Would a Z4 Coupe be a good upgrade for me?

Would a Z4 Coupe be a good upgrade for me?

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Discussion

Mr Tidy

22,065 posts

126 months

Sunday 11th October 2015
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otolith said:
Yes, I like the looks of the coupe too. It was a similar story when I bought the Elise, in that Exiges looked great but were over budget, and roof-off motoring was a nice consolation.

For the wife, it was more a matter of finding something in budget which met her demands. Rear drive, quicker than her 350Z, an interior she liked, exterior styling she liked. She's a fussy cow! Lots of things rejected as "too slow", "too ugly", "old man interior", etc. The Z4MC was never in budget, so wasn't on the list.
Ha ha, like that - solution was to chop in the missus, so now my decision is final!

Billy_Whizzzz

1,991 posts

142 months

Sunday 11th October 2015
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Mr Tidy said:
otolith said:
Z4MR is cheaper than the coupe - I think the cheapest we looked at was 13k, we eventually bought one a little under 16.
Probably because they are floppy, whereas Coupes aren't......

Good driver's cars usually have the front and rear attached to each other properly! laugh!

OP, shame you are so far away - would have been happy for you to have tried my Coupe, but if a trader near you has one why not have a test drive?!


Edited by Mr Tidy on Sunday 11th October 00:26
I think you'll find that the roadster's front is connected to it's rear pretty well - being torsionally stiffer than an E46 saloon or coupe, and many other tin tops. the fact that it is less stiff than its Z4 coupe cousin doesn't make it floppy.

dave_s13

13,813 posts

268 months

Sunday 11th October 2015
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otolith said:
My wife has recently changed a 276bhp 350Z for a Z4M. I never really took to the Nissan dynamically, it felt big and heavy and unwieldy. The BMW feels a lot lighter on its feet.

The two engines both make about the same peak torque at about the same revs, but obviously the BMW revs higher and makes a lot more power. So it's not really the case that relatively speaking you have to rev it out, you just can if you want to. The Nissan always felt strained at the top end. I would imagine that the 3.0 BMW engine is also a free revving engine, but has less torque than the Nissan.
How does she get on with th ride quality? A mate used to have a Z4Mc and it was the harshest most bone jarring motor I've ever been in. It was still chuffing epic though.

Squidward

54 posts

122 months

Sunday 11th October 2015
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I have to say I'm amazed at the M3 torsional rigidity! I just assumed it was a lot stiffer - that's mad.



one thing to add - make sure you get the geometry done resonably regularly - the cars are quite sensitive to geo!

TameRacingDriver

Original Poster:

18,048 posts

271 months

Sunday 11th October 2015
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otolith said:
My wife has recently changed a 276bhp 350Z for a Z4M. I never really took to the Nissan dynamically, it felt big and heavy and unwieldy. The BMW feels a lot lighter on its feet.

The two engines both make about the same peak torque at about the same revs, but obviously the BMW revs higher and makes a lot more power. So it's not really the case that relatively speaking you have to rev it out, you just can if you want to. The Nissan always felt strained at the top end. I would imagine that the 3.0 BMW engine is also a free revving engine, but has less torque than the Nissan.
The 350Z does feel quite heavy I will admit, good to hear that the Z4 feels lighter and more nimble... mind I never felt the 350Z felt strained at the top of the rev range. Mine actually seemed to accelerate harder after 5,000, almost like a VTEC, it did have an injen induction kit and cobra exhaust, and the dealer claimed it had a remap too - I wasn't sure about this because I'd heard the remap raised the rev limit to 7K but mine topped out at 6,500 like I would expect as standard.

Mr Tidy said:
OP, shame you are so far away - would have been happy for you to have tried my Coupe, but if a trader near you has one why not have a test drive?!
Yes, I may have to do this, although I might wait until next year because if I drive one I'll probably want to buy it straight away hehe

otolith

55,899 posts

203 months

Sunday 11th October 2015
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dave_s13 said:
How does she get on with th ride quality? A mate used to have a Z4Mc and it was the harshest most bone jarring motor I've ever been in. It was still chuffing epic though.
She's fine with it - actually I would say that the 350Z was worse!

otolith

55,899 posts

203 months

Sunday 11th October 2015
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TameRacingDriver said:
The 350Z does feel quite heavy I will admit, good to hear that the Z4 feels lighter and more nimble... mind I never felt the 350Z felt strained at the top of the rev range. Mine actually seemed to accelerate harder after 5,000, almost like a VTEC, it did have an injen induction kit and cobra exhaust, and the dealer claimed it had a remap too - I wasn't sure about this because I'd heard the remap raised the rev limit to 7K but mine topped out at 6,500 like I would expect as standard.:

Is yours a newer model with more power? Ours just didn't feel enthusiastic about being pushed to the red line, with the torque falling off and the sound getting a bit rougher. Not the sort of engine where you hit the limiter by accident.

Mr Tidy

22,065 posts

126 months

Sunday 11th October 2015
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TameRacingDriver said:
Yes, I may have to do this, although I might wait until next year because if I drive one I'll probably want to buy it straight away hehe
I can understand that!

I had fancied a Z4C for years and planned to hold out for a colour combination and spec that I really liked, then I test drove one (it was an SE and I couldn't see the point of seats like that in a Z4C) but I bought the next one I looked at! I didn't really want black, but the sun was shining and as it is Ruby Black it just looked fantastic and with a pale interior (Pearl Grey) I just couldn't help myself.laugh

Took it to the Silverstone Sunday Service today and had a great drive.cloud9

Nice thing is the N52 engine seems very tractable just pootling but will also chase the 7,000 rpm red line quite happily. Really is a fantastic engine!

otolith

55,899 posts

203 months

Sunday 11th October 2015
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Yes, the engine is a gem.

TameRacingDriver

Original Poster:

18,048 posts

271 months

Sunday 11th October 2015
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otolith said:

Is yours a newer model with more power? Ours just didn't feel enthusiastic about being pushed to the red line, with the torque falling off and the sound getting a bit rougher. Not the sort of engine where you hit the limiter by accident.
It was a 2006 model, but I think the coupe had the revised engine with 296(?) bhp but the roadster was new out and had the 276 bhp engine, worst of both worlds (VED and less power). I've heard a few say what you do so it does make me think whether it was fettled.

TameRacingDriver

Original Poster:

18,048 posts

271 months

Monday 12th October 2015
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So.... my insurance is due, and while I was at it, I thought I'd get a quote for a Z4 Coupe 3.0. This came out at £290 which is barely more than I'm paying for the CTR. However, out of interest (because they've always been utterly silly to insure in the past) I tried a quote on an E46 M3, and it was only £298!!

Now I'm a bit torn, but I'm sure the Z4 is still going to be the more "sensible" buy? After all, it's going to cost about double to run in pretty much every other respect, is it not? There are lots of decent M3s around for £8k....

TameRacingDriver

Original Poster:

18,048 posts

271 months

Monday 12th October 2015
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Well after doing a bit of reading about running an M3, not to mention a few threads where the Z4 3.0 Coupe is compared with the E46 M3, I'm still pretty much settled on the Z4C.

Although insurance and VED won't be much difference, it would appear that the Z4 can manage 50% better MPG for starters. More MPG = more hoonage. The servicing costs on the M3 are a tad unsettling to say the least for someone trying to run a car on a semi-sensible budget. And some have even said they prefer the Z4C regardless of its relative lack of performance as a car that feels more special more of the time, with some folks saying that when you're not on it, the M3 does just feel like it could be a more run of the mill model.

So, Z4C it still is for me....

otolith

55,899 posts

203 months

Monday 12th October 2015
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The basic Z4 vs 3-series comparison is a no-brainer. It's a bit harder once you add the M vs non-M aspect, but I think personally I would always find a sports car more special than a saloon.

TameRacingDriver

Original Poster:

18,048 posts

271 months

Monday 12th October 2015
quotequote all
otolith said:
The basic Z4 vs 3-series comparison is a no-brainer. It's a bit harder once you add the M vs non-M aspect, but I think personally I would always find a sports car more special than a saloon.
I saw a few comments on here from people who thought the Z was special all of the time, even if it was slower, than the M which probably feels much like any other 6-pot 3-series until you wind it up some. My mate thinks I should get the M3 but he would say that, he's on £100K a year and I'm only on a quarter of that hehe

Also TBH I don't really want another car that has to be driven like a hooligan to feel special; my CTR and ITR both felt like that, whereas my old 350Z always felt good all of the time, which is what I imagine the Z4 will be like.

Edited by TameRacingDriver on Monday 12th October 15:51

larven

22 posts

102 months

Monday 12th October 2015
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TameRacingDriver said:
I saw a few comments on here from people who thought the Z was special all of the time, even if it was slower, than the M which probably feels much like any other 6-pot 3-series until you wind it up some. My mate thinks I should get the M3 but he would say that, he's on £100K a year and I'm only on a quarter of that hehe

Also TBH I don't really want another car that has to be driven like a hooligan to feel special; my CTR and ITR both felt like that, whereas my old 350Z always felt good all of the time, which is what I imagine the Z4 will be like.

Edited by TameRacingDriver on Monday 12th October 15:51
I was considering getting an M3 in 2006 but decided on the Z4 Coupe 3.0si. I thought it was a beautiful car in the classic sports car tradition with the long bonnet and sculpted rear cabin. The engine was an absolute peach.

I too wanted a car to feel special but the M3 was a bit too hard core for me and the Z4 was perfect. The only thing I regretted about having it was selling it when the credit crunch hit, it just seemed one luxury too far at the time.

Billy_Whizzzz

1,991 posts

142 months

Monday 12th October 2015
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I've had a 3.0i Z4 and found it pretty anodyne, so bought a Z4M which is utterly and totally different in every way. I'd always have an M3 over the tin top Z4 - that M engine is utterly sublime - and no, it doesn't need to be ragged to get the best out of - M3s feel special even pottering around. M3 everyday over the Z4 tin top.

Vroomer

1,864 posts

179 months

Tuesday 13th October 2015
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I went from an M3 E46 which I'd had from new to a new Z4C (not M). Never regretted the decision.

AquaMatt

55 posts

110 months

Tuesday 13th October 2015
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3 months ago I went from an FN2 to an E86 and I have loved every minute of it. The steering is marginally better but the feel of the whole car is so much more special. The economy is almost identical (just sub 30ish) as is the insurance but it feels so much faster in every day driving due to the extra torque. Also sounds glorious and really climbs up past x leptons when going flooring it in a way the Type R never did, you have been warned wink

I would say get yourself in one and have a drive, keep in mind that they are very sensitive to tyres, pressure and geo so initially my Z4C did not feel as planted as the Civic.

Good luck searching and keep us updated!

Mr Tidy

22,065 posts

126 months

Wednesday 14th October 2015
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TameRacingDriver said:
I saw a few comments on here from people who thought the Z was special all of the time, even if it was slower, than the M which probably feels much like any other 6-pot 3-series until you wind it up some. My mate thinks I should get the M3 but he would say that, he's on £100K a year and I'm only on a quarter of that hehe

Also TBH I don't really want another car that has to be driven like a hooligan to feel special; my CTR and ITR both felt like that, whereas my old 350Z always felt good all of the time, which is what I imagine the Z4 will be like.

Edited by TameRacingDriver on Monday 12th October 15:51
Actually I think that sums it up quite well - to me the Z4C feels special every time I drive it. Yes, it is even more special when I chase the red-line, but I don't feel the need to always do that!

I have never driven an M3, but can't help thinking any E46 Coupe would feel much the same until you find an empty road with no cameras - and then a Z4MC would surely be better still!

But my aim was to have something a bit different with great performance, while avoiding the M-tax.....

Billy_Whizzzz

1,991 posts

142 months

Wednesday 14th October 2015
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Mr Tidy said:
I have never driven an M3, but can't help thinking any E46 Coupe would feel much the same
If you've never driven an M3, how could you speculate what it would be like? A BMW is defined by it's engine primarily, and chassis next. The M3 has one of the greatest engines ever made that is ever present, even at low speeds. It utterly defines the car. A 330i is nothing like an M3, and feels nothing like it. A Z4 is nothing like a Z4M and feels nothing like it. A Z4C is pretty, but pretty characterless to drive. Great if you want one, just don't kid yourself it's anything like a Z4M or an M3 to drive, even at low speeds.

Edited by Billy_Whizzzz on Thursday 22 October 19:50