Hi all, I’m looking to buy a 3.0 2009-2012, hopefully not with crazy miles but more based on condition etc. please pm me and thanks in advance
WANTED - I’m looking to buy e89 3.0 2009-12
- Thread starter Tony Norwich
- Start date
Ware, East Hertfordshire
What’s your budget, Tony? The 3L N52s are generally harder to come by, more so in M Sport guise.
Also, is it a manual you’re after?
Also, is it a manual you’re after?
Thanks Matt. Ah well I’m realistic on market values but as ever depends on age, mileage and how we’ll be looked after as some are 7-8 and other ls up to 13 ish so ideally find the best one I can. Thanks Tony
Not sure if that’s your blue one in an earlier post but looks nice
This is my one:
As far as I’m concerned, this is as good as you’ll get on a manual M Sport 30i. Refreshed suspension, new wheels and tyres, new windscreen, fully upgraded sound system with CarPlay, immaculate bodywork, thoroughly maintained and refreshed engine, upgraded brakes and all the usual problematic bits dealt with.
It’s on 143k now but you would never know it. My approach to ownership is to use OEM parts only (on the bits that count) and to fix/upgrade if there’s a hint of something needing doing.
They’re hard to place price wise but if I came to sell mine, I’d be looking for around £10k. It’s probably optimistic to many but it is a car you’d need to do nothing to for quite some time.
Last edited:
Thanks Matt, I’ve sent you a direct message just now. Tony
North West Surrey
I think when they were new the 30i just went under the radar.
If you wanted a Z4 and weren't bothered about performance you bought the base model 23i. If you wanted performance you bought the 35i or 35is and years later found out about HPFP and injector issues, etc.
With the benefit of hindsight we now know the 30i offers more performance than the 23i but with the same running costs and none of the pain of the N54.
N52 engines are great - I'm on my 4th. Much better than weedy M54s.
If you wanted a Z4 and weren't bothered about performance you bought the base model 23i. If you wanted performance you bought the 35i or 35is and years later found out about HPFP and injector issues, etc.
With the benefit of hindsight we now know the 30i offers more performance than the 23i but with the same running costs and none of the pain of the N54.
N52 engines are great - I'm on my 4th. Much better than weedy M54s.
Spot on summary there !I think when they were new the 30i just went under the radar.
If you wanted a Z4 and weren't bothered about performance you bought the base model 23i. If you wanted performance you bought the 35i or 35is and years later found out about HPFP and injector issues, etc.
With the benefit of hindsight we now know the 30i offers more performance than the 23i but with the same running costs and none of the pain of the N54.
N52 engines are great - I'm on my 4th. Much better than weedy M54s.
For what it’s worth, I went out in a 23i recently and I was genuinely shocked at how similar the performance feels to the 30i. I was in the passenger seat, which does make a difference but they feel nice and responsive. Certainly not a lethargic slouch!
I’ve had my 30i n52 for about 18 months now and it just gets better and better. Had to do a 250 mile cross country dash on Tuesday. Auto box in sport, flappy paddles wiggling and rapid progress was made yet a very respectable 36.4 mpg on the computer. Right choice.
Cheers, and sounds a great drive
m4Zlik
When I was looking for my Zet back in 2012-3 I had a chance to drive shortly both 23i and 30i on winding country roads, both in the same afternoon = ie. very fresh and accurate feelings comparison, which (in my case) resulted in unambiguous decision - !only 30i ! (23i is a very feeble alternative....). Found it 2013 in Germany (35kkms only), driven ever since (actually closing to 110kkms) and never regretted. And it will stay in my garage for ever, that is more than 100% sure.
Porthcawl
Agreed, and pretty much what i did, you can have plenty of fun in the 2.5L version and really unless your
on track where can you use the extra here, uk roads are a disgrace be it a country lane or dual carriagway
And in Wales where I am its mostly 20mph around here
matsmith749
Active member
I very much disagree - I felt a ton of difference, with the 3.0 being just into the 'acceptable' range for my own tastes.
The 2.5 (2.3) felt very much like 'normal car' territory, wheras the jump up to the 3.0 shifted into the more sporty range as you pushed it. Not crazy fast, but nippy enough to know you had something different to a mondeo.
No tracks involved, just my own thinking - we are all different. The real answer is to try both & see how it meets your own expectations.