Price guides - Z4

[steeevvvooo]

Is Parkers guide worth using? I had a mate who used to work in the car trade, who said it was useless! Do the trade tend to rely on Glass's?

The reason I ask, is that I looked at an 05 plate Z4 today. 32k on the clock, 3.0ltr, ellipsoid wheels with not a mark on them, heated leather sports seats and CD changer, with the only sticking point being the price. Parkers say £12,680, but...

...He'd only let it go for £13.5k. I have an 2001 x-reg 206 at the moment, GLX 1.4 with 95k, with Parkers giving a trade in of £1500, based on 80k, but the guy said he's give 800-900 for my car.

Why are parkers so far off with their values, as his list price is quite good compared to others I've seen!?

Please help...

[steeevvvooo]

Hmmm, that’s burst my bubble a little, but thanks for the honesty a11y!!

I'm still looking around, and am also thinking about a 2.0lt sport version (saves me about £300 a year on insurance, as well as associated running costs). Saw an 06 plate with about 15k on it for £12.5k. Seems like a nice middle ground, in that it has the heated sports / winged seats, ellipsoid wheels etc, but newer plate, less money and lower running costs.

Any thoughts on the 2.0lt sport?

[steeevvvooo]

Thanks for the replies. I've seen a few that I like, but all seem to have good, but but great spec.

eg. heated leather and nice wheels, but no xenons... or xenons and leather, but no heating!! argghhh

[steeevvvooo]

Unfortunately, that's miles from me as well, thanks though!!

The missus wants a dark grey one, but I'm trying to get her head around to other colours, fat chance of that I think?!

Thats a nice, well specced car, which is all I care about. As long as it's a relatively standard colour (with resale value) I don't mind.

[steeevvvooo]

Just spoke to a garage about another one, who would offer me £1200 for my px, but the screen price is 500 more. So basically, either one will cost £12,800 to trade up.

Am seriously considering them, but for that price I would want 12mth warranty, 12months tax, and newer tyres on one of them. (an a few hundred quid off as well!!). They are 55 and 05 plate cars, so I can’t seem to see any others advertised that are below £13,500 (although some 04 plates are also advertised above £14,000!)

The spec choice is killing me though!! One has leather m-sport (?) seats (the winged ones), while the other has Xenons. Both have heated leather and CD changer. The one with the seats is Manual, the other is auto…

Argggggh!!

[steeevvvooo]

scz4 said:

I would say essentials on the Z4 are M Sport Seats (standard ones are terrible, you basically fall out the seat at every corner) and the carver hi-fi.

I do really like the M seats. Gives the car a much more sporty look and feel. The 2.0 sport I am also considering (2006 plate) has them as standard as well I think.

Can’t get the 3.0 out of my head though…

[steeevvvooo]

Mr Whippy said:

http://www.pistonheads.com/sales/842411.htm

There we are. £15k for an Si with under 20,000 miles and probably a bit of oustanding warranty. Just no xenons.

To pay anywhere near £13,000 for an 03/04/05 3.0i, no matter what spec, when 3.0Si's are going for £15,000 would be MAD

Dave

Point taken. Think I’ll leave the 05.

I’m looking at 2 on Saturday. Both up for about 10-11k, one’s an 04 3.0l from a smaller dealer (will come with a fresh Insp1 service, but not by BMW), other is a 53 2.5l from BMW approved used with Zenons but 17s instead of 18s .

I think it’ll be one of these two now, depending on part-ex price and cost to trade up. The smaller garage only offered me £500 trade in this morning!!! Their screen price is £500 less though, so swings and roundabout.

I still want those seats though…

[steeevvvooo]

Ment-Al said:

Prices really are falling.

Now seeing 54 plate 3.0's for sub £11k with similar spec. Not that I regret it for a moment as Ive used the warranty as well as it being spotless as they did all the dings etc.

Where are you seeing these? People are mentioning cheap cars on here, but I can’t ever find them?! I’ve only seen 03/53 for that money (assuming a half decent spec)

Insurance is not too bad, but still £150 between the 2.5 and 3.0 as the girlfriend only brings the price down about £30 (she’s 24, I’m 26 so lots of places won’t quote for her at all!)

[steeevvvooo]

Ment-Al said:

cramman said:

Looking at these myself, almost exactly what I'm after is being talked about here.

Seen this one on auto trader, probs a little out of my price range and the minute. May have been posted before but I don't know, looks good tho.

http://search.autotrader.co.uk/es-uk/www/cars/BMW+...

Sorry, don't know how to make that clicky thing.

Add carver and a manual box to that and it is perfect. Absolutely perfect. One, if not THE best colour combination.

That¡¦s great value in my eyes.

The missus is letting me choose the spec, as she doesn¡¦t care, as long as it¡¦s in sterling grey!! If it was grey, I¡¦d buy it tomorrow

[steeevvvooo]

[quote]

Quite strange that it has to be grey Stevo,
[/quote]

Yep, she wants the darker grey colour. I think it’s a nice shade, but it’s definitely one of the more common (although not necessarily the best priced!!)

At least I get to pick the rest of the spec.

[steeevvvooo]

Fox- said:

I hate to think what ours is worth now. 60k mile '53 3.0 with red leather, cruise, factory aerokit, Style 108's and Bluetooth.

Suspect it will be less than the £13k it cost back in May (Although they Ins 2'd it, new disc+pads all round + brake fluid AND coolant, so thats what, £1500 worht?)! Oh well, it was an AUC and you never buy cars as an investments. Seemed like a good deal at the time.

If it helps (although I guess it won’t so apologies in advance!), I’m looking at an approved used tomorrow:

38k miles (53 plate)
2.5l Auto with cruise
Black heated and electric leather
Parking assist
Auto xenons
17inch 8 twin spokes
extra storage

list is £10,990

I know people are going to say it’s overpriced at 11k, but am hoping it’s either just had it’s Insp 1, or it’s dues in the next 3,000 miles as BMW will do it before they sell it (not sure how good a job they’ll do though if it’s “free”).

Also, the standard Approved Used warranty is 12months BMW if I’m not mistaken. That’s got to be worth something…

[steeevvvooo]

There is one thing putting me of though (someone correct me if I’m wrong here, but sure I read it late last night!)

The 2.5 and 3.0 have the same co2 output, so will have high road tax next year. Add to that, the (pre face lift) manuals will be £300 per year, with the autos (3.0 AND 2.5) slipping into the top band and being £400 per year!!!!

Might have to be the 3.0l manual then to save the planet! That’s:

3.0l manual 32k miles
05 reg
Black, elec, heated leather M sports seats
18inch ellipsods
Tracker
Extra storage
6CD changer
6months warranty

All for £13,500

[steeevvvooo]

Mr Whippy said:

Hmmm, I think Parkers website is showing not that much increase...

http://www.parkers.co.uk/cars/road-tax/?deriv=3304...

£245 after April 2010, not a huge amount.

Over 225g/km you will get the full £400 odd road tax though.

Dave

You’re right! Phew!!

Apparently the top band only applies to cars built after 2006.

[steeevvvooo]

tomTVR said:

Just picked mine up last night. Hadnt realised how st the steering is on these thing, there is a noticable delat between turning the wheel and the car changing direction.

Still love it though also glad i went for a 'cheap' one.

Tom, if you don’t mind my asking, what did you get (and a rough price if that’s not being too nosey!). It’d help me a lot tomorrow…

[steeevvvooo]

Sorry the hear about that! It's a bit cr@p of them to not let you know!!

Finally put a deposit down on one today!! Went for a middle of the road, not the expensive 05 plate, and not one of the older 2003 models.

Got a 04 plate with 35k miles
3.0l auto steptronic
black heated elec memory seats
parking sensors
18" split rim 5 spokes
Will have a Inp1 service (although it was a few thousand overdue when I test drove it )
12 months warranty and MOT

Not a "bargain" as such, but seems decent, and the warranty and fresh service give me some piece of mind.

[steeevvvooo]

tomTVR said:

£8200+ road tax at a specialist sports car dealer. Its a 04 plate 3.0i SE manual with ellipsoids and HiFi. 88k on the clock but you wouldnt be able to tell and has FBMWSH.

Sounds good to me! Uprated Hi-fi would have been great, as I can imagine it get's a little noisy with the roof down, but you'd have to wait a LONG time for the "perfect" spec I think, especially when you want everything!!

I think higher mileage won't be so bad on a car that's been looked after. I was a bit worried about the service being thousands of miles overdue, but suppose that I can start from a fresh slate now.

My only concern was I though the service intervals are dependent on driving style and stresses right? If that's the case, it might have had a hard life if it's long overdue the Insp1 (9k miles overdue I think!! ) with only 35k on the clock. One of the reasons I wanted the extended warranty. If anything needs attention, I'm hoping the warranty will get it good as new again.

Whippy, I'm sure one will turn up for you soon mate, keep looking!

[steeevvvooo]

Mattt said:

If it was 9k overdue a service, it shouldn't be sold as an AUC I thought.

This wasn't the BMW approved used car, it was from a smaller dealer. Looks like it was either traded in or picked up at auction cheap due to the long overdue service, as the other cars in the garage were Aston, Maserati etc!

The dealer assured me it would have a full and proper Insp1, provided by their affiliated (non-BMW) garage, using genuine BMW parts, so I'm happy it should be in good condition when I pick it up.

Out of interest, what sort of miles would an "average" Z4 have the insp1? If it's 9k overdue at 35k, would it be fair to assume it's had a hard life? I've heard people say the intervals can be up to 15,000 if the car is driven with a very light right foot, but can be a lot less if you drive-it-like-you-stole-it...

[steeevvvooo]

Mattt said:

It's not an ultra rare car, I'd give that one a miss - and wait for a good one to come up.

I assume that's for me, in which case it's too late! I put a deposit down yesterday!!

I'll let you know how it all is when I pick it up next week. I tend to buy things with my heart rather than my head, which can be a problem?!

Still seems to be good value to me. I know "there are lots about", etc etc, but it's hard to find something with the right spec, age, mileage etc etc. It's not like it's a Ford Focus where there are hundreds for sale within 10 miles of pretty much anyone (which is of course part of the attraction of the Z4 ).

The "if you wait long enough..." argument is self fulfilling, due to depreciation . I just closed my eyes and took the plunge.

[steeevvvooo]

nodz17 said:

stevooo - if this is the car i think it is (one of the Z4s at ADG) then it looked pretty well priced to me - and ADG are supposed to be good guys to deal with. Did you look at the other z4 they have? Any impressions? I'd also be interested in knowing what price you paid as the other car may be of interest to me - PM me if possible.
Cheers.
Nodz

It was from ADG, and the guy seemed pretty straight up, and it was a comfort to see Aston and Maserati in the same garage. You'd hope they are a decent garage with those type of cars lying around, and I'm glad you've heard good things as well!

It was in good condition, and seemed well priced. The only thing I think I'll need is a wheel re-furb, as there's some rust on the inside of the 5 spokes, as they all seem to have.