What to drive this winter.. 2008 M3 coupe or 2005 3.0i z4?

Sub

Member
I'm trying to decide which car to put away this winter and which car to drive. Either car I purchased I'd get real snow tires for. I am very versed in car control and I like winter driving so the z4 doesnt scare me that way - I drove a s2000 during the winter last season with snows and it was really fun power sliding around (safely and controllably of course). I'm having a hard time deciding this year though.

Plusses:
M3:
-probably better traction control
-much more practical w/baby
-due to weird conditions, I wont need to pay for winter storage ($100+ month) if I use the M3 (but would if I used the z4).

z4:
-less expensive should the worst happen
-dont care about resale value as much (z4 cost me 1/5th what the M3 did)
-more fun?!
-less expensive snow tires
-already have second set of rims for winter tires


I need to buy winter tires soon! Thoughts?
 
Logic tells me to use the M3 during the Winter and save the Z4 for Summer, but frankly they are both as good (and bad) as each other at different tinmes of year.
 
What a decision.
Well as you said, the M3 is worth a lot more than the Z4, so the Z4 could be the winter beater. However, because it`s a Roadster, it`s more of a summer car.
It`s probably cheaper to have a set of winter tyres put on the Z4 than the M3, if cost matters.
And aren`t LSD`s more difficult in snow? Z4 doesn`t have one so......

I dunno but I`m more tempted to say the Z4 than the M3.
How about a few months using each :)
I hate the cold (I`m already getting winter blues!) but I sometimes wish we had a few months of really cold weather here each year with snow, just so we could make the switch to winter tyres and have some fun! Last year I used summer tyres in snow and the Z4 (3.0 Si Coupe) was great once I had it dragged to the nearest road (was living on a farm at the time), but in heavier snow the following day it was suicidal driving the thing!!! With winter tyres it would have been fun
 
For what its worth, having almost aquaplaned myself into oblivion on at least two occasions last winter while 'pressing on' (!) I'm seriously thinking about garaging my baby Dec-Feb this time.... :oops:
 
Drive the M3, it's built for this. Besides, the Z4 sits a lot lower, so unless you plan to supplement you're income using it as a snowplow, leave it home.
 
I'm with the Z4 vs snowplough bit. The front is way too low for winter/snow driving unless you get your roads cleared properly.We don't in the UK and so can have deep snowy ruts to negotiate. Would knacker up the front spoiler in no time. Go with the M3 with smaller wheels and proper winter tyres. :thumbsup:
 
Don't put either away - use them both. Z4 for when the winter sun is out, M3 for when you need a bit more space and want a bit more power... (okay a lot more!).
 
Back
Top Bottom