What to look for; 3.0i / 3.0Si

L

Lyons

Member
Folks, I'm on the look out for a 3.0i or Si and am after some tips and pointers please.

Firstly, was the 3.0i still produced along side the Si, or did the latter replace it? I know the MPG and power figures are better on the Si, but what are the actual mechanical differences?

Are there any things to look out for? Am I right in thinking the rear springs are prone to cracking as per the E46 M3? Did i read somewhere of steering column issues in early models? Does the roof motor/mechanism give any bother?

On the whole, how reliable are the Z4's?

Thanks in advance!
 
3.0i on available in pre facelift, and 3.0si in post facelift.

3.0i = M54
3.0si = N52

completely different engines, M54 pretty much bullet proof, N52 has trouble with Hydraulic Valve Lifters.

Rear spring a common failure, and coil packs on M54, other than that the odd O2 sensor and roof motors (depending on where it's lived and how it's been looked after)
 
srhutch said:
3.0i on available in pre facelift, and 3.0si in post facelift.

3.0i = M54
3.0si = N52

completely different engines, M54 pretty much bullet proof, N52 has trouble with Hydraulic Valve Lifters.

Rear spring a common failure, and coil packs on M54, other than that the odd O2 sensor and roof motors (depending on where it's lived and how it's been looked after)
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Yup, totally agree M54 is almost bullet proof & does what it says on the tin. Depends if u like the retro round lights which I"m a fan of or some of the modern tweaks. Either way, the difference between a 6 & 5.7 sec cars not that much, well certainly not that I noticed it on the blast at a meet round Kent last summer, they're both fab cars inc the Coupe if that rocks yr boat.
 
Not a fan of the Coupe personally.

Does the Roadster suffer from much body flex or is it fairly rigid?

What exactly are hydraulic valve lifters? Are they an expensive fix?

Are there other faults of the N52 or what makes the M54 so much better?
 
Lyons said:
Not a fan of the Coupe personally.

Does the Roadster suffer from much body flex or is it fairly rigid?

What exactly are hydraulic valve lifters? Are they an expensive fix?

Are there other faults of the N52 or what makes the M54 so much better?
Click to expand...

Good choice opting for the roadster. Very little flex as it's purpose built as a roadster. Hydraulic Valve Adjuster issues can be expensive outside of warranty repairs. Worth keeping in mind. If you opt for an N52 make you check the cars history for any warranty repairs....


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk
 
The Hydraulic valve adjuster issue isnt a widespread thing but is certainly something to note when viewing a car. I had a 3.0si for 2 1/2 years with no problems.
 
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