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BMW Z4
The z4 has been out for almost a month now, or maybe two. Any complaints rollbacks or any other problem that people should know about? failing breaks etc.
and no, problems with its looks are not counted :P
and no, problems with its looks are not counted :P
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Hellooooo... (cricket, cricket)
It appears larger on the outside than the Z3, but the interior dimensions are pretty much the same. The interior quality seems to have improved compared to the Z3. However, it still wasn't quite where I wanted it to be. Some plastic interior pieces had same cheap feel found in the Z3. (And boy, does the Z3's rattling interior give GM a run for its money.) The brushed metal on the dashboard sometimes creates unpleasant glare while driving with the top down. (I believe it is an option, so I would probably order the vehicle without it.)
Driving the car redeemed it in my eyes. Maybe I'm used to driving this kind of vehicle, but I immediately 'felt at home'. Shift points were exactly where I thought it would be, and the car never surprised me during my (somewhat aggressive) testdrive.
Where the Z3's rear suspension can be a little of a challenge sometimes, giving the car somewhat of a darty feel on bad road conditions or load changes, the Z4 stays nicely planted.
The only negative impression was the very light clutch, which felt really odd. Engagement was very precise, and the car was very easy to drive.The brakes were typcial BMW: simply excellent.
The proven 2.5L I6 feel gives the car just the right amount of power, from my point of view. No surprises here. It doesn't have the aggressive snarl of the 3.0, but I don't necessarily need that.
I have mixed feelings about the exterior. The rear styling looks absolutely great, and the front has a nice aggressive look. (Only the shark teeth are missing.)
The Z-line on the side of the vehicle is something else, as it breaks the otherwise clean lines of the car.
So, you may ask why I still haven't bought it ?
a) I'm on a still on a twelve-step program to cure my automotive addiction.
b) The interior hasn't convinced me yet.
c) My wife likes the looks of the Z3 better than the Z4. (veto)
d) I have experience the mid-engine handling of the Porsche Boxter. (Also vetoed by wife due to interior space constraints.)
Other than that, I think it is actually a decent amount of car for the money. The dealer was immediately willing to negotiate price, something I haven't seen at BMW for a long time.
I may still come back to it...
All are fun, about the same price, completely impractical except for the midlife crisis value.
What would you by?
Thank you
I am 6 foot tall and weigh 225 and I bought a Z4. I think it is a very comfortable roadster. They are all a bit tight, it is the way roadsters are made. It has more interior room than a Z3. In particular, I'm glad they added more headroom. It needed it.
drewo,
Think twice about the MB. It is about $5k more and they are coming out with a new body style next year. Until this year, the Boxster had a plexiglass rear windshield. The Audi's 4 cylinder is no match for the BMW 3.0i.
I bought my Z4 in November the first week it was available. I have driven all of the other roadsters and the Porsche Boxster was the only one that measured up. But since it was $8K more comparably equipped, I couldn't justify that. I've put about 3000 miles on my Z4 already and I love it more each time I drive it. Good luck all.
Thank you
The look: originally I was going for the Titanium Silver, but after seeing the Sterling Gray I felt it's a much better looking color. The Sports Pkg comes with 18" wheels, which looks very good in my opinion. So far I have received nothing but compliments on the look of the car. You need to see the car in person to appreciate it. So many strangers just walked to me to compliment on my car.
Ride and handling
The ride could be harsh on bad pavements, and I have heard that it's partially due to the run-flat tires of Z4. The handling is very good, the brake excellent. As for acceleration, Z4 moves. With the sports button that comes with the Sports Pkg, it alters the acceleration curve and turns Z4 into a different animal.
I have been very happy with Z4 so far, except the problem I just ran into with the drive-by-wire mechanism. See this thread for details: http://bimmer.roadfly.org/bmw/forums/e85/forum.php?postid=1885540- &page=1
Basically it could be a faulty throttle or shorted wiring, which I heard is quite common on BMW cars. Of course, it's surprising to see this on a brand new car.
2001 Prelude Type SH, 2022 Highlander XLE AWD, 2022 Wrangler Sahara 4Xe, 2023 Toyota Tacoma SR 4WD
But checking Edmunds today that appears to be about $1,600 UNDER MSRP! Has there been a recent (like in the last few days) price increase?? He did write that number down for us so I'm tempted to take that slip of paper back tonight or tomorrow night and hold him to it.
We LOVED the test drive, though I'm a bit put off by the lack of a spare - those run-flat tires are $200 apiece, you know! But the wife wants one, and we agree that it looks great too -I know a lot of people hate the styling changes, but I suspect they're Z-3 owners, or would like to be - I find the Z-3 just a bit 'cute' myself, and prefer the more modern, aggressive styling of the new car.
As for the sport package, I doubt its worth the dough unless you like to REALLY flog it around the twisties. I prefer the styling of the stock 16" wheels vs. 17s anyway, and tires for the 17s are going to be even more expensive.
I'd like to hear what you all think of the price I was offered!?
P.S. If I was in the market again today, I might give consideration to a 325ci or 330ci convertible. Not quite a roadster drive, but with extra versitility and by going the European Delivery route, about the same price as the Z4's.
Tim
BTW, I took delivery of my Z4 3.0i on Saturday. It's an awesome machine.
Now for the business stuff. What is the best discount anyone has received and by what dealership and where? I am looking at a car that has a $45,000 MSRP.
Also has anyone seen the Maldives Blue car with beige interior and how does it look? Is the upgraded extended high performance leather worth the money?
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Laptopkid, I saw both the green and the burgundy colors on E-Bay Motors. Most Z4s there are 2.5 versions. I'm not sure if they're still there but check it out!
Domshar, I share your love and excitement for the Z4 3.0i, although mine is a 6-speed. After doing my homework and reading everything I could on the car, it's faster than I thought it would be and handles better too...and photos don't really capture its true presence. Most people stop to tell me how beautiful they think it is. It's a rolling piece of art with high performance!
The car looks MUCH classier in person (I hadn't seen it at all - he shopped alone for his TOY <smiles>). The swoop of the hood is the beauty of this model - we turned heads everywhere we went yesterday.
A word of caution: I strongly suggesting drive a car with the hardtop before making a purchase decision. My dealer suggested this and called me when they had one in stock to try. The car was clostrophobic and the interior noise level went up considerably. Granted, that's with a 9,000 rpm S2000, but this has been a general complaint of roadster hardtops.
One of my friends has a 330cic with the hardtop and swears by it. His brother had a Miata with a hardtop and never used it.
Also, for what it is worth, in my first winter (2001/2002) with an S2000, I got a lot of top down use in 40-50 degree weather. I wouldn't have wanted to be playing musical chairs with a hardtop during that time.
Wish they'd bring back the Z3.
We're wondering about the extended leather also. Anyone have the scoop?
So far I like everything about the car. Of course, I'd wish for more horsepower and torque, but then who doesn't? Hehe.
The car press was ambivalent about the Z4's "controversial" styling, but the masses aren't. I've received so many compliments on its look from both enthusiasts and neophytes. Many thought that it was a Ferrari or Maserati, or some sort of Italian exotica. I suppose that's a compliment because BMW isn't exactly known for its avant garde styling.
I don't see a lot of Z4s right now, but the ones I usually pass by are in Titanium color. That is a very beautiful and elegant color. Alas, it's not my taste. As an old soldier, I like the Urban Green (OD Green to me), but it's not what I'd think should go on a car like this. Maldive Blue is simply elegance in extremis. Merlot is a rather bad color for this car. I am surprised that there isn't a yellow color for this car.
I chose Bright Red because I am partial to red and for a bit of flamboyance.
I am planning on replacing the steering wheel with the wooden spoke accessory wheel. That's gonna be costly but I think it's worth it as far as aesthetics concerned. I am going to put the wind screen deflector back on so that it would cover up the ugly aluminum-looking plastics for the rollover protections. Alas, I think that I am screwed with the door handles.