Z4M Running Costs

[SynapticFire]

April/May 2016 is new car time for me, after a year without one at all and the previous year with a very old Ford Focus.

I used to have a Z4 3.0Si which I loved like a child but had to sell it, and I'd love to get back to Z4 ownership.
As great as the 3.0 was I think why not go all in and get an M car, but I have a few concerns.

Long story short, I was having a chat with some BMW approved mechanics who advised me against an E46 (which I also used to own) because they're getting to the age where things such as seals and gaskets start to go on them through nothing more than simple old age. The Z4M and other Z4s of that age are starting to get to that age ... in fact that conversation was two years ago.

Has any current owner started having age-related issues with their Z4(M)?

Next up, servicing. I remember the E46 M3 needing significantly more (and more expensive) servicing than the rest of the E46 series. How much worse is the Z4M over the standard Z4?

 

[ranski]

loads and loads of threads on this

http://www.z4-forum.com/forum/viewtopic.php?t=76601

 

[SynapticFire]

Yeah I did do a search but as you can see, it actually spits out a lot of random nonsense as so:

http://www.z4-forum.com/forum/search.php?keywords=Z4M+Running+Costs&terms=all&author=&sc=1&sf=all&sr=posts&sk=t&sd=d&st=0&ch=300&t=0&submit=Search

Thanks for the link

[EDIT]
Hmm bloody hell .. costs are rather a lot higher on average than I was considering. I'm playing the Z4 as my 'wouldn't it be fun to have another' card against sensible new car options where all of the warranty is included already, etc., so it adds quite a lot more to the cost.

 

[mr wilks]

There is no secret to life with a ZM without busting the bank

!) find a good one that's been maintained well
2) buy it at the right time of its service cycle
3) don't pay inflated seasonal price

Lastly forget the VED , it becomes less significant each time you turn the key & press the throttle

 

[Nictrix]

You missed
4. Sell before having to get it serviced

 

[SynapticFire]

There is no secret to life with a ZM without busting the bank

!) find a good one that's been maintained well
2) buy it at the right time of its service cycle
3) don't pay inflated seasonal price

Lastly forget the VED , it becomes less significant each time you turn the key & press the throttle

Hahaha! Ain't that the truth.
When I knew I'd have to sell my 3.0 (too expensive at the time, was earning considerably less at the time) it was on a slow car journey back from viewing a diesel Volvo ...
The loud pedal on a Z4 brings a smile to the face .. well that realisation almost made me cry

 

[mr wilks]

You missed
4. Sell before having to get it serviced

Barring ins2 I don't consider service costs ott , discs & pads can be a killer blow if not expecting it
Ins1 with valve clearances at a decent indy like Darren Wood is around £350 , oil & filter service around £130
Tyres i would say no more expensive than 3.0 Zs & insurance on classic car policys around £300/£350

 

[srhutch]

You missed
4. Sell before having to get it serviced

Barring ins2 I don't consider service costs ott , discs & pads can be a killer blow if not expecting it
Ins1 with valve clearances at a decent indy like Darren Wood is around £350 , oil & filter service around £130
Tyres i would say no more expensive than 3.0 Zs & insurance on classic car policys around £300/£350

As Andy says inspection services are a little costly (I paid £700 for inspection 2 early 2015), as are brake discs. VED is high, but sell these costs need to be offset by the very low depreciation you will suffer.

Insurance for me is only £204 and that's with all mods declared.

 

[Talksthetorque]

You must also take Z4M depreciation in to accountwhen comparing to a new car.

ETA and the fact I dont read all the posts fully....
:bag:

 

[MrPT]

Has any current owner started having age-related issues with their Z4(M)?

Sometimes I forget where I parked it. :?

Seriously though... don't let anybody tell you that it isn't a significant hike in running costs. I've just gone from 2.5si to M and am really feeling it. The fillups come more frequently, routine servicing feels expensive (servicing the normal Z4s is comparable to many "boring" cars), anything related to emissions (parking permits, VED etc) are double the cost and you suddenly feel compelled to buy really expensive additions to decorate it like CSLs, carbon bits etc. The on-the-road cost for me was about 1/3 the market value of the 2.5si!

Whether it is worth it or not is entirely personal, but (with respect) there only seems to be a tiny minority who think it isn't, and with M residuals looking pretty good, buying one can only become a more sensible decision now, not less.

 

[Beedub]

i think its an expensive car to look after properly and run imo.

and when it breaks ( which it will ) it will cost a small fortune to put right, the s54 although a masterpiece has some flaws and at some point all of us are going to get caught out.

 

[Z4M-2006]

^^^^^^^

This...

Oil service £180
Inspection 1 £360-£400
Inspection 2 £700-£900
Pads every 12k-20k
Discs every 25k-40k

Then you can get engine, gearbox and diff maladies...

It's all about how much you are going to use it... As a weekender doing 2k a year it will cost very little... Besides tax, insurance and fuel at 20mpg ..

Use it as a daily and stick 10-15k a year on and it will get expensive..

It's a bit of a lottery really in that you can have owners that have done many miles with very little costs, and the polar opposite where people have had to spend £5000 in the first couple of thousand miles..


You roll the dice ..

 

[john-e89]

Having had both the 3.0si and an M IMHO you have to ask yourself how much do you want an M, the costs have been detailed above so it's head over heart and unless you're straining at the leash for an M, and why not, they're fabulous cars, then the 3.0si is the choice as you know how good they are and are easier to live with day to day, especially the gearbox. Personally I found the M a bit frustrating as I just wanted to rag it all the time, it invites you to drive it hard with the throttle response and rollerskate handling, there did'nt seem much compromise in it whereas the 3.0si is a bit softer, it's still a great roadster as you know, peachy engine, power aplenty but not so gung ho and cheaper to run. So I guess my point is do you accept the higher costs and hardcore rawness of the M or compromise with a softer but still very very good capable smiles per miles roady.

The flip side is you could buy an M, use it and if it was'nt for you then sell with zero cost or you may find it's the car for you and worth the running costs.

Obviously many owners use their M day to day quite happily, and will totally disagree with me but nothing wrong with as many thoughts as possible is there.

 

[Z4M-2006]

I think the main thing is ..........

BUY WISELY.....

Dont buy one that needs an insp 2 with brakes all round,even though it may seem a bit cheap.....
Dont buy one thats battered in stone chips..... It will only Pee you off.
Dont buy one thats strong on price,then use it as a daily and take all its value away.

Their are some right pigs out there with low miles and good history,high milers that are pristine and cherished. Look at as many as you can and get a feeling for the spread of cars for sale..

 

[Havard]

Looking back, I got a bargain. Low price, recent Insp II and recent discs and pads make it a relatively pain free experience in my first 10 month of ownership. £500 Tax made me wince and also £500 for insurance is more than I want to pay but my no claims is taken up on another car.

We have done 5k miles so far and loved it. My Supra only did 1500 miles last year as I had lost the love... :wub: :violent1:

H.

 

[Beedub]

i was shocked... and i mean shocked when i went to a bmw show recently and saw the general condition of the z4ms ... most as well and firmly into the average range, so truly and i mean truly immaculate cars are rare. I haven't come across a car thats cleaner than mine so far, underside, bodywork, engine bay everywhere is... pristine.. but then so it should be with 12k miles imo??? Their was a blue one at the track recently with only 21k miles and good lawd it looked 70k + miles old.... Then theirs some on here that are mega miles and are some of the best cars on the board.

miles and owners doesnt seem to be a good marker for a mint z4m imo.

These cars needs alot of care and imo not many people are prepared to pay.

 

[Z4M-2006]

You never drive it = mint

 

[Beedub]

You never drive it = mint

dont i?

id happily wage the 12k miles I've done with my car has been infinitely more fun than daily driving, sitting in traffic, in the shite weather, its a toy and i use it as such that how i get my joy from it... its out on the dry days with me at work, its at the sprint circuit either spectating or competing every weekend in summer. I've modded the car, and continue to work on it, continue to better it and the journey is part of the process, the whole ownership is a joy... The cars condition is much more about the effort i put into it.

some people get joy out of buying such a car and using it for every single trip possible, others like to pamper , use sparingly and enjoy it in a different way..... No right or wrong i say

 

[paulgs1000]

Totally agree with Beedubs last comment

Reading the OP and having read the responses of ///M owners, here's my input as an si owner (who would quite fancy owning an ///M)

I guess it depends on how you are going to use your Zed and whether the extra outlay is within your budget. . . .

My Zed is not immaculate as it is driven all year (that's where a lot of the pleasure of ownership comes in and I am lucky to be early retired, live next to Northumberland and have the time to do this), it does 12000 pleasure miles a year and looks like I've been travelling behind a road gritter for many of those miles. (It would obviously severely affect an ///Ms value being used in the same way) The original wheels need a refurb (I'm using lighter model 32 wheels which have had a refurb) and the interior is holding up well. It gets serviced as often as needed; my specialist independent keeps turning me away when I suggest extra oil changes and refreshing discs and pads - so far he's not been wrong. Inspection 2 and change of brake fluid cost me £240 last year, a full set of Eagle F1s £430. I average mid 20s and can achieve high 30s when on a motorway heading for the start of a Forum run. I'm constantly amazed how good our Zed can look when clayed polished and waxed - it comes up a treat and still looks fabulous despite this use.

I've done the maths and running an ///M in the way we use our si just doesn't make economic sense (with our other out-goings). If it was a weekend car, garage queen or sorned in the winter, then yes but out on the road doing the mileage we do, we'd have to cut back on our fun and enjoyment in order to pay the extra running costs.

And yes I have driven an ///M - at the time, we had determined we would go ahead with the purchase if I was 'blown away.' I know this may be seen as blasphemy. . . but I wasn't . . . . against what the si offers on the road, I decided it wasn't worth the extra 5K outlay and extra running costs. Believe me, I had expected to feel the same as I did when I tried the 3.0si after my 2.0i - although the extra capability was obvious it didn't compel me to move from the si, I was genuinely surprised as I had already made plans for the ownership!

So why, after all that, do I still fancy owning an ///M - there is always the desire to own the best of something, something 'special' and there are (very) odd moments on the road when I might be able to use the extra performance and capabilities of the ///M, so although it might not be the sensible thing to do, I haven't completely ended my dream of owning an ///M. Such decisions aren't always sensible! :lol:

And what about the Alpina OP? Might be an excellent compromise. . . .

 

[srhutch]

In your case Paul if you bought the Alpina I think it would be a stepping stone from what you have said. If your going to upgrade get what you really want. :wink: