BMW Z4 2.0 or 2.5/3.0
Discussion
Hi
For the past year I've been half-looking for a 2.0 Z4 Sport 2007/8 - I know that the 2.0 is a 4 cylinder and the 2.5/3.0 is a significantly better engine but I need to think about fuel economy as this will be my only car and I tend to do around 13-15k a year. I enjoy driving and am quite sedate but after viewing what would be a decent 2.0 yesterday, I'm now starting to think I should swallow the fuel costs and go for the bigger engine. I specifically need a sport as the seats seem to suit my bad back. The other option is to spend a bit more and go for the first of the new shape (E89).
Any thoughts would be helpful, in addition to real-world mpg figures.
Cheers
Tim
For the past year I've been half-looking for a 2.0 Z4 Sport 2007/8 - I know that the 2.0 is a 4 cylinder and the 2.5/3.0 is a significantly better engine but I need to think about fuel economy as this will be my only car and I tend to do around 13-15k a year. I enjoy driving and am quite sedate but after viewing what would be a decent 2.0 yesterday, I'm now starting to think I should swallow the fuel costs and go for the bigger engine. I specifically need a sport as the seats seem to suit my bad back. The other option is to spend a bit more and go for the first of the new shape (E89).
Any thoughts would be helpful, in addition to real-world mpg figures.
Cheers
Tim
I've just bought a 2006 2.5si roadster - my first z4.
I went for condition/mileage before engine size, though I know I wouldn't have been happy with a 2litre.
I am getting between 27 and 29 mpg according to computer - this is both travelling to work and back circa 10miles each way, and driving it like it should as often as I can.
It's a great car, sounds great, and coming from a 5cylinder Volvo s60, the fuel isn't an issue - its worth the relatively poor mpg because of the top down driving!
I had a mk 2 Focus RS, mountuned to 350bhp and I was getting 27mog in that bizarrely.
I have heard that the 3.0 is actually better than the 2.5 for economy, not sure why this is the case.
It's a great car - I am very happy with it!
I went for condition/mileage before engine size, though I know I wouldn't have been happy with a 2litre.
I am getting between 27 and 29 mpg according to computer - this is both travelling to work and back circa 10miles each way, and driving it like it should as often as I can.
It's a great car, sounds great, and coming from a 5cylinder Volvo s60, the fuel isn't an issue - its worth the relatively poor mpg because of the top down driving!
I had a mk 2 Focus RS, mountuned to 350bhp and I was getting 27mog in that bizarrely.
I have heard that the 3.0 is actually better than the 2.5 for economy, not sure why this is the case.
It's a great car - I am very happy with it!
I have just got hold of a 3.0 SI Sport 08 plate, great condition love it to bits. What i will say is when you get in the 3.0 that noise gets better with revs so you will find yourself gunning it, not the best idea if fuel economy is paramount, but you cannot help it. So if fuel costs are tight get the 2.0 and you can drive like a granddad, but every time you see and hear a 3.0 you wish you had got one. You pays your money so they say.
I bought a Z4 Coupe last year (Coupes are all 3 litre, other than the M models) and in the 7,000 miles I have done it has averaged over 30 mpg.
I can't see a 2 lire being significantly better than that so unless economy is critical (in which case a Z4 might be the wrong car anyway!) I would go for a 6 cylinder one - the N52 engine in mine is absolutely wonderful
Especially compared with the 123d it replaced - what was I thinking?
Not sure if it is allowed but they have their own forum if you want more help from people with first-hand experience (try searching Z4Forum) - friendly bunch with loads of helpful info.
Good luck with the search!
I can't see a 2 lire being significantly better than that so unless economy is critical (in which case a Z4 might be the wrong car anyway!) I would go for a 6 cylinder one - the N52 engine in mine is absolutely wonderful
Especially compared with the 123d it replaced - what was I thinking?
Not sure if it is allowed but they have their own forum if you want more help from people with first-hand experience (try searching Z4Forum) - friendly bunch with loads of helpful info.
Good luck with the search!
We got rid of my wife's 2008 2.0SE at the end of last year after owning it from new in March 08.
Not an inspiring engine, needs a bit of stirring to make good progress, though it's smooth and, in our case, faultless. It averaged high 30s in terms of mpg. if you reset the trip and went for a long run it was easy to see over 40 but over long periods of mixed driving it was 38/39.
When we bought the car we weren't looking for an out and out sports car and consciously chose the SE which has a much better ride than the Sport, which in our opinion was awful.
If you go for one try to find out if the ABS/ASC pump has been renewed. It's about the age that they fail and it's a £2000 + job if you have it done at a main dealer. People will tell you the pump can be refurbished but it's not often possible with cars of that age.
This was the only fault we had with the car over the 6 years plus that we owned it. We got significant goodwill on the repair, the car having a FBMWSH and us owning another BMW, but you can't always be sure of that.
Not an inspiring engine, needs a bit of stirring to make good progress, though it's smooth and, in our case, faultless. It averaged high 30s in terms of mpg. if you reset the trip and went for a long run it was easy to see over 40 but over long periods of mixed driving it was 38/39.
When we bought the car we weren't looking for an out and out sports car and consciously chose the SE which has a much better ride than the Sport, which in our opinion was awful.
If you go for one try to find out if the ABS/ASC pump has been renewed. It's about the age that they fail and it's a £2000 + job if you have it done at a main dealer. People will tell you the pump can be refurbished but it's not often possible with cars of that age.
This was the only fault we had with the car over the 6 years plus that we owned it. We got significant goodwill on the repair, the car having a FBMWSH and us owning another BMW, but you can't always be sure of that.
Many thanks for all the comments; In the end I couldn't make my mind up so have decided to leave it for a bit, but I'm now thinking of going for the first of newer shape (E89) with a 6 cylinder engine.
The 2.0 litre appealed for the fuel economy but I agree that the car really benefits from the bigger engine (and the difference in fuel costs isn't that big) so will hold out for the right car. In the meantime I'm heading to an auction next week to but a VW Up which I will use as a stop gap as I need a car ASAP.
The 2.0 litre appealed for the fuel economy but I agree that the car really benefits from the bigger engine (and the difference in fuel costs isn't that big) so will hold out for the right car. In the meantime I'm heading to an auction next week to but a VW Up which I will use as a stop gap as I need a car ASAP.
Good luck at the auction.
To be fair if fuel economy is that critical to you a Z4 probably isn't what you should be looking at in the first place - maybe a diesel 1 Series would be more appropriate! (But based on my experience although it does the job, it has b****r-all character)!
Took my Z4C out for a drive today - if you do buy one please, please at least try a 6 cylinder one before you commit!
To be fair if fuel economy is that critical to you a Z4 probably isn't what you should be looking at in the first place - maybe a diesel 1 Series would be more appropriate! (But based on my experience although it does the job, it has b****r-all character)!
Took my Z4C out for a drive today
- if you do buy one please, please at least try a 6 cylinder one before you commit!Mr Tidy said:
Good luck at the auction.
To be fair if fuel economy is that critical to you a Z4 probably isn't what you should be looking at in the first place - maybe a diesel 1 Series would be more appropriate! (But based on my experience although it does the job, it has b****r-all character)!
Took my Z4C out for a drive today - if you do buy one please, please at least try a 6 cylinder one before you commit!
I didn't make it to the auction on time.... my plan was to get up at 6am, drive down from North Berwick (near Edinburgh) to Brighouse (car auction), hopefully buy the car and meet my wife in Oxford - I didn't expect massive delays on the M1 due to road being closed by flooding so missed car by 10 mins...I really should have used the A19!To be fair if fuel economy is that critical to you a Z4 probably isn't what you should be looking at in the first place - maybe a diesel 1 Series would be more appropriate! (But based on my experience although it does the job, it has b****r-all character)!
Took my Z4C out for a drive today
- if you do buy one please, please at least try a 6 cylinder one before you commit!
It's funny you mention a 1 series as I've had a few, and despite some of the negative comments on here I really liked my 118d sport - I suffer from a bad back and the only seats that seem to help are the BMW sports seats which was one of the reasons I was going for a Z4.
I'm now thinking either a 2012 onwards 118d Sport 3dr in automatic, or a 2009 onwards Z4 - the reason I keep coming back to a z4 is the depreciation should be relatively small if I buy at auction (at the right price) and I don't have kids, but the 118d would obviously be more practical.
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