Z4 engine advice

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x44ahm

New member
Hey all, new to this forum, as I dont actually have a Z4 yet.

Currently selling my car and looking to buy a z4 e89 - around the 2010 2011 age, my budget is in the low 20k however not sure whether I would be happy with a sdrive23i or go for the bigger engined sdrive35i. really stuck, would be disappointed if I bought a z4 and ended up finding it slow or unresponsive. im currently driving a 1.8vectra sri. in comparison im guessing both will be quicker.
Any advice would be great
cheers

Angus
 
any single one of em will be a million times better than the vectra......for that money you'll get a 35i about 2010...but i'd go for a slightly newer 25 or 30

i looked at a 23i and it was no slouch at all mate
 
Just been looking at stats and even the 23i will do 0-62 in under 6.5secs, that would give my brothers astra vxr a run for its money :) probs take one out for a test drive, just hope the local garage aint just got those daft 18i in stock
 
Getting rid of my 2.3 for a new 2.0 really no difference in 0-62 or top speed between them :thumbsup:
 
Being biased, don't forget the 3.0i. Less of them on the market than the 2.3i but performance is noticeably stronger and with identical fuel consumption and tax band.
 
You will struggle to get a 28i for £20k but either 23i or 20i will give you loads to choose from.
The 23i is the same performance as the 20i but the 4 cylinder 20i is lighter as handles much better. Some on here say the 20i doesn't sound as good as the 23i, but I've had both and there really is no difference!
Also lets not state the 18i either each to their own :telloff:
 
i have a 30i and its orrsum!! fast as funk and i paid under 18k for it....23 on the clock!!!

some bargains if ya look,,,mine was from a main dealer...so i dont think it was too cheap
 
Just make sure you try a 35i - I guarantee you'll be :D afterwards - there's not much this side of an M3 that will trouble it in a straight line.
 
Really depends on how important ultimate performance is. The 20i isn't a rocket ship but is IMO quick enough with decent economy, reasonable insurance and excellent handling. If you look carefully you should be able to get a virtually new 20i sdrive for your budget. In March I picked mine up - 4 months old with only 70 miles on the clock for £20995 :D
 
I am really pleased with 20i, many people said I would notice a drop in performance after my 330D but to be honest I think it's more lively from a stand still and it has a good sound!
 
andyb99 said:
i have a 30i and its orrsum!! fast as funk and i paid under 18k for it....23 on the clock!!!

some bargains if ya look,,,mine was from a main dealer...so i dont think it was too cheap
Click to expand...

I just paid 16k for a 30i 32k on clock. Hard to find , mostly 23is in my price range
 
Defo get the 3.0 Litre as a minimum.

Having owned a 3.0 Litre SDrive and the new 4 pot 2.0 Litre M Sport it's like night and day in sound and performance departments :driving:
 
You'll find everyone will point to the model they own as the sweet spot in the range, which says a lot about the e89' they're all good. But, if you don't do huge mileage, get a big one, it will probably have more toys for the money too.
 
I got the 23i but wanted the standard 3.0. Trouble is they are hard to find let alone with a spec you will be happy with. If colour and toys are your thing then 23i is the way to go
I came from a 2.7 Boxster and even though mine is auto, which on paper is slower, it still beats the Porsche in real world driving.
Having driven a demo 28i I would say this is the sweet spot in the range for performance and running costs but it is redicously overpriced given that of the standard 2.0 which is almost identical apart from the tuning.
 
I would wager there are more 23i with all the toys, than 30i. To me the toys make all the difference and I love the feeling of the pure white design interior with leather all over the dash. To me it makes a big difference to the feel of the quality of the car.
 
I recently bought a 2.3 manual for the same price as you are looking to spend, i test drove a few and the 2.3 manual felt more natural to drive than the 2.3 auto, i did test drive a 3.0 auto which was a totally different proposition, i do sometimes think that i should have waited for a 3.0 (auto or manual) but after 2 months of deliberating it became obvious that the options on the car made a real difference to how i perceive the car i am going to be driving.
Its worth considering what you are not so happy with while driving your existing car, if you want more style, toys and fun then i am sure a 2.3 would be a marked improvement, if you want a flying machine then go for something bigger. At the end of the day i am pretty happy with mine once i got used to the difference with my previous car (320 diesel with a chip) in some respects (mid band torque & fuel economy) the previous car was better but i wanted something more fun, more stylish with more toys, the 2.3 manual is a good car to drive and sounds great, i would take a few cars out to drive and see how they feel to you.
 
You can't beat 6 pot BMW engines. I wouldn't want a 4 pot really. Would be the 35is for me but prefer the ///M
 
I am totally opposite. THE ENGINE is more important than blue tooth but age is also important.

The first zd I picked 2.5 as it was the best performance to dosh ratio BUT got a 03 fully loaded rather than a basic 04. Mistake 1) less warty 2) older car, 3) YOU loose most of the money on trinkets in trade in so the 6K bling went puff. IT ONLY MAKES IT EASIER TO SELL, but If I had the 04 it would be worth more just because it is younger.

Then got a couple of 2.5 SI sport. Not SE but SI as this was the better engine and the sport was a derivative not accessories so got a bit more money back in trade.

New model and I just could not think of getting into a 2.3 so rather get the newest 3.0 as I could and it was auto with nothing else. Ironically like the old z4 the 3.0 basic is less basic than the 2.3 so you not only get a better engine but more bits thrown in, I had 18 inch rims.

Now the new model is getting on, better incentives such as free M sport upgrade (like the old model). I opted for the 2.8 M sport, again best price performance. In trade in as its a derivative will be worth more than the basic model.

So for me its the engine size, year then trinkets, to a limit. I would love a 3.5 but the plate would be too old for my price/ performance point. INCLUDING MPG

Now I have bluetooth back, a wind deflector, massively improved seats and heated seats, lower stiffer ride all part of the Msport package I am a bit more happy with it but I would still be happy with nothing but the 2.8 thats what gives me the biggest grin.

Also there are differences between a 10 plate and new 62 plates such as roof operation at 25mph, stop start, usb ohh and warty lol.

tomscott, Yeh I would love a 3.5 or for that money ill jump to a VW porker, Been looking at older 911's can pick them up for less than 20K.

But 6 V 4 debate will continue,
Times move on and if I can pump up the MPG and gaining performance Ill jump at the chance even if its a 800cc 1 cylinder compressed air job using bird droppings and chip fat to get 60 to the gallon and as fast as a straight 6 like 5.5 seconds count me in. If I want exhaust sound I would be in a tvr
 
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