Z4 as DD
- Thread starter lucid
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mason storm
Active member
lucid said:
Never had a problem with the seatbelt as the seat is so adjustable, I did have a creaking from my first Z's seat which was a manual one but so far no creaking from the new Z with electric seats (although Im still only on 35,000 miles
Going from first to second is a git sometimes in the manual but as your after an auto that solves that problem. It can be hard to place when going through width restrictors in the UK as its low down and long bonnet restricts visibility I try to avoid width restrictors after curbing a wheel even being ultra careful
lucid now im not trying to talk you into buying a zed but im a car enthusiast, and we all have choices etc, mine where 350z, e46 m3, s2000, 645 convertible, and the 3.0 z4.
so what i may love, some may not, we are all different.
i was looking for the most fun car for 10k, 350z well i looked on autotrader but did not get as far as a test drive, after viewing pics etc the back of the 350z just did not do it for me, e46 m3 i came very close to buying, problem was do i buy the coupe and regret it in the summer or buy the conv which comes with super high insurance and part prices out of this world? that was that out the window,
s2000 2.0? im sure its quick etc but the looks aint up to the z4 and i dont care about vtec, the straight six for smoothness and low end grunt wipes the floor with it.
then i test drive the 645 conv, plenty of low end grunt etc, but you feel to detached from driving it, its a big fat lazy wafter, good for when your about 70yo
viewed a few z4 3.0 that were heaps of scrap as youll see if you go through my posts, started thinking about all sorts of scrap even focus st etc.
then went to view the car i purchased, six speed Manuel 3.0i, 10 minutes behind the wheel i knew i was buying it
, everything felt right, and it made me feel like i was 19 again in my renault 5 gt turbo! no car has done that except the z .
and this is in the winter? in the summer this car is going be amazing.
but good luck with whatever you choose
so what i may love, some may not, we are all different.
i was looking for the most fun car for 10k, 350z well i looked on autotrader but did not get as far as a test drive, after viewing pics etc the back of the 350z just did not do it for me, e46 m3 i came very close to buying, problem was do i buy the coupe and regret it in the summer or buy the conv which comes with super high insurance and part prices out of this world? that was that out the window,
s2000 2.0? im sure its quick etc but the looks aint up to the z4 and i dont care about vtec, the straight six for smoothness and low end grunt wipes the floor with it.
then i test drive the 645 conv, plenty of low end grunt etc, but you feel to detached from driving it, its a big fat lazy wafter, good for when your about 70yo
viewed a few z4 3.0 that were heaps of scrap as youll see if you go through my posts, started thinking about all sorts of scrap even focus st etc.
then went to view the car i purchased, six speed Manuel 3.0i, 10 minutes behind the wheel i knew i was buying it
, everything felt right, and it made me feel like i was 19 again in my renault 5 gt turbo! no car has done that except the z .and this is in the winter? in the summer this car is going be amazing.
but good luck with whatever you choose
I see what you mean. Yeah, i dont know. I really feel like this is the perfect car for me, but i need to test drive it first. The styling, the size, the interior, the engine, literally everything about it i love. I really hope i love driving it as much as i love everything else about it. It's a miata combined with a g35. Elegant and torquey, but small and nimble. Im pretty in love with the coupe, but i might have to settle for a roadster, but i dont think i would mind it, but id rather have a coupe considering where im at its been under 30 degree (f) for like almost 5 months. But still, not to sound stupid, but im a high on life type of person. Good weather really gets to me when it does come around, and i know i would absolutely love having the roadster at those times.coaldust said:lucid now im not trying to talk you into buying a zed but im a car enthusiast, and we all have choices etc, mine where 350z, e46 m3, s2000, 645 convertible, and the 3.0 z4.
so what i may love, some may not, we are all different.
i was looking for the most fun car for 10k, 350z well i looked on autotrader but did not get as far as a test drive, after viewing pics etc the back of the 350z just did not do it for me, e46 m3 i came very close to buying, problem was do i buy the coupe and regret it in the summer or buy the conv which comes with super high insurance and part prices out of this world? that was that out the window,
s2000 2.0? im sure its quick etc but the looks aint up to the z4 and i dont care about vtec, the straight six for smoothness and low end grunt wipes the floor with it.
then i test drive the 645 conv, plenty of low end grunt etc, but you feel to detached from driving it, its a big fat lazy wafter, good for when your about 70yo
viewed a few z4 3.0 that were heaps of scrap as youll see if you go through my posts, started thinking about all sorts of scrap even focus st etc.
then went to view the car i purchased, six speed Manuel 3.0i, 10 minutes behind the wheel i knew i was buying it
and this is in the winter? in the summer this car is going be amazing.
but good luck with whatever you choose
But really, its an eye catching, elegant, quick, smooth bmw and im just in love. If it doesnt snow tonight i will be test driving one tomorrow or monday for sure. Theres a 3.0si coupe near me (going to be painful to see it go when it does, as i cant afford 18 grand) and a 2.5i roadster at another dealership. Ill probably drive the coupe first because its so cold out atm.
Haha yeah i wonder if it has the same effect in the states. I cannot wait to drive one at all, i wish it would stop snowing. Im just sort of depressed that the si's are kind of expensive/rare. I wonder if settling for a 3.0i would be regretful. I dont think i care if i get a coupe or vert, cause the vert has the advantage of open top driving, and the coupe looks better. The vert still looks great, but theres just more to look good when theres more car.Mangozac said:Lucid, just as an aside, I had a mate with me on the weekend and we were driving through town with the top down. He commented how everyone was looking at the car. I told him you get used to it
Ahhh im so pumped... hope im not let down.
lucid said:I see what you mean. Yeah, i dont know. I really feel like this is the perfect car for me, but i need to test drive it first. The styling, the size, the interior, the engine, literally everything about it i love. I really hope i love driving it as much as i love everything else about it. It's a miata combined with a g35. Elegant and torquey, but small and nimble. Im pretty in love with the coupe, but i might have to settle for a roadster, but i dont think i would mind it, but id rather have a coupe considering where im at its been under 30 degree (f) for like almost 5 months. But still, not to sound stupid, but im a high on life type of person. Good weather really gets to me when it does come around, and i know i would absolutely love having the roadster at those times.coaldust said:lucid now im not trying to talk you into buying a zed but im a car enthusiast, and we all have choices etc, mine where 350z, e46 m3, s2000, 645 convertible, and the 3.0 z4.
so what i may love, some may not, we are all different.
i was looking for the most fun car for 10k, 350z well i looked on autotrader but did not get as far as a test drive, after viewing pics etc the back of the 350z just did not do it for me, e46 m3 i came very close to buying, problem was do i buy the coupe and regret it in the summer or buy the conv which comes with super high insurance and part prices out of this world? that was that out the window,
s2000 2.0? im sure its quick etc but the looks aint up to the z4 and i dont care about vtec, the straight six for smoothness and low end grunt wipes the floor with it.
then i test drive the 645 conv, plenty of low end grunt etc, but you feel to detached from driving it, its a big fat lazy wafter, good for when your about 70yo
viewed a few z4 3.0 that were heaps of scrap as youll see if you go through my posts, started thinking about all sorts of scrap even focus st etc.
then went to view the car i purchased, six speed Manuel 3.0i, 10 minutes behind the wheel i knew i was buying it
and this is in the winter? in the summer this car is going be amazing.
but good luck with whatever you choose
But really, its an eye catching, elegant, quick, smooth bmw and im just in love. If it doesnt snow tonight i will be test driving one tomorrow or monday for sure. Theres a 3.0si coupe near me (going to be painful to see it go when it does, as i cant afford 18 grand) and a 2.5i roadster at another dealership. Ill probably drive the coupe first because its so cold out atm.
well ill tell you now the 3.0i is not "settling" its quick enoungh to get some speeding tickets very quickly lol , avoid 2.0 2.2 2.5, as they have similar insurance and petrol usage between the 2.5 and 3.0 is hardly any different and your getting less power and no sound generator, i dont need to say why to avoid the 2.0 its a four pot i mean come on?.
i will agree that the coupe looks better, and i could have purchased a coupe, the sheer reason i got the roadster is because when you are driving on a lovely sunny day, dropping the top is just superb you hear more exhaust sound, your out there in the elements more and it transforms the driving experience, and no matter what any coupe owner says, when its lovely out and they see your roof dropped they will be pissed they are in the coupe, so bear that mind.
and i look forward to you posting when you have found a good one
I appreciate your input. And yeah, ill say that in my current situation ill probably end up purchasing an older 2003-2005 model but with lower miles instead of an 06+ with 100k+ miles. So itll be a roadster. I dont think i mind owning either one. The coupe only looks better because there is more there to look good, but it doesnt have the drop top experience, so either way im fine with it.
The 3.0 is the only model im getting. Not 2.5 and nothing else is sold in the states. The insurance on the 3.0 is only like 80~ dollars more every 6 months. I compared the 350z and the 350z insurance is 300 more than the 3.0 every six months, so that's good.
On thursday it is going to be 46 degrees and sunny and i will be test driving a 2.5, not to buy but just to drive in general. I will hopefully drive a 3.0 sometime soon after, but yeah, thursday will be the day that i actually get to drive one of these and decide if all this i have hype is true.
I really just want an automatic car that i dont need to modify to go fast and that is decent on gas and reliability (doesnt have to be great) and i LOVE bmw's and the styling of this one. I tried a Grand Prix GTP (big two door 4 speed supercharged v6) and it was just a boat. And the speed with that size and the numbness of that car just wasnt fun. Not to mention it ran high 14's and got 15city.. did get 30hwy however. But a supercharged v6 shouldnt be that slow. The whole car felt like an after thought and thats when i got another integra. And hopefully im going to be getting an okay paying job really soon, so when my accident from two years ago drops off my insurance i will be on the look out for the z4, which is a couple months away. Ill let you all know how the test drive goes. Its a 2.5l 2005 auto of course, in black.
The 3.0 is the only model im getting. Not 2.5 and nothing else is sold in the states. The insurance on the 3.0 is only like 80~ dollars more every 6 months. I compared the 350z and the 350z insurance is 300 more than the 3.0 every six months, so that's good.
On thursday it is going to be 46 degrees and sunny and i will be test driving a 2.5, not to buy but just to drive in general. I will hopefully drive a 3.0 sometime soon after, but yeah, thursday will be the day that i actually get to drive one of these and decide if all this i have hype is true.
I really just want an automatic car that i dont need to modify to go fast and that is decent on gas and reliability (doesnt have to be great) and i LOVE bmw's and the styling of this one. I tried a Grand Prix GTP (big two door 4 speed supercharged v6) and it was just a boat. And the speed with that size and the numbness of that car just wasnt fun. Not to mention it ran high 14's and got 15city.. did get 30hwy however. But a supercharged v6 shouldnt be that slow. The whole car felt like an after thought and thats when i got another integra. And hopefully im going to be getting an okay paying job really soon, so when my accident from two years ago drops off my insurance i will be on the look out for the z4, which is a couple months away. Ill let you all know how the test drive goes. Its a 2.5l 2005 auto of course, in black.
Lucid
I got my 3.0i almost a year ago and use it as my daily driver here in Denver Colorado. It is my sanity safety blanket after a hard day at work. My breakpoint is 55 deg C and not actively snowing to put the roof down (rarely rains in Denver
). No matter how bad the day, the 1/2 hr-45 min drive with the roof down has me smiling when I get home to the missus. It's not the most practice car to have but has room for two overnight bags or a grocery run
I kept my 14 yr old pickup for home repair hauling and taking the dogs to the park. Plus whenever we have more than a few inches of snow on the road. But the main reason for that is to keep it off the roads when the idiots are out that might ding my precious.
It's a 07 with 40k on it. My last 10000 miles has been exactly
30 k checkup
2 oil changes
New tires (ditched the run flats
but went with all seasons 
Had the shop clean out the roof drains $50
New battery(bout $50 more than a similar size for an normal car)
Didn't like the styling of the TT and Z350 in soft top at all. Test drove the Boxster, S2000 and the Miata (soft top and a manual were my must haves).
Price /ride/ build quality/styling - Z4 was the winner hands down
Just a note on cold weather, that engine heats up the little cockpit so fast it is warmer (and warmer sooner) than my 4 door pickup. The roof is not cold or drafty at all. And the heated seats.....
Good luck with the search
I got my 3.0i almost a year ago and use it as my daily driver here in Denver Colorado. It is my sanity safety blanket after a hard day at work. My breakpoint is 55 deg C and not actively snowing to put the roof down (rarely rains in Denver
). No matter how bad the day, the 1/2 hr-45 min drive with the roof down has me smiling when I get home to the missus. It's not the most practice car to have but has room for two overnight bags or a grocery runI kept my 14 yr old pickup for home repair hauling and taking the dogs to the park. Plus whenever we have more than a few inches of snow on the road. But the main reason for that is to keep it off the roads when the idiots are out that might ding my precious.
It's a 07 with 40k on it. My last 10000 miles has been exactly
30 k checkup
2 oil changes
New tires (ditched the run flats
but went with all seasons Had the shop clean out the roof drains $50
New battery(bout $50 more than a similar size for an normal car)
Didn't like the styling of the TT and Z350 in soft top at all. Test drove the Boxster, S2000 and the Miata (soft top and a manual were my must haves).
Price /ride/ build quality/styling - Z4 was the winner hands down
Just a note on cold weather, that engine heats up the little cockpit so fast it is warmer (and warmer sooner) than my 4 door pickup. The roof is not cold or drafty at all. And the heated seats.....
Good luck with the search
Thanks for the input man. Although yours definitely has less miles than mine will lol. But yeah, s2k i cant drive manual, miata is too slow and requires too much modding off the bat, tt i dont find interesting, 350z has crazy insurance and i think the interior would get to me and not to mention the boy racer scene with them, boxster is iffy on reliability esp the auto... and considering i love BMW the z4 is literally just what i want. Good stereo, good auto, nearly as fast as 350z but with way better mpg, i imagine just as reliable/expensive as 350z/g35 in maintenance, small, nice engine obviously, good interior, nice styling, and it being german and rwd is just all good.
But i havent driven one. Which i am going to leave to do so in about 20 minutes... im anxious lol. Unfortunately im only driving a bare bones model 2.5i with like nothing on it... but ill still get a feel for it. I really hope i like it as much as i feel like i will. But ill report back once ive driven.
But i havent driven one. Which i am going to leave to do so in about 20 minutes... im anxious lol. Unfortunately im only driving a bare bones model 2.5i with like nothing on it... but ill still get a feel for it. I really hope i like it as much as i feel like i will. But ill report back once ive driven.
Wouldve love to have driven a 3.0 but the dealership thats the nicest about random test drives only had the 2.5.
So on the 2.5... the exhaust is quiet seeming and it definitely doesnt feel real fast. But thats a given.. onto the car.
So the stereo is definitely great, i dont think it had the premium system but it still had a lot of bass and sounded nice. The seating position is great as well, i love the feel of the big hood and small cabin. The steering wheel was notably fantastic imo, its small as hell and great to grip. Also mine had the armrest option, kind of random looking imo i wasnt a fan of it but it wasnt bothersome or anything. I love the storage bin between the seats for some reason.. its just perfect, with the shelf design.
The top was easy but it took a couple tries i guess because it hadnt been down in a while (he had to jump it). It also had a plastic aftermarket wind deflector that worked pretty well. It was 44 degrees and i only had a light jacket on and didnt get cold.
The handling is also good from what i had done with it (lowish speeds in unknown area and only around a few neighborhood turns, lol). The sport package with the stiffer springs would definitely be a warm welcome for me, but these were aaaalmost as stiff as my integra's coilovers, which is a good thing. Also i cant remember if both windows are auto up and down, but even the driver one being up and down is great.
The transmission is also surprisingly fantastic. The different between D and SD are obvious and theyre both great at what theyre supposed to do. The SD downshifts at every opportunity or quest and shifts quick, while the normal D holds its gear longer and has longer shifts. It was actually so great... i didnt do the manual shift that much but i imagine its just like SD except im doing the gear changing lol.
My only disappointment really was the plastic dash... what the hell its a bmw. At least the doors were soft touch.
In conclusion, its great but damn i need to drive a 3.0. Do they have loud exhaust? If not its only a minor complaint but one of the things i loved about the competing car (for me), the g35, was the exhaust note. I drove with the windows down just to hear it because it was great and audible.
So on the 2.5... the exhaust is quiet seeming and it definitely doesnt feel real fast. But thats a given.. onto the car.
So the stereo is definitely great, i dont think it had the premium system but it still had a lot of bass and sounded nice. The seating position is great as well, i love the feel of the big hood and small cabin. The steering wheel was notably fantastic imo, its small as hell and great to grip. Also mine had the armrest option, kind of random looking imo i wasnt a fan of it but it wasnt bothersome or anything. I love the storage bin between the seats for some reason.. its just perfect, with the shelf design.
The top was easy but it took a couple tries i guess because it hadnt been down in a while (he had to jump it). It also had a plastic aftermarket wind deflector that worked pretty well. It was 44 degrees and i only had a light jacket on and didnt get cold.
The handling is also good from what i had done with it (lowish speeds in unknown area and only around a few neighborhood turns, lol). The sport package with the stiffer springs would definitely be a warm welcome for me, but these were aaaalmost as stiff as my integra's coilovers, which is a good thing. Also i cant remember if both windows are auto up and down, but even the driver one being up and down is great.
The transmission is also surprisingly fantastic. The different between D and SD are obvious and theyre both great at what theyre supposed to do. The SD downshifts at every opportunity or quest and shifts quick, while the normal D holds its gear longer and has longer shifts. It was actually so great... i didnt do the manual shift that much but i imagine its just like SD except im doing the gear changing lol.
My only disappointment really was the plastic dash... what the hell its a bmw. At least the doors were soft touch.
In conclusion, its great but damn i need to drive a 3.0. Do they have loud exhaust? If not its only a minor complaint but one of the things i loved about the competing car (for me), the g35, was the exhaust note. I drove with the windows down just to hear it because it was great and audible.
Never having heard a 2.5, I can't compare but I love the sound of the normally aspirated 6, gear or turbo whine is cool and all, but that rumble is very sweet all by itself. I'll go out of my way to pick a route through the mountains with tunnels
My interior is all black with brushed aluminum (sorry aluminium ) panels. Probably the thing that made me select this car over the 4 other z's I looked at that had the wood grain panels. Really compliments the silver exterior
Take the time to find the right one. There are a lot coming out on the market this time of year
Happy trails
My interior is all black with brushed aluminum (sorry aluminium
) panels. Probably the thing that made me select this car over the 4 other z's I looked at that had the wood grain panels. Really compliments the silver exteriorTake the time to find the right one. There are a lot coming out on the market this time of year
Happy trails
Yeah I like both the interior trims. Im just trying to get a job first (i have money saved up but no monthly income atm) as my only job right now is during the summer and it wouldnt be enough for a car payment. I want to drive the 3.0 located like 15 mins away along with an SI coupe but i feel so bad for driving cars when im not ready to buy lol. Theyre at a dealership though.
The coupe is 17500, 2007. Out of my price range, but the roadster is a 3.0 but not in a color id want but the point is is that id drive a 3.0. Idk if its worth being an annoyance to them.
The coupe is 17500, 2007. Out of my price range, but the roadster is a 3.0 but not in a color id want but the point is is that id drive a 3.0. Idk if its worth being an annoyance to them.
mj2k said:
mj2k, admittedly, it may have been "user error" involved in the weak acceleration when I drove the s2000. I rarely drive manual vehicles, so it could have been my shifting/rpm timing. Or, perhaps it was this particular car. After encountering several red flags in the statements of the car salesman (1. no, you cannot have your own mechanic look at the car, 2. it's not certified pre-owned, but you don't want to pay extra for that anyway) at the dealership (Honda), I engaged in price negotiations with his manager, for practice. They refused to show me the Carfax report, so I pushed them on that point for a good 10 minutes. Finally, to shut me up, he gave me the report, which showed the odometer had been rolled back 30,000 miles.
Lucid,
I know what your going through. 2 years ago I was looking at a nice small quick sports car as well. I Looked at the s2000, 350, TT, g35, Z4. I ended up going with an 05 z4 3.0 sport package. It is a manual but the 3.0 is where its at. I felt it was better looking than the others and really stands out when they are side-by-side. It is also cheaper insurance and with the manual I can get around 30-31 HWY mpg. I would assume an auto would be less but still close. My buddy has a S2000 and is what I learned to drive a manual on. The s2000 is a quick car always wanting to be pushed, but the 3.0 takes it. At least 3 of 4 on the strip(missed a shift). The 3.0 will take what ever you throw at it can be rode hard but also a decent relaxing car (if that makes sense) The 3.0 isnt the loudest of them all but if you take the foam out of the noise generator it gets loud. I drive the Z as a DD and wouldnt pick anything else...maybe an M. Its such a nimble responsive car you can't beat the performance for the overal price i fell its a good deal... at least what i paid for mine was. I have 75000 miles on mine bought it with 50000. I havent had any troubles with it except flat tires...4 blow outs actually. I do the normal maintanace and ride it hard. If you have the slightest mechanical ability you will be able to as well. Everything is somewhat easy to do. oil changes, rear diff, transmission fluid, breaks, break and clutch bleeding. Give it some loving and it will take care of you.
Good luck to you. a suggestion drive the 2.5 and 3.0 on the same day back to back and your will be able to feel the difference a lot easier.
I know what your going through. 2 years ago I was looking at a nice small quick sports car as well. I Looked at the s2000, 350, TT, g35, Z4. I ended up going with an 05 z4 3.0 sport package. It is a manual but the 3.0 is where its at. I felt it was better looking than the others and really stands out when they are side-by-side. It is also cheaper insurance and with the manual I can get around 30-31 HWY mpg. I would assume an auto would be less but still close. My buddy has a S2000 and is what I learned to drive a manual on. The s2000 is a quick car always wanting to be pushed, but the 3.0 takes it. At least 3 of 4 on the strip(missed a shift). The 3.0 will take what ever you throw at it can be rode hard but also a decent relaxing car (if that makes sense) The 3.0 isnt the loudest of them all but if you take the foam out of the noise generator it gets loud. I drive the Z as a DD and wouldnt pick anything else...maybe an M. Its such a nimble responsive car you can't beat the performance for the overal price i fell its a good deal... at least what i paid for mine was. I have 75000 miles on mine bought it with 50000. I havent had any troubles with it except flat tires...4 blow outs actually. I do the normal maintanace and ride it hard. If you have the slightest mechanical ability you will be able to as well. Everything is somewhat easy to do. oil changes, rear diff, transmission fluid, breaks, break and clutch bleeding. Give it some loving and it will take care of you.
Good luck to you. a suggestion drive the 2.5 and 3.0 on the same day back to back and your will be able to feel the difference a lot easier.