The Z4 is less of a drivers car than the Z3......

[Markyboy]

"The Z4 is less of a drivers car than the Z3 and feels slow and cumbersome in comparison. If it were my money I'd buy a Z3 over a Z4 for any day because of this and the fact the Z4 hasn't finished depreciating yet where as a decent Z3 could be a worth while investment if you get the right model and spec. Happy hunting."

Just saw this post over on the pistonheads forum........ Probably best I don't post his id before someone firebombs his house!

 

[sp3ctre]

Lol, I wonder what he drives... Probably a Citroën Saxo in bright pink with massive body kit and huuuge exhaust!

 

[chris]

That does make me laugh. Has he driven both? Obviously not :lol:

 

[bmwangler]

Thats a laugh regarding depreciation. Take a look at the over-inflated prices of decent Z3's (they're all old now too!) - the Z4's are great value in comparison.

Now you can get a Z4 for sensible money just watch the prices of Z3 start to slide! :wink:

 

[BobZ4]

I had a Z3 which was a great little car, but, it is more of a hairdresser motor that the Z4. The rear window was a horrid plastic thing that looked terrible as it got older, you could hardly see through it. Now i have a Z4 the difference is night and day, the Z4 is alot more refined than the Z3. The only thing i dont like in the Z4 is the steering setup, if i could have the traditional steering setup that would make the car perfect.

 

[chris]

I had a Z3 which was a great little car, but, it is more of a hairdresser motor that the Z4. The rear window was a horrid plastic thing that looked terrible as it got older, you could hardly see through it. Now i have a Z4 the difference is night and day, the Z4 is alot more refined than the Z3. The only thing i dont like in the Z4 is the steering setup, if i could have the traditional steering setup that would make the car perfect.

How do you mean? The speed sensitive power steering? If so totally agree!

 

[texasjohn]

Z3 is a lovely looking car.I adore the styling. I've owned three of them. 2 x 3.0i steptronic (Sienna Red and Black) and 1 x Z3M (Imola Red).







They are NOT better to drive than the Z4 I can assure you! The Z4 is leagues ahead dynamically and a well driven 3.0si would keep up with a Z3M on a twisty route.

 

[WLH]

I should move this to the light side...

 

[a11y]

I saw that comment across there too. Aye right.

I've never driven a Z3, but EVERY review I've read of the Z4 has always said it's miles ahead of the Z3 dynamically. I'd rather trust the likes of evo magazine than some random on a car forum.

Also, I've never "got" the styling of the Z3 - not sure what it is but I just don't like it.

 

[sammyz]

I like the Z3, love the retro looks. Always wanted one but I think it's well accepted that the Z4 is a better drivers car. There are some total knobs on Pistonheads but some of the arguments do make you smile

 

[Smokin]

In roadster trim, I like the Z3 better. Coupes, though, are another matter.

With that guy's attitude, you could say an MX-5 is more of a sports car. It IS a sports car, but in a different league than our Z4s.

 

[dfor68]

Me thinks he's a more than a little green, and when can afford a Z4 he'll have one and love it, just as we all do. So why if he loves the Z3 some much why has he joined a Z4 forum?

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=iPZh3M7m-LQ

 

[BobZ4]

I had a Z3 which was a great little car, but, it is more of a hairdresser motor that the Z4. The rear window was a horrid plastic thing that looked terrible as it got older, you could hardly see through it. Now i have a Z4 the difference is night and day, the Z4 is alot more refined than the Z3. The only thing i dont like in the Z4 is the steering setup, if i could have the traditional steering setup that would make the car perfect.

How do you mean? The speed sensitive power steering? If so totally agree!

Yeah pretty much, I don't like the feel of the steering at high speed on the motorway. I use sport mode on the motorway to make the steering less twitchy \ lively.

 

[decio]

I owned a z3 2.8 1998 193kw M Sport and in comparison with my present Zed the z3 is not worth mentioning. Apart the design, richer details, higher & better technology of production, the difference of those two chassis is huge!
What to say to that poor little author of that text? Dear pall you're a jerk, go and get yourself a nice cheep fiat 500!

 

[mcbeee]

I had a Z3 3.0i and loved it, except the hard seats anyway. We pick up a 3.0i Z4 on Tuesday so I can get a comparison. It has an SMG so it won't be perfectly accurate but I'll post it as soon as she lets me drive it .....hehe...

 

[cj_eds]

You can read some s*** on pistonheads though. I go through regular periods of getting sick of the bravado, know-it-all's and keyboard warriors on that forum. Pity cos there's also some fantastic threads and occasionally really comic things written (which if they are get repeated until well past the point when they were still funny...).
There's a thread on their somewhere recently of someone asking what roadster for £25kish. One of the replies was along the lines of "The z4 is a lame excuse of a car" coming from someone you can almost guarantee won't have driven one.

ETA: I thought this site had a swear filter for my potty mouth typing....

 

[Bushido]

Having owned a 2.8 and then a 3.0 Z3, driven a z3m and currently owning a z4mr the differences in handling are as follows:-

You wear a z3 - it is a tiny, nimble go-cart. (Granted the z3 had decent coil-overs, eibach springs and stiffer bushes all round.)

The z4 is more serious - feels much larger and will kill a z3m around a track. (Eibach coils on the z4)

In traffic the z3 is more fun - by far.

You plan how to go around a corner in the z4 - the z3 takes you by the seat of your pants and punts you through it.

The 3 is an instinctive drivers car and the z4 challenges you to master it. Quite different experiences but equally rewarding.

 

[encee]

I`ve also owned both (my Z3 was a 2.2), and there is no disputing that the Z4 IS a better car............ 8)

 

[texasjohn]

Z3 is great value for money now, I saw a 3.0i for sale for £3995 (a sport model with 82k miles) on PH recently.

I would have one over an MX5/MR2.

 

[mcbeee]

Having owned a 2.8 and then a 3.0 Z3, driven a z3m and currently owning a z4mr the differences in handling are as follows:-

You wear a z3 - it is a tiny, nimble go-cart. (Granted the z3 had decent coil-overs, eibach springs and stiffer bushes all round.)

The z4 is more serious - feels much larger and will kill a z3m around a track. (Eibach coils on the z4)

In traffic the z3 is more fun - by far.

You plan how to go around a corner in the z4 - the z3 takes you by the seat of your pants and punts you through it.

The 3 is an instinctive drivers car and the z4 challenges you to master it. Quite different experiences but equally rewarding.

I had a Z3 3.0i (with all the M trappings but the motor ) and have to agree 100%. I always referred to my Z3 as a 225hp skateboard. Huge fun, tiny car. Swapped it for an M3, now seriously considering getting another Z3. so I can have the whole set. (Z3, early Z4 and E89 Z4....call me greedy but they are cool cars to drive )