mr wilks said:
Full service history as it happens, it's been really, really well looked after under the previous owners!
Z4 3.0 Coupe market watch
- Thread starter mr wilks
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Full service history as it happens, it's been really, really well looked after under the previous owners!
AlphaEchoAlpha said:
I was about to set off from Bristol Monday lunchtime to view this car Monday evening when I got a text to say it had provisionally sold on the Sunday evening. Luckily FalFab's then came on the market at 3pm that afternoon only 15 miles from me an I was able to go and view immediately.
I'd have been kicking myself had I still been near Leicester and missed it.
Funny how everything works out well in the end
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Number5 said:AlphaEchoAlpha said:
I was about to set off from Bristol Monday lunchtime to view this car Monday evening when I got a text to say it had provisionally sold on the Sunday evening. Luckily FalFab's then came on the market at 3pm that afternoon only 15 miles from me an I was able to go and view immediately.
I'd have been kicking myself had I still been near Leicester and missed it.
Funny how everything works out well in the end
I must admit I was kicking myself I was too far away and too slow, that looks fantastic. Still, I'm pleased with mine and came in significantly under budget so I don't feel too guilty dropping a load of money on little extras!
I think it’s value for money.
Top end Si with 265 BHP £9-10k, lower servicing costs and £25 road tax per month
Or an MC with extra 75 BHP and double every other cost. And let’s face it, when can you actually test an MC to its maximum on a UK road without tracking it ?
Top end Si with 265 BHP £9-10k, lower servicing costs and £25 road tax per month
Or an MC with extra 75 BHP and double every other cost. And let’s face it, when can you actually test an MC to its maximum on a UK road without tracking it ?
The demand will always be there for the M Coupe simply because it's an M car. Has BMW ever produced an M car of any model that hasn't turned out to be collectable?
The performance difference between the M and Si Coupe is close enough to be overcome by driver input; certainly on the road and probably on the track too. There is a great old video on YouTube of Jason Plato and Tiff Needed going at it in a Audi TT / Z4C shootout. I would respectfully suggest any Z4MC wielding Forum owner may just struggle keeping the Z4C in their line of sight with either Jason or Tiff at the wheel!! This is an extreme comparison given they're pro's but you get the jist. I ride bikes and do track days and the fastest bikes certainly don't compensate for the limitations of their pilots.
Simple fact is people want the M Coupe simply because it's the ultimate variant and there's nothing wrong with that. But that's not to the detriment of the Z4C in any way.
The performance difference between the M and Si Coupe is close enough to be overcome by driver input; certainly on the road and probably on the track too. There is a great old video on YouTube of Jason Plato and Tiff Needed going at it in a Audi TT / Z4C shootout. I would respectfully suggest any Z4MC wielding Forum owner may just struggle keeping the Z4C in their line of sight with either Jason or Tiff at the wheel!! This is an extreme comparison given they're pro's but you get the jist. I ride bikes and do track days and the fastest bikes certainly don't compensate for the limitations of their pilots.
Simple fact is people want the M Coupe simply because it's the ultimate variant and there's nothing wrong with that. But that's not to the detriment of the Z4C in any way.
I have owned a few S54 M3s, including the CSL, and maybe 8 or 9 N52 engined cars as well over the years.
Couple of things I have noticed. The N52 in the E86 is the best yet imho, it feels like it has more torque down low and just wants to rev and rev.
The S54 is magical when it is on song, however, you do need to wring its neck a bit.
The difference between the E86 3.0si and the M is no where near as big as say the E46 330i and M3. But I think that is a combination of them both being over damped, where the 330i was always a very comfy mile muncher, and the N52 si just working so well in the smaller E86.
I have to say I have been shocked at how well the 3.0si performs.
Couple of things I have noticed. The N52 in the E86 is the best yet imho, it feels like it has more torque down low and just wants to rev and rev.
The S54 is magical when it is on song, however, you do need to wring its neck a bit.
The difference between the E86 3.0si and the M is no where near as big as say the E46 330i and M3. But I think that is a combination of them both being over damped, where the 330i was always a very comfy mile muncher, and the N52 si just working so well in the smaller E86.
I have to say I have been shocked at how well the 3.0si performs.
Thing is how many people actually take them on curcuit. Not many, and again not many would be able to get the best out of either car unless they were a regular track day goer.R60BBA said:
Im not dissing the M in anyway and I'm actually considering buying 1 over the 3.0.
For the road you would probably get more out of the 3.0 than the M, as once you've got to the fun part in the M your well on your way to a few points.
Again as stated above. There is something about having the top of the line in cars. I know this all too well.
:roll:
3.0si is a great car but I would never go back.
Seeing as you’re in the market, the only way to know for yourself is to drive both and develop your own opinion bud.
I get more out of my M than I did from my 3.0si both on the road and on circuit. (Never had any points either 8) ).ColinBR said:
3.0si is a great car but I would never go back.
Seeing as you’re in the market, the only way to know for yourself is to drive both and develop your own opinion bud.
It really does depend what you want from your car.
I love the E46 M3, they are just so usable, yet still feel proper raw for what is, let's be honest, a luxury German coupe.
I actually preferred my SMG E46 M3 to my M3 CSL as an overall package. I flashed the CSL SMG software onto it, which was the one area I felt the regular car needed sorting, and I would have loved the steering rack from the CSL too, but over all I did find the regular M3 just a class package all round.
The problem for me with the E86, either 3.0 or M, is they got the suspension so wrong, more so at the rear, the front is not too bad, but the rear needs more bite and definitely less bounce!
Jump into an E46 M3 and that becomes so, so obvious.
Jump into a M Coupe from the 3.0si and the shortfalls are still there, doesn't matter what engine you have, there are other things that you notice well before you can truly appreciate what the S54 brings to the table, that is not something that can be said about the M3, with that everything is just better.
I love the E46 M3, they are just so usable, yet still feel proper raw for what is, let's be honest, a luxury German coupe.
I actually preferred my SMG E46 M3 to my M3 CSL as an overall package. I flashed the CSL SMG software onto it, which was the one area I felt the regular car needed sorting, and I would have loved the steering rack from the CSL too, but over all I did find the regular M3 just a class package all round.
The problem for me with the E86, either 3.0 or M, is they got the suspension so wrong, more so at the rear, the front is not too bad, but the rear needs more bite and definitely less bounce!
Jump into an E46 M3 and that becomes so, so obvious.
Jump into a M Coupe from the 3.0si and the shortfalls are still there, doesn't matter what engine you have, there are other things that you notice well before you can truly appreciate what the S54 brings to the table, that is not something that can be said about the M3, with that everything is just better.
Interesting review there mate.gIzzE said:
Agreed on the rear of the E86 being slightly skittish but didn’t actually notice it until I got to Pflanzgarten on the Nurburgring.
Could always be sorted with a set of KWs though.
Also agree on your CSL vs regular M3 comments too.
Some interesting observations there.
After over 5 years of 3.0Si Coupes I got an M Coupe last December - and I've no experience of any M3s so my observations only relate to E86s.
To be fair the 3.0Si doesn't take much longer to get to points speeds either, seeing as 3rd gear will get you to 90ish!
But a 3 litre Sport on run-flats doesn't ride as well as an M on standard suspension, and the HPAS on the M feels much better than the EPAS on the 3 litre. Plus in the cold and damp you can feel the LSD working on the M, which the 3 litre doesn't have. The S54 engine in the M just makes it feel like a special occasion every time you fire it up, and the sound-track is fantastic (mine is better than standard as it has Powerflow back -boxes).
So my conclusion is that a 3.0Si is a bargain in terms of what you get for what you pay, but if you can afford it and want the ultimate then an M offers just that little bit more. And now I'm getting on I just wanted to experience one while I can still get in and out of a Z4. :lol:
After over 5 years of 3.0Si Coupes I got an M Coupe last December - and I've no experience of any M3s so my observations only relate to E86s.
To be fair the 3.0Si doesn't take much longer to get to points speeds either, seeing as 3rd gear will get you to 90ish!
But a 3 litre Sport on run-flats doesn't ride as well as an M on standard suspension, and the HPAS on the M feels much better than the EPAS on the 3 litre. Plus in the cold and damp you can feel the LSD working on the M, which the 3 litre doesn't have. The S54 engine in the M just makes it feel like a special occasion every time you fire it up, and the sound-track is fantastic (mine is better than standard as it has Powerflow back -boxes).
So my conclusion is that a 3.0Si is a bargain in terms of what you get for what you pay, but if you can afford it and want the ultimate then an M offers just that little bit more. And now I'm getting on I just wanted to experience one while I can still get in and out of a Z4. :lol:
I'm genuinely shocked that BMW allowed the Z to go out of the factory on run flats full stop, the ride is shocking.
The car should have left the factory on a more progressive spring with 5mm more ride height and on a higher profile non run flat tyre imho.
I would imagine springs off the SE with with sport dampers and a higher profile non run flat tyre would probably sort it. This is all the Alpina D3/B3 runs from the parts bin and rides wonderfully compared to anything BMW managed to come up with.
It feels to me like the damper doesn't have quite enough control to go with a spring that is far too high a spring rate for the car.
I agree the M definitely adds a fair bit to the overall package.
The car should have left the factory on a more progressive spring with 5mm more ride height and on a higher profile non run flat tyre imho.
I would imagine springs off the SE with with sport dampers and a higher profile non run flat tyre would probably sort it. This is all the Alpina D3/B3 runs from the parts bin and rides wonderfully compared to anything BMW managed to come up with.
It feels to me like the damper doesn't have quite enough control to go with a spring that is far too high a spring rate for the car.
I agree the M definitely adds a fair bit to the overall package.