Z4M for day to day use?
Discussion
Hi folks
Later this year I will be moving house and changing cars. I currently have an AM DB9 Volante for weekends/holidays and a Saab 93 convertable for day to day use.
I intend to sell both cars and use the money to buy a second hand Z4M and the balance for decorating/kitchen/bathroom
. (Well, I say "I"... )
Anyway, the Z4M would be used for
- Short commute (3 days a week)
- Weekend hoonage - some swift driving (I miss my TVR Griffith!)
- Weekends away with the wife
How does the Z4M stack up in terms of boot space and comfort for the weekends with the wife. Could you do a 2 week tour of Europe in one with enough space for luggage for 2?
TIA
Later this year I will be moving house and changing cars. I currently have an AM DB9 Volante for weekends/holidays and a Saab 93 convertable for day to day use.
I intend to sell both cars and use the money to buy a second hand Z4M and the balance for decorating/kitchen/bathroom
. (Well, I say "I"... )Anyway, the Z4M would be used for
- Short commute (3 days a week)
- Weekend hoonage - some swift driving (I miss my TVR Griffith!)
- Weekends away with the wife
How does the Z4M stack up in terms of boot space and comfort for the weekends with the wife. Could you do a 2 week tour of Europe in one with enough space for luggage for 2?
TIA
The Z4m shoud do you nicely!
I use mine everyday for commutes, weekend hoonage and have taken it accross Europe for a 2800 mile blast over 9 days with Petrolhead Nirvana. The car was epic.
Has been fully reliable (touch wood) and great fun and certainly makes the drive to work a little more interesting
Assume due to your current car fleet you will be going for the roadster so not sure what the boot space is like on that for a two week tour. I have the Coupe and it had bags of space left.
Only downsides you will find or hear about is the harsh ride (personally its fine and the roadster is a bit softer than the Coupe) and the gear change from 1st to 2nd can be a bit clunky when pottering around town. There is a fix, although still a little tricky but you soon get use to it.
I was looking at TVR's for a wkend car and then getting something for the weekly grind but when i read up about these beasts and then drove one i was sold. Also considered a Caymen but found them a little dull.... They do say the Z4m is the German's answer to a TVR so can be a bit of a handful in the wet
Never looked back and the car is now going to be a keeper...
Enjoy!
I use mine everyday for commutes, weekend hoonage and have taken it accross Europe for a 2800 mile blast over 9 days with Petrolhead Nirvana. The car was epic.
Has been fully reliable (touch wood) and great fun and certainly makes the drive to work a little more interesting
Assume due to your current car fleet you will be going for the roadster so not sure what the boot space is like on that for a two week tour. I have the Coupe and it had bags of space left.
Only downsides you will find or hear about is the harsh ride (personally its fine and the roadster is a bit softer than the Coupe) and the gear change from 1st to 2nd can be a bit clunky when pottering around town. There is a fix, although still a little tricky but you soon get use to it.
I was looking at TVR's for a wkend car and then getting something for the weekly grind but when i read up about these beasts and then drove one i was sold. Also considered a Caymen but found them a little dull.... They do say the Z4m is the German's answer to a TVR so can be a bit of a handful in the wet
Never looked back and the car is now going to be a keeper... Enjoy!
Thanks Ross 
Yes I should have said roadster as we do like a bit of roof down driving.If anyone could comment on the boot space there I'd appreciate it. Also is there an option of fabric or tintop?
Not too worried about the wet as the Griff was a beast that had to be respected
cheers again
Yes I should have said roadster as we do like a bit of roof down driving.If anyone could comment on the boot space there I'd appreciate it. Also is there an option of fabric or tintop?
Not too worried about the wet as the Griff was a beast that had to be respected
cheers again
The z4mr is my daily drive and only car. Obviously just 2 in our house and it's fine. I'm constantly amazed how much stuff we pack into it. We took a 2 week trip to Europe last summer with tennis rackets the lot no probs. If the wife loves shoes you'll be better off with coupe though... It can require some creativity if youre really loading it due to the battery placement but I've never been defeated!
Hi
I have a Z4M coupe and love it, but it isn’t the best car for the commute to be honest, the ride is a bit firm at slower speeds (below 25mph), but comes together nicely with a bit more right foot. The Cayman S makes a better every day car (which I’ve also owned), but as a weekend toy it lacks excitement compared to the Z4M. The clutch is also a bit heavy (you do get use to it though) and some cars have what can only be described as a truculent gear change
However with your background in TVR’s it’s probably fine for you, the Z4M is a limo compared to your old TVR Griffith.
My Z4 has a decent stereo with a few other toys which make it more palatable every day. Boot space is pretty good for a car of that type and I don't have any problems with weekends away or the weekly shop.I asked a similar question on the TVR forum years ago, is the Tamora a good every day car and received a unanimous yes from all posters, turns out it was all fan boy b
ks and for me at least the TVR was to much every day, only you can answer the question in reality
Some people use an Elise everyday and its fine for them, but I could think of nothing worse than peeling myself out of the minuscule aperture which masquerades as a Lotus door on regular occasions
Good luck
I have a Z4M coupe and love it, but it isn’t the best car for the commute to be honest, the ride is a bit firm at slower speeds (below 25mph), but comes together nicely with a bit more right foot. The Cayman S makes a better every day car (which I’ve also owned), but as a weekend toy it lacks excitement compared to the Z4M. The clutch is also a bit heavy (you do get use to it though) and some cars have what can only be described as a truculent gear change
However with your background in TVR’s it’s probably fine for you, the Z4M is a limo compared to your old TVR Griffith.
My Z4 has a decent stereo with a few other toys which make it more palatable every day. Boot space is pretty good for a car of that type and I don't have any problems with weekends away or the weekly shop.I asked a similar question on the TVR forum years ago, is the Tamora a good every day car and received a unanimous yes from all posters, turns out it was all fan boy bks and for me at least the TVR was to much every day, only you can answer the question in realitySome people use an Elise everyday and its fine for them, but I could think of nothing worse than peeling myself out of the minuscule aperture which masquerades as a Lotus door on regular occasions
Good luck
Edited by Porscheplayer on Saturday 5th February 14:29
I've had my Z4M Roadster nearly a year now and love it! Its been my only car until recently when I bought myself an old hack for getting through the snow!
The ride is pretty hard, bit jiggly in town and the gear shift as you've heard before is pretty awful between 1st-2nd making town driving a bit jerky.
Theres a sports button which sharpens up the throttle response a lot, just dont use it until your in 3rd as at low speeds you'll look like a learner driver kangarooing everywhere!
I have the roof down a lot, the wind deflector helps a lot but you can still get a bit of a draft around your neck. With the roof up its very quiet.
Go for it!
The ride is pretty hard, bit jiggly in town and the gear shift as you've heard before is pretty awful between 1st-2nd making town driving a bit jerky.
Theres a sports button which sharpens up the throttle response a lot, just dont use it until your in 3rd as at low speeds you'll look like a learner driver kangarooing everywhere!
I have the roof down a lot, the wind deflector helps a lot but you can still get a bit of a draft around your neck. With the roof up its very quiet.
Go for it!
Not a problem .... done 31k as a daily driver.... at 12k pa.
plenty of space for holidays unless you pack the kitchen sink - done numerous in west highland/islands.
get afully loaded with nav, prof audio etc and your covered. don't skimp on spec - get OS update and new NAV DVD for night view and speed cameras and 7 digit postcodes as well.
plenty of space for holidays unless you pack the kitchen sink - done numerous in west highland/islands.
get afully loaded with nav, prof audio etc and your covered. don't skimp on spec - get OS update and new NAV DVD for night view and speed cameras and 7 digit postcodes as well.
Mine was doing 600 miles a week when I first got it, and would still be doing that now if it wasn't for the amount of work I'm able to do from home.
Having come from an e34 M5, the Z4 was smaller, but better on fuel and much lighter to drive. Seats are not as comfortable though.
I haven't had any problems doing 200-500 miles at a go during 2,000 mile trips to Spain & Germany.
It also happily carries my luggage and desktop computer for when I'm working away.
Having come from an e34 M5, the Z4 was smaller, but better on fuel and much lighter to drive. Seats are not as comfortable though.
I haven't had any problems doing 200-500 miles at a go during 2,000 mile trips to Spain & Germany.
It also happily carries my luggage and desktop computer for when I'm working away.
like a TVR it will be grumpy until warm, so not ideal for a trip to the shops for a pint of milk.
I have a coupé and managed to get a road bike, 2 weeks camping kit and 8 cases of wine in it... not using the luggage cover doubles the boot space...
assuming the luggage cover = similar space to the roadster, you'll manage 2 weeks summer / hotel trip if you don't go OTT
if you liked your griff you'll take an z4M over a Porsche every day!
Custard
I have a coupé and managed to get a road bike, 2 weeks camping kit and 8 cases of wine in it... not using the luggage cover doubles the boot space...
assuming the luggage cover = similar space to the roadster, you'll manage 2 weeks summer / hotel trip if you don't go OTT
if you liked your griff you'll take an z4M over a Porsche every day!
Custard
I had a Z4M and is a brilliant car for weekend drives.
IMO its a pain around town and in traffic and a bit 'buzzy' on the motorway, which is why I offloaded mine.
It was really uncomfortable in terms of it being a crashy ride and just a little too raucous if you were not in the mood at 7am in the rain & wet for example. It was not because it was twitchy, more just the fact that you feel every single contour of the road - not always what one wants.
However, I think I am just getting old and have become a grumpy sod - went for a sedate C63 AMG.
IMO its a pain around town and in traffic and a bit 'buzzy' on the motorway, which is why I offloaded mine.
It was really uncomfortable in terms of it being a crashy ride and just a little too raucous if you were not in the mood at 7am in the rain & wet for example. It was not because it was twitchy, more just the fact that you feel every single contour of the road - not always what one wants.
However, I think I am just getting old and have become a grumpy sod - went for a sedate C63 AMG.
I don’t find the ride uncomfortable, but you do find your self driving round pot holes!
having driven through most of Europe in it i wouldn’t call it uncomfortable by any stretch of the imagination. i'd rather be in the M over any 'normal car', but your not going to arrive as fresh as you would in a range rover
Re town
its brilliant fun, but it does make you drive like abit of a wally; darting into gaps tweaking the rear off roundabouts, man hole covers etc.... but very fun
quick steering, short wheel base, sittingovertherearwheels driving position means it always feels alive, even at 6 am on a winters morning.... i can understand that this may not always be ideal & why some people might be more suited to an automatic merc saloon :P
custard
I think I did 20k miles in the first year of ownership in mine.
Since April 2007 I have been down to the Med and back, week of skiing in Shamonix, week of messing around Villars, got lost many times on the one-way toll road between Adenau and Nurburg, went around the Scottish coast all the way around, have used it to go down to Cornwall to bodyboard and of course for my weekly shopping trip to Greenwich Peninsula Sainsbury's
Since April 2007 I have been down to the Med and back, week of skiing in Shamonix, week of messing around Villars, got lost many times on the one-way toll road between Adenau and Nurburg, went around the Scottish coast all the way around, have used it to go down to Cornwall to bodyboard and of course for my weekly shopping trip to Greenwich Peninsula Sainsbury's
I've a Z4M coupe, it's garaged every winter, when the weather improves it gets used mainly at wknds or hoons. Planning a trip round europe shortly with a stop off at Monaco and I can guarantee the car won't look out of place. Still looks as fresh as it did when I got it 3 years ago. Mines a keeper..
The reasons why I wouldn't drive it in my daily commute are
1. It would take the sense of occasion out of the car
2. Increase chances of losing my liscense as it drives better when driven fast
My runabout is a Golf 1.6TDI which I have a soft spot for too.
The reasons why I wouldn't drive it in my daily commute are
1. It would take the sense of occasion out of the car
2. Increase chances of losing my liscense as it drives better when driven fast
My runabout is a Golf 1.6TDI which I have a soft spot for too.
Edited by KENZ on Monday 7th February 16:40
I've also got an MC that i daily drive, the ride is definitely stiff but it's not as bad as certain reviews make it out to be, as others mentioned as well i too find myself driving around potholes but it's more due to mechanical sympathy than being physically too harsh for me.
The Coupe has plenty of boot space for its size but the boot's shape (both the Coupe's and the Roadster's) is slightly unorthodox because of that big hump of the battery box...
If you drive it hard it does like a drink, the clutch and gearbox action is a bit finicky for slow speed city driving and the handling might not be as refined as say a Cayman (havent actually driven one though) but it's a car that really gets under your skin with time. It sounds brilliant, looks amazing and goes very well indeed.
Test drive one and see for yourself if it's right for you.
The Coupe has plenty of boot space for its size but the boot's shape (both the Coupe's and the Roadster's) is slightly unorthodox because of that big hump of the battery box...
If you drive it hard it does like a drink, the clutch and gearbox action is a bit finicky for slow speed city driving and the handling might not be as refined as say a Cayman (havent actually driven one though) but it's a car that really gets under your skin with time. It sounds brilliant, looks amazing and goes very well indeed.
Test drive one and see for yourself if it's right for you.
Well you can't get a full size bike in the roadster but my girlfriend's brompton fits just fine!
Oblio - definitely make sure you have the wind deflector, it makes a BIG difference when you start to go above about 40/50 mph. Frankly the noise and turbulence without it on the motorway is a bit much but with it no problems, you can still talk and hear the stereo fine. Above 100 it will get a bit loud but then that's not really a problem in the UK. I've done a few 3 hour stints without a break and the top down and nothing more than an improved tan to show for it
One other thing I recommend is binning the standard m3 continental tires. I found them absolutely terrible and had considerable issues in the wet with aquaplaning. The vredesteins I'm currently using are great and ride comfort is much improved although the prices have gone up so much its worth checking the big name brands too.
Oblio - definitely make sure you have the wind deflector, it makes a BIG difference when you start to go above about 40/50 mph. Frankly the noise and turbulence without it on the motorway is a bit much but with it no problems, you can still talk and hear the stereo fine. Above 100 it will get a bit loud but then that's not really a problem in the UK. I've done a few 3 hour stints without a break and the top down and nothing more than an improved tan to show for it
One other thing I recommend is binning the standard m3 continental tires. I found them absolutely terrible and had considerable issues in the wet with aquaplaning. The vredesteins I'm currently using are great and ride comfort is much improved although the prices have gone up so much its worth checking the big name brands too.
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