Z4 Mk1 versus Mk2
Discussion
Never really considered BMW before, I am in the market for something interesting with purchase budget of up to 15k. one of the options to pop up is the Z4.
I like the look of the Mk1 coupe (sorry not conversant with model codes), there are a few of these in 3.0 guise local to me, at just under 9k. Did the newer Z4 with the folding roof get treated to any significant engineering upgrades aside from the roof? or is it just cosmetics? The newer cars look a bit snazzier in the cockpit. The (what looks to be ) extra boot space in the coupe might be useful
I like the look of the Mk1 coupe (sorry not conversant with model codes), there are a few of these in 3.0 guise local to me, at just under 9k. Did the newer Z4 with the folding roof get treated to any significant engineering upgrades aside from the roof? or is it just cosmetics? The newer cars look a bit snazzier in the cockpit. The (what looks to be ) extra boot space in the coupe might be useful
Edited by sawman on Saturday 10th August 18:24
The first generation of Z4s were the E85 (Roadster) and E86 (Coupe).
All Coupes (other than the M models) had a 3 litre naturally aspirated straight 6 engine and were built between 2006 and 2008.
The next generation Z4s with the folding metal roof were E89s, and were produced from 2009 onwards. The 23i and 30i models used the same engines as the post 2006 E85s/86s in 2.5 litre and 3 litre capacity respectively.
There was also a 35is which had a twin-turbo 6 cylinder and was joined by a slightly more powerful (but auto. only) 35is in 2010.
Then in 2011 there was a facelift and the naturally aspirated engines were replaced with 2 litre 4 cylinder turbo engines for the 18i, 20i and 28i with the 35i and 35is continuing.
It's worth having a look at "z4forum" to do a bit of research, but the E86 is generally considered more "SportsCar" whereas the E89 is more "GT", so it depends what you are after.
The boot in the E89 is especially restricted if you want to be able to lower the roof as it lowers into the boot.
I've had an E86 for over 5 years and love it, but it isn't my daily driver. I just can't see me wanting an E89 though - it's probably too refined for what I want from a 2 seater.
Anyway I hope that helps.
All Coupes (other than the M models) had a 3 litre naturally aspirated straight 6 engine and were built between 2006 and 2008.
The next generation Z4s with the folding metal roof were E89s, and were produced from 2009 onwards. The 23i and 30i models used the same engines as the post 2006 E85s/86s in 2.5 litre and 3 litre capacity respectively.
There was also a 35is which had a twin-turbo 6 cylinder and was joined by a slightly more powerful (but auto. only) 35is in 2010.
Then in 2011 there was a facelift and the naturally aspirated engines were replaced with 2 litre 4 cylinder turbo engines for the 18i, 20i and 28i with the 35i and 35is continuing.
It's worth having a look at "z4forum" to do a bit of research, but the E86 is generally considered more "SportsCar" whereas the E89 is more "GT", so it depends what you are after.
The boot in the E89 is especially restricted if you want to be able to lower the roof as it lowers into the boot.
I've had an E86 for over 5 years and love it, but it isn't my daily driver. I just can't see me wanting an E89 though - it's probably too refined for what I want from a 2 seater.
Anyway I hope that helps.
Thanks Mr T useful round up. I have been over to the z4 forum, theres lots of stuff there, so takes a bit if sifting through.
I think i am looking at the earlier e85/6 as i am not keen on the folding hard tops.
The examples i am looking at are 2006/7 with 80ish k miles. Any particular gotchas with this age/mileage that you have run into? Also have you any feeling for how values for E86 have moved over the last couple of years?
The other cars i am looking at are either tvr chimeara ( i have wanted one of these for years but never been brave enough), i figure depreciation would be minimal whilst the potential to need mending is high. I have also looked boxsters which seem to compare with Z4s on price/mileage but the shadow of IMS etc and finally as a newer option NC and ND mx5s which might be an easier ownership prospect for regular use, but ultimately not as “special”
I think i am looking at the earlier e85/6 as i am not keen on the folding hard tops.
The examples i am looking at are 2006/7 with 80ish k miles. Any particular gotchas with this age/mileage that you have run into? Also have you any feeling for how values for E86 have moved over the last couple of years?
The other cars i am looking at are either tvr chimeara ( i have wanted one of these for years but never been brave enough), i figure depreciation would be minimal whilst the potential to need mending is high. I have also looked boxsters which seem to compare with Z4s on price/mileage but the shadow of IMS etc and finally as a newer option NC and ND mx5s which might be an easier ownership prospect for regular use, but ultimately not as “special”
I never liked the E89. I was at a BMW dealership when they were launched and took an instant meh to it. Something was lost in translation on the newer car. The E86 is a lovely thing and was a classic the day it was launched, and the fabric roof E85 3.0 is old school without being crap.
sawman said:
Thanks Mr T useful round up. I have been over to the z4 forum, theres lots of stuff there, so takes a bit if sifting through.
I think i am looking at the earlier e85/6 as i am not keen on the folding hard tops.
The examples i am looking at are 2006/7 with 80ish k miles. Any particular gotchas with this age/mileage that you have run into? Also have you any feeling for how values for E86 have moved over the last couple of years?
Re the E85 (the Roadster), do get the later 3.0Si version with the N52 engine (as fitted to all the Coupes).I think i am looking at the earlier e85/6 as i am not keen on the folding hard tops.
The examples i am looking at are 2006/7 with 80ish k miles. Any particular gotchas with this age/mileage that you have run into? Also have you any feeling for how values for E86 have moved over the last couple of years?
I was like you and also considered the Boxster but because I'm a BMW fanboy and I was a bit wary of Porsche sized bills, went for the Z4.
Mine is a 2007 with 85k miles. Generally pretty decent, I've not had any major issues. I think it looks a lot more modern than its age.
Steering is so so (EPAS) but I may be needing a bit of a suspension refresh at this age, plus probably will switch to non run flats. Sounds fabulous.
Importantly look out for the spec. I noticed quite lot of poorly specced Z4s out there. Look out for:
- Xenons (must have)
- Heated seats (must have in a roaster imo)
- Cruise
- Nav
- Parking sensors
- Folding mirrors
- Hi Fi speaker upgrade
- Steering wheel controls
Good luck!
Edited by g3org3y on Tuesday 13th August 06:27
Just for balance - i'm the opposite to the guys above, never got the E85. Not plush enough to be a cruiser and not raw enough to justify over the Boxster.
E89 is a lovely place to be, looks fantastic roof up and down in my opinion and stopped trying to compete with Porsche and find its own niche which it does superbly. I've got the 2.5, and could probably do with a tad more poke if i was being greedy but with the auto and paddles growls along nicely. Always feels more special than it is.
Love the look of the coupe E86, but for me as a weekend driver i would miss the chance to drop the roof - values are holding well though!
Had 3 Boxsters (2x986 and a 987) for pure driving thrills they take a beating, but so does the wallet even with a friendly specialist - nothing went wrong with any of them, but keeping them nice and tip top is costly. Suprisingly useable as a GT too with two sizeable boots.
E89 is a lovely place to be, looks fantastic roof up and down in my opinion and stopped trying to compete with Porsche and find its own niche which it does superbly. I've got the 2.5, and could probably do with a tad more poke if i was being greedy but with the auto and paddles growls along nicely. Always feels more special than it is.
Love the look of the coupe E86, but for me as a weekend driver i would miss the chance to drop the roof - values are holding well though!
Had 3 Boxsters (2x986 and a 987) for pure driving thrills they take a beating, but so does the wallet even with a friendly specialist - nothing went wrong with any of them, but keeping them nice and tip top is costly. Suprisingly useable as a GT too with two sizeable boots.
scottp3000 said:
Just for balance - i'm the opposite to the guys above, never got the E85. Not plush enough to be a cruiser and not raw enough to justify over the Boxster.
E89 is a lovely place to be, looks fantastic roof up and down in my opinion and stopped trying to compete with Porsche and find its own niche which it does superbly. I've got the 2.5, and could probably do with a tad more poke if i was being greedy but with the auto and paddles growls along nicely. Always feels more special than it is.
Love the look of the coupe E86, but for me as a weekend driver i would miss the chance to drop the roof - values are holding well though!
Had 3 Boxsters (2x986 and a 987) for pure driving thrills they take a beating, but so does the wallet even with a friendly specialist - nothing went wrong with any of them, but keeping them nice and tip top is costly. Suprisingly useable as a GT too with two sizeable boots.
I has a poke around an E86 yesterday and I am quite liking the look and feel, probably go back this week for a drive, if the rain ever stops. I thought I was looking at soft tops (chimaera is probably top of my list) but I like the look of the E86 and the possibility of air con and some protection from the sun in hot weather is attractive (I have bad memories of a nasty hold up on the M25 in my morgan a few years ago - nearly passed out in the heat (after that I carried a golfing umbrella in the car!) ). I am wary of the IMS issues with boxstersE89 is a lovely place to be, looks fantastic roof up and down in my opinion and stopped trying to compete with Porsche and find its own niche which it does superbly. I've got the 2.5, and could probably do with a tad more poke if i was being greedy but with the auto and paddles growls along nicely. Always feels more special than it is.
Love the look of the coupe E86, but for me as a weekend driver i would miss the chance to drop the roof - values are holding well though!
Had 3 Boxsters (2x986 and a 987) for pure driving thrills they take a beating, but so does the wallet even with a friendly specialist - nothing went wrong with any of them, but keeping them nice and tip top is costly. Suprisingly useable as a GT too with two sizeable boots.
Edited by sawman on Monday 12th August 13:52
sawman said:
I has a poke around an E86 yesterday and I am quite liking the look and feel, probably go back this week for a drive, if the rain ever stops. I thought I was looking at soft tops (chimaera is probably top of my list) but I like the look of the E86 and the possibility of air con and some protection from the sun in hot weather is attractive (I have bad memories of a nasty hold up on the M25 in my morgan a few years ago - nearly passed out in the heat (after that I carried a golfing umbrella in the car!) ). I am wary of the IMS issues with boxsters
It was the looks of the E86 that did it for me, with that "double-bubble" roof - then I drove one and knew I just had to have one. Edited by sawman on Monday 12th August 13:52
So back in June 2014 I bought my first one and loved it, well until the electric water pump died in December 2015 at 60K miles. My BMW Indy bought the replacement from BMW and just the pump cost just over £500.
They just stop working, so you get no warning and the engine overheats in about a mile. It's not a question of "If", just a question of "When".Anyway as I had taken early retirement by then I wasn't sure I could justify keeping it and I ended up selling it in May 2016, albeit for a few hundred more than I paid for it!
But when I took it for a final drive I came home wondering what I had done, so a couple of days later I went looking for another which I still have.
Thankfully my BMW Indy now buys the pumps elsewhere for less than £300 - they are made by Pierburg who made the OEM ones.
The only other issues I can think of are corroded rear brake pipes - they are in a plastic cover that ends under the back of the passenger seat and traps road debris which then holds moisture. I got mine replaced in copper as fitting OEM ones requires dropping the fuel tank!
Like most BMWs of this era a dying battery seems to throw up all sorts of random electrical issues, but they don't have AGM batteries or need coding so a new one is about £100.
And some E86s suffer from rust on the tailgate - easily spotted if you open it and look all round the edges as they don't get much paint in that area. Many are also now outside the BMW 12 year Corrosion Warranty.
As g3org3y said the EPAS isn't great, and they can be prone to tramlining. But new suspension bushes, an alignment and swapping to non-runflat tyres seems to help no end.
OEM spec was pretty mean, to the extent that Cruise and rear parking sensors were options! Bi-Xenons are definitely worth having, as are heated seats on an E85 (Roadster) but at least Cruise is a fairly easy retro-fit.
My current one is now on 90K miles and can still get a move on when I want.
So I suppose I might as well post a gratuitous photo.
sawman said:
Thanks Mr T useful round up. I have been over to the z4 forum, theres lots of stuff there, so takes a bit if sifting through.
I think i am looking at the earlier e85/6 as i am not keen on the folding hard tops.
The examples i am looking at are 2006/7 with 80ish k miles. Any particular gotchas with this age/mileage that you have run into? Also have you any feeling for how values for E86 have moved over the last couple of years?
The other cars i am looking at are either tvr chimeara ( i have wanted one of these for years but never been brave enough), i figure depreciation would be minimal whilst the potential to need mending is high. I have also looked boxsters which seem to compare with Z4s on price/mileage but the shadow of IMS etc and finally as a newer option NC and ND mx5s which might be an easier ownership prospect for regular use, but ultimately not as “special”
If you have considered buying a Chimaera, my advise would be do it. Find a well looked after 4.5 and you should have miles of trouble free motoring, plus not forgetting many miles of smiles and the exhaust note is intoxicating!!!!!!!!!!!I think i am looking at the earlier e85/6 as i am not keen on the folding hard tops.
The examples i am looking at are 2006/7 with 80ish k miles. Any particular gotchas with this age/mileage that you have run into? Also have you any feeling for how values for E86 have moved over the last couple of years?
The other cars i am looking at are either tvr chimeara ( i have wanted one of these for years but never been brave enough), i figure depreciation would be minimal whilst the potential to need mending is high. I have also looked boxsters which seem to compare with Z4s on price/mileage but the shadow of IMS etc and finally as a newer option NC and ND mx5s which might be an easier ownership prospect for regular use, but ultimately not as “special”
I’m a BMW fanboy, but I’d be buying the TVR as a toy. The bork potential factor is high, but so are the rewards / specialness.
The E85/6 are lovely things. I never really got on with the E89. Personally I’d be buying the coupe, no roof down fun, but they look so good and have aged really really well. They’re so petite compared to modern cars. The N52 is a cracking engine too (had it in my E90).
The E85/6 are lovely things. I never really got on with the E89. Personally I’d be buying the coupe, no roof down fun, but they look so good and have aged really really well. They’re so petite compared to modern cars. The N52 is a cracking engine too (had it in my E90).
Court_S said:
I’m a BMW fanboy, but I’d be buying the TVR as a toy. The bork potential factor is high, but so are the rewards / specialness.
The E85/6 are lovely things. I never really got on with the E89. Personally I’d be buying the coupe, no roof down fun, but they look so good and have aged really really well. They’re so petite compared to modern cars. The N52 is a cracking engine too (had it in my E90).
Yes, as much as I love BMWs I'd rather have a TVR as a fun/weekend car for the noise and excitement. Mind you if I could afford one I might be just as tempted by a Z4CM. The E85/6 are lovely things. I never really got on with the E89. Personally I’d be buying the coupe, no roof down fun, but they look so good and have aged really really well. They’re so petite compared to modern cars. The N52 is a cracking engine too (had it in my E90).
You're right about the N52 engine too - my Z4C has one, which is probably how my daily ended up being an E90 330i!
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