Z4 purchase (UK)

S

Simon813

Member
 East Yorkshire
Hi, i'm after a bit of advice about Z4's. I'm looking to purchase in the next month or so, preferably a private sale.
I am after a black vehicle with red or cream leather.

My main concern is whether to go for a 2.5l or 3.0l car? My commute to work is only 6 miles so fuel consumption is not a daily concern. However, I am planning a wedding in the Lake District (160 miles away) so I will be making numerous trips up there in the summer.
Is there a noticable difference in power / mid range torque between the two cars?

Is there anything else I should be looking out for when viewing these cars?

Finally, are run flat tyres to be avoided? I've read that they give a hard ride? I've owned an Elise for the last two years so i am used to bone shaking suspension!

Thanks is advance.

Simon :driving:
 
Hi Simon,

I switched from an Elise 111S to a 3.0i Z4 - the main issue for me with the runflats wasn't the hard ride but the tramlining which was verging on being dangerous. I got rid of them at the earliest opportunity and the transformation is amazing.

I would certainly go for a 3.0 if you can afford - the fuel consumption on a run isn't that different to a 2.5 but the extra performance is there when you want it :thumbsup:

Steve
 
As someone who had (and loved) a 2.5 roadster, I was surprised at the difference in power/performance when I test drove a 3.0si coupe last year. it was very noticable, and appeared to be faster and smoother.

I would certainly say go for 3.0 if you can. The 2.5 is a great car, don't get me wrong, but the extra power of a 3.0 will be very nice.
 
Bought my 3.0 se last week and very happy do not find the ride on the runflats that bad no worse than the ride on my old car with low profiles including the tramlining and as for the fuel consumption as said not a lot in it go for the 3.0 is such a nice drive.

Simon not knowing where you are in the UK this may not help but i bought my car from BMW Park Lane and they were a lot better priced than all other main dealers i looked at as they have a large stock of cars.

2004 3.0 SE Auto
11.5k
18 split rims
M Sport seats
upgraded CD and speakers + a few other bits

MOT
Tax
Break down cover including europe
12 month warranty

Paid 17.5k and the car is in superb condition as you can see in my posts.
 
Simon it looks like i'll be picking up a 3.0 this week. After driving a 2.5 just before i would say the difference is quite noticeable. The 2.5 felt like 'the wifes perky fun car' (sorry to offend anyone :? ) whereas the 3.0 felt more like you were in the boss's meaty roadster. If that makes sense??
On my test drive the runflats did seem to tramline a hell of a lot so i will be changing them asap.
Drive them both and see what you think. :)
 
Gaza62,
Thanks for the info. I am in the north east, so I couldn't be much further away! I will pop to the local BMW dealership but I don't hold out much hope. I went to look at a nearly new M3 there about a year ago. It was a cold winter morning and the salesman decided to let me hear the car tick over. He proceeded to start the car up and rev it to within an inch of it's life from freezing cold. Sort of put me off!!! :headbang:

Simon
 
Simon

I just bought a 3.0, and it gives nothing away to the straight-line speed of my last fast car, a 964 model 911. In the corners (on the road, but maybe not the track), the Z4 is better, having good traction, and being very grippy and predicatable in bends both slow-and-tight and fast-and-sweeping.

My partner has a E46 325ti Compact, and this feels much like the 2.5 Z4 (which has the same engine) in that it is a fast car, but lacks that real shove that the 3.0 has. Driving the two, I found that the 3.0 has much more go over the 2.5 than the power or performance figures on paper would suggest. This is especially so when it comes to A-road overtaking. The 2.5 is good, but the 3.0 is really excellent - easily as good as my 911.

I would very (VERY) strongly recommend the Steptronic automatic over the manual. IMO, it is faster everywhere other than on paper, and the auto box that BMW uses is as good as they come.

I have the run-flat 17" tyres. They do tramline a bit, but my 911 was worse, and neither is anywhere near bad as my mother's E46 AC Schnitzer 330i on 19" normal Michelan Pilot tyres! I have never driven a Z4 other than on run-flat tyres so cannot comment further.

I live in North Wales, and we have a really good non-franchised BMW specialist here http://www.smithsbm.co.uk. The website does not do the outfit credit. Bill Smith runs a really cracking outfit, with excellent care in sales and service. We have had several cars and lots of services from him, all meeting or bettering expectation.

HTH
A
 
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