RE: BMW Z8: Spotted

[Mermaid]

mikey k said:

Before the prices climb?
These were 70-80k a few years ago
Now they are north of £150k even for tatty ones
I considered one but that is too much

Saw them as low as £50k, but then 964RS's were £25k

[mikey k]

Mermaid said:

mikey k said:

Before the prices climb?
These were 70-80k a few years ago
Now they are north of £150k even for tatty ones
I considered one but that is too much

Saw them as low as £50k, but then 964RS's were £25k

IIRC BMW couldn't sell the last of the run and offered them at massive discounts
How things change!

[Oldwolf]

British Beef said:

There appears to be an inverse correlation between mechanical complexity and appreciating value with sports cars. Naturally aspirated RWDs with a manual gearbox seem to be the way forward,

Excellent - so my MX5 NA might be worth more than a grand again one day :-)

[belleair302]

I have no idea who is buying these unless they are going out to SE Asia. Not a car of the UK and not a very stimulating steer. The build quality can be somewhat flaky and the gearbox meh!

[iloveboost]

A rare rolling piece of art, I can see why these have gone up in value. I know underneath it's a relatively humble E39 M5, but the styling is fantastic.

[Mermaid]

mikey k said:

IIRC BMW couldn't sell the last of the run and offered them at massive discounts
How things change!

Same with the Porsche 996RS...

At this money, is it an investment anymore, or a very expensive car to drive ( but you cannot drive for fear of putting on mileage)

[daytona365]

So, a very nice car, but somehow something's missing, rather like an extremely pumped up Z3 which can be had for a couple of grand.......Are we really saying that this is worth more than the epic M1 ?.........Don't think so.

[RoverP6B]

I ought to love it. 507/Austin-Healey looks meet modern BMW performance and reliability - but the reality, from what I've heard, is a mismatched assortment of E38 and E39 suspension/steering bits, soggy handling and no quicker than an E39 M5, which is also reputedly a better steer, and less than a tenth of the price in today's used market. 180k? Surely that bubble's got to burst soon!

[Paracetamol]

RoverP6B said:

I ought to love it. 507/Austin-Healey looks meet modern BMW performance and reliability - but the reality, from what I've heard, is a mismatched assortment of E38 and E39 suspension/steering bits, soggy handling and no quicker than an E39 M5, which is also reputedly a better steer, and less than a tenth of the price in today's used market. 180k? Surely that bubble's got to burst soon!

I would not describe the handling as soggy at all. A bit understeery but the car has amazing body control a compliant ride and the structure is very very stiff. A quicker rack and smaller steering would do wonders for it. But that how BMWs were is 2000. As I said earlier- I think run flats may have impacted the car. It also super torquey- it feels pure V8 muscle car- totally effortless and instant acceleration in any gear.

[CRA1G]

daytona365 said:

So, a very nice car, but somehow something's missing, rather like an extremely pumped up Z3 which can be had for a couple of grand.......

a couple of grand......!!! Good Z3 M Coupe's are now selling for £40/45 Grand....!!! and having owned both (and still have a ZMC) there's no comparison at all....???

[MissChief]

There seems to be a big difference of opinion here. Some love it, some hate it, very few seem to be on the fence about it. Me? I certainly wouldn't for £180k. I can think of a two car garage for far, far less I'd rather have.

[daytona365]

CRA1G said:

a couple of grand......!!! Good Z3 M Coupe's are now selling for £40/45 Grand....!!! and having owned both (and still have a ZMC) there's no comparison at all....???

Who mentioned the letter 'M' ?

[CRA1G]

daytona365 said:

CRA1G said:

a couple of grand......!!! Good Z3 M Coupe's are now selling for £40/45 Grand....!!! and having owned both (and still have a ZMC) there's no comparison at all....???

Who mentioned the letter 'M' ?

Wow... that's even worse then.....! so you think there's a Comparision with a Z8 5.0 V8 400 BHP and a Z3 1.9....! and there not worth more the your "epic" 6 cylinder 3.5 277 BHP M1 anyway...???

[OwenK]

I don't understand who buys these at these prices. It's a pretty design but nothing too special I don't think. Non car people would just think it an obscure Z3-Z4 era roadster worth 6k or so. Car people know it's uncommon but wasn't renowned as a particular amazing vehicle. The drive experience isn't anything unprecedented, so it wouldn't necessarily appeal to "so rich you still want an expensive car but don't want it to appear expensive" petrolheads. It's interesting inside but still fundamentally a modern ish BMW - it's not theatrical, particularly. At 50k I would still be a bit taken aback by the value. At 180k I simply don't understand it at all.