

 

[ChawenHalo]

Am glad I stuck to my choice though. If I bang it (not literally of course ) it won't cast me the earth for lightweight pannels and a gearshift is better to improve skills on.

I know exactly what you mean, but I don't think (expensive) lighter panels on a Z4M will help with it's road handling due to it's shorter wheelbase, and lightening it up will mean you'll need to address the suspension too.

My mate is collecting spares for his, and buys any bargains as they come up, as he doesn't want to pay BMW prices for CF bits.

I meant the CSL has special lightweight panels. The weight compared to the M3 is minus 230 kg or something incredible of the sort.

You're mate is bang on buying spares. I woul'nt have thought of it.

I must admit top fantasizing about lowering the weight of the car but CF is ridiculously expensive and not that effective. My E90 320d had plastic wings, surely you must be able to get the same thing for the Z.

Full new adjustable suspension,brakes and forged wheels are on my list of abitions but I'll have to do a bit of saving first (pay increases are slow in France...) :lol: