Z4 Alternatives

[Wildfire]

As some may know I recently lost my brother and have a fair bit of funeral costs to cover.

On one hand there is sell some stuff, hence my Breitling Superocean being up for sale (to cover immediate expenses) and there is getting more money.

Fortuitously I have been offered a new role with a new company that may give me a fair bit of a pay uplift. Sadly it means leaving a company that is a great work/life balance and run by friends.

Anyhow I digress.

I got the Z4C when I started my last big change and have figured that early next year I may fancy another change. So have started looking around at maybe changing cars.

I’ve looked at the step that most people take, the Cayman and for what I’m going to be using it for (semi-daily driver) it just doesn’t seem like much of an upgrade. Marginally quicker, less economy, less space, more tax and higher running costs?

The GT86 is the same.

A 911 would be a 997 and seems a fairly big step up in costs.

I could go back to Lotus for the pure driving experience, but this would be compromised on non-blasts out and regular driving.

The E89 seems a good plump, but it would have to be a loaded 35is as I hear the 35 is slower than the E85/85.

So, open to the floor.

 

[mr wilks]

You heard the 35 is slower than E85/86 :? Id ignore that advice as its clearly wrong.
As you already pointed out the Z4C Si is a hard act to follow & if you aren't up for additional spend I'd say impossible task , the E89 no matter spec or engine can't compete in many ways but does offer comfort, space & relative rarity.
Worth trying a Cayman out I was close to buying one before the 911 , even the early ones still look fresh on the roads & can be bought from around £9k up

 

[Capa]

E89 35 with a map will be somewhat more performant. Cayman S is a shout, but I won't be buying anything but a Gen 2 one for fear of it blowing up. Caymans to my eyes don't look much compared to an E86 either.

I am half considering an upgrade myself at present and I haven't really found anything, beyond and Elise and a wagon for daily duties.

 

[javis20]

Budget?

 

[Wildfire]

Cheers so far.

Say around the £25k mark. Probably £20k plus what so can get for my Z4C.

 

[buzyg]

Cheers so far.

Say around the £25k mark. Probably £20k plus what so can get for my Z4C.

Perfect budget for a good low mileage ///MC.

 

[mr wilks]

Cheers so far.

Say around the £25k mark. Probably £20k plus what so can get for my Z4C.

Perfect budget for a good low mileage ///MC.

His reasons for ruling out a Cayman should rule that out too

"Marginally quicker, less economy, less space, more tax and higher running costs?"

 

[Mister T]

You could pick up a tidy Aston Martin V8 Vantage 4.3 for that money.

 

[Wildfire]

You could pick up a tidy Aston Martin V8 Vantage 4.3 for that money.

This was on th cards until I looked at the official mpg figures!

At the moment the 997 is looking like a good shout.

Or maybe a deposit down on an M4 or similar.

The only other outside contender was an 140i.... spaces and performance. But it’s not really a sports car.

 

[Mister T]

You could pick up a tidy Aston Martin V8 Vantage 4.3 for that money.

This was on th cards until I looked at the official mpg figures!

At the moment the 997 is looking like a good shout.

Or maybe a deposit down on an M4 or similar.

The only other outside contender was an 140i.... spaces and performance. But it’s not really a sports car.

If you're moving away from sports cars I think I'd take a C63 AMG over either of those BMWs as a daily driver.

Audi TTRS?

 

[Wildfire]

Just had a look at the TTRS, they do look very good. It would be a 2013 (355bhp version). Definitely a contender.

 

[M1k3yC]

FWIW I'm considering moving out of my Z4 Coupe into a Boxster S. I was thinking about a Cayman for a long time, but then realised that it will always be garaged and only used in the dry so why not be able to take the roof down?

I wouldn't bother with an M140i, and I own an M135i. I love my M-lite, but as the fast, practical, relatively sensible car. It's much faster than my Z4 but less satisfying to drive at lower speeds. I can have fun in the Z4 at any speed, not so in the M135i. The other downside to the M-lite is that I can only assume they are getting crashed and nicked because compulsory insurance excesses have gone up quite a lot. You might try an M235i or M240i (or even an M2). From what I've heard, I think even the M-lite 2 is a touch sharper than the 1.

 

[Tyreman]

Is depreciation a factor for you, if so I would discount the Audi and lean toward the Porsche

 

[Wildfire]

FWIW I'm considering moving out of my Z4 Coupe into a Boxster S. I was thinking about a Cayman for a long time, but then realised that it will always be garaged and only used in the dry so why not be able to take the roof down?

I wouldn't bother with an M140i, and I own an M135i. I love my M-lite, but as the fast, practical, relatively sensible car. It's much faster than my Z4 but less satisfying to drive at lower speeds. I can have fun in the Z4 at any speed, not so in the M135i. The other downside to the M-lite is that I can only assume they are getting crashed and nicked because compulsory insurance excesses have gone up quite a lot. You might try an M235i or M240i (or even an M2). From what I've heard, I think even the M-lite 2 is a touch sharper than the 1.

Thanks for the feedback. Interesting about the 1 series.

For the weekend I have my Griffith, although I am considering selling that too. If I did it would give me a bit of a boost for the new car fund. But I’ll have to have a think about that.

 

[Anonymous]

I'm looking at a 981 Boxster for a similar budget but found a handful of F-type around the same price which is tempting to me

 

[MrPT]

Fortuitously I have been offered a new role with a new company that may give me a fair bit of a pay uplift. Sadly it means leaving a company that is a great work/life balance and run by friends.

Not my business to poke this too much, but is this a done deal? Feels like a bigger decision than what car next. Sounds like you have something rare that a lot of people would be quite envious of.

 

[Wildfire]

Not my business to poke this too much, but is this a done deal? Feels like a bigger decision than what car next. Sounds like you have something rare that a lot of people would be quite envious of.

It’s cool. Don’t get me wrong, it’s something I have thought a lot about in the last few months, even before my brother died, we were talking about how to look after my folks. That is one aspect that more money will help a lot with too. So there is that aspect.

But the company I work for is a lifestyle company and not really a company more a group of guys who give their day rates to the company and get a wage. The pluses are life as opposed to work balance and when working a very easy life. Leave etc is generally not counted and there are no appraisals or feedback etc. Only light admin for expenses etc.

The main con is that I take around half what I could make if I was perm and around 40% if I took my day rate. Also there is no real direction to the business. We get contracts individually and that’s the model. It’s a flat structure. 3 directors.

The other downside is that for the last few years a few guys have not really been pulling their weight and others of us have been carrying them with our jobs. No issue for me until recently when the day after the funeral I was told to get back to work or they may not be able to pay me. I had just brought in a decent job and had work lined up. Back to work and a full month chargeable and I have my honeymoon coming. Got a call saying that it will have to be unpaid and that I may only get paid when i work for the near future.

When I called the other guys (who aren’t working) they said they had heard nothing. I was very annoyed to say the least, especially given how the directors had just taken 3 weeks holiday.

It’s company thing, they directors are great guys and friends, however they aren’t really super businessmen and aren’t managers.

I’ve loved working for them and owe them loads, however if I’m only getting paid when I work, I could just take my day rate for myself.

I did object to the non pay and it was rescinded after a day or so. A very stressful day for me.

But I have been offered essentially a similar role, but with the chance to build a team, double the salary and equity in the company. The guy who has offered it to me is a mate, and we’ve worked together before a few times. He’s pretty driven and close to my age and we have similar ambitions; where as the other guys are all a fair bit older and have paid off their mortgages etc.

I see the new role as a chance to build something, where I have a stake and also look after my parents.

I have traded down wages a few times for quality of life and I know money doesn’t solve everything, however it can help a lot.

Getting a new car is potentially a perk for me that is a toy, as opposed to the new kitchen I actually need..

Thanks for the concern though. It has been a hard decision. I am just waiting on the offer to be drafted. It’s going to be really hard to leave where I am.

 

[buzyg]

I'm looking at a 981 Boxster for a similar budget but found a handful of F-type around the same price which is tempting to me

Interested to know the running costs on an F type.

 

[Wildfire]

I'm looking at a 981 Boxster for a similar budget but found a handful of F-type around the same price which is tempting to me

Interested to know the running costs on an F type.

Same here. I like the idea of the V6

 

[MrPT]

Thanks for the concern though. It has been a hard decision. I am just waiting on the offer to be drafted. It’s going to be really hard to leave where I am.

Sounds like you have put a lot of thought into it already. Good to have a clear plan - best of luck with it all!

Back to cars. Some crazy finance deals on fully loaded M4s right now...