Viewing a z4

[Hyperion.uk]

Hello people,

Long time lurker first time poster, and the reason for that is I am finally pulling the trigger on owning a car I have coveted for many, many, years.
I am going to look at a 57 plate 3.0si at the weekend and I was hoping owners could give a few important things to check with a z4?
This is the first time in just over 20 years that I will own a private car, I still have my company car, and the z4 will be used at weekends rather than a commuter.
Any advise is highly appreciated.
Hype

 

[raymond.harper]

If you post the car's details on the forum, members can give you better feedback. A check on the MOT reveals how careful the owners have been. Scanning the electronic system with a model-specific scanner is always a good idea if possible. Rear brake pipes can rust, but Z4s generally do not tend to suffer from rust but check the inside of the arches. Look through the service history carefully, water pumps are a bit costly and the cooling system in general has many plastic parts that can fail. Otherwise do the normal car checks you would do on a possible purchase. Check everything works, A/C can be costly to fix. Good luck.

 

[Gebbly]

first time in just over 20 years that I will own a private car

At the risk of telling you things you already know here are some thoughts:

As [ref]raymond.harper[/ref] says, check the MOT. You can get a lot of detail from https://www.gov.uk/check-mot-history. I'm always a bit concerned if something is on the MOT for multiple tests in case someone didnt bother taking care of the car properly.
Take a torch and be sure to get on the floor and look under the car. I went to see one pristine looking car and there was terrible rust on all the exposed metal underneath (chassis, suspension, exhaust). Reach your arm under the car with your phone to take photos of hard to see spots.
Ask them not to drive before you visit so that you can hear what its like on a cold start with the bonnet open.
Get them to take you for a drive as it might show you how they have been driving it and what sort of life it has had.
Use one of the websites that can give you history of the car and check for things like theft and write-offs.
Ask them if you can test drive it if you buy the appropriate 1 day insurance before hand.
Ask if there have been any modifications at all and if so would it come with the original parts so they can be refitted if you want.
Take a note of what tyres have been installed and if they match, size and make/model.
Check under the bonnet and under the car for any sign of oil leaks.
When you get in the car press every button you can find and make sure it works. It feels silly doing it but any decent seller wont mind and its worth finding problems before hand.
Check the carpets in the cabin and boot carefully for any sign of damp in case there have been leaks in the past.

I'm not sure if a 3.0si is the same as the Z4M in this regard but heres some other things I was advised to check when searching for a Z4M
Check the service history for the "Inspection 1", "Inspection 2" and "Oil Service". Ideally these will have been alternating in the service history.
Does the 3.0si have a vanos? If so, see if it has been replaced.

Importantly, dont be scared to walk away. There are always cars coming up on the market so if it doesnt feel right then keep searching.

 

[Hyperion.uk]

Thanks for the replies.
It is being sold on ebay, VN57PYL https://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/296929442494

 

[Z450]

That looks like a nice example with a good spec and a great colour combo. That seller does sell a few Z4s so hopefully a good one

 

[pvr]

It does say "deposit taken" - was that you op?

 

[raymond.harper]

Marked as deposit taken. No feedback as a seller so amber warning signs. Also, he hides the registration so I would avoid him. Keep looking, the right car will turn up.

 

[pvr]

Do they actually still say that: Lady Owner Since 2018 :lol:

 

[Hyperion.uk]

It does say "deposit taken" - was that you op?

Yes it was me, i inquired about a refundable deposit as I have a very long way to travel to view this car.

 

[pvr]

Good luck, you have to travel a long way for these cars. Mine came from York last month, a 5 hours drive :lol:

 

[bigwinn]

I can vouch for the seller

I know Lee very well and he is a good guy- I’ve seen how he and his wife prepare the cars for sale and he doesn’t skimp

Stuart

 

[Zedebee]

Those Bridgestones are the “correct” tyre, but you’ll need to factor in replacing them at the earliest opportunity even if they are brand new. Almost anything else is an improvement.

 

[Gebbly]

Following the breadcrumbs from the ebay profile they have a nice website
http://www.leestatecars.co.uk/index.php

Must have good taste if they use a Z4 as the banner on their site

 

[pvr]

Well, the ebay price is £1k less than the website price

http://www.leestatecars.co.uk/vehicle.php?id=67

 

[Hyperion.uk]

Well, the ebay price is £1k less than the website price

http://www.leestatecars.co.uk/vehicle.php?id=67

That was something I noticed too but when I paid the deposit he gave me the balance which was from the ebay price.

 

[Hyperion.uk]

I can vouch for the seller

I know Lee very well and he is a good guy- I’ve seen how he and his wife prepare the cars for sale and he doesn’t skimp

Stuart

That's really great to know, thanks.

 

[Hyperion.uk]

Good luck, you have to travel a long way for these cars. Mine came from York last month, a 5 hours drive :lol:

I can trump that as I have to travel from the Isle of White all the way up to Chesterfield, going to be a long day

 

[pvr]

I have the same colour combo, although with extended leather, and it is very nice.

Check the drivers seat though as that looks a bit worn from the slightly hidden pics of that chair.

 

[Mr Tidy]

Welcome to the forum and good luck with your viewing.

 

[Rockhopper]

I also know Lee, he ripped me off big time with my first Z4 I bought from him. The airbag light having been removed was just one of the issues I discovered when I took it for it’s MOT. The wrong size tyres all around was another one. Sadly I wasn’t familiar with Z4’s at the time.