BMW Z4 3.0 Si Coupé - no competition at this price point
Discussion
I always fancied one of these.
I was in my early twenties when they were first released and distinctly remember seeing one on a bill board advert in Manchester and it just blew me away. I remember poring over glowing reviews at the time, taking in the distinctive lines and yearning to one day own one.
Fast forward seven years and in April this year I was looking for a sporty and practical daily driver that I could have fun with on the odd B road blast. I drove a TTS and found it totally characterless, then suddenly remembered the old Z4 Coupé. I test drove a manual but found the clutch too heavy for my damaged knees, so when a well specced Auto with paddles came up just 2 miles from home with a trader I was on it like a shot.
A test drive didn't blow me away if I am honest. interior felt a little claustrophobic and the flat six sounded like a hoover compared to my Alfa V6, but it was enough to convince me to part with my hard earned. The car was in good nick but had no history other than some stamps in the service book, but the trader came across as a genuine bloke and an AA inspection was positive, revealing only a few niggles which were rectified by the trader, so I took the plunge.
The spec when I bought it was as follows:
2007 BMW Z4 Si 3.0 SE Coupe
44k miles
Auto box with paddles
Black with red leather interior
Electric memory seats
Cruise control
Upgraded sound system
It was also a useful £6,500 cheaper than an equivalent Audi TTS!
Only when I got the car onto some proper roads to get better acquainted did I start to realise that there was a serious depth of performance and talent to explore. I loved it! The AA inspection revealed the rear springs had snapped, so I replaced them with 30mm Eibachs which further sharpened the already capable handling, whilst the 'sound generator' mod (removal of some foam insulation from a pipe by the airbox) gave high revs some more aural drama. A stubby aerial completed the first round of tweaks. Here are some pics from an early morning summer run over the Peak District:
I was in my early twenties when they were first released and distinctly remember seeing one on a bill board advert in Manchester and it just blew me away. I remember poring over glowing reviews at the time, taking in the distinctive lines and yearning to one day own one.
Fast forward seven years and in April this year I was looking for a sporty and practical daily driver that I could have fun with on the odd B road blast. I drove a TTS and found it totally characterless, then suddenly remembered the old Z4 Coupé. I test drove a manual but found the clutch too heavy for my damaged knees, so when a well specced Auto with paddles came up just 2 miles from home with a trader I was on it like a shot.
A test drive didn't blow me away if I am honest. interior felt a little claustrophobic and the flat six sounded like a hoover compared to my Alfa V6, but it was enough to convince me to part with my hard earned. The car was in good nick but had no history other than some stamps in the service book, but the trader came across as a genuine bloke and an AA inspection was positive, revealing only a few niggles which were rectified by the trader, so I took the plunge.
The spec when I bought it was as follows:
2007 BMW Z4 Si 3.0 SE Coupe
44k miles
Auto box with paddles
Black with red leather interior
Electric memory seats
Cruise control
Upgraded sound system
It was also a useful £6,500 cheaper than an equivalent Audi TTS!
Only when I got the car onto some proper roads to get better acquainted did I start to realise that there was a serious depth of performance and talent to explore. I loved it! The AA inspection revealed the rear springs had snapped, so I replaced them with 30mm Eibachs which further sharpened the already capable handling, whilst the 'sound generator' mod (removal of some foam insulation from a pipe by the airbox) gave high revs some more aural drama. A stubby aerial completed the first round of tweaks. Here are some pics from an early morning summer run over the Peak District:
I was soon fettling again however, as I wanted to disguise the age of the car, whilst the run flats were doing my head in and I had always liked the look of these on CSL style wheels. Its a classic look and not exactly breaking new ground, but if it ain't broke....
So, I managed to track down a set of staggered 19" CSL replicas and ordered some sticky Toyo Proxy tyres. I also found a private plate (my nickname is James Junior) for a good price. With these fitted since August, I am now really pleased with the look of the car.
These are some pics my buddy took after another Peaks run:
So, I managed to track down a set of staggered 19" CSL replicas and ordered some sticky Toyo Proxy tyres. I also found a private plate (my nickname is James Junior) for a good price. With these fitted since August, I am now really pleased with the look of the car.
These are some pics my buddy took after another Peaks run:
That is a very very cool car. In fact cooler than a cold Mohica with extra ice.
That auto box will have you fuddled if you keep it in drive but the flappy paddles transform it to being a driving pleasure.
Is it black or ruby?
In any case, well done and enjoy.
The only better choice would have been an M Coupe but the gearbox and clutch would have seen your knee off for good.
That auto box will have you fuddled if you keep it in drive but the flappy paddles transform it to being a driving pleasure.
Is it black or ruby?
In any case, well done and enjoy.
The only better choice would have been an M Coupe but the gearbox and clutch would have seen your knee off for good.
I have put 8k miles on the car now since April and it has proven utterly dependable. The only slight issue was wandering steering which proved to be a result of worn bushes on the front suspension arms, so replaced these with polybushes which further sharpened the handling.
The 19" wheels whilst a bit more comfortable than the run flats had a slight impact on performance, with straight line pace feeling a touch blunted versus the OEM 18s. The car also feels a little less pointy. However, outright grip has improved and the car is still very precise in the turns.
It is a great car to own and drive every day. On entry you slip into a low slung driving position with good visibility. The cabin is intimate, simple and elegant and everything feels very nice quality. You sit far back, almost over the rear wheels, looking out over the long bonnet and I am always left with the feeling that I am driving something a bit special.
In normal driving, the auto box is smooth and makes for a totally chilled out drive if you are in traffic or just taking your time. It is a bit slow witted if you want it to kick down however, but then it does have a 'sport' setting, which totally changes the cars character. With sport engaged, the steering weights up and the car shifts down a gear, feeling like it is on high alert. Pin the throttle and the car surges forward with surprising enthusiasm, the high revving 3.0 finding an impressive amount of torque given the lack of forced induction, giving a pleasing kick in the back as it howls towards the red line, before finally reaching for the next cog.
On a good road however, a quick flick of the gear level and you can switch to the paddles for manual shifting, with sport mode engaged to sharpen the throttle response and steering. I love the alternative paddle shift set up in this car (you can change both up or down with both paddles) and whilst it took a bit of getting used to, I prefer it to the 'left paddle - downshift / righ paddle - upshift' set up found in most other cars. I actually find attacking a good road with the paddles more engaging than any manual box I have driven and this car has totally changed my opinion of semi autos.
The car just feels so controlled on a good road, with great balance and dependable brakes. Once your confidence builds and you trust the car, you get into an almost hypnotic rythym, controlling your entry speed, dropping a gear or two, feathering the throttle round the bend, then feeding the revs back in as you start to exit. The car seems to catapult itself out of the bends and corners so flat you can carry huge speed through the twisties. The back end always feels like it is with you, rather than trying to stick you in a hedge and the traction control is rarely troubled.
It is all hugely impressive and I can get the car flowing beautifully down a good road, in a way that is more satisfying and far far faster than anything else I have owned before. Also despite the paddle shift gear change, it all feels very old school, with weighty steering that is brimming with feel.
Reliability has been spot on so far and the economy is hugely impressive when behaving yourself. I tend to drive quite quickly when conditions permit and commute into Manchester every day and my long term average is 25 mpg.
I just cannot think of anything that comes close as a complete package for this sort of money other than perhaps an E46 M3, though running costs would increase substantially and in most driving conditions I cannot imagine there being much between them in terms of real world performance.
As an exciting 'proper' sports car, which you can drive every day and that doesn't cost the earth to run I cannot recommend these highly enough.
The 19" wheels whilst a bit more comfortable than the run flats had a slight impact on performance, with straight line pace feeling a touch blunted versus the OEM 18s. The car also feels a little less pointy. However, outright grip has improved and the car is still very precise in the turns.
It is a great car to own and drive every day. On entry you slip into a low slung driving position with good visibility. The cabin is intimate, simple and elegant and everything feels very nice quality. You sit far back, almost over the rear wheels, looking out over the long bonnet and I am always left with the feeling that I am driving something a bit special.
In normal driving, the auto box is smooth and makes for a totally chilled out drive if you are in traffic or just taking your time. It is a bit slow witted if you want it to kick down however, but then it does have a 'sport' setting, which totally changes the cars character. With sport engaged, the steering weights up and the car shifts down a gear, feeling like it is on high alert. Pin the throttle and the car surges forward with surprising enthusiasm, the high revving 3.0 finding an impressive amount of torque given the lack of forced induction, giving a pleasing kick in the back as it howls towards the red line, before finally reaching for the next cog.
On a good road however, a quick flick of the gear level and you can switch to the paddles for manual shifting, with sport mode engaged to sharpen the throttle response and steering. I love the alternative paddle shift set up in this car (you can change both up or down with both paddles) and whilst it took a bit of getting used to, I prefer it to the 'left paddle - downshift / righ paddle - upshift' set up found in most other cars. I actually find attacking a good road with the paddles more engaging than any manual box I have driven and this car has totally changed my opinion of semi autos.
The car just feels so controlled on a good road, with great balance and dependable brakes. Once your confidence builds and you trust the car, you get into an almost hypnotic rythym, controlling your entry speed, dropping a gear or two, feathering the throttle round the bend, then feeding the revs back in as you start to exit. The car seems to catapult itself out of the bends and corners so flat you can carry huge speed through the twisties. The back end always feels like it is with you, rather than trying to stick you in a hedge and the traction control is rarely troubled.
It is all hugely impressive and I can get the car flowing beautifully down a good road, in a way that is more satisfying and far far faster than anything else I have owned before. Also despite the paddle shift gear change, it all feels very old school, with weighty steering that is brimming with feel.
Reliability has been spot on so far and the economy is hugely impressive when behaving yourself. I tend to drive quite quickly when conditions permit and commute into Manchester every day and my long term average is 25 mpg.
I just cannot think of anything that comes close as a complete package for this sort of money other than perhaps an E46 M3, though running costs would increase substantially and in most driving conditions I cannot imagine there being much between them in terms of real world performance.
As an exciting 'proper' sports car, which you can drive every day and that doesn't cost the earth to run I cannot recommend these highly enough.
Edited by Alfa159Ti on Wednesday 4th December 19:15
em177 said:
Those wheels look fantastic, really suit the car well. Where from and how much if you don't mind me asking?
Thanks. 
I bought the car from a bloke called Steve at Mottram Trade Sales. He gets a lot of performance stuff from main dealers that has come in via part ex.
http://www.mottramtradesales.com/
He was very easy to deal with and straight talking. When I had the AA inspection done we just sat down and had a frank chat about the results and he was happy to give up some of his margin to put some niggles right.
The car was a steal I thought at £11,500. If you are willing to go for one with higher miles you can pay even less, but I was very pleased with what I paid as Autos are very rare and the spec was nice.
I just cannot think of any performance car that comes close to this in terms of the all round package for the money.
Pistom said:
That is a very very cool car. In fact cooler than a cold Mohica with extra ice.
That auto box will have you fuddled if you keep it in drive but the flappy paddles transform it to being a driving pleasure.
Is it black or ruby?
In any case, well done and enjoy.
The only better choice would have been an M Coupe but the gearbox and clutch would have seen your knee off for good.
Thanks. I think the colour is ruby now you mention it. I considered the M as they were also well within budget. I spent time with an E46 M3 and love that engine, but for my purposes that engine in a little Zed coupé just seemed like overkill and might have made it a bit of a chore on the daily commute. That auto box will have you fuddled if you keep it in drive but the flappy paddles transform it to being a driving pleasure.
Is it black or ruby?
In any case, well done and enjoy.
The only better choice would have been an M Coupe but the gearbox and clutch would have seen your knee off for good.
I was worried I might regret the decision to just go with the 3.0, but have been pleasantly surpised and am perfectly happy with the performance. It is still a fast little car and punches hard considering its relatively modest power output (265 bhp I think). Besides I am not sure I have the skill to extract as much fun from the M on a good road without ending up taking a trip through a hedge backwards!
The Z4M would no doubt be an awesome weekend toy however and at current used prices are another performance bargain at the moment - £14k seems to get you into a good one.
Alfa159Ti said:
em177 said:
Those wheels look fantastic, really suit the car well. Where from and how much if you don't mind me asking?
Thanks. I bought the car from a bloke called Steve at Mottram Trade Sales. He gets a lot of performance stuff from main dealers that has come in via part ex.
http://www.mottramtradesales.com/
He was very easy to deal with and straight talking. When I had the AA inspection done we just sat down and had a frank chat about the results and he was happy to give up some of his margin to put some niggles right.
The car was a steal I thought at £11,500. If you are willing to go for one with higher miles you can pay even less, but I was very pleased with what I paid as Autos are very rare and the spec was nice.
I just cannot think of any performance car that comes close to this in terms of the all round package for the money.
Cheers,
em177 said:
Apologies, wasn't wanting to be rude and ask how much the car was..... Was the wheels I was interested in
Cheers,
Ah I see.Cheers,
Not rude at all.
Got them from a very nice bloke called Chris at CM Wheels.
http://www.cmwheels.com/
As I recall the wheels and tyres together came in at around £1,300 including delivery which I thought was good. They are replicas, but done very nicely, with a nice concave finish to the rears especially which are a bit 'deeper'. I thought I might need spacers to finish off, but quite happy with the stance as is without them.
Besides, I don't need any more help scuffing the wheels...
Edited by Alfa159Ti on Wednesday 4th December 20:02
That's lovely. The original Z4 is such a goof looking car, much nicer than the one that replaced it.
It really suits the CSL wheels too. Sounds like you've had a great ownership experience too.
The 3 litre engine in our E90 always puts a smile on my face. It so da just chunky enough when you start it up and gets even better near the redline. I think the autobox suits it too although ours doesn't have paddles.
It really suits the CSL wheels too. Sounds like you've had a great ownership experience too.
The 3 litre engine in our E90 always puts a smile on my face. It so da just chunky enough when you start it up and gets even better near the redline. I think the autobox suits it too although ours doesn't have paddles.
Uurgh...Love these. I'm still on the hunt for a clean coupe/convertible. But someone needs to buy my car first 
They look brilliant with csl wheels on Yours looks immacualte.
Edited to ask if you've removed any of the foam in the sound generator?
They look brilliant with csl wheels on
Yours looks immacualte.Edited to ask if you've removed any of the foam in the sound generator?
Edited by Shenanigans on Wednesday 4th December 23:14
Being sensible you will have no regrets over going for a 3.0. They are a great car in every sense. The M isn't overkill, it's just different. The auto in these cars is great.
Not sure why these cars are as cheap as they are. I think the perception is that they are expensive to run but reality is that even the M is a bargain for what you get.
Not sure why these cars are as cheap as they are. I think the perception is that they are expensive to run but reality is that even the M is a bargain for what you get.
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