Z4M Standard ride

[James_G]

Before I bought my Z4M I looked at the info and the vids etc.

One thing that I was expecting was the ride to be harsh and firm after that Clarkson review video. I would say compared to the last car I had in the same sorta class, it is nothing like that.

The stock suspension is quite good and never makes me feel uncomfortable at all. I was also expecting, from previous experience, that being a roadster I would feel the chassis flex more, but I don't which is pleasantly surprising

I know Top gear is really a comedy program but surely Clarkson should get simple things right. Don't get me wrong I like watching the guy, he is really funny

Personally, I find the ride to be both harsh and too firm for the current condition of our roads and for me it ruins what is otherwise a great car. Were our roads in great shape, then I suspect I'd be able to live with it a bit more, but I can't and so unfortunately later this year I'll be selling up and moving on.

 

[T1berious]

I find the ride on the Z4M much better than our E92 on 19" RFT's, handling doesn't compare. Nice though the E92 is on a perfectly smooth road (they exist? right?), you lose fillings on anything else :x

 

[Andy]

Clarkson does talk some bull, he ruined the otherwise brilliant review on TG where the Imola MR set a 1:26.0, 0.2s behind a Gallardo, 0.4s quicker than a 911 C2S, 0.4s quicker than an Exige.. the 'narga chilli' is a great analogy.

JC should have turned the DSC off, but he clearly never wanted to like it. Not got the skills to awaken it like the hamster did on the track. Give him something like a C63 to burn tyres til he needs a sleep & we'll attack some corners in proper cars.

It’s a long-nosed, short-tailed, two seater in the mould of, say, the old Austin Healey. You know it’s been stiffened up and you know it has the engine from an M3. You can see the fat tyres and the four exhaust pipes, and as you sit there gripping the almost absurdly thick rimmed steering wheel, you are expecting greatness.
And it doesn’t come. Drive it normally, on reasonably smooth roads, and it feels like a normal Z4 M, only with a hard roof and an ugly backside. And you can’t see why you might want to spend nearly £42,000 on such a thing.

:|

Still never driven a Coupe though, makes me want to drive one to know

 

[T1berious]

As stated earlier, if you want an unbiased, measured review for heavens sake don't read \ watch \ listen to anything JC spouts.

EVO, Autocar, Mills and Boon are far better for for anything factual based. As much as I enjoy Top Gear, It's light entertainment rather than motoring journalism.

After all JC is the man who once rated a Ford Probe above a Corrado VR6!! :thumbsdown:

I quite like Jason Plato's early review of the Z4MR (think it was 5th gear), Hammond was bang on the money, hence why I got the Z4MR rather than a Boxster S. 8)

My tupence....

 

[Owl wood]

JC is an old man with a bad back. His opinion on ride quality will probably be different to most peoples.

 

[Gargybloke]

I do find when I start to push my Z4M I have to concentrate quite a lot to keep it online if it hits a few bumps. Going fast around sweeping bends, on a not dead smooth road, the suspension feels like it could be a little stiffer and more balanced.

I haven't had a good alignment done yet which could make a difference. The tyres are wearing properly but I know that this doesn't mean the alignment is spot on. At speeds and under stress this can make a big difference to the feel and handling when it is correct.

I decided to drive it stock this year to get a good feel for it and then next spring start to tweek. I think I will do suspension and brakes before much else. I would like to supercharge, (and could afford to) but at the moment I wouldn't say I have used the power that I have very often at all.

Will do some driver training too.

 

[buzyg]

Before I bought my Z4M I looked at the info and the vids etc.

One thing that I was expecting was the ride to be harsh and firm after that Clarkson review video. I would say compared to the last car I had in the same sorta class, it is nothing like that.

The stock suspension is quite good and never makes me feel uncomfortable at all. I was also expecting, from previous experience, that being a roadster I would feel the chassis flex more, but I don't which is pleasantly surprising

I know Top gear is really a comedy program but surely Clarkson should get simple things right. Don't get me wrong I like watching the guy, he is really funny

Have to agree with you I was expecting the harsh ride, flex and a shunting transmision, after reading various reviews. My first test drive was on bust up c roads around Dartmoor. After it passed that with flying colours and I'd found out how slow and ugly a Coxter realy is from the inside, I bought my Z. I've since noticed when your push it hard you can detect some flex, but hey nothing perfect and it means you have to learn how to push the car hard, not just get in and drive fast.