What is the next move from a Z4C?

W

Wildfire

Senior member
 Sutton
Thoughts of a second car have prompted me to idly speculate what would be move on from the Z4C, as overall it is actually a very good car. Granted I could do with a bit more creature comforts, and better lights, but as a package and value for money it is excellent.

Solid 0-60, comfortable cruising with great economy (got 42 mpg on the run up north this weekend), still looks great, road tax is a decent band.

My thoughts, for around £30k are:

AMV8 - a cheap performance car with the sound, looks and prestige, but fairly heavy and a bit more of a tourer, less comfortable (early ones), very, very heavy on fuel and tax and expensive to repair if if did go wrong. Whilst you can do a lot of the work yourself, that really hits the resale. Clutches etc. are consumable.

R8 V8 - A great all-round car, but with some potentials to give you some very big costs if something fails, ability to DIY more limited. Clutches etc. are consumable.

Elise - Great looking and amazing handling, quite rare these days, but with fragile body work and compromised comfort and luggage space. Not as light as they used to be.

Cayman - The early ones just don't seem much of an upgrade really. The larger engines are known to have issues and prices jump after that.

911’s – a solid upgrade, but pricey and probably looking at an older car, taking you back to creature comforts etc.

For me, none of the above warrant the extra £23-22k plus giving up the Z4C, which has been a solid car for me for almost 10 years now. I only intended to keep it for 2 years too!

These are just idle thoughts whilst I am at home supporting the family after a recent death in the family and something to distract.
 
M6, ballistic and 30k
https://www.autotrader.co.uk/car-details/202104302015907?make=BMW&model=M6&price-from=500&sort=relevance&include-delivery-option=on&onesearchad=New&onesearchad=Nearly%20New&onesearchad=Used&advertising-location=at_cars&radius=1500&postcode=bd207ew&page=2

If running costs are an issue how about an M2, cheaper tax than our Z4C !
https://www.autotrader.co.uk/car-details/202106244205693?price-from=500&make=BMW&include-delivery-option=on&model=M2&advertising-location=at_cars&sort=relevance&onesearchad=New&onesearchad=Nearly%20New&onesearchad=Used&radius=1500&postcode=bd207ew&price-to=30000&page=1

Will they make you smile like your z4 though
 
It depends how you define upgrade and whether a distinct step up or just a change is important to you. As a similar proposition, I'd look at a Cayman - there's enough choice of engines and trims to make it an upgrade in my opinion. I think that eventually I will own a 911, but it is a different car. If the price was unimportant (or at least not very important) then I might consider changing my coupe for a new Supra. If you are seriously considering it then I suggest you go and try a Cayman S or Cayman GTS of whatever generation you prefer or is in your price range. Probably not currently, though, as prices of used cars are bordering on absurd. Repair bills would deter me from an Aston or the Audi, unless it's a very occasional car.

Sorry about your current circumstances, by the way.
 
Easy, just get a 320D - it's all the car you'll ever need :wink:

It depends what you want out of an 'upgrade'!
  • Faster?
  • More efficient?
  • Newer?
  • More comfortable?

If it's about wanting the same but turned up to 11, then the obvious choice is the Z4MC :P

But I keep looking at M2s, M5s and Toyota Supras.
 
change up the norm from what you already have.

I switched my Z4 for a porsche boxster for three reasons...
1. i've never owned a porsche
2. i've never owned anything mid engined
3. i've never owned a flat 6 engine.

if you were to change, i'd be looking for something new - either a new engine configuration, a new marque or a new chassis configuration. flat 6 porsches are really quite excellent, and different. same with a lotus, maybe an evora would fit the bill? equally, something with a v8 if you havent already had one... though they by definition will be a bigger, more GT oriented car. unless you get a TVR.
 
Interesting, it's more just to distract from the current situation of family crisis.

Yes, I guess it does consider what an upgrade is? Partially I think it is also commentary on how good the Z4 is as a package.

After research Aston / Audi can give you a staggering bill, and a 5 figure repair bill is just too much.

M2 looks interesting though and is a mite more practical. I'd have to say it's nowhere near as good looking as the Z4C. It is a bit "Asbo"??

I do like the M4 though.

Supra - I would if I could, I think they are still in the £40-50k bracket though.

On the Lotus front, I actually didn't mind the Evora and did almost get one, buy the early V6 just didn't have it for me. I had 3 Elises which were great.

V8 - I've a fairly modified TVR Griffith sat behind the Z4C.
 
Get yourself a car that will do everything.

c63 w204 Saloon with a performance pack.

Remove resonator and install xpipe and remap for 530bhp.

Spend another 300 quid and fit apple car play.

If you ever get bored- spend 10k and supercharge for 700 plus bhp (I don't know how you will ever get bored).
 
I think saloons are not really my thing, or at least not Merc's although I do see the appeal of one car that does it all.

But the F-Type V6 is looking affordable and considerably newer than a 06 Aston or Audi.
 
If it's a car for just a few years then make it some thing a bit special. So agree no saloon will do and probably neither will an ///MC, special but too similar to your Z4C. A second car, is it for trips away? If so the Jag has no boot space. If you can find one for the budget then the R8 would be the one for me. :driving: :thumbsup:
 
They do look rather sexy the F-Type.

My worry is that they wouldn't be a step up performance wise over the Coupe. Great car to look good in- where are they in terms of their financial life cycle- would you take a hit keeping one for 2-3 years? (If that matters to you).
 
mgrlane said:
They do look rather sexy the F-Type.

My worry is that they wouldn't be a step up performance wise over the Coupe. Great car to look good in- where are they in terms of their financial life cycle- would you take a hit keeping one for 2-3 years? (If that matters to you).
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Very true, they are mid-depreciation really, although whether that matters or not? Who knows with the world's hatred of petrol.

Performance wise yes, they are a step less than a R8, by a fair bit and the auto's are less than the Z4C. Who knew! I thought they would be faster with 350bhp!

A mate who has an early Aston said "not as quick off the lines as a TVR and probably not as refined as the Z4."

But these days, how fast can you realistically go.

I think the "no saloon" things is more in my head, but I do like a good 2 seater car...
 
I can't really help as I replaced my first Coupe with another then replaced that with an MC! I think I have become addicted to them. :lol:

Just a thought but maybe an E92 M3 Coupe would feel different enough.
 
I did this 2 years ago but obviously different reasons. There’s only really one realistic upgrade in my eyes and that’s the 981.

I went to a 981 GTS & it’s an incredible car! Sound, driving position, steering feel, comforts & gizmos! Problem with a car like that is firstly you have to spend top dollar and get a very good spec, otherwise when you come to sell, you’ll only be selling to dealers who will only give you trade price and you’ll be looking at losing ballpark £10k on what you paid for it. Secondly, depending on your situation, I found myself checking prices once a month so I didn’t lose too much on what I paid. I set a bracket of £10k, that’s what I was willing to lose before I moved it on. Mileage on these is usually very sensitive as well. So you’ll need a second car as your daily. When you spend £35k+ depreciation is too much to ignore. Finally I found myself so being so protective of it! Parking in the furthest corner of supermarket car parks because of idiots slamming doors against adjacent parked cars etc. Not wanting to go into the town centre with it because of the same reason. Etc etc. Think this applies to most cars you’ll spend that kind of money on.

Another factor is the attention these type of cars get. Depends if you want it or not. It’s nice people admiring your car but when it’s constant, I don’t like it. People stopping walking around it, touching it, posing for pictures with it etc etc. All it takes is one jealous/drunk twat to key it or do something else and repair bill won’t be a few quid. Not to mention most people buying these cars will spot a bodywork repair and then be asking questions about why it was done.

I eventually got rid of the 981 while the market was buoyant and I recouped nearly all the money I spent buying it and on the mods. Porsche market 2 months down the line is on fire! If I held out I could’ve got an extra £4-5k.

I moved back to the Z4 but decided on an M this time around. I’d never owned a car as long as I did my Z4C without getting bored of it. As you’ve said it’s just such a great package. Love the shape even though it’s nearly 20 years old. Most importantly it’s done depreciating, in my eyes anyway, as numbers dwindle. Also doesn’t attract no where near as much attention as it’s as old as it is. Only attention it’ll attract is from fellow enthusiasts.

I wasn’t 100% on it when I first started looking because the engine was only .2 of a litre larger & it was the same car for a lot more money. Then I drove it. :fuelfire: I’d read people saying over and over it’s a completely different animal but thought this was exaggerated. It isn’t! That engine is a masterpiece! Needs some preventive maintenance if it hasn’t been done already (mainly a Vanos overhaul, upgraded engine mount bolts & conrod bearings every 80k miles or so) but it’s the first car I’ve owned where I can honestly say I’ll keep this for the next 5-10 years minimum!
 
Actually my experience was pretty much the same as what Mos6689 describes, but without the Porsche diversion!

I had my first Coupe for 2 years but fell out of love a bit after an £800 bill for a new water pump - my Indy bought the new one from BMW for £500. :o

So when someone on here was looking for one I suggested mine might be for sale and he came to view it. I took it out for a drive the next day then he phoned me the next evening to put a deposit on it! As he had come a long way to see it I couldn't bring myself to change my mind as I would have been gutted if that had happened to me,

So a couple of days later I put a deposit on my next one.

Then a few years later there was an MC advertised that was just about in budget so I went to look at that. As it was on SORN I only drove it a couple of miles and while I was trying to make my mind up it sold. :roll:

Anyway a couple of months later another forum member was interested in an MC that was being sold by a dealer a mile from my house, but over 150 miles from his. So I agreed to have a look at the car, especially the service history. The dealer started it up and said he'd see me in a while, and after 10 miles or so I knew I definitely wanted one. :)

Then a few months later I found the one I bought, and haven't looked back.

But the Z4C is such a great car I would still have mine if I hadn't found an MC. Even at current prices they still look like a bargain for what you get.
 
Mr Tidy said:
Actually my experience was pretty much the same as what Mos6689 describes, but without the Porsche diversion!

I had my first Coupe for 2 years but fell out of love a bit after an £800 bill for a new water pump - my Indy bought the new one from BMW for £500. :o

So when someone on here was looking for one I suggested mine might be for sale and he came to view it. I took it out for a drive the next day then he phoned me the next evening to put a deposit on it! As he had come a long way to see it I couldn't bring myself to change my mind as I would have been gutted if that had happened to me,

So a couple of days later I put a deposit on my next one.

Then a few years later there was an MC advertised that was just about in budget so I went to look at that. As it was on SORN I only drove it a couple of miles and while I was trying to make my mind up it sold. :roll:

Anyway a couple of months later another forum member was interested in an MC that was being sold by a dealer a mile from my house, but over 150 miles from his. So I agreed to have a look at the car, especially the service history. The dealer started it up and said he'd see me in a while, and after 10 miles or so I knew I definitely wanted one. :)

Then a few months later I found the one I bought, and haven't looked back.

But the Z4C is such a great car I would still have mine if I hadn't found an MC. Even at current prices they still look like a bargain for what you get.
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Interesting, I would love a Z4MC.

I’ve done most of the work on my Z4C and so far the list has been: new AC systems, starter, water pump, thermostat, wishbones, brakes, and servicing etc.

The last time my mechanic mate drove the car he remarked how well the car drove.

I drove a mate’s Z4 2.0 with less miles and 2 years younger and it was a rattly car!
 
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