Bmw z4 3.0si coupe
Discussion
Hi everyone - been looking forward to posting this topic for a few weeks now!
Fast forward back 2 months to a friend's stag do, and a mate came along in his Z4. For some reason, even after getting covered in mud while paintballing, he let me have a ride in the car and I fell in love with the shape, the low and long bonnet and power & smoothness of the engine, and the fact that they seem to be pretty reliable while still feeling special.
I started researching and reading, as petrolheads do (big shout out to Pistonheads & the Z4 Forum) and understanding more about what options were worth looking for, which weren't, and getting my head around what sort of money people were paying for Coupe's in various condition.
Fast forward another month and I'd test driven my first car, a slightly underwhelming silver coupe for sale with a dealer in North London with a questionable number of dents and scratches. Clearly, being an overgrown child and hugely into cars, i almost bought it on the spot but somehow managed to stop myself and convinced myself to hold on for a better example. Flicking through Autotrader late at night, I spotted a Sapphire black car with two tone leather and all the options i was looking for, but for sale in Edinburgh...353 miles away from home!
Naturally, given the completely impractical logistics, in my sleep addled mind i decided the car had to be mine. Following a good chat with the owner and a bit of research (it's amazing what you can find online now with MOT histories, etc) I booked a train ticket for the following weekend and 4 1/2 hours later was standing in the rain (obviously) outside Edinburgh station, looking at the car. Following a good test drive and check out of the history, the deal was done and the car was mine.
Drive back was fantastic - the straight six is so powerful yet smooth and makes a good noise. the previous owner had removed already one of the foam bungs from the nattily named 'sound generator' but the car was also comfortable cruising along on the A1. Being a good grandson, I stopped on the way to visit my grandmother and immediately realised that the car was too low and that, once in, she'd never be able to get out again!
Couple of (bad iphone) pictures of the car - hope you all like it! Lots more miles and smiles to come...
At its favourite location (the petrol station)
Fast forward back 2 months to a friend's stag do, and a mate came along in his Z4. For some reason, even after getting covered in mud while paintballing, he let me have a ride in the car and I fell in love with the shape, the low and long bonnet and power & smoothness of the engine, and the fact that they seem to be pretty reliable while still feeling special.
I started researching and reading, as petrolheads do (big shout out to Pistonheads & the Z4 Forum) and understanding more about what options were worth looking for, which weren't, and getting my head around what sort of money people were paying for Coupe's in various condition.
Fast forward another month and I'd test driven my first car, a slightly underwhelming silver coupe for sale with a dealer in North London with a questionable number of dents and scratches. Clearly, being an overgrown child and hugely into cars, i almost bought it on the spot but somehow managed to stop myself and convinced myself to hold on for a better example. Flicking through Autotrader late at night, I spotted a Sapphire black car with two tone leather and all the options i was looking for, but for sale in Edinburgh...353 miles away from home!
Naturally, given the completely impractical logistics, in my sleep addled mind i decided the car had to be mine. Following a good chat with the owner and a bit of research (it's amazing what you can find online now with MOT histories, etc) I booked a train ticket for the following weekend and 4 1/2 hours later was standing in the rain (obviously) outside Edinburgh station, looking at the car. Following a good test drive and check out of the history, the deal was done and the car was mine.
Drive back was fantastic - the straight six is so powerful yet smooth and makes a good noise. the previous owner had removed already one of the foam bungs from the nattily named 'sound generator' but the car was also comfortable cruising along on the A1. Being a good grandson, I stopped on the way to visit my grandmother and immediately realised that the car was too low and that, once in, she'd never be able to get out again!
Couple of (bad iphone) pictures of the car - hope you all like it! Lots more miles and smiles to come...
At its favourite location (the petrol station)
Toughest decision with these is what to replace it with. There isn't anything similar in the same price bracket that is comparable in my opinion. They really do feel special.
I've had mine for 21 months and have only managed to put 15k miles on it somehow - you've picked a good angle with your picture in the petrol station they look great from the back.
Here's mine
I've had mine for 21 months and have only managed to put 15k miles on it somehow - you've picked a good angle with your picture in the petrol station they look great from the back.
Here's mine
Welcome to the club.
There’s a similar thread still active on the 3.0si ...
https://www.pistonheads.com/gassing/topic.asp?h=0&...
Here’s a random pic I took at the weekend of my daily driver since 2012...
There’s a similar thread still active on the 3.0si ...
https://www.pistonheads.com/gassing/topic.asp?h=0&...
Here’s a random pic I took at the weekend of my daily driver since 2012...
sjj84 said:
Looks lovely, enjoy. I have a siver grey one, never quite looks as good as the black ones. Out of interest, how much did you pay? Had mine since 2011, no idea of their value these days.
Just under £7k 
Thanks all - some lovely fellow Zeds on here. I really like the 108s but CSL’s just look fantastic on these cars too.
Next steps for me I think is to look into getting a little more noise from the exhaust in a tasteful way...people keep talking about the DLV exhaust mod costing c£250 but giving a much nicer ‘stock’ noise so I’ll keep an eye on the various forums, while I get used to the car.
Any idea how rare the z4 coupes are? I’ve yet to see another one on the road while out and about in mine
UmpaLoompa said:
sjj84 said:
Looks lovely, enjoy. I have a siver grey one, never quite looks as good as the black ones. Out of interest, how much did you pay? Had mine since 2011, no idea of their value these days.
Just under £7k Thanks all - some lovely fellow Zeds on here. I really like the 108s but CSL’s just look fantastic on these cars too.
Next steps for me I think is to look into getting a little more noise from the exhaust in a tasteful way...people keep talking about the DLV exhaust mod costing c£250 but giving a much nicer ‘stock’ noise so I’ll keep an eye on the various forums, while I get used to the car.
Any idea how rare the z4 coupes are? I’ve yet to see another one on the road while out and about in mine
Mine has some kind of non-stock exhaust which is very loud. It does drone on the motorway but I don't really mind it and it's worth it when the windows are down and you push the revs up a bit!
There really aren't many out there - I reckon I only see about 1 a month. I've probably only seen 2 or 3 M coupés in that time too
flight147z said:
UmpaLoompa said:
sjj84 said:
Looks lovely, enjoy. I have a siver grey one, never quite looks as good as the black ones. Out of interest, how much did you pay? Had mine since 2011, no idea of their value these days.
Just under £7k Thanks all - some lovely fellow Zeds on here. I really like the 108s but CSL’s just look fantastic on these cars too.
Next steps for me I think is to look into getting a little more noise from the exhaust in a tasteful way...people keep talking about the DLV exhaust mod costing c£250 but giving a much nicer ‘stock’ noise so I’ll keep an eye on the various forums, while I get used to the car.
Any idea how rare the z4 coupes are? I’ve yet to see another one on the road while out and about in mine
Mine has some kind of non-stock exhaust which is very loud. It does drone on the motorway but I don't really mind it and it's worth it when the windows are down and you push the revs up a bit!
There really aren't many out there - I reckon I only see about 1 a month. I've probably only seen 2 or 3 M coupés in that time too
Took it through a tunnel today and i definitely need more noise 
I also came across this link which you may find interesting: http://perso.numericable.fr/tonyz4c/index30si.html
Interestingly, if you plug in the various details of my car, it shows as being one of about 9 in the country (SB, silverstone 2 tone leather, manual coupe)
flight147z said:
Maybe, when buying new, more people specced the powerful engine when buying the coupe?
Fordo said:
Fascinating - i had a quick look at the numbers for the 3.0si convertible since I own one. I thought the coupes would be rarer, but there's only 56 - 3.0si convertibles currently registered!
Blimey, that doesn't seem right to me?!I guess it's because the roadsters in general are so common but you can't always spot whether it's a 3.0si or not. I assumed it was a pretty even split among the different engine sizes.
If those numbers are correct though my girlfriend's 3.0si roadster in Pheonix Yellow with pale cream leather interior must be borderline unique!
Superb car, but for me the coupe wins hands down on looks
Not sure that the 'how many left' numbers are quite right....or we're not quite reading them properly.
If you look at the other link I posted earlier though and filter down, it seems to think that there were 28 Phoenix Yellow 3.0si manual roadsters (32 if you include autos) produced for the UK. So, pretty rare!
If you look at the other link I posted earlier though and filter down, it seems to think that there were 28 Phoenix Yellow 3.0si manual roadsters (32 if you include autos) produced for the UK. So, pretty rare!
UmpaLoompa said:
Not sure that the 'how many left' numbers are quite right....or we're not quite reading them properly.
If you look at the other link I posted earlier though and filter down, it seems to think that there were 28 Phoenix Yellow 3.0si manual roadsters (32 if you include autos) produced for the UK. So, pretty rare!
If you look at the other link I posted earlier though and filter down, it seems to think that there were 28 Phoenix Yellow 3.0si manual roadsters (32 if you include autos) produced for the UK. So, pretty rare!
That sounds more like it.
She was dead set on Pheonix Yellow with cream leather so it did take a while to find one, particularly with sub-60k miles- but if those initial numbers were correct I'd imagine we would still be looking now!
Edited to add: just plugging the interior trim details into that link (LAAB + brushed aluminium dash) does indeed suggest it is one of one!
Will have to check the VIN and see if it agrees, the production date certainly stacks up and the listed options all look correct...
Edited by Squirrelofwoe on Monday 25th June 16:35
That link was fun 
not many of mine. Sapphire black, red leather and piano black interior trim.
I posted in the other Z4 thread started recently but I’ve had mine for 3 years, it’s my daily (and only) car on over 100k miles now. It’s been brilliant and I still grin every time I drive it.
I usually change cars every year (low boredom threshold!) but as a ‘do everything’ car I just can’t think of a replacement. I actually intend to keep it till it dies now
not many of mine. Sapphire black, red leather and piano black interior trim. I posted in the other Z4 thread started recently but I’ve had mine for 3 years, it’s my daily (and only) car on over 100k miles now. It’s been brilliant and I still grin every time I drive it.
I usually change cars every year (low boredom threshold!) but as a ‘do everything’ car I just can’t think of a replacement. I actually intend to keep it till it dies now
FLGirl said:
That link was fun not many of mine. Sapphire black, red leather and piano black interior trim.
I posted in the other Z4 thread started recently but I’ve had mine for 3 years, it’s my daily (and only) car on over 100k miles now. It’s been brilliant and I still grin every time I drive it.
I usually change cars every year (low boredom threshold!) but as a ‘do everything’ car I just can’t think of a replacement. I actually intend to keep it till it dies now
The only thing I am really interested in to replace mine is a 4C - different ballpark price wise though and I'm not certain the 4C will keep coming down now it's out of production. not many of mine. Sapphire black, red leather and piano black interior trim. I posted in the other Z4 thread started recently but I’ve had mine for 3 years, it’s my daily (and only) car on over 100k miles now. It’s been brilliant and I still grin every time I drive it.
I usually change cars every year (low boredom threshold!) but as a ‘do everything’ car I just can’t think of a replacement. I actually intend to keep it till it dies now
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